Victoria2

This was the first time the s/h credit was used and as we spent all the obc etc and then some, I have no idea about any s/h credit and grats. significance. I haven't heard of any but that doesn't mean you are misinformed. Hopefully a member more experienced with that particular benefit can help because unless we have thousands of obc [and it has happened], we easily spend it all!

Are they differentiated? Our obc and stockholder credit appeared as a lump sum on the onboard account.

We usually have noon as a check in/boarding time on QE/QV and get there a little beforehand. You won't be turned away while you wait. I can't think of many things you might need to book apart from hair or general spa appointments and if needed, book those when you board, hair at any rate. You won't be making any Mid Atlantic shore excursions [hopefully] and I wouldn't bother with supplementary dining as you will have a wonderful time in the restaurant. Don't forget the QG mantra of 'if the ingredients are on the ship, the chef will make it for you' if you fancy any off menu dining. The Maître'd or your Head Waiter should be asking if you would like anything which isn't on the menu and if they don't, then ask. The concierge and your butler will be your new best friends. Nothing is too small a query. If in doubt, ask. and most important, ENJOY. 🙂

Not a rant Hattie, just and honest account with some some subjective additions. Very helpful and most informative. Thank you for your continuing to keep us posted. Co-operation is a two way process, Cunard are going to have to up their general care protocols if they expect passengers to report coughs and colds, 'just in case'.

Long Island Iced Tea with an extra hefty shot of lime

No Bidding but passengers [no idea of selection process other than the unticked 'no upgrade' box] are occasionally offered a decent upgrade with a small premium to pay. That's how we unfortunately found our 'sweet spot' om QE and QV. 'Free' visits from the upgrade fairy occur too as you experienced but again, no idea of selection process.

The only time our cabin hasn't been ready is when early boarding [11.30am] , for some reason, was allowed. We waited in the Grill's lounge until it was released. Although the cabin wasn't officially ready, I dropped our carry on stuff in the cabin. Although we had noon boarding, the ship wasn't released until 1pm on our August trip and we went straight to our cabin. Edit Our cruise card was issued at check in pre Covid. This August, it was in our communication 'fan' outside the cabin so whether that will have any influence on cabin availability, I don't know. These days, I imagine if the ship is released, the cabin will be ready.

Lovely post and echoes our experience. We too found passenger mask wearing 'sparse' late August, but we soldiered on and came away Cold/Noro/Covid free. Luck? Possibly but we took no chances. We have cancelled our next trip, Northern Lights, purely for personal reasons but looking forward to '23.

We've stayed at the Chateau and loved every minute of our stays. The restaurants in Old Town are fabulous. So saying, Poutine! Yum Yum x 10 😀

A hotel we used to stay at had a smoked salmon cart in the evenings and subsequently having tried to slice the stuff at home, it hammers home how competent wait staff are as takes a good deal of skill [and very sharp implements] to evenly slice it time after time. I don't have that skill but luckily, M&S does! 👍

Holidaying on/in a tin can with seemingly wall to wall football? Nightmare! 😒

Very sorry to hear Mr HH has the lurgy but [and cold comfort here if ever there was any], you can give an objective [and subjective] view of the Cunard Lurgy Process. Fingers crossed you don't succumb and Mr HH has a short bout.

Oh do enjoy your holiday Thorsten and don't let flying that distance worry you. Easy to say I know but you're flying with an airline with one of the best safety records and is recognised to give exemplary service during the flight. Sit back and enjoy your time in the air and have a wonderful time on QM2.

I saw a Sendak Wild Thing, with a red hat, initially rather than a ship! I definitely prefer the teddies.

Thank you I think it's great Cunard is adding flexibility on quite a couple of issues. Let's hope the modifications encourage newbies to the line. The typo made me smile by the way as we definitely avoided crushing on QV last month! 😀

I get periodic questionnaires asking my opinion on various Cunard issues but haven't had a recent cruise survey for a few years now. Could be because we didn't cruise for three years but we too haven't had one from our August cruise either. Not too bothered really.

I'm not a member of any ruling class but am/was classed as fairly competent a rower. Indoor ergs only these days.

Is fixed late dining an addition in Britannia? I thought it had always been there. The excellent Britannia upgrade as far as I can see is the addition of the 'anytime' dining when offered. We fix dine to a certain extent in QG, as we try and make the table between 7.45pm and 8pm depending on pre dinner drinks etc.

We're talking upgrades/improvements, not down grades. 😄

If an upgrade of the cheese trolley [I have had both cheeses mentioned] is all it takes to 'upgrade the experience', then I'll go with that! 😄

Thank you. I hadn't seen that. As I don't like the position of the Club cabins on the Vistas [no idea re QM2], I can't say the elevated experience would persuade me to book Club now I would have my choice of Britannia dining unless the added premium paid was relatively insignificant.. Hopefully, this enhanced experience will have no knock on effect for the PG and QG experiences.

I don't class that as 'free' because that obc could be used against other products bought on the ship. If grats. were included, that would free up the obc to be used elsewhere.

Although the much welcomed Britannia dining change, [which, by the way, was a point of discussion between myself and a senior member of the wait staff, pre Covid who said 'never say never' with a smile and so in my opinion, right or wrong, has been in the pipeline for a while], doesn't immediately affect me, I will watch with interest to see what ripples, if any, it might send 'up' the dining chain. I think Cunard will now be offering the best dining scenario in Britannia; two set dining times and an open dining time. I can't comment on the 'to Club or not' or even 'to PG or Club' as that won't affect us but any possible [and I haven't read anything so far to suggest this is proposed] knock on changes to Club, and then possibly PG and finally to QG, will. I haven't travelled in PG but my immediate view would be that it gives access to decks eleven and twelve which are lovely areas on the Vistas and which to my mind, would be the selling point on its own. Add the dining scenario into the mix and I would see no reason to add to that. As a UK [important as the UK and US bookings seem to give different booking advantages] based Q Grill'er, if 'perks' were upgraded in PG, I can't immediately see other than included gratuities*, what could be added as a knock on sweetner to add to the next grade bearing in mind the presumed necessity to ensure any perks which already exist for Diamond passengers won't be eroded, the internet allowance being the only Diamond perk which has any real significance for us. I certainly wouldn't want anything remotely All Inclusive to be paraded as a QG perk as we organise our own trips and don't want any 'free' drinks package to add to our existing 'free' cabin set up so this might seem very selfish, but I hope, these excellent Britannia dining changes will have no effect whatsoever on 'The Grills'.

That's the beauty of a cruise and in this case, Cunard. Get off or stay onboard, win/win either way. Enjoy

Very, at times! 😟