Boarding: so far so good.

[Minnie29]

Good to know you still have your own table in The Grills. 
Are the tables more spaced out than usual?

 

[RJChatsworth]

Minnie29  QG tables have same spacing as far as I can see, possibly can’t be moved as screwed to the floor, but many not assigned.

 

VAT added to purchases in shops.  The ship is only exempted if it goes to a foreign port and we are not.

 

Went to ‘Be My Guest’ show in Royal Court Theatre this evening.  Four singers and 10 dancers performing to canned music.  I understand the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra is playing in the Queens Room for dancing.  The Queens Room orchestral members are on the ship quarantining for two weeks.  After that I believe the Royal Court orchestra will reappear in the theatre but there seems to be some questions about them playing with the singers and dancers (different bubbles) but could play for other visiting performers.  All a bit unclear at the moment.

 

No welcoming party, but in lieu we all received a free glass of sparkling wine at dinner in the different restaurants this evening.

[ew101]

This sounds lovely.  Is the crew mostly QE or are there some QM2 crew on board?  Pol Aker?  Can someone remind me of the route of this trip I lost track 27 cancellations ago.  

[Minnie29]

Did you have to book for your evening meal in QG? 
I seem to remember reading somewhere that we book a time each evening in PG when we get onboard?

[exlondoner]

9 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Minnie29  QG tables have same spacing as far as I can see, possibly can’t be moved as screwed to the floor, but many not assigned.

 

VAT added to purchases in shops.  The ship is only exempted if it goes to a foreign port and we are not.

 

Went to ‘Be My Guest’ show in Royal Court Theatre this evening.  Four singers and 10 dancers performing to canned music.  I understand the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra is playing in the Queens Room for dancing.  The Queens Room orchestral members are on the ship quarantining for two weeks.  After that I believe the Royal Court orchestra will reappear in the theatre but there seems to be some questions about them playing with the singers and dancers (different bubbles) but could play for other visiting performers.  All a bit unclear at the moment.

 

No welcoming party, but in lieu we all received a free glass of sparkling wine at dinner in the different restaurants this evening.

 

The dreaded PA? Eeeeeek.

[exlondoner]

6 hours ago, ew101 said:

This sounds lovely.  Is the crew mostly QE or are there some QM2 crew on board?  Pol Aker?  Can someone remind me of the route of this trip I lost track 27 cancellations ago.  

 

At present she is going past the Isle of Man on her way to the Isle of Islay. After that , who knows?

[RJChatsworth]

No bookings required in QG.  An assigned table as normal.

 

Grills’ disembarkation.  Asked to choose 1st and 2nd choice of 10 minute slots between 0750 and 1010. If you don’t bother to specify they’ll allocate you a slot.  No departure lounges in use.  You stay in your cabin until the allotted time and then go straight to the gangway.

[exlondoner]

32 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

No bookings required in QG.  An assigned table as normal.

 

Grills’ disembarkation.  Asked to choose 1st and 2nd choice of 10 minute slots between 0750 and 1010. If you don’t bother to specify they’ll allocate you a slot.  No departure lounges in use.  You stay in your cabin until the allotted time and then go straight to the gangway.

 

What a splendid idea. They should do that all the time. Must slow down the cabin servicing for the new lot, though.

 

Is the lecture programme good - and well attended?

And is there Morning Service today?

 

[majortom10]

12 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

What a splendid idea. They should do that all the time. Must slow down the cabin servicing for the new lot, though.

 

Is the lecture programme good - and well attended?

And is there Morning Service today?

 

Normal selection of lectures my only argument is it seems daft to have a lecture every day at 1230pm so you miss lunch. Yes there is a morning service today.

[Minnie29]

Are you still able to self disembark? 
we were on Celebrity Silhouette a month ago and decided to self disembark and it was so easy. 
we were off the ship and in our car by 6.30am. 

[majortom10]

2 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

Are you still able to self disembark? 
we were on Celebrity Silhouette a month ago and decided to self disembark and it was so easy. 
we were off the ship and in our car by 6.30am. 

Yes self disembarkation is still available.

[exlondoner]

24 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Normal selection of lectures my only argument is it seems daft to have a lecture every day at 1230pm so you miss lunch. Yes there is a morning service today.

 

Miss lunch? What a horrendous idea. Who could think of such a thing. Mind you I usually go to choir (Is that happening?) and on a couple of voyages, instead of meeting at noon, it met at 1. I did not miss munch for it.

[Victoria2]

Any guidance for disabled passenger embarkation and disembarkation and how are wheelchair users catered for, especially accessing deck eleven?

Any information appreciated.

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Any guidance for disabled passenger embarkation and disembarkation and how are wheelchair users catered for, especially accessing deck eleven?

Any information appreciated.

 

I can see that with only four people allowed per lift, and only two lifts, getting up to Deck 11 could be very time-consuming, even without a wheelchair. With a wheelchair very grim indeed. 

[RJChatsworth]

Exlondoner - as ship is only 65% full the lifts with only 4 people has, in my experience, been less of a problem than when the ship is full and max 18 in the lifts!  Very few wheelchairs on now.

 

Yesterday around 11am we went to Cafe Carinthia for coffee.  Total nightmare with queue, long time for tables to be cleaned before you could sit down.  Slow service as there seemed to be a shortage of staff.  Took 45 minutes to get served.  We ordered Americano’s but they didn’t do them.  Instead you get a double espresso, plus a jug of hot water and a jug of hot milk and those inedible teeth breaking biscuits.  The coffee was cold and the two cost a grand total of $8.51.  This doesn’t divide by 2 so what the extra one cent was I don’t know!

 

Today we decided to go to the Lido for coffee.  You can go anytime.  A waiter operates the machines and you take it to a designated seating area.  This is because all the other tables are set nicely for lunch with menus on the tables.

 

The Lido self service restaurant is no longer self service.  The tables are in exactly the same places as before the Pandemic and are waiter/waitress served.  The Lido is open 7-10 for breakfast, 12-2.30 for lunch, 3-4 afternoon tea, 6.30-9 for ‘ Dinner at the Lido’ and 10-2am for late snacks.

[exlondoner]

Interesting about the lifts.

Again, what you say about the Lido sounds an improvement, if the service is not too slow. Do you think 65% of passengers means 65% of staff?

Are Coriander and the other pop-ups in the Lido happening?

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

 

I can see that with only four people allowed per lift, and only two lifts, getting up to Deck 11 could be very time-consuming, even without a wheelchair. With a wheelchair very grim indeed. 

Travelling with a wheelchair is a nightmare anywhere outside the US and countries where service is a pleasure such as Dubai or many Asian countries. We are lucky enough to fly First or Business, depending on the plane and as for Cunard, they are beyond wonderful with their disabled passengers. Absolutely wonderful.

Eggs in one basket has been referenced. Cunard is the best basket we could have when cruising the ocean and the ribbons on the basket for us means we can have a dining table if needed which I think, for breakfast might be our go to in the future.

We are used to waiting ages for a lift around dinner time especially if one of the two decks eleven and twelve lifts are x 'd. On one occasion, a downpour in Grande Cayman nixed a few of the lift shafts for a while and one in B until engineers could fix it,  so it might not be so grim. If it is, we wait it out.

 

We have learnt patience isn't just a virtue, it's a necessity!

Edited August 15, 2021 by Victoria2

[RJChatsworth]

20 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Interesting about the lifts.

Again, what you say about the Lido sounds an improvement, if the service is not too slow. Do you think 65% of passengers means 65% of staff?

Are Coriander and the other pop-ups in the Lido happening?

Possibly and haven’t noticed pop-ups.

 

Osman is in charge of QG restaurant and looking forward to getting back to the QG restaurant on QM-2 when it starts sailing again with passengers.

[Mumsysailor]

How is the dancing in the ballroom ?  Is it every evening and what are the rules?  I guess there are no dance hosts. We shall be six travelling together next week and are hoping to dance a lot. 

[BlueRiband]

3 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

..  No departure lounges in use.  You stay in your cabin until the allotted time and then go straight to the gangway.

Indeed, that has been HAL's disembarkation system.  The down side is that it does indeed cut into the time to prepare the cabins.   Thus the boarding passengers have to wander about with their carry-on bags in tow until they open of occupancy.

[RJChatsworth]

There has been dancing in the evenings - no hosts.  Dancing lessons have continued during the day.

 

We love afternoon tea in the Queens Room on Queen Elizabeth but it’s orf!!  Instead you have to go to the Britannia restaurant, the Lido or the PG restaurant.  We haven’t bothered!

[Mumsysailor]

30 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

There has been dancing in the evenings - no hosts.  Dancing lessons have continued during the day.

 

We love afternoon tea in the Queens Room on Queen Elizabeth but it’s orf!!  Instead you have to go to the Britannia restaurant, the Lido or the PG restaurant.  We haven’t bothered!

Thanks. What a pity. We do love a good tea dance. 

[Aspidestra99]

Does anyone know what the protocols are for using the gym? Do you need to book a timed slot? I always wipe the equipment before and after use but wondered if you have to wait for one of the attendants to clean after use.

[North West Newbie]

7 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Exlondoner - as ship is only 65% full the lifts with only 4 people has, in my experience, been less of a problem than when the ship is full and max 18 in the lifts!  Very few wheelchairs on now.

 

Yesterday around 11am we went to Cafe Carinthia for coffee.  Total nightmare with queue, long time for tables to be cleaned before you could sit down.  Slow service as there seemed to be a shortage of staff.  Took 45 minutes to get served.  We ordered Americano’s but they didn’t do them.  Instead you get a double espresso, plus a jug of hot water and a jug of hot milk and those inedible teeth breaking biscuits.  The coffee was cold and the two cost a grand total of $8.51.  This doesn’t divide by 2 so what the extra one cent was I don’t know!

 

Today we decided to go to the Lido for coffee.  You can go anytime.  A waiter operates the machines and you take it to a designated seating area.  This is because all the other tables are set nicely for lunch with menus on the tables.

 

The Lido self service restaurant is no longer self service.  The tables are in exactly the same places as before the Pandemic and are waiter/waitress served.  The Lido is open 7-10 for breakfast, 12-2.30 for lunch, 3-4 afternoon tea, 6.30-9 for ‘ Dinner at the Lido’ and 10-2am for late snacks.

 

I think you will find that $1.11 was added to your check for service. The price of each coffee appears to have been $3.70, so, 2 x $3.70 = $7.40 plus 15% service = $8.51.

[Minnie29]

Are there the usual paper menus or are they all on QR codes?