Camgirl

We once watched Magic Mike on QV, in the theatre. We always wondered who had picked that! Most of the elderly passengers left quite quickly. To be replaced by quite a few young staff members!!

I have been on five Cunard cruises since the start of 2022. All as diamond, all on different decks, and in several different categories of cabin. Every single one has had an arrival time of either 3pm or 3.30pm. I have just got the time for my next cruise - 3pm. I don't know what we have done to upset them!

Our trip to Reine was good. However, our tour to Sommaroy from Tromso was awful. We drove for a long time, then turned round without stopping and went back to a tiny beach. We had 18 mins there, and were told we could walk into the hills(?!?). There was a loo, but it was locked! We then returned back to Tromso on the same long drive. Thanks for the great report KeithErnest. You should have been able to store your cases under the bed in your cabin. But only in the top half. If the steward had stored some stuff there, which happens sometimes, they should remove it for you. We thought the silent disco was good fun to watch, but should be confined to the night club, and not put on in the queens room.

I boarded QV at just after 1 today. No problem, straight through the terminal. Noone waiting in the seats (Ocean terminal). Just a short queue to get through security. I spoke to cunard yesterday to ask why we were given 3.30. They told me we had clearly been missed on the inventory, so haven't been marked as priority. They said to go to terminal and show that our passes were marked diamond, and tell them we should have been marked as priority guests. In the event, they barely glanced at our boarding passes and just sent us straight to the empty priority queue.

We are off on Tuesday on QV to Norway. Its so tricky to know what to pack. We go down to Southampton tomorrow with a day in the area on Monday, so have been packing today. I have taken SOOO many extra clothes "in case"! We are going to the North Cape, so could have anything from a lovely sunny day to snow! Enjoy QM2, Hattie.

That doesn't explain our 3.30 time. First time we were on deck 4, then deck 6, this time we are deck 8 on QV. All with 3.30 as a boarding time. Exlondoner - no, I haven't spoken to them. Maybe I will give that a try.

We have a time of 3.30 for our next cruise. We have been diamond for a long time. This is about the third time this has happened since covid. We were always given times around 12.30 pre covid. We risked going early at about 1.30, the first time this happened, and were sent straight through, with virtually no-one else going through the priority lane by that time.

There were two hosts on the recent coronation cruise on QM2. So good to see them back!

We were on second sitting, with a table for 6. We had a lovely window table and a great set of diners. No issues at all, with food, waiters or sommelier. All good. And never a queue to go in, even on the first night, when they opened the doors a little early. We had a lovely cruise and enjoyed all the events that had been put on. The only downside is that my husband tested positive for covid, this morning. Likely to be from the country fair, which was very crowded and busy. Luckily, he seems ok, so far. And I am testing negative at the moment.

OK, just four days after my last comment, it seems we are going to have to do the last minute charge down to Southampton from Cambridge on the day! We managed to get a cabin on the QM2 coronation cruise. We even managed to get CPS parking. However, we have catsitter problems, as they (the catsitters) are away until Thursday. One of my sons can come in, but not on Tuesday. So we will have to leave at the crack of dawn on Tuesday, having fed the cats and set the automatic feeders for the period until our son can get there. Really anxious about the journey, but we will leave early, and just try to take it calmly and hope for the best.

Just to say, i have had an email from a TA in the UK offering this trip.

Hi Buchanan101, we also live in Cambridge!! We would never consider going down to Southampton on the day, either. Far too risky. We have considered using a park and stay package. We often stay at Chilworth Manor. However, we always take such an embarrassment of over packing, that we always end up preferring CPS. More expensive, I know, but sooo convenient and easy, and safe. We have noticed that, for short cruises, the port parking is much more expensive per day, than for longer cruises.

Sadly, yes! We couldn't book with CPS last August as they were full, and ended up with Parking for Cruises. Not only were they expensive, they meet you in the short stay car park. The distance to this varies between terminals. On our return, we had to collect our car from the short stay car park too. However, they parked our car there before the ship had even arrived, and we were near the end, disembarking. We were given a parking ticket!!! From then on, Parking for Cruises wouldn't answer the phone or email. My husband even walked to another terminal when we returned from another cruise, to try to sort it out. All to no avail. We tried to appeal the charge on the grounds that we didn't park the car. We lost! We threatened to take p 4 c to the small claims court, but decided it was not worth the hassle in the end, and paid the charge (£60 at that point). It is CPS, booked very early, for us all the way now. It is worth it to us! Though we do have a short Celebrity cruise booked, which CPS don't cover. We are going with ABP, which is self parked, for that one only.

Mine is from Betty's in Yorkshire, this year 🙂 Happy Easter everyone.

I have been to all of these ports, some many times. I have never tendered at any of them, though I believe it could happen at Flam or Olden if there are other ships in. Both of these have room for one ship alongside. Whether you need a shuttle in Bergen depends on where you are docked. We have docked in three different places. However, I have walked into town from all of the docks, and I am not a big walker! The nearest is really quite close to the centre. I cant remember if there was a shuttle for Haugesund. We definitely walked into the town, but have only been there once.

I was lucky enough to cruise on all three Cunard ships last year. QV is certain no worse than the other two. In fact, in my humble opinion, I would say QE was in the worst state, if any of them are. I think you have to read reviews very carefully. I am always amazed at how one tiny thing not being right seems to ruin peoples cruise, and cause them to write a bad review. QV is my favorite still, and I have already booked to go on her again this year. I am gutted that she will be sent off to do fly cruises in 2024 as I don't fly 😔

Both the Glacier and Bernina Express still go past glaciers, visible from the train. There are also other opportunities, such as the Gornergrat train, that take you to/past glaciers in Switzerland. On the other hand, I don't remember any being visible from the ship in Iceland and only one in Norway, and I have a feeling that has retreated somewhat in the last few years. As others have said, the best way to see a glacier in Norway is on a trip.

I think it will be Jools Holland's Hootenanny plus crisps and nibbles for us tonight 😊 Happy new year everyone.

This is an "English" muffin. Or, as we call them - a muffin 😄🤣

It didn't quite go to plan here. We were due to go to my sisters house on christmas eve for our Christmas Dinner. She has a chest infection (not covid), so the meal has been postponed. We were still going to go over for Christmas day and boxing day. However, this morning, she rang to say her husband has woken with a sniffle, and has tested positive for covid. Luckily, it seems to be pretty mild, at the moment. So, we were suddenly left without anywhere to go, and no fresh food in the house! In the end, we travelled over to my sisters house, an hour away, collected some food that she wouldn't be able to use, waved at her husband, who looked dreadfully crestfallen, commiserated at length with my sister, and returned home. One of my two sons, and his wife, joined us, and we had a quiet evening at home together, eating the food my sister had provided. To top it all off, for my poor sister, she has done something to her hands, which have got more painful during the day. She contacted 111, and they told her to go to her nearest nhs walk in centre, to be seen by a doctor. She is still there, waiting to be seen, four hours later...... What a day!

I was onboard QV. We were told by the captain very quickly after the news broke. There was a book if condolence opened, remembrance services held, and more than one silence held. The funeral was also broadcast in various places, plus in staterooms. I felt it was all handled extremely well.

We were also on this cruise, though we were in a Britannia cabin. We travelled down the night before. It took us four and a half hours for a trip that should take a little over three. As mentioned on another thread, our boarding time was down as 2.15. However, we arrived just after 1, and went pretty much straight through. We had a fabulous time onboard, as usual. However, I have never felt so crowded on a Cunard ship. I realise this was a short, pre Christmas cruise, and, as such, there was quite a party atmosphere onboard. It was a real struggle to find a seat in the evenings in the chart room, commodore club or golden lion. On the only sea day (the first day), the queue for afternoon tea was horrendous. However, there was no problem getting a table on any of the other days. I certainly didn't notice anyone in coats, apart from those arriving straight from being onshore. The weather was bitterly cold and that meant the ship was cold in the areas near the exits for the gangways. However, it was plenty warm enough otherwise. I didn't even need a shawl in the evenings. We also returned to our room after breakfast on the last morning to find our bed had been split into twin beds, and the room ready for the next guests. However, this is what we have found on each of our post covid cruises. Previously, of course, we would have been in an area awaiting our departure slot, not in the cabin. On that note, our departure time was given as 9.40. When we queried this time, as we are diamond world club, we were told there is no priority for any but grills any more. Annoying to lose yet another "privilege".

We are also off today to join QM2 tomorrow. Have packed thermals😁 Safe journey techteach. We'll get her warmed up for you.

It gets more weird! We went back and downloaded the boarding passes again, due to a mistake. This time our time was changed to 2.45!! The same as my sister has been given on her first cunard cruise. As you say, it just seems to be random. And changes each time you look!!!

Me too! 😄