NE John

I was underwhelmed at the production last summer. They need to upgrade the technology. The subject matter is interesting but the visuals are dated. It’s free and only 45 minutes so worth the visit but one will probably not get blown away.

The fine print of all these packages!

Cunard has some nicer soft drink brands like Fettermams and Fever Tree that are used for cocktail mixers but are delicious on their own. Not sure if those brands have diet cola though. Hot chocolate is excellent too. All covered in that package.

Spitballs seem to terrorize well…especially in Latin class!

Hope you two had a nice meetup.

I’ve canceled/rebooked three times so far on upcoming voyage (this is the first time I booked direct with Cunard, all other voyages via TA). I also received and accepted a phone call offer to upgrade from P2 to Q6. Question - If I had a TA, would that travel professional proactively contact me if they see lower rates or is it up us as pax to keep abreast of fare movements and contact TA? I love working with TA’s but wanted to give trip a go myself.

Comparing traveling on a 2,600 pax premium class ocean liner in Britannia grade to a smaller 700 pax luxury ship really is not a fair comparison. I heard the food and service on Azamara is very good but so is food and service in the Grills level on Cunard and that would be a more accurate comparison, especially fare-wise.

Old school!

Is Cunard still refunding your fare and giving you some FCC? Or are they just saying, in the words of Monty Python, “Never mind”…

While overall complimentary, on a very recent “Paul and Carole” YT vid summing up QA, they found out that about 50% of the staff were either new or on first time Cunard contracts and that detail may have lead to initial service hiccups. They expected Cunard to “pull out the stops” and include more seasoned staff as a highlight for a more expensive maiden voyage. Did anyone speak to staff to determine if that large percentage of staff was that inexperienced? I’m sure all lines tow a delicate balance between providing knowledgeable staff for a new ship while not alienating the existing cruisers on other ships used to seeing key service staff onboard.

The week’s crossing will fly by quicker than you think. PG dining is special too. If you like wine, ask your sommelier on the first day if there are wine tastings. There’s an extra charge but highly worth it. The weather conditions will be all over the place so enjoy being outside when you can.

You’ll still love the PG bathroom and overall layout of the suite and large balcony. I do like being on 10 Deck over 9 because you don’t see the top of the lifeboats as much, even though most say that’s not a big deal. Our PG view from last summer:

QV and QE have open crew areas on forward Deck 5 too.

From the OP’s point of view, he probably wishes that Cunard shows the compassion that he has experienced here from the Cunard Cruise Critic community. I truly hope Cunard steps up and does the right thing for your honeymoon.

You may not believe it now, but I believe you made the right decision to honeymoon on Cunard. You two will have a much calmer and elegant experience vs. MSC. When you have kids, then give MSC a go. You’ll also have a chance to rake Cunard over the coals if they don’t do right by you at the end. Please enjoy your voyage, I’ve done a similar itinerary on Queen Elizabeth and it’s beautiful.

I too called about getting emails I am receiving to upgrade and I called and was told a third party administrators the program and Cunard has no more info to add. I’m offered a Penthouse Q3/4 on QE for about the same price as you are seeing (from recently upgraded Q6!) and I’m going to pass. Question @Judyrem - did you book direct with Cunard or with a travel agent? I wonder if TA bookings get these upgrade communications. I’m not a newbie (nor a veteran like many here) but this is the first time I booked directly.

There is a small third tier (maybe not a true full third level) as part of upper Britannia. That area may be quieter than the rest of the larger venue. I agree, Britannia has a nice buzz vs being noisy.

Don’t deny yourself from eating at the Britannia restaurant; it’s a show-stopping space. Whether you have fixed or open seating, ask the M’D for a table in a quieter area, maybe the third level. I recommend fixed dining so the wait staff gets to know you during the Crossing for a more personal experience. The other venues are either extra charge or maybe even louder. As mentioned above, the only music is background music from a string trio/quartet.

And PG too.

Correct. Smaller cod and other whitefish is called scrod. We are lucky to be around good New England fishermen around here.

PG suites on QA look very attractive. Bathroom seems a tad smallish but we should be out and about anyway. Look forward to more commentary.

A Cunard rep, via phone two Fridays ago, said there are no limits of beverages one can bring on board. He volunteered that info - I didn’t ask.

The only ones who really know the difference between hake, cod, and other white flaky fish are die-hard New England fishermen. Here’s a hake recipe that reminds me very much like a cod dish: https://newengland.com/weekends_with_yankee/episode-402-arts-and-the-sea/barton-seavers-sauteed-hake-with-brown-butter-herbs-baby-potatoes/

Beppu, Japan The breakwater is a good clue.

I read somewhere that the practice of a room full of hundreds of diners twirling post-meal used napkins is frowned upon in these high-alert sanitary days. Maybe that’s a reason why these chefs’ parades have disappeared.