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Just off Q Elizabeth ...very disapointed


phillipahain
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Unforutnatly you see poeple dressed in T-Shirts- shaggy trousers- jump suits- awfull footwear, not only in Mc Donalds these days. Sometimes I wish it were 1918- or a bit like it anyway. Just visit a Musical in both NY or London or whereever- and see how poeple dress nowadays- awfull- just awfull! I mean nobdoy has go in white tie and tails- but theres is still something in between!

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Food discussions are always difficult as what one person enjoys and finds good, some one else may dislike.

I am not the best person to for giving a good food review as I eat a very simple diet. However, I like good quality food and I have found over the last couple of years the food on Cunard has become less tasty, less quality, less choice, and less imagination and presentation.

On our Christmas cruise 2017 on QM2, my food was dry bland and boring.

I always ask for a side order of steamed green vegetables to give my plate some colour as it can often be very bland looking on your plate.

Recently we were in QG on QM2 (we have saiked on her over 200 nights) The food was more like we used to get in Britannia. Bigger portions, presented nice, and on the general menu most of the food we have had in Britannia over the years. Only major difference was the al a carte menu,or the fact you can order what you like and it will be served.

There is a definite difference in the quality of the food in Britannia.

We spent some time in a one to one meeting with the food and beverage manager on QM2 as he gave my husband an interview for an article for a newspaper. Of course any manager, or member of staff will always be upbeat about the the food they prepare and the company as a whole. They are never going to say anything negative as it is their job not to do so.

The truth is in the pudding.

We enjoy Cunard, but like many things in life, times change and the bean counters have to do their best to save money.

I just hope that the food bills don't get cut any further.

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Things must have gone very seriously downhill since February/March this year when I was on board the Queen Elizabeth and everything was just fine, like my other Cunard voyages. I had a great time (as always).

 

People I chatting with on board have told me recently that, given how good the trip was, they have booked two further voyages with Cunard (something they'd be unlikely to do if the experience earlier this year had been poor).

 

Was the trip without fault? Of course not, but then if I want to be really picky, nothing ever is (being a grumpy old man I can always something to have a good old moan about).

 

Would I book QE again? In a heartbeat :)

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Things must have gone very seriously downhill since February/March this year when I was on board the Queen Elizabeth and everything was just fine, like my other Cunard voyages. I had a great time (as always).

 

People I chatting with on board have told me recently that, given how good the trip was, they have booked two further voyages with Cunard (something they'd be unlikely to do if the experience earlier this year had been poor).

 

Was the trip without fault? Of course not, but then if I want to be really picky, nothing ever is (being a grumpy old man I can always something to have a good old moan about).

 

Would I book QE again? In a heartbeat :)

 

I concur with Pepper's evaluation of the QE. We were onboard for the full 2018 World Voyage. Was it perfect? No, but there were many more hits than misses, and the service, all over the ship, more than made up for any lackluster dish.

 

The inability of the ship to get to Busan, where containers of food were waiting, did require adjustments and creativity on the part of Mark Oldroyd, the Executive Chef.

 

It was delightful meeting you onboard, Pepper, and a great time at lunch together.

 

Ricki

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We noticed the difference in the new menus introduced in July on QV and imagine it will be similar on QE for our next cruise in November. We found our waiter no longer made recommendations as the new menu has the Chefs recommendation typed on. Although when I stated I couldn’t choose between 2 choices he did tell me that there had been complaints at the earlier sitting on one of the options so I went for the alternative.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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I've never understood the idea of the chef or waiter recommending a dish. Are they saying that the other dishes are of a lower quality ?

 

It reminds me of something years ago; A friend of mine was travelling to the US quite a lot and had a habit of trying to imitate Americanisms when we returned to the UK. So once we were in a restaurant when he'd just returned and he asked the waitress "What's good tonight?" She looked at him as if he was some kind of utter cretin and replied "erm, well they are all good". Well, yes, that's the answer I would have given him as well.

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Odd. I often asked both of my stewards in Princess Grill their recommendations between two or three dishes. And always got a detailed and professional reply as one would expect from dining room stewards rather some order taking "server". One of the things I have found with Cunard (and in Britannia as well as the Grills) is that the stewards and the maitre d's really KNOW the menu, every dish, in detail. Hence their ease in catering to my wife's gluten free diet.

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I think what we have here is another cultural US/UK difference !

 

I've never eaten out in the UK with anyone who has ever asked for a recommendation (apart from once as I recalled above). In fact, if a waiter/server/whatever term you prefer, was to proffer a recommendation without being asked, most people in the UK would assume they were doing that because they wanted to get rid of that particular dish.

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Astonishing isn't it, the enormous difference between nationalities.

 

However, I was referring my ASKING a steward for his recommendation... not his saying "I'd go for the chop and chips this evening, sir" without being asked.

 

If you ask a steward his recommendation and you get a shrug of the shoulders, then I would worry... about the steward and what's on the menu.

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Astonishing isn't it, the enormous difference between nationalities.

 

I've been to the US quite a few times (and a fair few bits of it) and there certainly is !

 

 

However, I was referring my ASKING a steward for his recommendation... not his saying "I'd go for the chop and chips this evening, sir" without being asked.

 

Yes, I was just using that as a further example, but, as you say, it's not the same thing as asking of course.

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I think what we have here is another cultural US/UK difference !

 

I've never eaten out in the UK with anyone who has ever asked for a recommendation (apart from once as I recalled above). In fact, if a waiter/server/whatever term you prefer, was to proffer a recommendation without being asked, most people in the UK would assume they were doing that because they wanted to get rid of that particular dish.

 

Ha Ha, that's exactly what I think when a waiter recommends me a specific dish and I tend to avoid it......:D

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I concur with Pepper's evaluation of the QE.

We were onboard for the full 2018 World Voyage. Was it perfect? No, but there were many more hits than misses, and the service, all over the ship, more than made up for any lackluster dish. The inability of the ship to get to Busan, where containers of food were waiting, did require adjustments and creativity on the part of Mark Oldroyd, the Executive Chef.

 

It was delightful meeting you onboard, Pepper, and a great time at lunch together.

 

Ricki

The pleasure and honour were all mine Ricki. It was lovely to have lunch with you both. I wish I had been on board for much longer so we could have met up several more times. I truly hope I am lucky enough to meet you both again one day on board a Cunard queen :) .

 

Sincere best wishes and happy sailings for the future!

Edited by pepperrn
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I think what we have here is another cultural US/UK difference !

 

I've never eaten out in the UK with anyone who has ever asked for a recommendation (apart from once as I recalled above). In fact, if a waiter/server/whatever term you prefer, was to proffer a recommendation without being asked, most people in the UK would assume they were doing that because they wanted to get rid of that particular dish.

 

I will be traveling on Cunard for the first time next month. I am hoping that these mixed reviews will not ring true on our cruise.

 

With regard to recommendations, perhaps the biggest difference is that so few people in the UK seem to treat their waiters in fine restaurants as professionals. Here in the US and the same in several other countries like Australia, Italy and France, the waiters take great pride in knowing what items are fresh, the best use of the chef's talents, the ingredients used and may ask us what kind of foods we like. I often will bring my choice down to two or three items I like and then tell the waiter to surprise me. If a waiter refuses, that tells me a lot about him/her and the quality of the restaurant.

 

I am an adventuresome eater and love trying exotic dishes native to the area. I am also a very good cook. Sometimes, the waiter will warn us that a particular dish is very hot or tough or is an acquired taste. Then the onus is on me. We travel mostly on 6 star ships like Crystal and Viking where the food is consistently top notch, but sometimes it is not. Then we will alter our choices to much more standard fare, easier to make (harder to mess up) dishes. Great food enhances our cruises. We don't let mediocre food ruin them.

 

We are looking forward to our first Cunard sailing.

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The pleasure and honour were all mine Ricki. It was lovely to have lunch with you both. I wish I had been on board for much longer so we could have met up several more times. I truly hope I am lucky enough to meet you both again one day on board a Cunard queen :) .

 

Sincere best wishes and happy sailings for the future!

 

Thank you, Pepper! The sentiment is mutual!

 

It was particularly special to meet the person whose posts are unfailingly polite, and whose photos have elucidated so many!

 

Ricki

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