what happened to Cunard and the UK?

[SALAD MUNCHER]

Hi all, most years I take my elderly mother on a cruise, just the two of us, to enable her to enjoy a good holiday. We have in the past taken around 5 Cunard cruises together. However last year I thought we should try something different and I booked us in with Princess. Disaster!! The ship was so overcrowded it was difficult to get into any of the evening shows, (I think we managed to see 3 shows in the 12 days), getting a chair on deck was nigh on impossible and overall it just wasn't pleasant. However this year I was determined to cruise Cunard again as she has always really enjoyed the experience. However, she cannot fly so we are restricted to UK sailings. This season I have searched for a suitable trip for us and was shocked to find most of the Med cruises are sailing round trip to ports around Europe - Venice, Rome,Athens, Istanbul etc. I believe there are just around 6 sailings between June to September from UK, mainly to Northern Europe (too cold for mum - her description). Have Cunard decided UK is not now a viable summer base? Does anyone know if there are other lines that are similar to Cunard, including formal nights etc that do sail from the UK? Please don't suggest Fred Olsen or Princess! Many thanks for any input.

[CABINET]

Have a look at Celebrity.

[sogne]

Hi all, most years I take my elderly mother on a cruise, just the two of us, to enable her to enjoy a good holiday. We have in the past taken around 5 Cunard cruises together. However last year I thought we should try something different and I booked us in with Princess. Disaster!! The ship was so overcrowded it was difficult to get into any of the evening shows, (I think we managed to see 3 shows in the 12 days), getting a chair on deck was nigh on impossible and overall it just wasn't pleasant. However this year I was determined to cruise Cunard again as she has always really enjoyed the experience. However, she cannot fly so we are restricted to UK sailings. This season I have searched for a suitable trip for us and was shocked to find most of the Med cruises are sailing round trip to ports around Europe - Venice, Rome,Athens, Istanbul etc. I believe there are just around 6 sailings between June to September from UK, mainly to Northern Europe (too cold for mum - her description). Have Cunard decided UK is not now a viable summer base? Does anyone know if there are other lines that are similar to Cunard, including formal nights etc that do sail from the UK? Please don't suggest Fred Olsen or Princess! Many thanks for any input.

 

Queen Elizabeth is doing several round trips from Southampton to the Canaries and Med

[balf]

It's all about geography and fuel saving. Think of the long drag from Southampton to the first decent port and the long drag back again. Personally I discount Lisbon as I have called there so many times that often I don't even leave the ship there and Gibraltar, well if you know Gibraltar....

 

What's needed is a quick trip to the sun and the Cunard "fly cruises" give passengers just that. The downside for the OP is just the same as for me. Flying. We did one of those cruises on QE last summer and won't be repeating it again, admittedly for reasons that are more than just the flying thing.

 

To be fair it's not really Cunard's fault, they can't bring the warm regions nearer to the UK and the savings they make on the fly cruises must be very welcome.

 

David.

[Chunky2219]

I'm with Cabinet. Try Celebrity. They sail from Southampton and Harwich, the ships are as roomy and airy as Cunard, service is great and although I'm not a fan of the MDR all the other eating is excellent. At the high end it's as enjoyable as QG. Sadly, Celebrity don't seem to have a lot of availability for cruises we're interested in this year; they seem to have booked up very early which can only be an indicator of how good a market there actually is.

 

I can understand the Princess comment, although haven't sailed with them. P&O is the same experience - cheek by jowl in the evenings and struggling to find a seat in a bar after a show. That's on the sensible sized ships comparable to QV and QE. The new monster ships they've rolled out must be closer to cattle boats in comparison.

 

On the other hand, I suspect the Cunard problem is simply not enough ships to establish a good UK base. With world cruises and QM2 plugging back and forth across the pond QV and QE are spread too thinly. More ships please. Maybe one based in Liverpool.

 

.

[Austcruiser84]

Hi all, most years I take my elderly mother on a cruise, just the two of us, to enable her to enjoy a good holiday. We have in the past taken around 5 Cunard cruises together. However last year I thought we should try something different and I booked us in with Princess. Disaster!! The ship was so overcrowded it was difficult to get into any of the evening shows, (I think we managed to see 3 shows in the 12 days), getting a chair on deck was nigh on impossible and overall it just wasn't pleasant. However this year I was determined to cruise Cunard again as she has always really enjoyed the experience. However, she cannot fly so we are restricted to UK sailings. This season I have searched for a suitable trip for us and was shocked to find most of the Med cruises are sailing round trip to ports around Europe - Venice, Rome,Athens, Istanbul etc. I believe there are just around 6 sailings between June to September from UK, mainly to Northern Europe (too cold for mum - her description). Have Cunard decided UK is not now a viable summer base? Does anyone know if there are other lines that are similar to Cunard, including formal nights etc that do sail from the UK? Please don't suggest Fred Olsen or Princess! Many thanks for any input.

 

You could always take the Eurostar to Paris and then high speed train to Venice or Rome to pick up a Cunarder. Or, if budget allowed, travel London to Venice on the Orient Express.

 

I quite like Princess, although it isn't as good as Cunard. But it does depend on the ship. I've sailed mostly on the Diamond, which has one less passenger deck than Grand class ships. It makes a big difference in terms of crowds.

[SALAD MUNCHER]

I'm with Cabinet. Try Celebrity. They sail from Southampton and Harwich, the ships are as roomy and airy as Cunard, service is great and although I'm not a fan of the MDR all the other eating is excellent. At the high end it's as enjoyable as QG. Sadly, Celebrity don't seem to have a lot of availability for cruises we're interested in this year; they seem to have booked up very early which can only be an indicator of how good a market there actually is.

 

I can understand the Princess comment, although haven't sailed with them. P&O is the same experience - cheek by jowl in the evenings and struggling to find a seat in a bar after a show. That's on the sensible sized ships comparable to QV and QE. The new monster ships they've rolled out must be closer to cattle boats in comparison.

 

On the other hand, I suspect the Cunard problem is simply not enough ships to establish a good UK base. With world cruises and QM2 plugging back and forth across the pond QV and QE are spread too thinly. More ships please. Maybe one based in Liverpool.

 

.

 

Thanks for all the comments, I will now check out Celebrity. Like you Chunky I wish there were more cruises starting / finishing in Liverpool for us 'up north'.

My hb and I are sailing on the QM2 17-27th May calling in at Liverpool with the other 2 queens, which we booked on day 1 of it being announced! I note that Fred Olsen do have sailings from Liverpool and Newcastle but I really don't enjoy their trips. Oh well, we can only dream......

[Norfolk Brit]

You could always take the Eurostar to Paris and then high speed train to Venice or Rome to pick up a Cunarder.

 

I've done this several times; unless it's changed recently, it involves changes of train and takes two days, unless one is prepared to sleep in bunk beds on the (very noisy, hot and unpleasant) overnight sleeper. There is no way on earth that I would do it with anyone elderly:eek:

[pudd]

I agree that there are not as many trips from Southampton anymore. I feel very lucky to have cruised three times from Southampton on the QM2 to the Med. They are just not doing those anymore. After doing fly cruises with other lines for a few years we are back to Cunard this June on Elizabeth. I like to travel in June or September so this is my lucky year. Waiting to see next years schedule. June QM 2 would be amazing.

Fly cruises are ok but we feel we lose a day either end. Getting to the airport in the early hours of the morning. Yuck.

[Dajo5601]

Must agree with most of the postings on this subject, we love Cunard and in particular the "round trip" scenario. Very disappointed in the loss of the QV from the Southampton sailings and have had to juggle things around a bit this year to get what we want. Must also say that when our QV cruise was cancelled almost two years ago (prop problems and had to go into dry dock) the only cruise that we could get at short notice was on Celebrity Eclipse - a great ship and a great cruise. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend Celebrity to anyone, we hope to try again soon.

 

Good luck.

 

David

[keithm]

Hi all, most years I take my elderly mother on a cruise, just the two of us, to enable her to enjoy a good holiday. We have in the past taken around 5 Cunard cruises together. However last year I thought we should try something different and I booked us in with Princess. Disaster!! The ship was so overcrowded it was difficult to get into any of the evening shows, (I think we managed to see 3 shows in the 12 days), getting a chair on deck was nigh on impossible and overall it just wasn't pleasant. However this year I was determined to cruise Cunard again as she has always really enjoyed the experience. However, she cannot fly so we are restricted to UK sailings. This season I have searched for a suitable trip for us and was shocked to find most of the Med cruises are sailing round trip to ports around Europe - Venice, Rome,Athens, Istanbul etc. I believe there are just around 6 sailings between June to September from UK, mainly to Northern Europe (too cold for mum - her description). Have Cunard decided UK is not now a viable summer base? Does anyone know if there are other lines that are similar to Cunard, including formal nights etc that do sail from the UK? Please don't suggest Fred Olsen or Princess! Many thanks for any input.

Though Cunard is still our favorite line, the fact that they do few Caribbean trips, has caused us to book on Celebrity. We've done two 14 day trips(Jan.2014 & Jan.2015)This has been on the Eclipse, which we find to be very similar to Cunard. The dresscode is generally more formal than the rest of Celebrity. The food has generally(in my opinion)been better in the MDR than in Britannia.They are now doing a suite class(next dry dock)which is very similar to Cunard's Grill class. The only downside(at least in the Caribbean)is that Celebrity does not do daily tea service(which we love!)I would feel that in the UK market, they probably do. Last year there lots of pax from the UK. This year it was lots from Germany.I really recommend you check them out.

[cindy1957]

Thanks for all the comments, I will now check out Celebrity. Like you Chunky I wish there were more cruises starting / finishing in Liverpool for us 'up north'.

My hb and I are sailing on the QM2 17-27th May calling in at Liverpool with the other 2 queens, which we booked on day 1 of it being announced! I note that Fred Olsen do have sailings from Liverpool and Newcastle but I really don't enjoy their trips. Oh well, we can only dream......

 

My DH and I are trying Cunard after being Celebrity customers for years. We love the newer ships with modern design and amenities. It seems like the comments I have read on CC indicate that shorter Cunard trips are more relaxed and likely to have people looking for that kind of cruise. We took a five day Celebrity out of Miami that was very "Spring Breaky". The same thing is true on Celebrity.

 

We have been on longer Celebrity cruises in the aqua class staterooms. You eat in Blu which is a smaller dining room. We loved it. Another option is Holland America. They do well with older folks and the ships seem ready to accommodate a range of passenger ages. Not a lot of excitement on board form our experiences. We enjoyed the comfort and pace.

 

From what I can tell ahead Cunard is more formal. There are dress up nights on Celebrity and Holland but nothing like the atmosphere I see described by CC and Cunard. We chose the Sept. 4 TA to Hamburg because it is a crossing, the specific time of year and I have always wanted to do the QM2.

 

Good luck on choosing a trip. All of these lines have specific advantages. Based on my needs I would do any of them again.

[Oahucruiser]

There is a two week Queen Elizabeth cruise departing from Southampton to nice ports in the Med starting on July 26th, called "Mediterranean Highlights."

[BlueRiband]

It's all about geography and fuel saving. Think of the long drag from Southampton to the first decent port and the long drag back again....

 

To be fair it's not really Cunard's fault, they can't bring the warm regions nearer to the UK and the savings they make on the fly cruises must be very welcome. David.

 

Then perhaps the fly cruises are a response to passenger surveys? Those who said they didn't want days at sea before reaching warm weather? it might also be a push for the late career rather than retired demographic. i.e., people with money to spend but don't have a whole lot of vacation time to spend two days in cold weather each way.

[Solent Richard]

Then perhaps the fly cruises are a response to passenger surveys? Those who said they didn't want days at sea before reaching warm weather? it might also be a push for the late career rather than retired demographic. i.e., people with money to spend but don't have a whole lot of vacation time to spend two days in cold weather each way.

 

Very close to the mark there BlueRiband. Down to supply and demand.

 

I'm one of those whose natural first thought is that Cunard know what they are doing and, while that doesn't suit everyone all of the time, they do pretty well with the limited number of ships they have.

[Ray66]

Celebrity Cruises has swept the boards in this year's Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards scooping nine awards including Best Overall ship for Celebrity Equinox.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6201#

 

I can only see Cunard/QM2 mentioned on Fitness (Experience) and Northeast (Destinations) categories.

[maz48]

We have done about 21 cruises of which only one was on Celebrity in 2012. But it still stands out as being superb, and apart from our recent QG experience on QV, the food was the best. It sounds like standards haven't dropped either like other cruise lines.

[Camgirl]

When talking to the future cruise people on-board QV last year it was mentioned that the round trips book much quicker and were more popular than the 'fly cruise' options. I can see the point of doing these cruises for people who don't want the trip around Spain to get to the sun but I wish the would restrict them to just the peak summer period and allow for two ships doing round trips from Southampton for more months of the year.

I was disappointed to see QV 'banished' to the Med this year and none of the trips on QE were exactly what I wanted. However, we are booked for September and are looking forwards to it.

Hopefully next year's options will be more varied and there will be more round trips.

I also noticed there seemed very little to Norway and none to the north cape this year. That is a cruise I would love to do one day.

[Ray66]

When talking to the future cruise people on-board QV last year it was mentioned that the round trips book much quicker and were more popular than the 'fly cruise' options.

 

So that doesn't really make sense that they are doing so many fly-cruises to the Med - QV this year and QE last year- instead of round trips.

 

I also noticed there seemed very little to Norway and none to the north cape this year. That is a cruise I would love to do one day.

 

Just one fjords trip this year I think ( on QE in August) and nothing to the North Cape.

[balf]

I was disappointed to see QV 'banished' to the Med this year and none of the trips on QE were exactly what I wanted. /QUOTE]

 

I fear the QE/QV alternating fly cruise programme will be renewed for 2016.

 

Effectively with the world cruise followed by the summer and autumn in the Med not much time is left for anything much for one third of the fleet.

 

David.

[zider]

Once a year either the Q.V or the Q.E do a round trip to the Caribbean this one is on the Q.E For 24 nights. http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-search/book-a-cruise/cruises/qu/1223-q522-sou1-sou2/

[Mysticalmother]

When talking to the future cruise people on-board QV last year it was mentioned that the round trips book much quicker and were more popular than the 'fly cruise' options. I can see the point of doing these cruises for people who don't want the trip around Spain to get to the sun but I wish the would restrict them to just the peak summer period and allow for two ships doing round trips from Southampton for more months of the year.

I was disappointed to see QV 'banished' to the Med this year and none of the trips on QE were exactly what I wanted. However, we are booked for September and are looking forwards to it.

Hopefully next year's options will be more varied and there will be more round trips.

I also noticed there seemed very little to Norway and none to the north cape this year. That is a cruise I would love to do one day.

 

I couldn't agree more. I really enjoyed my cruises on the Cunard ships but having decided to do both Norway/nth Cape and Mediterranean cruises this year, for the dates we needed there was nothing remotely suitable from Cunard ( I don't fly). So we are back with P & O, which I am sure we will enjoy but I will miss the Queens! Maybe next year.......

[Salacia]

Celebrity Cruises has swept the boards in this year's Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards scooping nine awards including Best Overall ship for Celebrity Equinox.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6201#

 

I can only see Cunard/QM2 mentioned on Fitness (Experience) and Northeast (Destinations) categories.

 

Thanks for that link, Ray.

A bit conflicting is the statement in that 'news story' is "The Cruise Critic UK Cruisers' Choice Awards are based entirely on reviews submitted by UK-based cruisers for cruises taken during 2014" and then 3 sentences later: "The UK Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards are based on reviews submitted by UK-based cruisers for cruises taken during 2013" - quoted from http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6201#

 

Interesting to see the part that reviews play in this award process.

 

Anyway, congrats to Celebrity.

 

Salacia

Edited February 24, 2015 by Salacia

[Sikwemu]

Is Cunard getting tarred (so to speak) with the Carnival P&O brush? The relatives who sail P&O think we're mad to prefer sea days and tell me that all their P&O friends-these relatives are serious cruisers-feel the same way. If you look at the early savers already released by Cunard for this year the bulk of them are QV in the Med. Surely an indicator that they aren't as well liked as they want them to be.

[CABINET]

Is Cunard getting tarred (so to speak) with the Carnival P&O brush? The relatives who sail P&O think we're mad to prefer sea days and tell me that all their P&O friends-these relatives are serious cruisers-feel the same way.

 

We are just back from a 12 day P & O cruise and I have never been so bored in my entire life. There was barely anything to do (to our taste anyway) on any of the sea days. Being used to Cunard we had expected interesting speakers and some classical music recitals at the very least.

 

To be fair they did have a pianist but his choice of programme was somewhat bizarre and he accompanied his unusual selection with a sort of 'droning' noise which was very offputting.

 

Coupled with the indifferent food and the chest infection I picked up, just at the moment I don't feel like getting on another cruise ship at all. I know that feeling will pass soon but we certainly won't be cruising with P & O again!

Edited February 26, 2015 by CABINET