Q519 - A Few Observations

[davyjones]

For cruises of more than one week we have only been in Britannia but we have been in PG several times on QM2 so PG for two weeks was a new experience for us. The big change was that a new PG and QG menu was being given its first outing on this cruise. Much to the dismay of the more seasoned PG passengers old favourites such as rack of lamb, duck a l’orange, dover sole and crepes were off the menu entirely. Although in the past one has had the impression of being able to order ‘off menu’ in PG this was, in fact, just the Maitre’ D being kind and ‘borrowing’ stuff from the QG. The general gist of the new menus is to differentiate more clearly between the different classes (for wont of a better word) on board. A new menu entry is something called the ‘Cunard Signature Classic’ where dishes such as Lobster and Chateaubriand appeared but only one per night. The menu was top-heavy with beef – one night you could have had it in four different ways. The food is now being cooked to order rather than pre-prepared so if everyone turns up a once, e.g. after the Captain’s cocktail party, then there is a delay. One night someone with the name badge ‘Development Chef’ was outside the QG looking for feedback so the new menus are not, as yet, set in stone. No complaints however about the food once it arrived. There was a rumour that in future the PG and QG restaurants would be closed on port days for lunch as so few people used them – which on this cruise was true.

 

 

Watch out for the hard sell in the spa on embarkation day and a certain economy with the truth as to the availability of spa passes. We were told that only full cruise spa passes were available despite a sign outside saying 3 and 5 day passes were. We declined the full cruise pass and came back and bought just day passes as required. Unless you went late (17:30’ish) there were no beds available and no space to put stuff whilst you used the pool and saunas. You also had to walk out of the spa area to use the toilet (in the changing room) whereas on the QM2 it is all in the one place and having to share the changing room with the gym often meant I had to wait to get a shower. When I asked where the spa sandals referred to in the spa brochure were one receptionist said she had never seen any whilst her colleague said people kept stealing them and some more were on order so it might be wise to bring your own.

 

 

The ballroom dancing was lacking much Latin content. Annoyance number one was the band break CD being played. One night the pianist was injured so couldn’t play so the CD was on filling the time. When it started to repeat someone at the next table went to see the social hostess to see if other CDs ‘were available’ which indeed they were but as they were unlabelled nobody apparently knew what was on them but the bold decision was taken to stick one in and if two rumbas in a row came out then so be it. And so we had four waltzes before another CD was shoved in. Despite all this the original CD kept resurfacing over the days. Annoyance two was couples who could clearly dance well but insisted on doing a whole waltz or foxtrot two moves forward then one back; so just as you thought the coast was clear they would reappear again to stymie your progress. And annoyance three was that the band and/or the singer seem to have decided that the world does not have enough tunes written as foxtrots and rumbas so we had the strange announcements of X played as Y as in a quickstep being played as a foxtrot or a foxtrot as a rumba; to my untrained ear and feet this didn’t work.

 

 

The dress code was adhered to but on informal nights most ladies seemed to have made an effort and most men not if making an effort is putting a tie on. Most men danced jacketless.

 

 

Some useless facts: The euro type socket above the dressing table stays live even when the door key card is removed. The lamp socket behind the bedside cabinet is a euro type one.

 

 

Overall a very enjoyable cruise and we will be back on Cunard later this year and next.

 

 

DJ

[Underwatr]

I see that this wasn't QM2 but my memory escapes me - is a 'Q' prefix indicative of Queen Elizabeth?

[Host Hattie]

Yes, it was a Western Med sailing on Queen Elizabeth.

 

Thanks for reporting back.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Host Hattie

[laktex]

I see that this wasn't QM2 but my memory escapes me - is a 'Q' prefix indicative of Queen Elizabeth?

Yes.

Q = Queen Elizabeth

V = Queen Victoria

M = Queen Mary 2

[Underwatr]

I figured because I've sailed on "M" and "V" itineraries, but when you get down to it the ships' names all start with "Q". :)

[balf]

 

 

 

 

Some useless facts: The euro type socket above the dressing table stays live even when the door key card is removed. The lamp socket behind the bedside cabinet is a euro type one. DJ

 

Just to avoid confusion the sockets are British 3pin and US. There are no EU type outlets.

 

David.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DJ

[davyjones]

In the PG cabin I was in there were US, UK and Euro type sockets above the dressing table and a Euro socket behind the bedside cabinet as I moved it wanting to plug in my phone charger. I admit I have not come across the Euro sockets before on Cunard ships but maybe they are being retrofitted to cater for our continental cousins, especially now many cruises go via Hamburg. The retrofitting may also explain why the socket stays on when the room card is removed.

 

DJ

[alc13]

The big change was that a new PG and QG menu was being given its first outing on this cruise.

 

In the past, the menus were basically the same in all 3 rooms, with added entries as you went up the ladder, so to speak. Are the Grills menus now very different from the MDR menu?

 

Sorry to hear about the abundance of beef. One of us has to avoid it for health reasons, and the other just prefers lighter food.

[balf]

In the PG cabin I was in there were US, UK and Euro type sockets above the dressing table and a Euro socket behind the bedside cabinet as I moved it wanting to plug in my phone charger. I admit I have not come across the Euro sockets before on Cunard ships but maybe they are being retrofitted to cater for our continental cousins, especially now many cruises go via Hamburg. The retrofitting may also explain why the socket stays on when the room card is removed.

 

DJ

 

 

Thank you, that's interesting. There would obviously be a demand from continental passengers for dedicated sockets for their devices etc.

 

Hopefully thy will fit all cabins eventually.

 

David.

[davyjones]

In the past, the menus were basically the same in all 3 rooms, with added entries as you went up the ladder, so to speak. Are the Grills menus now very different from the MDR menu?

 

Sorry to hear about the abundance of beef. One of us has to avoid it for health reasons, and the other just prefers lighter food.

 

 

Completely different. I was rather annoyed as the Britannia restaurant was getting everything I wanted; they even got duck a l'orange and all the soups I prefer. This was the situation on Q519 and as the menus are evolving in response to feedback it is liable to change. I don't know when the roll-out to QV and QM2 will be.

 

DJ

[cruiseluvva]

I think combining/alternating QG and PG for lunch on port days wouldn't be unreasonable, but as one that often stays on board, I would be mightily upset if unable to access either!

 

We are shortly travelling PG on QV, whereas we normally travel QG. It sounds as though we will have to consider carefully what, and with whom, to book in future.

[violetta58]

I think combining/alternating QG and PG for lunch on port days wouldn't be unreasonable, but as one that often stays on board, I would be mightily upset if unable to access either!

 

We are shortly travelling PG on QV, whereas we normally travel QG. It sounds as though we will have to consider carefully what, and with whom, to book in future.

 

We have been in the QE twice this year and most port days are back for lunch as it is until 2.00 On both cruises , a lot of people were eating lunch and outside eating was usually full. I can't believe they would take that away and the whole point of the Grills unless you eat outside is you have your set table.