Ask the Barkeeper!

[cunardqueen]

The Midnight buffet, was it only the wine waiters who covered this shift? or was it on a rota system?

In your position as Bar keeper did you ever want to try another position onboard ?.

[Louis De Sousa]

OK Louis, what's your recipe for a Manhattan cocktail.  Personally, I make a "perfect" Manhattan with blended (rye) whisky, and a combination of sweet and dry vermouth while I believe a regular Manhattan uses just sweet vermouth.   Many bartenders seem to confuse it with an Old Fashioned and use bitters.  Anyhow, what's the official QE2 recipe?

Jeff in the official recipe of a Manhattan bitters is used, though on the QE2 i never added the bitters to the cocktail.

[Louis De Sousa]

The Midnight buffet, was it only the wine waiters who covered this shift? or was it on a rota system?

Yes Myles only the winestewards covered the shift

[Lynda Bradford]

Was there ever a QE2 cocktail created in honour of the QE2?

If not and you were asked to create a cocktail in celebration of this famous ship what would it be?

[Louis De Sousa]

In your position as Bar keeper did you ever want to try another position onboard ?.

No Myles my place is behind the bar

[Louis De Sousa]

Was there ever a QE2 cocktail created in honour of the QE2?

If not and you were asked to create a cocktail in celebration of this famous ship what would it be?

Lynda i dont think any cocktail was created to the honour the ship.

I have my own creation to honour her its is a cocktail called "The Grand Lady"

1 oz Coconut
1/2 oz Creme De Bananes
1 oz Dark Rum
4 oz Pineapple Juice
1 one dash of Orange Curacao

On your trip o the QM2 you should order this.

[Lynda Bradford]

Thank-you Louis. 

I will order this cocktail when onboard the QM2 and toast the QE2.  It will remind me of the Caribbean or a warmer climate as we sail round the top of Scotland.

[cunardqueen]

Was there ever a QE2 cocktail created in honour of the QE2?

 

I do recall seeing on the bar lists a drink The QE2 cocktail away back in 1986.

[Louis De Sousa]

I do recall seeing on the bar lists a drink The QE2 cocktail away back in 1986.

Yes true the cocktail was still on the bar list when i left in 1998.But here we were refering to a cocktail created to honour her after her service life.

[Louis De Sousa]

Anyone else with more questions?

PS - Isabelle maybe we should starting looking for the next crew member for this question session.

[Lynda Bradford]

Anyone else with more questions?

PS - Isabelle maybe we should starting looking for the next crew member for this question session.

Louis, thank-you very much for hosting the crew member questions and answers sessions for the month of September.  Looking forward to the next one! 

[Louis De Sousa]

Isabelle, have we no more crew in line for the next question session?

[Louis De Sousa]

Replying to Isabelles post on the other topic.The Hotel Crew live on the Forward section 4,5 and 6 Deck, along 6 Deck and Aft 3,4 and 5 Deck, all been accomadate into departments section and of course there is the sections for the female cabins.

Only a hand full of theses cabins have private facilities.The crew have no cabin stewards though there is a phillipino crew that go around daily hovering the corridors and cleaning the toilets.If you willing to pay the phillipino crew to clean your cabin thats ok otherwise you have to do it.

The crew eat in the crew mess no food from here is allowed to be taken to crew cabins.

As for the laundry both 2 services are available you can bring it away to wash and pay for it or you do it your self, self laundry areas are available.

The bedlinen and towels can be changed ever morning when the ship is at sea.You have to bring the dirty stuff to the laundry room.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thank you, Louis -- it is fascinating to see how the crew lived, and how best they organised themselves.

I suppose when you write that you could do your own washing, that was in washing machines -- probably hand washing would have been more difficult?

And how about uniforms? Did you have your own personal uniform? How many sets? And was it washed for you every day or did you have to do that yourself?

[Louis De Sousa]

I suppose when you write that you could do your own washing, that was in washing machines -- probably hand washing would have been more difficult?

The washing rooms have washing machines and ironing equipament, sinks are in place if you want to do it by hand