Queen Victoria - Berthed in Trieste 19-21-Nov-2011

[CAP]

Wonder if anyone knows why QV appears to have been diverted to Trieste rather than undertake the scheduled three day stay in Venice?

Given this is a lay-over between cruises the logisitics of transporting people to/from the original destination must be considerable.  Additionally, I noticed both a Costa and MSC ship also appear to have put into Trieste.

This is QV's last day in port before embarking on her repositioning cruise to the West Coast of America.

[matdark]

I was on board QV yesterday, we were supposed to disembark from Venice as well on saturday, spent the whole day at large waiting for the fog to lift, it's only when it did not happen that the ship was diverted To Trieste, as were a Costa and a MSC ships. Ports are closed. Airports are closed. You had to be there to see what a mess the Venice airport is, our flight back home was more than 10 hours late without trustable informations. People had to disembark at 2 am and take a bus from Trieste to Venice, costa and msc passengers as well. It's a tough situation, it's not pleasant but you have to deal with it and, honnestly, Cunard did a pretty good job arranging things as far as we are concerned.

[CAP]

Thanks for the update matdark.  Sounds a bit of a nightmare but from what you say at least the company were supportive... and the consolation is you can claim to have been aboard for her maiden call at Trieste!

[Twynkle]

I was on board QV yesterday, we were supposed to disembark from Venice as well on saturday, spent the whole day at large waiting for the fog to lift, it's only when it did not happen that the ship was diverted To Trieste, as were a Costa and a MSC ships. Ports are closed. Airports are closed. You had to be there to see what a mess the Venice airport is, our flight back home was more than 10 hours late without trustable informations. People had to disembark at 2 am and take a bus from Trieste to Venice, costa and msc passengers as well. It's a tough situation, it's not pleasant but you have to deal with it and, honnestly, Cunard did a pretty good job arranging things as far as we are concerned.

What a shame for you - it could have been incredibly disappointing.
Fog's often a problem in Venice - makes it quite spooky!

[matdark]

well, fortunately we had already been to Venice before! An eventful cruise, really, stuck in Alexandria for two days because of a storm (and consequently the cancellation of the next port of call), novovirus, cancellation of the call at Venice... By the way, QV can sail at more than 23 knots, I have proof!

[Twynkle]

... By the way, QV can sail at more than 23 knots, I have proof!

She beat her young sister to it across the Atlantic in January too.
And what's more - you can see where she's heading!
And by 'all' accounts she's got an ever increasing fan base -
so there's no need to fear for her future...she's not as ugly as her sister either

Sounds as if you might need another voyage pdq to make up for all the pitfalls you encountered!
Hope that Captain Olsen's ok. 

[matdark]

Well, luckily enough it was my 3rd time on board She's a really nice ship! Not a big fan of Captain Olsen though, but it's utterly personal!

[matdark]

Venitian fog  And the Hamilton plate on her stern in Istanbul.

[Lynda Bradford]

Cruise.co.uk had an article on the fog bound ships being Triestes' gain

http://www.cruises.co.uk/109-cruise_news/24427-fog_bound_venice_triestes_gain.html?utm_source=221111&utm_medium=BULLETIN&utm_campaign=NEWS