a quick first timer's thoughts

[marty's mom]

before we lose power I thought I'd comment on our recent qm2 trip to New England.

This was about cruise 25, we've sailed Azamara to Carnival; Renaissance to Regency, RCL, Disney etc so a lot to compare to

Boarding in Brooklyn is easy, ship looked wonderful. We booked last minute so had an obstructed balcony. Much more obstructed than I would have thought. Other ships have their lifeboats built into the side or staggered differently.

Cabin colors are nice and plenty of hanging space.

Lunch in King's Court was just ok, and breakfast there was horrible. Room service much better. Pub lunch was good too.

Tried to switch from late to early seatng but couldn't. Turns out we were better off. Who's at my table but Cruising for Chocolate! With Bill and Pat, were also Mel and Sue from the UK. We had a great table, one of the best. Food selections were spotty, but what they served was very good.

Planetarium show was very good, I loved the elegant tea. Did not like the Cunard singers and dancers. The other entertainment, Donnie Ray and the comedienne were very good.

We had superb weather in all the ports which made our time very enjoyable.

Seas were calm but you could feel them getting rougher on the way back thanks to Sandy.

I hope everyone got their flights home ok and the sail back is smooth.

We got off the ship sooner than our tags since we had to get down to the Jersey barrier island to tie down things at our house there. There was a mandatory evacutation so we wanted to get in and get out.

Any specific questions, just ask. As long as I have power I'll be checking in

[bazzaw]

Interesting to hear your quick thoughts about the Kings Court.

 

My advice to first-time QM2 passengers is to avoid Kings Court for the first few days of your cruise. See everything else on the ship first, then make a judgement of her - and only then visit the Kings Court. QM2 receives so much hype - that visiting the Kings Court first is going to cloud your judgement of her.

 

Barry

[capnpugwash]

When King's Court is busy it is dreadful, an early breakfast works but it is impossible at lunchtimes or early in the evening. The design of it was severely restricted by the many shafts and structures that are necessary on a ship of this nature.

[AstroExeter]

I never understand the hatred of Kings Court. I've never had a problem there and the food is fine. It can't be that bad as it is always busy. I perceive some "snobbery" going on. ;)

[intel]

I never understand the hatred of Kings Court. I've never had a problem there and the food is fine. It can't be that bad as it is always busy. I perceive some "snobbery" going on. ;)

I am with you

[capnpugwash]

There is no hatred, I use it most days but not when it is very busy. You can't possibly think that it is well designed! The quality and choices of food are fine in my opinion.

[southwestie]

I dont see much wrong with KC at all, we use it often, prefer to eat in the middle or when possible the alcoves by the windows and if if you get your meals and walk a short distance there is always plenty of room

[marty's mom]

I didnt mind the layout

The food at breakfast just wasn't good. I tried waffles, pancakes, eggs. Undercooked bacon, not much of a fruit selection.

THe food at breakfast in the dining room was better. Although our first breakfast was very slow, ie over 1 hour and a good 10-15 minutes just for coffee! 2nd time was better.

[AstroExeter]

The "undercooked" bacon was probably the British version. I am always amazed at the "burnt to a crisp" bacon I get in the USA. :D

[balf]

Plainly the food in KC is just not good compared with the three other ships we have sailed on this year (QE, Aurora and Adonia) this backs up what I have thought for some time: this may be the flag ship but regrettably Cunard are cashing in on the reputation of the only true ocean liner, that so many wish to sail.

 

Food of course is a very personal thing, but compare for instance the stingy tired cheese selection on the lunch menus with the quality and choice on the other ships.

 

David

[Keuka Lake Sailor]

I am glad martys mom enjoyed the QM2 but must disagree with a few of her comments as I was on the trip also. This cast of the Cunard Singers and Dancers was great, the vocalists really good. Of course, I always liked the productions shows and was happy they presented "Crazy on Love" which I had not seen on my previous two voyages. I also enjoyed the other headliners. The ocean was somewhat rougher on the final day but there was virtually no movement of the ship at all and you could easily have felt you were in a hotel on land the whole time. I wanted to go to the Pursers Desk and get a partial refund!!!!! I was with a newbie and she assumed it was always like that because the ship was so big. I cannot see how there was a shortage of fruit in the Kings Court as there were orange slices, grapefruit, apricot, melon, peaches, bananas, mardarin oranges , pears, apples, strawberries and so forth each morning. But things are changing at the Kings Court. Fried eggs, omlets, are prepared in advance, I presume to keep the lines moving. Different sections are now referred to as "Kings Court aft" for example and the old names like Carvery have been removed from above the salad sections and only used to describe the alternate dining options at night. Breakfast and Lunch is virtually the same in all sections. But at lunch, each section had a special offering: in Lotus, it would be an Asian dish, in the Carvery section, it would be something like prime rib. No real need to check out different sections and wander around anymore. At lunch time the Chef's Gallery is back to hamburgers and fries and fresh sandwiches that you make. At night, the Chefs Gallery did the pizza and pasta dish routine from 6pm to 10pm they had been doing at lunch. Overall, the selection of food is less than a few years ago but there is still pleny to eat and the the quality of the food is fine. My newbie companion of course, did not know how it use to be and was very happy with the Kings Court and its current offerings and selections. We did the open buffet one night when we did not feel like dressing and it was excellent. As usual, pastries are my weakness and I was not disappointed. YUM YUM! I did not notice any changes in the Britannia Restaurant -fortunate in that we too had very good dinner companions. Wonderful sailaway-Royal Court Orchestra playing old standard American songs like "Alexanders Ragtime Band", and also recorded marches like "Stars and Stripes Forever" as we sailed out. Small American flags given to each passenger. Brits did not seem to mind. The weather was wonderful the whole seven days. Had a great time.

[Scrapnana]

Are there trays? I was reading on another board that many ships were doing away with trays in the buffet.

[bazzaw]

There is nothing absolute in all of this - everything is merely comparison. I have sailed on QM2 only twice -- but I have sailed elsewhere another 10 times. By comparison, KC is inferior in EVERY way to the others ship's buffets. It is far inferior to QE and QV - in design, in the standard of food and the standard of service. Personally, I suspect that it is some form of "punishment" duty for stewards to have to work there. In that part of QM2 only, the sadness amongst the staff is very noticeable. I suspect (once again) it is because of the grief that passengers give them. Give me QE and QV buffets over KC anytime!!

 

Barry

[Keuka Lake Sailor]

There are plenty of trays in the Kings Court, also at the Chefs Gallery section. We all know the design of the Kings Court was dictated by the requirements of the ships needs for strength as an ocean liner..."strong spine"............. Stephen Payne designed over a dozen cruise ships for Carnival so knows the typical layout of a buffet, but he had to change things for the QM2. I'm not saying anyone has to like it, but just understand there is a reason for it. Payne faced a similar situation with the requirement for lots of balcony cabins and thus came up with the inhull balcony..........have been aboard the QM2 many times and visit the Kings Court frequently each day but I have not noticed uphappy crew working there.........

[AstroExeter]

In all my days on QM2 I have never seen "unhappy" staff in KC. Of course everyone has an off day but in general the staff are great. It's a buffet for goodness sake and not an A La Carte restaurant and whether it is better or worse than other ships is a matter of personal taste. Opinion, not fact.

[Ryancoke]

Good to see some King's court appreciaters show up. Sometimes I think I must be the only one. I generally get there early for breakfast and miss lines. Have been there at prime time at lunch and lines even then weren't too bad. Always found seating although may have shared and actually talked to someone. The one and only time I had pizza was a mistake though. Likewise when I had a sandwich made. Design wasn't any better nor worse than on the only other ship I've been on. Pretty well an equal percentage of interesting people, bores and complainers on each ship. As well as on here.

[cruiseluvva]

Well I really like the King's Court - yes it may be laid out slightly oddly, but we have had some truly excellent meals there, by buffet standards.

 

I just hope the buffet on the QE is as good

[newjoisey]

Good to see some King's court appreciaters show up. Sometimes I think I must be the only one. I generally get there early for breakfast and miss lines. Have been there at prime time at lunch and lines even then weren't too bad. Always found seating although may have shared and actually talked to someone. The one and only time I had pizza was a mistake though. Likewise when I had a sandwich made. Design wasn't any better nor worse than on the only other ship I've been on. Pretty well an equal percentage of interesting people, bores and complainers on each ship. As well as on here.

well said.i like to drag the wife along on "mousse" hunts ,i will make a meal out of desserts, i have caught my wife poaching alone at the dessert selection

[wripro]

King's Court is absolutely fine IF you like high school cafeterias.

[maz48]

At least someone else is doing the cooking, clearing away and washing up!!!

[newjoisey]

The "undercooked" bacon was probably the British version. I am always amazed at the "burnt to a crisp" bacon I get in the USA. :D

we are coming up on trip #6 on the QM2 ,as a rule we eat in the KC and it is rare [no pun] that ANYTHING is undercooked. i am a bacon junkie and the only way i get mine to my liking [melt in your mouth] is to make it myself. if it gets anymore cooked it can be used as go-no go gauge stock in a machine shop. imho:)

[balf]

I never understand the hatred of Kings Court. I've never had a problem there and the food is fine. It can't be that bad as it is always busy. I perceive some "snobbery" going on. ;)

 

There are different opinions about many aspects of cruising. Some find no fault with KC, others take the opposite view. Why you would bring snobbery into it is beyond me.

 

David.

[Andiamo]

There are different opinions about many aspects of cruising. Some find no fault with KC, others take the opposite view. Why you would bring snobbery into it is beyond me.

 

David.

 

I did not put a good deal of thought into the quote you are referring to until your response. I agree with you. I very much enjoy PG and QG for my own personal reasons. However, as only one recent example, I met a fellow on last year's Christmas voyage. After a late round of hanging around outside with fellow buddies, he was headed to KC for dinner. All of a sudden I found myself joining him, foregoing my PG dinner. Granted, I would not enjoy all my dinners there, but believe me not for one minute did I think I was 'slumming' for a night, and would be highly insulted if I were referred to as a snob based on my dining preference.

 

Jeanne

[bazzaw]

King's Court is absolutely fine IF you like high school cafeterias.

 

 

??? No school I ever went to had a cafeteria..

 

Barry

[AstroExeter]

There are different opinions about many aspects of cruising. Some find no fault with KC, others take the opposite view. Why you would bring snobbery into it is beyond me.

 

David.

 

You obviously missed the smiley "wink" at the end of my comment. Sheesh!:rolleyes: