Notes from Queen Victoria to the Mediterranean (& back)

[Pear Carr]

How very disappointing and totally frustrating! How many negative tests are you supposed to have before restrictions are lifted? I’m sure there are a ‘few’ who are positive on board and not being so honest - there were a couple on the lido deck yesterday for sail away with a hacking cough - I was glad not to be in an enclosed area with them! New curtains and voile fitted yesterday - neutral colour but don’t think the fabric quality as good as those replaced! Had a very disappointing curry at coriander last night and wished we had dined at Britannia and had the rack of lamb! The folk duo Cula are excellent and have regular spots at the Winter Garden so hopefully you can catch up with them this week. 

[Host Hattie]

These are my instructions, I have to have another test tomorrow but I can't eat in the restaurant or drink in a bar (even an outdoor one) until the following day.

I've heard the coughing, heard the discussions about bad chests, seen a lady semi collapse in the queue for the tender and her travelling companion tell those who came to help, she's had a cold for a few days.

Maybe none of those people have Covid but I bet most of them haven't tested to be sure.

 

[Kynance]

@Host Hattie - you seem the most reasonable and even-handed of persons - please don’t apologise for your “rant” - I think your points were well-made and fair.

 

If FCC is no longer being offered and travel insurance the only recourse - for people who do test positive - then I can’t really see that the vast majority of people will report symptoms they feel they can manage with medication they have brought with them onboard for a “just in case” scenario (which we have always done pre-Covid anyway).  I am sure that many people who cruise really save hard for their trips and just won’t be prepared to lose half a holiday as you have done.  Whatever anyone may think of the “morality” of that,  I just think it is the direction of travel, so to speak.  Therefore if Cunard really wants to encourage their guests to be honest, I think they will need to re-evaluate their approach to situations like the one you have found yourself in.  Perhaps say that two consecutive negative LFTs means you are free to go about the ship as before? Just my humble view, for what it is worth. 

[Host Hattie]

@Pear Carr sorry to hear about your disappointing meal, I keep meaning to see the Folk Duo, I'll try to make the effort today 

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

...

Apologies for the rant but I'm not feeling very sunshine and rainbows this evening.

Not a rant Hattie, just and honest account with some some subjective additions. Very helpful and most informative.  Thank you for your continuing to keep us posted.

 

Co-operation is a two way process, Cunard are going to have to up their general  care protocols if they expect  passengers to report coughs and colds, 'just in case'.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

These are my instructions, I have to have another test tomorrow but I can't eat in the restaurant or drink in a bar (even an outdoor one) until the following day.

I've heard the coughing, heard the discussions about bad chests, seen a lady semi collapse in the queue for the tender and her travelling companion tell those who came to help, she's had a cold for a few days.

Maybe none of those people have Covid but I bet most of them haven't tested to be sure.

 

Poor Hattie. I think you are fully entitled to a rant. As an advocate of strict precautions, I find Cunard’s approach quite odd. You don’t need to test before boarding, or, if you do, you can lie about it, and you don’t have to wear masks. So you can come onboard with Covid and spread it around as much as you like, 

But then, if one of the people you infect notifies them, they are quarantined, and their close contacts more or less put into purdah. This doesn’t seem logical. Surely at the very least they should go back to robust preboarding testing?

 

Hope you are soon liberated. How is Mr. HH?

[Host Hattie]

I agree, they shouldn't have done away with the pre-boarding testing. We did test and were asked at the terminal but nobody wanted proof.

He's just a bit bunged up, his LFT yesterday was a thicker red line than his original test but he's feeling well enough to be miffed that his breakfast was late this morning.

I've been as far as the Duty Free shop in the terminal !

 

[Host Hattie]

[BouncingWheel]

I can understand Cunard saying that anyone tested with a transmittable virus should be quarantined as that I thought that was a standard cruise ship wide procedure before Covid (used for norovirus etc...) but the room partner should either be quarantined and compensation (is that what would happen with Norovirus and I take it insurance pays for both passengers as doctor's have enforced quarantine for both) or the virus free person is moved to another cabin and allowed to roam freely and have the standard holiday experience. This in-between scenario is the worst of all options. 

[Host Hattie]

I finally got to have my rant at our "Customer Services" contact, he hadn't been in touch with either of us since Saturday despite offering to call every day because their "workload has increased a lot". Make of that what you will ....

I have tried to arrange a TV guide for Mr HH and to have the wine we paid for in the restaurant delivered myself so we'll see if I have any more success than he did. They didn't seem particularly difficult requests at the time. I wish people wouldn't offer something you didn't really need in the first place and then fail to deliver.

Let's see if I get the other things I have asked for.....

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

I can understand Cunard saying that anyone tested with a transmittable virus should be quarantined as that I thought that was a standard cruise ship wide procedure before Covid (used for norovirus etc...) but the room partner should either be quarantined and compensation (is that what would happen with Norovirus and I take it insurance pays for both passengers as doctor's have enforced quarantine for both) or the virus free person is moved to another cabin and allowed to roam freely and have the standard holiday experience. This in-between scenario is the worst of all options. 

Well, it depends on the virus doesn’t it? Nobody thinks of testing people wandering around with colds, or didn’t. And those are often caused by coronaviruses.

[Host Hattie]

Captain has just announced that due to an increase in cases masks will need to be worn except when eating and drinking.

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I finally got to have my rant at our "Customer Services" contact, he hadn't been in touch with either of us since Saturday despite offering to call every day because their "workload has increased a lot". Make of that what you will ....

I have tried to arrange a TV guide for Mr HH and to have the wine we paid for in the restaurant delivered myself so we'll see if I have any more success than he did. They didn't seem particularly difficult requests at the time. I wish people wouldn't offer something you didn't really need in the first place and then fail to deliver.

Let's see if I get the other things I have asked for.....

When we were quarantined, the QG M d’H rang up everyday to see that we were OK, and sent down wine as requested. That may be the QG, but may suggest you are better off dealing directly with the restaurant, if you can.

[Host Hattie]

9 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

When we were quarantined, the QG M d’H rang up everyday to see that we were OK, and sent down wine as requested. That may be the QG, but may suggest you are better off dealing directly with the restaurant, if you can.

I've tried the wine line so fingers crossed. The fog has returned so there are lots of fog horns being sounded. We've usually seen dolphins during the sail away from Gibraltar but we might be out of luck this time!

[exlondoner]

13 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I've tried the wine line so fingers crossed. The fog has returned so there are lots of fog horns being sounded. We've usually seen dolphins during the sail away from Gibraltar but we might be out of luck this time!

Nothing in the world is as evocative as the sound of foghorns. But preferably at night, when the fog isn’t spoiling the view.

[Cruise Puss]

Hi there,

 

We're on QV at the end of October.

 

Don't suppose you could let me know how much it is to go in the Hydropool area both for the whole cruise or daily (if that's allowed)?

 

Also, I presume you can sit at all of the bars?

 

Many thanks.

CP

[Se1lad]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I agree, they shouldn't have done away with the pre-boarding testing. We did test and were asked at the terminal but nobody wanted proof.

He's just a bit bunged up, his LFT yesterday was a thicker red line than his original test but he's feeling well enough to be miffed that his breakfast was late this morning.

I've been as far as the Duty Free shop in the terminal !

 

Is there a good selection of alcohol available, and what are the prices like in the duty free shop?

[Host Hattie]

43 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I've tried the wine line so fingers crossed. The fog has returned so there are lots of fog horns being sounded. We've usually seen dolphins during the sail away from Gibraltar but we might be out of luck this time!

The wine arrived with my lunch so full marks to the wine line and room service.

[Host Hattie]

7 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

Is there a good selection of alcohol available, and what are the prices like in the duty free shop?

In the terminal in Gibraltar? Yes, lots of spirits, some port and wine. Prices seemed good and the crew were stocking up!

[Host Hattie]

14 minutes ago, Cruise Puss said:

Hi there,

 

We're on QV at the end of October.

 

Don't suppose you could let me know how much it is to go in the Hydropool area both for the whole cruise or daily (if that's allowed)?

 

Also, I presume you can sit at all of the bars?

 

Many thanks.

CP

Prices should be on your My Cunard for your sailing.

Sitting was allowed at bars last time I was in one (last Thursday). I don't know if anything will have changed in view of today's announcement.

[Host Hattie]

Letter and masks have been delivered

 

[Cruise Puss]

7 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Prices should be on your My Cunard for your sailing.

Sitting was allowed at bars last time I was in one (last Thursday). I don't know if anything will have changed in view of today's announcement.

Many thanks. ☺️

[Minnie29]

Hattie can I ask if you and your husband have had your COVId boosters before boarding? 
My husband and I are sailing on QV in December and are both fully vaccinated and also had our flu jabs. We are hoping by mid December the majority of the over 50’s and vulnerable adults will be in the same position. Hopefully this will lessen the transmission of COVId cases onboard. 
I do agree though that Cunard should still be testing passengers prior to boarding. 
We will still be wearing our masks indoors onboard other than eating and drinking, not using the lifts and keeping socially distanced. We don’t feel this will impact our   Cruise as we did this exact thing on our summer 2021 cruises when all the restrictions were still in place.

[Host Hattie]

We haven't had boosters this year, we didn't qualify for the Spring booster and our appointments for Autumn are the week after we get back. 

[NavyPanda]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

As an advocate of strict precautions, I find Cunard’s approach quite odd. You don’t need to test before boarding, or, if you do, you can lie about it, and you don’t have to wear masks. So you can come onboard with Covid and spread it around as much as you like, 

But then, if one of the people you infect notifies them, they are quarantined, and their close contacts more or less put into purdah. This doesn’t seem logical. Surely at the very least they should go back to robust preboarding testing?

 

Hope you are soon liberated. How is Mr. HH?

 

The logical thing for Cunard to do would be to follow the same procedures as on land. This means no masks, no testing, no quarantine and no seeking attention from the medical centre when you're not seriously unwell.

 

Carnival plc, parent company of Cunard, is still struggling to return to profitability and Covid protocols have been identified as key factor behind this. The last few months have seen significant movements away from 'strict precautions' on Cunard, other Carnival plc cruise lines, and other non-Carnival cruise lines. The last thing that Cunard should do, or likely will do, is to return to a more precautious regime which sees their revenues fall and their costs increase. 

 

Covid, is a mild illness for most, the proportion of people becoming acutely unwell due to a covid infection continues to decrease. Cunard should ditch all their policies related to isolation, which as you point out now rely on a ridiculous system where people who still mess around with testing can ruin their holiday for an illness which is only causing them very mild cold-like symptoms, purely based on honesty alone as there is no more mandatory testing.

 

I understand that this may concern a small minority of cruise passengers, however the solution to this would be for Cunard to make it clear to people that where there are gatherings of large numbers of people, whether on sea or land, that covid infections are possible. If people do not wish to take the risk, they should not travel.