QUEEN VICTORIA "Central Mediterranean Cruise" 1-20 October 2023 impressions

[Bell Boy]

Oops just noticed a typo in my post 51

  Edited to read   Senior officers parties 5.15pm & 7.15pm.  

[BigMac1953]

Hi Bell Boy  

 

I've said so many times on here before - " There is Life outside the Grills "

 

You may well be correct, but I'm not going to chance it!  🙂

 

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Hi Bell Boy  

 

I've said so many times on here before - " There is Life outside the Grills "

 

You may well be correct, but I'm not going to chance it!  🙂

 

Nor us!!😀

[exlondoner]

19 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

Greetings, no was not on this voyage.

I do cruises, many land tours and extensive driving tours around North America.

I am finding the cruise product, repetitive and now unpredictable and it is a turn off for me and my husband.

So land tours are now 80% of our travel activities - that includes our own touring. For example, in September we toured the north side of the Med via train - got off, stayed 2 days or so, explored, ate in local restaurants, got on another train, again and again. We often engaged local guides. The amazing knowledge and experience is simply not replicated by cruises as you noted. But it is a physically challenging way to travel.

What every you do, have a most wonderful time indeed.

Life is short and we are not guaranteed our next breath.

Kindest Regards.

How can it possibly be repetitive and unpredictable? And you must have been very lucky indeed if you did not find the Med. train services unpredictable. Friends have had major problems in France, Spain, and Italy.

[exlondoner]

Just now, exlondoner said:

How can it possibly be repetitive and unpredictable? And you must have been very lucky indeed if you did not find the Med. train services unpredictable. Friends have had major problems in France, Spain, and Italy.

Sorry, I thought as I wrote this that it can be repetitive in its unpredictability, as in Cross Country’s services via Birmingham.

[NE John]

1 hour ago, QuestionEverything said:

Greetings, no was not on this voyage.

I do cruises, many land tours and extensive driving tours around North America.

I am finding the cruise product, repetitive and now unpredictable and it is a turn off for me and my husband.

So land tours are now 80% of our travel activities - that includes our own touring. For example, in September we toured the north side of the Med via train - got off, stayed 2 days or so, explored, ate in local restaurants, got on another train, again and again. We often engaged local guides. The amazing knowledge and experience is simply not replicated by cruises as you noted. But it is a physically challenging way to travel.

What every you do, have a most wonderful time indeed.

Life is short and we are not guaranteed our next breath.

Kindest Regards.

I appreciate your reaching out here and “fleshing” out your thoughts about how you like to travel. 
I too have done a fair share of “land cruises” and they are exhausting. In fact my last trip to the UK was five nights in London and five nights in Bath driving all over the English and Welsh countryside. I loved it all but was indeed pooped out! I then got on the QM2 and really enjoyed being back onboard and relaxing for a seven night Crossing. 
I saw little degradation of service and offerings from Cunard today compared to my first Cunard voyage in 2008, except that Smart Attire Nights replaced Semi-Formal dress code and the dress code in general. 
Bottom line: Our combo of a UK land cruise and the QM2 Crossing back home was perfect. You should try it! While there are drawbacks to cruising (overcrowding in Santorini comes to mind) please don’t stereotype all cruise experiences as bad or a let down or it was better back in the day.

 

To be fair, I can only speak about cruises from my Cunard experiences as I haven’t been on a non-Cunard cruise in 30 years. My DW went on a “girl-friends” cruise on Royal Caribbean (she had no control over those plans) and said the food was awful, the ship massively overcrowded, and tons of cigarette smoke from the casino. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by NE John

[QuestionEverything]

4 hours ago, NE John said:

I appreciate your reaching out here and “fleshing” out your thoughts about how you like to travel. 
I too have done a fair share of “land cruises” and they are exhausting. In fact my last trip to the UK was five nights in London and five nights in Bath driving all over the English and Welsh countryside. I loved it all but was indeed pooped out! I then got on the QM2 and really enjoyed being back onboard and relaxing for a seven night Crossing. 
I saw little degradation of service and offerings from Cunard today compared to my first Cunard voyage in 2008, except that Smart Attire Nights replaced Semi-Formal dress code and the dress code in general. 
Bottom line: Our combo of a UK land cruise and the QM2 Crossing back home was perfect. You should try it! While there are drawbacks to cruising (overcrowding in Santorini comes to mind) please don’t stereotype all cruise experiences as bad or a let down or it was better back in the day.

 

To be fair, I can only speak about cruises from my Cunard experiences as I haven’t been on a non-Cunard cruise in 30 years. My DW went on a “girl-friends” cruise on Royal Caribbean (she had no control over those plans) and said the food was awful, the ship massively overcrowded, and tons of cigarette smoke from the casino. 

NE John, thanks for your post indeed.

I am doing exactly what you suggested - next June doing a 25 day all of Great Britain followed by QM2 to New York.

Usually all our European trips have a west bound return on the QM2 or Oceania etc depending upon the time of year.

We are all very fortunate to have the means and health to travel so for that I am very thankful.

Enjoy and thrive.

[NE John]

36 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

NE John, thanks for your post indeed.

I am doing exactly what you suggested - next June doing a 25 day all of Great Britain followed by QM2 to New York.

Usually all our European trips have a west bound return on the QM2 or Oceania etc depending upon the time of year.

We are all very fortunate to have the means and health to travel so for that I am very thankful.

Enjoy and thrive.

Awesome and best wishes for good weather. I got more sun this June while in London than I did last time I was in Cancun! And you’ll be on QM2 post-refit so that helps. 

We can’t take our health for granted; most posters on these boards know that and are taking action. 
I still say that even our favorite hotels and restaurants are charging more and offering less; it’s not just the cruise industry in the hole. And the prices of theme parks, a joke!
Hopefully your experience on your TA will exceed your expectations. I’ll be on back QE next June and look forward to it all.