AspirationalFlyer

On 7/8/2019 at 7:56 AM, Solent Richard said:

 

Good morning AF.

 

I'm coming a little late into this thread as I have been away from home touring the East Coast of Scotland but I must say I do like all your photographs. It's always so much better when posts are illustrated.

 

I also noted your mentioning of a tour of the city walls in Dubrovnik. so I thought I'd pass on to the readership a link to my review where I have covered that very experience...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/09/05/one-way-to-do-dubrovnik/

 

...albeit on four visits.

 

Great - thank you. 

I haven’t looked at Cruise Critic for over a month now so apologies for the delay in responding. I will take a look. 

Yes they do. On QV a few days ago they had sushi and sashimi, along with plenty of soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi paste. I had it for lunch time, including on embarkation day. 

57 minutes ago, moses0 said:

One in our group is not able to walk too much so we can't really do a lot of walking or anything too physical. I am a keen photographer so looking forward to the opportunity that affords. 

 

I agree with Hattie - Dubrovnik is very nice indeed and the Walk the City Walls tour was excellent (probably the best Cunard excursion that we took on that cruise). 

However, it doesn’t sound like a viable option. How about a small boat trip from the Dubrovnik Harbour area around some of the rugged Croatian coastline? I really enjoyed that too and just sat, relaxed and enjoyed the scenery. I think there is a glass bottom boat too if you’re looking for something a bit different. It didn’t cost much either. 

With the exception of Gibraltar, I haven’t been to the other places but it looks like a great itinerary. The cable car and rock are the obvious choice in Gibraltar - I thought the walk up and down the Mediterranean Steps is great for those that are able to do it. 

Have a great time. 

AF

Hello, 

I did a Med cruise on QV in September 2017 and the journey into Venice was one of the absolute highlights. I’ve attached a few photos - I took many! 

We used the Cunard shuttle boat in Venice which took us from the ship to the pier right outside St Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace etc. That personally worked better for us as Venice is compact/very walkable and we could do things at our (typically faster) pace whilst also saving money. 

Where are your other ports of call? I’ve done Cunard excursions in both Greece and Croatia so happy to provide more information where I can. 

AF

19 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

The prosecco on wine list is zonin special curve brut,  so expect it was that. 

Yes. I’m pretty sure it was. 

1 hour ago, TV Dad said:

What is the cost of the class? And does it include any samples or full drinks? I dare say, if I  drank more than two, I'd be flying on my cruise!

Hello, 

I think it was $23, which was very good value. I did not feel short changed! The crew were also happy to pour tasting samples of the ingredients too, so I got to try a sherry and some vermouth. 

They are sample sizes, but if you drink all four you will have had at least the equivalent of two full size cocktails.

The way the class works is that the person giving the class makes full size versions while giving demonstrations and explaining the history of the cocktails and their ingredients. The samples given to guests are made at the bar and poured in front of you at the table. 

There is a quiz towards the end and winners are able to select the remaining full size cocktail of their choice. 

Each guest is also given a plate of garnishes to use to play with flavours. 

The Transatlantic Love Affair is topped up with Prosecco, yes. Apparently they only have one type of Prosecco onboard - sorry, I can’t remember the name of it. 

We we were told to sip the drink first and then the mist was applied from below (see my photo) to demonstrate how it impacts taste.

AF

58 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Looks great, which was your favourite ?

Transatlantic Love Affair was my favourite. 

There was also a gin tasting onboard but I didn’t make it. 

Hello all

I've previously mentioned cocktail classes on Cunard cruises and I thought it would be interesting to share a few pictures from yesterday’s ‘Martini Mixology’ class in the Commodore Club on QV.  

AF

And in Bergen this morning. 

19 hours ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

If it does rain tomorrow I could recommend the Grieg museum and lunchtime concert gives you a big musical Norway in a nutshell to take home. You can get a tram or bus from Bergan its on the outskirts of the city but ideal if its wet. That's what we did and its cracking possibly the best thing to do in Bergan.

And today in Flaam. 

Just in case anyone is interested, these were taken from the top deck of the Future of the Fjords (apparently the first all electric carbon fibre vessel in the world). 

By the way, the weather was wrong and the weather has been decent - no rain at all (as you can see from the pics). 

Hello everyone, 

I’ve previously posted about Fjords related excursions and Cunard in Norway. 

I’m on QV today which is in Olden, Norway. I thought these photos might be of some use/interest. We are Flaam tomorrow and then Bergen on Friday. 

AF

31 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

AspirationalFlyer, do you really want to show off Cunard Grills china...in your home?   😐

Lol. Yes! I do. I’m going on a Cunard cruise today so thought it would be fun.

I brought them in a Cunard charity auction with the proceeds going to the Princes Trust (which some readers will be familiar with). I thought it would be a fun way to mention a very good cause, but perhaps my OP should of been clearer. 

Have a good weekend. 

AF

If you’ve ever wondered what the Cunard champagne, chocolates and flowers package looked like in reality I thought it would be helpful to share a photo (this package was delivered to my stateroom on QV within the last 30 minutes). 

(I must confess the bottle of Creme de Cassis is my own). 

I hope this might be of some use. 

AF

Hello all, 

With the exception of the central text, can you spot two Cunard references in this photo (which I took at home this morning)? 

AF

Hello,

I think this or a similar question has come up in relation to both Zeebrugge and Bruges recently. 

I last went to Belgium with Cunard in December.

In short:

- there was a shuttle bus from the ship (QE) to Blankenberge which doesn’t take long. We were dropped across the street from the train station.

- trains to Bruges weren’t particularly frequent (every hour or so?). Buses left from the ship when full so it was difficult to predict an exact arrival time. I’d suggest checking and printing (or saving on your phone) the train timetable before you leave home. 

- if you have time to kill, Blankenberge town centre is ok. There is a long sandy beach with views out to the North Sea and a busy marina. If the weather isn’t great, there are two nice churches and various shops (albeit more discount/budget type). 

- I took the Cunard trip but only because it was paid for using an Amex offer and was virtually free for the two of us.

- If you do decide to take a coach trip with Cunard, it does arrive slightly out of town but I think that is mandatory for all coaches. It is not a particularly long walk to the main square and there is quite a lot to see along the way. Happy to share a few pics from the walk if you’d like to see them. 

I hope that helps. 

Just a couple of thoughts: 

1. I’ve previously left on a Cunard cruise from Southampton without having printed my e ticket or the luggage labels. I had to go and get manual/written luggage tags which is a bit of a hassle but my own fault and only took a couple of minutes. Arriving without an e-ticket isn’t a problem - when you arrive just say you don’t have it and don’t have priority boarding through Cunard status or otherwise. 

2. I don’t think Cunard IT stretches to Apple Wallet. But you could either save the voucher as a pdf (as helpfully suggested above) or perhaps download and email it to yourself. That is what I normally do. Less weight and easy to retrieve (although of course, you must have phone signal/data). 

15 hours ago, T5LHR said:

I would agree with above... If its LON to HAM, it will most likely be BA from LHR. 

 

Over my years of commercial aviation, I have flown lots of Cunard passengers, the vast majority on commercial flights, not chartered. I only did a couple of charters to Venice years ago for either the Victoria or Elizabeth when she was doing a Med season. 

 

 

I travelled on QM2 on a mini cruise that finished in Hamburg in May 2018. I booked the flight at the time of booking and was travelling on a discounted early saver fare with a promo code applied too. The flight home was on British Airways to Heathrow. If you have BA/OneWorld status, you will still have access to the third party lounge at HAM (which is ok but not worth getting to the airport particularly early for!) and book your own seats in advance for free as usual. 

My flight home was cancelled and rebooking was a challenge, but that’s a different story! 

I hope that helps. 

I personally like it when everyone makes an effort with the theme. It is part of what makes Cunard special and adds to a sense of community and collective fun.

That said, people of course do and should have flexibility provided they are within the wider gala night dress code. I’ve personally been really keen on some themes and a lot less keen on others! In the latter case, it’s been more about what I’m comfortable with rather than a decision to break the rules or draw attention to myself. 

I think the important thing is to focus on yourself and not what others are doing. It is your trip. That is both in terms of what you want to wear and what you feel comfortable with. 

On 5/22/2019 at 1:36 PM, naturelovergirl said:

Which excursions have you chosen already, AspirationalFlyer? 😊

Hi,

I can’t remember the exact names of the tours but broadly they are:

- Haugesund: Historic Avaldsnes and Viking Village 

- Olden: Briksdal Glacier

That covers off the first two stops. We might book more through Cunard or choose to do so independently. Personally I’ve found Cunard excursions to be mixed both in terms of quality and value for money. 

If anyone has done the Viking tour and thought it terrible then do shout! It can be changed. We just thought it would be a good laugh and a nice introduction to Norway and the area. 

Reviews of both to follow in June! 

AF

Hello all and in particular to EzzaB84

I’m on a Fjords cruise on Queen Victoria within the next month - details are in my previous post.

I’ve already booked two Cunard excursions  and currently plan to do the rest independently, but that may change once onboard! 

I’m planning to post some reasonably detailed updates containing the information I myself might have found helpful. I can try and post a few photos too if I get the time. 

Just shout if you have any specific questions - I might not know the answer or be able to find out, but I can have a go! 

Thank you

AF

Hello, 

You can definitely bring a bottle each and more in practice (we are planning on two each for next voyage in June). 

I agree there are plenty of other threads covering this, so worth reading those too when you have time. 

Slightly off topic, but the coffee in Britannia Class is pretty rough. I’ve previously told Cunard in post cruise surveys it is something they need to improve. I can’t see how expensive it would be to pay for a few decent bean to cup machines in the Lido (which are fairy common in mid range hotels). 

Perhaps they do it as another differentiator between Britannia and Grills class.

2 hours ago, rtdiva said:

Sort of off topic.....each ship has its own temperature, some run hot, others are wrap worthy. What is your experience on QM2?

Britannia dining,  theater, library?

Ann 

Hi Ann,

I personally find the Commodore Club, Britannia Restaurant and bars all get warm in the evening just down to the sheer number of people in a relatively confined space. The theatre and G32 the same.

I don’t recall any major variations in temperature throughout the ship during the day though. 

During my QE Xmas cruise in December 2018, I found the room very warm at night and had to wedge the balcony door open at one point. I’m not sure the thermostat was working well and, yes I should probably have called the steward (albeit it was late, I was tired, it was poor weather and I was sharing the room with someone that liked it warm anyway!) 

Perhaps best to layer for the first couple of days if you can. 

Hello everyone, 

Scenario: I’m travelling with my mother on a Fjords cruise on Queen Victoria leaving from Southampton. The cruise is in June 2019. We are on the same booking and sharing a room. We live in different parts of the country and our trains/transport arrive in Southampton quite far apart. I’m scheduled to arrive at least 90 minutes earlier. 

Question: would I be allowed to board first alone? I obviously appreciate my mother would need to check-in too and go through the relevant formalities. Once onboard, could I get off again just before my mother arrives so I can help her with luggage etc.? 

Alternatively, is it all too much hassle and just better to wait with a charged phone and iPad!? I have a feeling it might be, esp. if the weather it good. If the wait becomes less than an hour for any reason I would do just that. 

I am just considering options for now. 

Thanks very much in advance! 

AF

p.s. thanks to everyone that has already got in-touch to say they will be onboard. Looking forward to meeting you! 

On previous themed gala nights, the extent to which people have followed the theme has varied widely. For example,  in my first cruise on Queen Victoria there was a Victorian Ball. Some people went all out - full period dresses and men with fake facial hair, canes and top hats. I’d brought a top hat with me, which remains unopened in its original plastic wrapping at the top of my wardrobe!  

You certainly won’t be an outlier if you don’t strictly follow the theme of a gala night, in particular, if it not a ‘heavily’ themed event (and even then many (most?) people don’t bother with the specifics).