Help Wanted: Mary or Elizabeth

Help Wanted: Mary or Elizabeth

Hello from a newbie, not exactly new to cruising as we have done a couple of short cruises to see if we liked it and we do.

We are celebrating a special event in 2018 and want to do something extra special so I have been looking at World Cruises / Sectors.

I have always hankered after cruising the Indian Ocean and visit... and I note Cunard Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary have the Ocean on their 2018 itineraries and the ports of call sound really exotic.

I've read Queen Mary is a liner and so would like to know if there is any significant difference between the two ships, I would love to know this before making a final decision.

As it will be a special event I’m thinking of splashing out on a Grill Cabin so my question to you very experienced Cunard cruisers.

Is the difference in price from a balcony cabin worth it, on a longer cruise I think I would like more space and I like the idea of being able to dine anytime.

Can anyone recommend the best cabin location on either ship port/starboard in this particular area.

I would also love to hear if anyone has been to any of these exotic ports and what tours you did to get the most out of the experience.

Hi Brown-Eyed-Girl

Welcome to the forum

You may like to look at these photos taken by a regular forum poster pepperrn

publicly available of the www

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pepperrn/sets/

It will give an idea of the difference of the two ships.

QM2 is the only Transatlantic Ocean going Liner built for Cunard Line since QE2 whilst QE is a Vista class Cruise Ship.

QM2 is shortly going into Dry Dock for a refit and will come out in a slightly different guise with regards to the interior decorations.

see

http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/

With regards to your questions there are many people on here who will be answering them.

Hi Brown-Eyed-Girl,

We finally took the plunge on QV and booked a Princess Grill cabin last year. It was a significant amount of money for us but completely worth it and now we are hooked!

The larger cabin was nice, but the dining really made it for us. The Grills really do take what's great about Britannia and take it to the next level. The A La Carte menu is amazing, having the same waiters for each meal makes more of a difference than you think and being able to order whatever you fancy off menu is a real treat. Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster, Beef Wellington and a curry they did for us one night stand out especially. If you are in a hot climate, the Grills sun deck is also really special.

As the previous poster said, the sisters and QM2 are quite different. We liked both the QM2 and the QV (very similar to the QE) in different ways. Many people say they prefer the Grills set-up on QE and QV to the QM2 and you might want to keep that in mind.

Thank you Pennbank and wolfie789 for your replies and the welcome.

I am blown away by all those wonderful photographs thank you so much, I have flicked through them very quickly and I will be looking at them in more detail at the weekend when I have more time.

I love what I have seen it doesn't make the decision any easier though, Queen Mary looks so elegant but I like the modern look of Queen Elizabeth, decisions, decisions how do I choose.

We love the Queen Mary 2 because of its grand size and style, the scope and design of the public rooms. On big plus on the QM2: Because of its design as an ocean liner, it can handle high seas way better than other ships, so one gets less motion, less sea sickness. Negatives include its size makes it harder to dock in ports (more tendering) and embarkation/disembarkation can be a flood of people. Still we would choose the QM2 any day for its grandeur.

We crossed the Indian Ocean in spring, 2015 on another line. Loved all the time we spent in Madagascar and Mozambique. Not well-developed ports, but fascinating. Also enjoyed Reunion, a little bit of France far from home.

Whatever you choose, you will have a wonderful and memorable special occasion. You are very smart to consider these cruises among your celebration options.

Grills restaurant on QV or QE is on a high deck, allowing the most beautiful views - pretty much unbeatable imho. The position of the Grills restaurant on QM2 is not so good as its lower and has the promenade deck right outside.

I suspect the newly refurbished suites on QM2 will be very smart though, so it's a bit of a trade off.

They are all beautiful ships and I'm sure you won't be disappointed whichever one you choose.:)

The Grills are fabulous whichever ship you choose, and we love them all. However, particularly if you plan on a voyage with many sea days, QM2, being so much larger, offers considerably more choice.

For that reason alone, on a longer voyage, she would be our first choice.

Help Wanted: Mary or Elizabeth

 

Hello from a newbie, not exactly new to cruising as we have done a couple of short cruises to see if we liked it and we do.

 

We are celebrating a special event in 2018 and want to do something extra special so I have been looking at World Cruises / Sectors.

 

I have always hankered after cruising the Indian Ocean and visit... and I note Cunard Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary have the Ocean on their 2018 itineraries and the ports of call sound really exotic.

 

I've read Queen Mary is a liner and so would like to know if there is any significant difference between the two ships, I would love to know this before making a final decision.

 

As it will be a special event I’m thinking of splashing out on a Grill Cabin so my question to you very experienced Cunard cruisers.

 

Is the difference in price from a balcony cabin worth it, on a longer cruise I think I would like more space and I like the idea of being able to dine anytime.

 

Can anyone recommend the best cabin location on either ship port/starboard in this particular area.

 

I would also love to hear if anyone has been to any of these exotic ports and what tours you did to get the most out of the experience.

I crossed the Indian Ocean this year on Queen Victoria and last year on QM2. Love them both but if I had to choose it would be QM2 for her grandeur I think. My favourite port was La Reunion. Very French and so beautiful. Loved the Seychelles too. I am sure that whichever you choose it will be wonderful.

Sent from my SM-T230 using Tapatalk

tv24, thank you. You say about Mary handling the high seas well which seems to be what many say so obviously something to be considered.

We are currently researching all the ports and just when we think we have the one some other little gem on the other itinerary pops up and we are back to square one.

I hadn't considered the position of the restaurant Meredith so you make a good point, a nice view when dining would be a plus, can we expect it would be light in the evening in this part of the world, the newly refurbished suites on Mary look super from the artist impression so something else to consider.

Thank you cruiseluvva, you are obviously another Mary fan on long voyages and there does seem to be a more extensive choice of activities on board than on the other two Queens which is something else worth considering.

Another Mary fan Cassandra I think I am being inched in the direction of this ship as being *the one* I want to do them all :confused:

Hi,

I have sailed aboard both the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Elizabeth (as well as the Queen Victoria). I greatly enjoyed all three ships. However, I would probably choose the QM2 because she is the last true ocean liner in service. The QM2 is much larger and has a broader range of activities and services. Also, the QM2's public areas are much grander (higher ceilings, etc.) The QM2 also would handle any potentially rough seas much better.

Chuck

Bear in mind, much of the Indian Ocean is on or near the equator, so day and night is pretty equal. It gets dark fairly early.

Thank you seacruise9 and cruiseluvva.

Queen Mary does seem to be very popular especially it would appear when handling potentially rough seas and for her grandeur.

I hadn't even thought about the Indian Ocean being close to the equator and a 50/50 split on day/night hours so thanks cruiseluvva.

We loved the Elizabeth. We chose Mary for an Atlantic crossing, because she is built for it, and it was the ship to spend seven port-free days on - plenty of places to explore, and I hadn't seen it all by the time we disembarked. But Elizabeth is our great love. The Grills dining with a view is wonderful, and we actually saw the Mary go past one evening! Elizabeth is a more manageable size, and she is newer and less faded - though the refurb may brighten up the Mary. Elizabeth is a good size for calling at ports and for finding your way around quickly. We were very comfortable and loved her the best! Trying Victoria this year.

I was thinking the same thought as an earlier commenter,

On our Tahitian cruise, it was dark every night by the time we went to dinner. In northern ports in the summer, of course you get those long evenings and late sunsets.

Do keep that in mind. You can always Google when the sunset will be for your date and port.

My own view is that the Princess cabins on QM2 are superior, without a doubt, to those on the QV/QE. As others have said the restaurants on the smaller ships have the wonderful views. Also the the sun deck on these ships is preferable as it is more private.

Having said that, I would be happy to go on any Cunard ship on the sector you are considering: we are seriously considering Cape Town to Australia winter 2017, on QM2!

I should add that we travelled Princess on both and liked the service much better on the Elizabeth. The waiters were much friendlier and more helpful, learning what we liked early and steering us off certain dishes with a nod and a wink. On the Mary, there were more of them, and they were generally more formal. That may be what you prefer! In our cabin, we had a lot of trouble getting the beds divided and the bedding right. We had three goes at it before they got it right - and it wasn't an unusual configuration; just twin beds with divided bedding!. Also, on the last morning, when I went out to give the steward a tip, he barely acknowledged the envelope, instead pressing me to say that we could be out of the cabin sooner than the 8.30 deadline. We hate the rush of the last morning, which always makes me feel part of a herd of cattle, and I understand the pressure staff are under, but I found this annoying. This may all be an indication of the general decline of Cunard, but I can only report on our experience, and everyone on the Elizabeth was charming and friendly and helpful.

Help Wanted: Mary or Elizabeth

 

Hello from a newbie, not exactly new to cruising as we have done a couple of short cruises to see if we liked it and we do.

 

We are celebrating a special event in 2018 and want to do something extra special so I have been looking at World Cruises / Sectors.

 

I have always hankered after cruising the Indian Ocean and visit... and I note Cunard Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary have the Ocean on their 2018 itineraries and the ports of call sound really exotic.

 

I've read Queen Mary is a liner and so would like to know if there is any significant difference between the two ships, I would love to know this before making a final decision.

 

As it will be a special event I’m thinking of splashing out on a Grill Cabin so my question to you very experienced Cunard cruisers.

 

Is the difference in price from a balcony cabin worth it, on a longer cruise I think I would like more space and I like the idea of being able to dine anytime.

 

Can anyone recommend the best cabin location on either ship port/starboard in this particular area.

 

I would also love to hear if anyone has been to any of these exotic ports and what tours you did to get the most out of the experience.

Good afternoon Brown Eyed Girl.

There is a significant difference between the two ships and therefore I would recommend careful consideration.

I have sailed all three of Cunard's current fleet (and two others) in both Grills, Britannia club and Britannia staterooms.

If you have seriously settled at Princess Grill level then it is my honest opinion that you should opt for Queen Elizabeth.

My wife and I did a 22 night Princess Grill cruise to the caribbean and had a great time. The stateroom...

The Grill Restaurant...

And probably one of the best features, the 'private' Grills Terrace...

...with its excellent 'al fresco' dining option, the Courtyard...

You may wish to peruse my full review...

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/03/21/queen-elizabeth-maiden-season/

I should add that we travelled Princess on both and liked the service much better on the Elizabeth. The waiters were much friendlier and more helpful, learning what we liked early .

To be fair, I've experienced that level of attention in Princess Grills on all three Cunard ships.

It really is a joy to have your own table, waiters and sommeliers for all meals throughout the cruise.

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/12/23/dining-with-a-princess/

Grills restaurant on QV or QE is on a high deck, allowing the most beautiful views - pretty much unbeatable imho. The position of the Grills restaurant on QM2 is not so good as its lower and has the promenade deck right outside.

 

I suspect the newly refurbished suites on QM2 will be very smart though, so it's a bit of a trade off.

 

They are all beautiful ships and I'm sure you won't be disappointed whichever one you choose.:)

I agree with you. Much as I love Queen Mary 2 I consider Queen Elizabeth a better bet for the Indian Ocean, particularly from the aspect of a Grills passenger.

Thank you goddessofstrife, Jacqueline,LadyL1 and Solent Richard.

goddessofstrife it’s good when you can actually make a comparison between the two ships.

Jacqueline we will be doing so much research once we have decided which ship so that is an excellent idea to google sunset times, time leaving port etc I would probably not thought of it.

LadyL1 we are thinking of really pushing the boat out and booking a Queens cabin, if we can ever make our mind up.

Solent Richard the photographs are lovely thank you, I particularly like the look of the courtyard for al fresco dining.

I’m now in a complete quandary but thank you to everyone for your comments and suggestions, Mary seems to be slightly ahead in popularity with Elizabeth slightly ahead for this particular part of the world.

We will be making a decision by the weekend so thank you to everyone who has helped us reach it, I will be sure to let you know which as I’m sure I will be back asking a lot more questions once booked.

It's been an interesting discussion, Brown-Eyed-Girl. Thanks for starting it. I hope you have a wonderful trip, whichever you choose.

What did you decide Brown Eyed Girl?

We have booked Guarantee Britannia Club from San Francisco to Southampton on the Queen Elizabeth II, 2018 World Cruise and are crossing fingers and toes that we get upgraded to the Grills.

We will return to the USA on the Queen Mary II.

Hope that we see you.

Dear B-E-G,

I was on QE for the entire World Cruise this year-yours is a nice dilemma to have. I’ve been in Princess on QM2 and it was very nice. QM2 is my fave BUT I think the Grills on QE and QV and the Grill Lounges are sublime. ;)

The Indian Ocean is a warm delight; Reunion is wonderful, French and fun.

Enjoy:D

CanonCruiser,

We were on QM Princess grills for the 28 day Norwegian voyage in 2014. It has made it difficult to contemplate anything else.

We decided to take the Guarantee Britannia Club for the dining alternative.

I assume that you enjoyed the Queen Elizabeth II World voyage. We had wanted to board in Ft Lauderdale but that was not possible, even this far out.

We live in Florida and do Caribbean cruises regularly so missing the early ports and the Panama were not deal breakers.

Was there anything that your would say is not to be missed on this trip?

We have 21 months to research it all.

I am in deep envy-as I have to restore my exchequer for a bit. Anywho, DO NOT MISS, the China, Indian and Cambodian overland tours. In China we went from Hong Kong to X’ian(terra-cotta warriors) then Beijing for the Great Wall, Forbidden City & etc. ; India Cochin, Delhi, Agra(Taj) and Jaipur; Cambodia(Anghor Wat). I did not do the safari from Cape Town as I lived in Botswana years ago and now have good friends in SA; I saw lot’s of them during our 3 days in CT.

One of my addictions is sailing out of a great port at night on my balcony with a drink;it’s fab.

I see there’s no stop in Dubai which is where we rejoined the ship from our Indian overland; I assume they’ll do the Indian overland from Columbo.

The Tour Office staff on QE are excellent.

Never been to NZ so I have no opinion;Japan fascinating;never been to the South Pacific other than Rabaul and NE Australia, I like Brisbane a lot.

ENJOY!:)