Has Cunard *really* gone down hill in the last couple years?

[vjmatty]

There was a mention in the daily new sheets, that some of staff had not completed their training at Cunard's School wherever that may be. That they were on board to learn the job!

Obviously if you get one of these untrained people as your cabin steward or server , you are not going to get "White Star service" and will be disappointed with your experience .

 

I have never minded being part of the learning process, whether in the checkout line at the grocery store or on a cruise ship. In fact, my first sailing on the QE2 I had a young man from Macedonia greet me at the door and take our carryons to the stateroom. He got a little lost but that was ok, he had a warm humility and was incredibly polite as most are when in that learning stage.

[Classiccruiser777]

"Yes Deckchair, there are moe and more soft spots, cannot think what could be causing them, but they are proliferating. TA Aug /Sept 2011"

 

The "soft spots" are caused by a leveling compound breaking down. During the upcoming yard period the old carpeting is going to be taken up and the deck leveled again with a new compound. This should end the hazard and mystery of the "soft spots."

[Cruachan]

I have never minded being part of the learning process, whether in the checkout line at the grocery store or on a cruise ship. In fact, my first sailing on the QE2 I had a young man from Macedonia greet me at the door and take our carryons to the stateroom. He got a little lost but that was ok, he had a warm humility and was incredibly polite as most are when in that learning stage.

 

On our Baltic cruise on Queen Victoria in 2008 we had a young guy from Mexico as our cabin steward. He was very low on the learning curve - in fact I think this may have been his first cruise. But not only did he get the basics right he was, as you say, polite to a fault and incredibly helpful. I usually go out of my way not to bother the cabin steward unnecessarily but with Enrico you knew that you only had to ask and your request would be answered straight away. He knew that I was interested in photography and I put my best shots each day on my lap top, progressively building up a little slide show that he could watch when he was sorting out the cabin while we were at dinner. One afternoon, when we were outward from Stockholm and passing through the Archipelago he even took the trouble to phone the cabin to tell me that there was a wonderful rainbow on the port side of the ship - as it happens I was already out there photographing it, but my wife was impressed by this little example of thoughtfulness.

 

At the end of the cruise he received a generous tip from us and I gave him a terrific write up on one of those "you've been a star" thingies. He certainly earned it.

 

J

 

Oh - and here's the rainbow.

 

[Salacia]

On our Baltic cruise on Queen Victoria in 2008 we had a young guy from Mexico as our cabin steward. He was very low on the learning curve - in fact I think this may have been his first cruise. But not only did he get the basics right he was, as you say, polite to a fault and incredibly helpful. I usually go out of my way not to bother the cabin steward unnecessarily but with Enrico you knew that you only had to ask and your request would be answered straight away. He knew that I was interested in photography and I put my best shots each day on my lap top, progressively building up a little slide show that he could watch when he was sorting out the cabin while we were at dinner. One afternoon, when we were outward from Stockholm and passing through the Archipelago he even took the trouble to phone the cabin to tell me that there was a wonderful rainbow on the port side of the ship - as it happens I was already out there photographing it, but my wife was impressed by this little example of thoughtfulness.

 

At the end of the cruise he received a generous tip from us and I gave him a terrific write up on one of those "you've been a star" thingies. He certainly earned it.

 

J

 

Oh - and here's the rainbow.

 

 

J -Beautiful photograph! And lovely account of a stewards' thoughtfulness. I hope Enrico has a long and successful career with Cunard.

 

I've found the staff on QM2 to be amongst some of the hardest working people I've ever seen, and I'm sure they appreciate it when we passengers acknowledge their extra efforts as you did with Enrico.

 

Cheers,

Salacia

[vjmatty]

I will settle all of this..... while I am looking forward to my QV cruise in two weeks I am fearful of defeating all of the progress I've made in weight loss over the past couple of months. So, if those in the "declining" camp are correct, the food will be terrible and I shall come back the same weight as when I leave. On the other hand, if the food is up to my past experience then sadly I will gain back 5-10 pounds.

 

I will report the results when I return :)

[bobby1119]

I will settle all of this..... while I am looking forward to my QV cruise in two weeks I am fearful of defeating all of the progress I've made in weight loss over the past couple of months. So, if those in the "declining" camp are correct, the food will be terrible and I shall come back the same weight as when I leave. On the other hand, if the food is up to my past experience then sadly I will gain back 5-10 pounds.

 

I will report the results when I return :)

 

I always return the same weight, sometimes slightly less... even at the end of the world cruise! ;)

 

Have a good time. Looks like a great itinerary.

[Cruachan]

I always return the same weight, sometimes slightly less... even at the end of the world cruise! ;)

 

Have a good time. Looks like a great itinerary.

 

Well, it's also my proud boast that I am always the same weight when I arrive in the baggage hall as I was when I left the ship.

 

:D:D

 

J

[vjmatty]

I always return the same weight, sometimes slightly less... even at the end of the world cruise! ;)

 

I will just have to pretend you didn't say that.... ;)

 

Have a good time. Looks like a great itinerary.

 

Thanks! It will be interesting to experience Cunard in the Med.... my prior voyages have mostly been crossings.

[pepperrn]

Well, it's also my proud boast that I am always the same weight when I arrive in the baggage hall as I was when I left the ship. :D:D J

 

:):D:)

 

Thank you!

[keithm]

"Yes Deckchair, there are moe and more soft spots, cannot think what could be causing them, but they are proliferating. TA Aug /Sept 2011"

 

The "soft spots" are caused by a leveling compound breaking down. During the upcoming yard period the old carpeting is going to be taken up and the deck leveled again with a new compound. This should end the hazard and mystery of the "soft spots."

We noticed those soft spots near the Pursers area. Salacia noticed them as well. We look forward to a good maintainance job come this Nov.

[keithm]

Yes Deckchair, there are moe and more soft spots, cannot think what could be causing them, but they are proliferating. TA Aug /Sept 2011

 

There was a mention in the daily new sheets, that some of staff had not completed their training at Cunard's School wherever that may be. That they were on board to learn the job!

Obviously if you get one of these untrained people as your cabin steward or server , you are not going to get "White Star service" and will be disappointed with your experience .

 

So let us not be too quick to judge those who have this misfortune, and we should be sure that when we comment on how absurd we feel their comments are, and that these people are "whiners" we are judging Britannia with Britannia and Grills with Grills.

Two staterooms on the same deck, same grade,are not going to get the same steward, they could be the length of the ship apart. and two tables in the dining room can be at differeint times and have completely different servers, wine stewards etc

 

.

We noticed this on our Nov.trip. We changed staterooms from 9002 to 9009(well before the trip) I was concerned about noise, being that close to the Comodore Club. Our butler(Lily)was outstanding. The couple who got our old room told us their butler was not so willing to go the extra mile. We got Caviar(the cheap stuff, sorry)nightly, wereas the couple in our old room were refused the request. This is something that is easily requested. I told them to go to the pursers desk. After they did, the Caviar came as requested.

I remember your issue with the tea. We saw your favorite in the Kingscourt, so I never could understand why they couldn't prepare it. I guess some don't like to take a quick walk to the supply room & get it. White glove service??

[Griller]

Well, it's also my proud boast that I am always the same weight when I arrive in the baggage hall as I was when I left the ship.

 

:D:D

 

J

 

My total weight of myself and baggage is always the same or less when I leave the ship.

 

I give away the trashy paperback books I brought on board to read.

 

But I personally put on a half pound a day. It was double that in the Grills on QE2.

 

I think now in Britannia its not so much the eating as the lack of doing the physical work as I do at home.