Friday August 10th, 2018 Southampton, UK

Breakfast was included in the room rate at the hotel and it was the usual English breakfast buffet, including fried eggs that had been wilting under heat lamp for 8 hours – this could be a new method for the manufacture of artificial rubber. Overall the buffet was not very good, though I was able to get my usual cereal and fruit.

More really-last-minute shopping at the mall - really!!

Taxi to the cruise terminal to board the Queen Victoria was easy and quick, embarkation very smooth with no lines. Our bags were even waiting for us by the time we got to our cabin on the 6th floor (6117) – this is a first for us in all of our years of cruising.

Stateroom 6117 was a nicely appointed balcony room – pretty much the same as on all the Cunard ships (see other blogs on this website for a more detailed description). 

We headed for the onboard pub to grab a pint and a spot of lunch - this is somewhat of a ritual for us.

Sail away was very special as all three Cunard Queens were leaving Southampton on the same day. Around 3:30PM the Queen Elizabeth cast off, follow about 15 minutes later by the Queen Mary 2 and then around 4PM we set off in the Queen Victoria (our ship).

We walked the decks taking in the great views of the two beautiful ships ahead of us; a rain shower provided a spectacular rainbow.

By coincidence today was also the last day of the Cowes sailing regatta; Cowes is a town on the Isle of Wight - to cap the event the Red Arrows RAF flying display team were scheduled to perform. All three ships stopped just north of the town of Cowes and the entire passenger contingent crowded the decks to view the air display. 

Unfortunately, our view from the rear of the ship was right into the sun making for a squinty time - though the show was still brilliant. 

However, having finished their official show the team made several low-level passes over the three queens – what a treat!  

Before dinner we were introduced to the mid-ships Gin Bar on the Queen Victoria – where Sandra suddenly discovered that there were some gin cocktails that did not taste like gin.