Bryce Sanders

The best restaurant in town may have just arrived. Cruise ships visit ports all around the world. Something we tend to forget is they have great restaurants and wine cellars. Because of security concerns, the local population can’t just walk aboard and book at table. But you can. My wife and I are wine fans. Food fans too. We are big Cunard fans, however the examples I suggest are probably available on most cruise ships you would …

Read more11 Classic Wine and Food Combinations to Enjoy at Sea

“I so miss the QE2!” Cunard has a loyal following. If you sail on the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth or Queen Victoria, you will likely encounter Cunard World Club Members who have been sailing forever. They will likely share stories of “the good old days” and “I so miss the QE2!”  We often view the past through rose colored glasses. It’s useful to look at “then and now.” The Basics The Queen Elizabeth 2 entered service …

Read moreQM2 vs. QE2 – A Look at the Stats

Someone comes back from a cruise. You ask: “How was it?” They say “Great!” What made it special? In January we sailed from Hamburg to Fort Lauderdale on Cunard’s Queen Victoria. Here’s what made the trip great. Cabin location. The seas were force 8 on the Beaufort Scale at times. We had an outside cabin, Deck One midships, down the corridor from the Purser’s office. In rough seas, motion was minimal. Tablets really work. I still got …

Read moreOur 30 Best Experiences on Our Recent Cunard Voyage

13 nights. 312 hours. 18,720 minutes. We sailed from Hamburg to Fort Lauderdale on Cunard’s Queen Victoria in January. We kept busy, even though the weather precluded outside activities. This was our 16th Cunard voyage. We know the ships and the routine. Still, there’s lots of stuff we didn’t manage to fit in. Here’s a list of 25 activities that hopefully will fit into our next voyage. Dining: Choose the first dinner seating. At home, we have …

Read more25 Things We Must Do On Our Next Cunard Voyage

Many cruise lines offer drinks packages. Instead of paying for beer, wine and liquor as you go, it’s all wrapped up in an inclusive price. Is this a good idea? What’s a Drinks Package? There are lots of offers aboard ship. There’s a soft drink option. A specialty coffee option. The most interesting is likely the alcohol option. Pay about $70/day and you can (almost) drink as much as you want. Let’s make some assumptions. You are …

Read moreShould You Buy the Drinks Package on Your Cruise?

We sailed from Hamburg, Germany, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Cunard’s Queen Victoria in January. 13 nights translates into about 39 meals. We frequented four of the many restaurants onboard. Hail Britannia! Most of our meals took place in the Britannia dining room, the logical venue for passengers traveling in Britannia grade staterooms. The dining room is aft, occupying a large part of decks two and three. Upon arrival, you receive your table assignment card in your …

Read moreSo Many Nights. So Many Restaurants. Dining Aboard Queen Victoria …

“How was your cruise?” Everyone asks you when you get home. “Would you go again? We sailed 13 nights from Hamburg, Germany, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as part of the 75-night South America voyage on Cunard’s Queen Victoria. During the trip I wrote daily updates (see links below) that were posted to All Things Cruise. Since everyone like numerical scores, let’s summarize by looking at 20 categories that matter to most passengers. At 10 points per category, …

Read moreRecap of Our Queen Victoria Crossing – Overall Voyage Score: 180/200 or 90/100

DAY 13 ONBOARD QUEEN VICTORIA_(Monday, January 20): Today was an interesting day. It had its ups and downs. Proceeding chronologically makes sense. The ship was scheduled to dock at 11:00 AM. The captain made an announcement that overnight repairs on the diesel generators slowed us down and we would now dock at 1:00 PM. Although we sail at 8:00 PM, this wasn’t an issue. We planned to spend the day on the ship. Upon entering the first …

Read moreQueen Victoria Day 13 in Port Canaveral

DAY 12 ONBOARD QUEEN VICTORIA_(Sunday, January 19): Sunday is our last sea day, sailing between Bermuda and Port Canaveral. The seas are calm. We had breakfast delivered at 7:00 AM, as usual. In case you wonder how much we are eating, before turning in the previous night, we hang a paper order form on the door. We typically ask for juice, croissants and coffee. This is supplemented by pain au chocolat and whole wheat toast. After dressing, …

Read moreQueen Victoria – Sailing Between Bermuda and Port Canaveral