Germancruiser

Even though I agree Redtravel- in everything you wrote, X is definatley " watered down"-many here on these board agree but compared to the others lines ( wo have gone the same way) X still offers an excellent product. Anyway when I walked through the MSC Seaside, Seaview- the only ships I sailed with MSC - outside of the Yacht Club- I was really really schocked- no that might to harsh a word- but still- BIG BIG difference to the area´s of X- ships where all cruisers are welcome. The ships are nicley furnished and sparkels, of course- as every new ship, but toaly overcrowded, overly stressed service staff in both the MDR and the Buffets. Never in a thousand years would I cruise MSC outside YC.

Would a topic such as this one would have come up, say eight or so years ago X would have been my number one choice! With all their changes I sail them rather seldom. Alas I have booked a cruise on Reflection in December. The Elite Plus benefits are nice, but their ( X´s ) ships just got to loud. Still X is still delivering an excellent produkt with a wonderful crew. Now it is as followed: 1. Cunard (with them first QM2- QE and QV ) 2. MSC Yacht Club- only on board Seaside Class 3. Celebrity ( Millenium- Class first , Solstice Class second, Edge Class - but that must be an expetionell good offer to book Edge Class again ) Thats it!

Interessting, I boarding QM2 at April 22th. Back to back TA- I don´t need a test, whatsoever. I am not sure if even vacination papers are required- I have them with me in any case. I was just surprised that X still requieres tests prior embarkation.

As long as one can choose ( with X) between one or twice a day- service- I am fine with that. I was asked by my cabin steward in 2021( Apex´s Maiden Voyage) if i would agree to only once a day service. I opted for twice a day. I am not green I wont go green. Thats that! I my humble opinion this once a day nonsense is a way to cut costs - once a day service safes staff and therefore money. Of course it sounds much better to play with the guilty conscience part of the passengers, then to admit cost cuttings.

Exactly let´s wait and see, what they have done, one can always complain later... LOL.

Thank you Sogne- so there is still hope- I guess we have to wait and see. What a pity, all our complaining and wining about the prommenade deck of QA ( or the lack thereof) - for nothing.. LOL. WHAT NO WATER CANONS- okay- so let´s hope they have a nice Zip Line on board QA - let´s say- from the Grills over to the Hoipoloi and back. Have watersildes ever been mentioned- i did not hear anything about those wonderful waterslides? Even a Johnny Rockets? But an icescating ring- that´s a must....!

@deck chair- I absolutly agree- as long as QM2, QV and QE are around- I am not going to book Queen Anne- a Cunard ship without a propper prommenade deck- they should have known better.

I also look forward to celebrate the coronation on board QM2 - I am sure they recognize the occation ín similar way they did with the Jubilee! The Coronation itself will be shown in the theater and - or in the Planetarium. Very possibly a Coronation Ball.

I would think they don´t need any prove of cut backs, they ordered them- so there is no need to send someone in undercover. They are well aware whats going on. My last cruise with X was on board Infinity- the old lady was in great shape and there have been some cutbacks ( example- there was wide varity of joghurt - no there is just a bowl with some fruit yogurt) - but nothing to spoil our cruise. The food was great- the Buffet- well, we always found something to our liking!

As far as I know- a ship - esp. a Cunard ship will always be a " Queen"!

Oh yes- cutbacks started well before Covid reared it´s ugly head. During Covid I strayed- to the German Tui cruises- there simply was no other cruise line sailing - and they sailed out of Germany- so a train ride was suffice to get there. Tui is like X- very very similar. I needed a cruise and so a i took the opportunity to check them out. Great ships, great food, wonderful staff and I will never go back again- why? To many Germans ( all German in fact) - I prefer a more international group. Then my next try- MSC - not a single American Brand was sailing at this time. They had great offers for their Yacht Club- so I tried that. Loved it. Did a again a few month later. BUT as soon as one leaves the Yacht Club area- you can really feel the difference between X- and MSC. Feel, hear, see... the difference. Sometimes outside the YC it felt like a 3 rate camp ground. ( No offence ment for many " Happy Campers") So even with all the cutbacks- which I find bearable- X- is , in my opinion, still the best cruise line to choose. So due to Covid I have now three cruise lines to choose from: MSC ( ONLY YC) , X- and my beloved Cunard.

Thanks. I did not even know that he had a schdedule online. So I just wait and see what is on in April. I can´t wait- 16 days on board my favorite ship.

Thank you so much for let us join you. We are booked on the NYE cruise 2023/2024. So it is just great to follow you. We have the same style balcony- since we are in 9292- which we choose deliberately. Great pictures- the one with almost full moon is terrific. Enjoy your voyage!

Thank you very much bluemarble. I feared as much. It was nice and convieniend to see afore to which lecturer one could look forward to. Bill Miller is always a must- when he is on board. One could almost say a Ocean Liner - Legend in himself and nice to chat to also. Thanks again for your help.

Hi all Cunard fans. I know there was site ( Link) where all the quest speakers for the ongoing year were listed. I sadly can not find it. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

The covers on the Sunsets balconys on Apex are all rather small. If you are a light sleeper avoid the Sunset cabins right under the open deck - aft. You might bis disturbed due to rearanging the chairs there early in the morning. It did not bother me- but friends complained about it at guest relations. Well- with more less sucess- they have to clean and rearange somtime.

X really should think hard before they eliminate the turn down service. I rather like it very much. Forget all this " Go Green" nonsense- nothing but cost cutting masked to do the planet a favor. I don´t need towel animals- neither do I need the chocolate- but a nice and fresh looking cabin when returning from the evenings pleasures- is very very appreciated.

@Dreamer68 - We did not reserve at all- we just showed up- and asked for a table - there was plenty of room in all four dinning options. I am hard pressed to say which of the Dinning Rooms was our favorite- a slight tendency to the Normandy Restaurant- maybe...! We wanted to try and see all the four options so we mixed them on those 7 days. This cruise was really reamarkable- right after Covid- still tested before boarding was allowed. Then entering a brand new ship. Senior members of the staff all standing in the Entry and cheering and applauding us. Goose bump moment- and very very moving- indeed.

@dreamer68- I would try both - on board Apex ( I sailed the very ship at her maiden voyage) I sat only with my travel companions - on purpose. There are four MDR´s - to choose from- we tried each and every one of them. Loved all- nice new concept. You can go one day with only the two of you. The other day you can just ask to share a table. I am sure that works- so you have a little bit of everything. Apex is a stunning ship- a totaly new X- experience. The " Ahhhh" factor is big on Apex. After all- and the Maiden Voyage on board Apex was a wonderful experience- I like the old ships more- esp. the Millenium Class of ships.

That is my hope, too 2 Old. They are really a thing of the past. Sooner or later they have to redo all the bathrooms- since they are getting on in years.

There may electic artwork on board the new ship- but it will also be the first ship without a PROPPER Prommenade Deck. Yes I am a whiner about the lack of a propper prommenade.

It´s always possible to sit by yourself or with only your own family. Wheras I loved to share - when sailing solo- a table with at least 6 or even 8 passengers, nowadays I prefer my own company. I met wonderful people around the dinner table- some of them got friends - close friends to this very day- but I also had the weirdos...!

I am not sure, but i suppose staffmembers are asking for good rates, only do so, when they get the feeling that the passenger- us- is very satisfied with their service. Otherwise it would be pathetic- I give a 10 out of 10 when it is earned and well deserved- otherwise i do not. Very easy. In the dinning rooms there is always - well almost always anyway- the request to give a 10 out of 10 - "because it is very important for us". When the service is impecable it´s a 10 - when the food is medicore ( happend also) it get´s a five- thats all there is to it.

I would say that Carnival and therefore Cunard is a bit hard up financial wise. All due to the Covid crisis, of course. A major refit would the good Mary a world of good. Shower curtains, for example are a thing of the past. The signs of wear and tear are inevitable and in some place more obvious then in others. Would that stopp me from sailing my favorite ship- never ever!

I heard it was just maintanance work on the hull and a technical update.