New to Cunard

[Triggertravel]

Hi

my wife and I are contemplating booking our first Cunard cruise. We have been loyal p&o customers for over 30 cruises and after seeing standards start slipping over the last few years,and partly due to the pandemic we have decided that maybe our loyalty doesn’t really count for much,which is a shame as we have had some superb cruises , so as we will be potentially newbees to Cunard could you tell me what notable differences we would find good or bad between the two brands,any feedback would be greatly appreciated 

[Host Hattie]

I did write a thread after my own single P&O experience, I'll see if I can find it.

But briefly, more international passengers, more expensive but better drinks, tips not included, better food (we had to pay extra to get decent food on P&O).

Entertainment was better on P&O but that's not that important to us.

[exlondoner]

Everything is priced in dollars on Cunard, so hope the exchange rate improves. I think part of the problem with answering this is the sheer variety of P and O ships. I have never sailed but get the impression that Aurora and Arcadia are very different from the newer much bigger ships.

[Jack E Dawson]

We love Cunard although we have only sailed them 3 times, all westbound crossings on the QM2 (2017, 2018 & 2022). If nothing else, being on this magnificent ocean liner on the North Atlantic would be enough for us. Cunard, like most corporations, has its own culture and it suits us well. A nod towards British tradition, exemplary service, formality, great food and drink and music of all kinds everywhere. Activities include ballroom dancing, water color classes, fencing classes and a planetarium. There is understated elegance and the QM2 has an amazing ratio of public space per passenger that provides an atmosphere of calmness. Of course the success of these cultural efforts is dependent on the attitude of the passengers and for the most part, they rise to the occasion. However, like all cruise lines, Cunard is struggling with staffing. This means that there will be hiccups in service and a dilution of the culture, especially since the new staff includes supervisors and managers. Cunard's weak points, even before COVID, are their web site, the boarding process and the onboard WiFi. However, our crossing in May was wonderful and there was no lack of effort by the crew to meet out exceptions. We look forward to our next Cunard sailing. 

[GonzoWCS]

Good stuff so far here.  Thanks!

 

Cheers

[WestonOne]

This is tricky, because I have sailed on rather more P&O than Cunard, and I don't want to trigger any reactions!

P+O ships vary quite a bit, but for a long time now they have been getting rid of the smaller ships to bring in very much larger one.  So I had a fondness for Oriana, having first sailed on her when she was about a year old, but did not like Ventura at all.  Iona, which I sailed on a few months ago, is all right, but to me the atrium would be quite at home as the centre of a shopping mall on land almost anywhere.  Light, spacious and comfortable, I agree, but somehow it seems to be trying to hide the fact that it is a ship, to me.  P&O, for good or ill, seem to have attracted the hen/stag parties to the shorter cruises, to the extent that they have had to make rules about slogans on tee-shirts and fancy dress.

Cunard ships are much more classically proportioned, not only the ship as a whole, but the public rooms themselves.   I find the colours and decor more pleasing, but obviously that is personal taste.  The age range on Cunard is somewhat older (partly because those stag/hen do's are not there) and for the same reason the entertainment and activities are often aimed at that higher age range.   One of the shows on Iona was structured around a mythical "Battle of the Bands" story at a musical festival like "Latitude" (very badly acted, I thought!);  I can't envision Cunard doing that, or at least not for another decade!

Food may be better, but I found quite a high variability on P+O and have chosen the PG/QG grade on Cunard, so it is not really a very fair comparison.

[Host Hattie]

22 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Entertainment was better on P&O but that's not that important to us.

I should probably explain this a bit more, Cunard is a bit more high brow so more serious speakers, more classical music, less tribute acts (none except Beatles tribute bands).

There is lots of music around the ships and plenty going on. 

There are links to recent Daily Programmes on the Welcome thread which will give you an idea

 

[BouncingWheel]

We have travelled on both lines a bit and totally agree with @WestonOnethat there are really 2 P&Os (Smaller Adult ships: Arcadia and Aurora) and the rest. It is a really big difference between the rest of the fleet to Cunard but not as much, though still significant, from the smaller ships to Cunard.

 

Differences (against the small P&O ships) are obviously the dollars being the onboard currency. It is also more formal and has a much bigger ship within a ship setup with the Grills area. There is more emphasis, and space, for ballroom dancing and more classical music (especially lovely during afternoon tea). Afternoon tea was a big difference in that Cunard is more elegant focusing on the music and the food whereas the P&O MDR ones are more of a social "natter" event. As previously mentioned, the food and drink quality is better, more varied though more expensive.

I think entertainment and lectures work out about equal though Cunard do bring in bigger names/emphasis for their lectures whilst P&O big names are for their singing venues/shows.

 

Hope that helps. The biggest selling point to us was we wanted to do a Transatlantic crossing and we believe nothing beats QM2 for that and I believe many others would back us up on that.

[PORT ROYAL]

9 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

We have travelled on both lines a bit and totally agree with @WestonOnethat there are really 2 P&Os (Smaller Adult ships: Arcadia and Aurora) and the rest. It is a really big difference between the rest of the fleet to Cunard but not as much, though still significant, from the smaller ships to Cunard.

 

Differences (against the small P&O ships) are obviously the dollars being the onboard currency. It is also more formal and has a much bigger ship within a ship setup with the Grills area. There is more emphasis, and space, for ballroom dancing and more classical music (especially lovely during afternoon tea). Afternoon tea was a big difference in that Cunard is more elegant focusing on the music and the food whereas the P&O MDR ones are more of a social "natter" event. As previously mentioned, the food and drink quality is better, more varied though more expensive.

I think entertainment and lectures work out about equal though Cunard do bring in bigger names/emphasis for their lectures whilst P&O big names are for their singing venues/shows.

 

Hope that helps. The biggest selling point to us was we wanted to do a Transatlantic crossing and we believe nothing beats QM2 for that and I believe many others would back us up on that.

This reminds one of a CC poster many years ago….

There are many ways to cross the Atlantic by ship, but the QM is the only way!

[Windsurfboy]

Cunard is more expensive,  Once you start looking at Grills,  Cunard is very very much more expensive than P&O . So the fact that you'll have to pay more for good food on P&O , e.g.  the £30pp for a meal in Epicurean every night , pales into insignificance. 

 

It's far more about the ambience of the ship and what you want to do and where you want to go. The ambience on P&O varies considerably,  by size of ship , school holidays , length of cruise.  I think Cunard varies a bit less so, but short cruises in school holidays,  will be very different affairs to longer cruises at other times

 

If you like peace and quiet , your more likely to find it on your balcony than by the pool on P&O in the holidays. But a suite with a big balcony on P&O is much cheaper than Princess Grill on Cunard never mind QG. Cunard can also be busy on deck , especially on QV, QE and now QA where the grills deck takes a disproportionate share of outside space, great if you are in Grills. 

 

As for entertainment,  it depends what you like. Musically P&O is more popular as you will know better than most. Cunard has a leaning towards light classical and on our cruises Andrew Lloyd Webber musical artistes. 

 

Can't say much about lectures, avoid them , much prefer doing own research read text book. However best one ever was on P&O ,  Nelson Mandela's bodyguard. But that was an exception. 

 

My advice only way to find out is give it a go. You will enjoy it, people are generally very nice , whether it becomes your go to cruiseline only time will tell