Info please - first time with Cunard

[simonpjd]

Previously we have sailed with Fred Olsen and P&O. But have just booked a mini cruise with Cunard to see what all the fuss is about!

So...

On a 3 nighter on the Queen Victoria what can we expect.

Will I need a DJ or smart suit or smart casual.

What daytime activities can we expect

Is the evening show as good as P&O (they are WestEnd standard).

Is the food better than P&O or Fred (both very good).

Is embarkation/disembarkation quick and easy.

Anything else you think we need to know.

 

Thank you

[capnpugwash]

Previously we have sailed with Fred Olsen and P&O. But have just booked a mini cruise with Cunard to see what all the fuss is about!

So...

On a 3 nighter on the Queen Victoria what can we expect.

Will I need a DJ or smart suit or smart casual.

What daytime activities can we expect

Is the evening show as good as P&O (they are WestEnd standard).

Is the food better than P&O or Fred (both very good).

Is embarkation/disembarkation quick and easy.

Anything else you think we need to know.

 

Thank you

 

Well, a three night trip is not really representative of a longer trip on the QV or of the usual mix of passengers that you might expect to meet. Having said that, it is not a bad introduction. The answers to your questions are:

1 A smart suit will be fine, I don't know whether you will have a formal night, it normally wouldn't be the first or last nights but may be the middle one.

There is a full programme of activities with lectures, quizzes etc.

The evening shows are good, better than P&O as is the food.

Embarkation and disembarkation can be good or bad but it really depends on timing, I would recommend arriving to board at about 2.30 to 3pm. Disembarkation is by deck so the timing will be between 9am and 10.30am probably.

Enjoy yourselves. Join the rollcall thread on this site and feel free to ask any questions that you have.

[ovccruiser]

Don't judge Cunard based on a 3day druise.

 

There will probably be a formal night and the other nights will require a jacket or jacket and tie, daytime activities depends on the ports of call and if there is a sea day involved. Shows are really down to the individual, what you may consider good I may not and visa versa so difficult to answer. The food will be no better or worse than P & O or Fred Olsen, presentation, however, imo will be better. Embarkation and disenmarkation is as with all cruise lines, you will be given an approximated time for arrival and the usuall formalities will then follow, photograph, credit card details etc etc

 

Enjoy the cruise, I cruise with both P & O and Cunard and will be taking a Fred Olsen cruise next April. I think you will like the QV

[Norfolk Brit]

We've been on Olsen and P&O - food in Britannia better than both IMHO, though on P&O I've only cruised on Arcadia: the food was abysmal. I have read, though, that food on some of the other P&O ships is better. It's also better than on FO's Balmoral, although that was perfectly fine.

 

Never had a probem with embarkation - we usually roll up at about 12 noon and get on pretty rapidly; unlike P&O (or my one experience of it), your cabin will be ready immediately. Disembarkation is the usual bunfight for cases in a deeply depressing warehouse and always comes as a bit of a culture shock - how quickly you can get off depends on your cabin category and deck number and whether you are wearing your lucky rabbit's foot - wherever we are situated we seem to be among the last, but I have form for choosing the wrong option:).

 

Have a wonderful time

 

Mary

[Cruachan]

Disembarkation is the usual bunfight for cases in a deeply depressing warehouse and always comes as a bit of a culture shock - how quickly you can get off depends on your cabin category and deck number and whether you are wearing your lucky rabbit's foot - wherever we are situated we seem to be among the last, but I have form for choosing the wrong option:).

 

Have a wonderful time

 

Mary

 

I was going to chuck in tuppence worth and mention self-disembarkation but it occurred to me as I thought of it that, on a 3 nighter, there may be a lot of passengers with very little luggage compared with a longer cruise so the benefits of self-disembarkation may not be quite so apparent.

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Thanks Jimmy - as we could never self-disembark without our own personal crane, I always forget the facility exists.

 

Mary

[Cruachan]

Thanks Jimmy - as we could never self-disembark without our own personal crane, I always forget the facility exists.

 

Mary

 

ROFL,

 

you will realise, I have no doubt, that I am not speaking from the perspective of personal experience. I can't see me and SWMBO dragging the equivalent of 10 of Eddie's largest truck loads down the gangway on our own either.

 

J

[cruiser1955]

Simon

 

I've just done 14 night on Arcadia followed a week later by 16 on Queen Victoria. I had a bacony stateroom on both ships.

 

Comparing Arcadia and QV I thought that on Arcadia:

the bathrooms were better

balcony cabins available on the aft

tea/coffee, busciuts available in the room

dinner menu slightly more varied

 

on QV:

Queens room was a great space

more elegant than Arcadia

theatre layout much better with no obscred views

show cast much larger and performances seemed better to me

entertainment in the chart room to my liking

better service offered for singles

Golden Lion for pub lunch

Commodore Club for pre dinner drinks - the canapes were far better than any on P&O

Various "tasting" experiences (Malts, Martinis and Champagne tried:D)

 

The class distinction did not bother me.

P&O don't add 15% to the drinks but it didn't make that much difference to the overall costt of the cruise

 

Embarkation the same but disembarkation not so good as everyone from a deck disembarked at the same time. P&Os "random" to me seemed better. As others have said, cabins are ready as soon as you board and luggage seems to arrive much quicker - one of my cases was at the room before I arrived!

 

I enjoyed the Cunard experience so much that I booked 91 nights on Queen Elizabeth while I was on board. I'll still cruise with P&O, but it will depend on itineraries.

[simonpjd]

Thank you everyone for your swift and helpful comments especially Jon as we have also sailed on Arcadia and thought she was very good indeed.

 

It seems even on a 3 nighter there may be a formal evening. So do I need a suit for the other nights plus a dj for the formal.

Is there tea/coffee making facilities in the cabins - I do like a mug of tea in the morning !

Is there a bar high up with a great view like the crows nest on Arcadia. We love the view looking out to sea with a Pina Colada - cocktails are they good. Fred Olsen really cannot get these right!

Did I see a mention of self disembarkation if you can carry all your bags - we will certainly be travelling light for just 3 days.

Shops - usual type of stuff.

What is the currency on board - we heard a rumour it was US Dollars.

We are in our 50s. About average for P&O, young for Freddy. Cunard ??

 

Keep the help / tips / information coming please. We are actually stupidly excited about this already.

[Summergee]

Where are you going and when?

[Oahucruiser]

There is no tea making facility in your cabin but room service is very reliable, even early sometimes. Just put the time that you want it on the door hanger card that it left on your bed the night before. If you are an early riser, you can write in an earlier time than the card offers and they will be there.

 

The first and last nights are "elegant casual" which means a coat but no tie for men.

 

The currency is in U.S. dollars on all Cunard ships.

 

Yes, you can sign up for self-disembarkation. It's usually early - - around 7:30 a.m. but you can go off a bit later if you want. You have to be able to get everything off by yourself which should be easy after a three nighter.

 

The loveliest bar is the Commodore Club - a large, cosy and beautiful room with vast windows offering unobstructed views forward.

 

Enjoy that beautiful ship!! You'll be back for more!

[capnpugwash]

If you don't want to put the breakfast card out, you can call room service when you wake and they will bring you tea or coffee as soon as possible at no cost to you.

[Bispham Boo]

And the Cunard cocktails are excellent :)

[Underwatr]

Note that on QM2 they draw the curtains in the Commodore Club at dusk to avoid glare into the bridge. On QV/QE they apparently don't have this problem as the curtains stay open.

[Salacia]

Just to mention - to the best of my knowledge, room service is not available to Britannia passengers on disembarkation day, either by calling or leaving breakfast card out the night before. But there are other options for early breakfast such as the food court buffet.

 

Bon voyage,

Salacia

[cruiser1955]

Just to mention - to the best of my knowledge, room service is not available to Britannia passengers on disembarkation day, either by calling or leaving breakfast card out the night before. But there are other options for early breakfast such as the food court buffet.

 

Bon voyage,

Salacia

 

You are right. Breakfast was two fixed sittings in the MDR at 06:30 and 07:45 on my cruise whhich returned to Southampton. You need to get there within 15 minutes of it opening. Last day breakfast was also a limited menu, but still good.

 

Jon