Not-quite-Live < limited > cruise journal: QE (Q427) Alaska cruise: 10 night, 30 Aug – 9 Sep 2024 plus Vancouver pre & post

[mking8288]

From the noon or midday report, we're sailing in sea state in Force 6, 7 and up to 8 as we attempted to sail the glacier, bouncing between moderate, strong to near gale.  Has we continued into the Hubbard, forecast is worsening conditions to Force 9 and rough sea state.

 

 

Edited September 5 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Since mid-morning, one of the few places with a waiting line and passengers in queue, is just down the hallway or corridor.   

 

 

You guess it, Guest Laundrette - did our 2nd load, even ironed the dress shirt for Saturday's Red gala themed Mascarade. 

 

Unlike NCL, no swimming fishes or red triangles to point the way FWD or AFT.  Of course, other signage are on the walls nearby.

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

NCL'ers, with no Hubbard Glacier photos to showcase, we can present this, a quick pictorial guide to our midship balcony, Deck 508X that sleeps 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a switched balcony light ... our solo neighbor has been leaving it on.

 

 

 

Edited September 5 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Clotted cream to spread onto the scone, these are good 😊 @Sugar Magnolia 

 

 

Afternoon Tea time (ceremony) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5 by mking8288

[laudergayle]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

From the noon or midday report, we're sailing in sea state in Force 6, 7 and up to 8 as we attempted to sail the glacier, bouncing between moderate, strong to near gale.  Has we continued into the Hubbard, forecast is worsening conditions to Force 9 and rough sea state.

 

 

Oh my!! Haven’t continued, yet, for update…but hoping everyone is coping well. 
 

 

And, FWIW…I actually would consider Cunard based on your review and images of what one might expect onboard.  The menu is a little above my culinary vocabulary…but the pics look delish.  We’re not big gamblers…but would hope we could get a slot or two in the evening.  Really enjoying your LIVE, thank you.

Edited September 5 by laudergayle

[cruiseny4life]

Exactly what does the ceremony entail? Are we talking tea incense being inhaled by all to ward off pirates? Incantations to bless the trip? Curious minds need to know! I'm all for afternoon tea, but a ceremony strikes me as... ummm different (being kind here haha).

[NE John]

45 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

NCL'ers, with no Hubbard Glacier photos to showcase,

Since you were rained out and we were extremely for to have literally picture perfect weather this last June, here are some photos of our visit to Hubbard Glacier. You just gotta go back again!

 

[Jim_Iain]

On 9/3/2024 at 8:02 PM, mking8288 said:

then move over to Queens Room for 2nd afternoon tea service.

 

Curious.    Do they have 2 afternoon tea services?

[mking8288]

45 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Exactly what does the ceremony entail? ... Curious minds need to know! I'm all for afternoon tea, but a ceremony strikes me as... ummm different (being kind here haha).

🤣🤣 🤣🤣🤣  Just a test to see who's been reading and following closely, among the NCL  "clan"  Not to worry, it's just the opening music and the choreographed entry of the white-gloved servers with the tea trays, then fanning out across the QR with precisions as a team, and piped music.

 

@Jim_Iain Queens Room afternoon tea has been very popular, and those arriving late can join a roped off line to wait until some of those from the initial seating are done & left ... then they get to experience it, sort of a 2nd tea session in the afternoon. 

 

Lido offering the same but DIY and as much as you can chow down.

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, NE John said:

Since you were rained out and we were extremely for to have literally picture perfect weather this last June, here are some photos of our visit to Hubbard Glacier. You just gotta go back again!

Thanks, John ... were disappointed but we knew the risks, packed rain gear and could've danced in that light drizzle and misty rain.  Lovely photos shared, much obliged.  Gotta plan our future Alaska cruise for April-May or early June ... still going to cross our fingers & toes.

[mking8288]

NCL's afternoon tea vs. Cunard - well, feel free to decide who does a classy one ... I can't say what they do in Haven or suites @cruiseny4life so I will abstain 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Lunch in the MDR - Britannica Restaurant and remember, we have zero status and I am doing this "undercover" in stealth mode, hiding my CC lanyard as not once we need to swipe our keycards - upon approaching the host/ess podium, give them 1 cabin # and they see all 3 cabins linked ...

 

No wait, escorted to and seated at a table within 5 minutes for breakfast & lunch.  No vibrating device to hold in your hand ... that's the "pager" system on NCL.  No need to flash your Diamond, Sapphire or Platinum status to nicely asked if priority seating is offered or not.  

 

Hint, take a hint - NCL, you can & need to do better.  DW retired from retail banking - the "mystery shopper" report are taking seriously by management. 

 

The menu & food, Cunard gets the edge ...All lines are adjusting down and fewer options are trending, but the Cunard crew as a whole are just refreshing.

 

 

 

Buffalo hot wings - a close tie w NCL's

 

Fish Tachos

 

 

Grilled sea brass 

 

 

Southern style Fried Chicken 

 

 

Creme Caramel 

 

Edited September 6 by mking8288

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, laudergayle said:

Oh my!! Haven’t continued, yet, for update…but FWIW…I actually would consider Cunard ... menu is a little above my culinary vocabulary…but the pics look delish.  We’re not big gamblers…but would hope we could get a slot or two in the evening.  

Everyone is doing great with moderate sea state, I'm just a bit surprised that the ship experienced more sideway tilts than what we've accustomed to (NCL sailings, of course) and I'll leave it up to the regular Cunard faithful to help explain what we've noticed.  We were sitting in the AFT MDR and didn't felt pitching & rolling, up and down - stabilizers, if part of the systems design, am sure are fully enabled for the smoothest ride possible.  

 

Girls are taking an afternoon noon as we are going to make the 10 PM Hollywood Nights at the Royal Court Theater, after tonight's dinner.  Nobody experiencing motion sickness, many passengers sitting in public area, lounges & chairs, with a book, or just chatting & enjoying this unplanned sea day.  

 

From what I can see ahead, conditions will remain more or less the same until we get close to/dock at Sitka tomorrow ... good night to sleep with that gentle rock & roll.  We sleep thru & handled a # of stormy ones with Force 9's and 10's in past years, on bigger NCL ships and smaller ones like the Crown and Sea, legs hardened to glide along. 

 

I will post more ( see next post )food pictures, unlike Dan @graphicguy and/or Yvonne @YVRteacher with their "specialties" in bars & beverages and flowers.  When we aren't sure about what or which item to order on the menu, easy solution - ask our waiter for his suggestions & recommendations - problems solved.  Tonight, I'll challenge him on the everyday choices not on the daily special or printed menu for the evening.  

 

Some of the breakfast choices/options for "steerage" in Cunard are excellent, can only be requested or found if doing NCL Haven (suites & higher, for Cunard folks to understand our "codes")   Avocado toast with egg ... try getting that from the MDR on any Norwegian ship.   

 

Casino is small, has maybe 100 slot machines (newer ones) and half a dozen table games, cashier hours are limited (yes) with the hosts/ess being around ... and it is no-smoking 100% (entire ship) except designated outside area on deck 3 and 10, starboard side (I think ... BIL can be found there easily)  For players, I don't see issues and it's just across from or next to the Golden Lions Pub (food services are limited & available during specified hours only)

 

Good thing about QE, room service is free & complimentary, no fees, no charges and no 20% (15% for beverages) and has more, much more variety & choices vs. NCL.  Plus, there is a coffee table in the room to use - easily moved around, by the loveseat sofa.  

Edited September 6 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Food pictures - more, for your drooling 🤤 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Our steward is out in the hallway for the evening turndown services, tomorrow' daily or programme already on our mail-message slot.  He has 17 staterooms assigned, start his prep & morning routines by 8 and usually done by 1 PM, evening from 5 till 7:30 to 8 PM - except on turnaround days. 

 

 

We will arrive Sitka by 9 AM and all abroad 3:30 PM, 3 ships there.

 

We lose 1 hour of sleep at 2 AM, Saturday morning, clock forward to adjust back to PDT (Vancouver time, prior to getting to Victoria on Sunday) plus, CBSA declaration form for Canada will be collected by tomorrow

 

 

Station Zebra set-up is good, next time - will need fewer adapters.  All the geek toys & gadgets fit into a medium packing cube, into the personal bag (our Eddie Bauer hideaway backpack)

Edited September 6 by mking8288

[mking8288]

There are about 8 HP-branded PC workstations in the Library, Deck 3 Mid plus a wireless printer ... running inside a sandboxed Windows 8 !!! browser - for passenger use / access 😲😳🙄 

 

Windows 8 reached EOL more than 10 years ago, even with extended support 

 

[mking8288]

 

The subtle touch, feeling special - on every dining table ... recently, unconfirmed reports by CC members sailing NCL said these are no longer seen, not even in suites ... 

 

 

[mking8288]

Another good dinner for us. 

 

Britannia was about 60% full at most this evening. From the time we walked in, to our table, ordered from the menu, to finished w dessert ... exiting the restaurant, just 1 hour 20 minutes, as usual pace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

with chocolate, separately offered on its own plate.

Edited September 6 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Queens Room in the mid-evening, party dance & ballroom dancing, live band and piped music in between

 

 

 

Posse leader SM, for you ... and the other niece on the Prima TA, curious minds wanted to know & asked 😆

[mking8288]

Casino actions after dinner - social distancing #cough #cough  not at the table games - all non-smoking 

 

 

 

..

 

[dexddd]

11 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Since mid-morning, one of the few places with a waiting line and passengers in queue, is just down the hallway or corridor.   

 

 

You guess it, Guest Laundrette - did our 2nd load, even ironed the dress shirt for Saturday's Red gala themed Mascarade. 

 

Unlike NCL, no swimming fishes or red triangles to point the way FWD or AFT.  Of course, other signage are on the walls nearby.

 

 

 

 

Maybe, maybe not.  Probably a more sophisticated pattern in the carpet to point direction as this is more sophisticated line.  Maybe you have to get accepted into special group to get decoder ring.  Try putting on your finest and go to cigar lounge - puff puff.

[dexddd]

12 hours ago, mking8288 said:

From the noon or midday report, we're sailing in sea state in Force 6, 7 and up to 8 as we attempted to sail the glacier, bouncing between moderate, strong to near gale.  Has we continued into the Hubbard, forecast is worsening conditions to Force 9 and rough sea state.

 

 

Did you mean the Buford T. Justice scale of 12 best quotes....which I'd quote but would get in trouble. 

[cruiseny4life]

10 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Food pictures - more, for your drooling 🤤 

 

 

 

 

Ya know...you could at least supply a napkin for those of us drooling on our desks over here on the east coast! 

 

7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

Yes, please! Wow!! Ok all y'all Cunarders (is it bad that I want to say Canucks) I offended earlier. These menus (as @mking8288 said are getting better and better). Really! That looks like some tasty duck breast!

 

11 hours ago, mking8288 said:

NCL's afternoon tea vs. Cunard - well, feel free to decide who does a classy one ... I can't say what they do in Haven or suites @cruiseny4life so I will abstain 

 

 

 

Those of us in the Haven wander down to the Observation Lounge (on ships so equipped) to have Afternoon Tea with the steerage class. There are no such offering in the upper NCL "grills." 🤡

 

Thanks for the ceremony info! That's more understandable than what I envisioned. I still like my imaginary ceremony more though. 🙂 

[david,Mississauga]

9 hours ago, mking8288 said:

There are about 8 HP-branded PC workstations in the Library, Deck 3 Mid plus a wireless printer ... running inside a sandboxed Windows 8 !!! browser - for passenger use / access 😲😳🙄 

 

Windows 8 reached EOL more than 10 years ago, even with extended support 

 

 

As someone who isn't going to deal with e-mails on my small tablet I appreciate the computer terminals.  They can be quirky, though.  On some of them I could not connect to my Bell Canada e-mail, so I had to remember which ones would.  As others have indicated, the new internet system is fast compared to what it was even a year ago.  On this summer's cruise all eight terminals worked and if one needed re-setting the librarian would do that.  On last year's cruise there were always two or three that were not working. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

I am just glad they even have these public computers as I do not (and will not) possess a "smart phone".