Can I say right from the outset that we had a terrific holiday. We had no complaints about anything to do with the ship or Cunard. Well apart from the toast that is. I take toast very seriously indeed and the anaemic, anorexic slices of roofing tile that masqeraded as that most delightful of breakfast accompaniaments were an absolute disgrace. One could almost have been on an American ship. (Pace, Carnival).

OK. - Embarcation:- longer than we have previously encountered. We arrived at peak time though, about 1o'clock. We went immediately to a check-in desk (priority) and were processed and given a boarding card 'letter J' in about 5 minutes. There were a lot of people waiting in the priority end of the terminal and the boarding letter showing was 'F'. About 40 minutes elapsed before we were called to the security check. And it is here where the hold-up was. There were just two xray machines and security arches in use. There appeared to be only one detecting wand as it was being passed from one official to another as required. And of course there was the perrenial problem of the ludicrous amount of hand luggage being carried through the security system. This is a bit of a Bete Noir of mine and I've commented on it before but whyanyone, particularly elderly and/or frail passengers would want to lug a couple of roll-ons + a suit carrier + maybe a tote bag or a 150lt. rucksack around with them boarding a cruise ship I just don't know. Throw into the equasion a walking stick or two and stuff that is patently too big to go through the machine and has to be examined manually and it's no wonder that delays occur. Wheelchairs too are treated as some kind of Wheelbarrow or porters trolley and are festooned with all manner of luggage which has to be processed. That anyone could possibly need that amount of stuff between getting to their cabin and the luggage being delivered a couple of hours later is a mystery. Then of course you have the men who stand for ten/fifteen minutes in the queue and only think about removing their loose change, cameras, keys, jackets, belts and laptops when the official actually asks them to do so as they get to the machine. Plus the fact that some of the regular cruisers who know the system were taking their cards and ducking straight under the Tensa Fence irrespective of their boarding letter. Not in front of me though I might add. Enough - rant over.

Norovirus protocols were in place when we boarded and the captain gave a spiel about what precautions to take, all very sensible stuff. But I had to laugh at the end when he reminded me of a primary school teacher by admonishing us - 'And Don't put your fingers in your mouth'. There was no self service at the buffet, not a problem really except for tea and coffee where there were always queues at main meal times during the precautionary period. One of the catering staff said that these 3 day protocols are almost SOP now at the start of each voyage. 3 days later all was back to normal much to the relief of the staff I presume. Read more