Happyboating

Thank you for responding to my post and sorry to learn that you too are experiencing IT problems for some reason. I have to be honest, I love IT when it works but seriously hate it when it malfunctions!  Of course the first hurdle is always getting someone to take ownership of the problem and, sadly, I can’t put my hand on my heart and say I’ve never had problems with Vodafone or Apple etc.  I sincerely hope you manage to sort your problem and enjoy your cruise. 

Can I just ask, are you using a mobile device to pay online?  I only ask because I’ve just discovered that I can’t pay anything via PayPal online with my iPad which has a Vodafone SIM. Not a problem with my iPhone which has an O2 SIM. My iPad also works with PayPal if I use it on my home WiFi. No problem if I pay with my credit card direct, rather than via PayPal. So, it seems that the problem I’m experiencing is a problem with Vodafone and PayPal but it would be good to find someone else with the problem.  The problem first occurred with me about 3 weeks ago.

I’ve just seen this in our local paper and thought that it might be of interest to a few of you:

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/obituaries/qe2-captain-david-perkins-from-bury-6916048

Solent Richard - perfect photo. A shame you couldn’t get to Southwold!

To be fair, I wouldn’t have known that the QV was on the East Coast until I saw her on the local news one night and then I took a screenshot on my iPad and posted it and, to be fair, I was amazed that it worked.  It was nice to see her though - we watched her turn round with the changing of the tide on Tuesday evening before we went to Walberswick. 
 

I probably won’t log on again now unless I see another news report relating to a Cunard ship being in the area. 
 

Happy sailing to all, when things get back to normal, and happy dreaming until then.

We then drove round to Walberswick and took this in the last of the sunlight.  Sorry for the pile of clothing on the beach but a couple of people were swimming. 

Another photo:

I tried but I’m afraid, as I’ve already said, I’m not very technical - I guess someone with a good camera, and a wide angle lense, might well have done better.  Sogne, did you get any better photos?

Hi Bluemarble, thank you for the explanation on how the site works now - it’s clearly changed since I last logged in a couple of years ago!  When you and Solent Richard quoted my post the system did actually send me an email although I still had to figure out how to open it and I’d never noticed the heart on each post which I now realise is equivalent to the thumbs up on Facebook although I’ve never sign up for any social media so have never actually used it. 
 

Don’t laugh but when I retired I treated myself to a new car - my last new car was in 2004 and it drove like the one I had before except that the new one was much smarter and had a lovely “new car” smell. I’m telling you, this new car is totally different to my old one!  Funnily enough, one of my first trips out in it was to Southwold, and I noticed the car in front of me suddenly swerve and, because I didn’t, I hit a pothole!  Well, I’d never heard anything like it, my new car started SCREAMING and lights started flashing on the dash and, to be honest, I was quite alarmed at what was happening. With my old car I’d pull over, check the tyres, give them a good kick to make sure I hadn’t lost any obvious pressure and then carry on my way - with this new car I had to take it back to the main dealer for them to check the tyre pressures and reset the computer!  Don’t get me wrong, I love it as all I have to do is get in, start the engine, put it into gear and go - if it’s dark, or even dull, the lights automatically switch on, if it rains, the wipers automatically switch on and I can set the speed limit so it automatically only goes up to that speed. It also automatically slows down if the vehicle in front slows. All great EXCEPT common sense tells me that, at some point, my “smart” car will malfunction and I’ll end up shortening someone else’s boot!!!!!!!  I already dread the day I’m going to have to say to someone “I’m really sorry but my “smart” car should have stopped!”.  The electronic brake took some getting used to too because if you brake too hard it assumes you want to STOP, and does so.  My husband won’t drive it because he says he doesn’t want the car anticipating what he wants to do!  I guess, once it’s out of warranty, I’ll buy an older one again - apparently my husband can’t even change the brakes because it needs to be plugged into a computer whilst you’re changing them. I concede it’s probably not for me as I’m not technical enough - it’s got an iPad type screen in the centre which should have given me a clue!  It’ll be 2 years old in October and it hasn’t done 6,000 miles yet but I’ll take it for a drive later.
 

Anyway, high tide is at 17.55 this evening so the ship should be sitting high in the water and so I’ll go and see what photos I can get. We actually think that, in reality, she’s probably about 3 miles offshore but if I can get the right angle it’ll look like she’s in the town and dwarfing the houses.  I’m just hoping that some of the fishermen have caught some lobster that I can have for supper.

In that case I might drive to Walberswick tomorrow afternoon to see what photos I can get from there - it’s the opposite side of the river to Southwold. You can also see QV, as large as life, from where the A12 at Blythesborough crosses the river. In fact it’s hard to believe that we didn’t see her yesterday afternoon but we simply weren’t looking for her! We thought we might have a bite to eat and then “maybe” go up to Lowestoft to see if we could find her there so, trust me, it was a truly lovely surprise to see her at the end of the harbour road in Southwold. Obviously it would be much nicer for everyone to see her in perspective to the town - I remember stopping at a village on a Norwegian Fjords tour a few years back, on the QM2, and being surprised at how large the ship was compared to the buildings in the village. So, bearing in mind that I only have an old phone, with a small camera, I’ll give it a go, tomorrow. Mind you, having said that, even if I went shopping tomorrow morning and purchased a camera I probably wouldn’t be able to post “large” photos, whatever that means - in any event I definitely wouldn’t know how to shrink them!  A large boat is also being transported along the A12 to Lowestoft tomorrow, according to the local paper, so I’ll go up later in the afternoon to avoid the chaos that’s going to cause.
 

PS: when I logged on, just now, I notice that I’ve got some “messages” (or something) from some of you but I have no idea what as I have no idea how to open them. Sorry, but I’m really not good with technology!

To be honest I wish I’d taken a photo from the Golf Club road as then you could have seen the town, on the left, and how close the ship is anchored to it - just outside, and to the left, of the entrance to the harbour. We didn’t actually realise it was there so it was a nice surprise to see it.  We then wondered if it was lit up at night - that would have been a really nice photo.  Obviously, I only have a very old phone but someone with a nice camera could get some really nice photos - there’s a car park by the entrance to the harbour which only cost £1 an hour between 8-6. The golf club road is at the other end of the harbour and takes you back to the High Street across the golf course. Obviously we drove up there for a fish & chip supper - just before high tide you can watch the fishing boats coming back in and unloading their catch. 

Taken at Southwold this evening:

We have today cancelled our December cruise - and lost £570 deposit - but we’re not prepared to pay the balance of £1,566. For us the forthcoming changes of increasing the areas where those who don’t want to adhere to the evenings dress code can go will, in our opinion, spoil the ambience of the ship. I understand that others welcome the change but for us we’ve done our last cruise. We have some wonderful memories, and great photos, and have met some lovely people - who we will continue to stay in touch with. Happy cruising everyone.

I couldn’t help but notice that the answer to this question was signed off by someone called Sam despite being logged in as Angus Struthers!

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2630230

That is not my experience in 15 voyages. My last 7 voyages were Grills but we enjoyed Britannia before that, and the specialty restaurants too. A nice mix of each.

People often complain more easily than they praise. If you love your voyage you go home with great memories. Statistically you are not likely to write a review. People who are disappointed, be it real or imagined are more likely to complain and vent, if for no other reason than to commiserate and find others to validate that complaint. I guess that is Psychology 101. I have no complaints about the food, cabins, entertainment, majority of staff, cleanliness and upkeep of ship, afternoon tea, activities - like flower arranging or lectures, Grills areas, shops and library... My one and only problem is I like the formality of Cunard and don't want that to change. Everything else has always been great.

We agree. We would actually cancel our next voyage if it wasn’t for the fact that we live in the UK and would lose our deposit if we did so but we now feel that the product we booked, and are locked into, isn’t what we signed up for, ie the expanding of areas where casual dress is allowed which will, in our opinion, spoil the ambiance of the ship.

My understanding is that when the new GDPR law comes into effect on 25 May 2018, companies have 72 hours to respond to requests about personal data held or they will face heavy fines!

This link shows the Veranda menus on all three ships:

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/example_menu

Have emailed them about this and will let you know what they say.

Very many thanks.

Thanks Ashley, that's the same answer we've all been getting.

It's a little disingenuous, as they have increased the number of areas of the ship where the dress code isn't required.

And it’s the increase in number of areas where the dress code isn’t required that is bothering me! Would it be possible for Ashley to ask her contacts about that please? Many thanks.

I’ve not noticed this video before, or haven’t watched it, but I guess Cunard need to update the wording used in it:

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/mini/cunard/life-on-board/dress_code

The next voyage we’re booked on, in December, is now showing 3 Gala Evenings but everything else is blank. If the dressing up on Cunard is dumbed down too much we’ll do other holidays which will also be cheaper!

Captain Robert Camby was Commodore Bernard Warner’s First Mate on the QM2 in June 2010 so he’s certainly been with Cunard before.

Here are the menus for all three ships, including the Veranda restaurants:

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/example_menu

I hope this helps.

The Captain is clearly trying to give us three ports, as planned. He also warned us that the sea state would be rough tonight but, as the wind will be on our stern, he doesn't think we'll notice much movement onboard. We've been onboard previously and been told to put everything away that isn't secured down. Now going to put iPad in the safe for the duration - were just going to chill out so don't really mind where we go.

For those of you who like to watch the webcams/ships trackers, QV is now leaving Southampton and heading straight to Rotterdam - not Zeebrugges as planned - we will get to Rotterdam late afternoon/early evening where we have been told we will be staying overnight so that we have a full day there on Thursday. We will then move to Zeebrugges overnight where we will then spend a full day on Friday. We will then go to Cherbourg, as planned, for a full day on Saturday. When did scanning the ships cards at Muster start? This was a new one on us, only experienced it on Princess before.

As far as I know, if you book the Cunard Fare with a cabin number, you get labels in the back of your excursions booklet.

If you book the Early Saver fare, you get an excursions booklet but have to print your own labels when your cabin is assigned.

If you book the (late) Saver fare, you don't get either labels or an excursion booklet.

Ah, that explains why we sometimes get them and why sometimes we don't as, over the years, we've booked all three fare options (Cunard, Early Saver and Late Saver)