Seabourn Sailors with impressions/experiences Cunard?

Have done (loved!) two SB t/a cruises on the triplets. Also one t/a on Silversea - that was our first ever voyage and it was wonderful.

Now I'm considering a January westbound crossing on Q. Victoria, Southampton-Ft. Lauderdale. Partly cuz of curiosity about the Cunard 'legend' and, full disclosure, partly cuz of an attractive price (Brittania). And, of course, because I like sea days.

I realize it's going to be a vastly different experience. But trying to determine if it will be TOO vastly different? Are there Seabourn sailors who've traveled on Cunard and enjoyed it. Or, did not?

Also, just discovered in my hurry-up, hurry-up research for this possible booking, that the QV cruise I'm considering will be her first coming out of dry-dock. Does anyone have an opinion as to whether that should give pause?

Thanks for any help!

Seabourn Ft. L'dale-Lisbon, March 07

Seabourn Lisbon-Ft. L'dale Nov. 09

(bear of little brain - don't recall which ships)

We had a terrible experience on the QM2 on a South Hampton to NYC in April 2008. The service was bad, the food mediocre, and the weather sucked. Never again - too big & too impersonal. We found the promised land at Seabourn.

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Our first cruise was QM2 Transatlantic crossing. A good experience on a big ship. Next was on Seabourn Legend. We have sailed about 150+ days on all Seabourn ships since, with Silversea and QV in between.

QV was a relatively new ship when we tried it, but the experience, after Seabourn was disappointing. It's too big for us, the pax are generally much older (particularly in attitude) and I can't see us going back. The service and food isn't a patch on Seabourn and you are constantly having to sign for anything you want - like a coffee.

To be fair, the ship is very nice with plenty of deck space and the experience is pleasant - just not Seabourn. Horses for courses.

If you go Queens Grill or even Princess Grill you will have a nice dining experience.

But overall it will nit be the same overall luxury experience sailing Seabourn.

Keith

Agree with all the above.

I think anyone who finds Seabourn (or Silversea) a perfect fit for their needs is going to find Cunard a wholly different experience. Which is not to say it is worse, merely that it has a different appeal.

Why not give it a try? I'm sure we'd all appreciate the schadenfreude of hearing how terrible you found it!!!

Queen Victoria?

My first and last cruise on this ship was very depressing. It's Ye Olde England themed, Disney-like and overwhelmingly naff. Like a train wreck on the stage of My Fair Lady.

I agree that Cunard passengers are much older and older-acting than Seabourn passengers. I have over 250 days there, mainly on QE2 when there was not much else to choose from and I had not discovered Seabourn. QM2 is ok, grill class, especially the cabins and dining room the best aspects. But otherwise Cunard is impersonal and occasionally laughable and therefore not a patch on what I value about Seabourn. Cunard is over.

Happy sailing!

We have done TA crossings on QM2 (Britannia) and on Seabourn. I would say 'no comparison' but obviously that is what you need.

- The QM2 is an ocean liner, rather than a cruise ship, and as such is physically ideally suited to crossing the North Atlantic. It copes with just about anything the weather can throw at it. I suspect this advantage will be lost on the QV which is a more conventional cruise ship.

- The Cunard crossing was much shorter; this can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how much you relish and cherish sea days!

- The food is generally OK, as in edible, with some good dishes. It does not come close to the standard on Seabourn (at least in Britannia class)

- Seabourn is far, far, 'classier' as a way to relax and travel - again, in comparison to Britannia class. We felt that the 'class' system is very much in force, with areas of the ship out of bounds to us. That said, we met travellers who booked Britannia, were upgraded to Grill class - and hated it! They felt that it was too snobbish in the Grill venues, with too many passengers (not all) flaunting their wealth and status.

- Service is efficient but rather 'cold'. There is little eye-contact, let alone the banter you experience on Seabourn, and they are pretty good at avoiding you at times - for example if you need another pastry at afternoon tea. So, technically good service, but not usually with a smile.

- The demographics are a little different. We found more passengers who were not just older, but more infirm, a significant number with significant cognitive impairment who seemed permanently bewildered, unsurprisingly.

- While there isn't the constant pressure to 'spend, spend, spend' of some of the large cruise lines, there is a certain amount of encouragement to do so. Having to sign for everything is very different from Seabourn

- It was a bigger ship, and so there were a lot of 'enrichment' and 'entertainment' activities, but they weren't any more stimulating or enriching than on Seabourn. For instance, on each leg (S'ton to NYC and return) there was a meeting for those who had travelled on the original QM. I had done so as a child, but there were many who had travelled as staff or when it was a troopship during WWII. Lots of fascinating stories, introduced by a member of the entertainment staff, but that was it, no tea or nibbles - let alone the champagne which would have been served at any similar function on SB!

- We had a balcony stateroom on Cunard. Allegedly. There was an outdoor area with a big metal screen with a smallish opening. Frankly the view would have been much better from an OV room, especially as it wasn't really warm enough to sit out much.

I wouldn't say that I would never travel by Cunard again, but I would probably only do so for another TA. And if there was an alternative SB offering that would be better. The price for Britannia class on Cunard compares favourably to Seabourn, but it is not the same product at all, and I would compare it more closely with a recent Celebrity cruise.

I agree with Markham. I have sailed Cunard since childhood on the Queen Mary and most enjoyed many crossings on QE2 but have seen the decline of Cunard to the aforementioned Disneyesque Oulde English theme of Queen Victoria. Queen Mary 2 is technologically a great ship, capable of 30 knot bursts but Transatlantic Crossings have been dumbed down to 7 or 8 days (formerly 5 days). Plodding across the Atlantic at 17 knots is, imho, just boring. Gone is the excitement of "getting somewhere" replaced with art auctions, gold by the inch sales and, as mentioned earlier, signing chits for everything. Queen Vic and Queen Elizabeth are Fincantieri Vista Class ships only marginally different from HALs Vistas. Seabourn is a totally different experience imho. I am not fully experienced with Seabourn having only sailed the little ships but I thoroughly enjoy the experience. Enjoy it while it lasts, as the new Seabourn cruise brochure is touting "Youth Programs".:eek: Who knows where that will lead.

If you HACE to do a crossing on Cuanrd for God's sake don't do it on the Queen Victoria which is nothing more than a cruise ship. At least the QM2 with all its Disneyesque faults is a true ocean liner built for crossings.

If you HACE to do a crossing on Cuanrd for God's sake don't do it on the Queen Victoria which is nothing more than a cruise ship. At least the QM2 with all its Disneyesque faults is a true ocean liner built for crossings.

I second that completely. Queen Vic has, like most Tincantieri ships, a real problem heading into a sea. Just about shook us out of bed in cabin 7013 in minor head seas in the Caribbean. QM2, on the other hand, has handled Force 10+ in the North Atlantic and Bay of Biscay admirably.

Thanks, all! Good input and much appreciated. Have deep-sixed the cunard idea, mainly cuz of looking realistically at travel between ORD and LHR in the middle of winter. Just too chance-y, and meagre opportunities for mileage travel or fallback plans.

Much as the prospect of getting away from my frigid home environs in mid-jan tantalized, i decided it's really far preferable to sit here in my snowbank and WATCH those wretched, storm-ravaged, stranded airport masses on the news...than be among them.

Also, the SB input here reminds me....(with apologies to paul newman), why look for anything else when i've already had the best?? Thanks again.

As nice as SB is, sometimes it is nice to do something different. In our experience, a mass market line can be nice as long as you book a suite. Most lines are falling over themselves to give suite customers nice perks. A Transatlantic crossing on Queen Mary 2 from NYC/Southampton is like no other Transatlantic. She really is a different type of ship. I only wish they would stop the dumbing down process. Soon, you will be able to buy passage for $100 but will have to pay per flush to use the toilet.:eek::D:D

the QV cruise I'm considering will be her first coming out of dry-dock. Does anyone have an opinion as to whether that should give pause?

Yes, that should give pause. I have been on two cruises immediately after drydock and I will not knowingly select such a cruise again. Drydock times are invariably shorter than is needed to get everything done the line wishes done - after all, a ship in drydock is not making money!

On one of the two cruises, we were "accompanied" by a construction crew the entire week who continued their improvement work around, between and nearly through the guests. Very disappointing.

As nice as SB is, sometimes it is nice to do something different. In our experience, a mass market line can be nice as long as you book a suite. Most lines are falling over themselves to give suite customers nice perks. A Transatlantic crossing on Queen Mary 2 from NYC/Southampton is like no other Transatlantic. She really is a different type of ship. I only wish they would stop the dumbing down process. Soon, you will be able to buy passage for $100 but will have to pay per flush to use the toilet.:eek::D:D

Not to mention seven days of opportunity to buy gold by the inch.

From January 2013 we had 31 days from New York to LA and Hawaii and back to LA then were to go ashore for 4 days (which we planned to spend in Seattle during her 4 night coastal cruise Cunard couldn't sell us - YAY for the Passenger Services Act of 1886 which forbid such a sale) then return to the ship for another 14 days from LA to Hawaii and back. We were in Queens Grill where we found the food so bad that for most meals Chris went up there alone while I stayed in the "suite" and remained hungry most nights...most afternoons, too. Most days I ate a bagel, cream cheese, onion, tomato and smoked salmon...and not much else. Sometimes I did get a sandwich in the Cafe Carinthia...Once we were ashore in LA after 31 days we left her, took a loss on the upcoming 4 day cruise we were to return to her to take...and went north to Seattle where we spent 18 days (in FEBRUARY!) and had a marvelous time. Friends whom we were to see on the 14 day cruise in the QV we didn't take traveled in Princess Grill accommodations. They missed us and after the cruise told us that the ship had the worst food that they had ever had. BTW - consensus on the Lido food - "AWFUL"

Also, one day I called room service (they tend now to use the ridiculous phrase "in-room dining" - OY!) to order two sodas...the attendant asked me: "You want a vacuum cleaner?". Another time I called for ice and the attendant told me that room service wasn't available for another two hours.

This is CUNARD? Hell, Chris and I, diamond members over there, met in a Cunard ship (VISTAFJORD) over 25 years ago and have been together ever since.

After SB taking the QUEEN VICTORIA? SURE! if you enjoy self-inflicted wounds

So take what I say with a grain of salt. I flew back from LHR (I had connected via air from IST) on a flight with a Mother/Daughter duo had just completed a Cunard cruise in Grill Class. I was just being cordial and asking questions and everything seemed so different (in a bad way) from Seabourn. They complained about how expensive drinks were on board and that they tried to bring wine on board. I also didn't like the class system described. I don't want certain major parts of the public ship spaces restricted to me because of the fare paid. I think if you compare apples to apples then SB wins hands down.

We have done many Cunard transatlantics originally on QE2 and latterly on QM2

There is no comparison with Seabourn. the accomodation, dining and general service on Cunard are very poor now.

As long as we are on this topic, I have an observation about Ocean Liners. Since childhood I have read everything I could get my hands on about the great ships. Until the current version of Cunard determined to recreate "The Golden Age" of Ocean Liner travel, Liners were the most modern technological marvels of their day. Each one attempted to be larger, faster, and more luxurious than the ones before. QE2 was the height of 60s fashion when she entered service with a 5 day (occasionally less) Transatlantic service. Only later was she changed into the pastiche of faux pubs and other old world make believe. That and slowing to 6 then 7 day TAs. Seabourn's new ships are not some make believe era, but are fresh, modern takes on cruising. Only Cunard seems to need to try to create something that never existed. Judging from the cutbacks and the very cheap fares offered to fill the ships, It is beginning to fail to attract passengers. Why should it? Any mass market cruise ship crosses the Atlantic at 17 knots or so. Cunard has chosen to discard what made it special in favor of the illusion of special. I, for one, would rather be on Seabourn :D