As CUNARD goes so goes HAL?

[LocoLoco1]

8 hours ago, shippmates said:

I enjoy the way Cunard is set up.  The food is pretty much the same in all dining rooms and the service is a little above the other lines.  It would be nice if the other lines would enforce or passengers would adhere to the dress code.  On Cunard it is so nice to go into dinner and see people in dress clothes and not shorts, sweatpants or even jeans.  Cunard has become my cruise line of choice.

 

I agree. But HAL itineraries bring me back

[lissie]

54 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

I agree. But HAL itineraries bring me back

I haven't cruised HAL yet. I like Cunard - but i've pretty much run out of itineraries I want to do with them - while HAL has some very interesting itineraries (which I learnt about in craft group on a Cunard ship  of course LOL). 

[LocoLoco1]

42 minutes ago, lissie said:

I haven't cruised HAL yet. I like Cunard - but i've pretty much run out of itineraries I want to do with them - while HAL has some very interesting itineraries (which I learnt about in craft group on a Cunard ship  of course LOL). 

You would find HAL is certainly a close cousin to CUNARD but without the nice library nor C’s music about the ship. 

[eroller]

6 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

You would find HAL is certainly a close cousin to CUNARD but without the nice library nor C’s music about the ship. 

 

 

Not to mention the ballroom dancing, gentlemen hosts, afternoon enrichment lectures, afternoon Shakespeare plays (Royal Shakespeare Company), and even some nightlife (Cunard ships have actual nightclubs).  I think the passengers are far more international as well, and Cunard ships feel more international than HAL (to me at least).  

 

And of course Cunard ships have self-serve laundromats!  LOL 

Edited March 28, 2023 by eroller

[lissie]

12 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

Not to mention the ballroom dancing, gentlemen hosts, afternoon enrichment lectures, afternoon Shakespeare plays (Royal Shakespeare Company), and even some nightlife (Cunard ships have actual nightclubs).  I think the passengers are far more international as well, and Cunard ships feel more international than HAL (to me at least).  

 

And of course Cunard ships have self-serve laundromats!  LOL 

Yes we started with Cunard with the ballroom dancing. But I've got to say post-covid it was pretty sad. No hosts (for obvious reasons) - but also no danceable music in the early evening - they put really inappropriate acts in the Queens room instead (e.g. the folk duo or a guitar soloist - nic music just cant waltz to it). 

 

Most of the lecturers are good.  Never saw Shakespeare on board though - maybe more a trans-Atlantic thing? 

 

Yes we've decided to consider our upcoming Bostron return trip to be an interesting cultural experience as I expect it will be like 95% American  And I'm really looking forward to not having to check a bag for the formal clothes! 

Edited March 28, 2023 by lissie

[LocoLoco1]

13 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

Not to mention the ballroom dancing, gentlemen hosts, afternoon enrichment lectures, afternoon Shakespeare plays (Royal Shakespeare Company), and even some nightlife (Cunard ships have actual nightclubs).  I think the passengers are far more international as well, and Cunard ships feel more international than HAL (to me at least).  

 

And of course Cunard ships have self-serve laundromats!  LOL 

Agreed. 

[LouChamp]

4 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

QE2 carried about 1800 passengers. Norway was probably about the same. QE2 had four dining room levels. By the time I sailed on her, "classes" were not kept apart. There was one bar for Grills passengers, and that was the only distinction. Definitely not a ship within a ship. Today's Cunard ships are similarly low-key about classes. France had two dining room levels, but as Norway she had only one class, and neither dining room was a higher class than the other. Sadly, sailing for NCL, Norway had very little class in her later years. 

Aloha. Agree with you Sailed many times QE2 Grills and Norway. How times have changed but so it goes.

[eroller]

24 minutes ago, lissie said:

Yes we started with Cunard with the ballroom dancing. But I've got to say post-covid it was pretty sad. No hosts (for obvious reasons) - but also no danceable music in the early evening - they put really inappropriate acts in the Queens room instead (e.g. the folk duo or a guitar soloist - nic music just cant waltz to it). 

 

Most of the lecturers are good.  Never saw Shakespeare on board though - maybe more a trans-Atlantic thing? 

 

Yes we've decided to consider our upcoming Bostron return trip to be an interesting cultural experience as I expect it will be like 95% American  And I'm really looking forward to not having to check a bag for the formal clothes! 

 

Sorry to hear that about the ballroom dancing.  I did a crossing on QM2 last March, when COVID was still in its prime.  For sure the Cunard experience wasn’t up to par, but I think by now it probably is.  I think with each passing week the recovery gets better (on all lines).  
 

HAL will be much more American, and dare I say middle-America.  Take that for what it’s worth. Honestly it’s not meant to be good or bad, just how it is.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, eroller said:

 

 

Not to mention the ballroom dancing, gentlemen hosts, afternoon enrichment lectures, afternoon Shakespeare plays (Royal Shakespeare Company), and even some nightlife (Cunard ships have actual nightclubs).  I think the passengers are far more international as well, and Cunard ships feel more international than HAL (to me at least).  

 

And of course Cunard ships have self-serve laundromats!  LOL 

 

Best source of gossip on the ship! 

[eroller]

2 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Best source of gossip on the ship! 

Absolutely!  

[ukpylot]

Idk about the ballroom dancing, recently off the Oosterdam and there was ballroom dancing hour every night to a live band. Quite popular.

[dreamer321]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:07 PM, Sir PMP said:

All inside and ocean view cabin passengers will eat downstairs with the crew:

 

 

You meet a better class of people that way.

[lissie]

3 minutes ago, dreamer321 said:

You meet a better class of people that way.

I saw Titanic - I thought the best parties were below decks! 

[Copper10-8]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:26 PM, LocoLoco1 said:

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

 

It's a Cunard thing and may it stay that way!

[SargassoPirate]

"Are the lifeboats seated according to class?"

[lissie]

On 3/28/2023 at 12:26 PM, LocoLoco1 said:

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

Surely that's what Club Orange is?  I personally think its all smoke and mirrors and would never pay for a higher class  on Cunard - the food is very good in steerage as is the deck space and access to pools. I'd consider paying more than storage on lines where there is a dedicated pool space for superior classes - but never for food 

[POA1]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:26 PM, LocoLoco1 said:

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

It's been that way on Cunard for decades. I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[ChinaShrek]

On 3/28/2023 at 6:42 PM, eroller said:

 

HAL will be much more American, and dare I say middle-America.  Take that for what it’s worth. Honestly it’s not meant to be good or bad, just how it is.  

I was an a HAL cruise out of Rotterdam last August (went to Norway). The captain announced it was 90% Dutch on the ship. As an American, I thought that was cool and very international.