Slipping standards QM2

[keithm]

In US Dollars that is $132.60 per day double occupancy, for single occupancy it is $218.40 per day. I assume that the port charge (New York/Southampton ) and taxes will add approx $400 to the total for single occupancy. Total bill for me therefore would be 7x218.40=$1528.80 + $400 approx=$1928.40 Divide this by 7 and you get $275 per day singe occupancy for a D6 Gty. TA

 

This is a long way more expensive than $79 per day total quoted in another post , that paying so little the poster did not mind indifferent service in the dinning room.

 

Maybe I am difficult but at $275 per day I do mind indifferent service at dinner (I know with open seating at lunch and breakfast service can be slow)

At $275 a day..that's the same as staying at the 4 Seasons in Boston. I certainly would be upset at shoddy service paying that price. After meeting you in Sir Samuels, I don't find that you are "difficult" at all. Cunard should be lucky to have repeat customers such as yourself. It's the repeaters that help keep them afloat. We've been lucky. Our second voyage had some issues(room quality)food/service, however, has always been top notch.Only the last 2 trips did we do Grill accomodations. If we got the service you got on the Nov.27th cruise, we'd definately consider HAL(or another line).

[StarFlyr]

I've never been on a Cunard ship before. Next month we're scheduled on the first part of the World Cruise (FLL - CPT). I'm not going on the cruise to see how much weight I can gain or how excellent the cuisine is. I just want to get away, enjoy the various activities on the ship in a warm weather environment, maybe read a book or two, meet some new people and just generally have a good time.

 

So, what's the big deal about the service slipping? Does the food have to taste like it does in a 4 seasons restaurant in order to make the responders in this thread happy? Does the menu have to have 25 choices on entrees? What exactly are you complaining about?

 

Wish I had never seen this forum. Now instead of wonder and surprise, I'm wondering if I'm on a steerage cruise? And what the hell I bothered to get a tux for? I still have about 30 days before departure so maybe I'll forget all you complaints and just have a good time like I thought I signed up for.

 

And I hope none of the complainers on this thread are seated at my dinner table!!!

[capnpugwash]

I've never been on a Cunard ship before. Next month we're scheduled on the first part of the World Cruise (FLL - CPT). I'm not going on the cruise to see how much weight I can gain or how excellent the cuisine is. I just want to get away, enjoy the various activities on the ship in a warm weather environment, maybe read a book or two, meet some new people and just generally have a good time.

 

So, what's the big deal about the service slipping? Does the food have to taste like it does in a 4 seasons restaurant in order to make the responders in this thread happy? Does the menu have to have 25 choices on entrees? What exactly are you complaining about?

 

Wish I had never seen this forum. Now instead of wonder and surprise, I'm wondering if I'm on a steerage cruise? And what the hell I bothered to get a tux for? I still have about 30 days before departure so maybe I'll forget all you complaints and just have a good time like I thought I signed up for.

 

And I hope none of the complainers on this thread are seated at my dinner table!!!

I am sure that you will enjoy your trip, you will be on a very nice ship, with very nice crew members and will certainly enjoy the great experience. Ignore most of the whining on this thread as it is mostly meaningless as iI believe you have realised. I wish I was sailing with you. Cape Town is a fantastic city and I have been there a few times but never by ship. I am turning slightly green with envy. :) If the choice of rolls is somewhat limited, my advice would be "Get over it!"

[southwestie]

The rates include all taxes. I have never had indifferent service.

 

Like you we have some good deals, and like you I always get to know the staff and have made some good friends and always had great service from everyone, the odd thing has happened but nothing too bad.

 

if everyone were to treat aa you would like to be treated this goes a long way to a great cruise

[William Dean]

I've never been on a Cunard ship before. Next month we're scheduled on the first part of the World Cruise (FLL - CPT). I'm not going on the cruise to see how much weight I can gain or how excellent the cuisine is. I just want to get away, enjoy the various activities on the ship in a warm weather environment, maybe read a book or two, meet some new people and just generally have a good time.

 

So, what's the big deal about the service slipping? Does the food have to taste like it does in a 4 seasons restaurant in order to make the responders in this thread happy? Does the menu have to have 25 choices on entrees? What exactly are you complaining about?

 

Wish I had never seen this forum. Now instead of wonder and surprise, I'm wondering if I'm on a steerage cruise? And what the hell I bothered to get a tux for? I still have about 30 days before departure so maybe I'll forget all you complaints and just have a good time like I thought I signed up for.

 

And I hope none of the complainers on this thread are seated at my dinner table!!!

 

If you pack your positive attitude, you'll have a good time no matter what.

 

If you leave it at home, you will be miserable.

 

And nothing about the ship will have altered!!!

 

Seriously - you'll have a great time. This site is not typical of Cunard passengers, most of whom want to enjoy themselves and most of whom do.

 

WD

[Cat001]

At $275 a day..that's the same as staying at the 4 Seasons in Boston.

 

So if you stay at the 4 Seasons in Boston, does that $275 a day include breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner ( and anything else you fancy eating between meals ) ?

 

If you are going to make comparisons with a hotel you need to ensure you are comparing eggs with eggs.

[Cat001]

I assume that the port charge (New York/Southampton ) and taxes will add approx $400 to the total for single occupancy.

 

In the UK, unlike the US, the price quoted for goods and services, always include all taxes ( i.e. VAT and duties/charges ).

 

We do have some companies, like RyanAir, who think it's funny to pretend their advertised prices are a lot lower than they really are, and than whack on a load of 'extras' that you have in choice but to pay at the end. Amazingly, they think people will fall for this marketing con, but even more amazingly, people actually do !

[Cruachan]

So if you stay at the 4 Seasons in Boston, does that $275 a day include breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner ( and anything else you fancy eating between meals ) ?

 

If you are going to make comparisons with a hotel you need to ensure you are comparing eggs with eggs.

 

And free entertainment, movies, a planetarium, educational lectures, etc etc etc etc...

 

J

[The Real PM]

And free entertainment, movies, a planetarium, educational lectures, etc etc etc etc...

 

J

. . .and beautiful exotic ports that are different each and every day and a different fantastic ocean view each time you look out your balcony and a lovely wake that reaches out to a most beautiful pink and yellow and violet sunrise ever witnessed. . .

[Cruachan]

Wish I had never seen this forum. Now instead of wonder and surprise, I'm wondering if I'm on a steerage cruise? And what the hell I bothered to get a tux for? I still have about 30 days before departure so maybe I'll forget all you complaints and just have a good time like I thought I signed up for.

 

StarFlyr,

 

Like you, I came within a whisker of cancelling my first cruise because of the ill-informed, specious garbage that I read on this site - the constant carping whingeing about "falling standards", the demented obsession with trivialities, the manic insistence that the world would end were the minutiae of the dress code not observed to the letter, the obvious troll who said that he had had better food in Tesco's cafeteria than on QE2.

 

The people who post in this vein tend to fall into one of two categories, viz: wind-up artists, or perfectionists. To the former I say, "go and do your winding up elsewhere - you are causing unnecessary and unfair stress and anxiety to first time passengers". To the latter category I say, "I am desperately sorry for you - you are destined to go through life enjoying nothing, because nothing on the face of the planet can possibly meet your stratospherically elevated standards - life is not perfect, and sometimes things go wrong. Suck it up and get over it"

 

To you I say, go on your cruise with an open mind but, more importantly, go on it motivated by an unswerving determination to enjoy yourself to the limit - despite the impression that you have evidently gained in this particular corner of cyberspace it is, after all, a holiday!. You will not be disappointed.

 

J

[Jimsgirl]

I am no longer suprised that the waiters on my recent cruise were so untrained, that on board account showed $11 when my receipt showed I only spent $2 (pot of tea ),that shows were the same for past 5 years,etc. since it is obvious that so many who have written on this thread say that they are prepared to accept such low standards as normal because they are on Cunard !

 

That they are willing to pay almost $300 per day (inside cabin) just to look walk around and look at pictures of dead film stars , to gaze at the waves.

 

That they are willing to accept incorrect on board accounts , to sit at dinner for 2 hours and only get a bowl of soup and a less than hot entree,because service is so slow, and say "Ah but I am on the QM2 (QV or QE) a most wonderful ship , so nothing else matters"!!!

 

Any one want to buy last weeks newspapers for twice the price of of todays issue?

[Jimsgirl]

StarFlyr,

 

Like you, I came within a whisker of cancelling my first cruise because of the ill-informed, specious garbage that I read on this site - the constant carping whingeing about "falling standards", the demented obsession with trivialities, the manic insistence that the world would end were the minutiae of the dress code not observed to the letter, the obvious troll who said that he had had better food in Tesco's cafeteria than on QE2.

 

The people who post in this vein tend to fall into one of two categories, viz: wind-up artists, or perfectionists. To the former I say, "go and do your winding up elsewhere - you are causing unnecessary and unfair stress and anxiety to first time passengers". To the latter category I say, "I am desperately sorry for you - you are destined to go through life enjoying nothing, because nothing on the face of the planet can possibly meet your stratospherically elevated standards - life is not perfect, and sometimes things go wrong. Suck it up and get over it"

 

To you I say, go on your cruise with an open mind but, more importantly, go on it motivated by an unswerving determination to enjoy yourself to the limit - despite the impression that you have evidently gained in this particular corner of cyberspace it is, after all, a holiday!. You will not be disappointed.

 

J

 

This thread is not about dress, or the taste of food,the size of the portions, the shower size or the number of coat hangers. It is about totally untrained staff serving so slow you do not get a whole meal, or a hot meal, (even though you sit at the table for 2 hours) or you order chicken and get served fish because the waiter is untrained. You wait for an entree that does not arrive, and then get asked "you want desert?"

 

If you read the review page on the Caribbean cruise you will realise that this is not just one table of "whingers" or "impossible to e please people" it happened at many tables, both at main and second seating because Cunard took 40% of the Britannia staff and replaced them with completely untrained people many with limited knowledge of the food , or understanding of basic English.

 

How does the accounts staff take a $2 charge for a pot of tea and make it $11 on my on board account? There were many people who experienced the same thing. "Computer error ?" Not so - it is poor quality staff.

 

Cunard should have trained these replacements on land and ensured they knew the work before placing them on board.

 

QM2 is not a training establishment.

[Normandie-BCN]

QM2 is not a training establishment.

 

Cunard ships are managed by Princess and Princess ships are in fact training establishments where most of peoply has only 15 days of experience on the ship.

 

The present problem of Cunard is Princess. I think it would be better that Cunard turn to be managed by Seabourn and not with a mass market cruise company as Princess.

 

Cunard's personel delivers the same service that they deliver in Princess as all of them come and go to Princess ships after o before working Cunard. Today Cunard is only the premium trademark of Princess cruises.

[StarFlyr]

Thanks to all for setting this thread straight. The complainers and the whiners here remind me of my dear old dad when I was a smart ass teenager. If I complained about some trivial thing, he would reply that "I would probably even complain if "I were hung with a new rope". I suspect the naysayers here would also fit that bill.

[southwestie]

I really do think that I would not return to a place that I had to complain about so often, there is a huge choice of cruise chip out there some better than others, so If the one I was on was so bad I go elsewhere not return.

[southwestie]

I am no longer suprised that the waiters on my recent cruise were so untrained, that on board account showed $11 when my receipt showed I only spent $2 (pot of tea ),that shows were the same for past 5 years,etc. since it is obvious that so many who have written on this thread say that they are prepared to accept such low standards as normal because they are on Cunard !

 

That they are willing to pay almost $300 per day (inside cabin) just to look walk around and look at pictures of dead film stars , to gaze at the waves.

 

That they are willing to accept incorrect on board accounts , to sit at dinner for 2 hours and only get a bowl of soup and a less than hot entree,because service is so slow, and say "Ah but I am on the QM2 (QV or QE) a most wonderful ship , so nothing else matters"!!!

 

Any one want to buy last weeks newspapers for twice the price of of todays issue?

 

 

I agree with you on all of this, why return time and time again if it so bad,

[StarFlyr]

Cruise ship standard may or may not equal the service of yesteryear. However, it does still represent a good if not great value for the money. Disregarding the "upper deck pricing", a daily rate of $300 is hard to beat. Try to find a upper class hotel in London, New york or anywhere else for $250-$300. Then throw in 3 meals daily, entertainment and transportation (rental car, taxis, train fares or even air fares to the next destination). When all the extras are added in, the daily fare is going to be well north of $300-$400 daily.

 

On a cruise, you get all that and more for a bargain rate. No packing, unpacking day after day. Just a nice place to relax and watch the world float by. No wonder the cruise ship world is expanding by huge numbers in the last 10 years. Expect more of it.

 

And for you people living in yesteryear's standards, no service is like the ole days, be it airline service or whatever. I can remember traveling on the airlines in the '70's wearing a jacket and tie and now it's slobville city on any flight. Food, forget about it. Extra fees for everything.

[SeaMatesNYC]

I agree with you on all of this, why return time and time again if it so bad,

 

As I agree with you, too! I know, surprising isn't it? Heck, it's Christmas and I'm feeling generous!:D

 

Why keep returning if it's not making one happy?

 

Happy holidays, all!

[southwestie]

As I agree with you, too! I know, surprising isn't it? Heck, it's Christmas and I'm feeling generous!:D

 

Why keep returning if it's not making one happy?

 

Happy holidays, all!

 

 

If you knew what I knew you would be even more so :)

[southwestie]

Cruise ship standard may or may not equal the service of yesteryear. However, it does still represent a good if not great value for the money. Disregarding the "upper deck pricing", a daily rate of $300 is hard to beat. Try to find a upper class hotel in London, New york or anywhere else for $250-$300. Then throw in 3 meals daily, entertainment and transportation (rental car, taxis, train fares or even air fares to the next destination). When all the extras are added in, the daily fare is going to be well north of $300-$400 daily.

 

On a cruise, you get all that and more for a bargain rate. No packing, unpacking day after day. Just a nice place to relax and watch the world float by. No wonder the cruise ship world is expanding by huge numbers in the last 10 years. Expect more of it.

 

And for you people living in yesteryear's standards, no service is like the ole days, be it airline service or whatever. I can remember traveling on the airlines in the '70's wearing a jacket and tie and now it's slobville city on any flight. Food, forget about it. Extra fees for everything.

 

I too remember flying off to the sun wearing a suit and tie and untill only a few years ago we would do the same to westend show, now it all jeans (I dont own one pair )

[heywood]

It does look as though you had a bad time of it Lynne with trainees. In September, we had an obviously new young woman serving our bread rolls one evening and she served everyone's on the wrong side. It didn't matter to us and we just swapped round but that is such a basic act that one would wonder where her training had taken place. However, if just a small thing like that keeps being repeated and worse, then understandably it can lead to frustration.

I do think also that experiences can be so different. We have had attentive waiters and stewards and some that were not quite so but nothing that spoiled our holiday.

Our regular waiters and steward who were all charming and excellent, all said that they were staying on QM2 and loved their jobs. Perhaps now that QE is up and running, things will settle.

We have always thought our holidays were good value but then, unlike you Lynne, we are not paying a surcharge which can, I am sure, make it an expensive trip.

[Cat001]

And for you people living in yesteryear's standards, no service is like the ole days, be it airline service or whatever. I can remember traveling on the airlines in the '70's wearing a jacket and tie and now it's slobville city on any flight.

 

Isn't that because, relatively speaking, the prices have plummeted in the last 30 years or so. In the 70s, flighing was very expensive, so you had to be well off; now ? Flights are as cheap as chips.

 

And I think it's the same with Cruises - they used to be expensive and hence the preserve of the rich and famous. Now, you can cruise on the QM2 or QV for less per day then it will cost you for full board in a 3* hotel in the UK.

[MsDeva]

If you knew what I knew you would be even more so :)

 

Oh do please spill the beans Rob....what is it that you know...good or bad...let's have it dear.

 

Best

Judy

[Cruachan]

Oh do please spill the beans Rob....what is it that you know...good or bad...let's have it dear.

 

Best

Judy

 

...and if you don't tell us Julian Assange will!!! :eek::eek::eek:

 

J

[southwestie]

Oh do please spill the beans Rob....what is it that you know...good or bad...let's have it dear.

 

Best

Judy

 

 

All in good time Judy, all in good time lol

and who knows, J A may get there before me lol