Queen Elizabeth 19th September - a few notes

[carlmm]

 

These were the activities of yesterday's improptu seaday.

[carlmm]

Yesterday there was the premiere of a new show: The great British songbook.

 

What it turned out to be was a concert of the four cast singers with the combined on board orchestras and classical musicians performing.

They covered pop songs from The Beatles and Queen to Adele and Ed Sheeran.

Allright.

[carlmm]

What we are all waiting for is a real production show.

There is a group of very young dancers on board but other than short stints the first night and as assistants to Alfie Boe they did not appear. I do not know what for they are on board.

It's rather disappointing not to have even one proper production show.  

[carlmm]

Currently I am able to post this because

A) I am waiting for a tender in the crowded Queens room, and

B) I bought the premium Internet package for the last days using my diamond internet discount. It is rather reliable and has worked everywhere I have tried other than the balcony.

Well, now as I have it, I use it, yet I did not miss it the first week when I happily lived without internet. 

[Host Hattie]

Hope you don't have to wait too much longer and you enjoy your day ashore 

[carlmm]

[carlmm]

17 hours ago, jary8 said:

 

Does anyone have a drinks price list at all please.  As there are 3 of us in one cabin and 2 don’t drink we need to buy drinks individually

I just took a few pictures of one of the bars' list. They might give you an idea.

[rakkor]

On 9/29/2022 at 7:40 AM, jary8 said:

Can I ask if there are sufficient fun activities to do on board the ship.  Not into dancing 💃 and will be having my mother in law with me. Have you received  a refund for the missed ports? Is this as onboard credit or back to your credit card?  
 

Does anyone have a drinks price list at all please.  As there are 3 of us in one cabin and 2 don’t drink we need to buy drinks individually and I am not paying for 3 people to have an alcoholic drinks package, which is Cunards policy.  Also £1500 for 7 days. 
 

Thanks 

 

Here's the bar price list from the Commodore Club on our QE cruise earlier this month

 

Commodore _Club.pdf

[carlmm]

May another evening in the beautiful lounges of the Queen Elizabeth begin.

[Vic The Parrot]

1 hour ago, carlmm said:

May another evening in the beautiful lounges of the Queen Elizabeth begin.

Very elegant and classy ... as it should always be. What room is this?

[Vic The Parrot]

Hi Carl

 

Love your trip report so far.

It almost feels like I'm right there.

 

 

Stay safe on board and ashore.

[carlmm]

14 hours ago, Vic The Parrot said:

Very elegant and classy ... as it should always be. What room is this?

The first photo shows a view from the Cafe Carinthia to the main lobby, the second one is the forward part of the Cafe Carinthia.

[carlmm]

Some more Cafe Carinthia.

[carlmm]

A few details from around the ship.

[carlmm]

IMHO the Queen Elizabeth is in an excellent state. The public rooms are beautiful and well appointed.

Some passengers have pointed out some scratches here or there but nothing major.

Overall elegant as it should be.

[carlmm]

Today is a not overly warm but friendly sunny day. Thus for the first time I habe not been able to find an empty sun lounger. Maybe later.

The friendly stewards are around to serve drinks both on the lower and upper aft deck.

Generally, the bar service has been excellent all around the ship.

[carlmm]

Just now: Icecarving

Well done.

[exlondoner]

Ice carving, like gingerbread villages, never prompts any reaction other than ‘Why?’.

[carlmm]

Now the ugly: Dress standards and the patchy, if at all, enforcement of the anyway almost non existing dress code.

Let's first say, that there are a substantial number of passengers dressed to traditional Cunard standards. Eg. Jacket and tie on smart nights, beautiful gowns/long evening dresses on gala nights.

But:

T-Shirts, poloshirts, jeans, ripped jeans, lumberjack shirts, shorts, sweaters, you name it - I have seen everything in the evenings on this cruise.

Just one of the highlights, a man in what appeared to be black jeans with a casual, beach like short sleeved flowery shirt  print shirt loosely hanging out of his trousers on a gala night in the Queens room.

The Smart Dress code is a desaster, the low stated code is interpreted by just too many as "everything goes", and everything is what you see.

By no way this fits into the beautiful elegant surroundings.

Maybe the good:

I was told that there were massive complaints, that the management was fully aware of the mess and that they tried to better enforce. Indeed, generally speaking, one could see an improvement.

[LadyL1]

This is sad to read about the dress code. One has to move with times and fashion but there is a line that is acceptable and perhaps annoying re those who just do not bother. There are plenty of lines that will accommodate this, but perhaps the offenders are first timers and just now aware what is reasonable. 
We saw people on our last cruise in March who really should have had a quiet word mentioned in the Commodore Club and theatre. It is rather disappointing for the many who still love an occasion to dress up, and be a world away of the norm back home!

I will very soon be on QV and looking forward to pleasant evenings in the correct attire!😊.

[carlmm]

One part of the Cunard experiences that might be gone for ever are the receptions and parties.

I asked about them and the more or less direct answer was: It was so much effort to do them, we really find them bothersom for us and thus will not offer them to our guests anymore.

 

What poor attitude this is.

Edited October 4, 2022 by carlmm

[carlmm]

Does anybody have a specific question about the recent QE life?

[Host Hattie]

I don't know how to ask this without sounding rude so here goes - what was your impression of the age demographic of your fellow cruisers ? I had thought that fly cruises probably attract younger passengers, do you think that's the case?

[carlmm]

4 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I don't know how to ask this without sounding rude so here goes - what was your impression of the age demographic of your fellow cruisers ? I had thought that fly cruises probably attract younger passengers, do you think that's the case?

Interestingly it appeared to be different in the first and the second week.

First week: not so many younger people, very few children with parents, some guests in their fifties, more in their sixties and up.

Second week: Quite a number of younger people starting from around 20 (from the way they looked like) and in their early thirties.

[WoorimBeachLady]

On 10/5/2022 at 5:32 AM, carlmm said:

Does anybody have a specific question about the recent QE life?

I see in my.Cunard there is a third dining option now of Open Dining. (December 15 QE  to Tasmania). I know this has been discussed before but what does this mean please? We have registered early dining as a preference.