Taz_1

Can I ask, were you and your wife seated at a table for two or at a larger table with other guests ?

We were sat at a table of six. My wife and I were the second couple to arrive at the table on the first night and the wine waiter was already there. if your question was whether he was aware that we were a couple seated with two other couples, I don't think that there was any doubt.

have you done your 'comment card' yet?

 

You can mention the issue here and even by name if you know it

 

but if you DO ... you are REALLY slamming the individual as every line I've sailed takes the comment cards quite seriously . . .

I was very thoughtful about this and did mention it on the comment card.

However, I tried to be careful with my wording as I really didn't want to cause difficulties for an individual. There was no great issue as the guy was always very polite. There were little issues (other than his wine knowledge) and it was things such as on the first night when I ordered a wine, it was brought to the table for me to check the bottle and then taste. After I acknowledged the wine was fine, he filled my glass and left the table without offering any to my wife. I would have expected him to have offered her wine, especially as he stood behind me whilst I confirmed with my wife which wine she would prefer. I poured a glass for her myself and later during the meal when we had both finished our glasses, he returned and poured me some more wine, again ignoring my wife's empty glass.

Thanks for the quick replies, I thought that it might be the case that you can't remove it.

The sommelier in particular unfortunately does not have all the skills for the job. Perhaps it is something that I should have raised at the time, but that would leave a bad feeling for the remainder of the cruise. Perhaps I was hoping that other staff such as the head waiter would notice and would have a word with him anyway.

I would like to apologise up front for what is yet another question on gratuities.

I departed the Queen Elizabeth yesterday following a fantastic cruise to Norway. Whilst I am not keen on auto gratuities in principle, I have always accepted it as part of the cruise culture and paid without question. To date, I have never felt the need to ask for auto gratuities to be removed although I know this can be done. However, on this trip I was less than satisfied with the service provided by the sommelier and one of the servers in the Commodore Club. Due to this it crossed me mind whether it is possible to remove the auto gratuity (15%) which is added to the drink charge.

Just had an email from Cunard to say we have to arrive at Southampton for embarkation on 14th two hours later than originally advised.

Hi Taz_1,

 

I can only speak for myself;

I look forward to actually meeting, and enjoying the company of, the many interesting and witty people that previously I've only been able to "chat with" on CC. Or at the very least, "putting a face" to an "on-line name" so to speak.

I also enjoy meeting friends again that I've met on previous cruises or crossings (it can be so easy to miss people on a large ship).

These "meet & greet" gatherings on the ship has in several cases, led to lasting friendships, with us meeting up on dry land, as well as on board.

 

I also really dislike name-badges at a meet & greet on board. So I totally agree with you.

But then I dislike the "super-organisers" with all their mass cabin-crawls, gifts to total strangers, name tags, speeches, enquiries about how much people paid for their cruise (and smugly telling you they paid less), seating set out in rows (saw that organised once!) etc.

The very worst one I saw was in the Winter Garden where passengers were told by the self-appointed leader to "shut up, no-one can hear me speak if you're all simply chatting amongst yourselves... "

 

The meetings I've enjoyed most have been casual gatherings; a few friends and/or new acquaintances meeting over a drink and chatting/catching up on news.

 

Best wishes to you, and happy sailings for the future :) .

Hi Pepperrn. You have put it far more eloquently than I did, but in essence I think the feeling is much the same. I have made friends with other Cunarders and have been invited to their home for garden parties. However, I prefer to meet over breakfast in the Lido, lunch in the MDR or a cocktail in the Commodore club.

Just under two weeks until my next cruise so who knows, maybe a chance meeting will find a friend for life.

Am I missing something, why do people want to arrange meetings?

I spend half of my life in meetings and try to avoid as many of them as possible. Especially the need for name tags. Having the watched an episode of 'The Cruise' recently (yes, I know it wasn't Cunard) there was a couple who felt the need to have name badges made to look like the name badge the ships officers ware.

I do love to meet and talk to others, but I do so throughout the whole ship over the entire duration of the cruise.

I just put on a short sleeve shirt. My wife uses one of the bath robes from the cabin.

I'm looking into a longer (>14 nights) cruise and I'm wondering how many formal outfits women usually bring. Is three enough? Four?

 

Thanks.

My wife tends to take a different outfit for each evening. A lot of her 'informal' outfits would still be very suitable for a 'formal' evening. At the end of the day, it is very much up to you and whatever you feel comfortable in.

Thanks for that. Do you know how long it will take to get off the ship by tender?

Thanks for the replies this is really helpful!

Should be no more than a couple of hours!

I believe that it is Ships excursions, grills etc. first. Then go to Queens Room and take a number. They will call for passengers in groups and then make sure you don't get crushed in the rush as those called race for the stairs and lifts. If you are very lucky, the stairs wont be totally blocked by others who think it is better to wait there rather than where told :mad:

Hi all,

 

due to bungles at Cunard we have two different world club numbers. On my world club page it says 'gold' - which is right. But on my cruise personaliser [sp] it says silver. A lengthy conversation with world club desk in Southampton - admits we have two numbers by accident but says - no we can't merge numbers until after your coming cruise.

 

Rubbish says I, so I am now looking for emails for Cunard in Southampton and in America.

Can anyone help - blowed if I can find them.

 

Little things mean a lot to me so this is becoming a crusade which I am determined to get sorted before the cruise in July.

 

thanks Teresa

We had the same problem on a cruise we have just booked. I was displayed as Gold and my wife Silver despite always travelling together. I phoned yesterday and the problem was resolved, both now showing Gold.

I'm sure that there are plenty on here who can answer this better than I can. However, If I had a specific requirement as you do, I would certainly book the Cunard fare and not the saver fare.

Certainly, the alternative dining venues are great, but I don't think I would want to put myself in a position to have to rely on these every night because I wasn't happy with the table seating I had been allocated.

Ask them to remove it. If the drink is included in the package i.e. price is $0 then 15% of $0 = $0 :eek:

Thanks for the reply, which leads me to another question. Can the points be used against Saver Fares or do you have to book the full Cunard Fare?

 

There can be a big difference between the two fares and for a transatlantic crossing I really can't see any benefit for paying full price.

As already said, you can only use them against the full fare and only if you book direct. In addition, when I spoke to Cunard about using them I was advised that you have to advise them at the time of booking. In my case, I had already booked and was told that I could not use them when paying the balance.

As I only had a couple of hundred £s I really didn't think it was worth it anyway and use them for other things.

Hi. I wonder if any recent passengers have dined in Queen Victoria's Verandah Restaurant and are able to advise if both a la carte and degustation menus are available? Ask.Cunard.com shows differences between QV and QE Verandah offerings - I can't see a degustation menu for QV. Thank you.

I believe that they did on one evening during my last QV cruise. I can't remember the number of courses, but I think there was a different wine with each course.

The OP....

Sorry, read it twice and still missed that.

Not too sure what you mean by trouble , But whatever category one is in, it does make a refreshing change to take time out and dine one evening ( or afternoon) in one of the another venues

 

I can recommend the Verandah and also the Alternative Dining in the Lido which is ideal for a casual evening, particularly after returning from a port visit.

 

Just the same as a pub lunch or taking a light snack in Cafe Carinthia. :)

Who referred to 'Trouble'?

Really don't think I would want to pay the extra if I had already paid for QG.

That said, as one of the lower classes who travels in Britania class, it is worth every penny.

I have just booked a cruise on Magellan and been assigned cabin GT107. When I look at the deck layout, all cabins are allocated a number according to deck i.e. 5107. Anyone have any ideas about this room allocation.

We have a foreign exchange card which we can load with US$ to settle our account. However' date=' I do definitely want to pay in cash and not use the card under any circumstances. Is there a cash withdrawal machine on board QV?[/quote']

 

Why? Surely its easier to settle the account with the card.

 

Failing that, draw the cash from the card at the pursers office and then pay in cash, but effectively that's the same thing.

First experience was July 2014 to Norway. It was our 25th wedding anniversary on the QV and was amazing. Really brought a tear to my eye when we left Southampton having had many years seeing ships leave and never expected to be on one.

Our second (and last) trip was on QV again to ST Petersburgh last year. Whilst I still enjoyed it, it didn't have the same feeling. I'm not sure if this was because it wasn't new any-more or whether it just wasn't quite the same experience.

The second trip was a saver fare and we did feel like second class citizens. Next time I will pay full fare again. Maybe is just in my mind, but I definitely felt different on the reduced fare trip.

Avoid the buffet restaurant and you will be fine. Dressing up makes you feel good and apart from a formal night, you don't actually need to wear a suit. Pair of trousers, smart shirt and jacket that will go and you're fine.

Here is the three-page menu for the 11 July 2013 Celebration Dinner in honor of QM2's 200th transatlantic crossing. Sadly, only one page for the food choices.

Hmm, doesn't look any more of a celebration meal than any other day.

Lido Restaurant (Buffet)

Breakfast: (Continental) 4:00 - 6:30 sea days, 6:00 port days,

Breakfast: (Port days) 6:30 - 11:30, (Sea days) 6:30 - 11:30

Lunch: 11:30 - 15:00, (Embarkation days) 12:00 - 18:00

Afternoon snack: 15:00 - 18:00

Dinner: 18:00 - 23:00

Bistro dinner: 18:30 - 21:00

Italian Trattoria pizzeria buffet: 12:00 - 21:30

Late evening snack: 23:00 - 4:00

You can eat 24hrs a day if you need or want to.

On our cruise they had Prime for 3 or 4 days and then Coriander for 3 or 4 etc. I would have preferred it to rotate daily as we enjoyed Bamboo so much we would have made a second visit later in the holiday.