Live from QE, sailing 18th Jan.

[LadyL1]

 

So, here we are again starting another voyage on the QE: 12 day round trip to the Med. I am not sure if it is appropriate to have another blog running aside the one from QM2, but I am sure any readers will let me know their thought.

Boarding delayed a while, even though we whizzed through the testing centre and the magic “negative” pipped on the mobile. Whilst checking in we heard that there were only 900 pax on this trip, so social distancing will not be a problem and likely that there are more crew than passengers.

Eventually on ship just after 1.00pm enjoyed a delicious lunch, and unpacked. I had intended to swim, but it was extremely cold on deck 9 which was covered in salt as it had been frozen this morning. 

We left around 4.30, walked around the prom which was totally deserted, in fact it seemed like a ghost ship!

All set for fair sailing across the bay!

 

[Mudhen]

I really don't think anyone will mind about a QE post alongside a QM2 post. I love reading about ANY ship that's actually sailing!!! We have never been on either the QV or the QE before. Will be reading with interest!!! Thank you for taking the time to post! 

[exlondoner]

I don't think one can have too many voyage blogs. Please keep posting.

 

[bluemarble]

The more blogs the merrier. Will be looking forward to your updates, @LadyL1.

[portofrome]

Have a great cruise!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for posting, have a great trip.

[majortom10]

We were booked on this cruise and cancelled and transferred to another one in March and now going to cancel that one hopefully next Tuesday and transfer to one in 2023.

[Bell Boy]

Looking forward to your updates LadyL1 👍

[RJChatsworth]

Thanks LadyL1 and I look forward to further reports.  We were due to sail on this voyage in the PG.  We had packed. Then at 4.30pm the day before sailing my wife received a Covid ping on her iPhone to say that she had been in the vicinity of someone with Covid 6 days earlier.  She felt fine and all subsequent lateral flow tests have proved negative.  I called Cunard in accordance with the terms of the Cunard Health Declaration Form completed 48 hours earlier.  Cunard cancelled our booking and have given us an FCC to the full amount.

 

Bon Voyage!

[Germancruiser]

Thanks for reporting from your voyage in stormy times. I agree- the more the merrier! Great- so I can follow QM2´s voyage to and from Southampton and now Elizabeth´s voyage also.

If everything goes according to plan I board the QM2 in New York March 8th. That all depends of course, if Cunard is allowed to sail out of the US by then. So for the time beeing I stay put and wait.

[LadyL1]

Last night the ship was very quiet. After dinner we wandered around inside: the Midships Bar had closed at 9.00pm and just a few couples dancing. An early night for some!
This morning we awake to a wet and gloomy day, but crossing the Bay of Biscay with the swell being only few meters is no doubt a blessing for some.
The itinerary has changed, so our first stop is now Cadiz to which we are now steaming at around 20knots, and Lisbon will be for the return journey. I expect it is related to the protocol for entering Portugal. However, this is fine by us as we now have an overnight in Malaga!
We have an aft suite, which makes for quite a diversion to the Grills restaurant. Because of the isolation rooms we cannot walk along to B lifts: so it is either either down to deck 3 and walk along to the lifts or up to 9 through the lido. What matters, as long as we are safe and we certainly feel so.
One thing that is worth a mention, is that we have never had a room where the wi-fi has been so strong! Usually we wander off to a quiet corner or deck 1 or 2 to find a decent signal but not now necessary.
Tonight is the B&W ball, but of course no cocktail parities but not usually bothered by these,  as it is a good time to have a drink in the Commodore Club.
Let us hope the sun makes an appearance tomorrow as Captain Inger Thorhauge indicated in her noon speech today!


 

[PORT ROYAL]

9 minutes ago, LadyL1 said:

Last night the ship was very quiet. After dinner we wandered around inside: the Midships Bar had closed at 9.00pm and just a few couples dancing. An early night for some!
This morning we awake to a wet and gloomy day, but crossing the Bay of Biscay with the swell being only few meters is no doubt a blessing for some.
The itinerary has changed, so our first stop is now Cadiz to which we are now steaming at around 20knots, and Lisbon will be for the return journey. I expect it is related to the protocol for entering Portugal. However, this is fine by us as we now have an overnight in Malaga!
We have an aft suite, which makes for quite a diversion to the Grills restaurant. Because of the isolation rooms we cannot walk along to B lifts: so it is either either down to deck 3 and walk along to the lifts or up to 9 through the lido. What matters, as long as we are safe and we certainly feel so.
One thing that is worth a mention, is that we have never had a room where the wi-fi has been so strong! Usually we wander off to a quiet corner or deck 1 or 2 to find a decent signal but not now necessary.
Tonight is the B&W ball, but of course no cocktail parities but not usually bothered by these,  as it is a good time to have a drink in the Commodore Club.
Let us hope the sun makes an appearance tomorrow as Captain Inger Thorhauge indicated in her noon speech today!


 

Inger?  OMG!  She’s known for being a “Gone Wrong” magnet.  Something will happen…..

 

[exlondoner]

29 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Inger?  OMG!  She’s known for being a “Gone Wrong” magnet.  Something will happen…..

 

I wonder if the crew have similar views about various of the passengers? In any case I fervently hope they don't publish them. 😀

[PORT ROYAL]

15 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I wonder if the crew have similar views about various of the passengers?

How did you know?  
Some even have a coded notebook which they share with crew.

There may be, or definitely not be, such a thing as the Maitre d’ Mafia 😉

After all, they are just normal people working for a living.  

 

In business, one also had information which was shared, when applying the dark arts.

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by PORT ROYAL
Info

[Victoria2]

45 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Inger?  OMG!  She’s known for being a “Gone Wrong” magnet.  Something will happen…..

 

Not heard that moniker.

I can't say the Cunard Captains make much of an impression on me apart from Simon Love who must be one of the most approachable Captains ever, and Captain Philpott,  but Captain Inger has always seemed OK.

We've sailed under her Captaincy quite a few times and the only time things haven't panned out have all been weather related, one of them being a time when we had to miss out The Faroes because the wind was just too great.

[ovccruiser]

Good to see a blog on QE, we will be on board on the 20th Feb so will follow this with interest. 

 

Thanks

[PORT ROYAL]

9 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not heard that moniker.

I can't say the Cunard Captains make much of an impression on me apart from Simon Love who must be one of the most approachable Captains ever, and Captain Philpott,  but Captain Inger has always seemed OK.

We've sailed under her Captaincy quite a few times and the only time things haven't panned out have all been weather related, one of them being a time when we had to miss out The Faroes because the wind was just too great.

One was being polite, it was a large bird related.

Things also happen below deck…….

[exlondoner]

14 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Thanks LadyL1 and I look forward to further reports.  We were due to sail on this voyage in the PG.  We had packed. Then at 4.30pm the day before sailing my wife received a Covid ping on her iPhone to say that she had been in the vicinity of someone with Covid 6 days earlier.  She felt fine and all subsequent lateral flow tests have proved negative.  I called Cunard in accordance with the terms of the Cunard Health Declaration Form completed 48 hours earlier.  Cunard cancelled our booking and have given us an FCC to the full amount.

 

Bon Voyage!

 

 I meant to commiserate with you yesterday. While happy you have done the right thing, you must be utterly fed up. So sorry.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, LadyL1 said:

The itinerary has changed, so our first stop is now Cadiz to which we are now steaming at around 20knots, and Lisbon will be for the return journey. I expect it is related to the protocol for entering Portugal. However, this is fine by us as we now have an overnight in Malaga!

 

Thanks for the updates, @LadyL1. Could you please help me figure out the details of your new itinerary? The first change calling at Cadiz instead of Lisbon on January 21st is clear enough. QE is reporting that change now via AIS.

 

I'm not sure I'm able to decipher the remainder your itinerary though, especially when you are now doing an overnight in Malaga (originally scheduled for January 26th). Has your January 27th call at Gibraltar been canceled to accommodate an overnight at Malaga into January 27th?

 

And when will you be calling at Lisbon on your return journey before you return to Southampton on January 30th? That would normally be January 27th to allow two full sea days for the return to Southampton.

 

Too many things seem to be happening on or around January 27th for me to be able to figure it all without some additional help.

 

Edit to add: I'm guessing your calls to Valencia, Cartagena, and Malaga are all being moved ahead one day to make things fit. Not sure if Gibraltar can still fit in though after an overnight in Malaga.

Edited January 19, 2022 by bluemarble

[BigMac1953]

The main reason for stopping at Gib is usually for bunkering at cheap prices, so I would imagine the ship will still go in, even just for half a day, as happened to us a few years ago.

[bluemarble]

6 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

The main reason for stopping at Gib is usually for bunkering at cheap prices, so I would imagine the ship will still go in, even just for half a day, as happened to us a few years ago.

 

That seems workable, especially if they're planning an early departure from Malaga after the overnight there. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[Germancruiser]

Sound like a nice and calm voyage. Gibraltar has always been a favorite port of mine. Happy onward cruise!

[LadyL1]

Chatsworth

So sorry about the disruption of your planned cruise: if it had been us we would have been gutted!

 

Majortom

You said that you cancelled this cruise, but at present you seem to be missing out on a glorious winter escape.

 

Yesterday we thoroughly enjoyed  Rob Bayly’s (ex BBC programme director)talk on the making of the Antiques Road Show.  Masks and seat distancing in the theatre, but to be expected. The lecturer on astronomy, my husband found to be less riveting and left after 15 minutes. Such a shame as this is one of his favourite topics.

Last night was a wonderful B&W a evening with dress code well adhered to. Our mains of half a lobster and chateaubriand both excellent choices, the lobster as tasty as any I have recently had! The Queens Room came to life with dancing and a very good band.

 

This morning we saw a most impressive sunrise just after 9.00am local time. So far today,  it has been wall to wall sunshine with springlike warmth and flat calm sparkling seas and one does not really require a coat on the outside deck. The WOW factor for the day was that I had my first swim in the midship pool and needless to say I was alone! The aft pool was seriously cool (even for me).

 

We should be arriving in Cadiz at 9.00am tomorrow.

Saturday is now Gibraltar, then a mid evening arrival in Malaga departing Sunday evening.

Monday - Cartagena

Tuesday- Valencia

Wednesday- at sea

Thursday is now Lisbon. Antigen test for this port $25.

All before arriving home on Sunday 30th.

 

If you have any questions, I will endeavour to find out for you.

So far, and so very good!

[3rdGenCunarder]

Are the spa pool and thermal suite open? 

[Bell Boy]

LadyL1.  Are the staterooms being serviced twice a day !  ( as per usual) 

The reason I ask is, on the previous to you ( last week QE ) all Staterooms 'including Grill suites' were only being serviced once a day.   ( and limited Butler service )