Declining World Club benefits

[PORT ROYAL]

Feel this event has reached it’s sell-by date as it’s no longer fair to all Ds.
In it’s place should be a voucher/OBC to the value of, for use in the Restaurant/Bars, leaving every D free to select their preferred beverage, because some Ds do not drink alcohol.

 

 

[longton]

17 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

We had the wine tasting on QE in April, and it was offered, strangely, on the last afternoon, on QM2 last month.

A great way for Cunard to save money.

 

Offering it on the last afternoon means they can use all the dregs from opened bottles left in the bars!

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, longton said:

A great way for Cunard to save money.

 

Offering it on the last afternoon means they can use all the dregs from opened bottles left in the bars!

 

I wouldn't think so. The wines I have encountered are rarely those available in the bars, but if you want to think the worst of Cunard, I'm sure there are many opportunities. For instance, they could be lying about what the wines actually are. How many of us would know?😀

[Victoria2]

25 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Feel this event has reached it’s sell-by date as it’s no longer fair to all Ds.
In it’s place should be a voucher/OBC to the value of, for use in the Restaurant/Bars, leaving every D free to select their preferred beverage, because some Ds do not drink alcohol.

 

 

Why?

 

We don't go to most officer events and certainly can't say we go for the drinks element. Does that mean all, or all but the most 'exclusive ones' should be cancelled because a few don't bother with them? No

 

We don't go to the wine tasting and not because we don't drink wine  but it's obviously popular so why should it be abandoned because a few don't go?

16 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

I wouldn't think so. The wines I have encountered are rarely those available in the bars, but if you want to think the worst of Cunard, I'm sure there are many opportunities. For instance, they could be lying about what the wines actually are. How many of us would know?😀

If  #27 is tongue in cheek [jolly well hope it is!!], it should be made obvious.

 

If it isn't then  Cunard might be up against it a bit when  regulars can voice such thoughts. 🙁

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by Victoria2
added 'such'

[ballroom-cruisers]

Yes - I did chuckle reading that - certainly there are people who will swill the wine around and stick their nose over the rim, roll some of the wine around their tongue and say they like it - but how many would take an unknown wine, and do the same, and then be able to say which country it comes from?

[BigMac1953]

Having done the (paid for) champagne tasting twice, once all The Widow, and the second was a mixture of brands, we decided eventually to attend the free tasting. However, it was really busy, with around 100+ attending, so we made an excuse and left.

 

On our last TA round trip, we completely forgot about the free lunch, but received another voucher for our second week, so used that for a lunchtime burger.

[david,Mississauga]

5 hours ago, rakkor said:

I imagine the lack of a senior officers party is more to protect them than us. We'd be in a right pickle if they all had to isolate because of a superspreader event.

 

I agree that the officers do not want to associate with the passengers. In the 10 days on board the QE I never once saw an officer. But the function could still be held without the officers. (A welcome message could be played on the tannoy.) On previous voyages the hors d'oeuvres were a little better than in the other receptions and the drinks very generous. Many people ordered what I will call fancy cocktails.  It seems to me the cancellation of this event is cost-cutting. As I said in my original posting they have never been crowded, unlike the other receptions that were always crowded.

 

The disembarkation from the stateroom is good when it works. On our voyage there were delays and there was no communication with the passengers about that. Social distancing was non-existent with people queuing close together for long periods of time.  

 

We were on a Holland America cruise a few years ago. Although there was very little I liked about HAL, their disembarkation from cabins was efficient. The various colours and numbers appeared on the cabin television and we were told to proceed to the gangway when ours showed on the screen. So if there was a delay there was no need to join a mob scene.

 

The wine tasting on our 10-day Alaska cruise was held at a convenient time but we don't go to these any more. The Verandah was initially closed "due to operational reasons" so we were each given a credit of $20 to our account. A few days later the Verandah did open. Because we were in PG we weren't going to bother with the free lunch there, so we did better with the credit.

 

I must point out that overall we enjoyed the cruise and did not suffer from any serious cost-cutting. There was ample staff in the Princess Grill; the food was almost as good as before; the service from our stateroom steward, the concierge and the bar staff was excellent. We did miss the harpist, though.

[3rdGenCunarder]

18 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

We went to one on our first 'Diamond' cruise. It was a perk. We used it.

Gave it the benefit of the doubt and tried again. Never bothered after that, I don't need advice as I'm comfortable with my Marlborough choices, apart from the occasional bottle of Ice-wine or a glass of 'd'yquem [if pushing the boat out] for 'afters' and my husband consults wine waiters  for their take on the reds if trying something new..

Bin end reds have been interesting.

 

Interesting to hear the take on WC benefits being cut. It sounds as if the Verandah lunch or pop up dinner is still available to the Diamonds, which we won't use unless dining with friends from other restaurants, and I guess I'll miss seeing some of the members of staff we got to know at the small get togethers in the Queens Room but apart from that, the only one I'll really miss is the 8 hrs internet because whatever Cunard say in their blurb about the changes in internet packages and you'll get the same value  of benefit as before, their idea of 'the same value as before' isn't mine!

 

We shall see.

 

 

I agree about the internet. I don't use it a lot on any given day. In fact, I rarely used all my Diamond minutes. I check email, maybe the weather for an upcoming port. I have better things to do on vacation than be online. But now I have to "pay" for the whole day in order to use 20 minutes. 

 

I'll be on QM2 next month. I hope they will have the alternative restaurant in the Lido because nothing will get me into the Verandah again. In all my cruises, the worst dinner by far was in the Verandah. Service was slow, food was overcooked and dry, and the Maitre d' was obnoxious.

 

I enjoy the cocktail parties because they feel like a festive occasion. It's fun to see everyone dressed up on a "gala" night.

 

[Solent Richard]

On 8/16/2022 at 7:41 AM, rakkor said:

I imagine the lack of a senior officers party is more to protect them than us. We'd be in a right pickle if they all had to isolate because of a superspreader event.

Top comment in my book Sir. 👍😁