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Does anyone remember the Cunard Club (not to be confused with the World Club) when you had to pay an anual membership fee? I’ve forgotten what the yearly fee was but there was an on board party with drinks, snacks and a gift for members. I recall one year when there was a late evening departure that members were invited to meet at the Polygon Hotel in Southampton for dinner and drinks. We left our car at the hotel which was taken to the secure parking area in the docks, our luggage was also taken from us and delivered to the ship and after dinner we were all taken by coach to the ship. You received a Cunard Club badge and luggage labels. I can also remember travelling down on the boat train when all check in formalities were undertaken on the train. Ah, those were the days.

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I don't remember the Cunard Club, but I do remember the boat train. That was so much fun, I do wish they would rent out one of the Orient Express trains from time to time now, it would be the perfect way to get from London to Southampton :)

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I don't remember the Cunard Club, but I do remember the boat train. That was so much fun, I do wish they would rent out one of the Orient Express trains from time to time now, it would be the perfect way to get from London to Southampton :)

 

Some years ago, perhaps in 2005 on an early voyage we took the Orient Express (actually British Pullman) luncheon train to Southampton to the QE Terminal. It was off the train, around the corner, check in and onto the ship. It was a delight, Not Cheap however, I think about $400, per, but memorable in any event.

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This was akin to the P&O's Pando Club in the late 80s/early 90s.

 

And yes, I remember the "Ocean Liner Express" trains from Waterloo to Southampton Ocean Terminal (the lovely 1950 Art Deco one they demolished in 1981 to make a open car park for imported cars!). Did that on my first QE2 crossing in 1977. What convenience... you stepped off the train right onto an escalator and into the terminal and directly aboard. So convenient, so civilised... no wonder they got rid of it!

 

They did do Orient Express Pullman charters to sailings until about 10-15 years ago but sadly no longer.

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By coincidence, this was mentioned by Maureen Ryan during one of her talks on the recent QE2 Anniversary Voyage on QE. She referred to it as The Anne Bright Club; so named after the lady who first conceived of and then organised the club. It certainly sounded like one of things which made sea travel memorable in days gone by.

 

We also travelled down to Southampton on the Orient Express once, boarded QE2 for the trip to New York and then, after a few days in the city, flew back to Heathrow on Concorde. A wonderful experience, organised and impeccably delivered by Goodwood Travel, if memory serves.

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I remember when Cunard menus had a savoury (like sardines on toast or welsh rarebit) as the very last course after dessert/cheese. And hiring a deck chair in a set location. You got "tucked in" with a steamer rug and tea was served on trays at your chair along with 11am bouillon. On QE2, the steamer rugs and the deck chair cushions all came from the old QUEEN MARY and Dennis Dawson was the dean of deck stewards.

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Rugs are also available on the decks below ( on request from a passing deck crew member) they are stowed in one of the large wooden boxes on deck 7 QM2 ( I've often helped my self to one, even the other month on my crossings)

 

Believe it or not Gill, thanks to Cunard, even those guests not in the Grills are equally well looked after. ;)

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Rugs are also available on the decks below ( on request from a passing deck crew member) they are stowed in one of the large wooden boxes on deck 7 QM2 ( I've often helped my self to one, even the other month on my crossings)

 

Believe it or not Gill, thanks to Cunard, even those guests not in the Grills are equally well looked after. ;)

I just hadn't seen them routinely placed on the steamers. Good to know they're available for all.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Does anyone remember when sorbet was served in between courses to cleanse the pallet? How about the orchestra when it had 13 members? Not long ago, they put paper doilies in between plates. No more.

 

Yes i do remember those days very well - on formal it was a champagne sorbet

And on my first QE2 in 1990 there was indded a big orchestra - and French Champagne with canapes with caviar on cocktails on senior officers parties

when i started to cruise on Vistafjord it was an 11 member orchestra , during my last cruise on her in 1999 : 7 musicians :cool:

serving a sorbet was also done on my first Seabourn in 1999 - i think it was also done on Crystal until 2005 on formal dinners however there was always a sorbet available as dessert

and serving a sorbet topped with (real ) champagne or wodka is still done on the Europa and the Europa 2.

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Seabourn were part of Cunard and that is where they got the sorbet concept for dinner. Although the two lines are now separate, but both

owned by Carnival, Seabourn have continued with sorbet at dinner always available and on the menu on special nights.

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Rugs are also available on the decks below ( on request from a passing deck crew member) they are stowed in one of the large wooden boxes on deck 7 QM2 ( I've often helped my self to one, even the other month on my crossings)

 

Believe it or not Gill, thanks to Cunard, even those guests not in the Grills are equally well looked after. ;)

 

Not according to the crewmembers my wife talked to, they weren't. She would've loved to spend the morning under a blanket on the deck.

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