exlondoner

I didn’t have much appetite, but had tomato soup from the room service menu a couple of times and that was hot.

One thing: you say people with Covid are locked up for five days. This is a terrifying thought, in the case of an emergency. Presumably you simply mean confined. The fact they don’t have a key doesn’t mean they are locked in.

Security staff should be concentrating on looking for dangerous items, not monitoring stuff that is none of their business. They’ll be opening cases and demanding to count how many knickers you’ve got next.

On a hot day, so one can continue lounging upstairs on the sun terrace, I think it is pretty nice, much as I dislike tea in mugs. I really wouldn’t call it abysmal.

This seems a very reductive view and one that I can’t imagine the justification for, except that may make some of us feel strangely inadequate. I think it is very hard to argue someone who has done a world cruise on, say, QV, or perhaps QE2, hasn’t really experienced Cunard. If you’ve travelled on a Cunard ship, surely you’ve experienced Cunard.

Yes, I prefer it in the restaurant. There is lots of space on the table, and the comparative height of chairs and tables in the lounge meant we had to lean over rather awkwardly to deal with our food.

Poor judgement?

I assume the socks are to prevent clanking, which is always for the best.

Totally meaningless. But, as a disappointing aside, I had a friend whose mother was actually taught Early English by Tolkien when he was a professor, although she was a mere undergraduate. It was and is pretty unusual for undergraduates to be tutored by real professors. Disappointingly he was rather a poor teacher.

Come now, people don’t say Monet lacks resolution. The fact some details are a little indistinct adds mystery and draws one in.

No, the fading wintery daylight is what makes it. It is a tranquil scene with the unusual muted colours, and completely calm waters, all emphasising the majesty of QM2.

That really is a wonderful picture.

Denmark Strait?

I can’t remember is the best possible reply. 😀😀

The corridors and some public rooms on QV have rather lower ceilings and seem cosier. But the atmosphere is (nearly) always calm and serene, and spaces are rarely crowded. I always enjoy sitting in the window of the Commodore Club, watching the sea, during the day.

My impression on our two cruises this year has been rather more than 10% in the restaurants. Red and gold is another easy one - for women at any rate - and many wore a dress with red or gold.

What on earth is ceramic hair? And can’t you get it made ready straightened from the kiln?

Though, more or less by accident, I suspect, if there is a black and white theme, that is widely adhered to more or less everywhere, simply because it’s what the men are wearing anyway, and lots of women have a black dress.

Yes, dinner is at any time between 6 and 9. I have seen people tip up at about 8.58, though I think that is rather mean. Anyway just turn up when you fancy. You don’t have to arrange anything. There is embarkation day lunch in the PG restaurant, and I find it very soothing, after travelling to the port and worrying about stuff, and embarkation, and security. It doesn’t usually start until 1, or even 1.30, and finishes an hour and a half later, so you shouldn’t miss it.

Not my quote, but 2081 is 2000+.

That’s presumably pretty good for this time of year?

For those who enjoy these things, you will be pleased to know QM2 and QV are about to pass, south of the IOW.

I can compare this to when I was a teacher. If a parent had come to see me at the start of the year, and said his daughter was not very bright and rather lazy, but they were looking to me to get her through her GCSE, I should have smiled sweetly and and said I would do my best. If when she passed, the family had sent me a thank you card and, say, a nice bottle of wine, I should have been happy and pleased to accept it. On the other hand, if at the beginning of the year, he had come and pressed some used fivers into my hand and said, ‘Make sure she passes.’, I should have been appalled, insulted, refused the money, reported the matter to the head, and tried not to hold it against the child. Perhaps a maître d’ might feel the same.

How can you clear customs before you’ve collected your luggage? Did you mean immigration?

It’s not invariable - yet.