Thoughts on current Queen Elizabeth sailing

[Victoria2]

16 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

I really hope you are correct about the website. I was originally offended by the remark. Walmart customers and employees have as much right to be on a Cunard voyage/ cruise as anyone else. 

As was I. We have had this same issue in the past and it was unnecessary and uncalled for then, as it was today, website or not.

 

[D&N]

I wasn't aware of a website called People of Walmart; but many years ago a friend used to regularly share People of Walmart photos by email. I haven't seen such things in recent times. They were supposed to be amusing but typically quite gross.

Whoever took the photos was presumably a customer or employee so there was never any suggestion that these photos were representative of most customers, and I never saw any unusual outfits that appeared to be worn by staff.

I'm sure the reference wasn't intended to insult all Walmart users.

I suspect if you hung around Harrods with a camera you would probably get some photos of folk in bizarre outfits.

[3rdGenCunarder]

16 hours ago, windsurferfirst said:

We have jumped ship from Princess to Cunard. Reading your review is making me wonder if we have done the right thing. We sail on QE on 18th September and I am now very nervous.

 

Don't worry. QE is wonderful. The ship is a comfortable size, and the decor is lovely. I've been in Britannia and PG and while the PG food and service are better (for the price, they should be!), I was happy with the food in Britannia. Try some of the cocktails in the Commodore Club. I'm partial to the honeysuckle daiquiri, but the Mary Pickford is good, too. 

 

@Brummel, when were you last on HAL? Their entertainment has declined in recent years. They dropped to wonderful Lincoln Center group. Now their entertainment consists primarily of  VERY LOUD cover bands. And a pair of piano players whose abilities (especially in singing) vary greatly from one ship to the next. Cunard has a much greater variety and quality of entertainment.

[rmsEtruria]

11 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Good heavens, where has this come from?

 

I agree with you, 100%

I’m glad you do—I really couldn’t tell. 

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

I’m glad you do—I really couldn’t tell. 

I tried not too be too  apparent about it. I obviously tried😃 too hard!

[LibertyBella]

19 hours ago, windsurferfirst said:

We have jumped ship from Princess to Cunard. Reading your review is making me wonder if we have done the right thing. We sail on QE on 18th September and I am now very nervous.

 

I am not sure what you are worried about.  In many ways the two lines are much more similar than not--both are upscale, encourage formalities, create great itineraries, and offer many interesting on-board activities. Both lines have a variety of eating facilities, and cater to well-traveled and knowledgeable cruisers.

 

I am a fan of both, and cruise both quite regularly, and have done so for decades. In fact, last month I sailed on the Enchanted Princess from Rome to Athens.  Last Summer we were on the QM2, and for next Summer we are booked on the Queen Victoria from Rome to Barcelona.

 

The real difference for us--DH wears his tuxedo only on Cunard; on other lines he wears a suit (and some of his suits are very, very nice.). Other nights he usually wears a sports jacket.  I might go a little more sexy in my outfits when I am not sailing on Cunard, but my formal long gowns are interchangeable across most lines (weather dictates this choice the most!).

 

I think overall we still reminisce about cruising as a historic and unique experience, due to the many movies and memories that have glamorized voyaging on the sea. 

 

Yes, cruising has a special place in my heart, but everything evolves, and some changes we may not like.  I certainly do not miss the bunk beds, the absence of televisions and Internet, the lack of carpeting, the limited dining, etc., which were part of my first cruises.  And when I recall that Cunard has been offering cruises for almost two hundred years, I wonder what people from the past would think of today's experiences!

 

P.S.  We buy lots of pet items at Walmart--cat litter, cat food, dog treats and toys, etc.  They have a great variety and the prices cannot be beat (I have a menagerie in my home).

[windsurferfirst]

18 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Are you worried about overtly informal dress or finickety and snobbish fellow passengers? I don’t think you need to worry about either, but I would be curious to know.

It was the comments about the food that concerned me. Princess food hasn't been great since covid and if the OP thought it was better than Cunard then....

Not bothered at all about snobbish passengers although I'm not a fan of people not dressing to the required standards but I'm one that likes to dress up to the nines to go shopping 🙂

[exlondoner]

Just now, windsurferfirst said:

It was the comments about the food that concerned me. Princess food hasn't been great since covid and if the OP thought it was better than Cunard then....

Not bothered at all about snobbish passengers although I'm not a fan of people not dressing to the required standards but I'm one that likes to dress up to the nines to go shopping 🙂

There won’t be snobbish passengers.

 

I think the food, admittedly in QG, is at worst very nice, sometimes excellent, though some of the menu combinations are a little strange. 

[windsurferfirst]

2 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

 

r next Summer we are booked on the Queen Victoria from Rome to Barcelona.

 

We are also on that trip.

 

The real difference for us--DH wears his tuxedo only on Cunard; on other lines he wears a suit (and some of his suits are very, very nice.). Other nights he usually wears a sports jacket.  I might go a little more sexy in my outfits when I am not sailing on Cunard, but my formal long gowns are interchangeable across most lines (weather dictates this choice the most!).

 

A girl after my own heart

 

 

 

 

 

[Brummel]

Chryso is correct. Check out the website, if you have the stomach...

 

I suggest you take a look on YouTube of city street scenes from the 1920s up to the 50s to see how far we have fallen in public dress.

 

Now transiting the Panama Canal. The "Insights" lecturer doing  commentary could make the Second Coming boring.

[teabear]

On 8/30/2023 at 12:00 PM, windsurferfirst said:

We have jumped ship from Princess to Cunard. Reading your review is making me wonder if we have done the right thing. We sail on QE on 18th September and I am now very nervous.

Let yourselves love it, its so easy to whinge (my second favourite UK expression) about anything and everything, if you like to dress for dinner, do so, lots of people dont, thats fine too - its one of the few times I wear a dress so its part of the fun of going Cunard - practicing walking in heels so I am ready for my Sept 18th departure - the riding boots are staying home

PS: just got my Venetian mask delivered - will have to practice walking in that too - so cool

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Chryso is correct. Check out the website, if you have the stomach...

 

I suggest you take a look on YouTube of city street scenes from the 1920s up to the 50s to see how far we have fallen in public dress.

 

Now transiting the Panama Canal. The "Insights" lecturer doing  commentary could make the Second Coming boring.

Rags and barefooted children? (Probably not on Cunard.)

[windsurferfirst]

24 minutes ago, teabear said:

Let yourselves love it, its so easy to whinge (my second favourite UK expression) about anything and everything, if you like to dress for dinner, do so, lots of people dont, thats fine too - its one of the few times I wear a dress so its part of the fun of going Cunard - practicing walking in heels so I am ready for my Sept 18th departure - the riding boots are staying home

PS: just got my Venetian mask delivered - will have to practice walking in that too - so cool

I love my high heels not as high as they used to be but still a decent height. I’m looking for Venetian mask also.

see you on board.

[Brummel]

Far from it even during the Depression. See for yourself.

 

Example of QE entertainment from last night:

 

"Comedian"/pianist opens with...

 

"Are there any Canadians here tonight?  I like Canadians. They're like Americans but unarmed and with health-care."

 

Hilarious. 

 

He then butchered some pop songs and beat the poor piano up a bit, interspersing other jejune "jokes," some mawkish sentimentality and even got in a photo of his dog.

 

Of course, he got a standing ovation,  from an audience that would have given a standing O to card tricks.

 

It is not that Cunard is not good. It is fine. It's that it is not exceptional anymore. And that is sad.

[seasickphil]

6 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Of course, he got a standing ovation,  from an audience that would have given a standing O to card tricks.

@Brummel

 

So he was obviously liked by some of the audience, just not by you.

[Brummel]

Oh, he was loved my almost all the audience. It's not just the quality of food and entertainment that is now unexceptional on board Cunard.

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I recently cruised aboard the Queen Elizabeth from Vancouver to Los Angeles (Aug. 17 - 22, 2023) and had a wonderful time. The ship looks great (I previously cruised aboard this ship in 2012) and I enjoyed the food (particularly, my dinner one night at the Verandah). This was my 20th sailing with Cunard (my first Cunard sailing was a crossing on the QE2 in 1984), but my first time on Cunard after the pandemic. The lectures during my cruise were excellent and the entertainment was fine. However, I realize that this varies by sailing. 

 

In particular, I enjoyed the afternoon tea and met many interesting people. My favorable experience on the Queen Elizabeth made me feel better about my decision to book the Queen Anne's 2025 Maiden World Voyage.

 

I wore a tuxedo on the Gala Night and a sports coat on the other evenings.

 

After the cruise, I spent one night on the original Queen Mary in Long Beach (which I also greatly enjoyed).

 

Cruising certainly has changed over the years (my first cruise was in 1967), but I thoroughly enjoyed my recent time on the Queen Elizabeth. 

 

Chuck

[Host Hattie]

48 minutes ago, Brummel said:

Oh, he was loved my almost all the audience. It's not just the quality of food and entertainment that is now unexceptional on board Cunard.

Obviously the audience changes depending on where the ship is sailing.

[Brummel]

True. This guy would not have gotten a standing O on a QM2 transatlantic crossing.

[exlondoner]

Given that even the goddess Athena can’t be in two places at once, how could one possibly know?

[fourmile.ranch]

1 hour ago, Brummel said:

Oh, he was loved my almost all the audience. It's not just the quality of food and entertainment that is now unexceptional on board Cunard.

Just wow. Now the audience is unexceptional? I'm gobsmacked at how elitist this sounds. Here's a hint... when the whole house is on its feet and you're unimpressed, mayhaps the problem lies closer to home.

[seasickphil]

@Brummel

 

It's a shame that after spending more than 70 nights aboard Cunard ships this cruise has made you so negative towards them. Will you now cancel your next 2 cruises on Cunard? hope not.

[Brummel]

seasickphil:

 

Already have, including the coveted Queen Anne maiden voyage. She looks like a Vegas casino.