Live from…. Victoria, Cunard Vs Celebrity, Grills Vs the Retreat

[groryjm]

3 hours ago, Se1lad said:

Based on your extensive cocktail knowledge I’m sure you have already tried these previously - I love a traditional Bloody Mary with about 10ml sherry added, or alternatively substituting the vodka with gin - ie a Red Snapper.

This i the recipie I use at home...The Ophir Szechuan gin makes a real diference as does just 2 drops of saline. However if someone else is making it for me it always tastes good😎

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by groryjm

[groryjm]

21 hours ago, DaisyUK said:

Really enjoying your blog and pics. Thanks for posting. Am intrigued by the cocktails also! We don't mix our own cocktails, but one thing I found in the QG restaurant is that my Cosmo was perfect every night - a delightful pale pink, with the ice crystals suspended. Not too sweet, not too citrusy - delicious. As my husband will attest, I am somewhat picky when it comes to Cosmo's and very few get the seal of approval.  

Just made this to go with the canapes our butler has brought 😉

 

[DaisyUK]

That Cosmo looks amazing - my mouth is tingling just looking at it!

 

[Host Hattie]

Beautiful flowers 

[Victoria2]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Beautiful flowers 

and replaced before wilting. A nice added touch to the dining table.

[groryjm]

Whilst within sight of the Norwegian coast or in the fjords the internet through my mobile data has benn excellent but as I write this we are at sea (day 2 in Narvik !!) and the ships Wi-Fi is terrible. So I am typing this on my lap top in word and will up load it when I can connect.

 

Yesterday we were in Narvik and had a tour booked for the cable car. I would have booked it independently but on the Narvikfjellet Cable Car web site it showed as closed Mon to Thu and the only way to use it appeared to be on a ships tour. The coach left the ship at 9.30 as planned and we expected a 10 min run to the cable car station.

 

The tour was billed as…..

 

Narvik by Cable Car      2.5 hours

Board a cable car for breathtaking views of Narvik and the surrounding area.

 

…….. the coach set off in the opposite direction and we had two photo stops at local churches before arriving at the cable car station at by 10.50 a very circuitous route so nearly an hour and a half for a 10 min journey!! . Both churches were closed but the first was at least the other side of the bay which allowed for a photo of the ship and the cable car stations terminus near the top of the mountain. The guide spoke at length about the significant buildings of Narvik naming the architects responsible for designing each. Very interesting perhaps but not the 2 hours we were expecting up the mountain.

 

 

 

 

 

After we had arrived he gave us our tickets to ascend and descend independently but told us we needed to be returning on our downward journey by 11.50 . So we were not even going to get an hour at the top. We could have walked to the cable car station in about 45 mins and despite indications to the contrary we would have been able to buy a ticket independently, as a lot of the crew in fact had done.

 

That said the views were great and it was lovely to be in the snow. I do feel Cunard may have slightly misled us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were given the opportunity to be dropped off in town halfway back which allowed for a Norwegian fish lunch in Narvik and a chance to shop. This is something we had hoped to also do during the day in Tromso but had been unable to due the fact it had been a Sunday and Norway generally shuts down.

 

Once back on the ship and rested we played a game in our room with our pre diner drinks and watch the sun set and the town light up.

 

 

 

We had another fabulous diner in QG .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..... preceded by cocktails in the QG lounge. On Celebrity I have allways managed to find a barman who would create a drink for me off the book and last night Aaron in the lounge rose to the challenge. His  was delicious and is now on my list🍸😎.

 

 

 

I decided to take one last trip up to deck 12 and......

 

 

 

 

I can't get enough of these lights😎

 

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by groryjm

[Covepointcruiser]

It’s odd, or maybe by design, that there is a huge difference in the Grill cabins on the QM2 vs. the obviously inferior Vista class including the Victoria.   The lowly Q4 suites on the QM2 have a guest bathroom so I am amazed that a Q2 does not have one on the Victoria.  Obviously, very different ships with the QM2 offering a much better suite experience.    If you were to compare a Celebrity Sky or Celebrity Suite with the lowest Queens Grill Suite on the QM2 you would find the QM2 a much better experience.

[Victoria2]

I don’t call either of the Vistas inferior. In anything. Different from QM2 yes but I would no more book QM2 for anything other than a short jolly, than fly to the moon.

As I  don’t like the ship, an extra  bathroom would not make up for an overall inferior cruise experience.

 

Prospective newbies should do their homework, read the plans and layout so no surprises in store and as always,  each to their own.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

I don’t think you are comparing like with like. Q3s and Q4s on the Vistas are much more comparable to Q5s and Q6s on QM2. They are not the top suites, of which QM2 has more. And the other amenities on the Vistas are lovely.

[Se1lad]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I don’t think you are comparing like with like. Q3s and Q4s on the Vistas are much more comparable to Q5s and Q6s on QM2. They are not the top suites, of which QM2 has more. And the other amenities on the Vistas are lovely.

I was surprised the first time I booked QV how little price difference the was between Q3-Q6.  On QM2 there’s quite a jump from Q5 to Q4.  As you say, Q3s and Q4s on the vistas are not comparable to those on QM2.

 

I think I prefer the Vistas for cruises in warmer climates where the more private terrace and courtyard for al fresco dining is great for grills.  On colder or TAs then I prefer the QM2.

[groryjm]

Slightly more interesting seas last night 😎

 

 

 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Se1lad said:

I was surprised the first time I booked QV how little price difference the was between Q3-Q6.  On QM2 there’s quite a jump from Q5 to Q4.  As you say, Q3s and Q4s on the vistas are not comparable to those on QM2.

 

I think I prefer the Vistas for cruises in warmer climates where the more private terrace and courtyard for al fresco dining is great for grills.  On colder or TAs then I prefer the QM2.

Initially, on QV, the Q4s along deck 7 were Q6s, until they proved so much more popular than the higher grades at the back.

[groryjm]

I usually use the photos on my camara to review the days activitiies but being a sea day it seems that all we did was eat !!!

 

we played a few games too as we watched the seas rock n roll through our window but I won't bore anyone with pictures of board games.

 

Breakfast...

 

 

Lunch....

 

 

 

and Dinner...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by groryjm

[Windsurfboy]

Thanks for review. Food and service looks avoid as per pre covid , wellcome information. 

 

As to trips, we always go independently,  Cunard are not alone,  in being economical with the information about what you can do independently.  But the opposite of economical with excursion costs.

 

Thankfully  plenty of time to Google everything.

[Windsurfboy]

33 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Thanks for review. Food and service looks avoid as per pre covid , wellcome information. 

 

As to trips, we always go independently,  Cunard are not alone,  in being economical with the information about what you can do independently.  But the opposite of economical with excursion costs.

 

Thankfully  plenty of time to Google everything.

 

Should say Food and service looks as good as pre covid..    oops

[Jacqueline]

He did google ahead of time but the information was incorrect.

[groryjm]

Lovely sea day yesterday on what the crew are calling "independence day". They are now free to go about without masks, the can of course choose to wear them if they wish but it is entirely thier own choice. 

 

We are now in Stavanger and have Internet. I will post more this afternoon but the Internet was horrendous yesterday. 

 

Last night being the roaring twenties what better than a sidecar with a bubbly bath at sunset 😎

 

 

[groryjm]

Yesterday was another sea day but this time  calm so again it seems all we did was eat and play games 🙃😎

 

 

 

The internet is some of the worst I’ve had at sea. The main problem is the system constantly logging one out and thus the need to log in again and again. If I was paying by the minute I might understand but the constant logging in is frustrating to say the least

 

 

 

lunch...

 

 

 

 

tea....

 

 

 

I am afraid I always put the cream on first, which my Gastrognome entirely disagrees with as she does the reverse.

 

After the sunset we headed to the QG for diner and as there had been nothing to take our fancy on the menu we had requested the dover sole after lunch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sole was excelent and expertly deboned table side.

 

After coffee and a post dinner drink we set off for the late show.

 

The show times have not been ideal at 8pm or 10pm. We generally like to eat at 7.30 or 8 which makes the 8pm sow difficult and the 10pm show seems far to late. I feel Celebritys show times of 7pm and 9pm are better. That said "Top Hat" was excelent 

[Jacqueline]

I love Dover sole! Good reminder to order.  Good idea to check out the dinner menu at lunch.
 

[Host Hattie]

I'm glad you enjoyed Top Hat, I'm not usually a fan of Cruise ship shows but I have seen it twice.

 

[ClefsDor]

6 hours ago, groryjm said:

The show times have not been ideal at 8pm or 10pm. We generally like to eat at 7.30 or 8 which makes the 8pm sow difficult and the 10pm show seems far to late.

I couldn't agree more. We too like to dine between 7.00 and 7.30 and even after a leisurely meal it's still a while to wait until 10.00pm. Looks like we might have to have a few later nights than what we're used to - I know, I'm on holiday and it shouldn't  matter but old habits die hard.

[carlmm]

8 hours ago, groryjm said:

makes the 8pm sow difficult and the 10pm show seems far to late. 

 Remember that most people dine in Britannia. These showtimes give everybody the chance to attend a show after dinner (early at 8, late at 10).

Actually these are even earlier than they used to be in the past. I liked the 10.15pm better as on my last cruise we often missed the first minutes due to dinner.

[ClefsDor]

An interesting way that Crystal sometimes did their showtimes and which I really enjoyed was to do one show at 7.00pm and the other show at 9.00pm. So people eating late would see the 7.00pm show and the people eating early would see the 9.00pm show. 

[carlmm]

19 minutes ago, ClefsDor said:

An interesting way that Crystal sometimes did their showtimes and which I really enjoyed was to do one show at 7.00pm and the other show at 9.00pm. So people eating late would see the 7.00pm show and the people eating early would see the 9.00pm show. 

Even worse, IMHO, 😉

Pre dinner I will have some cocktails not go to a show.

[Se1lad]

3 hours ago, ClefsDor said:

I couldn't agree more. We too like to dine between 7.00 and 7.30 and even after a leisurely meal it's still a while to wait until 10.00pm. Looks like we might have to have a few later nights than what we're used to - I know, I'm on holiday and it shouldn't  matter but old habits die hard.

I normally dine at 7.30ish and like to take a couple of hours over dinner when on holiday so a 10pm show works perfectly for me.  If I’m finished a little early then it’s the perfect excuse for an after dinner cocktail!

Edited October 22, 2022 by Se1lad