SonofTertius

Oh good. What a relief. I don't like being in a box and you would never know if I was in an Inside or a Master Suite unless we invited you to share our Fridge Fairy's offerings, something we do quite frequently with lovely people we meet, be they Insiders or Grand Masters.

 

You've been on one Cunard cruise and have experienced so many things I haven't, on all my cruises. I suppose I must have been lucky, or could that be you, unlucky?

 

Which ever it is, Cunard isn't a rarified experience. It's a lovely way of taking a holiday. Cunard isn't a wannabe Downton Abbey and as I have already said and you acknowledged, Mrs B does not figure in my Cunard. No one Keeps Up Appearances. Not the folk I've met onboard at any rate. Just lovely people, out for a great break with others who enjoy a similar style of cruising.

 

I'm just so sorry your Cunard was nothing like mine, irrespective of which restaurant you dined in.

Thank you for your comments and may you keep enjoying Cunard as have have been doing. I didn't, and I believe this platform exist for people to relay their experience in the way which they have experienced it. It is my right as a consumer to inform others if I am unhappy with a product. I shall keep doing just that, irregardless of the amount of pushback I receive.

I thought it was 17.50 but, even at that rate, people obviously didn't think it worth it.

Ah yes, we were quoted for 2 pax. You're right, it was 17.50.

:')

 

 

 

I feel sorry for the company you will be cruising with, Cunard can not be that bad, they have a lot of sold out cruises.:')

Their advertising is amazing.

If the brand/company values me as a customer, they have nothing to worry about. It's one of the simplest rules of business.

But how would you know ?

 

 

 

They don't have wear a badge with "Grills" on it !

 

 

 

And why would anyone say to you "Hello, I'm in the Grills" ? And equally, I assume you never asked them ? (or maybe you did ?)

Oh you'd be surprised. If they are in the Grills, they make a point of telling you this very early on in the conversation. They also emphasise that they have been on copious amounts of voyages with Cunard - apparently it's an invisible badge of honour. That said, it's unfair to box them all - it's only SOME of them.

Are you saying they tried to book, but because not enough people booked a table on any give evening, their booking was cancelled ? (I'm not commenting, I'm just asking).

Exactly Mr Toad. We tried as well but we're told the al fresco (dinner on the pool deck aft of the ships) service wasn't available due to a lack of interest. Nelly I can't remember exactly and correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the 'cover charge' $35.00 pp?

perhaps the OP could a brief description of the style of cruise ship he would prefer, their ambience, daily activities , entertainment food etc, for what its worth the Cunard brand suits us fine, recently been on a competitor inundated with non stop canned loud music in public areas, constant announcements encouraging you to attend this or that event aimed at parting you from your money etc I go cruising for relaxation I do not drink alcohol or wine ( my recent retired employment would have resulted in instant dismissal if I failed a stringent breath test before going on duty, this weaned off my wilder younger days) so that particular moan does not apply, neither do I bother with the shows, prefer a walk round deck after dinner

Each to his own. Enjoy Cunard. I didn't.

I've never been to a show or talk on Cunard which lasted two hours. Shows are usually around 45 minutes and the talks much the same. I can only assume I didn't attend the same venues but then the Cunard ships are quite large - I must have missed them.

 

 

 

Having recently travelled on a RCI ship I think that line might be more your cup of tea.

 

 

 

I found your thread amusing in the beginning but now it has become rather repetitive and boring - a trait I thought you didn't like. Happy cruising.

Thank you for your comments. Enjoy Cunard.

Glad we cleared that up and I'm sorry to hear about the Twitter threats. That seems very bizarre.

 

I hope it doesn't stop you posting your final installment.

What and miss all this excitement?! Never. I now only wish that y'all were on this boring cruise with me. It would have been anarchy [emoji6]

If you have enjoyed reading MY observations, please stay tuned for the final instalment of my QV Cunard 7 day cruise review. It will cover the following subjects:

Pool Decks

Ship Shops

Greek & Albanian Ports

The Overall Ambiance (through MY eyes)

My Overall Conclusion of The QV & Cunard

Many thanks for reading so far.

Hattie, to single out one comment, which could be interpreted as 'tongue in cheek', is maybe missing the point, although you did concede there are some 'valid comments'. The OP has made many valid observations.

 

Cunard is not a premium line (maybe in the past it was), it is a mass market line and on a downward trend, observed, by myself, over 19 years.

 

It is just just such a shame that many Cunard diehards see it as a personal attack.

 

I know what to expect from Cunard and will no doubt still take the occasional cruise with them, but with eyes open and not looking through 'rose tinted spectacles'.

Thank you Glenndale. Yes, it was tongue in cheek. My observations might have added colour and hopefully people are able to see that in essence, Cunard is a product which is in decline based on the serious failings in their service and attitude towards Cruisers who are perhaps not emotionally involved with the brand in such a way that they'll protect it no matter what.

OK, I'll try again. This is what you posted on a Carnival thread, link above

 

"When I mentioned it in a Cunard thread some of the diehard Cunarders lost it - some of them even suggested that they should petition to have TV's completely removed from the cabins"

 

Please tell me which Cunard thread this happened ? I have not been able to find it.

It didn't happen. I reimagined someone's comment who said he didn't understand why cabins have TV's in. Hands up, I added colour for dramatic effect but, the bottom line of the comment is still true.

Ah now is see. I misunderstood. Reimagined! Sorry I'm a littler slow this morning after the receiving threats from fellow passengers via Twitter.

Yes Hattie. I twisted the sentence and added a bit of colour for dramatic effect but, the essence of the meaning is that Trevor doesn't want a TV in the cabin.

If people will feel better about themselves I'd happily say that my review is all based on lies and that you'll all have a fabulous time.

I'll refresh your memory, your quote is in this thread on the Carnival board

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2525170

 

Trevor's was the closest I could find to your memory of what had happened on this board. Please help me find the comments about petitions for removing of televisions.

I have never petitioned to remove televisions Hattie. If you have proof, please produce it. I feel you are actively attempting to discredit my review. Let the people decide for themselves please. This is not North Korea.

Possibly, but when this single comment

 

 

 

is reimagined as this

 

 

 

I have some difficulty taking all his comments too seriously. There are some valid comments in there but it all gets a bit lost in the mix.

Hattie please check again. The 2 comments you have quoted are from 2 different people; I'm not Trevor Fountain. I am Son of Tertius - all FOR TV's and, would even say that I'm a bit of a TV addict.

[emoji52]

In the bar, show, buffet or sleeping.

Recording the video.

This is spot on.

 

 

 

Having been 5 times now on Cunard I've come to the conclusion that it is faux, not real somehow, and all a bit of an act, a pretense.

 

 

 

Now I don't know whether it's always been like that, and it's changed recently, or if I've only just clocked it.

A Disney Line. Almost identical [emoji6] Although, you'd be certain to get better service on Disney.

thanks Hattie - exactly what i was thinking as i reached not just for a grain of salt but rather the whole cellar.

Unless Cunard makes some long overdue changes, you'd probably have to take that cellar of salt with you for the next journey.

We've sailed with 8 different cruise lines, 25+ cruises, ranging from 7 to 60 days. All different, some better than others, but never had a bad one. Can never understand why some people travel simply to fault find and then think that other people will find their observations worthwhile or interesting. Sure Cunard have some issues, like all lines, but heck, it's supposed to be a holiday. Perhaps if you treated it like one you might come home with a smile instead of high blood pressure. I read this because we are on the QV next year and I thought it might be interesting. It's not.

I wish you a fabulous cruise. Part 5 of the review will be out on Monday covering the pool decks, shops, ports, overall ambiance and of course, the conclusion [emoji16]

Agreed, Hattie! His "humour" is painted with a large brush. I really wonder how credible a rather scathing review of the QV can be after only 7 days onboard.

 

 

 

There are certainly any number of cruise ships, also within the Carnival family of brands, where one might feel more at home. After all, some people are more comfortable in a ship without a dress code, without any enrichment except port shopping lectures, with "entertainment " of hairiest chest and best belly flop contests, and with food that is like a plated fast food restaurant. To each his own.

 

 

 

Ricki

Cunard is incredibly lucky to have customers who'd stand up for the brand like you all are. Each to his own, as you say.

Please understand that my review is not an attack on the die hard Cunardians. It is my account of my experience on a ship in which I felt uncomfortable in. Some of the people here might have a similar experience on a EasyCruise, for instance. If you read carefully, it's not all negative but some of the issues should be looked at by Cunard for everyone's benefit.

If you were onboard for 7 days in the Greek Isles, how many sea days did you have ? There isn't much planned for port days as it's assumed most passengers will be off the ship.

 

 

 

I realise you are exaggerating for comic effect and it is very amusing, I just hope people who haven't yet travelled with Cunard don't take this too seriously.

We had 2 sea days Hattie. I don't see how much else they could have planned, sea days or not. We spent all the port days off the ship for as long as we could. We stopped at some really great ports and that was a plus.

I am adding comic but not exaggerating - I'm only calling it how I saw it. We are all different and some would think me being over the top, others would identify like they have done so far. It is Cruise CRITIC after all [emoji6]

Part 4 of 5

Activities, Entertainment, Events

If shuffleboard, jigsaw puzzles, chess, bingo, pub quizzes, knitting, cross-stitching, watercolour painting, Tiddlywinks and prayer circles is your kind of thing; Cunard could be perfect for you. Apologies if I offend anyone by thinking that I was stuck in a time-looped episode of 'Waiting for God'. I get the fact that there's a select demographic which might enjoy these activities and there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with it however, there's an array of people on the ship and treating everyone like they are Diana Trent might send some of us to an early grave. I bet if they had lawns on the promenade deck we'd probably have to ad horseshoe, ring-toss and croquet to the above list. As I have been writing the review over the past week, mulling over my experience on the QV, I am always pulled towards the thought that the 3 Cunard ships could just as well be additions to the themed Disney Cruise Line fleet - they wouldn't even have to repaint the livery, maybe just ad a couple of cartoon effigies to the stern of the ship. Disney because in my opinion, QV (and her sisters) are ultimately themed ships. I'm not sure what the theme is, but based on their onboard activities it certainly seems like something from pre-WW2. It felt like I was in a museum. An interactive museum for that matter. Museums are nice for a few hours but people soon tire of them.

Entertainment on board came in a similar prehistoric form and you should prepare yourself for harp, piano and violin recitals. These methods of 'entertaining' people are nice for a candlelight supper or riparian entertainments (now and then) but having to spend a week in an enclosed space, out at sea with 3000 other people and nothing else to be entertained with, might be literally pushing the boat too far. The poor harp playing woman is probably as fit as a fiddle. Her daily programme consisted of 2 hours in the lobby, then up to the Lido deck, then to the winter garden, then back to the lobby, then back to the winter garden and then to one of the bars. I couldn't keep up but, saw her around every corner I turned. Up and down she went all day. At some stage I thought she might have perhaps been a clone. Also, please do not tell me that people enjoy listening to a harp 24/7, 365. On some occasions when I saw her plucking away in the winter garden, there were literally no one listening, apart of course from the nappers, but most of the time their hearing aids were laid out on the coffee tables and they had heavy books covering their faces. I know that Cunard is perhaps a niche market, but like myself, others are genuinely fooled by their advertising portraying the experience as elegant and refined. It wasn't. It was boring and repetitive and if you don't conform with their guidelines, you are left to feel excluded from the whole experience. Not a very good business model in my opinion. The ship is comfortable and I'm perhaps giving her less credit than what she deserves however, she made me feel like a second class passenger and that to me raised more than a few red flags. Restrictive is the word I was looking for. Cunard is restrictive. Like a public boarding school full of rules and regulations.

Apart from going to watch the odd movie twice during the journey, we didn't bother going to the Royal Court Theatre. Main reason for this was that you needed to sit there for 2 hours suited and booted after having eaten a stodgy meal without feeling uncomfortable to the point where you had wanted to make a noose for yourself with your necktie. Having said that; the theatre is beautiful. It is probably the 'sexiest' area on the ship. It needs a bit of work though. Some of the seats have seen better days and the media equipment is probably from 2007. Based on the odd movie we experienced there, only one of the 4 surround sound speakers were working and the movie kept getting stuck at a certain point; they then had to restart the whole thing and we sat through the beginning of King Kong three times. I almost know all of the actor's lines now. Also, it being a movie and Cunard hoping to create an experience, why didn't they serve small bags of popcorn or provide a couple of Godiva (which they are VERY proud of because there's posters all over the ship about this supplier) chocolates to enhance the film experience. Some of you would probably question watching movies on a ship. I mean, why not go to the pub quiz or a $130.00 champagne tasting instead?! Well, there were many people in the theatre during the movies, more of an audience than the poor guy who were talking about drug smuggling in the Mediterranean had. Nevertheless and again; the movie experience was a restrictive experience - almost as if it was a shame that were were there and not listening to the harps and pianos.

Some people I had spoken to, did really enjoy the live shows. If I remember correctly they had a couple of acrobats one night playing with some ribbons and ropes, the other night a musical set in post war New York and France (or something) and on one of the final nights, a comedian who also hosted some of the 24 pub quizzes during the journey. Maybe it was for the best that I didn't attend. Oh and before I forget; there was another guy, no idea who he was, that gave lectures about Stuart Rose from M&S - a good two hours of that. I would assume that the excitement of this session would have set the unmistakable tone for the post 6pm Royal Ascot theme, in unadulterated proportions.

Dress Code

Formal for men = penguin suit with bow tie or, a dark suit and dark tie (funeral style) - be prepared for some underhanded glares if you are not wearing full fledged black tie during formal nights. I assume that the dark suit indicates that you have an obstructed view or windowless cabin. Ahem! Apologies; stateroom.

Formal for women = think Princess Anne during a state banquet, minus the crown. There were some lovely dresses - no sarcasm here, promise.

Informal for men = think post funeral in the pub. Still dressed in your suit, but minus the tie. Or, for those who are a little more adventurous; Friday afternoon in the House of Commons, just about ready to leave the office.

Informal for women = think Beatrice and Eugenie at William's wedding. Yes, I did see a few fascinators (type of hat).

In the dress code's defence, it is perhaps good to mention at this stage that anything goes in any area before 18:00 - which is helpful, otherwise I would never have seen most of the ship and would have been stuck on deck 9 for the whole week.

For others who really couldn't be bothered after 3 days (like yours truly) you are really able to push the casual-look to the extreme in the Lido restaurant on Deck 9 - flip flops, shorts, t-shirts, pyjamas. No one judges you there. Just don't dare to take the lifts or midship stairs! You are bound to bump into the formals in these areas and unless your skin is made of steel, the piercing stares, shaking if heads and tut-tuts are bound to scar you for life. I used the stern stairs and a quick dash up from the 4th desk left me breathless but still in tact. If you really need to take the lifts, pull a paper bag over your head and hope for the best. PS: I knew exactly what I was getting myself into in terms of the dress code before we booked and I'm in no form blaming the dress code for not enjoying my experience. I also understand that there are people who enjoy dressing up and book Cunard purely for its 'formality' - that's fine too. My qualm is that other (more relaxed) liners (like Princess) have formal nights and cater for the formals. Why does Cunard which is a formal line not have a couple of smart casual nights to cater for the more casuals. Even one would do. The we could all just relax a little. (Part 4 of 5)

I like that observation. I call it "council thinking". Where I live, the council would rather charge such high rents and rates that shops stand empty, rather than reduce said rents/rates and have a business take over a building. It's just the same on cruise ships.

It makes me think of your Mrs May review [emoji6]

And it's now Saturday morning....

 

 

 

I'm all eyes, waiting for the next episode !

[emoji4] Sorry Mr Toad. Was catching up with friends last night. Tomorrow lunchtime [emoji6]