(Maybe) somewhat live from the Queen Victoria, Trieste to Barcelona

[carlmm]

For the first time, I feel like it might be fun to write a somewhat live report from a Cunard voyage. These are 14 nights from Trieste to Barcelona.

Anticipiation is high, thus maybe I will enjoy the cruis too much to write.

[carlmm]

I arrived in Trieste two day ago. Whaz a tiny, cute airport Tieste has. The railway station for the airport is already right admist fields and olive trees. The omfortable 30 minutes train ride was just 3.7 Euros.

Trieste itself is beautiful and full of both culture and vibrant life.

Among the many churches and museums, I just like to mention the highlights of the Tiepolo collection (more than 250 drawings!) at the museum Sartprio and the Roman antics.

All day and night long, Restaurants, Bars and cafes are full of people. A real pleasure.

[carlmm]

Not a pleasure at all is the embarlation process. I am already standing in one or the other line for mor than 30 minutes. Even upon asking twice, I was told there is no priority for Diamond members. 

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for posting, I hope things improve once you're onboard. 

[carlmm]

Indeed, I made it on board.

Boarding was on deck B, thus it lacks the grandezza of a start in the grand lobby. Nobody of the people there, in livree or not, cared to say welcome or good afternoon.

 

By now I enjoy the bright side: Lunch is the welcoming same as in recent years. My favourite seafood salad is there, so are Sushi and the carving station. Today on offer is shoulder of lamb, tasty and prepeared niecly red as is should be. 

[carlmm]

Just a few minutes ago I talked to my cabin steward. He approached me in a very polite and friendly way when I came back to the cabin. He adressed me correctly, had already put my luggage into the cabin and asked about any requests I might have. A very positive first encounter.

 

The cabin is interesting. I have gotten an upgrade within the balcony categories. Fine as such, albeit to an accessible cabin, which has its advantages and disadvantages for guests who do not need it: 

It is the largest cabin I ever had in Britannia. The balcony is huge with a lot of furniture including two flat loungers.

The furniture within the cabin is limited, warderobe and general storage space is less than in a standard balcony cabin. There is no sofa. The TV is the tiniest I have seen in decades.

The bathroom is also quite big and probably really accessible, but there is no storage space what so ever. No idea where I shall put my belongings.

Well, I delay unpacking for later and enjoy a cup of tea, laying on the balcony, the lovely scenery of Trieste right in front.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Sounds like the cabin is designed to give a wheelchair room to move around. That space comes at the expense of furniture. But how nice that you have a large balcony and a lounger to lounge in! 

 

You might ask your steward if there's a small armchair or something they can find for you for sitting in the cabin, since you don't have a sofa.

[*Miss G*]

Thank you for doing this live-from!  I look forward to following along.

 

Trieste truly is a lovely city and I would love to stay for a few days there.  It was an overnight port call for us but I found that reboarding the ship was a slow process.  I can’t even imagine trying to embark there!  

 

Accessible cabins are great for their space but you definitely lose out on the wardrobe / cupboard space.  I don’t think I would like one as a solo but they are great when you have a travel partner.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[s.s.France]

 

I looked it up...in the world Club benefits it states specifically 

 

"Priority check-in at New York and Southampton"

 

Since you are in Trieste, it doesnt apply

Why its specified like that - no idea

[3rdGenCunarder]

45 minutes ago, s.s.France said:

 

I looked it up...in the world Club benefits it states specifically 

 

"Priority check-in at New York and Southampton"

 

Since you are in Trieste, it doesnt apply

Why its specified like that - no idea

 

It's specified because they're only sure of those ports. Some others do it as a courtesy, but you never know until you arrive. Vancouver has honored it.

[carlmm]

Sailaway was quite breezy - the Bora was blowing. No problem at over 30 degrees. Waiters were serving champagne to unfortunately not that many people around. They had Queens rooms musicians playing, with an emphasis on the sax which was really nice.

 

[carlmm]

One picture from this morning, showing all three lovely Triest, nice Cafe's offering and the Queen Victoria.

[rog747]

I love Trieste,
- so much history - some very pivotal and rather sad.

During the Austro-Hungarian era, Trieste became a leading European port city in economy, trade and commerce, and was the fourth-largest and most important centre in the Empire, after Vienna, Budapest and Prague.
The economy of Trieste, however, fell into decline after the city's annexation to Italy in 1922. During the 1920s and 1930s, several monumental buildings were built in the grand Fascist architectural style, including the University of Trieste and the almost 70 m tall Victory Lighthouse (Faro della Vittoria), which became a city landmark.
The Fascist government promoted several development schemes in the 1930s, with new manufacturing activities dedicated to the Navy, shipbuilding and defence production.
Trieste was seized in 1943 by the Germans, who intended to maintain it as a southern outlet to the sea for the Third Reich.

As the war reached its final weeks, Marshal Tito's Partisans closed in from the east; the Allies also raced to liberate the city.
The city saw intense Italian and Yugoslav partisan activity and suffered from Allied bombings, with over 20 air raids in 1944–1945, targeting the shipyards, oil refineries, port and railway marshalling yard causing considerable collateral damage to the city and over 650 deaths among the population.

The beautiful Italian Transatlantic Liner SS Rex launched in 1931 held the westbound Blue Riband between 1933 and 1935. Originally built for the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) the ship sailed for the newly created Italia Flotta Riunite (The Italian Line).
When Italy entered the war in June 1940 Rex was laid up for safe-keeping. On 8 September 1944, off Capodistria near Trieste, the Rex was hit by cannon fire and 123 rockets launched by Royal Air Force aircraft, and she caught fire from bow to stern.
She rolled onto the port side, burned for four days, and sank in shallow water. The ship was partially broken up in situ in 1950.

In 1954 the city of Trieste and part of the 'free' zone governed by the Americans was given back to Italy and the territory in the other zone was given to Yugoslavia. The final border with Yugoslavia was settled in 1975 with the Treaty of Osimo and this is now the present day border between Italy and Slovenia.
 

[carlmm]

This morning's picture Illustration a couple of points: 

The size of the balcony.

Room service breakfast is working. I got everything ordered, may it be on the menu or not, hot and well prepared.

It's rather cloudy today but still warm.

 

Today we are in Zadar. The cruise port is about 5 km away from the historic centre, but a free shuttle is provided. By now the worst crowds should be gone, thus I will venture out soon.

[carlmm]

The shuttle bus service today was comfortable and without long waiting. Im contrast, there were long lines for the Marella shuttle.

Zadar has many historic churches, worthwhile to visit. Possibly due to the destruction of the various wars, overall there are man, nice old but also many ugly new buildings.

My  absolute highlight was the museum in the Benedectinean  monastery next to St. Mary church. It hoss an impressive collection of gold and solver reliquiaries starting from the VIII century and other liturgische treasures. The nuns are very friendly and if you look for an unique souvenier I found it: Beautiful handmade cards and bookmarks made from flowers picked in the monastaries garden.

[carlmm]

[carlmm]

Tea in the Queens room:

The service was friendly and the quality if the items served was good.

New, at least to me, are printed menus listing the served items. Does this mean, there will be no changes and everday the same will be offered?

What I certainly do not like, are the strange cups used. They obviously do not belong to the usual, otherwise used Cunard porcelain. Plain white, thick, cheap. The my remind me of soup bowls in low class canteens. They are far to thick for a nice cup of tea.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, carlmm said:

Tea in the Queens room:

The service was friendly and the quality if the items served was good.

New, at least to me, are printed menus listing the served items. Does this mean, there will be no changes and everday the same will be offered?

What I certainly do not like, are the strange cups used. They obviously do not belong to the usual, otherwise used Cunard porcelain. Plain white, thick, cheap. The my remind me of soup bowls in low class canteens. They are far to thick for a nice cup of tea.

Those cups look horrid, and don’t match the saucer.

[D&N]

I'd be happy to have an Americano in one of them. Not at home of course, always Royal Worcester Platinum Daily Mail specials here.

But for tea it should be bone china.

Even if it is one of my wife's bone china mugs, with cats on them of course.

[*Miss G*]

8 hours ago, rog747 said:

I love Trieste,
- so much history - some very pivotal and rather sad.

During the Austro-Hungarian era, Trieste became a leading European port city in economy, trade and commerce, and was the fourth-largest and most important centre in the Empire, after Vienna, Budapest and Prague.
The economy of Trieste, however, fell into decline after the city's annexation to Italy in 1922. During the 1920s and 1930s, several monumental buildings were built in the grand Fascist architectural style, including the University of Trieste and the almost 70 m tall Victory Lighthouse (Faro della Vittoria), which became a city landmark.
The Fascist government promoted several development schemes in the 1930s, with new manufacturing activities dedicated to the Navy, shipbuilding and defence production.
Trieste was seized in 1943 by the Germans, who intended to maintain it as a southern outlet to the sea for the Third Reich.

As the war reached its final weeks, Marshal Tito's Partisans closed in from the east; the Allies also raced to liberate the city.
The city saw intense Italian and Yugoslav partisan activity and suffered from Allied bombings, with over 20 air raids in 1944–1945, targeting the shipyards, oil refineries, port and railway marshalling yard causing considerable collateral damage to the city and over 650 deaths among the population.

The beautiful Italian Transatlantic Liner SS Rex launched in 1931 held the westbound Blue Riband between 1933 and 1935. Originally built for the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) the ship sailed for the newly created Italia Flotta Riunite (The Italian Line).
When Italy entered the war in June 1940 Rex was laid up for safe-keeping. On 8 September 1944, off Capodistria near Trieste, the Rex was hit by cannon fire and 123 rockets launched by Royal Air Force aircraft, and she caught fire from bow to stern.
She rolled onto the port side, burned for four days, and sank in shallow water. The ship was partially broken up in situ in 1950.

In 1954 the city of Trieste and part of the 'free' zone governed by the Americans was given back to Italy and the territory in the other zone was given to Yugoslavia. The final border with Yugoslavia was settled in 1975 with the Treaty of Osimo and this is now the present day border between Italy and Slovenia.
 

 

Thank you for the historical information!  History is always an interesting topic to me. I took this pic in 2022.  I wonder if @carlmm happened to notice if it is still there?

 

[carlmm]

Just now, *Miss G* said:

 

Thank you for the historical information!  History is always an interesting topic to me. I took this pic in 2022.  I wonder if @carlmm happened to notice if it is still there?

 

I did . It is still there.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, D&N said:

I'd be happy to have an Americano in one of them. Not at home of course, always Royal Worcester Platinum Daily Mail specials here.

But for tea it should be bone china.

Even if it is one of my wife's bone china mugs, with cats on them of course.

 

I was thinking cafe au lait, but yes, definitely not a tea cup. 

[*Miss G*]

Those cups never work for me!  I always end up with tea or coffee flowing down the sides of my mouth!!!  Does this happen to anyone else or am I a mutant?

[elmsliebev]

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Thank you for the historical information!  History is always an interesting topic to me. I took this pic in 2022.  I wonder if @carlmm happened to notice if it is still there?

 

it was there in October 2023. We had a day there from a cruise (another Carnival line) and fell in love with Trieste. Will be returning for a few days at some point. 

[NE John]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Those cups look horrid, and don’t match the saucer.

Hyacinth would also disapprove, rightly so too…