D&N

The brochure can be found here: https://www.cunard.com/content/dam/cunard/marketing-assets/pdf/life-on-board/drinks-packages/wine-collections-brochure.pdf It looks fairly up to date but could be a remnant they forgot to remove. I'm sure these are reasonable value if you have a wide taste in wines. For us there are only a few that fall within the type of wine we prefer to buy. The main list is extensive enough that we could buy different wines that we know we'll enjoy for around the package prices.

We've had some welcome rain here the last couple of days. Question is whether the ground has been too dry to absorb much of it? We do prefer it dry and sunny but realise we need some moisture now and again, and we've not had much for a while. The sun briefly broke through this evening resulting in a very nice rainbow.

Day of week that you arrive could make a difference. On a Sunday last June we left Mayflower Terminal by taxi at 08:09 and arrived at Heathrow T5 at 09:17. We had self disembarked and been at Mayflower from 07:18. Taxi was booked for 08:30 and company sent it as soon as possible after we phoned. It's unlikely that time could be achieved on a weekday.

Does anyone know if QM2 has ever achieved 35 knots? Anything I've read about sea trials suggests between 29.6 knots and just over 30. At that she supposedly exceeded the contractual design speed. I wonder if some of the confusion is that 30 knots is often approximated to 35 mph. Although she is fast by modern standards I don't think she was designed to achieve the speeds of liners racing each other across the Atlantic.

We were booked on M019 & M021A for June/July 2020. Both would have had a third non themed gala night.

We'll have 14 in 14 on our next crossings. 15 in 15 if it's via Le Havre.

Based on speeds of ferries between Northern French and Irish ports, QM2 would take about 29 hours between Southampton and Liverpool. Depending when they depart, a late night arrival on day 2 seems about right. And the ferries usually have lower design speeds.

I find it hard to believe that we're the only folk who notice when someone stands out so clearly from the norm. We more frequently notice stunning outfits and might complement those in certain circumstances. We'd never comment in other circumstances. Funnily enough almost the reverse of that happened. Earlier that night one of those folk, at that point in double denim, passed us at Grand Lobby Upper Balcony. When originally booked for 2020 our trip had a 3rd Gala Night each week and we decided to dress to the original code when we booked. The ship photographers had set up there as well even though it wasn't a Gala. While we were having photos taken the person passed, turned back and demanded if they had missed something, on the pretext that perhaps they should have dressed for Gala. I wasn't at all sure if they were trying to imply that we shouldn't have been dressing beyond the minimum code for that evening.

It wasn't quite such a simple question. In fact I was wrong in an earlier post; it was two questions: "What do you make of this? Am I reading too much into this or do you think Cunard is attempting to signal some loosening of the Gala Evening dress code requirements?" Both questions are inviting personal opinions rather than clarification of Cunard policy.

Is it really so wrong? 😂 I have to confess that we often have private conversations about outrageous attire that we see. Sometimes no conversation takes place; we just look at each other, or one nudges the other and we roll our eyes. We do keep it all between ourselves and are careful not to make it obvious. I'm sure others reciprocate now and again. One night last June there were some folk in bleached light blue jeans with "designer" knee tears, and sporting red and white striped tee shirts. It was one of the non ballroom nights in the Queens Room and this group were dancing some form of swing or jive and the outfits may have been donned for that particular form of dance.

Don't know, didn't give that any thought, but assumed it would be offered in all the main restaurants. On the Platinum Jubilee Gala menu the left page was a set 5 course menu with a nod to the 1953 event. On the right was a similar style of menu to what's in that photo. There was nothing on that menu to suggest it was only for Britannia or Britannia Club, so I assumed it was available throughout the ship but must admit I don't really know.

Haven't seen this on here yet... Posted by a friend on FB. Those that are booked can start choosing their meal.

Can't you do both? If you can arrange to be in contact with your agent through a messaging app you could both be trying and the first to get through tells the other to step down.

My first post on this thread.... You and others are quite right; A technical failure of something that could have been subject to regular inspection can't be the responsibility of anyone other than the operator and can't really be considered to be outside their control. So Cunard must be at fault. I have no mechanical or engineering qualifications but remarkably spent 5 years of my career holding ultimate responsibility for a decent sized engineering operation. Luckily I had a very good Engineering Manager reporting to me and quickly understood that making and acting on regular checks was key to maintaining a safe operation, and would never have approved the use of an asset that could have posed risk of injury to people or damage to it or other property. However sometimes in corporate cultures things slip through the net and problems arise that could have been foreseen but nobody thought of. That's often why you have plane or train crashes, and hopefully something is always learned from such incidents. In this case it's possible something wasn't being checked regularly, and that might tie in with a modification being made in 2016 and not being included in the regular inspection program??? If so, it's hard to say it could not have been predicted. Having said all that, Cunard are not the only company that ever makes mistakes. I don't see the point of folk coming on this forum and moaning how awful Cunard are. Their effort would be better employed putting a claim for any losses together.

The OP's original question was "What do you make of this?" to a change in wording on websites. I don't remember every single post, but I don't recall anyone demanding that all must follow certain standards. My impression has been that most posts were intended to be light hearted. I only became aware of the existence of any "white tux rules" when a friend commented on them after seeing photos from our sailings last year. In practice I'm unlikely to pay much attention to them.

Further to my post #142 on the subject; I just re-read an article in Gentleman's Gazette, which reminded me that many consider the start of the "Summer Season" as Memorial Day. Taking that into account it appears I haven't broken any "rules" in past, and can happily plan to wear an off-white jacket on future June crossings.

@4-2-N-8, @NE John Remember to wave to the folk on the nearby hillsides at port calls as well! This was taken at x21 zoom of x40, could have gone a bit closer.

Have you seen the "sticky" post with photos from each of the obstructed view cabins? If I recall rightly 8013 will be mirror of 8014 etc...

It's probably best that anyone who is not satisfied with their outcome takes advice from a contract law expert.

Is this the text wording you couldn't copy? Found on https://www.cunard.com/en-us/advice-and-policies/passage-contract using a US VPN. 8. RIGHT TO DEVIATE FROM SCHEDULED ROUTE, CHANGE PORT OF EMBARK ATION/ DISEMBARKATION, SUBSTITUTE TRANSPORTATION, CANCEL VOYAGE AND ACTIVITIES, AND CHANGE OR OMIT PORTS OF CALL; SUBSTITUTION. Except as otherwise provided, Carrier may, for any reason, without prior notice, cancel the Voyage; deviate from the scheduled ports of call, route and timetable; call or omit to call at any port or place or cancel or modify any activity on or off the vessel; comply with all governmental laws and orders given by governmental authorities; render assistance to preserve life and property; or change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the Voyage or substitute vessels, aircraft or other transportation or lodging. Accordingly, You should not make any important arrangements or meetings based on the scheduled Voyage, which may change without liability to Carrier. Furthermore, the Captain of the vessel as well as the operator of any other means of transportation may, in his/her sole discretion, take any action deemed necessary for the safety, security, comfort, or well-being of any person or to prevent damage to or loss of the vessel. In the case of mechanical failures that cause the scheduled Voyage to be cancelled, You are entitled to a full refund of the Cruise Fare and the Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses; or for mechanical failures that cause a cruise to be terminated early, a partial refund of the Cruise Fare and any unused Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses, travel expense to transport You to the scheduled port of disembarkation or Your home city at Carrier’s discretion, and overnight lodging if an unscheduled stopover is required.

I'm afraid that we are likely to be crossing just before the Summer Season and unless a serious diversion is required, will be North of The Mason-Dixon line. However I only plan to wear an Ivory Tuxedo on evenings that are not officially "Gala" and only where it enhances the outfit that my wife is wearing. Hopefully I can be absolved.

No. I had great respect for his ability to make a living from the character, but I never found him remotely funny.

I found a slightly more extensive P&O drinks list, and a few more direct comparisons. On average Cunard are probably about 70% more expensive on exact same bottles. But like others have questioned; is that a reason not to book? You could just drink the cheaper wines, which are generally light and quaffable. If you drink 6 to 8 150ml glasses a day, the drinks package would probably save money as well. Most of the wines by glass are in the $34-$40/bottle group.

@jeanlyon I believe prices on P&O are cheaper. I note you frequently contribute on their forums. The only direct comparison I've found at an initial glance is a Romanian Pinot Grigio. On P&O it seems to sell at £19.95, on Cunard it is $28 + 15%. Today I would get $1.24 to the pound using my usual foreign exchange site, so about £26. I don't know if P&O have a bar service charge. Cunard are obviously more expensive than P&O. I wouldn't be sailing on P&O since they don't have an ocean liner or regularly do Transatlantic, but the choice of wine on P&O seems very restrictive. I'd consider drinking less than a third of the wines on the 2 page menu I found, and there is nothing I would drink with a decent red meat dish.

We also have a problem with the frequency of the dress code. 4 Gala Nights in 14 is far too few. I had planned to take 2 x Dinner Suits and 2 x dark lounge suits on our next crossings but decided last night to take 3 x DJs and 1 lounge suit. I will probably dress formally every night. Our first night outfits would travel in our hand baggage anyway, along with everything we would need for a westbound crossing. Likewise there's plenty of space for the last night's outfits in our back packs as well. Besides we'd be self disembarking so it wouldn't really matter.