deck chair

Hello!  I have done many crossings with the NSO.   Concerts are awesome.   All very well attended. You will not be disappointed.   Good luck.

Deck Chair.

Hello!  Unless absolutely no alternatives you are warned that connecting cabins will often be noisy.  Of course, very dependent on if you are hard of hearing or if your neighbors are quiet.  Avoid if at all possible.  All the best.

Deck Chair. 

Hello!

I have sailed with Cunard countless times since 1993.  It is very troubling to see all the cutbacks and declining standards especially with respect to the food quality and menu choices.  Truly, Cunard Line is no longer a "luxury" brand.  Therre is also insufficient staff which impacts on service.  It is very uneven. The loyalty program is mediocre and does not keep one from straying to other lines.  In my case to Oceania.  What keeps me still somewhat tied to Cunard is the Queen Mary 2, the great number of musicians providing live music throughout the ship, the speakers and the superior entertainment.  Cunard really shines there.  All the best to everyone!

Deck Chair

Hello!

I just spent 40 days on the INSIGNIA.  LA to Sydney.  On the many sea days, I spent a lot of time on the deck 5 promenade deck.  Great quiet and uncrowded place to read, nap, people watch, gaze at the passing ocean, and chat with fellow passengers who stroll by the very comfy deck chair you are lazing on.  Will not go on a ship with this feature which is why I will stick with the Oceania R class vessels.  Most unfortunately, the larger Oceania ships do not.  Too bad.  

As Pinotlover pointed out, this deck is closed when very heavy winds occur.  (Infrequent at least on this past sailing.)  The showers are small but certainly doable unless you are really big or very tall. Tons of storage space in the cabin.  I was in an OCEANVIEW on deck 4.  Service throughout the ship was excellent.  It is nice being on a small ship where a sense of community evolves on a longer sailing. This rarely happens when you sail on much bigger ships with 1500 passengers and more.

Although OCEANIA beats Cunard on many points especially when i t comes to food and menu choices, it far excels OCEANIA when it comes to entertainment and the number of musicians playing about the ship.  For example, on the INSIGNIA and SIRENA there was no live piano music in the MARTINIS lounge from 7-10 approximately.   It is a dead zone.  This would never happen on Cunard ships especially on the Queen Mary 2.  Readers who have experienced the Chart Room on the Queen Mary know what I am talking about. 

Solo passengers will find there are many such passengers including myself.    You can make plenty of friends and have a very good time if you have the right attitude.  

I hope this helps.

Deck Chair.

I have long had the opinion that the QA is going be an overcrowded mess.  Too many passengers and not enough space.  Just look at the smaller cabins, small Royal Court Theatre and no real promenade deck and mediocre seating in the premium Grills dining rooms as examples. Stephen Payne must be horrified. The bean counters at Cunard have really screwed this one up.  I will stick with QM2, a beautiful ship on which I have experienced 40+ sailings since 2006.  

No real promenade deck is a Deal killer for me.  I'll stick with QM2.  

Deck Chair.

Music around the pool is one reason I will not sail on the larger O ships since they   don't have the abbreviated promenade decks you find on the R class ships.  (Deck Five.)  There you can find peace and quiet except for the sound of the ocean. Perfect place to read under a lifeboat.  No crowds.  No chair hogs. No music.  

Deck Chair.

Hi! 

FYI, the smaller R class ships have abbreviated promenades on deck five.  Check out the deck plans.  This is one of my favorite spaces because there is peace and quiet except for the beautiful sounds of the sea.  It's a great place to sit or nap in the shade under a lifeboat.  It's a marvelous place to sit and read, chat with your fellow passengers (And even crew) and simply watch the sea and scenery go by.  Unfortunately, the larger O  ships such as Vista, Marina and Riviera have no such spaces which is the main reason I will not sail on them.  Good luck!

Deck Chair.

On 4/14/2024 at 12:15 AM, Down-Unders said:

 

Deck Chair,it sound it is time for you to go on Silverseas or maybe even Royal Caribbean where I believe they have a zip line and climbing wall. Give me your so called boring  Cunard Line anytime!

Hello:  It really is amazing how quickly the OP goes off topic.  This is the question for Cunard Line especially if they want to enhance revenue:   Do you maintain the boring almost lifeless and not particularly popular Verandah restaurant as is OR transform the space to a lively SUPPER CLUB such as existed on the original Queen Mary and no doubt Queen Elizabeth and currently exists on Silversea and RCL's Icon of the Seas or leave it as it is?  For your information, the supper clubs on Silversea and Icon of the Seas are apparently very popular.  This has nothing to do with climbing walls or zip lines.  Be well.

Deck Chair

Hello one and all!

I have done two cruises with Oceania as a solo traveler.  20 days on the Sirena Winter 2023 and just returned from 40 days on the Insignia. (LA to Sydney.)  I have booked another 77 days for this coming January 2025 on the Insignia from Miami to Singapore. That should tell you something.

I found the food to be very good to excellent.  Sure, there were some misses, but they were rare.  I am not very picky and don't look for problems.   The staff on the ships were  fantastic.  I made sure to sit in the same section in the GDR for dinner and breakfast so generally had the same waiters which goes a long way towards having a superior dining experience.  

I loved the cruise director Dottie who worked hard and was very good with the passengers.  The tendering operations went well.  I pretty much did my own excursions often with fellow passengers.  I don't like being herded around on a crowded bus with guides who talk too much.  Best to do your own thing where you are independent and stop where you want when you want.  No waiting around for missing passengers who those who don't get back to the bus at the appointed time. And too, doing your own thing is a certainly cheaper than the ship sponsored tours.  I have never had a problem getting back to the ship on time.  Yes, I understand the consequences if you don't!  

What I didn't like:  The very annoying intrusive 2-3 announcements about what was going on for the day.  NOTE TO OCEANIA:  Passengers can read CURRENTS!!!   They are not blind! You will never hear such announcements on Cunard ships except for the captain's noon report.  

What I didn't like part two:  Oceania caters apparently to mostly very early diners.  All the parties were scheduled for about 5:30 .  I normally had dinner about 8 so had zero interest in attending such early pre-dinner cocktail affairs.  Couldn't Oceania also schedule another set of parties for many of us who have later dinners?  I am not holding my breath. 

What I didn't like part three:  Again, because Oceania caters to a mostly retired population who prefer to eat early there was NO live piano music in Martinis between 7-10.  The lounge was a dead zone.  No wonder!  No draw.  Sure, the string quartet played in the hall space but that is hardly a cocktail lounge setting and really didn't draw that many people.

Why I won't sail on the larger ships:  I am quite aware of the advantages of sailing on the larger ships.  One of my favorite places to sit on a ship is the promenade deck such as exists on Cunard ships.  I love to sit on a comfy deck chair under a lifeboat in the shade, watch the sea go by, read and char with fellow passengers who wander by.  It is so peaceful.  Quiet.  The sunsets are to die for and so is the passing scenery. Such a space is found on deck 5 on the R class ships.  Such spaces do not exist on the larger ships.  

I wish all a happy day.

Deck Chair.

Great pictures.   Thank you for the post.  It's a shame there will be no real promenade deck such as exists on the other Cunard ships.  

Deck Chair.

Hi

I will be taking my third Oceania cruise this January on Insignia.  One of the calls is Tristan De Cuna, a very sparsely populated isolated island in the middle of the South Atlantic.  Obviously, weather dependent, I have seen nothing about our day long visit in shore excursions and so am wondering how we will be getting ashore to explore since there does not appear to be any formal landing area that could accommodate the tenders.  The island only has a population of about 300 people living in a small village.  Your thoughts please.   Thank you and be well.

Deck Chair.

Hi one and all!

I have sailed on QM2 over 40 times since 2006.  I have never found the Verandah Restaurant (Formerly Todd English) especially interesting.  IMHO is a boring lifeless place even if the food is very good.  It could be so much more, like the original Verandah Grill on the Queen Mary.

I have been watching YouTube videos of the EMPIRE SUPPER CLUB on the new Icon of the Seas and the SILVER NOTE on Silversea cruise line ships.  Both are specialty dining rooms offering subtle live music and a beautiful vibe: HIGH DEMAND GO  TO PLACES because they are full of life, good food and drink.  So, I ask myself, why can't Cunard Line do this on the Queen Mary 2?  Why can't Verandah also be a high demand go to place full of life instead of the boring place it is now.  By the way, it's been my experience that the Verandah is rarely fully booked.  No wonder!  It has the personality of an ash tray.  Cunard,  you can do better!

Deck Chair.

5 minutes ago, Kay S said:

I think it's near where you were but on the other side.  

You will want to double check the deck plans to make sure it is NOT a connecting cabin.  

Deck Chair.

On 3/12/2024 at 4:32 PM, Hoveto said:

Is Queen Anne really suited to voyages with lots of sea days? She doesn’t have a proper promenade deck where one can spend the day relaxing and looking at the ocean and also doesn’t have a great amount of open deck space. I think she’s more suited to port intense cruises ie fly cruises to the Mediterranean with only one sea day per 7 day cruise. Queen Victoria, in my humble opinion, is more suited to voyages with lots of sea days. It will be very interesting to read reviews after the first six or so cruises. Don’t think the maiden will be a good one to compare with as only a few sea days and the weather could be poor in May.

The lack of a proper promenade deck is a significant flaw on this ship with 3000 passengers.  On beautiful balmy sea days where will these people go for fresh sea air and not feel considerably squeezed in. (If they can ever find a deck chair that is.) It is the reason I will not sail on this ship.  Of course, I may be proven wrong, but I seriously doubt it.  Whoever was responsible should be held accountable.   (But they won't be.)  The picture below is of the Queen Mary 2 glorious promenade deck.

Do you know your cabin number at this point?  

Deck Chair.

18 hours ago, Kay S said:

Did you experience any noise issues from the reception area?

Great question!!  I was very concerned about noise with that cabin.  It tuned out it was wonderful.  No noise and very convenient.  On rare occasions there would be some minor noise when the port side on deck four was used for the gangway and that was only when they were setting up.  Normally, the gangway was located on deck 3 so far away.   Do not be concerned.  I would take that cabin in a heartbeat.  

The bus took us to KINGS STREET WHARF.  Deck Chair.  

I have sailed on both Sirena for 20 days January 2022 and most recently for 40 days on Insignia from LA to Sydney.  I was in an Oceanview on deck 4.  (4056).   Yes, the shower is very small.  I am 6'2 weigh 200 lbs and made do.  It helps there is a glass door.  I have heard some passengers use the gym showers as an alternative but to me that's a hassle. The cabin itself is adequate.  Was travelling solo.  Not sure if it would work for a couple.  Tons of storage though.  With the single supplement so high paying for a PH for more space and larger shower doesn't make sense to me.  I like the R class ships because of the quiet 5 deck promenade deck lined with deck chairs.  Perfect place to read and watch the ocean go by as you sit in the shade under lifeboats.  I will never sail on the newer ships because most unfortunately, they do not have that feature. I am hoping to sail in January 2025 on the INSIGNIA from Miami to Singapore no doubt in an OV.  Thats says it all.  Hope this helps.

Deck Chair.

Hello!  I was just on the INSIGNIA arriving in Sydney February 22.  while it was disappointing, we didn't dock in Circular Quay Oceania did provide a shuttle to the CBD from the White Bay Cruise Terminal.   Have fun.

Deck Chair. 

Hello!  I have been a Diamond member for years and do not recall a lunch benefit as such except for the verandah lunch you can use during the voyage or in one of the pop up specialty dinner restaurants on deck 7. This email communication from Cunard is not clear.   

Deck Chair

It is most unfortunate that there will be NO true promenade deck on QA as exists on the other ships.  It will be mostly very narrow, and most views blocked by lifeboats.   Cunard must be hoping that no one notices.  What a shame and it is the reason I will never book her.   FYI, I just came off the Christmas cruise on QM2 and when the weather was nice the promenade deck was hugely popular, and it was often hard to find a deck chair. 

Deck Chair

Hello!  One thing to do is not rely on the Cunard Website.      You or your TA needs to call up Cunard and ask directly.  Good luck.

Deck Chair 

13 hours ago, DrKoob said:

Can you explain something to me? Why do people automatically excuse cruise ship companies they like? When the company has obviously done something that has truly changed someone's vacation? It's like you are shills for the cruise line. One of the things I found in my 20 years on Cruise Critic is that on any forum for any cruise line there are people who will defend that cruise line no matter what. The OP is upset that his cruise was substantially changed.

 

And I don't I think this is an apples and oranges situation. It's a three-hour change on a flight that costs $6,000 (FC). And they offered to let me change it to any flight I wanted or to refund me. I am guessing the OP has at least $6K involved and they have substantially changed his vacation. 

Hi.  Because of the single supplement in this case, I am paying about $21,000 for an Oceanview on deck 4.  This is for a 40 day cruise from LA to Sydney.

Deck Chair.

Hello!   Thank you for all your interesting responses.  I am reading many opinions, speculations and guesses but few hard facts regarding this change of itinerary.  Strange how it was announced after final payment. If it had been before final payment I would have cancelled and booked the Queen Mary 2 to get me to Australia.

What would be truly helpful, and illuminating is for Oceania to explain exactly why these changes were made instead of just blaming BERTHING CONFLICTS.  The fact that Oceania has failed to do to leads me to suspect they are just out to save money, the consumer be damned.  

As I indicated in my OP, I have been sailing on ships such as the QE2 and Sagafjord for many decades and except for a very few weather-related causes have never experienced any changes in itineraries until Oceania.  As I said, most especially because of their growing reputation for unreliable itineraries I will think twice before I book another Oceania cruise.  Thanks again for all your comments and thoughts.  Be well.

Deck Chair.