Queen Elizabeth Ship Visit August 2016

[Adammara]

Queen Elizabeth Ship Visit 16th August 2016

 

It’s a bit long and rambling, feel free to abandon ship!

 

A little background information first! I have been haunting this forum for the last year, trying to decide if we should return to cruising after a 4 year absence. We hoped to take a short cruise last autumn on Cunard, but the overrunning installation of new roofing on our house stopped that. Regulars might remember we asked about getting a sneak view of the Princess Grill, as we would have booked a standard balcony as a trial at that time.

 

In May due to a booking problem at the holiday cottage we rent in Dorset, our stay in late September was cancelled, and we took the plunge and booked the QE 7 day cruise on the 30th September in a P2 guarantee instead.

 

A few weeks later a slot in August became available in the cottage, so we booked it, this coincided with a day that QE ship visits were available, so we decided to have a look round.

 

Booking was easy, and the phone staff very helpful. QE would be at the Mayflower terminal, a 45 mile drive from the cottage.

 

What a fantastic day we had! The cottage is in a rural area near Wareham, and when I woke around 6.30 am there were 5 Sika deer not more than 10 metres from our front door, 3 females and 2 fawns, what a great start to the day.

 

We arrived at Mayflower around 9.30 am, and proceeded to the departure lounge and checked in just as you would on a cruise, but a photo driving licence was enough for identity. We received a boarding card and a lanyard and attached card with our info, and directed to a small group sitting near the café, and sat and waited to be called. Whilst we waited drinks and biscuits were freely available, and we were also given a bag with various Cunard info and a pen. I thought it bit unusual, but there were some people with trolleys of luggage waiting there as well.

 

Although we were due to board at 10.30 the ship allowed us on from 10.20, strangely, although we were one of the first there we were in the last group to go, but it was very nice as there were only 5 couples, and we got Karen, an experienced Cunard staff member who worked in the fly and world cruise section, and was an extremely good guide, a lot better than many we have had on shore excursions.

 

We boarded as per a normal cruise, and had a short talk in the Grand Lobby, and then up to deck seven to start our tour. Our first call was a Q2, the Britten suite, what a way to start! One can but dream.

 

This was followed by a Princess cabin, a disabled cabin no 7073, a standard balcony and an inside cabin, so we got a broad idea of the range of cabins.

 

Then it was onto the public rooms, starting with the Yacht Club, the Commodore Club and then the sports area. We then proceeded to the Spa and the Hydropool, then the men were sent to the gym, whilst the ladies disappeared into a ‘secret’ room as the guide described it, and the ladies came out very impressed.

 

So to the Pavilion Pool, and it was quite hot in that area as we had a beautiful summers day for our tour, they quite a few passengers around the ship, I assumed that many must be on B2B’s. And onto the Garden Room, really liked that, and then up to the Children’s Zone, although there were none to be seen at that time.

 

For us the next area was of great interest, as we have a P2 guarantee booked and wanted a good look at the Grill suite area. We started in the grill lounge, and to our delight, Princess Grill was the restaurant we visited, sadly there were no staff on duty, so we were unable to find any further information. Though to the Terrace, and up to the Grills Terrace, were we rested for around 10 minutes, nobody seemed in a hurry to move on, and the sun beds were bliss!

 

Then it was back to the Lido restaurant, which was beginning to serve the passengers, as boarded had already started by then, the food looked good as we passed through to the Lido Pool area. And so to the Queens Room and then the shops, which fortunately were closed!!! We then proceeded to the Royal Court Theatre top level, which we rather liked as we had a good view of the stage from there.

 

We then headed for lunch, briefly stopping at the Britannia Club restaurant, and then onto the Britannia lower level for lunch, we were seated at a table for six (392), great for us as we find bigger table more difficult to cope with conversations. Sadly Karen had to leave us as she was moving house, and introduced us to one of the other guides, who would escort us off the ship when we had finished lunch.

 

An excellent lunch followed, and we all had the beef tenderloin, which was really excellent, and of course wine and coffee were included, my wife does not drink wine, but an excellent orange juice was quickly served.. Both the other couples had been on QM2, but they seemed to prefer QE. We were due to disembark at 2 pm, but it was some after that before we left, as some members of the tours group had walked off independently, which meant trouble for the guides as we were all supposed to be escorted off.

 

A smoothly run operation fell apart there! Eventually we were ready to go and we were taken to the boarding area in the Grand Lobby on deck 1, but we were then sent along to the bow of the ship, and down to deck 2, where upon we were sent back to the atrium, and after a lot of confusion sent up to deck 2, the steep crew gangway to disembark

 

Once we were ashore, we made way for a crew member disembarking with his luggage, he was a happy man, going home after 9 months to see his family, and he pointed out his presents for his children.

 

We found the tour very interesting and well worth the money (£100), if any newcomer is not sure, I would recommend it, we can’t wait to board next month! Of course there were sales staff there, and they were getting enquires, and in a quiet moment I did ask about guarantee assignments, they said most happen around 2 weeks before sailing, when most of the cancellations and alterations were over, so it looks like another 4 weeks before we know our assignment!

 

And so back to our cottage, big delays on the way back, a tank transporter with tank had broken down on the dual carriageway, and there was a huge queue. That night our hosts took us out to dinner, we went to the top restaurant in Lulworth which they wanted to try.

 

Pre dinner drinks were on the terrace overlooking the valley on a beautiful summer evening, followed by and excellent dinner inside, certainly on a par with our meal on Cunard. In all, a wonderful day that we shall remember a long time.

 

Took several hundred photos, all of which are nothing new, I had hoped to get lots of photo’s of menu’s, but the time at each location, and changeover day meant there was very little information about, but I did get 8 shots of various menu’s and info that might be of interest, they are at:

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7LVRToyJCabMGZZTGNWR1VYdXc&usp=sharing

 

If you reach the end, thank you, and hope it was not to boring!

[jimmybean]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Have a wonderful voyage in September!

 

Jimmybean

[erniebernie]

Amazing! so wish we are able to do that in N.Z.Did Cunard contact you about the ship tour or was it advertised somewhere? Thanx Allison

[Adammara]

Its hidden away on the Cunard Q&A area of the website!

 

Yes, we offer a popular Ship Visit programme which runs from May to December during 2016.

 

Each visit is open to UK residents and costs £50 per person. Cunard are proud to support The Prince's Trust and a minimum donation of £5 from each booking will be donated to the charity to help change young lives in the UK.

 

 

 

A Cunard ship visit includes:

 

Complimentary car parking at the Southampton Cruise Terminal

Complimentary tea and coffee in the terminal after check-in

Guided tour of public areas of your chosen ship

Three course lunch inclusive of wine and coffee

Exclusive ship visitor offer to use when booking a Cunard cruise (terms and conditions apply)

 

 

You will be required to being photographic identification with you when visiting the ship (either passport or driving licence).

 

To register an interest to visit a Cunard ship whilst it is in Southampton please email shipvisits@cunard.co.uk with the following information:

 

 

 

Your full name

Your postal address

A contact telephone number

Your email address

Have you travelled with Cunard before?

Have you travelled with another cruise line before?

Add ‘New request’ in the subject line

 

 

Please note that registering your interest does not guarantee a place on one of our visits.

 

Further information regarding the visits and available dates will be included in your invitation. Each invitation allows the invitee to bring up to three people and all visitors must be aged 10 years or older.

 

Dates are subject to availability and space will be allocated on a first come first served basis at the time of booking. If there is no availability on your preferred date, we can add your details to a wait list in the event of a cancellation. Priority will be given to those who have not yet sailed on board our fleet.

 

 

[Adammara]

Sorry Allison, just saw that you are in NZ, and it applies to UK residents. Mind you, we had cruised with on Cunard, and had a cruise booked for next month, and we still got a place!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for your report.

[Midland Red]

Photos of Queen Elizabeth, 16 Aug 2016, leaving Southampton

[Host Hattie]

Great photos, thanks for posting.