Queen Victoria Question

[Cruachan]

We are now building up a significant fund of knowledge and reviews of QV, and many of my personal questions about accommodation, storage space etc have already been more than adequately answered. However, I have one question that no one appears to have mentioned, and to which I can find no ready answer from the deckplans on the Cunard site.

 

Is there any accessible area of open deck with a view forward over the bow of the ship? The sort of thing I'm thinking of is the Sun Deck on QE2 that spans the entire width of the ship directly beneath the bridge and that is an ideal location for photography, particularly when entering or leaving harbour.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

 

Jimmy

[Dorchester]

We are now building up a significant fund of knowledge and reviews of QV, and many of my personal questions about accommodation, storage space etc have already been more than adequately answered. However, I have one question that no one appears to have mentioned, and to which I can find no ready answer from the deckplans on the Cunard site.

 

Is there any accessible area of open deck with a view forward over the bow of the ship? The sort of thing I'm thinking of is the Sun Deck on QE2 that spans the entire width of the ship directly beneath the bridge and that is an ideal location for photography, particularly when entering or leaving harbour.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

Jimmy

 

 

Hello Jimmy,

 

The answer is - I don't know, and I have been asking the same question to myself, for, as you say, the deck plans do not make it very clear. My Wife and I are on QV at the end of April, (having bid our personal fond farewells to QE2 last December), so will be able to let you know the definitive answer after our forthcoming trip. Not much help now I admit, but if no one else comes up with the answer before then - I will let you know.

 

Regards,

David

[Lanky Lad]

Here is a picture of her in the Panama Canal, lots of people out, but I guess they could be crew.

 

[Cruachan]

Not much help now I admit, but if no one else comes up with the answer before then - I will let you know.

David

 

Thanks David,

 

J

[Cruachan]

Here is a picture of her in the Panama Canal, lots of people out, but I guess they could be crew.

 

Many thanks for the pic Lanky Lad. I watched the Miraflores transit on the Panama Canal web cam but didn't download any of the images.

 

I agree with you that most of the people visible in the photo, particularly those on 4 and 5 decks are most probably crew. One thing that does interest me though is the relatively small group of people on what, by my count, is 9 deck immediately above the port side of the bridge. I think the glassed area immediately behind them is a part of the ship that I will never visit under any circumstances, ie, the spa and fitness centre. However, the deck plans show no area of open deck forward of that area. Can anyone shed any light on this.

 

Jimmy

[Kindlychap]

Many thanks for the pic Lanky Lad. I watched the Miraflores transit on the Panama Canal web cam but didn't download any of the images.

 

I agree with you that most of the people visible in the photo, particularly those on 4 and 5 decks are most probably crew. One thing that does interest me though is the relatively small group of people on what, by my count, is 9 deck immediately above the port side of the bridge. I think the glassed area immediately behind them is a part of the ship that I will never visit under any circumstances, ie, the spa and fitness centre. However, the deck plans show no area of open deck forward of that area. Can anyone shed any light on this.

 

Jimmy

 

The round area is a crew only area. Whether they open this for the canal I know not - Ken would know of course.

 

At least one of the horizontal decks is for the officers, at least as far as I understand from something I read.

 

I hope there is such a space. If there isn't it would be a major loss. Perhaps one reason for keeping the bridge where it should be?

 

Matthew

[dc-farer]

The round area is a crew only area. Whether they open this for the canal I know not - Ken would know of course.

 

At least one of the horizontal decks is for the officers, at least as far as I understand from something I read.

 

I hope there is such a space. If there isn't it would be a major loss. Perhaps one reason for keeping the bridge where it should be?

 

Matthew

 

The area below the bridge is for crew, although it was opened for passengers during our transit through the Panama Canal. There is an area above the bridge and all the way forward for passengers, but it is glass-enclosed and does not provide a completely unobstructed view.

[DKNYC]

Thanks Lanky Lad for posting that picture. I am glad you and Jimmy were watching us transit the Canal. It was awesome!

As it turns out, the areas you are mentioning over the bow are actually crew decks or usually restricted . They let us pax go out there only for that day. There are bulkhead doors at the foward ends of the hallways that you have to literally climb out of to get out front.

To answer the OP, you cannot go all the way around on deck 3 as they have the front part roped off.

 

Denise

[dc-farer]

The area below the bridge is for crew, although it was opened for passengers during our transit through the Panama Canal. There is an area above the bridge and all the way forward for passengers, but it is glass-enclosed and does not provide a completely unobstructed view.

 

I should add that the glass-enclosed area immediately above the bridge is the Commodore Club. The area for open-air viewing by passengers (which is partially glass-enclosed and somewhat obstructed) is two decks further up.

[cinta]

The area below the bridge is for crew, although it was opened for passengers during our transit through the Panama Canal. There is an area above the bridge and all the way forward for passengers, but it is glass-enclosed and does not provide a completely unobstructed view.

This is correct. One would have to try to peer through the gaps in the panels to get a clear view. Not an easy task!!

Sharon (& Steve, he remembered the space, not me:confused: )

[Cruachan]

This is correct. One would have to try to peer through the gaps in the panels to get a clear view. Not an easy task!!

Sharon (& Steve, he remembered the space, not me:confused: )

 

Sharon,

 

I don't know where I got the idea from but, for some reason, I thought that the open viewing area above the bridge was for the exclusive use of Grill passengers. Is that just a figment of my imagination?

 

Jimmy

[Beyondships]

Many thanks for the pic Lanky Lad. I watched the Miraflores transit on the Panama Canal web cam but didn't download any of the images.

 

I agree with you that most of the people visible in the photo, particularly those on 4 and 5 decks are most probably crew. One thing that does interest me though is the relatively small group of people on what, by my count, is 9 deck immediately above the port side of the bridge. I think the glassed area immediately behind them is a part of the ship that I will never visit under any circumstances, ie, the spa and fitness centre. However, the deck plans show no area of open deck forward of that area. Can anyone shed any light on this.

 

Jimmy

 

Yes, there is a forward-looking observation area that can be accessed through the fitness center. You can see this area if you look past the exercise machines through the windows in the photo below.

 

 

[Cruachan]

Yes, there is a forward-looking observation area that can be accessed through the fitness center. You can see this area if you look past the exercise machines through the windows in the photo below.

 

Thanks for that - that is extremely helpful. There is only one slight problem though. I'll have to be blindfolded and led by the hand past the "instruments of torture" :)

 

Jimmy

[phileas]

The only external forward-looking passenger area toward the bows is on deck 11 and shown on the plans as 'sports deck'. Here there are angled glass windscreens, but there is a gap of about 6'' running horizontally about 4' above the deck.

 

There are other external forward viewing areas, such as the superb one in front of the Fitness Centre on Deck 9, are actually meant to be for crew only. However on the New York / Los Angeles sector, these areas had been opened up to all when approaching the Panama Canal. For many days after that, a lot of people were using the 'Emergency Exit' door from the Fitness Centre to gain access at will to the unofficial viewing area immediately above the ship's bridge.

 

The other levels below the ship's bridge were again only accessible via 'Emergency Exit' doors and are meant to be crew only.

 

As others have said, the Commodore Club offers excellent views, but from behind glass.

 

The upper foredeck with the pool is again for crew only, but during the Panama Canal transit was packed with passengers, who had successfully negotiated their way over the two foot high sill. Some passengers also managed to get onto the lower foredeck, where the ship's bell is situated.

 

This was all probably a bit of a one off, as transiting the Panama Canal is understandably very different to normal cruising, and the ship's officers, not wanting a riot on their hands, probably decided that it would be easier to just let the passengers roam than to prevent them accessing the crew areas!

 

Phileas

 

Who wishes he was still aboard on the way to Sydney!:)

[phileas]

Thanks for that - that is extremely helpful. There is only one slight problem though. I'll have to be blindfolded and led by the hand past the "instruments of torture" :)

 

Jimmy

 

If your paying for my cruise, I will volunteer to lead you past the "instruments of torture" anytime!:D

 

Phileas

[exlondoner]

Thanks for that - that is extremely helpful. There is only one slight problem though. I'll have to be blindfolded and led by the hand past the "instruments of torture" :)

 

Jimmy

 

If this occurs, do ensure someone is on hand to video it, for general enlightenment.:) On QM2, our muster point for lifeboat drill was the gym. I have barely recovered, even now.

Jane

[SeaMatesNYC]

Thanks for that - that is extremely helpful. There is only one slight problem though. I'll have to be blindfolded and led by the hand past the "instruments of torture" :)

 

Jimmy

 

A room with instruments of turture?? Is this where we take the dress-code breakers?:D

[GAV BOY]

There is a thread on the "P&O" Australia board called "Get away- Queen Vic" and they seem to be insinuating that we are snobs :eek: who Cruise with Cunard especialy those in "Queens Grill " :eek:

Queue Matthew :D ;)

[exlondoner]

There is a thread on the "P&O" Australia board called "Get away- Queen Vic" and they seem to be insinuating that we are snobs :eek: who Cruise with Cunard especialy those in "Queens Grill " :eek:

 

Queue Matthew :D ;)

 

It would certainly take someone braver than I to intervene, and, anyhow, where to start?? Jane

[SeaMatesNYC]

 

 

Queue Matthew :D ;)

 

Query, what are we lining up for??:D

[SeaMatesNYC]

It would certainly take someone braver than I to intervene, and, anyhow, where to start?? Jane

 

Hmmm, it's tempting. I could tell them about how on HAL, suites get their own lounge and free hors d'oeurvres plus concierge; or how on NCL, the villas have their own pool, etc. It's really not fair for people to portray this as a British "class" thing. May have started that way, but today, it really is just all about getting more when you pay more, and there's nothing wrong with that. But a tutorial on socialism is probably not worth getting into...

[SeaMatesNYC]

This should get them riled up tomorrow (I suppose they are asleep now)!

 

have to agree with you Les.

 

I thought that sort if cruising went out the window long ago.

 

Karen

 

At the risk of being flamed (and you can easily see that I have recently started cruising on Cunard, but will by no means be abondoning my beloved HAL), I wanted to add some additional perspective to this discussion.

 

While it is true that Cunard does provide separate dining rooms for the Grills passengers, the trend towards "getting more" when you "pay more" is quite universal these days.

 

Take for example the Garden Villa suites on the Norwegian Line - they have their own private pool, hottub and sundeck, for the suite itself alone.

 

Holland America suite passengers have their own private lounge with food and concierge and get a complementary dinner in the speciality restaurant.

 

Many of the high end suites will arrange to have the main dining room selection served to you privately en suite (not just the room service menu). Many of these suites also have their own spa tubs on their balconies.

 

Cunard's "class system" may have started out as that (although, if you had the $$ I would expect that no one was turned away), but these days, almost universally, cruise lines worship not "class", but the almighty dollar. The more you pay, the more you get.

 

A few years ago, I shared your same impression. However, after experiencing it recently, I can assure you, it is not about class. Now, there is another aspect that you may also find unappealing and that is that even on the most casual of nights, gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket to dinner (sans tie, if they wish) and in the public rooms.

 

Now that causes a lot more consternation among "the common folk":eek: than the dining room situation!;)

 

Ok, flame away!:D

[exlondoner]

This should get them riled up tomorrow (I suppose they are asleep now)!

 

 

 

At the risk of being flamed (and you can easily see that I have recently started cruising on Cunard, but will by no means be abondoning my beloved HAL), I wanted to add some additional perspective to this discussion.

 

While it is true that Cunard does provide separate dining rooms for the Grills passengers, the trend towards "getting more" when you "pay more" is quite universal these days.

 

Take for example the Garden Villa suites on the Norwegian Line - they have their own private pool, hottub and sundeck, for the suite itself alone.

 

Holland America suite passengers have their own private lounge with food and concierge and get a complementary dinner in the speciality restaurant.

 

Many of the high end suites will arrange to have the main dining room selection served to you privately en suite (not just the room service menu). Many of these suites also have their own spa tubs on their balconies.

 

Cunard's "class system" may have started out as that (although, if you had the $$ I would expect that no one was turned away), but these days, almost universally, cruise lines worship not "class", but the almighty dollar. The more you pay, the more you get.

 

A few years ago, I shared your same impression. However, after experiencing it recently, I can assure you, it is not about class. Now, there is another aspect that you may also find unappealing and that is that even on the most casual of nights, gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket to dinner (sans tie, if they wish) and in the public rooms.

 

Now that causes a lot more consternation among "the common folk":eek: than the dining room situation!;)

 

Ok, flame away!:D

 

I imagine that, if facing a firing squad, your would refuse a blindfold.:D

Jane

[exlondoner]

This should get them riled up tomorrow (I suppose they are asleep now)!

 

 

 

At the risk of being flamed (and you can easily see that I have recently started cruising on Cunard, but will by no means be abondoning my beloved HAL), I wanted to add some additional perspective to this discussion.

 

While it is true that Cunard does provide separate dining rooms for the Grills passengers, the trend towards "getting more" when you "pay more" is quite universal these days.

 

Take for example the Garden Villa suites on the Norwegian Line - they have their own private pool, hottub and sundeck, for the suite itself alone.

 

Holland America suite passengers have their own private lounge with food and concierge and get a complementary dinner in the speciality restaurant.

 

Many of the high end suites will arrange to have the main dining room selection served to you privately en suite (not just the room service menu). Many of these suites also have their own spa tubs on their balconies.

 

Cunard's "class system" may have started out as that (although, if you had the $$ I would expect that no one was turned away), but these days, almost universally, cruise lines worship not "class", but the almighty dollar. The more you pay, the more you get.

 

A few years ago, I shared your same impression. However, after experiencing it recently, I can assure you, it is not about class. Now, there is another aspect that you may also find unappealing and that is that even on the most casual of nights, gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket to dinner (sans tie, if they wish) and in the public rooms.

 

Now that causes a lot more consternation among "the common folk":eek: than the dining room situation!;)

 

Ok, flame away!:D

 

I imagine that, if facing a firing squad, your would refuse a blindfold.:D

Jane

[SeaMatesNYC]

I imagine that, if facing a firing squad, your would refuse a blindfold.:D

Jane

 

True that. Never could hold my tongue when faced with such ill-formed opinions...interesting that it's most often the so-called "common folk" that perpetuate these stereotypes.

 

As long as you give me the chance to move up the economic class, I am more than happy to see folks getting extras when they pay more.

 

Now in the shared areas and services, we should all be treated as kings, so long as we are polite and dressed according to the code!:D