bkecky

That is certainly in order Kittenkboo.

 

You may wish to check out this review of mine regarding the transport links around the cruise port...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/04/22/one-way-to-do-venice/

 

Thanks for this. I was looking for an alternative way to see Venice and this is perfect!

It would appear that a reference to a brochure before booking might have answered many of your questions and might have put you off Cunard. Unless you book a Grill or a Britannia Club stateroom evening dining is fixed at 6 or 8:30 pm at a set table your choice of 2-4-6-8 or 10 people.

Not necessarily as we are in QG on an upcoming voyage and on our voyage personaliser it says confirmed 18:00 dining. Don’t think the OP specified which restaurant they are dining in. So I’d say to the OP, if you have booked grills or club don’t panic that it says 6pm. It’s just the way they put it on the booking. You will be getting what you originally expected! If you have booked a Britannia cabin, you can usually just ask the maitre d’ when you board the ship if you are unable to change before you go. Most of the time they will move you to another sitting if they are able to.

I've downloaded a 28 page bar menu but it sounds as though it may no longer be current. Would anyone know where I can see a current menu?

 

Are the menus consistent across all 3 ships? I'm particularly interested in Queen Elizabeth.

 

Also can you go 'off bar menu' when it comes to cocktails? I'm partial to an espresso martini and can't see this on the bar list I have.

 

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I think off menu depends on what you require! Although it’s not on the menu, I was able to order espresso martinis in The Commodore Club and the Golden Lion Pub without any problems. The good news is that they are usually quite a bit cheaper than other cocktails although that may have all changed with the recent price increases.

It’s dependent on which entertainment crew are on board on your voyage as they obviously need someone in the ents team who can tap dance to offer it.

Thank you so much for that detailed response! I was a bit worried about pre-voyage organisation as Cunard generally are a bit lax on their shoreside customer service. So very pleased to hear all went well on board. Loved the photos on your blog!

One question I do have is about flowers. The package includes a buttonhole and bouquet but it doesn't specify the choice of what is available or if it is just a standard offering. I had an artificial bouquet so I would likely take mine with me and then get two buttonholes so that my grandfather could wear one. I don't suppose your sister has some insight into which buttonholes were available?

Thanks so much for taking the time to write such an in depth post!

I was wondering if anyone had some recent experience of the wedding vow renewal package on QV. Specifically I was hoping to find out where it would be conducted and how much freedom you have for personalising the ceremony. We aren't sure yet how many people will be joining us but we were thinking we may also meet some friends on board who we may like to invite as well. The form asks you to specify the number of people so can this be changed on board? From what I gather it seems that you also arrange the date when on the ship.

Any additional details would also be welcome as the last time I attended a vow renewal was back on the QE2 so I imagine it has changed somewhat!

Thanks for an amusing read and the way you have disturbed the serene chant of 'Cunard can do no wrong, Cunard can do no wrong, Cunard are wonderful' with some truths some people would clearly prefer were not mentioned.

 

And for the Cunard cheerleaders to demand this thread be stopped is just too funny for words.

Agree. Only disappointed we won't get to hear the final conclusion. SoT, I really enjoyed your review even as a Cunard enthusiast! I also think you kept your cool very well. Happy sailing whichever line you choose next.

Does that mean our favourite watering hole on the three ships will be closed for wedding receptions, same sex or nor both sex? oh joy of joys. Have never seen a wedding there can only hope I never will.

No. Weddings usually take place in the Yacht Club or smaller ones in the Admiral's Lounge. They may reserve a couple of tables for the wedding party afterwards but that is no more intrusive than a CC meeting or Friends of Dorothy gathering so wouldn't worry.

We are in Queens in May and we've been given a 12.30 time!

We have been given the same 12.30 embarkation (QG Diamond members) so maybe they have changed the earliest time.

Thank you for all your helpful responses! I'm rarely on here so apologies for my delayed reply!

Hi Bkecky. Most dance schools have regular classes (at beginner level, then intermediate, etc.) where they teach a mixture of ballroom, latin and sequence. If you go to the right school, you learn the steps correctly.

 

Other dancers go to specific sequence dances and learn by watching the people in front of them, who may be watching the people in front of them also. This is rather like Chinese Whispers and the steps are often incorrect and a purist like my dance teacher gets very upset when his students come back from such dances and try to tell him that he's been teaching them wrongly! (He has all the dance scripts and he has taken exams in them so he knows what is correct.)

 

Remember that anyone can post things on the internet so go for a reputable couple rather than a group of dancers having fun in a hall. Try http://www.sequencedanceuk.co.uk. They are not brilliant dancers but their steps are basically correct.

 

If it is possible for the two of you to have some private lessons with a good dance teacher, that would help. I go to a dance school in Oxford, but that's a bit far from where you are.

Thanks for that information - I will take a look. Maybe if we get the steps right we can go and practice in a local hall before the cruise! We are actually working out of the country at the moment so we have no chance of getting a class at this point! An internet suggestion is just what we need so thanks!

Are there any particular sequence dances that seem to be popular on Cunard that we can start with?

Sequence dancing is not as simple as it may appear. For someone like me, who rarely dances it and thus needs a reminder of each dance as I go along, the lack of smiling may denote concentration. Even for those who are experienced, a certain amount of concentration is required because not all dancers take the same-sized steps. One needs to make sure not to step on the heels of the couple in front, or be stepped on by those behind you. I also feel that you are more exposed to the watchers when dancing sequence; you can't hide in the middle of the room. If people get anxious when watched, this could bring about serious faces.

Where do people learn the sequence dances? I know very basic ballroom steps and often feel a bit intimidated to dance in the Queen's Room so sequence dancing would actually give me more confidence in that I know what is about to happen! My fiance and I are in our 20s and for the first time I will have a partner to dance with in the Queen's Room! We both have dance training in other dance forms (so we aren't a total mess) but it would be a nice way for us to have a dance without getting in the way or embarrassing ourselves! Due to our age, we don't really frequent places that would have sequence dancing. Are there any particular names of popular dances that we could look up online to learn for our cruise?

Sorry to intrude on this thread, as it seems you are all competent dancers and maybe this isn't the place to ask a beginner question!

This is one of these strange things. Some people get charged for their refils, others like us, have never been charged.

 

Just be nice to your butler, it makes a big difference.

 

For example, we always order Grey Goose or Absolut and Bombay. These are not on the official list, but we manage to get them.

 

Remember, the concierge will send out your invitations to your guest's rooms

 

We tell our guests that those in QG can stand in the lounge area, PG folks can stand in the bedroom area and Steerage stand in the bathroom.:-)

;)

Yes, this has been a point of confusion with the refill service. Before we haven't really needed it as we don't tend to drink spirits in the cabin. Not sure I want to test the theory!

Having sailed on both ships QV would definitely be my first choice. She is a touch more luxurious than the Oriana.

 

Having said that the food and service on the Oriana were top notch. My only big negative was 'The Conservatory ' which was like being in a transport cafe with nowhere to sit.

Breakfast and lunch in the restaurant were excellent though.

 

If you have ever sailed on the QE2 you will find Oriana

Is more comparable to her.

 

I can understand why Oriana has her many followers with her lovely onboard atmosphere.

It's funny you should say about the QE2 as I thought of the same comparison when I first embarked. When I first went on the QE2 I was 11 years old and had been used to Royal Caribbean and NCL so she looked incredibly old fashioned and dark! Yet on my last voyage on her, I was in tears in the Golden Lion on the last evening that I would never be sailing on her again! Funny how ships can have that effect and I fully understand why some may feel the same way towards Oriana.

Well this gets better! I think we will have to have more than one party if we do get four bottles of spirit! :p

Mysticalmother - I do think it varies, I have to say. There have been occasions when I have been shocked at some attitudes but I speak in general rather than individual cases. I have to say that I felt that Oriana did have that "charm" in terms of being an older ship and I could see why a lot of regulars were so fond of her. I have friends who had been on other P&O ships and they said that the food was of a higher standard. I hope you have a lovely time!

P&O Sue - The dress code could have been due to the fact that we were blessed with lovely warm weather and perhaps people just didn't feel like dressing up as much. For us we rarely get a chance to get the sequins and full length gowns out so we tend to probably go over the top. :D

I don't recognize that description of Oriana about being tatty etc. However, I have to agree with the last poster than the food in the MDR was mediocre, however, we found the service to be very good. In fact, our waiter was very concerned when we sent back yet another plate of food. My fish was grey, tasteless and not cooked properly. Anyway we are back on board Oriana this October, so I am hoping for better. I defin itely didn't find her tatty and as for dirty sheets, I'm sorry, just don't believe it.

Have to say that cleanliness wasn't an issue in the cabin or around the ship but it was a little tired in the cabin and corridor areas e.g. worn carpets, stains, dented furniture etc. - not in the public rooms though. The one thing I meant to mention in my comparison there was the public area toilets! My gosh, were they ever in order?! It seemed like a constant maintenance on them. One would be broken, the next day it would be fixed and the other two out of order. Became like a treasure hunt to find working facilities! Perhaps that's why the days seemed so short :p

We've held about 20 cocktail parties over the years. Sometimes we let the butler pour the first drinks, then let them go as we don't really want them hovering around.

 

Remember a wee extra tip!

 

Stewart

Excellent! All answered in one post! Thanks. We have two booking numbers but we booked both at the same time so I suppose we won't be getting the extra, which is a bit sad considering we will be paying the normal amount for the second trip. Thought I would ask in case we give all the booze away the first week and are drying out by the second! ;)

Hi everyone,

I was hoping that someone here may be able to advise me on holding a cocktail party in a QG cabin. I am aware that the butler can set this up but I have the following questions:

1) Do you have to pay for the canapes served?

2) Will the butler serve alcohol you have brought on board with you?

3) If you purchase drinks, are they from the bar or room service menus?

4) And on an unrelated note... we are on a back to back cruise so should we receive free spirits and champagne for each voyage?

Thanks for any advice,

Rebecca

I'm a little late in posting this but I thought I would let you all know how we got on with Oriana vs. QV.

It's hard to beat the QV on first impressions of her interiors and the Oriana just could not compete. The ship did seem tired in parts and the cabin could have done with a few touch ups. However the size was adequate and it did the job for what we needed it for. There was a lot of storage space, which was excellent as I don't travel light! Our cabin steward was very friendly and efficient but as we don't really have requests whilst on board I cannot comment further.

One area that was better for us was the entertainment, possibly due to us being in our 20s. We made good friends with the entertainment staff and enjoyed having more karaoke nights and quizzes. In fact the entertainment staff seemed to be out and about the ship a lot more than on Cunard and the entertainment director was seen on a daily basis (sometimes I have rarely seen the ED on Cunard). The party sailaways were a little OTT - we may be in our 20s but we don't really enjoy the YMCA/Summer Holiday/In the Navy around the pool! Still, lots of others seemed to be getting into the spirit of things... But we seemed to just generally do a lot more in the day than on Cunard. The downside was the lack of a ballroom so the ballroom dancing took place in the nightclub until 11pm. This meant that by the time the disco began the place was empty. Not to say we wanted to disco all night but I quite like the option of ballroom dancing in the Queen's Room or going to the various themed nights in Hemispheres. By the time the disco started it was inevitably only crew members in there so we did have some fun with them and they saved our evenings! Ballroom dancing in a disco just didn't seem as elegant as the Queen's Room and I missed that elegance.

As mentioned, the entertainment staff were great. The bar staff, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired with the exception of the Lord's Tavern where it took them a while to warm to us but after that took great care of us. On the deck the service was even worse... Lucky to get a smile or good morning from anyone. I think I have become used to every crew member greeting you on the QV, regardless of what their job is but on Oriana I felt almost ignored on some occasions when I greeted crew and they ignored me! Maybe they didn't enjoy my singing on the karaoke...

I also really missed the formality of dressing up, although the dress of others didn't affect us and we still dressed formally. The formal nights often seemed like informal on Cunard. This seemed to give us a lot of stares and made us feel self-conscious initially but by week two we honestly didn't care! The Captain's cocktail party was also strange in that it was in the Pacific Lounge so everyone was sitting in rows rather than mingling. Still, not a big thing in the overall cruise.

The worst part for us was the food... I have eaten in the Britannia for a few cruises but usually dine in the Queen's Grill. And oh, how I craved either! Food was at best warm, small portions and rushed in the MDR. My poor grandmother nearly lost an eye from the waiter's haste to remove her plate and the knife falling on to her face! The apology seemed to be for him to offer her some extra vegetables with her main course. The service was generally lacklustre in the MDR and I don't recall the maitre'd coming to our table aside from the first night. I was actually quite surprised at this as our previous trip on Oriana in the Oriental was great (although many years ago). So we decided to use the alternative dining wherever possible. The first time we went to the Ocean Grill it took 1 hour and 45 minutes to receive our main course when the restaurant was only a third full. The same happened when we tried the alternative outdoor dining. Unfortunately we had been eagerly awaiting the alternative dining with it's Mexican food, as my fiance is Mexican. However it was clearly not Mexican although we do acknowledge that authentic Mexican food is hard to come by. This was simply a hard shell taco with some minced beef. I have made better with the pre-prepared kits at home! I actually wasn't aware how important food on holiday was to me until this cruise and I found myself rushing off in port to eat something hot and delicious! It added a significant cost to the cruise to dine in the alternative but after five nights in the MDR, we just couldn't take it any more. Also the cocktails were tiny! And the mojitos were basically soda, vodka and mint with no muddling. We avoided these after our first experience. Perhaps we have been spoiled by the Commodore Club!

Although my comparison seems largely negative, we actually had a fantastic cruise so I can only put it down to the company and some of the crew we met who made it very special. I would happily sail on Oriana again now knowing what to expect but my grandparents have other plans so we will be back on the QV this summer! In essence it was more of a fun atmosphere and we threw ourselves into that. I think they are just two different products and I would certainly use either in the future.

The 15% charge is still there on P&O it is just that it is added in the price of the drink and not added as an extra. So in effect if you go to a bar yourself you will still be paying a service charge.

Oh, I see. So would you say in effect that P&O drinks prices are roughly the same as Cunard?

Thank you for all your perspectives. I have found that the QV service is sometimes lacking but then again it is sometimes outstanding, depending on who you get serving you. I expect it will be the same on Oriana. I will try to maintain an open mind and remember that it is a totally different ship I will be going on! I have to say based upon comments and reviews I think that there will be pros and cons for changing and no doubt I will miss the QV but other aspects seem to be an improvement on what I felt was lacking on her. I will write up an update on my return, for sure.

Very happy about that 15% being taken off. I hated that charge, especially when I've had to go to the bar myself when the serving staff have been lacking!

Thanks, this has put my mind at rest! Is there anywhere that serves food 24 hours? The P&O website says that Al Fresco does but on the programme, it says that it closes at 2am.

Thanks for both of your replies. I'm not really bothered about being the youngest, as it has always been the case when I've been on Cunard. The entertainment programme that I saw did seem more varied than I am used to though. It can't be as bad as the reviews say if you are booking so many times!

After years of loyalty to Cunard’s Queen Victoria, we have decided to try Oriana due to the QV doing fly cruises over the summer period. It has been a long time since we last went on Oriana so I was wondering if anyone here could help answer some questions. I’m using the QV as a comparative reference point as my recent experience has been completely limited to her but other insights would also be helpful.

- How formal it is now in comparison to the QV? My grandma and I tend to dress up very formally on the QV but don’t want to look out of place in long evening gowns if they aren’t the norm.

- What are the major differences between Oriana and QV in terms of the entertainment programme? My boyfriend and I are in our late 20s and the sample programme looks more appealing to us but I am aware that the sample I saw was not specifically for Oriana.

- What are the sailaways like these days on Oriana?

- Are there cocktail parties like on Cunard?

- I read in one review that cabins are not ready when you embark and you have to go to wait in the Conservatory. Is this standard practice?

- Similarly, I read that all disembarkation is before 9am. Is this also correct?

- This is a bit of a long shot as it’s not directly related to Oriana but… My boyfriend is Mexican and when we travel via plane we usually have to go to a separate check-in to get a special stamp on his ticket after they have examined his visa. Could anyone share any knowledge of check-in for non-EU passport holders? We are travelling to the Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Will there be any other time where additional immigration checks may be required?

- The roll calls for Oriana seem very few. Is it not usual to do a meet and greet on P&O?

- Lastly, please tell me the food is not as bad as some reviews suggest!

Thanks in advance for any help. Any other views and tips would also be interesting and very welcome!