Trial of new toiletries

[violetta58]

Enjoying a great cruise on the QE heading for Lisbon. Thought people might like to know Cunard are doing a trial of new toiletries in the staterooms,not sure if it is at all levels or indeed will roll out to all ships.They have changed from Gilchrist and Soames to Penhaligan of London Quercus (made in Czech Republic) and they are initially bigger bottles but you get smaller ones when replaced. IMHO the soap which is smaller is greasy as is the body lotion .All products have very little scent and in comparison are poor quality.You also only get one set ie not a set in the bathroom and one by the sink. In Grills when the room has a bath there are now no bath salts. It is obviously about saving money but also losing quality. Not very happy about it although its not spoiling the holiday as everything else is as of the usual high standards but I will certainly comment in feedback

[Scrapnana]

Besides the soap and body lotion, what is provided?

[Cats2010]

I also noticed a decline in quality (food, for instance) during my last cruise and I think the accidents of Costa Concordia, Carnival Triumph and a third ship might be the reason for Carnival to apply economies.

 

This is very disappointing, the more so since these economies also apply to Cunard's flagship, the QM2. Frankly, I think this is a wrong decision that Carnival/Cunard have taken considering the long and prestigous tradition that this ship implies which should be maintained for the future.

 

Where else in this world is a ship of her kind?

[phillipahain]

Oh Shucks

 

I love the little bottles they used to have had to store all my beads in

once i have emptied them and washed them out

 

Anyone fancy collecting me a load please

[Salacia]

Hi Violetta. Thanks for the update. Glad to hear you are having a good voyage. Regards, -S.

[violetta58]

Oh Shucks

 

I love the little bottles they used to have had to store all my beads in

once i have emptied them and washed them out

 

Anyone fancy collecting me a load please

 

We used keep the empty bottles too,perfect size for filling with toiletries for a night away.

 

You get shower gel,shampoo and conditioner as well.Just found out that it is quite an expensive brand sold in the UK ,supposed to have an English garden scent although the ships commercial brand looks a lot cheaper and devoid of any pleasant scent of any kind. This is just not as good as the usual toiletries and not of the same quality.

You also have to use twice as much to get any foam. I could not believe any one would buy this !

We had a feedback form tonight just on the trial of the new brand and we let them know our opinions! Tried to be constructive ,as larger bottles if the product was good is a sensible idea.

 

 

Thanks for your comments Salicia, it is a lovely voyage with a full ship and a great atmosphere. Food has been superb as has the service

[Salacia]

We used keep the empty bottles too,perfect size for filling with toiletries for a night away.

 

You get shower gel,shampoo and conditioner as well.Just found out that it is quite an expensive brand sold in the UK ,supposed to have an English garden scent although the ships commercial brand looks a lot cheaper and devoid of any pleasant scent of any kind. This is just not as good as the usual toiletries and not of the same quality.

You also have to use twice as much to get any foam. I could not believe any one would buy this !

We had a feedback form tonight just on the trial of the new brand and we let them know our opinions! Tried to be constructive ,as larger bottles if the product was good is a sensible idea.

 

 

Thanks for your comments Salicia, it is a lovely voyage with a full ship and a great atmosphere. Food has been superb as has the service

 

Glad to hear that Violetta. No doubt you contributed greatly to the good atmosphere. The weather, it remains good, I hope?

 

Cheers, -S.

[Scrapnana]

You get shower gel,shampoo and conditioner as well.Just found out that it is quite an expensive brand sold in the UK ,supposed to have an English garden scent although the ships commercial brand looks a lot cheaper and devoid of any pleasant scent of any kind. This is just not as good as the usual toiletries and not of the same quality.

You also have to use twice as much to get any foam. I could not believe any one would buy this !

 

Thanks for your reply. Glad you are enjoying the QE. I am looking forward to my voyage on her.

[Hedonista]

Penhaligon is a very traditional English up-market brand of toiletries - it ought to be much better than the ubiquitous Gilchrist and Soames. The Queen wears their Bluebell fragrance for instance!

 

Quercus is Latin for oak - and I'm not really sure what oaks smell like (other than, presumably, oak). I wouldn't have thought it would be highly perfumed though which I'd prefer so it doesn't clash with the scent I've brought with me but I can see might not appeal to others.

[Ray66]

Here's their website with by appointment to The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. Prices aren't cheap.

 

http://www.penhaligons.com/shop/bath-body.html

[3rdGenCunarder]

Here's their website with by appointment to The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. Prices aren't cheap.

 

http://www.penhaligons.com/shop/bath-body.html

 

Not cheap at all. And the perfumes are way too sweetly floral for me. They did make a great not-sweet perfume by contract for a designer called Joseph, but that was the only Penhaligan product I could bear to smell.

 

I loved the Gilchrist & Soames products--and so did my skin. I liked knowing that I didn't have to schlep my own soap when I sailed on QM2. I hope this test gets bad feedback and they go back to the G&S soaps.

 

My guess is Cunard got a good price on it--or they want people to be impressed with the royal warrant on the bottle.

[iandjm]

Thats a shame. I was so impressed with the G&S London range that I now buy it for home :mad:

[Mysticalmother]

Hi violetta58 - sorry we haven't managed to meet yet - if you see this we will be in grill lounge tomorrow night before dinner around 7ish- any tips on how could we could identify/recognise you? Or it's CWC with the skipper tonight in the Queens?

 

I quite like the new toiletries but its a personal thing I guess. But Ours have today been replaced with the usual gilchrist & soames ones.

 

It's a bit more lively on the sea today...hope you aren't too badly affected up the back! We are midships on the same deck as you.

 

Best wishes....hope we can say hello before we get back home!

[violetta58]

Hi violetta58 - sorry we haven't managed to meet yet - if you see this we will be in grill lounge tomorrow night before dinner around 7ish- any tips on how could we could identify/recognise you? Or it's CWC with the skipper tonight in the Queens?

 

I quite like the new toiletries but its a personal thing I guess. But Ours have today been replaced with the usual gilchrist & soames ones.

 

It's a bit more lively on the sea today...hope you aren't too badly affected up the back! We are midships on the same deck as you.

 

Best wishes....hope we can say hello before we get back home!

 

Hi

Hope to meet up to say hello,we are probably off to CWC tonight but maybe one of the other nights ? You can't miss me as I use my wheelchair due to the long distance from our rear cabin ,pushed by my hubbie!!!Love our rear cabin and wraparound balcony but its very up and down at the moment!! Usually in lounge around 7 .

[violetta58]

Not cheap at all. And the perfumes are way too sweetly floral for me. They did make a great not-sweet perfume by contract for a designer called Joseph, but that was the only Penhaligan product I could bear to smell.

 

I loved the Gilchrist & Soames products--and so did my skin. I liked knowing that I didn't have to schlep my own soap when I sailed on QM2. I hope this test gets bad feedback and they go back to the G&S soaps.

 

My guess is Cunard got a good price on it--or they want people to be impressed with the royal warrant on the bottle.

 

I expect so ,we gave bad feedback so maybe they will give up with the trial!

[Ab Ovo]

In a wide line of bath and body products, Penhaligon does many different fragrances …Quercus, English Fern, Blenheim Bouquet, Artemisia, Opus 1870, and the like. Shops are throughout London and the U.K., similar to America's Casewell-Massey, "America's Enlightened Apothecary".

Business being what it is, no doubt Penhaligon has a commercial line available in vast quantities at good prices, read low, to hotels and ships. If the feedback forum, and ensuing ones, are negative, there may not be a change.

Major American textile lines do this …. different levels of quality … Fieldcrest Luxury for high-end full-price stores; another line made only for sale during traditional January White Sales. Pehhaligon is quite high-end; perhaps what is being tested isn't high-end enough.

[Calliope]

I enjoy using Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet soap and shampoo. While in London, when time permits, I stop by their Covent Gardens shop and pick up the items that I use. Penhaligon's is also the toiletries that are supplied to guests at the Waldorf Tower in New York.

[Cornus]

I'm presently on a Uniworld river boat and they have provided the BEST shower, gel, soap products I've ever had on any cruise line. http://usa.loccitane.com/bath-shower-gels,82,1,29482,0.htm I intend to purchase some more of their products upon my return to NYC.

 

The shower on this boat is also the best I've had on any ship...or anywhere!

[Pushka]

I generally take my own anyway but may use the bubble bath to wash some items. I dislike using soap gel and tiny cakes of soap.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm presently on a Uniworld river boat and they have provided the BEST shower, gel, soap products I've ever had on any cruise line. http://usa.loccitane.com/bath-shower-gels,82,1,29482,0.htm I intend to purchase some more of their products upon my return to NYC.

 

The shower on this boat is also the best I've had on any ship...or anywhere!

 

I forgot about the L'Occitane on Uniworld. It is nice stuff. We were very pleased with everything on our Uniworld cruise. We did "Tulips and Windmills" in 2009 as an antidote to the retirement of QE2. I wanted a cruise so different from a large-ship experience that it wouldn't allow me to make comparisons with QE2.

[Cruachan]

Why would anyone want soap on a cruise? Even the World Cruise only lasts about three months :eek:

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Why would anyone want soap on a cruise? Even the World Cruise only lasts about three months :eek:

J

 

Perhaps some people wash even when they don't need to?:eek:

 

Sir Martin

[Salacia]

Why would anyone want soap on a cruise? Even the World Cruise only lasts about three months :eek:

 

J

 

In the event a zipper gets stuck, rubbing a bar of dry soap on the zipper threads 'unsticks' it. Considering the high probability of weight gain on a cruise, a bar of soap is essential! :D

[Cruachan]

In the event a zipper gets stuck, rubbing a bar of dry soap on the zipper threads 'unsticks' it. Considering the high probability of weight gain on a cruise, a bar of soap is essential! :D

 

I knew there had to be a use for the stuff. Thanks for the tip.

 

J

[Cruachan]

Perhaps some people wash even when they don't need to?:eek:

 

Sir Martin

 

Kind of looks that way doesn't it? Personally I give myself a rub down with a damp facecloth on the first Saturday in November every year without fail. Can't see that anything more elaborate or more frequent than that is required really. :eek:

 

J