david,Mississauga

This may have been a recent change. A year and a half ago we saw the second Downton Abbey film which we had missed seeing in our local cinemas.  

This discussion got me thinking of our first crossing on the QE2.  At that time Cunard was advertising that they showed pre-release films. We saw The Day of the Jackal prior to it being shown in Toronto cinemas.

One of my favourite rooms on the Union-Castle Line's RMS Windsor Castle was the First Class drawing room. It was usually a quiet place which was used for the occasional function.

The portrait of The Queen Mother was an original. HM had launched the ship. See Figure 5.1.

https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6107/1/BD-Manuscript_McKay-for-REF-2021.pdf

2 hours ago, sfred said:

On my recent fantasy RMS Mauretania TA crossing, I went to the first class drawing room.  It looked like this.  I'm sure QA's will be very similar?  🙂

 

That would be great if it was.

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

You can try, but don’t be at all surprised if the answer is 'sorry, here’s the list' to pricey bottles.

 

Folk have often asked for similar products but pricey bottles aren’t usually accommodated.

This was the list we had last year on QV.

On our Alaska cruise on the QE last summer  (our first time in QG on that ship) I was surprised to see the list was less than half the length of the one pictured here - and other photos we have seen.  There was Bombay gin but  no liqueurs that appealed to us.  Thanks to advice on CruiseCritic we wrote a note to the butler requesting Baileys and it was provided.

We have embarked the QE in Vancouver three times. For the first and second times we uploaded our photos as requested. Both times the check-in agent did not like them so took new ones. For the third time we didn't bother uploading them.  It took the agent just a few seconds to take our photos.

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Is there really such a thing as "too many sea days"??? I cannot even fathom the idea... Ports are just ports, days at sea are magic. 

Many years ago when we were members of the P&O Line's P.O.S.H. Club there was a letter published by a regular passenger. She said: "Ports are an unnecessary interruption to my sea-going experience."  Well said, I thought.

5 hours ago, D&N said:

 

...

 

In our case, if we had booked as two separate crossings, we would have paid 22% more. It seems like a very crude attempt at yield management to try and sell cabins on shorter trips for a higher total amount of money.

Cunard has been pulling this stunt for several years on some consecutive voyages.  We discovered this with the Québec-NY-Southampton and vv voyages. Very few cabins - especially in Britannia Club - are available as one 14-day voyage but ample space is available for two back-to-back voyages at a higher cost.  Even if the same cabin is available on both segments Cunard will not sell it as one voyage once the single voyage is marked sold out in that category.  

On principle we shouldn't let them treat us this way, but those two segments are amongst our favourites so we do it.  At our age we don't like booking much more than a year in advance.

59 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

25ml is the standard serving of a spirit in any licensed bar or hotel in the UK.

We always have a G&T at the interval of plays in London and noticed that many years ago. I wondered why there was so little gin in the glass.

In the 1980s and 1990s we cruised several times on the P&O Canberra. The spirit measurement was one-fifth of a gill which I calculated as one ounce.

The standard measurement in bars and restaurants in Canada used to be 1.25 ounces but has dropped to one ounce - which is better than 25 ml.  It is strange that despite having gone metric decades ago, wine and spirits in restaurants are still measured in ounces. Bottles purchased in wine and liquor stores are metric, however.

20 hours ago, D&N said:

The conditions when we travelled in 2022 stated: "Wine will be served in 150ml measures and spirits will be served in 1oz measures with mixer of your choice (double measures for spirits only and premium mixers are available on request)."

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/my-cunard-tcs
This link recently updated on Feb 20th 2024 states: "Wine will be served in 175ml measures and  spirits will be served in 25ml measures with mixer of your choice (double measures for spirits  only and premium mixers are available on request).

 

I hadn't noticed the doubles bit before.

The measure of one shot of spirits is shrinking again.  It wasn't long ago it was 1.5 ounces, then reduced to one ounce. The 25 ml measure is a mere .8 of an ounce.  I wouldn't even taste the gin in a G&T.  Thankfully they are offering doubles.

On 3/4/2024 at 3:55 AM, LadyL1 said:

We have twice (different voyages) asked if wagyu steak can be served for my husband on QV, and both occasions told this is only possible to have in the Verandah restaurant.

A few years ago on the QE a friend treated us to wagyu steak in the Verandah. We were not impressed and couldn't understand the fuss some people make about it.

Most Alaska cruises are 10 days, so the upgrade might be £290 per day. Is that per couple?  If it is an upgrade from an inside that is perhaps a reasonable amount but if from a typical balcony cabin it seems a bit high to me.

The club offers single sitting for all meals at an assigned table, which is something that has great appeal to me. There is also an à la carte menu at dinner.

I will add that the man I spoke to in Ottawa agreed with me when I asked if Cunard continued to be difficult and said this couldn't be done we could simply get off in Halifax and not return. He did suggest it would be better if it was done officially. If not we would have to speak with an official on the pier.  Eventually there were 30 people who disembarked in Halifax. It was the easiest arrival in Canada we have ever had. We were told to gather in a small lounge and a purser's staff collected our passports and spoke with the border officials. Our luggage was then taken off the ship for us and we left at our convenience.

We found it amusing that a Halifax couple we met at tea on board the QM2 had been told by Cunard they had to stay on until New York and make their way home. Prior to boarding in Southampton  my travel agent had gotten permission and we received a document called "Deviation of Itinerary." Our cruise cards were marked destination "YHZ". I told this couple that what they were told was nonsense and they should go to the purser and say they were going to leave the ship in their home city. Permission was granted without further fuss.

In Victoria I noticed the disembarking passengers were directed to a desk in a small structure and they spoke briefly with a border official and went on their way.  Arriving in Canada by ship is so much more civilised than arriving by air.

22 hours ago, BTV said:

A few years ago on the Queen Mary we were able to disembark in Halifax. It was a transatlantic crossing and we had permission to disembark before arriving in New York . It was dealt with prior to the cruise and immigration came on the ship. We only missed a sea day .I believe there were other passengers who did this. It was great for us as a short taxi ride home instead of a flight from New York.

We did the same on a Queen Mary 2 crossing. At first, Cunard said no to our travel agent. I contacted the Canadian immigration service and was put through to a senior consultant in Ottawa. He said if we had Canadian passports no cruise line can prevent us from disembarking at any Canadian port - as long as no law is being broken. (I'm not going to look it up but on another thread I quoted a law restricting passengers from being carried between two Canadian ports on non-Canadian registered vessels.) Obviously that doesn't apply to trans-oceanic voyages.  At the same time our agent got through to someone at Cunard's head office in Southampton who said it was wrong to tell us no.

We have taken three Vancouver-based Alaska cruises on the Queen Elizabeth which have called in Victoria the day prior to Vancouver. On the first two (2019 and 2022) Cunard allowed - even encouraged - passengers to disembark in Victoria if they wished.  I don't know exactly how many did so, but from my observations it was perhaps one or two dozen on those two cruises.

But last year Cunard referred to the legislation that prevented this.  It is similar to the laws in the U.S.  It appears Cunard didn't know about this on the previous two voyages that we took. On our June 2023 cruise some passengers left the ship and didn't return.  Their names were called on the tannoy just before departure, asking them to report to the purser's office immediately. 

On 2/12/2024 at 3:59 PM, Kristal Blade said:

Just remembered another line that provides kettles… Cunard, but I expect you could have predicted that.

 

Only 1 teapot on a ship sounds like the perfect excuse for mutiny!

That small tea-pot was silver-plated and had the NASM badge on it. Pity there weren't more of them. 

Cunard provides kettles in all cabins. Teapots are available on request. Last year we splurged on Queens Grill and had a lovely Wedgewood china tea set in our suite. 

Canadian tea-drinkers also take their tea seriously. The biggest problem in some countries and on some ships is getting boiling water. A few years ago we had a Neptune Suite and were provided with a coffee maker which is totally unsuitable for making a decent "cuppa."  As others have said no kettles were available. 

The only place on the ship where we had water that was hot enough for tea was in the Neptune Lounge. She Who Must Be Obeyed will not get out of bed until she has a good cup of tea. Fortunately we were close to the lounge. The so-called hot water provided elsewhere was disgusting.  Getting a tea-pot was also impossible, although a woman at our table in the restaurant got one - apparently it was the only one available so the staff kept it for her.

18 minutes ago, rocklinmom said:

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. We only have one option at 8am so I'm assuming breakfast would be mini muffins, danishes, etc. Doubt people would drink much alcohol that early in the morning other than mimosas. Thanks for the tip that it could be a rough ride, good to know! 

My experience and that of friends with booking the luxury class is only with Cunard. At first they offer only the 8:00 a.m. train. As that fills up - and the luxury class sells out quickly -  they offered the later departure which is either 12:00 or 1:00 p.m.  Our friends re-booked when that happened in 2019. Last year we waited to book until the later departure was offered.

As you probably know the luxury class can only be booked through the cruise line. Not all cruise ships will have the luxury class coach available as there are only two of them. There are often four or five trains operated by the WP&Y, so only a lucky few can get the luxury coach.

As for the roughness, I don't mean to make it sound uncomfortable. It is fine when seated, but you will need to walk carefully to go to the "loo" at the front of the coach. My experience is that the other coaches are not as rough simply because the last coach on any train is a bit rougher.  (Walking around the rear lounge/dome car of VIA Rails' Canadian at 80 mph across the prairies is not easy on curves.)  I spent a lot of time on the rear platform but I sat most of the time on a bench rather than having to hold on tight to the railing.  

For anyone considering splurging on the luxury coach, it costs double the regular fare and it was worth every penny.

On 2/2/2024 at 10:09 AM, rocklinmom said:

We booked the luxury class tickets, so I assume these are the big leather seats? And it is in the early morning so does anyone know what kind of "appetizers" they will serve? 

Last June we splurged on the luxury class. There are only 14 large swivel seats. The rear platform is twice the size of those in the regular coaches (which we have taken previously).  There are two wooden benches on this large platform. I don't know what is served on the early run. If you can switch to the later excursion the box of "goodies" is substantial and there is decent wine and beer offered. They used to serve the snacks buffet style, but even at low speeds it is a rough ride - especially in the last coach - so now the attendant brings the food around.

On 2/7/2024 at 5:46 PM, CDNPolar said:

I thought Porter were the Bees Knees when they first came on the scene but now I have not flown them in probably a decade.  They just seemed to continue to decline in my eyes.

Several years ago I gave up flying economy except on Porter. When they started they offered a generous pitch of 34 inches. There was a boxed-lunch (or breakfast) offered on board. There was a pleasant lounge at Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport with free beverages - even tea or coffee in cups and saucers and shortbreads. In 2015 the leg-room was shrunk to 32 inches and the boxed light meals were discontinued. I forget when, but the complimentary offerings in the Toronto lounge soon disappeared.

Now that Porter Reserve has been created, the pitch has shrunk again to 30 inches.  I tried Reserve on a Q400 from Halifax to Toronto. The extra leg-room was worth it. There is no charge for checked luggage and seat assignment. There were no other on-board perks other than a cookie or chips from the basket and a beverage - the same as all passengers are offered. To their credit, Porter still offers complimentary wine in real glass even in the basic section.

Next month I will  try their Reserve section on the Embraer jet. A light meal is promised on flights over 2.5 hours.  The pitch is 36 inches. The modest extra fare seems a good deal. 

Thank you, Hattie, for the link. The references to the Union-Castle mailships was a bonus. The author mentions he was on the dock when the RMS Windsor Castle sailed from Cape Town to Southampton for the last time in 1977. My wife and I were on board that fabulous, albeit sad, voyage. 

Grills passengers have to insert their key cards in order for the lifts to stop at Decks 11 and 12.  On our most recent Alaska cruise the staff told us there were  "sneakees" on the outdoor Grills decks and extra signs were brought out and placed at  the stairways leading to these areas and also on the decks.

22 hours ago, Silverspringcruiser said:

We're also going to be on the June 21 Alaska cruise and I'm wearing a suit because I don't own a tuxedo.  On Alaska cruises are there usually more tuxedo/dinner jackets or suits? And how does that compare to the number who don't dress up at all? 

Based on my experiences, especially on the three Alaska cruises we have taken on the QE, no gent will be out of place in a suit or even a jacket and non-matching trousers.  When we were in Britannia I would say 75% wore tuxedos/dinner jackets and most of the rest wore suits and some in sport coats/blazers. In the Grills the percentage of men in formal wear was close to 100%. 

Most of the Alaska cruises are 10 days and there are a mere two gala nights.

Although jackets and ties are no longer required on non-gala nights, they have not been banned. A sizeable minority of men have done so. That includes me, but I assure you no-one will look down their nose at what others wear. Last year we were in Queens Grill for the first time on the QE and it seemed every man wore a jacket on the non-gala nights. 

Thanks for the photos. Our Q4 was the same. The Q3s are supposed to be a little larger but from the photos I have seen the difference is not significant.  I note the colour schemes are the same. The clothes closet in our Q4 was a small room with a door. It was adequate for us but quite a bit smaller than the closets in both PG and QG on the QM2.  To us, the balcony seems huge as we have never had anything bigger.

Another advantage of the QG suites on the QE and QV vs the QM2 is that all of them have a separate shower stall. On the QM2 the majority of the suites have the shower over the Jacuzzi.  A Penthouse category on the QM2 is quite a bit larger than Penthouses on the QE and the fare is considerably higher as is to be expected. 

3 hours ago, Mareblu said:

 

I agree with all your comments about QE, with the exception of those relating to Grills staterooms.  I haven't been in PG suites, but I have noted from the brochures that they are rather and long and narrow.  Conversely, the QG penthouse we were fortunate to occupy was superbly laid out.  Not quite as spacious as similar level on some other lines, but certainly more than adequate.  The key to the QG3 comfort, we found, was the exceptional layout.  Everything was efficiently placed, with ample storage and hanging space.  The dressing area was a fine example of the clever layout, and the bathroom, with walk-in shower (with glass door, unlike other QG and PG suites) next to a large bathtub, both separated from the toilet and basins by a door, functioned perfectly. 

...

The balcony in PG on the QE is ridiculously small for a superior accommodation. The last time we booked PG we chose a stateroom that had a view from the balcony forward as well as to the side. I knew there would be curvature of the balcony but it was smaller than I expected. It was difficult getting the door open so we had to leave the chairs a certain way. We once had a Britannia cabin with a balcony twice that size.  Also, I don't care for the open closet. On the QM2 there is a huge walk-in closet with a door so your guests don't see your clothes.

We had QG for the first time on the QE (last June) and were very fond of the Q4 layout. As described by others, the two-part bathroom was very convenient. We also liked the partial divider between the sleeping and sitting halves of the suite. A heavy curtain can be pulled to fill the gap. "Mrs. David" likes to take a one-hour nap on many afternoons.  She could rest on the bed with the curtain pulled and I could have access to the loo, the in-suite bar and the balcony  without disturbing her.  

On a posting a while back someone referred to the layout of the Q4s as insane. I was not the only one who replied that we think they are brilliant.

I have taken three Alaska cruises on the QE and a lot more crossings on the QM2. The dress code has been "dumbed down" every couple of years so it is difficult to make a comparison.  We have not taken a crossing the same year as an Alaska cruise.

Regarding the Alaska cruises the published dress code has been observed. On the few formal/gala nights the majority of gents wear dinner jackets just as on the Atlantic.  I did notice last year there were fewer men wearing a jacket and tie on the other nights. The women were better dressed than the men, with many wearing what could be described as formal wear every night.  

 As one who is very fond of the QE (equally with the QM2 - for different reasons) I appreciate the comments.  We have been on the QE four times in three different restaurant "classes" - all except for the Britannia Club. The first cruise was to Norway and the other three were Alaska cruises from Vancouver.

I sympathise with those who are losing the QE cruises based in their own country.  Next year Cunard is basing the Alaska cruises in Seattle instead of Vancouver, which does not please me one bit.  

Like most people, we much prefer the Grills facilities on the QE than on the QM2. The exception would be the staterooms, which on the QM2 give the appearance of being superior accommodation to those skinny ones on the QE even though they are same square footage. The QM2 ones also have a bigger balcony.