KatieG73

You have a point here. This is the general problem with the most famous vessel in the world. Some people are expecting an out of this world luxury experience at a middle class price. Cunard's - quite brilliant - advertising strategy helps a lot in creating this misunderstanding.

A trip on the QM2 is very much a middle class experience, and anyone who seeks absolute luxury should think about chartering his own yacht instead.

The thing for me is that had I not sailed with DCL prior I probably would have been blown away, but in comparison I just didn't get that goosebump feeling and my heart in my mouth.

But totally agree with what you say about Cunard's advertising, I was expecting out of this world and it wasn't -that doesn't mean it wasn't good, it was, very good, but it wasn't quite in the same bracket as say the likes of hotels/restuarants like Gleneagles, Celtic Manor or The Ivy, all of which I visit for events with work fairly regularly. I was breathing a sigh of relief to be honest as I had been worried I wouldn't be 'posh' enough :)

Chacon à son goût.I think the bars come in at about 14 or 15. That is plenty. At 66 I am sailing with smaller numbers and fewer free range children. Cunard and Holland America.

"Chacon à son goût" Absolutely and that's what makes it interesting :)

I'll let you into a secret - other than my own very well behaved child I don't really like children :) especially not noisy, badly behaved ones! But Disney does a great job of policing the adult only pools, bars and restaurants so that apart from things like the sail away party you could spend the entire cruise with very minimal interaction with children...our next cruise on DCL will be without our daughter as she's doing a stint of backpacking, so I intend to stay firmly in the adult only areas which are very extensive.

I do fancy trying Holland America as I've heard good things, possibly for Alaska but that wont be this year.

Thank you for your review, KatieG73. Very complete and well-written. I'm glad that your family was able to enjoy the crossing, although you didn't choose to repeat. I notice you didn't mention the Commodore Club. Did you spend much time there?

 

Happy travels, wherever they may take you (on whichever line you choose)!

Hi Mark,

We did pop into the Commodore club couple of times but it was fairly quiet -not sure if this was because we were on late seating for dinner and it got busy later. Very nice space though and good cocktails :)

I found these forums very helpful when I was planning my QM2 journey so thought it might be of interest to some if I shared my thoughts on our very first voyage with Cunard;

Some background - We sailed on the Westbound Transatlantic from Southampton to New York on the QM2 on 13th July followed by a week in New York.

On board were me, 45 my husband, also 45, our daughter 17 and my mum, 66

We had 2 adjacent Britannia Cabins with Balcony

Whilst this was our first Cunard Cruise it wasn't out first cruise, we have previously sailed with Disney Cruise Line (5 Cruises) and NCL (2 Cruises) - with the exception of my mum who has only cruised with us once before on Disney Cruise Line.

First Impressions

Our first impressions from the terminal were very good -the ship from the exterior is magnificent and very much in keeping with the old ocean liners of old, our preference over the big white appliance like ships of many other cruiselines.

Boarding was pretty straightforward, a slightly different system than we are used to with Disney and not quite as efficient but Disney are masters at moving large amounts of people very efficently.

I can't compare to NCL as both times we've sailed with them we've been in a suite so no need to wait to board, you are escorted straight onto the ship.

So far so good!

Our first impressions on entering the foyer/lobby was lukewarm - we were expecting...wow!!! But in comparison with other ships there just wasn't the wow factor. It's all very nice but I think our expectations were off a little. We've mostly sailed on the Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy both of which are Art Deco ships, we expected the QM2 to be more beautiful, more authtentic but in comparison it Disney have nailed it here (have a look at some grand atruim pictures of these ships and you'll see what I mean).

We dumped our carry bags (which were mostly wine!) in our rooms which were stunning, couldn't fault them at all and headed for Kings Court - we were very impressed with the buffet and had the most tender lamb and stunning prawns. It's a little chaotic on the first day trying to find a table but it's been the same on every other ship on embarkation day. Waiter service for drinks was a little slow ....this did not improve over the week.

Dining

Apart from one bad steak (my mum) the food was excellent in every venue we ate in.

Compared to our experience elsewhere though the dining options are limited -not an issue for us as the quality of the food was so good, however if we'd been on for longer than a week I think I'd be looking for something different. That being said we didn't try the pop up restaurants as none were too our taste -if they'd had an indian option whilst we were onboard we'd have jumped at it!

Public Spaces

Again compared to other ships there seemed to be less bars/lounges etc and what there was was definitely aimed towards the older demographic -my mum felt like a young thing on this cruise.

We really liked the pub but it was always packed -luckily we got to know a couple of the waiters very well and as soon as we walked into the pub chairs would appear as if from nowhere! They aways managed to seat us -we made sure we refected this in the individual tips at the end of the cruise.

The Corinthia Lounge and Chart Room whilst very nice were just not for us -Corinthia had not atmosphere and the Chart Room tended to have a Jazz Band playing which, if like us you hate Jazz, isn't ideal. In both these venues the age group tended to be older than in the pub.

We loved G32 for it's cheesieness and had a couple of great nights here (excellent drinks service) but it was more a 'disco' than a 'nightclub' -again not disimilar from all cruiselines -if you want a cool nightclub you're probably not going to find it at sea :)

The Queens Room was just not for us - we are just not the right age demographic for ballroom dancing, being mid 40's to mid 60's but the older passengers seemed to like it. We went along thinking it would be nice to see the dancing but it was so old fashioned and stiff, not like on Strictly come dancing!!

Service

We couldn't fault the service and indeed had some exceptional service from the 2 lads in the pub and our dinner servers, however on the whole compared to Disney it's just not quite there. I even felt that the service on NCl was friendlier and warmer.

We had requested a table for 4 (as we always do) and this was the first time on any cruise that our request wasn't honoured -luckily we had fantastic table mates but I would have asked for it to be changed had we not been comfortable.

Entertainment

On the whole we felt the entertainment was geared towards the older passengers (Bridge/Bingo/Knitting!!)

but we're not the type of people that need to be entertained so it wasn't a big issue for us.

We did enjoy very much the lectures we attended and felt this was something other cruiselines could definitely to better.

Thw shows were just ok -a bit cheesy, not really our style but well done and the theatre is stunning.

Dress Code

This seems to be a hot topic on this forum but I'll be honest I was a little wary going on this cruise after reading some of the posts on dress code- I dress professionally every day for work and own some very nice gowns for formal events but still worried that I would be underdressed compared to all the finery I was going to encounter. My husband brought his Tux and a couple of nice tweed jackets and us ladies brought our nicest gowns and hoped for the best. ........I needn't have worried, we fit in just fine. I was expecting Society Wedding.... it's not anywhere close to that. I would say it's about the same level as Disney on Formal Night (NCL dont tend to have formal nights so more casual). So if you are reading this and worried about all the angst about dress code don't worry - it isn't really that formal, the majority of women were wearing what I would class as day dresses on formal night.

Costs

Onboard costs were suprisingly reasonable. We bought soda packages for all and a wine package (can't remember which one). I dirnk wine with dinner but outside of this love a few cocktails or mixed drinks and prices were pretty much what I'd pay on a night out in town so we were pleasantly surprised. That being said -they do add up.... I did miss the NCL all inclusive drinks package :)

We had initially been suprised at the cost of the cruise but realise that all Transatlantic cruises are less expensive due to the lack of port fees but still in comparison to this years DCL transatlantic we were delighted. That being said however, you get what you pay for, and I think from now on we'll pay the extra to cruise with Disney or Haven on NCL .

All in all we had a great time, we probably would sail Cunard again but it would have to be for the initerary and/or if there were specific lecturers we wanted to see. As for net year, we've already, since coming home booked both DCL and NCL cruises :)

Thanks all - lots of suggestions!!

Tried to get a copy of the book but couldn't get it delivered before we go - fingers crossed I can get hold of the library copy!

Thank you so much all!

Jack am going to read your thread now, thank you.

There are some suggestions in this thread

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2628952

Thank you Hattie

Evening All,

We will be embarking on our first Cunard voyage on Friday (Westbound Transatlantic).

We have cruised previously with Disney (when our daughter was younger) and NCL so we're not strangers to cruising but first timers with Cunard.

Am looking for tips and advice on any 'must do's' whilst onboard please.

Travelling will be myself, my husband, our 17 year old daughter and my mother.

On our list so far are;

The lectures - the speakers for our sailing look very interesting

The Planetarium

Afternoon Tea -I think my mum will get a kick out of the white glove service and ceremony

I looking forward to relaxing in the pool and spending time in the various bars with a cocktail in hand.

My husband is looking forward to joining in on any quizzes etc.

Is there anything else we should be looking out for that's maybe not obvious to the non-regular i.e. am sure I read somewhere that on the night before arriving in New York there's a bit of a celebration in the Queens Room?

We've bought masks for the Masquerade ball and plan to participate in all of the gala nights but wondering again if there is anything we hould know before we go.

The reason I ask is that most of our cruises have been on Disney and there are so many things that go on that if you weren't 'in the know' you'd very likely miss. You'd still have a great cruise without knowing about them but they can really be special moments and the 'icing on the cake'.

Thank you!

Katie

We cruised last year with an overnight in Venice , not on Cunard I should say, but the sail into Venice is one of the most stunning things I have ever experienced and it will stay with me forever. You are in for a treat! enjoy!

Yes the wall can be opened. Ask your room steward to do this for you.

That's really good to know -thank you!

For our upcoming cruise we have a row of 3 Sheltered Balcony rooms - have had a wee look at the pictures and videos online and they look fine, would prefer a 'normal' balcony but we booked late.

One questions though- I can't tell from what I can see on youtube, can the connecting 'wall' between the balconies be opened up? We've done this previously on another cruise line and it was quite nice having the bigger, connected balcony space.

I'm a bit hesitant to reply to these questions since it seems discussions of Cunard's alcohol policy have recently elicited almost as much passion on this board as the dress code, but here goes anyway.

 

You are absolutely entitled to bring one bottle of wine each. Here is what the Voyage Personaliser states.

 

"You may bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person on board to celebrate special occasions. If consumed in restaurants or bars, each bottle will be subjected to a $20 corkage fee."

 

The Cunard UK FAQ has a more general statement about the alcohol policy with no mention of a quantity limit.

 

"You may bring wine or champagne on board (over the age of 21) to celebrate special occasions. However if it is consumed in any of the dining rooms, alternative restaurants or bars then each bottle will be subject to a corkage fee of $20 (fee subject to change)."

 

In practice, Cunard does not currently limit passengers to bringing only one bottle of wine each on board. Posters here have reported they have been able to bring substantial quantities of alcohol on board Cunard ships without any problem. As long as you limit yourself to a reasonable quantity (as you have indicated you will), there should be no issue at all. Also, Cunard does not mention bringing other forms of alcohol on board besides wine and champagne, but again other posters have indicated they have been allowed to bring hard liquor and beer on board without any problem.

 

Of course this policy is subject to change by the time you actually sail, but this is my understanding of the current policy.

 

Regards, John

Thanks John -understand!

We wouldn't be looking at bringing more than a bottle each so that works out well -as I said we're more social drinkers and will be propping up numerous bars :) but nice to have the option for a wee glass or two in our staterooms.

You are permitted to take some drink on ship when boarding , your mum would be able to have a little drink of her fav wine in her stateroom any time.;p

Now that's fantastic -i know some cruise lines do not allow.

How much would be acceptable? We're not going to go mad or anything :halo: but my mum and I would both enjoy a glass or two of wine when getting ready for dinner or reading on the balcony. My husband isn't a big wine drinker but some beers in the cabin would go down well (although assume we can order from room service or use mini bar for those)

When I was looking at the drinks menu's onboard I didn't see Southern Comfort (which would be my spirit of choice) and wondered about bringing a bottle on board but in reality it would probably remain unopened as I do prefer to be out and about and other than a glass or two of wine getting ready for dinner I can't imagine me having much more to drink in the cabin.

Oh that's great, thank you!

Yes, you can order the same bottle from the package if that's the only one you like.

That's great to know, thank you!

Cunard will assign you an arrival time when they issue your e-tickets. But that is not a firm time. You will not be turned away or made to wait until your assigned time has arrived. It is more of a suggested time to even out the embarkation process.

Thank you!

As far as I know this cruise line is more for older crowds I would not take my teenagers on a Cunard’s cruise ... Royal Caribbean , NCL or Carnival are more suitable for them . I’m pretty sure my laid back children will hate to dress up or wearing jackets every single night 😑 My cousin took her son and he hated . 😬

Am hoping we'll be ok- we've done Haven on NCL and loved it, , don't fancy RCL at all (not sure why as am sure it's great but just never appealed to me.

Luckily our daughter loves to dress up (at her age it's parties every weekend!) although appreciate her normal party wear wont be suitable for QM2!! She has a couple of balls coming up with School and her choir so we've got a couple of shopping trips planned to purchase gowns that could be used for the cruise and at her later events.

We do tend to dress up quite often anyway for nice dinners out/weekends away etc so she does have a number of cocktail style/wedding guest type dresses as part of her staple wardrobe.

Welcome to Cunard! I'll take a stab at your questions. By the way, I think you have made a great choice.

 

Soda Package - I agree with Mr. Toad. I am not aware of being able to pre-order the soda package. We always order ours once on board from the drinks waiter when we order our first sodas. The waiter will take your key card and return it with a sticker affixed to it indicating you have purchased the "soft drink package" along with a receipt to sign for the purchase.

 

Wine Package - We have never purchased a wine package, but I see no reason why you could not select the same wine for all of the bottles in the package if you so wished. But someone else with experience on how the wine packages work may have to confirm that.

 

Shops on board - Mrs. Bluemarble informs me it is her recollection is that the Michael Kors shop on QM2 does not sell any of the clothing line. To get an idea of what other shops are available on QM2, I'd suggest taking a look at the "Shops Photos" found here within the photo collection in the post called "3,430 Photos of Queen Mary 2".

 

Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Shops Photos - 114 Pictures

 

Hope this helps some and wishing you a wonderful and rewarding corossing on QM2.

 

Regards, John

Thank you John, that's really helpful.

Will have a wee mooch through the photo's now.

Sorry -just thought of another question!

In the past due to the age of our Daughter we have normally cruised with Disney. Once booked you log into their website and pick your port arrival time. I don't see anything like this online, although I appreciate it's probably a bit early - is it the same sort of system? Or will we be allocated an arrival/check in time at a later stage?

We'll be flying to Southampton/London a couple of days before so not an issue flights wise but curious to know so we can book town car/limo.

You buy the soda package on board. It's available for the first 2 or 3 days only (I mean to buy that is), so just buy it on board on your first day and you will be sorted for the rest of your cruise. Simples.

Thank you, much appreciated.

We have just booked our first Cunard cruise and would appreciate some help with a couple of questions;

Soda Package - I can see if mentioned in the FAQ section but when I log into the Voyage Personaliser I can't see any way to purchase. Is it a case of phoning to purchase like the Wine packages?

Wine Package- Am thinking of purchasing this for my mum. She has a favourite wine, which luckily is listed in the wine package. If I buy the package, is it the same as other cruise lines, can she order the same bottle of wine every night?

Shops on board - My teenage daughter is delighted to hear there is a Michael Kors shop onboard. Can anyone advise if it the usual bags/purses/watches or if they also sell the clothes line too?

What other shops are onboard? Anything else that may appeal to a teenager with money burning a hole in her pocket? :D

Pricing -not a question, more an observation. We've cruised a fair bit and always assumed that Cunard would be waaaay out of our price range but we've actually found it pretty reasonable, indeed cheaper that the Disney/NCL alternatives that we were looking at. Appreciate no port fees for a transatlantic but still delighted by the cost. If we like it we'll be booking again for next years space week cruise.

I've just booked our first cruise on Cunard, QM2 Transatlantic Westbound and reading posts like this make me wonder if I've made a horrendous mistake.

We have a few cruises under our belts -8 Disney cruises and a handful of NCL cruises. But now that our daughter is 16 we thought we'd try something a little more 'grown up'.

We plan to comply fully with the dress code (I, more so than my husband actually enjoy dressing up, and he just wears what I leave out for him which will be a Tuxedo suit/Kilt or Sports coat depending on the night ) but if some poor soul finds himself in the theatre, very nicely dressed but no jacket people would actually get a kick out of complaining about them and humiliating them....I just can't get my head round that.

Am wondering if I'm just the wrong generation for this type of cruise (and I consider myself an oldie at 44 ;p)