Mareblu

Ahhh, fabulous, wonderful Queenstown. Our family loves it: scenery, golf, skiing, everything daring and adventurous. Oh, and the food and wines. We took our kids when they were little, and they’re still visiting Queenstown with their own families.

Because they are exquisite. Italian restaurants create a special puff of magic with truffles.

Thank you, Hank, you mirror our sentiments. We have already purchased the upgraded drink package through our TA, several months ago in fact. We've done the same for every Oceania voyage we've sailed, with the exception of the first one many years ago. We soon realised the difference, and upgraded whilst on board in that instance. We love meeting fellow guests and socialising, while sipping a martini in Martinis, or enjoying a single malt in Horizons. Would we ever use the full value of our expenditure in $ terms? Probably not, but for us, there is no price to be levied on enjoyment and convenience, and we consider the cost of upgrading so that we may enjoy ordering a drink without having to sign every time and worry about the added tax, part of the cost of an enjoyable sailing experience. It's that simple.

Welcome back to your own thread, Lyle. The past few weeks have been so challenging for you and Lynn. I hope you can find some serenity in your lives now.

Is Elvis there?

A terrified Triestino machine would have understood and obeyed😂

I made a point of emphasising that I couldn’t comment on Britannia Club food and service. I didn’t, apart from mentioning that one was more expensive than the other, compare suites, because that would have indeed been irrelevant. I instead discussed inclusives and non-inclusives on each line, which may help the OP in arriving at a decision.

I neglected to add that we absolutely love the Cunard experience. It’s the reason we are returning in May. The amazing bonus is being aboard for QA’s Naming Ceremony in Liverpool, and we’re counting the days.

I remember @exlondoner, we had this very discussion some time ago😂. My DH was born in northern Italy too many decades ago to mention, but he and the suite machine still speak the same language. He produces a wonderful, aromatic, Illy caffe every morning.

Thank you, that’s exactly what my original post intended. We confess to being extremely particular about coffee in its purest of Italian origins. I’m certainly not averse to first morning coffee from a machine in desperation, but a glass of fresh water is preferable. All you’ve outlined above is correct.

That’s absolutely correct. Oceania is pricier, generally, and several of the reasons are the inclusions, including internet. However, we are paying much more for a Q3 on Queen Anne than for a PHI on Vista. The preference for us is that the inclusions on Oceania mean we no longer, once we embark, have to think about every extra, big or small, because all are taken care of. In Grills, in our Q3, the situation is the same, unless we venture outside the Grills bubble. The Haven on NCL is the same.

We didn’t go to the buffet for snacks. In the coffee lounge on the man level (not Grills Lounge on 11(?from memory) we had to purchase cappuccinos and buscuits.

I’m referring to real coffee. Espressos, piccolo lattes, cappuccinos, etc.

“My Cunard” site was down yesterday, all good now.

It is today, but you’re probably already aware.

Mario confirms that. He has a boat licence. Batemans Bay, with its channel sandbars, is always a bit tricky, because the markers move over time.

We have likewise enjoyed many Oceania sailings, about seven without checking. We've only sailed Cunard once, a year ago on Queen Elizabeth. She's a marvellous vessel, and we found the cuisine in Queens Grill to be superb, with the exception of only one evening in three weeks. We've never, in all honesty, had a bad meal on Oceania, and it's one of the reasons we keep returning. We will be sailing on Vista next month, followed three weeks later by a two week voyage on Cunard's Queen Anne. We will try to compare two new vessels from two different lines, but some facets will of course be subjective, so therefore problematic for a comparison. We can't comment on Britannia Club Balcony food and service, but the only thing (and it's a biggie) that rankles about Cunard outside of the Grills is the constant need to pay for just about everything. That includes bottled water, coffee, tea, soft drinks, snacks, etc. In other words, everything that is included on Oceania. Internet is a big item. Very expensive on Cunard (I've just purchased a package for our May sailing), whereas internet is included on Oceania. Tea and coffee are included in Grills (there is a Grills Lounge and Bar where these may be taken while relaxing with a book or chatting to fellow Grills guests). Outside of the Lounge, your hand is in your pocket. If the cuisine in Britannia Club is anywhere near the standard of Queens Grill, then it certainly won't disappoint. Service? Can't comment on that either, but in Grills it was superb. Only one way for you to find out..... Happy sailing.

Yes, finally able to log in. It was down all day yesterday here (Australia).

You mirror our tastes perfectly. DH is Italian by birth, and I’m probably even more particular than he when it comes to coffee as it should be enjoyed. We do enjoy a cappuccino or caffelatte in the morning though, but as in Italy, not really any milk after midday. Baristas staff always welcomed us in the same fashion as you describe. I love a stop at Baristas.

I’m sorry to learn that.

Yes, @bazzaw is a very active cc community member. I enjoy reading his posts.

Good point. Oh oh, we’re beginning to sound like the HAL thread😂 i just posted a comment on the “How to Pronounce ‘Cunard’ thread”. That’s a corker.

Depends who's telling you😉. I would always walk anti-clockwise.

Oh oh, here comes the pedant with the English degree. Sorry, but "could care less" means, strictly interpreted, "I care a lot". In Australia, we actually do speak English as it's spoken in the United Kingdom, even if our vowels are more drawn out, and there are very subtle differences between States for the naming of certain items, particularly food, e.g. "potato cake" vs. "potato scallop". The latter bears absolutely no resemblance to the delicious fruit of the sea. If we say, as they do in England "I couldn't care less", it simply means I do not care at all, not even a smidgen, and so emphatic as to imply that I certainly have no need to give it some thought. I do find the whole discussion fascinating, though, which wouldn't surprise my adult children at all. The important thing is to have a civilised discussion, and a humorous one is a bonus.

I’ll be able to try it next month on Vista. So much depends on the machine and the Barista who operates it. If we’re obsessive about anything, it’s the perfect espresso and piccolo latte. Add to that the perfect “al dente” pasta. O has, on all our voyages, delivered both. Fingers crossed…