Jump to content

flag fan

Members
  • Posts

    1,733
  • Joined

About Me

  • Location
    Washington, DC

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

flag fan's Achievements

Cool Cruiser

Cool Cruiser (2/15)

  1. This was an interesting thread and I appreciate the OP giving a description and review of this crossing. I was on the same crossing (my third on the Queen Mary 2) and planned to write my own review, but (due to my procrastination) will limit myself to adding a few thoughts to this thread. I was surprisingly disappointed with this cruise, but I will start with the positives. I thought the service was excellent by wait staff and cabin attendant-- generally everyone I had dealings with including the purser's desk. The ship itself is beautiful and clean and has some great special touches that other ships do not have, such as the planetarium, full-deck promenade deck, and large library and bookstore. I also really liked the regular entertainers on the ship--the Royal Theatre singers and dancers and the entertainers in the lounges. Now the negatives. I booked a Princess grill for the first time as a special treat (using all the money I did not spend on vacations the last three years). The cabin itself was beautiful--very large (with a walk-in closet and additional large closet) and a large balcony. The bathroom had a bathtub (probably the first time I had one on a ship (although the sides were too high, so getting in and out was difficult)). But the room service menu was very limited, I resented having to pay for the drink plan, and the food in the Princess Grill, while good, was not necessarily better than the Britannia Restaurant meals, if I remember them correctly (although the lounge with drinks and snacks was very nice). I was also disappointed in the food in Kings Grill--I expected some staples always available (pizza, burgers) but no; a limited selection of foods without offering basic American dishes. The balcony was big but no loungers, such wicker seats without foot stools. But the most frustrating thing during the cruise was the technology--or lack thereof. Although there is an app (My Voyage I think it is called), mine did not work most of the time and one had to re-log into the wi-fi periodically. Also, the cabin tv was not interactive--no ordering room service, making reservations, or checking one's account on the tv--which has become standard on most (all) other cruise lines and most hotels. Also, no movies to order on the tv (although there was a nice selection of movies to watch and the daily shows/lectures were shown on the tv the next day). I know a lot of people like the formality of Cunard--the tuxedos and gowns--as did I on my first Cunard cruise, but I am over it and would have preferred a more casual dress code (which is what all the luxury lines have gone to), so one of Cunard's major selling points did not make up for what was lacking in terms of technology and convenience. (I am probably also a minority in being disappointed in the Theatre at Sea theme on this cruise--stars of the West End that were on board were incredibly talented singers, but the song selections were terrible--very few hits, mostly obscure songs rather than show-stoppers (for example, the song picked to highlight Andrew Lloyd Weber was from Starlight Express--the only musical he produced that was not a hit). But to each his own; I am glad the entertainment was appreciated by others.) Some other observations--this was one of the first cruises in which there no mask mandate (such a recommendation); the cruise started with about 90-95% of passengers (referred to annoyingly as customers by Cunard) wearing masks but ending with about 5-10% of passengers in masks by the end of the crossing; the bathroom products were all liquid (I am really glad I brought my own bar soap); one part of Kings Court changes to a specialty restaurant at night and the cuisine changes about half-way through the cruise (Italian to Indian on my crossing; the last time I cruised there were multiple options every day). Finally, I would agree that this is not a luxury cruise experience, even at the Princess Grill level. I have sailed on only two luxury lines (Silversea and Crystal (sigh) and a lot of little things keep Cunard from that level--specifically charging for drinks (so it is not all-inclusive) and a limited room service menu. I am glad others enjoy Cunard, but I will explore some new cruise lines (Viking, Virgin, maybe even Ponant).
  2. I am going to be in New York City (Brooklyn) the two days before my QM2 crossing so need to get tested in NYC; CVS seems a good option, and although the CVS site describes the test as "Rapid-result test (antigen)," it also notes "Not accepted for travel." Has anyone actually used a CVS test to get on a Cunard ship (successfully)?
  3. Thank you -- this is very helpful information.
  4. Any suggestions for testing sites in Brooklyn? I think Cunard requires and Antigen test that is medically observed so I think home tests would not be accepted.
×
×
  • Create New...