How Has QM2 Changed since 2004?

[Austcruiser84]

Not saying it will be so in the QM2's case, but if the marketing department determines that there is a strong demand for "single cabins", they can simply remove a bed from a smaller cabin and redefine it as a "single".

And if market condition's change again, they can restore it as a "double"....

And all at virtually no cost. Of course, if single's prove popular, then it would pay to permanently install additional cabin's...

 

Each cabin within a specific category on QM2 is cut from the same design. There are no 'small' cabins. That's the entire point of installing singles cabins.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Austcruiser84

[DDBINK1]

I think singles cabins would be great for QM2. Should have had them to start. But what will there be to complain about if they make single cabins and appropriately price them??? :cool:

[Jimsgirl]

Why offer "singles" at a singles price when you can force solo cruisers pay as many $$$$ as if they were two persons?.

 

Solo's can only find out if the supplement is 175% or 200% when they actually make a booking , until then it is concealed, other cruise lines have a set figure .

[Austcruiser84]

I'll still book a regular cabin and pay the supplement. I like having space (a fact that Cunard seemed to take very literally in giving me a Q1 last time).

[bob brown]

Each cabin within a specific category on QM2 is cut from the same design. There are no 'small' cabins. That's the entire point of installing singles cabins.

It doesn't necessarily have to actually be smaller, but just the lowest priced in a category, for the purpose of removing a bed, to temporarily test market it as a 'single', and charge say 60% of what a standard double in the same category would cost.

 

I know they say the deck plans are not-to-scale, but it does appear at least, that the foremost four outsides on decks 4 and 5 are marginally smaller than the other's...

[CruznTom]

" I know they say the deck plans are not-to-scale, but it does appear at least, that the foremost four outsides on decks 4 and 5 are marginally smaller than the other's...

 

Those cabins are very large (having seen them) & deck 6 cabins 26 to 47 are the same.

Edited September 7, 2014 by CruznTom

[Austcruiser84]

" I know they say the deck plans are not-to-scale, but it does appear at least, that the foremost four outsides on decks 4 and 5 are marginally smaller than the other's...

 

Those cabins are very large (having seen them) & deck 6 cabins 26 to 47 are the same.

 

Do you know if all outside/ocean view cabins have a lounge on QM2? I'm considering booking this grade for two Transatlantic winter crossings. I figure a balcony will be better suited to the Caribbean portion of my end of 2015 holiday.

[gentlemancruiser]

In the very early days, afternoon tea was held in the Winter Garden. Truly lucky to find a seat then! It soon changed to the Queens Room.

 

 

 

The fares have certainly reduced for most trips since 2003/4.

 

 

 

She still cannot be beaten for a passage across the Atlantic, whatever is said!

 

 

So true about the cruise fares!

I know the speed of the service in the Britannia has increased. Our first cruise on QM2 was her 2nd voyage which was in January 2004 after her maiden voyage when she sailed across from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale and the dinners on that maiden Caribbean cruise often took up 3 hours to be served. However given the rock star treatment the passengers received in each of the ports I would do it again.

 

Not too much has really changed in terms of the actual physical layout of the ship. The atmosphere in the chart room isn't what it used to be like. The Casino seems to be smaller because there are more slot machines and fewer tables.

[cinta]

.No racism intended, but unfortunately we have found theQM2 to be a German ship now. That is where the money is & where Cunard are sadly going.

[babs135]

.No racism intended, but unfortunately we have found theQM2 to be a German ship now. That is where the money is & where Cunard are sadly going.

 

Not sure what you mean. Am I missing something? Please explain

[Jimsgirl]

Not sure what you mean. Am I missing something? Please explain

 

I have written re this (and been chastised for doing so). Suggest you look at review under heading "Bad Choice" , there are other comments by myself on the July 13th sailing out of S'oton, sold at normal Cunard prices as an 8 day cruise to Norwegian fiords via Hamburg, which was instead sold by Cunard in Germany as 2 day, 4 day, 2 day sailings at reduced prices , resulting in approx. 6000 (six thousand Germans) taking over the ship during the 3 "short breaks", (2000 at each change).

 

For these 8 days until July 21st, everything was dumbed down, food, shop hours, prices in shops, entertainment -songs in German, no formals, and a great deal of bad behavior. In fact the Captain actually appealed over the public address system each day asking that passengers show courtesy to others - something I have never heard on a Cunard ship, in the 23 cruises I have made.

 

These short breaks are being inserted into many QM2 cruises over the next 18 months. I warned that those booking should check carefully when booking B2B2B cruises.

 

I am not whining, not being racists, just stating facts. Normally the make up of passengers is international, 200 here 300 there etc. NO PROBLEM with that at all, but 2000 of one group out of a total of 2300-2400 is far too many especially when the 2000 is getting the cruise at rock bottom price whilst the 300-400 are paying full price for a dumbed down experience.

 

There are those that think this action by Cunard is acceptable, often posters who were not on board. I was and I felt this type of marketing was unacceptable .

[Underwatr]

If you're not on an itinerary that passes through Germany isn't the passenger makeup and the ship's entertainment more English-speaking?

We've only sailed on QM2 out of Brooklyn and QV out of LA so we haven't had issues with language. On one of our Christmas cruises we shared a table with a German couple (one of whom is an English teacher) who requested to be seated with English speaking passengers and got along very well with them.

[Jimsgirl]

Please understand it is NOT that the itinerary PASSES THROUGH Germany, it is that Cunard have earmarked a number of cruises to be sold in at least two different ways.

 

In USA and Canada they are sold as part of B2B2B Grand Voyages , at the FULL price (example 7 days+8 days+7 days ). but then in Germany the middle 8 days were sold to to approx. 2000 passengers as a 2 day cruise, then to another 2000 passengers as a 4 day cruise, then to another 2000 passengers as a 2 day cruise, at a really LOW price as "short breaks".

 

Because of the very low price, the passengers who came on board did so with just back packs, and the majority were not those usually found on Cunard. Because of the low prices Cunard cut back on the whole experience, and the ambience was not good.

 

As remarked the Captain actually broadcast a message each day for 8 days asking passengers to behave courteously. Something NEVER needed before on QM2 .

 

He did not have to broadcast this on the Eastbound TA, or on the final Westbound TA, it was only on that middle 8 days, and before anyone "flames" me consider how bad it must have been for him to do so for those 8 days.

 

Please believe me , after 23 Cunard cruises ,(with a total of over 50 voyages in all ) I am quite understanding of the mix of International passengers , as found normally on any Cunard ship not just QM2, but this was NOT the normal Cunard passenger mix.

 

My posting may not suit some members, I wish it had not been necessary, but facts are facts. Cunard should not have sold over 75% of the passenger total as "short cheap breaks".

[Yoshikitty]

Jimsgirl, I really understand your disappointment. I really do!

But you should let this go!

 

Flaming some of my fellow countrymen is not nice and flaming Cunard for filling a ship is not fair either imo.

 

I used to enjoy your posts here but it seems that you are on a kind of cru(i*)sade repeating your beef on and on.

 

Hope that you'll get more enjoable days with Cunard, I'd certainly not let such an experience ruin all the good times that we had and still have onboard of the QM2.

 

Best wishes

 

* ha ha

Edited September 10, 2014 by Yoshikitty

[Cats2010]

I probably repeat myself when I say that I dislike bad behaviour, and this especially on QM2. I experienced it on my last voyage in 2013, but I am not going to say what nationality it was. It spoiled the entire cruise and, as a result, I cancelled my voyage for 2014 :mad:, assuming that they would be on the ship again, which most probably was the case.

 

Whether or not we like it, it´s up to Cunard to develop a marketing strategy that corresponds to its objectives, and complaining about it repeatedly will have little or no result at all, so it´s better not to book. Sorry about it.

[Jimsgirl]

Jimsgirl, I really understand your disappointment. I really do!

But you should let this go!

 

Flaming some of my fellow countrymen is not nice and flaming Cunard for filling a ship is not fair either imo.

 

I used to enjoy your posts here but it seems that you are on a kind of cru(i*)sade repeating your beef on and on.

 

Hope that you'll get more enjoable days with Cunard, I'd certainly not let such an experience ruin all the good times that we had and still have onboard of the QM2.

 

Best wishes

 

* ha ha

 

Please read postings 134,135,140. Comments made , questions asked, answer given.(Regret if you did not like the answer, but you were not on board I was)

 

Some posters merely write "I will never sail with Cunard again" which does not clarify any situation.

 

For those who wish to know the dates for these "short breaks" when Cunard most likely will dumb down service to compensate for extra low price , the following may be of interest.

 

QM2 2014

Nov 4,10,Sept4, Nov 26,Dec 12,

QM2 2015

June 10, 28, Oct 18

June 12, 30, Oct 2,July 2 Nov 15

 

QE 2014

Dec 16,19

QE2015

Jan 6 June 13.July11 Aug 20, Oct 2

 

QV2014

Oct 25 Dec29

QV2015

Jan 15 Nov 13 Dec 14 Dec

 

In my brochures for this year and spring 2015 not one of these dates are shown as "short breaks," all details of these are concealed within Grand Voyages of B2B2B, for which full price is being charged to those outside the specified marketing area.

 

BTW will someone tell me please how Cunard can know in Sept 2014 , that they will have empty cabins to sell "cheap" in DEC 2015, - 18 months in advance.

 

Again I am sorry if there are those that do not think this information should be given .

 

I assume you are a well behaved delightful person, that like myself you go on Cunard for the ambience, the formality, the "niceness" of the fellow passengers, to use an over worked term the" luxury".

 

In July all this was present for the first 7 days Eastbound, and for the last 7 days Westbound , but the middle 8 days were dreadful, because of the "short breakers" who were NOT NORMAL CUNARD passengers and who did not behave as the normal passengers do, and because Cunard DUMBED down EVERYTHING for those 8 days.

 

Yes , I will continue to cruise Cunard but I will make VERY certain that my trips do NOT include the dates I have given, what anyone else does is their problem.

[sfb]

QM2 2014

Nov 4,10,Sept4, Nov 26,Dec 12,

Sept 4 2014 ???

Today September 10th. Our time machine under repair at the moment.

Cheers.

[Atlanta World Cruiser]

We took the QM2 from Southampton to New York as apart of the 2014 World Cruise. It was a major disappointment. The ship is not being maintained by Cunard. Our stateroom reflected many years of wear, rust on the balcony, walls that needed cleaning. We were in a Queens Penthouse. But walking around the ship showed similar problems.

 

The Queens Grill was not much better. The menus were never changed thus you have someone’s food spilton the menue from a prior day in many cases. The service by the waiters was excellent but the Maître was poor. He stood behind his podium and smiled; disinterested for the 7 day cruise.

 

We will never sail on the QM2 again.

 

In contrast, you will find the QE to be an outstanding example of excellence on the sea

Edited September 10, 2014 by Atlanta World Cruiser

[axelskater]

I don't feel like the QM2 has changed all that much since 2004, I have been on at least once a year, every year since. I think I see her through rose colored glasses though. But that's okay, because to me, stepping on board is like stepping into my second home. The second I see the staircase in the Grand Foyer I take a deep breath and completely relax.:)

Having said that - there have been some times when I have been disappointed, but it wasn't the QM2 or Cunard's fault, except in one instance - I was sad Hermes ended its run.

 

There was a trip through the Norwegian fjords (6 days) once where we were in Britannia and we didn't really like our grumpy waiters. So we just ate every night in Lotus, La Piazza, Carvery, at a table for two, depending on which one was serving the full meal that night, or we went to Todd English. So I think bad service can happen on the QM2 on any given cruise, but in this case we just found a way around it, and it didn't lessen our trip one bit. As a whole, I have not felt my service has gone downhill though.

 

I do understand Jim's Girl post about those short breaks, because that sounds particularly awful. I guess the reason I haven't come across the "short break" issue to that extent is that I absolutely hate to fly, and so almost every single trip we take (except the one noted and only 1 TA) is roundtrip NY so we can drive there. I was on a short break only one time, an inexpensive 5 day July 4th voyage, and it was VERY noticeably different. I recall a woman in jeans and a tank top with a bra strap showing in the Queen's Room on the formal night, bathrobes & slippers at the KC late night buffet. Yikes. Almost every accent was Jersey and Philly. Go figure. So I won't repeat the cheap short cruise which is marketed to a large local population. To the Jersey/Philly Cunard-loving cruise critic board contingent who may now be insulted - I apologize to all three of you. ;)

[ren0312]

I wonder whether Cunard feels it was a mistake to build this ocean liner in the first place, back when oil prices were still at 25 dollars a barrel so building a 30 knot ocean liner may not have been a bad idea in the 90s. Because right now the QM2 is being run at cruise ship speeds almost all of the time so why build an ocean liner in the 1st place? Why not just a cruise ship to replace QE2.

[pepperrn]

I've just come back from a short trip on QM2, and whilst on-board I tried to list the physical changes to QM2 since my first voyage in 2006. They were mostly small things that many would miss, others were furnishings, carpets etc. Some obviously have happened to help with the safe running of the ship, or to assist passengers.

But anyone walking around the ship tomorrow would see her largely as she was ten years ago, with a few exceptions.

 

(I didn't post the list here as there will obviously always be things I've missed/forgotten/not noticed... and some here delight in pulling people up on the tiniest of errors... and two... I didn't want to appear more of a geek/nerd than I do already :o )

 

Happy sailings to all :)

Edited September 12, 2014 by pepperrn

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I wonder whether Cunard feels it was a mistake to build this ocean liner in the first place, back when oil prices were still at 25 dollars a barrel so building a 30 knot ocean liner may not have been a bad idea in the 90s. Because right now the QM2 is being run at cruise ship speeds almost all of the time so why build an ocean liner in the 1st place? Why not just a cruise ship to replace QE2.

I don't think so because a Cruise Ship is not designed to do 17-18 crossings per year even at slow speeds. That is why the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth only do 1 to 2 crossings per year. Thankfully Cunard did build the Ocean Liner Queen Mary 2. Regards,Jerry

[Longlast]

I've just come back from a short trip on QM2, and whilst on-board I tried to list the physical changes to QM2 since my first voyage in 2006. They were mostly small things that many would miss, others were furnishings, carpets etc. Some obviously have happened to help with the safe running of the ship, or to assist passengers.

But anyone walking around the ship tomorrow would see her largely as she was ten years ago, with a few exceptions.

 

(I didn't post the list here as there will obviously always be things I've missed/forgotten/not noticed... and some here delight in pulling people up on the tiniest of errors... and two... I didn't want to appear more of a geek/nerd than I do already :o )

 

Happy sailings to all :)

 

Oh do tell; little details would be much more interesting than the usual 'standards have slipped'. Hurrah for nerds!

[Atlanta World Cruiser]

We took the QM from Southampton to NYC. The Embarkation process with Cunard was not good. When we boarded the QM I was shocked to see the lack of maintenance. There was visible rust throughout the ship. It appeared that Cunard is not maintaining the ship (She is 10 years old).

We book the Queen Grills. This was our biggest disappointment. The food was below average, the service far below any of the ships we had sailed. It was a drastic change from what we experienced on the QE. I must say the Grills Lounge was good and the service excellent.:mad:

The Penthouse Suite was good but showed it's10-year wear. We had so much rust on the Balcony that we avoided going out.

We will never sail on the Queen Mary again; big disappointment

[sfb]

Love it if people repeat post twice in same thread. Just in case missed it first time. Very useful. Like TV repeats.

If they repeat same post five times in four different threads even more successful. Makes sure no one claim to have overlooked opinion.

In addition saves stress of having to write up to date post or have new thoughts.

Cheers.

Edited January 8, 2015 by sfb