Notes from Queen Victoria to the Mediterranean (& back)

[Victoria2]

32 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Why no bears? It seems a bit careless.

Golly. A problem sorting out our disembarkation day wake up call and now no teddies.

Standards are definitely slipping.  😮

 

 

 

 

 

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

Why no bears? It seems a bit careless.

Sold out, I didn't ask whether they were expecting more at any point but as my day job involves buying things, delivery times are very long at the moment so I'm not surprised.

 

[Summergee]

Thank you for your updates but, please, enjoy your cruise as well.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks, I am doing.

Not ordering breakfast ended the way I knew it would, peppermint tea and a biscuit! We watched the 11am lecture on the cabin TV Sir Ivan Lawrence, he didn't keep to time so he was gate crashed by the noon announcement by the Officer of the Watch.

We went to the Britannia restaurant for lunch, it's nice the way they fill the window tables. We decided to stick with water as it's wine tasting later. Post-lunch I found a steamer chair on the shaded side of the promenade deck to watch the coast of Spain while Mr HH went to investigate the Roulette Tournament.

[techteach]

There had better be teddies on our TA. Just sayin’ - stuffed animals must be under the Christmas tree.

Edited September 27, 2022 by techteach
add pic

[Host Hattie]

Perhaps someone on QM2 could check for you, there are cuddly ships if that helps !

[Camgirl]

There were teddies last week on QV. There must have been a lot of teddy fans onboard! They only had the teddies with the red cunard gilet on though. 

[techteach]

Cuddly ships. Well perhaps the animals could be sailing on her.

[Host Hattie]

Mr HH came second again, wine tasting was 3 wines from Italy, one from Spain from the cheaper end of the wine list. We watched passing cruise ships from the promenade deck for a while as the wifi works there and then the coast of Spain from our balcony. No wifi but beautiful sunshine and Cava.

The Queens Room dance floor was busy with sequence dancers as we made our way to dinner.

 

Our assistant waiter has a habit of serving sauces without waiting to hear whether you want them or not. I managed to create a dam with carrot batons to keep the horseradish sauce away from most of my sirloin steak but I'll be ready to say No before he gets to me in future! 

We have 3 courses, no coffee, we don't feel particularly rushed but we're usually out of dinner just after 9.30.

We went to watch the comedy juggler, we've seen him several times but he still makes me laugh and there were a few new parts of his act.

We stayed behind a little while to finish our drinks and as we came out of the theatre we heard the unmistakable sound of evenings in the Mediterranean, a cicada. It didn't seem likely but sure enough just outside the doors on Deck 3 was a lone cicada playing the song of his people. It was a beautiful warm night and we could see the lights of the coast of Spain and plenty of stars from our balcony. Glorious.

 

 

 

[exlondoner]

21 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks, I am doing.

Not ordering breakfast ended the way I knew it would, peppermint tea and a biscuit! We watched the 11am lecture on the cabin TV Sir Ivan Lawrence, he didn't keep to time so he was gate crashed by the noon announcement by the Officer of the Watch.

We went to the Britannia restaurant for lunch, it's nice the way they fill the window tables. We decided to stick with water as it's wine tasting later. Post-lunch I found a steamer chair on the shaded side of the promenade deck to watch the coast of Spain while Mr HH went to investigate the Roulette Tournament.

I hope he tried 22?

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Mr HH came second again, wine tasting was 3 wines from Italy, one from Spain from the cheaper end of the wine list. We watched passing cruise ships from the promenade deck for a while as the wifi works there and then the coast of Spain from our balcony. No wifi but beautiful sunshine and Cava.

The Queens Room dance floor was busy with sequence dancers as we made our way to dinner.

 

Our assistant waiter has a habit of serving sauces without waiting to hear whether you want them or not. I managed to create a dam with carrot batons to keep the horseradish sauce away from most of my sirloin steak but I'll be ready to say No before he gets to me in future! 

We have 3 courses, no coffee, we don't feel particularly rushed but we're usually out of dinner just after 9.30.

We went to watch the comedy juggler, we've seen him several times but he still makes me laugh and there were a few new parts of his act.

We stayed behind a little while to finish our drinks and as we came out of the theatre we heard the unmistakable sound of evenings in the Mediterranean, a cicada. It didn't seem likely but sure enough just outside the doors on Deck 3 was a lone cicada playing the song of his people. It was a beautiful warm night and we could see the lights of the coast of Spain and plenty of stars from our balcony. Glorious.

 

 

 

Poor lone cicada.

 

I think your assistant waiter needs educating out of that fault before he gives someone something they really can’t eat. Really quite bad.

[DaisyUK]

Enjoying your notes - hope you continue to have a great time and that the various wrinkles get ironed out!

[swjumbo]

Thank you HH. We’re enjoying reading your well balanced posts.
We’re Celebrity fans but having our first short cruise on QV soon and your informed views are adding to the excitement.

[baw53]

5 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

Thank you HH. We’re enjoying reading your well balanced posts.
We’re Celebrity fans but having our first short cruise on QV soon and your informed views are adding to the excitement.

Snap😀

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for the lovely comments everyone.

I forgot to mention that Mr HH asked for a thinner duvet on the board as he was getting warm during the night. It was done last night. Cabin temperature control is fine btw.

We're in Valencia this morning and I am embarrassed to say we're still on the ship. It's beautiful on our balcony, we might get off later or maybe not !

 

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for the lovely comments everyone.

I forgot to mention that Mr HH asked for a thinner duvet on the board as he was getting warm during the night. It was done last night. Cabin temperature control is fine btw.

We're in Valencia this morning and I am embarrassed to say we're still on the ship. It's beautiful on our balcony, we might get off later or maybe not !

 

I don’t like duvets much anyway, and invariably find Cunard’s too hot. So, I always ring customer service a couple of weeks before, hopefully at a quiet time, and request a blanket. I think it has only failed to appear once. 

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I don’t like duvets much anyway, and invariably find Cunard’s too hot. So, I always ring customer service a couple of weeks before, hopefully at a quiet time, and request a blanket. I think it has only failed to appear once. 

Of course, it would be even better if, like a hotel we often stay at, they had a permanent note on my file, saying to give this woman blankets, but that is a bit too much to hope. 😀

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for the lovely comments everyone.

I forgot to mention that Mr HH asked for a thinner duvet on the board as he was getting warm during the night. It was done last night. Cabin temperature control is fine btw.

We're in Valencia this morning and I am embarrassed to say we're still on the ship. It's beautiful on our balcony, we might get off later or maybe not !

 

That's the beauty of a cruise and in this case, Cunard.

Get off or stay onboard, win/win either way.

Enjoy 

[Host Hattie]

We only made it as far as the Lido for lunch, not too bad even for this buffet hater and Mr HH had more success getting the beer he prefers. Then to the Pavilion Pool for a swim/drift around in the pool. Mr HH tried out the Hot Tub briefly. We're just getting ready to leave, the Captain mentioned some possible bad weather tomorrow but wasn't very clear about when.

[Host Hattie]

We got ready for dinner and went to the Commodore Club, it was busy but we managed to get a table just in front of the piano so we could hear the music. Another nice dinner, we've been enjoying the food.

The Royal Court theatre Orchestra were playing in the Golden Lion, we got there part way through the first set but it was packed in there so we moved to the Queens Room instead,

Another warm evening and we watched the stars and a lightening storm in the distance, beautiful.

Sea Day and the weather has arrived, nobody will be sitting in the sun today !

[alc13]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Another warm evening and we watched the stars and a lightening storm in the distance, beautiful.

Bliss!

[Host Hattie]

I was woken up at dark o'clock by an announcement apologising for a previous announcement which was the result of a technical error. As I hadn't heard the previous announcement I didn't need the apology and Mr HH tried to convince me that I'd dreamt the whole thing ! When the Captain started his noon announcement by apologising again I realised I hadn't been dreaming. We had a light breakfast and a very lazy morning before a wonderful wine lunch in the Veranda restaurant.

 

[Host Hattie]

Today's activities

 

[Host Hattie]

A cuddly ship - teddies are on order but they aren't sure when more will be available

 

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

A cuddly ship - teddies are on order but they aren't sure when more will be available

 

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