A suite on QM2?

[Tehdeebear]

Is it worth the extra thousands of dollars to get a Q level suite on Queen Mary 2 for a 7 day transatlantic? A regular sheltered balcony is coming in at about 3700 dollars whereas the Q6 level is 9700 minus some shipboard credits. Any opinions? We've cruised 15 times but never in a suite. Thanks.

[lannp]

You will get a lot more opinions if you post this on the Cunard board. All my voyages have been made in a Britannia balcony cabin. Some of us say we would rather go every year in Britannia than once every few years in a grill suite.

[Essiesmom]

I would ask this on the Cunard board here at CC. You get a lot more in the Grills on Cunard than a suite on some lines. But it is also much more formal all over theship. EM

[CruiserBruce]

The Cunard board is here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=54

[Tehdeebear]

You will get a lot more opinions if you post this on the Cunard board. All my voyages have been made in a Britannia balcony cabin. Some of us say we would rather go every year in Britannia than once every few years in a grill suite.

Thanks for your opinion. I'll post it on the Cunard board, too. By the way, if you have done transatlantic, do you prefer your balcony cabin on the port or starboard side. I was wondering if the side facing the sun would get too hot, in a sheltered balcony. The picture makes it look like a metal box with a hole for a window.

[lannp]

Since I generally do B2B I don't pay much attention to which side of the ship since I don't want to change cabins midway.

[Tehdeebear]

Since I generally do B2B I don't pay much attention to which side of the ship since I don't want to change cabins midway.

 

Do you go with a sheltered balcony or opt for the higher level? Just trying to ascertain whether it's really worth the extra money for Q level.

p.s. Anyone who has a teddy bear as their profile picture is automatically A one, in my book. :)

[Velvetwater]

I researched this question just this afternoon and found out the Grills have marginally better food, bigger staterooms and their own dining room and bar. Theres also the obvious class distinction pride that comes with it. The Queens is all you can drinks so may be a bargain if you like a tipple.

 

Thats what the web said anyway.

 

 

Overall though I thought it wasnt worth the extra as most areas are public on the QM2 and the private lounges people can see in as you eat.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Velvetwater

[Tehdeebear]

I researched this question just this afternoon and found out the Grills have marginally better food, bigger staterooms and their own dining room and bar. Theres also the obvious class distinction pride that comes with it. The Queens is all you can drinks so may be a bargain if you like a tipple.

 

Thats what the web said anyway.

 

 

Overall though I thought it wasnt worth the extra as most areas are public on the QM2 and the private lounges people can see in as you eat.

 

I'm getting the feeling that the thousands extra isn't worth it as it would be on Seabourn or Crystal. I don't know if QM can make it the luxurious experience with the various perks one would expect for the price. Not a big drinker, but even if I did drink a lot, I couldn't imagine drinking enough to make up the difference in price. Thanks for your opinion.

[Hlitner]

We have 2 sets of friends (one couple are Americans and the other are Brits who live on Guernsey) that have cruised in "Grill" suites on the Queen Mary 2. Both have expressed their disappointment and did not think they go enough for their money. In fact, the couple from the Channel Islands were so upset (and they were in one of the largest cabins on the Queen) that they cancelled a future lengthy Queen Mary 2 cruise (they are thinking about a future cruise on the Queen Elizabeth). Why were they disappointed? It seemed to be a combination of factors including disappointment with the cusine in the Grill and the "extremely snotty service" on the special deck reserved for the suites. One of our friends actually purchased a soda card (she does not drink any alcohol) only to be told by her "deck steward" that she could not use it for soft drinks on their special deck! Apparently the soda card is only honored on the deck with all of us "steerage" passengers but those in the suites need not apply :). Go figure. Our friend actually had to walk herself down to a bar on another deck (with the steerage folks) to get her soda card beverages.

 

Hank

Edited January 18, 2015 by Hlitner

[Velvetwater]

I'm getting the feeling that the thousands extra isn't worth it as it would be on Seabourn or Crystal. I don't know if QM can make it the luxurious experience with the various perks one would expect for the price. Not a big drinker, but even if I did drink a lot, I couldn't imagine drinking enough to make up the difference in price. Thanks for your opinion.

 

No problem.

 

I might be sailing with Cunard for the first time this summer so my opinion will be better informed then.

 

Queens gets you a butler too I just found out. :)

[lannp]

We almost always have a balcony cabin on deck 4. There are lots of days on a crossing that you are protected from the wind and it's very pleasant to sit out on the balcony. The lower deck is also much more convenient to activities.

Theatre, planetarium, lectures, casino, etc. are on deck 2-3.

[BlueRiband]

I'm getting the feeling that the thousands extra isn't worth it as it would be on Seabourn or Crystal. I don't know if QM can make it the luxurious experience with the various perks one would expect for the price. Not a big drinker, but even if I did drink a lot, I couldn't imagine drinking enough to make up the difference in price. Thanks for your opinion.

 

Given that you've asked for input in three threads, you would probably be happier in a regular balcony.

 

As others have pointed out Cunard is a mass market line that also happens to have premium categories. Since there are 2600 passengers or so one does not get the same attention as on a ship with 600. You will have one on one attention in the restaurant, the concierge, and from your butler. Once you are in the public rooms however you're the same as those in the cheapest inside cabin. Many fans of the ship see this as the great democracy of her public rooms while others would rightly or wrongly expect first priority for paying the top fares. For example, on QM2 Grills passengers do not have a reserved seating area in the theater as is the practice on some lines for those in the high suite categories.

 

If something doesn't feel right to you - and the cost vs. benefit seems to be just that - then it probably isn't.

Edited January 20, 2015 by BlueRiband