Trying to convince my brother in law that Seabourn is the way to go for Transatlantic

QM2 you can bring ANY and all the alcohol you want when you board.

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Don't think there is a QG cabin that equates to what is offered on SB. They are either inferior or much better. What are there, maybe nine categories within QG? Unless you're near the top end, you do not have separate bath/shower and the bath we had was probably the highest climb ever to get into. Major disappointment. Had I read the fine print, we would have known what to expect.

I find value within Princess Grill and zero in Queens. Sevruga caviar served no extra charge in QG, but they offer it like some kind of special golden treat. You're served this stuff on Crystal, so maybe a Crystal regular would think of it as a treat. A major letdown from osetra served freely on SB.

What does single supplements have to do with the time of day? Each crossing can be priced radically different from the pre/proceeding crossing.

I believe QM2 can cross in four days and it might have set out to cross in six. Now, it's seven or eight days. It's an engineering marvel and totally cool to experience. It can be had for less than a business class air ticket as a solo. I've done steerage and QG once. Three times in PG. Have never been given a decent table in the Grills without tossing the maitre 'd a large bill. In steerage, never had a meal in dining room.

Cunard does NOT include free drinks for QG and PG passengers! So no

comparison to Seabourn or Silversea.

 

Just look at the May 2018 transatlantic on their website to see what they do:

 

[emoji815] Free Drinks offer applies to all drinks $12 and under purchased on board during the cruise. The promotion applies to new Grill Suite bookings made by February 28, 2018. Valid only on voyages included in this promotion. Guests under 18 years of age (21 years of age while in US ports or territorial waters) may only purchase nonalcoholic drinks on this promotion. Drinks under this promotion can be purchased and consumed free of charge by the participant only and may not be purchased for people who are not booked on the promotion. Drinks priced above the threshold shown above must be purchased at full price. Paying the difference between the threshold and the higher price is not permitted. The standard 15% service charge applied against all bar orders will be included under this promotion for all drinks ordered under the price threshold. For drinks purchased over the price threshold, the 15% service charge will apply as standard. This promotion does not apply to drinks ordered as room service or in room mini bar (except Queens Grill), bottles of wine or drink packages. Cunard operates a Responsible Service of Alcohol Policy. Offer applies to the first two guests sharing a stateroom. No cash value.

Want wine with lunch or dinner or a drink that they price above $12? Pay up.

Happy and healthy sailing!

If you look at a Cunard bar menu virtually 97% of everything listed including top shelf, mixed drinks, and champagne (real champagne, not the sparking wine stuff) is under $12. Cunard also included gratuity. It’s nearly identical to the brands that Seabourn offers for free also taking into account the ultra premium brands that Seabourn charges extra for.

What’s this 97% nonsense? Have you ever been on a Cunard or Seabourn cruise?

Are you saying wine served at mealtimes is free on Cunard? It’s not. How so? We like to order by the bottle, not by the glassful of whatever house wine happens to be open and left over from the pantry. If you want a bottle of wine you will pay on Cunard. For goodness sake... they even sell wine packages to incentivize and drive the punters.

Another example: If you ask for a gin and tonic in any bar on Cunard you will be asked for brand so they can assess one price or a higher price. Then if it’s 1 oz or 2 oz and then if the mixer is by the gun or bottle. Only the cheapest combo choice is less than $12 and so might be “free”. But my point is that this approach to nickel and diming premium passengers is ridiculous. Who needs it? Does not happen ever on Seabourn.

The entire experience is tawdry. Seabourn, as a truly all-inclusive line without silly gimmicks is a better experience.

By the way, what do you know about Seabourn charging for what you call “premium brands”? My guess is you are only fishing for something to hang your 97% / tonic gun on since Seabourn does not charge for top brand liquor.

You seem confused. Best do some proper market research before you claim to be an authority.

Happy and healthy sailing!

What’s this 97% nonsense? Have you ever been on a Cunard or Seabourn cruise?

 

Are you saying wine served at mealtimes is free on Cunard? It’s not. How so? We like to order by the bottle, not by the glassful of whatever house wine happens to be open and left over from the pantry. If you want a bottle of wine you will pay on Cunard. For goodness sake... they even sell wine packages to incentivize and drive the punters.

 

Another example: If you ask for a gin and tonic in any bar on Cunard you will be asked for brand so they can assess one price or a higher price. Then if it’s 1 oz or 2 oz and then if the mixer is by the gun or bottle. Only the cheapest combo choice is less than $12 and so might be “free”. But my point is that this approach to nickel and diming premium passengers is ridiculous. Who needs it? Does not happen ever on Seabourn.

 

The entire experience is tawdry. Seabourn, as a truly all-inclusive line without silly gimmicks is a better experience.

 

By the way, what do you know about Seabourn charging for what you call “premium brands”? My guess is you are only fishing for something to hang your 97% / tonic gun on since Seabourn does not charge for top brand liquor.

 

You seem confused. Best do some proper market research before you claim to be an authority.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

I’ve sailed Cunard since the late ‘60s and Seabourn since they started- not going to engage in a who has more experience conversation.

Look at a current Cunard bar menu for the 97% claim. Hendricks martini- $11.95. Most mixed cocktails $10.50. Cruddy cruise drinks like pina coladas and mai tais- $8.95. Only three of the available scotches are over $12. Practically all wines by the glass are covered. Point is there is very little it would limit you on and the free drinks they give Grill passengers has value.

When was the last time you were onboard Seabourn? Couldn’t have been recently. Try ordering a premium drink for free. Johnny Walker Blue is $14. Blanton’s Whiskey, which is pretty common in the states, is also $14 a pour. Bunch of tequilas for $14-$19. Even a mixed cocktail with premium ingredients for $19. Louis XIII is $198 a pour- not much different than a restaurant ashore. It goes on. Not everything on Seabourn in the bar is free- a decent selection of well and mid level liquors are- but not the top stuff. They do charge you the difference which is nice.

I didn’t come here to get into an argument over booze but some of what you’re saying about both lines just isn’t true and the rest is misleading. I agree that Cunard leave some to be desired- I only sail them today for the occasional transat which the QM2 is the best ship on the market for. Seabourn has a good product and we tend to prefer them when we do take a cruise elsewhere.

The original poster asked what would be a better experience for a transatlantic crossing which in my experience has been QE2/QM2 in Queens Grill. The older Seabourn ships would have been corks floating in a rough sea and the new larger ones might fare only a little better. The Cunarder is a better choice for that particular trip.

This was never an argument over “is Cunard better than Seabourn”. It was a comparison between the Seabourn experience and Queens Grill in the context of a transatlantic crosssing.

I’ve sailed Cunard since the late ‘60s and Seabourn since they started- not going to engage in a who has more experience conversation.

 

Look at a current Cunard bar menu for the 97% claim. Hendricks martini- $11.95. Most mixed cocktails $10.50. Cruddy cruise drinks like pina coladas and mai tais- $8.95. Only three of the available scotches are over $12. Practically all wines by the glass are covered. Point is there is very little it would limit you on and the free drinks they give Grill passengers has value.

 

When was the last time you were onboard Seabourn? Couldn’t have been recently. Try ordering a premium drink for free. Johnny Walker Blue is $14. Blanton’s Whiskey, which is pretty common in the states, is also $14 a pour. Bunch of tequilas for $14-$19. Even a mixed cocktail with premium ingredients for $19. Louis XIII is $198 a pour- not much different than a restaurant ashore. It goes on. Not everything on Seabourn in the bar is free- a decent selection of well and mid level liquors are- but not the top stuff. They do charge you the difference which is nice.

 

I didn’t come here to get into an argument over booze but some of what you’re saying about both lines just isn’t true and the rest is misleading. I agree that Cunard leave some to be desired- I only sail them today for the occasional transat which the QM2 is the best ship on the market for. Seabourn has a good product and we tend to prefer them when we do take a cruise elsewhere.

 

The original poster asked what would be a better experience for a transatlantic crossing which in my experience has been QE2/QM2 in Queens Grill. The older Seabourn ships would have been corks floating in a rough sea and the new larger ones might fare only a little better. The Cunarder is a better choice for that particular trip.

 

This was never an argument over “is Cunard better than Seabourn”. It was a comparison between the Seabourn experience and Queens Grill in the context of a transatlantic crosssing.

With respect .... Johnny Walker Blue is an overhyped blend. It is not a single malt. There are several decent single malts on the Seabourn comp. list which I would drink before any of the Johnny Walker blended varieties no matter how good their marketing hype.

With respect .... Johnny Walker Blue is an overhyped blend. It is not a single malt. There are several decent single malts on the Seabourn comp. list which I would drink before any of the Johnny Walker blended varieties no matter how good their marketing hype.

Fully agreed (there are some 10 years that taste better than Blue) but not the point- the counter argument was that everything on Seabourn is included which isn’t the case.

Fully agreed (there are some 10 years that taste better than Blue) but not the point- the counter argument was that everything on Seabourn is included which isn’t the case.

My apologies ..... I take your point.

Its just that the Glaswegian in me reacts to the notion that any type of Johnny Walker can be considered premium. :halo::D

You do know that I was posting ironically as the QE2 now sits abandoned somewhere in Dubai. What I was longing for was that as the last true ocean liner, (QM2 has the hardware of an ocean liner but QE2 provided the software as well) it was an experience sadly no longer available on the seven seas today.

You are wrong. The QE2 does not sit abandoned somewhere in Dubai.

I have another question. Who has sailed on the Queen Mary is a standard cabin, not at the level of the Queen's Grill or the Princess Grill? What is that experience like? I know it's a huge ship.

My last Seabourn cruise, fyi, ended 3 days ago. And I admit I don’t bother with Blue this or Blantons that. I am more of a wine and champagne drinker. Seabourn’s bottles of inclusive wines for meals and house champagnes suit me quite well.

You are obviously very distingushed - Cunard since the 1960s (!) while we only started in 1998. We first cruised with Seabourn a few years later than you. And I fully recognize that you have the experience and ambition to do value propositions to the 97th percentile. My goodness!

As for me, I cannot be bothered with the billings and signing palaver that Cunard entails and you have examined. Based on my tastes, Cunard falls short. I don’t believe they offer a bottle of wine at meals or a glass of champagne for $12, do they. So good luck to those who have different styles and requirements.

My view is that Cunard will never compete for my value proposition. This latest Cunard $12 free drink gambit is just a distraction; if they could put you over the line for a buck they would do so. That makes Cunard a different type of enterprise; now Cunard is playing on the defensive, probably because their high Grill fares are often higher than Seabourn’s per day, much less is included and dining options are so limited/boring. I mean, really, who would not like the choice of alfresco lunch at the Colonnade’s deck or Patio, if anything similar were available on Cunard?

My next Seabourn cruise is in a week. No Cunard booking are on the horizon. It’s kinda sad since I have 340 days, about 270 from the QE2 era. Times have changed. Now I like to say that the Grills at 400 pax is like the Odyssey class ships of Seabourn but without the intimacy, flexibility, or charm. How so? They sit on top of a mass market 2000 pax ship and its class system. If and when one appreciates Seabourn’s luxury brand Cunard Grill loses its luster.

Happy and healthy sailing!

I have another question. Who has sailed on the Queen Mary is a standard cabin, not at the level of the Queen's Grill or the Princess Grill? What is that experience like? I know it's a huge ship.

It’s more in line with what you would find on an upscale mass market line like Celebrity. No better no worse. Again- for a transatlantic trip we look past it since they’re the only game in town and QM2 is a pleasant ship but we wouldn’t book a cruise on the QM2 in Britannia or Grills- just too many other good options out there and we prefer a much smaller ship. We did cruise on QE2 when she was in service but she was a much different experience than QM2 in my opinion. Sort of like comparing a newer Mercedes Sprinter van to a older, well worn Bentley.

You are wrong. The QE2 does not sit abandoned somewhere in Dubai.

Where is she then? She has been there for many years. Google says she is in Dubai but is now having some renovations.

Where is she then? She has been there for many years. Google says she is in Dubai but is now having some renovations.

Supposedly going to open as a hotel soon (although who knows). But she was rotting in Dubai for quite some time since her arrival in 2008- hasn’t had her engines on in years. She’s also had all of her lifeboats and davits removed and the aft outdoor pool paved over. Afraid, if she ever does open as a hotel, she won’t be much like the QE2 I knew and loved.

I have another question. Who has sailed on the Queen Mary is a standard cabin, not at the level of the Queen's Grill or the Princess Grill? What is that experience like? I know it's a huge ship.

The vast majority of cabins on the QM2 are standard, also called "Britannia Class." They come with either a balcony or a window. There are also some inexpensive inside cabins, but I assume you are not asking about those. The size and furniture are similar to balcony cabins on most mass market lines. You get a bed, a small couch, small table, and a small desk. The bathroom has a shower. In Britannia class, you will dine in the huge Britannia dining room, one of the grandest rooms on board. You will choose either the early seating or the late seating and will be assigned to a table that you will have each night. Lunch and breakfast in Britannia are open seating. Food quality and variety in Britannia are same as most other mass market lines, some dishes very good, some not so much. Service is OK. Britannia Class is not a luxury experience, but not bad.

This is another one of those threads where everyone has a point of view, no one's mind will be changed and when it gets to six pages will be shut down for repetitiveness.

But, I am thankful for all the comments. I've learned a lot. I've learned that my brother in law's idea to travel to Europe for his next European trip aboard the QM is not a bad idea--and understandable to go on the QM instead of Seabourn. I doubt that he will be willing to pay the Queen's Grill price since he considers it to be transportation and not a cruise per se. I've learned that the QM even in the Queen's Grill is not quite up to the standard of SB. I've also learned that sailing on the Britannia class would not be terrible, but like most other decent mass cruise lines. I thank everyone for their input.

Who needs a class system on a ship and to be told what time you can eat and at which table.

I’ll stick with Seabourn as there is no better value out there when you chop,cut and slice the others.

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Mr. Luxury, I totally agree with you--but I am a bit swayed about the ability of the QM to hold her own on the high seas. I MIGHT consider a crossing on her if I was going to England on vacation. It might be fun. For cruises, I'll definitely be sticking to SB.

Just booked a Transatlantic for 2019 on the Odyssey - looking forward to 7 days at sea in a row to determine if we are ‘cruisers’ or ‘porters’!

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Food in Britannia is superior to ANY mass market lines.

Lobster all you can eat at lunch.

Which line does that?

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Mr. Luxury, I totally agree with you--but I am a bit swayed about the ability of the QM to hold her own on the high seas. I MIGHT consider a crossing on her if I was going to England on vacation. It might be fun. For cruises, I'll definitely be sticking to SB.

Remember that the QM2 crosses the North Atlantic while SB will cross the South Atlantic which has much calmer waters and warmer weather during the months it crosses. The advantage of QM2 is that it has many crossings during the year so you can pick your dates rather than sail the two times per year SB crosses. Of course, if this times coincide with your travel plans it's a bonus.

Very good points wrier! I think at some point my husband and I will avail ourselves of the QM2 crossing in conjunction with a trip to England.

You are wrong. The QE2 does not sit abandoned somewhere in Dubai.

We saw the QE2 docked in Dubai looking rather sad. This was 2 years ago.

We saw the QE2 docked in Dubai looking rather sad. This was 2 years ago.

as you said...that was two years ago.