QM2 compared to Celebrity

[ChicagoCruiser1973]

Hey, all-

 

I was just wondering if anyone out there has done both the QM2 and the suite-class on celebrity (with butlers). How does it compare to the QM2 Q or P class?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Gary B]

I would also be very interested in hearing thoughts on this. We have been on the QE2 in a Q2 and it was great. We had booked on Celebrity Century for Xmas 2005 Caribbean as we coudl not take the holidays that we would need to have done the QM2 Xmas 05 trip. But have just cancelled and decide to wait and do the QM2. This was partly after looking at the series (The Cruise) that was filled on one of Celebrity ships over a Caribbean season and decided that Cunard was for us...

[rjms74]

Whilst I have not had a suite on Celebrity's Summit when I took a Caribbean cruise on her in Oct/Nov'03 in a superior balcony cabin, I have travelled mainly in QG grade cabins on QE2 and would see that whilst the food & service were both very commendable onboard Summit, the QE2's Queens Grill experience is a hard act to follow and has the edge over Celebrity. Having said this the ambience in the main Restaurant with classical music from the orchestra is a nice touch and you dont' get this on QE2! The dining wait staff on Summit too were 1st class and I would say comparable to the QG wait staff and very anxious to please and help with special requests / particular favourite dishes! As were the cabin stewards who could not do enough for the passengers! The 'Millennium' class ship itself was simply stunning!I particularly liked the bar at the aft of the ship that was outside and where guitar music was played nightly - it was great to sit at the bar enjoying a drink and hearing the waves in the background.

 

Having said this the leisure facilities were second to none on Summit, which sadly are not very good on QE2! Why they ever reduced the 4 pools on QE2 to just 2 now amazes me and is a great shame! Interestingly the night club 'Revelations' on Summit was very poorly frequented especially when the Yacht Club on QE2 is usually packed out most evenings / early hours of the morning!

 

Whilst I would not hesitate booking Summit again, the Cunard style and unique atmosphere & always very interesting mix of International passengers will bring me back to QE2/ Cunard.

 

I hope the above, whilst off topic a bit, is useful!

 

Kind Regs,

 

RJMS74

[Gary B]

Thanks for this post - which was very interesting and helpful.

 

Can you tell me how you though the passengers comapred? Do the 2 lines attract the same or different types of people?

 

Gary

[Fang]

I have just returned from the QM2 (Jan 29 cruise). My wife and I have been on Celebrity 13 times.

 

On Celebrity we usually book a suite. We have been in all of the different suites on Celebrity, except the Celebrity Suite (due to no balcony). On the QM 2 we booked a B2 stateroom.

 

I will say that it would be hard to compare the suites on Celebrity to the Princess/Queens grill suites on Cunard. I say this because of the Grill rooms that a suite passenger would have access to on Cunard. When we travel with my daughters we have booked connecting concerge class cabins.

 

I would say that the interiors of the QM2 are much better than any Celebrity ship. I was amazed at how stunning the public areas are on the QM2. We loved the Golden Lion, Chart Room and Sir Samuels Wine bar. The major draw back about the QM2 is the pool areas. We spent time at the Terrace pool, and found it very complicated just to get to. Our cabin was on deck 11. The only way to get to the Terrace pool was for us to go to deck 12 then walk down three flights of outside steps to deck 8 or go to deck 7 and climb up outside steps to deck 8. There is a walkway on deck 8 but one must go through Todd English.

 

One nice thing about the pool areas on QM2 is that their Hot Tubs are actually hot!! Not so on Celebrity were they are warm at best and most of the time cool. I also believe that QM2 are heated alittle and they are fresh water. Not so on Celebrity.

 

The food I thought was better on QM2. Not much so but still alittle better. There is much more choices on QM2. At lunch on Celebrity all lines at the Buffet area serve the same items. On QM2 the Kings Court has four different options. It was very nice. QM2 did not have waiters to carry trays and find empy tables in the Kings Court like they do in the buffet area on Celebrity.

 

The service is about the same on Celebrity as QM2 with one major exception, being the dinning room. Our service at dinner was poor. Perhaps the worst I have ever had on 20 cruises (even American Hawaii was better). Our waiter did not even introduce himself. Perhaps it is because all tips are added to your bill and they don't think they have to be good. I do not know.

 

If the QM2 did 7 night cruises again out of the Florida we would cruise on her again in a minute. Hopefully that will happen in the winter of 2007.

 

My opinion is that the two lines are very comparable. Celebrity has the edge in service (just because our waiter and asst. waiter were very poor). QM2 has an edge in food (just because there are so many choices).

 

I am sure that in the suites on QM2 the service and food would be much better than Celebrity. However, for the money I do not know if it would be worth it for me to travel that way.

[bmct]

Hi, Fang! It was nice to meet you last week. Wasn't the ship beautiful!

 

I think Celebrity and QM2 attract about the same crowd--with the Queen being a bit more "stylish" and dressy. The formal nights saw people in much dressier dress than we have seen on Celebrity. We saw only one man in blue jeans, and he was not allowed into the dining room, where on Celebrity he would have been. We didn't seem to run into some of the snobbishness we saw on Crystal. This cruise also had a younger crowd than many Cunard cruises, with several families with children. And it was the most "international" of any we have been on.

 

We had a fantastic wait staff in the Brittania Restaurant, equal to what we have had on Celebrity and RSSC. I must say on our last X cruise we had to complain to the maitre d' about our waiter, who was promplty removed from the dining room and reassigned to the crew mess, and never seen again. After that, it was superb.

 

The public areas are quite spacious, the lounge entertainment more to our liking than on X. Cabins about the same as on Summit, with the big exception being the hair dryers being bolted into the drawer under the TV and hard to use on the QM2.

 

Can't answer your questions about the suites and valet, as we were in a B5, and have not had a valet suite on Celebrity.

 

One of our biggest complaints was pricing -- on the QM2 you are paying for the "name." Welcome aboard photos are $27.50! The per diem is quite a bit higher than on Celebrity, and quite frankly, I'm not sure it's worth it. The entertainment is better, the public room decor more lavish, but still, the per diem is closer to that of Crystal/RSSC than Celebrity. Plus, they have their hand out all the time. Crystal now includes soft drinks in their pricing, while QM2 doesn't. RSSC includes a bar set-up in the suite, QM2 doesn't. RSSC also includes all tips, wine and liquor in the dining room at dinner, while QM2 doesn't.

 

Would we sail on her again? For a crossing, yes. For a cruise, not sure.

[Fang]

Hi Bmct - It was very nice to meet you also.

 

I agree 100 % with your post.

 

I could not believe that a picture would cost $ 27.95. Absolutly way to high.

 

My wife brought her own blow gun!! She had to use it in the cabin as there were no outlets in the bathroom.

 

We did pay for the sailing the QM2. I would think that once the newness (?) of the ship wears off pricing will come down.

 

On the way home I read the USA Today and they had an article about cruise lines not discounting cruises.

 

I did have a stone massage in the Canyon Ranch. With tip it was $200. It was nice but not worth the money. Also, it kind of burned me that spa pricing was higher on sea days than port days.

[Bugeye]

My husband and I have been in "butler" type staterooms on both lines. The cabins were wonderful on the QM2 and I like the LCD TV.

 

What I miss on Celebrity is any interaction with the Deck Officers. On Celebrity it seemed rare even for the Captain to speak English and listening to his public announcement at 12PM caused laughter throughout the ship.

On the QM2, you can speak with the officers and they seeemed very willing to share "sea stories" with you. We invited the Chief Engineer to dinner one night and he was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He even invited my husband to see a model ship he was building.

 

The food is good on both lines but the selection and the ability to cope with speacial requests was better on the QM2. I also appreciate the public laundries and irons on Cunard. At times, you are the only one who knows how to do your laundry and it is pleasant to back fewer clothers.

 

The QM2 has more public space and you are very likely to find your own private space in a beautiful room to read, or contemplate the sea.

 

You can't lose with either line, it just a matter of personal preference.

 

Karen

[gardenbunny]

This was a nice conversation on comparisons. I have only been on HAL and Cunard - QE2 in 6/03 for a TA and QM2 Jan 15, 2005 for a Caribbean. I wondered what other cruise lines would be like - mostly X and Princess. Some people have told me once I did Cunard I would be spoiled. From this group of comments, sounds like Cunard may have a little edge. I know I thoroughly enjoyed both of my experiences on-board and would do QM2 again in a heart beat! I'm already searching their brochures for something - I'm thinking Mediterranean or Fall Splendour in 2006. Cruising has gotten popular again since 9/11 and I have read they are back to pre 9/11 bookings. I doubt we will see many discounts.