Ship Visit Query

[qbman1]

Bit cold for a caravan visit in December, wasn't it ?!

[Silver_Shiney]

You'd be surprised. We had an ancient caravan some 25+ years ago which the barest minimum of insulation, into which I installed a gas heater. After 5 minutes, we'd have to turn it off, it got so warm inside. Modern 'vans are fully winterised.

[qbman1]

It will take more than that to make me a caravan convert !

[Silver_Shiney]

Today's 'vans can be quite luxurious, with all mod cons. After the initial outlay, even taking into consideration increased fuel consumption when towing, and insuring (and possibly storage if you don't have space at home), it's a cheap way of having a good holiday.

Anyways, it still can't compare to sticking your finger out and have a liveried steward put a cup of tea on the end of it, so our caravanning days are over and we'll be looking at cruises for most of our future holidays (every so often visiting our kids in Florida and Melbourne). I'll be looking out especially for deals on the Queen Elizabeth, as she's the nicest ship we've been on so far but open to other lines and ships, obviously.

If you want to see an inside cabin on your visit, you'll have to ask especially as they obviously want to showcase only the higher-end staterooms

[qbman1]

What's an "inside cabin" ?!

[Silver_Shiney]

It's what tightwads like me book!

[qbman1]

Ah, I see. I shall have to remember to ask to see one tomorrow. Be an interesting piece of social anthropology !!

[Silver_Shiney]

don't you swear at me pal!

[qbman1]

No, really, I shall be fascinated. I thought all those doors on the other side of the corridors were where the stewards stowed their rubbish !!

[Stephen]

After the steward has been in and why we don't book inside cabins

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[qbman1]

Yep, I've seen a few looking like that !

[Mervyn and Trish]

We quite fancy QE sometime. Might have to see if we can wangle a visit.

[Raybosailor]

It's what tightwads like me book!

That puts me in the tightwad class then Alan, I would never book anything other than an inside cabin as they are the same size and sometimes bigger than an outside cabin, balcony cabins can be even smaller as the balcony takes up space that could be indoors. When on Arcadia we were invited to have a drink on our table companions balcony and were surprised at the lack of space in the cabin compared to ours, they were even more surprised than us on a visit to our cabin to find that the cabin they had paid £1100.00 more for was smaller than ours.

We sleep, shower and change in our cabin the rest of the cruise we are on open decks or in some venue on the ship spending the extra pounds on better things.

[Silver_Shiney]

It's what tightwads like me book!

That puts me in the tightwad class then Alan, I would never book anything other than an inside cabin as they are the same size and sometimes bigger than an outside cabin, balcony cabins can be even smaller as the balcony takes up space that could be indoors. When on Arcadia we were invited to have a drink on our table companions balcony and were surprised at the lack of space in the cabin compared to ours, they were even more surprised than us on a visit to our cabin to find that the cabin they had paid £1100.00 more for was smaller than ours.

We sleep, shower and change in our cabin the rest of the cruise we are on open decks or in some venue on the ship spending the extra pounds on better things.

Similarly, Ray, we go for as low a deck as possible - not just because it's more stable in rough seas (unless you're at the end of the ship!) but we were invited in to a cabin on QM2's deck 13 and found it absolutely identical to our cabin on deck 5 - except it cost a heck of a lot more!

[qbman1]

What a lovely ship QE is. We had a super tour, although the guide was perhaps a bit forward when snogging some of the blokes at the end but maybe that just added to the enjoyment of the day ?!

As most of you will know, we are die-hard P&O travellers but I have to say that QE is more plush, opulent, better furnished and definitely cleaner that we have experienced on P&O lately. I suppose it just has that extra bit of style. The Q2 suite we saw was something else but the deluxe balcony is very much on a par in terms of size and layout with the cabin we had on Azura.

It is similar to my experience of Azura in that the stairways seem a bit mean but then I suppose that is the way modern ship design is going. There just seems to be a bit more space in the corridors and stairways on the likes of Aurora and Arcadia.

The lunch we had was very comparable to the quality and presentation we have become used to with P&O and the menus we saw were also very similar. It is probably pretty much standard Carnival fare. We did, however, get hold of a copy of the vegetarian menu (for Mrs C) and the selection of dishes seemed very much inferior to the choice we had on our last two P&O sojourns.

We also snaffled a copy of their version of Horizon and the first day entertainment was also fairly standard - the usual "Welcome Aboard" show although I was interested to see that they did have a number of early evening quizzes, which P&O do not bother with on Day One.

Interestingly, the captain was Aseem Hashmi whom we found to be excellent on a recent P&O cruise

Now, this will sound strange to those who recall my many posts about the loss of formality but I do think the red-liveried doormen at the top of the gangway were a step too far. Maybe that is what Cunard customers expect but I am not convinced that dressing up like an extra in Poirot is necessary in modern-day cruising!

Also, I felt slightly uncomfortable that the waiters were all trussed up like Christmas turkeys. Maybe it is because I have become used to P&O's more informal dress code with the waiters in short-sleeved casual shirts at lunchtime but I had to feel a bit sorry for the Cunard guys in all that clobber. Yes, by all means let's have the "proper gear" at dinner but I do think it creates a rather more relaxed atmosphere if the waiters are more casual at breakfast, lunch and around the bars during the day.

A bit of a worry that many of the notices on board are also in German !

Nevertheless, we are definitely considering a Cunard cruise in the foreseeable.

[Dancing Queen]

So pleased you enjoyed your QE ships visit Cubie but how can you not be impressed with the Bell Boys they are just 'so Cunard'

[qbman1]

I realise that, DQ, but the poor lads looked so embarrassed, uncomfortable and incongruous, standing at the top of the gangway. I thought they just looked a right pair of lemons and wouldn't have been out of place in a Tom & Jerry cartoon - sorry !

[Dancing Queen]

I realise that, DQ, but the poor lads looked so embarrassed, uncomfortable and incongruous, standing at the top of the gangway. I thought they just looked a right pair of lemons and wouldn't have been out of place in a Tom & Jerry cartoon - sorry !

[oldbluefox]

We enjoyed Cunard (QM2 steerage) and would definitely go with them again but their itineraries are a bit sameish especially if you have done a few cruises before. Take out their fly cruises and trips across the Atlantic and there's not a great deal left, sadly.
There are (were?) more formal nights and jackets are (were?) required even for smart/elegant casual but I wouldn't let that put me off. It's just different but I can understand some may not feel comfortable with it.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We enioyed QM2 and would be tempted to jump ship to Cunard if P & O go further down the casual route, or move the loyalty goalposts again before we hit Caribbean, itineraries permitting.

[Silver_Shiney]

We'll probably jump ship from P&O to Cunard but, as DK rightly says, other lines are available!!

[qbman1]

We enioyed QM2 and would be tempted to jump ship to Cunard if P & O go further down the casual route, or move the loyalty goalposts again before we hit Caribbean, itineraries permitting.

Yes, Cunard still have the "Dress Code Formerly Known As Semi-Formal" - jacket required, but no tie. They call it "Informal". Interestingly, that was the dress code on the first night of QE's current cruise whereas P&O invariably kick off with a smart casual.

[Dancing Queen]

Once was the time when P&O only had casual on the first and last night, I don't really know why so many make a big thing about wearing a jacket on Cunard it is quite normal to see a man wearing a nice lightweight linen jacket and no tie so not stuffy at all.

[wolfie]

P&O have always had casual on the first and last nights AND port days, with few exceptions, except when it might have been a half day visit and then it was maybe a semi formal night.

Jackets take up a great deal of space, especially when your OH wants to pack a suit and 3 jackets, on longer cruises such as we do. Also, the gents are also on holiday and whilst us ladies can dress coolly and comfortably, why should the gents have to suffer a jacket, even a linen jacket, just for the sake of tradition.

We never thought that we would welcome the demise of semi formal on P&O but we do. A jacket every night is more than many first class hotels require, it's more than up market cruise lines enforce or require, but it seems that some cruise lines are living on past glories and in the past.

We would however comply, as we always did, if ever a, 'jacket required every night cruise line' provided a different itinerary but they don't seem to.

[Dancing Queen]

P&O have always had casual on the first and last nights AND port days, with few exceptions, except when it might have been a half day visit and then it was maybe a semi formal night.

Jackets take up a great deal of space, especially when your OH wants to pack a suit and 3 jackets, on longer cruises such as we do. Also, the gents are also on holiday and whilst us ladies can dress coolly and comfortably, why should the gents have to suffer a jacket, even a linen jacket, just for the sake of tradition.

We never thought that we would welcome the demise of semi formal on P&O but we do. A jacket every night is more than many first class hotels require, it's more than up market cruise lines enforce or require, but it seems that some cruise lines are living on past glories and in the past.

We would however comply, as we always did, if ever a, 'jacket required every night cruise line' provided a different itinerary but they don't seem to.

I would tend to differ as I said ONCE was the time there was only casual on the first and last nights.

We too do longer cruises and packing a couple of extra suits / jackets is no imposition when sailing out of Southampton but then we like 'tradition'