Cunard v P&O

[Host Hattie]

Details of the other packages are here

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/activity-types/bars-and-lounges/a-world-of-drinks

[Presto2]

We have never purchased a drinks package to be honest and the last couple of times on Celebrity the cruise came with a 'free' drinks package. It is a lot of money if you have it for 2 weeks for 2 people. Ouch

[D&N]

7 hours ago, Presto2 said:

if you have a drink that is not in the package are you given the 20% discount off them?

Yes. Price of drink/bottle of wine etc plus 15% service charge less 20%. So a bottle of wine listed as: $68 was charged at $62.56.

 

We took the package for 14 nights and wouldn't do so again. Purely from a cost point of view, there is no doubt that we saved money.  But we normally drink wine with our meals, and the choice of wines available to us by the glass just wasn't wide enough, hence why I know how the 20% thing is calculated. There wasn't anything on the wine by glass list that would cope with a good meat dish, or a decent white Burgundy for fish and white meats.

We were fine for lunch wines, aperitifs, wine that we drink supplemented by water while dancing every night and nightcaps, but the lack of choice of dinner wines was too much for us.

We had Illy coffees, Tea Forté, Godiva Hot Chocolates and water with lunch, dinner and throughout our dance evenings.

We were ok with being able to take a glass of dessert wine with or instead of a dessert.

But the dinner wine issue was the killer.

 

A couple at a table near us were also on package but they had different wine tastes and drank beer as well. They seemed quite happy with it.

 

[jimdee3636]

I can't speak about P&O, but I've been on two Cunard cruises (QM2 in 2019 and QE in 2022) and I agree 100% with what @D&Nsaid about the Cunard beverage package. It's too restrictive. The $12 and under wines-by-the-glass are, at best, basic. If you really like wine you'll be almost forced to pay more, and thus lose the main benefit of the package. And if, as my wife and I do, you enjoy a pre-dinner martini or other cocktail, you may be surprised to find that your favorite one is priced slightly higher than the $12 limit (e.g., our favorite Tanqueray martinis were $12.25 on both of our cruises). There's probably a martini you could get for $12 or under (Gordon's maybe?), but it wouldn't be what you really wanted. Just pay as you go and you'll probably be better off.

[rakkor]

We get the wine package to have with our meals, but wouldn't consider the drinks package as I couldn't drink enough to justify it - Here's an example of the wine package from 2021

 

Brochure Wine Package Cunard.pdf 

[ballroom-cruisers]

If you like ballroom and Latin dancing every evening, then Cunard gives more opportunity than P&O do, although at one time the available dancing time was comparable between the ships on both, even if the dance floor area was more spacious to allow higher quality dancing on Cunard. When we were last on P&O more and more time was taken up by non-dancing events in the Crystal Room on Britannia, such as jazz sessions which didn't link to dancing, or quizzes. The atrium on Azura and Ventura is used for ballroom dancing (as well as lessons in the daytime), though only with a small 3 or 4 person band in between recorded music sets due to the small band platform at one end, and the staircase comes directly onto the dance floor area, which is less ideal, as well as chairs and tables close to the floor edge on the side opposite the staircase. I understand that the newest P&O ships have no dedicated ballroom dance floor. However increasingly the Queen's Room on Cunard ships has been used for non ballroom/Latin sessions, which reduces the available time you can dance ballroom.  There have been recorded music sets on the Cunard ships at times such as 5pm to 6pm, but if you are getting ready for dinner at 6pm that is not convenient, and similarly if you are eating from 6pm you can't easily finish a meal until after 7.30pm - so timing of sessions governs realistic opportunities to dance - and in the main part of the evening if there are tribute bands, or musical duos playing non ballroom music, say at 8,.30pm or 9pm then it breaks up the continuity of the evening.  Of course if you are not a ballroom dancer then this doesn't affect your enjoyment, but adds to the already available entertainment in the theatre, the music to listen to whilst having a drink in the Chart Room, or the Commodore Club, and so on - whereas if you are a ballroom dancer then the Queens Room is the only realistic place you can dance to the maximum on the ship.  Of course as has been posted there are lots of other parts of the holiday on either line that can be compared.  On excursions, in general we have had better quality excursions at better prices on P&O than on Cunard, and our most memorable and enjoyable booked excursions have certainly been on P&O in the past.

[starquake]

20 hours ago, jimdee3636 said:

I can't speak about P&O, but I've been on two Cunard cruises (QM2 in 2019 and QE in 2022) and I agree 100% with what @D&Nsaid about the Cunard beverage package. It's too restrictive. The $12 and under wines-by-the-glass are, at best, basic. If you really like wine you'll be almost forced to pay more, and thus lose the main benefit of the package. And if, as my wife and I do, you enjoy a pre-dinner martini or other cocktail, you may be surprised to find that your favorite one is priced slightly higher than the $12 limit (e.g., our favorite Tanqueray martinis were $12.25 on both of our cruises). There's probably a martini you could get for $12 or under (Gordon's maybe?), but it wouldn't be what you really wanted. Just pay as you go and you'll probably be better off.

 

It's worth noting with the recent increase from $69 to $70 they have also increased the per-dirnk limit to $13 ... making many martinis now in price range (and quite a few doubles).    It was also $75/ni on the transatlantic at Christmas.

We got value, and the amount of wines per glass offerred has improved.   The sancerre on the per-glass package was superior to the ones available "by bottle" (second week we didn't have the package), and tried 3 bottles going up the price range, and ended up going back to buying by the glass as it suited our palette more.   It's worth noting if you are on a Cruise like the Christmas cruise this year they allowed you to have the package for the transatlantic, but not the carrbean segment, and we took advantage of this last month.

 

[LittleFish1976]

1 hour ago, starquake said:

 

It's worth noting with the recent increase from $69 to $70 they have also increased the per-dirnk limit to $13 ... making many martinis now in price range (and quite a few doubles).    It was also $75/ni on the transatlantic at Christmas.

We got value, and the amount of wines per glass offerred has improved.   The sancerre on the per-glass package was superior to the ones available "by bottle" (second week we didn't have the package), and tried 3 bottles going up the price range, and ended up going back to buying by the glass as it suited our palette more.   It's worth noting if you are on a Cruise like the Christmas cruise this year they allowed you to have the package for the transatlantic, but not the carrbean segment, and we took advantage of this last month.

 

 

I had wondered if they might have raised the prices of the drinks on the menu which would largely have absorbed that extra $1 in the new $13 limit.

 

Also, I've noticed from looking at various cruise line boards here, that  people mention on some cruise lines, not being able to use the drinks packages whilst in port. Is that the case with Cunard? I don't think I've heard of it but thought it worth checking.

 

[Se1lad]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:12 PM, D&N said:

Kir Royale was hopeless on both. Restaurants here serve about 30% creme de cassis topped up with champagne. Carnival Corp seem to work to an 'international standard' with much less creme de cassis.

It sounds like they are making them using the correct proportions - all recipes vary slightly but Diffords for example uses 15ml to 120ml ratio.

 

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/1109/kir-royale

 

if you want a really sweet one just ask and they will double or triple the cassis for you!

[Solent Richard]

On 1/13/2023 at 3:07 PM, Presto2 said:

Hello, as someone who tends to 'live' on the P&O forum  (and sometimes Celebrity's) I have popped over to ask for your thoughts regarding a comparison between 

P&O and Cunard. (You are probably thinking 'How long have you got?')

 

We have seen a cruise on the Queen Victoria for August 2024, with a lovely itinerary and a decent price considering it is a fly cruise. We would be looking at a bog standard Britannia Balcony cabin.

 

Just to say that we are happy to do 'formal' and love the traditions of a more formal cruise. Infact, it is those traditions that we are missing at the moment as we are finding many of the things we loved about cruising being eroded.

 

If anyone who had cruised on both lines could help we would be very grateful. I did start to look at Cunard many years ago, but we could not find a cruise that we liked. At that time I remember coming 'over here' to ask some questions and many of you were really helpful and welcoming. I look forward to 'getting to know' some of you over the coming weeks while I do my 'homework'. 🙂

 

Thank you 

 

Good morning @PM, Presto2

 

Well it just so happens that I may be able to help you as it would appear from previous answers that my qualifications regarding sailings with both lines are indisputable. (Caribbean with P&O, Diamond with Cunard, and 7 Celebrity cruises to boot).

There is of course quite a difference in the styles and life aboard the respective lines: though both hold a very 'British' ethos for cruising.  While there is a little more sophistication with Cunard that generally comes at a price. 

 

My only surprise in your question, and of course I understand the reasoning, is that you've found an itinerary to suit with Cunard. One of the reasons my wife and I have more recently spent less time with Cunard is for that very reason: lack of variety in their itineraries. We tend to be the more archetypal older cruiser who believe cruising is about travelling the world and seeing new places rather than the same old same old itinerary often excused by the odd cruiser when claiming that the ship is the destination. Indeed, even more recently we have broken away from these two in order to widen the choice of ports of call: resorting even to the likes of MSC (albeit in their Yacht Club)

 

But I digress. We happily cruise with both P&O and Cunard in the full knowledge that the onboard experience well suits us and we know what to expect. From what information you have given I would confidently predict you would have a very good experience on Cunard. You will hardly notice the difference in 'Formality'. Most P&O cruises we have done (adult ships) certainly have equalled the standards of Cunard  on formal evenings with a similar number per week. Dining of course is subjective and while I would say Cunard maybe have the edge on quality when the wine and conversation are flowing any real difference pales into insignificance.

 

The 'Decent Price' will more than compensate for the increased prices and gratuities - some of which are at your discretion anyway. 

 

And finally I would add that when we have done a 'fly cruise' with Cunard, and not arranged our own flights, then the Cunard experience has been the better of the two packages.

 

PS. You still get your shareholder OBC with Cunard, subject of course to qualification.

[D&N]

12 hours ago, Se1lad said:

It sounds like they are making them using the correct proportions - all recipes vary slightly but Diffords for example uses 15ml to 120ml ratio.

 

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/1109/kir-royale

 

if you want a really sweet one just ask and they will double or triple the cassis for you!

We've not been drinking them so often in the last few years. On Arcadia they refused to mix as requested and I spoke to the Food & Beverage Manager (or whatever his title was), who claimed he would instruct bars to serve as we requested. I don't recall it making things any easier.

 

On QM2 I by chance came across a uniformed chap as I was queuing for the "Jubilee Street Party". His badge stated something like Hotel Services Director. I mentioned it to him and he wasn't at all helpful, stating that it was how Carnival Corp dictated they be served and that staff were held accountable for the quantities used.

 

We just have Prosecco or Aperol Spritz instead.

 

The 'correct' way of making them just tastes like contaminated champagne, cava or prosecco. I don't understand why anyone would use decent sparkling wine for mixing anyway.

As I said, in most mainstream restaurants on the Cote d'Azur they use more crème de cassis. The content is a dark Ribena colour.

 

But it's not something important to us so I won't be complaining about it.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by D&N

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

We've not been drinking them so often in the last few years. On Arcadia they refused to mix as requested and I spoke to the Food & Beverage Manager (or whatever his title was), who claimed he would instruct bars to serve as we requested. I don't recall it making things any easier.

 

On QM2 I by chance came across a uniformed chap as I was queuing for the "Jubilee Street Party". His badge stated something like Hotel Services Director. I mentioned it to him and he wasn't at all helpful, stating that it was how Carnival Corp dictated they be served and that staff were held accountable for the quantities used.

 

We just have Prosecco or Aperol Spritz instead.

 

The 'correct' way of making them just tastes like contaminated champagne, cava or prosecco. I don't understand why anyone would use decent sparkling wine for mixing anyway.

As I said, in most mainstream restaurants on the Cote d'Azur they use more crème de cassis. The content is a dark Ribena colour.

 

But it's not something important to us so I won't be complaining about it.

 

 

We ran into a similar issue when on board - if you want a cocktail that's not in their system (there are  extra cocktails they can make which are not on the printed list - however there lots that are not) then they have to price it per ingredient.  They are quite happy to do it if you ask however - so you could ask for a double cassis and a glass of prosecco which would probably give you the quantities you were after - though doubt you would get much change out of $20.

 

There was an off-list cocktail my friend wanted which had 3 x single measures of spirits.  If we ordered just one then it would have been charged at roughly 3 x $9 for the single shots - so a $27 cocktail.  As I ordered one too they could charge 3 x $13 for double shots, so the price came down to $19.50 a cocktail.

 

An interesting thing we found with cocktails that they have on their system but are not on the printed menus is that they dont seem to review the prices so often.  Whilst prices for the menu cocktails have gone up, the ones only on the system don't seem to have increased.

[swjumbo]

I’ve cruised many times on many ships.

Seadream x 2,  RC x 3,  Celebrity lost count.

Cunard and P&O as a child.

I’ve done a short Cunard recently and a P&O just before covid.

I would never cruise P&O again. It’s a 3 star, American line trading off a good British name.

The rants and comparisons could go on for pages but in answer to your original question Cunard is much better than P&O IMHO.

 

[Solent Richard]

7 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

I’ve cruised many times on many ships.

Seadream x 2,  RC x 3,  Celebrity lost count.

Cunard and P&O as a child.

I’ve done a short Cunard recently and a P&O just before covid.

I would never cruise P&O again. It’s a 3 star, American line trading off a good British name.

The rants and comparisons could go on for pages but in answer to your original question Cunard is much better than P&O IMHO.

 

It would be interesting to hear a little more detail if only to satisfy the OP.  As I said at Comment # 35...' We happily cruise with both P&O and Cunard in the full knowledge that the onboard experience well suits us and we know what to expect'.

[buchanan101]

On 1/13/2023 at 7:00 PM, Presto2 said:

In Summer, is a smart, short sleeved, collared shirt and smart long trousers ok ?

That was fine in October on QM2 though they seem to have reinstated "dress shirt" rather than "collared shirt". I wore polo shirts a couple of nights on QM2, with chinos, which fulfilled the requirements. In summer I bet you'll be fine with what you suggest

[buchanan101]

1 hour ago, swjumbo said:

I’ve cruised many times on many ships.

Seadream x 2,  RC x 3,  Celebrity lost count.

Cunard and P&O as a child.

I’ve done a short Cunard recently and a P&O just before covid.

I would never cruise P&O again. It’s a 3 star, American line trading off a good British name.

The rants and comparisons could go on for pages but in answer to your original question Cunard is much better than P&O IMHO.

 

Cunard is an American line as well, trading off a good British name... it may well be better, but they are both owned by Carnival!

[exlondoner]

19 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Cunard is an American line as well, trading off a good British name... it may well be better, but they are both owned by Carnival!

Well, isn’t Carnival at least quoted on the UK stock market, with the two companies head offices in Southampton, and the ships registered in Bermuda. So not entirely US. Though I admit that anyone who talks about tuxedoes and charges in dollars doesn’t exactly seem British.

[swjumbo]

In answer to the above I know both lines are owned by the same company but both have an astounding past and many still believe they are British.

P&O nowadays is like a Premier Inn whilst Cunard is a country house hotel.

My favourite, Celebrity, could be the W Hotel group at sea.

Each of these brands have completely different clientele and serve different needs.

 

[exlondoner]

10 hours ago, swjumbo said:

In answer to the above I know both lines are owned by the same company but both have an astounding past and many still believe they are British.

P&O nowadays is like a Premier Inn whilst Cunard is a country house hotel.

My favourite, Celebrity, could be the W Hotel group at sea.

Each of these brands have completely different clientele and serve different needs.

 

The shipping companies have very much overlapping clientele. Many seem to cruise with all three.

[Windsurfboy]

10 hours ago, swjumbo said:

In answer to the above I know both lines are owned by the same company but both have an astounding past and many still believe they are British.

P&O nowadays is like a Premier Inn whilst Cunard is a country house hotel.

My favourite, Celebrity, could be the W Hotel group at sea.

Each of these brands have completely different clientele and serve different needs.

 

 

With premier inn prices and country house prices respectively 

 

You get what you pay for, Cunard used to be a 20%to30% premium over P&O , now it's more than double the price. I'm paying £14k for a 2 week cruise on Cunard QG and £6k for a suite on P&O,  same price as Brittania on Cunard. Physically  the p&O suite is better than  Cunard,  nice breakfast in Epicurean. However won't be QG food , will have to use speciality restaurants.  P&O more of a family ship. So I know they will be different. However you can enjoy both

 

 

[Teddy123]

I am Caribbean and Diamond level with P&O and Cunard, and have also been on Celebrity, Princess and Holland America, so feel qualified to offer a comment based on extended experience - always a good idea.  Both lines are essentially British but offer somewhat different products, for (increasingly) different prices.  However, both products are essentially fine. Simply to describe one as better than the other is far too crude. Something much more nuanced is needed to really assess them, and the assessment will depend on an individual’s needs and perceptions for a particular cruise: in one context Cunard will be preferable, in another P&O.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Teddy123

[LittleFish1976]

On 1/15/2023 at 12:16 AM, Host Hattie said:

Details of the other packages are here

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/activity-types/bars-and-lounges/a-world-of-drinks

 

Just noticed that the on board price has risen for the drinks packages; e.g. full drinks package is now $75 per day if organised once on board but still $70 per day if purchased prior to boarding.

 

[gkbiiii]

The Grilles now include all beverages, correct?

[majortom10]

8 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

The Grilles now include all beverages, correct?

Incorrect.Only for US cruiser's there is no free drinks package for UK cruiser's.

Edited January 21, 2023 by majortom10

[need_a_holiday]

Hi I have cruised P&O (Australia) and Cunard out of Sydney in the last 12 months.  I liked both cruises but they had their strengths and weaknesses.

Cunard strengths:

* Traditional English cruising events: usually favoured by over 50s but you can enjoyed daily afternoon tea ceremony.  Nightly ballroom dancing to live music and often singing.  Dressing up every evening after 6 and formal theme nights. 

* Food: probably the best food I have enjoyed on a cruise.  Went to Britannia dining most nights but the buffet was also very good.

* Liesurely sports: good facilities for things like lawn bowls and deck games.  Bridge in the card playing room.  Jigsaw table.

* Special performers: some good shows and insight talks.

* Enjoyable places to relax: love the design and furniture in most rooms.  Plenty of options to sit at a table and play cards in the card room or read a book in the library or sit at a window in the yacht club.

* Music: lots of high quality music across the ship.  The full ship big band is impressive.

 

Cunard weaknesses:

* Poor app: only really good for booking dinners.  Doesn't support onboard messaging or events or notifications.  

* Lack of fun ouside those traditional events: quite noticeable that most evenings there are ballroom events for a couple dozen older couples at time but when they had a rock and roll night and had open dancing on the floor there were a lot more people getting involved and dancing.  Pity they don't do that more often.  Only one kareoke event per week in the smallish Yacht Club.  Not many fun events - the triva and bingo was much smaller than other ships.  Not many big game shows or demos.

* Pricy: on Australian cruises in particular they have daily gratuities and 15% service charge added to all drinks.  Most Australian based cruise ships do not charge either.  Cocktails at US$12 and 15% gratuities are about 50% more than same drinks on P&O at AUD$12.  Most Cunard cruises over AUD$200 per day.  Some P&O cruises as lows a AUD$50 per day.

 

P&O strengths

* Having fun: excellent cruise director and staff.  Lots of daily events like funny trivia, funny game shows, kareoke nights and competitions.  Lots of chances to dance or sing or play social games.

* Kids entertainment: much better facilities for kids and teens - water slides, thrill events like flying fox, laser tag.  

P&O weaknesses:

* Food: worst food of any cruise line.  Dining room food was a constant disappointment, worse at times than most shore restuarants.  Buffet just blah.  Might have been because they were coming back from covid and staff were rusty.  Extra charge for room service or breakfast in bed.  Had a couple nice meals at the asian restuarant.  Restuarant booking process was a dogs breakfast due to the terrible app.

* Seating areas: just felt like a dodgy design in most areas of the ship with poor seating options and often overcrowded.  Probably only the two main theatres at each end were well designed everything else felt like it was shoehorned into a poorly laid out space.