Trying Cunard

[wesport]

Being a five star mariner on HAL, I have decided to try Cunard next August.  Hope there will be some normalcy by then. Who knows.  Being that this was my first cruise on Cunard, my TA informed me she used our Princess platinum member numbers for our cunard booking. This give us priority embarkation, 2hours of free internet, wine tasting etc.  This was a nice surprise. Especially the priority embarkation. Just thought I would share. Don't know of other Carnival brands that do this. 

[KirkNC]

We have always wanted to try them but there formal nights have kept us away.

[Essiesmom]

My Princess Captain's Circle number and Cunard world Club numbers have always been the same.  But being platinum on Princess never got me anything on Cunard.  Did you perhaps book in the Grills?  EM

[Happily@Sea]

Anytime after 6 pm is formal/semi formal on Cunard - there is a dress code. I knew this going in and was willing to put up with it for the chance to avoid flying from Europe.

 

4 of the 8-night crossing were formal, [but this might have been from just coming off the remastering - big celebration]

 

I did enjoy my time on QM2  - I hope you do too. But I would never take it for a cruise - too limiting].

[Woofbite]

Anxious to hear your impressions.  Ours were the ship was magnificent, the food and service lived down to the British reputation, drinks and other amenities were overpriced, (especially the Veranda specialty restaurant which was not much different from the regular dining room and certainly not worth the $75 per person), theater was packed with many seats blocked by large poles and the formal dress code had significantly different definitions.  The on-board planetarium was a large plastic umbrella where they projected old PBS shows. Guest speakers were fantastic as was the Captain's Remembrance Day service which was observed on board.  

 

 

[lcand1923]

I hope you enjoy Cunard.  I had to give it a try, but won't go back.  I thought the Dress Code would be my biggest complaint, but it didn't really bother me.  What did bother me were all of the little things that meant "not caring for the customer" to me.  (WOOFBITE said it very well.)

[kelmac]

3 hours ago, wesport said:

Being a five star mariner on HAL, I have decided to try Cunard next August.  Hope there will be some normalcy by then. Who knows.  Being that this was my first cruise on Cunard, my TA informed me she used our Princess platinum member numbers for our cunard booking. This give us priority embarkation, 2hours of free internet, wine tasting etc.  This was a nice surprise. Especially the priority embarkation. Just thought I would share. Don't know of other Carnival brands that do this. 

I always tell people that Cunard is just Holland America on steroids.  Except for the QM2, the Victoria and the Elizabeth are just Vista class ships, and yes Cunard is way more formal.  We've been on the QM2 twice for transatlantics, as the cost difference between flying and the ship is minimal.  In 2019 we joined the world cruise in San Francisco for 80 days on the Victoria.  Loved every minute of it!  In spite of the ship being very British, we thought the food was comparable to HAL.  Entertainment was so so, but the lecture program is excellent, and the planetarium on the QM2 is a fun feature.  Cunard ships have the best dancing venues at sea.

If you can embrace the formal dress code, HAL cruisers should enjoy everything Cunard.

Kel😄

[wesport]

2 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

My Princess Captain's Circle number and Cunard world Club numbers have always been the same.  But being platinum on Princess never got me anything on Cunard.  Did you perhaps book in the Grills?  EM

Just an unobstructed balcony

[wesport]

4 minutes ago, kelmac said:

I always tell people that Cunard is just Holland America on steroids.  Except for the QM2, the Victoria and the Elizabeth are just Vista class ships, and yes Cunard is way more formal.  We've been on the QM2 twice for transatlantics, as the cost difference between flying and the ship is minimal.  In 2019 we joined the world cruise in San Francisco for 80 days on the Victoria.  Loved every minute of it!  In spite of the ship being very British, we thought the food was comparable to HAL.  Entertainment was so so, but the lecture program is excellent, and the planetarium on the QM2 is a fun feature.  Cunard ships have the best dancing venues at sea.

If you can embrace the formal dress code, HAL cruisers should enjoy everything Cunard.

Kel😄

The ship look the same outside as the vista class

[Desert Cruisers]

5 hours ago, wesport said:

Being a five star mariner on HAL, I have decided to try Cunard next August.  Hope there will be some normalcy by then. Who knows.  Being that this was my first cruise on Cunard, my TA informed me she used our Princess platinum member numbers for our cunard booking. This give us priority embarkation, 2hours of free internet, wine tasting etc.  This was a nice surprise. Especially the priority embarkation. Just thought I would share. Don't know of other Carnival brands that do this. 

I would check directly with Cunard re any benefits accorded to you with your Princess Platinum status. Yes, Cunard and Princess share the same past passenger numbers but that's about all aside from a past passenger discount.  Your TA may be confusing PRINCESS Platinum with CUNARD World Club Platinum.

 

As a Cunard World Club Platinum member [7+ trips or 70 nights with Cunard], you do get wifi minutes [4 hours], priority embarkation, wine-tasting, and invitations to 2 past passenger parties. We are Elite on Princess and did not get these benefits on Cunard until we were Platinum on Cunard. If this is your first cruise on Cunard, you are unlikely to get any of these benefits unless you are booked into the Grills.

 

Just our opinion...Cunard service is more formal than on HAL.  This does not mean that staff is unfriendly.  Food is less geared towards American tastes.  They do know how to make a proper cup of tea.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Desert Cruisers

[bennybear]

We enjoyed our time on Queen Victoria  with a few caveats.  The ship is absolutely beautiful as are the staterooms.   They have a stunning  Two story library,  with spiral staircase and librarian.    The buffet is excellent and the afternoon tea with harpist is sublime.  The Main dining room food is nowhere near as good as HAL.  I think that’s because of the grills where the standard is apparently better.  
 

But the class system,  where decks and dining rooms are separate is not like the egalitarian approach on HAL.  I much prefer that no matter if you are in a Neptune or inside, the food is the same in the dining room.  I also found we were asked frequently if we were in the grills,  never been asked on HAL where my cabin is.  And the dress code applies to the whole ship in the evenings,  so you can’t go to the entertainment casually.  

 

Should also add that although we too are platinum on Princess, we received no extra amenities.  

Edited December 8, 2020 by bennybear

[tjcox9]

Also Platinum on Princess and on three Cunard cruises, we received none of the Princess benefits unfortunately, and yes, our Princess and Cunard numbers are the same.

[KirkNC]

Doesn’t sound like it would work for us (I am not the OP).  Class system and formal attire are just not in our world.  Too bad as I have thought about using them in lieu of a plane flight.  

[wesport]

I am thinking the number was just assigned and I will get none of the benefits of Princess Platinum on Cunard. 

[wesport]

2 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

Doesn’t sound like it would work for us (I am not the OP).  Class system and formal attire are just not in our world.  Too bad as I have thought about using them in lieu of a plane flight.  

We booked because of the itinerary. Also easy to get to London from Miami with direct flights. Can use some of my Avios from British Airways. A lot could happen between now and August. 

[durangoscots]

I have not been on any of the current Cunard ships..... my last Cunard sail was the QE2. I did not find the formal dress too hard to comply with... did some mix and matching and was ok... but I did not care much for the difference between dining areas and the sometimes feeling I was a a second class citizen. Would sail again if the the itinerary was really desirable, but not my first choice.

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by durangoscots
typo

[prescottbob]

We did a QE2 crossing May 2019 to avoid flying and, well, to try it out (it's always  been on our "bucket list"). Then we flew over to Amsterdam for a few days and embarked on the  Prinsendam's last month in the HAL fleet doing a circle the UK and Norwegian B2B cruises.

 

We actually like the 'change of pace' although the formal every other night and then a sport coat otherwise in the main dining room wasn't as bad as I expected. For folks that don't care for formal dress they do have a Lido of sorts (I can't recall the name) that only informal wear (no shorts, after 6 I think).

 

The planetarium was a blast, lots of informative lecture and the best library I've ever seen on a cruise ship. It just so happened that the particular cruise was filled with WW2 veterans doing the crossing for D-Day ceremonies and they had 2-3 hours worth of lectures daily with WW2 military experiences,  D-Day presentations, etc. They were great. Shows were okay and if you like to dance, well, the QE2 is just for you. 

 

Would I do again? Perhaps. I thought the ship was beautiful, the staff friendly and the food similar to HAL IMHO. BTW, the Pub & specialty dinners were great.

 

Be well & Happy Holidays!

Bob

[Desert Cruisers]

4 hours ago, KirkNC said:

Doesn’t sound like it would work for us (I am not the OP).  Class system and formal attire are just not in our world.  Too bad as I have thought about using them in lieu of a plane flight.  

We find that people who have never cruised on Cunard tend to be the ones making statements about the "class system".  People who book in the Grills are paying a big premium for the privilege. Doesn't bother us. 

 

We have made 11 voyages on Cunard and generally book inside cabins.  We have good friends who always book in the Grills.  We met them on the QM2 while playing trivia.  Never was a hindrance there.  Also have met and enjoyed the company of others aboard who were in the Grills.  Sure, there may be some snobs but you can find them in every cabin category.

[KirkNC]

2 hours ago, Desert Cruisers said:

We find that people who have never cruised on Cunard tend to be the ones making statements about the "class system".  People who book in the Grills are paying a big premium for the privilege. Doesn't bother us. 

 

We have made 11 voyages on Cunard and generally book inside cabins.  We have good friends who always book in the Grills.  We met them on the QM2 while playing trivia.  Never was a hindrance there.  Also have met and enjoyed the company of others aboard who were in the Grills.  Sure, there may be some snobs but you can find them in every cabin category.

My comments on class system were based on the previous post in this thread by someone who had sailed on Cunard.  

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by KirkNC

[rkacruiser]

My most recent Cunard cruise was on QM2 in the early years after her introduction on a November Caribbean cruise.  The formal dress requests were what HAL's were for such occasions.  Dress issues were not an issue.  Not aware of the menus available for the Princess and Queen Grills might have been, but I thought that her MDR menus were limited in selection for dinner as compared to other cruise lines.  The one exception was QM2's Breakfast MDR menu.  It was quite extensive.  

 

I would like to try another cruise on Cunard and keep looking at the Alaska itineraries for Queen Elizabeth.  Coat/tie every night required?  In Alaska, particularly?  I'd be surprised if that really happens.    

[bennybear]

41 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

My comments on class system were based on the previous post in this thread by someone who had sailed on Cunard.  

 

 

Yes,  I definitely felt it and sailed on her.  I was asked on several occasions if I was in the Grills!  
 

I might not have minded so much, if I hadn’t felt the food in the MDR paled in comparison to HAL in choice and  quality.    It’s one thing to offer an enhanced experience but not at the expense of the others.  When I sail on HAL in whatever level of cabin or suite the food is the same and nowhere is off limits.  

[Happily@Sea]

14 hours ago, prescottbob said:

We did a QE2 crossing May 2019 to avoid flying and, well, to try it out (it's always  been on our "bucket list"). Then we flew over to Amsterdam for a few days and embarked on the  Prinsendam's last month in the HAL fleet doing a circle the UK and Norwegian B2B cruises.

 

We actually like the 'change of pace' although the formal every other night and then a sport coat otherwise in the main dining room wasn't as bad as I expected. For folks that don't care for formal dress they do have a Lido of sorts (I can't recall the name) that only informal wear (no shorts, after 6 I think).

 

The planetarium was a blast, lots of informative lecture and the best library I've ever seen on a cruise ship. It just so happened that the particular cruise was filled with WW2 veterans doing the crossing for D-Day ceremonies and they had 2-3 hours worth of lectures daily with WW2 military experiences,  D-Day presentations, etc. They were great. Shows were okay and if you like to dance, well, the QE2 is just for you. 

 

Would I do again? Perhaps. I thought the ship was beautiful, the staff friendly and the food similar to HAL IMHO. BTW, the Pub & specialty dinners were great.

 

Be well & Happy Holidays!

Bob

 

 

The 'Lido' is King's Court.

 

[rafinmd]

I find the comments about Cunard's "class system" hilarious.  While their language is a bit different from other mainstream cruise lines, the reality is that they are probably among the most egalitarian of mainstream cruise lines.  Their main dining room is on a par with all their competitors although a bit more tuned to British tastes.  While people complain about the Grills and a Grills lounge, those same people are likely extolling the virtues of Neptune Lounges and Club Orange but there is essentially no difference.  Beyond the dining, the experience is virtually the same regardless of category; I think there are perhaps 5 suites among 1300 on QM2 that get priority tendering and few other differences.

 

Try Cunard, if the dress code doesn't put you off you are likely to be pleasantly surprised.

 

Roy

[shipgeeks]

I, too, am a bit puzzled by the concern about being asked if one is in The Grills.  Fellow passenger who would like to share a dinner table?  Crew member who wishes to mention an event coming up?

Is there a negative connotation?

Is there any difference from Yacht Club on MSC or Haven on NCL?

We've sailed on Cunard several times (not Grills), and never felt excluded from anything.

 

[DeirdreTours]

We are 4* HAL but have also done 4 crossings on the QM2.  I love both, but they have different strengths.  QM2 has the best dancing at sea, with a 14 piece orchestra, a real dance floor and even gentleman dancers to make sure that every lady has a dancing partner if she wants one.   The afternoon tea is also much nicer than HALs with live music (and at least one tea dance per cruise).  QM2 also has many more activities each day that one can participate in (drawing classes, multiple different trivia competitions, drama groups, reading groups, speakers, etc) and a top notch library.  OTOH,  I think the food on HAL (especially in recent years) is better and the service is a little better.

I have never been asked if I was in the grills  (we have always booked standard balcony). 

It does bother me a tad the separate dining rooms by class, but not enough to impact my trip.  The "formal" attire isn't all that formal-- any dark jacket will do for men and women can wear anything except a tshirt.