QV 2017 drydock: Serving up Dingle's berries and Meadow's muffins

This drydock is such a bummer that it deserves it's own thread. Apparently the plan is to make the stern of the QV look like the QE by adding 30 additional cabins; which is to say square and ugly. Plus all you folks whose favorite ship is the QV will get to share it with another 60 people; what a brilliant idea! News of this has been buried in two threads about the QM2 remastering, I think forum readers deserve to know. There's a reason why many people prefer QV to QE; I argue that this is due in part to it having a one of a kind profile that both crew and passengers are proud of. If the Cunard line is that short of capacity why can't they persuade the Carnival brass to build them a new ship?

As we are taking our first Cunard (QV) voyage this fall and are fortunate enough to be in a wake-facing cabin with a large balcony, I was both happy (that we are going this year) and sorry to hear that the large balconies will, apparently, be gone after the 2017 re-do.

Those lucky enough to have had many cruises aboard QV, must be terribly disappointed.:(

Cheers!

There are many fewer opportunities for a US passenger to sail on either QV or QE in the past few years (we've done a round-trip Hawaii and a Panama Canal transit on Victoria, boarding in Los Angeles both times) so I guess the changes are really of minor importance in determining whether I'll sail on QV. But the Chart Room was our favorite pre-dinner lounge* and I really don't like QE's stern profile.

*I understand that the Commodore Club has its fans but it doesn't make sense to go up and forward on my way down and aft to dinner.

Hello

I have sailed on the Queen Victoria twice both on long cruises. I think it is a wonderful ship with a fabulous crew. I think it is a real travesty that the looks of the ship will be diminished. In addition, the addition of more passengers will take away space for others. Most wrong about this refit is taking away the much used (especially for pre-dinner cocktails and socializing) Chart Room in favor of the new Britannia Club dining room. This alone will cause crowding and or over crowding of other lounges such as the Commodore Club. I doubt also that Cunard thought about the long walk from the Commodore Club to the dining room that will now be a difficult one for some elderly passengers. What are they going to do? (Sail on the QE (No chart Room) and you will see what I mean.) I really do not understand why Cunard could not have just carved out space from the main dining room for a Britannia Club dining room as was done on the Queen Mary 2 and save the Chart Room. Of course, perhaps the addition of passengers made that impossible.

Cunard is in the process of ruining a really nice ship for the sake of additional revenue. I hate to say it but I hope it backfires on the clueless Cunard senior executives responsible for this. I was thinking of booking the 2018 South America voyage in January 2018. Now with this refit there is no way. I doubt that I am the only one. I will stick with the Queen Mary for crossings and seriously begin looking at Crystal, Azamara, and Oceania for other cruises. Of course, I can just fly to places I want to visit. That would be better that sailing on an over crowed graceless ship.

Shame on Cunard!

Deck Chair

Here is a link to an article about the re-fit dated March 18, 2016.

http://www.cruiseadvice.com.au/2016/03/britannia-club-rooms-coming-queen-victoria/

Cheers!

Here is a link to an article about the re-fit dated March 18, 2016.

 

http://www.cruiseadvice.com.au/2016/03/britannia-club-rooms-coming-queen-victoria/

 

Cheers!

Here is a quote from the above article.

"Brittania Club staterooms are slightly larger than the standard Brittania staterooms and are generally inclusive of a private balcony. This higher category affords its guests a suite of extra benefits such as access to the exclusive Brittania Club Restaurant, which is a private section of the Grand Brittania Restaurant. Guests with this access can also choose what time of the day or night they take their meals and with whom they choose to dine."

Is this true on QM2? Definitely not on QE. I was in Britannia Club last year and my stateroom was exactly the same size as in Britannia the year before. "A suite of extra benefits" - not really. Also, I did not get a choice of dinner companions. I really liked my dinner companions but we were assigned to that table.

Isn't the picture on the page a rendering of the new solo staterooms going on QM2?

I'm guessing the "new" staterooms for Britannia Club will be in the same location on deck 8 as on QE that are now regular Britannia staterooms.

Here is a quote from the above article.

 

"Brittania Club staterooms are slightly larger than the standard Brittania staterooms and are generally inclusive of a private balcony. This higher category affords its guests a suite of extra benefits such as access to the exclusive Brittania Club Restaurant, which is a private section of the Grand Brittania Restaurant. Guests with this access can also choose what time of the day or night they take their meals and with whom they choose to dine."

 

Is this true on QM2? Definitely not on QE. I was in Britannia Club last year and my stateroom was exactly the same size as in Britannia the year before. "A suite of extra benefits" - not really. Also, I did not get a choice of dinner companions. I really liked my dinner companions but we were assigned to that table.

 

Isn't the picture on the page a rendering of the new solo staterooms going on QM2?

 

I'm guessing the "new" staterooms for Britannia Club will be in the same location on deck 8 as on QE that are now regular Britannia staterooms.

If they can't spell Britannia correctly ("Brittania") then how can one expect this truly dreadful article to be accurate about anything else? Including details about room sizes etc (and yes, that photo shows a yet-to-be-built single cabin on QM2). Hack so-called "journalism"; compiled, "cut and pasted" by someone whom I would suspect has not seen an ocean, let alone a ship. Pathetic, they should be ashamed. A site to be avoided I think :mad: .

Best wishes to you Scrapnana :)

This drydock is such a bummer that it deserves it's own thread. Apparently the plan is to make the stern of the QV look like the QE by adding 30 additional cabins; which is to say square and ugly. Plus all you folks whose favorite ship is the QV will get to share it with another 60 people; what a brilliant idea! News of this has been buried in two threads about the QM2 remastering, I think forum readers deserve to know. There's a reason why many people prefer QV to QE; I argue that this is due in part to it having a one of a kind profile that both crew and passengers are proud of. If the Cunard line is that short of capacity why can't they persuade the Carnival brass to build them a new ship?

I have to agree. From someone who has remained loyal to the brand for a number of years and my favourite ship and crew are Queen Victoria I am very disappointed in the new plans. It will probably make the difference between me staying loyal or trialling other replacement lines. One of Cunards great assets is the vast array of different experiences that you can have across the three ships and by changing the profile and the make up of the QV they had deleted a lot of the advantages. There are many passengers that prefer the QE over the QV and vice versa and to do away with the differences that we celebrate they are creating another generic experience.

There is more to come out about the changes and more that will not impress regular passengers.

We are currently sailing away from Bali and as I look out form the pool deck windows across the vast expanse of blue sea I am wonderring if this is my last great adventure onboard.

Roscoe

I'm also very disappointed. QV is definitely my favourite ship. The well used Chart Room is one of my favourite rooms and I will be extremely sad to see it go. As Roscoe said, the fact that all three ships are different makes it particularly pleasurable to sail Cunard. It will be a great shame for QV to become a clone of the rather less elegant, more crowded QE.

I have missed sailing on QV the last two summer's due to her being banished to the Mediterranean and now it looks like I have had my last cruise on-board in her current superior form. I am saddened by what is to happen :(

Dress code -that's what get the interest. Not that a perfectly good ship is going into the chop shop to get its rear extended with cabins added - it's a threat to the dress code that raises the ire of Cunard passengers.

That passengers dress according to the dress code costs Cunard nothing, but Cunard markets it well. Imagine one protest voyage where Cunard passengers ignored dress codes - suddenly cunard becomes carnival.

Can't believe they are doing this to QV! We have been on QE and QV several times and are constantly reminded every time we sail on QE that QV is our favourite.

Taking away the Chart Room is bad news. It is our favourite bar on the ship and every time we pass the space on QE we lament the replacement of such a classy venue by a restaurant for Club rooms which we have never seen anyone enter or leave!.

Presume it is a true story so will have to consider what we do for our next cruise given the news.

Del.

I hope this is not true. By adding cabins to the back of QV they will destroy the last perfect looking ship! It is a shame as we cruised so many time on her including our honeymoon trip just because we love her look and style. I would never consider QE and I will not travel on an ugly rebuilt QV!!! Same happened to her sisters Arcadia and the HAL ships just for a few more cabins. It takes years to esrn back the conversion costs. Why is it not possible to keep a few good looking ships for ship lovers. I would have no problem to pay a little extra to compensate Cunard for no additional cabins....

I hope this is not true.

It is unfortunately true. Previous discussion about the QV appeared on the "QM2 interior refit" thread a few days ago.

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=49452288#post49452288

You can see by comparing the before and after deck plans here:

http://www.cunard.com/Documents/2017-18-deck-plans/QV-deck-plans-2017-18.pdf

I have to agree. From someone who has remained loyal to the brand for a number of years and my favourite ship and crew are Queen Victoria I am very disappointed in the new plans. It will probably make the difference between me staying loyal or trialling other replacement lines. One of Cunards great assets is the vast array of different experiences that you can have across the three ships and by changing the profile and the make up of the QV they had deleted a lot of the advantages. There are many passengers that prefer the QE over the QV and vice versa and to do away with the differences that we celebrate they are creating another generic experience.

 

There is more to come out about the changes and more that will not impress regular passengers.

 

We are currently sailing away from Bali and as I look out form the pool deck windows across the vast expanse of blue sea I am wonderring if this is my last great adventure onboard.

 

Roscoe

Hello Roscoe

I recall reading one of your blogs that senior executives on board for a portion of the world cruise had reconsidered doing away with the Chart Room and decided to keep it in view of the views expressed by unhappy Cunarders. I was speaking with some one at Cunard Line today who told me that the Chart room will be gone replaced by the new Club dining room.

I am wondering if you were misled by this executive....Also wondering if you have heard anything new about this development.

Thanks.

Deck Chair

I wonder what they are going to do the décor?? Qm2 looking? don't think it would look nice on her as she has a nice but distinct theme ..

Hello Roscoe

 

I recall reading one of your blogs that senior executives on board for a portion of the world cruise had reconsidered doing away with the Chart Room and decided to keep it in view of the views expressed by unhappy Cunarders. I was speaking with some one at Cunard Line today who told me that the Chart room will be gone replaced by the new Club dining room.

 

 

I am wondering if you were misled by this executive....Also wondering if you have heard anything new about this development.

 

Thanks.

 

Deck Chair

Yes it was David Noyes CEO of Carnival UK., he assured us after being berated by anyone who could get a word in doing our day in Singapore and before, after and during the World Cruise dinner in Singapore about the changes. He made a speech during the WC dinner in which he assured us that the chart room would be left as it was, to a room of rapturous applause.

It would be disappointing to hear that he was going back on his word.

I do know that at the time I was onboard, there was a number of different options and venues being looked at and one in particular which would make complete and utter sense. I still hold out hope that it will be the ultimate position that the new restaurant will occupy.

Time will tell.

Hi Roscoe

Thanks for the response....really I don't understand why Cunard can't just carve out space in the Britannia dining room for the club passengers as they did on the QM2. I enjoyed your blogs and hope to meet you one day.

Take care and thanks again.

Deck Chair

Hi Roscoe

 

Thanks for the response....really I don't understand why Cunard can't just carve out space in the Britannia dining room for the club passengers as they did on the QM2. I enjoyed your blogs and hope to meet you one day.

 

Take care and thanks again.

 

Deck Chair

Thanks Deckchair, fingers crossed.

R