RECENT QV REVIEW

[D&N]

Cunard does not remotely compare to P&O in catering to British tastes.

In 14 nights on P&O's Arcadia we were offered 14 differently named potato dishes.

 

On QM2 we rarely had potatoes, although I'm sure they were available. Generally when vegetables  were presented they could have been slightly longer cooked but were edible. Seasoning seemed well balanced, nothing tasted bland. We didn't feel we had been subjected to a "British" diet and probably more towards our regular Mediterranean style diet.

 

We don't eat that much meat but none of the lamb, pork, beef or duck (I know it's poultry) we ate on QM2 was cooked beyond medium as we specified when a choice was given, and none of it was tough.

 

Never been on QV, but nothing in the OP's report compares with our QM2 experience.

 

 

 

 

[D&N]

23 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

Might make an interesting selection for a waltz during a tea dance.

Possibly some folk might manage a Viennese to it. Far too fast for us, we'd trip over each others feet!

[techteach]

@bluemarble That was really bad and you were correct it is 3/4 meter. It reminds me. of music my grandparents listened to, in fact I think they had some of his records. I wonder if he was on Lawrence Welk? Please, no more.

[frankp01]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Perhaps if one ambles along about 40 minutes later,

One learns that. Or to simply come for tea later in the voyage, when there is almost no queue. However, if it's one's first experience with the Cunard White Glove tea, one tends to arrive at the appointed time and find themselves in a cattle call.

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

 

I do indeed. Wikipedia tells me "The Cattle Call" was first recorded by Tex Owens in 1934. Slim Whitman did have a popular cover of that song in 1954.

 

 

I'm extremely rusty on music theory, but to my ear it appears that song has three beats per measure. Might make an interesting selection for a waltz during a tea dance. 🤣

I'm pretty sure that was never popular on this side of the Atlantic ! Way before my time of course. 😂

[PORT ROYAL]

5 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

Fish Knife ? never seen Fish Knives on Cunard since the days of the old QE2 , not even in the Grills.

 

 

One can use 2 forks and still be correct.

[Victoria2]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

Well, they certainly appeared on QM2 last month, whenever we had fish, usually accompanied by an ordinary knife for the non-fish elements.

They've made appearances on Victoria too. 

[bluemarble]

40 minutes ago, techteach said:

... Please, no more.

 

Agreed. We've had some good fun over the term "cattle call", discussed fish knives, the capital of the Netherlands, how dishes are/should be seasoned, and I've also wondered why chicken fingers are inappropriate as a starter on the Britannia menu (I welcome their shrimp mac & cheese entrée). It does appear the OP had some legitimate service issues though and it has not been my intention to trivialize those concerns.

[PORT ROYAL]

6 hours ago, tony s said:

My wife and I were looking forward to this cruise as we had heard how excellent Cunard was and it was a great opportunity to see the Norwegian Fjords. The itinerary was great and the excursion in Olden(Fjords and Glaciers) were excellent. To be fair embarkation and disembarkation were well managed. However,many other things were not.

We had a Britannia class balcony room. The room in the times of COVID, was not properly cleaned when we arrived. The kettle and the stand with tea, sugar,ect was caked with food. The TV remote(which never worked due to alleged"satellite" issues) was also caked with some unknown matter. Our steward swore everything was clean. When we called the supervisor, he was embarrassed but did not offer to address the issue, other than to ensure us he would follow up on checking rooms. He did send a bottle of wine as an apology.My wife ended up cleaning it herself. The room also had issues with the air. Cunard reported there was no issues but temperature could not be controlled. We also reported feeling like we had a cold in room but felt great out of room. Still awaiting follow up from Cunard.

The dining room left a lot to be desired. meat when asked for rare or medium came out browner and tougher than shoe leather. On one of the formal nights, the appetizer featured was chicken fingers. Also the cutlery was old and stained. When served fish a steak knief was provided. When asked for a fish knife,we were told none was available. Every dish featured on the entrees were only seasoned with salt. When asked if garlic ,pepper ,or other seasonings were used, we were told it was chiefs prerogative and as we were not in the grills no special requests could be considered. The buffet was better in food quality and service. Afternoon tea was a cattle call. The menu was not followed. We were also seated next to parents with screaming children. When asked to be moved, we were looked at askance. When we were given cups they had a very strong raw order. When asked for them to be replaced, the waiter argued that they were clean and others did not have a problem. When the supervisor came around, eventually she smelled them and promptly replaced them without a further word or apology.

Lectures were good and trivia was fun. However, someone needs to inform Cunard that the capital of the Netherlands is The Hague and not Amsterdam.

Cunard may be for some not for us who want to spend our travel dollars wisely. 

So sad to read this…… Can’t understand why all episodes were deemed acceptable.  From one’s history on Cunard, any known HW or MD would have got a grip on all one’s concerns and resolved promptly, regardless of where they occurred……This is appalling….. 
 

[Bell Boy]

27 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

They've made appearances on Victoria too. 

Probably a couple of years ago and certainly not in the main restaurant post pandemic.  Maybe in the 'Veranda Restaurant' for that delightful Dover Sole. 

[amias]

9 hours ago, NavyPanda said:

 

Cunard caters primarily to British tastes. This tends to mean that little to no seasoning is used for many dishes, which is very different to the approach on the other side of the pond. For example, most British people will be happy, and indeed often prefer, simply steamed or boiled vegetables and potatoes to accompany their meal with no seasoning added in the cooking process.

 

Not at all sure where you are getting this information. No seasoning? British tastes? I have to admit to having a preference for appropriately seasoned food, added during the cooking process.  This despite being British! 

[Victoria2]

Cer

8 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

Probably a couple of years ago and certainly not in the main restaurant post pandemic.  Maybe in the 'Veranda Restaurant' for that delightful Dover Sole. 

Certainly was a few years ago as we haven't been able to step foot on a ship since Autumn '19 but with regards to #2,  was in a main restaurant [QG] and most definitely post QE2 . 🙂

 

I have to add, it wasn't my cutlery. I think an ordinary knife is perfectly adequate  for most dishes.

[exlondoner]

Nonetheless, while I feel reviews sometimes say more about the reviewer than about the ship, it is most important that people should feel able to describe experiences that for them are less than brilliant without being belittled.

[Victoria2]

and to add to exlondoner

I  find it a bit difficult to reconcile Tony's Victoria with the ship I know and love but post Covid. 'things' obviously haven't been up to scratch for a few passengers and the thing is,  non of us were there to see the state of the cabin; the tea cup; the stained cutlery etc.

 

I have been called out as incorrect when I've said things have happened on the ship when they haven't happened to others but that didn't mean I was wrong. Things happened and if 'you' weren't there, 'you' can't argue they didn't.

 

The state of the cabin is one thing as that only affects the individual passengers, but catering is a another as it affects all passengers so it would be interesting to see what others on the same cruise had to say, I'll watch out for reviews on CC.

 

As for screaming [really?] children, just get up and move and if no space available, walk out and re join later. I've never taken afternoon tea in the Queens Room but I have in PG and we always go a little later if we want a relaxed cup of tea. I wouldn't liken it to anything other than busy at times but go later and it's fine.

 

So yes, it wasn't the most positive of reviews and there might have been an element of over egging at times due to disappointment, I don't know as I wasn't there, but thankfully, not many will experience that unacceptable level of hospitality.

 

All I would say to Tony is your experience is not the norm. I'd say give it another whirl if an itinerary suits but |I'm guessing it might be a case of once bitten, twice shy. Shame really as she really does 'give great cruising'!

 

 

[LittleFish1976]

On 8/9/2022 at 2:34 AM, frankp01 said:

I've only ever encountered "Cattle Call" in the theater-world definition. It refers to an open audition, where there are so many actors auditioning the chances of being cast are slim.

 

I think the original poster is describing what Nancy Mitford and her set would have described as a 'crush'.

 

[Jack E Dawson]

On 8/8/2022 at 10:52 AM, exlondoner said:

 

Well, they certainly appeared on QM2 last month, whenever we had fish, usually accompanied by an ordinary knife for the non-fish elements.

I hope this admission of a lack of sophistication doesn't cost me my sailing privileges on Cunard but while I had heard of a fish knife I really didn't know what one looked like until our recent crossing in May. I had fish almost every night for dinner and when I asked our waiter (Clark) about an extra knife at my place he graciously explained that it was the fish knife. It appeared to be a larger version of my butter knife which added to my confusion. 

Jack

[Host Hattie]

The fish knife is the inside one 

[PORT ROYAL]

18 minutes ago, Jack E Dawson said:

I hope this admission of a lack of sophistication doesn't cost me my sailing privileges on Cunard but while I had heard of a fish knife I really didn't know what one looked like until our recent crossing in May. I had fish almost every night for dinner and when I asked our waiter (Clark) about an extra knife at my place he graciously explained that it was the fish knife. It appeared to be a larger version of my butter knife which added to my confusion. 

Jack

It’s okay, many Americans have difficulty in identifying a knife and it’s usage…. 😉😊

[techteach]

 

This is what I have used in the past, and only at really nice restaurants. I agree with @Jack E Dawson, the fish knife in his picture looks more like a long handled butter knife. You need the added width to avoid breaking the fish.

[ballroom-cruisers]

Sadly the long standing traditional British table etiquette, both for place setting and cutlery, as well as table manners has been slowly diluted over time. At only very few restaurants in the UK do we see proper fish knives as in the previous poster's picture, but also rarely do we see a soup spoon, and even a decent steak knife is often nowhere to be seen leaving the diner needing to hack furiously at gristle slipping the occasional green pea across the table, since the plates are often stacked to such an extent that there is no room to work with food on the plate. Food volumes are enormous as people now expect maximum value for money.  When did people last see a lobster pick presented to them on a meal out - let alone lobster even on the menu!  That is one thing that is just so nice about dining on a Cunard voyage - we do indeed still have nicely presented dishes on a plate, whether the starter, entrée, or dessert, and usually the correct knife fork or spoon for the dish. There is indeed a butter knife on the butter plate, and these little details make for dinners that really are an occasion and make meals on board something other than just 'eating out'.  I do hope those traditions do not get diluted on future Cunard ships and the voyages they undertake. The rich traditions are one reason people pay to be on a Cunard cruise.  A quick search on the web will easily yield lots of images and information about English table etiquette - though of course the dishes are pleasantly multi-cultural.

[safarigal]

20 minutes ago, techteach said:

 

This is what I have used in the past, and only at really nice restaurants. I agree with @Jack E Dawson, the fish knife in his picture looks more like a long handled butter knife. You need the added width to avoid breaking the fish.

At the age of 9 when I was on the original Queen Elizabeth in 1962,  I rudely admonished an American gentleman at our dinner table for using his fish knife as a butter knife, much to my parents chagrin. Yes, cutlery can be confusing!

[ballroom-cruisers]

At the age of 9 it is still at the learning stage for the rules of life - but at the other end of the age spectrum we should have gained all the knowledge we need about things like that!

[Victoria2]

14 minutes ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Sadly the long standing traditional British table etiquette, both for place setting and cutlery, as well as table manners has been slowly diluted over time. At only very few restaurants in the UK do we see proper fish knives as in the previous poster's picture, but also rarely do we see a soup spoon, and even a decent steak knife is often nowhere to be seen leaving the diner needing to hack furiously at gristle slipping the occasional green pea across the table, since the plates are often stacked to such an extent that there is no room to work with food on the plate. Food volumes are enormous as people now expect maximum value for money.  When did people last see a lobster pick presented to them on a meal out - let alone lobster even on the menu!  That is one thing that is just so nice about dining on a Cunard voyage - we do indeed still have nicely presented dishes on a plate, whether the starter, entrée, or dessert, and usually the correct knife fork or spoon for the dish. There is indeed a butter knife on the butter plate, and these little details make for dinners that really are an occasion and make meals on board something other than just 'eating out'.  I do hope those traditions do not get diluted on future Cunard ships and the voyages they undertake. The rich traditions are one reason people pay to be on a Cunard cruise.  A quick search on the web will easily yield lots of images and information about English table etiquette - though of course the dishes are pleasantly multi-cultural.

 

Yes Cunard 'do' the table elegantly and I'm not too sure about fish knives in the bistros but other than that, cutlery  as described are not unusual in restaurants and even bistro pubs etc. Even our local pub has steak knives and a soup spoon, for soup. obviously.

 

I'd be very careful where I ordered lobster but I have always been given a pick and cracker to winkle out the last shred of meat!

 

 

[Host Hattie]

50 minutes ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

When did people last see a lobster pick presented to them on a meal out - let alone lobster even on the menu! 

I had the correct implements last time I had lobster, May this year in Pembrokeshire.

[mcloaked]

There are restaurants in our part of the country that offer lobster but not too many! Some have good lobster, but not usually as spectacularly good as you might find at lobster speciality restaurants in Cape Cod, where it is something very special indeed.