QM2 Bruges QG - others' experience?

[EmVic]

Just returned from the QM2 3 day Bruges roundtrip in the QG. Got the distinct impression it was a trial run after the dry dock. Just wondering if anyone else on this trip had the same impression.

 

Whilst we couldn't fault the dining experience, the suite service was by far the worst we have ever had. I won't go through everything that seemed to go awry but...

 

When the Daily Program was not left in our room, we asked our butler if we could have one. Instead of bringing it, she insisted we were wrong, that it had been left and we just hadn't seen it. She then went through all our papers on the desk to prove it was there - it wasn't. 

 

We got absolutely no information about disembarkation, including the luggage tags, or the one-pager that normally gets left in the room. When we asked where the tags and info were, we were told that it had been provided to us and it was in our room. Again, it wasn't. We still hadn't received it when we came to leave. This meant trying to find everything in the baggage hall later in the untagged piles.  

 

Turndown service was essentially non-existent, with pajamas left in various places other than on the bed, including thrown on the sidetable one night. 

 

Finally, at 6.40am this morning on disembarkation day as we were preparing to go to breakfast, the steward asked if he could come in just to make up the beds for the next guests. Nevermind that we had the room until 8, that didn't seem very hygienic. We still had our pajamas and other overnight items out to be packed. Maybe this is standard due to the tight turnaround but no other steward has ever asked this before.

 

Quite a disappointing experience. We are sailing on Queen Anne next August and hope that will be better. Did anyone else find things a bit 'off'? 

[Winifred 22]

I had a sheltered balcony as did a daughter on another deck. Another daughter had a inside on deck 10 . We all ate late fixed sitting in Britannia. We experienced no issues around the ship and certainly didn’t have any problems with turn down service or receiving correct communications in a timely fashion. I had a late departure time 9 50. Steward asked me if I minded him reconfiguring the beds when I was at breakfast. Made no odds to me. My bag was neatly on the sofa and not in his way. He went out of his way to help me pack up my birthday flowers. Only negative comment was Britannia was quite cold the first night but no issues after that. I was only onboard in September and noticed no difference in service. It was very busy especially in Golden Lion at lunch time. Weather was awful so everyone was inside. Didn’t really go to Kings Court except for an ice cream so no idea what it was like there. Afternoon Tea was very busy and many folk took their’s in The Britannia restaurant. Given the ship was sailing at capacity, the awful weather and a lot of first timers I was happy. 

[matdark]

I was in a sheltered balcony and had no problems at all. The only thing that was (a little) negative was that drinks ordered took forever to arrive (chart room, king’s court), I heard that they had a new system that had a few bugs. But that’s it!

[Victoria2]

EmVic,definitely sounds as if it was a Butler problem rather than the actual ship.

 

A bit late for me to say this but I would have had words with the Concierge  and if necessary, the Head Housekeeper or Hotel Director.

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, EmVic said:

Just returned from the QM2 3 day Bruges roundtrip in the QG. Got the distinct impression it was a trial run after the dry dock. Just wondering if anyone else on this trip had the same impression.

 

Whilst we couldn't fault the dining experience, the suite service was by far the worst we have ever had. I won't go through everything that seemed to go awry but...

 

When the Daily Program was not left in our room, we asked our butler if we could have one. Instead of bringing it, she insisted we were wrong, that it had been left and we just hadn't seen it. She then went through all our papers on the desk to prove it was there - it wasn't. 

 

We got absolutely no information about disembarkation, including the luggage tags, or the one-pager that normally gets left in the room. When we asked where the tags and info were, we were told that it had been provided to us and it was in our room. Again, it wasn't. We still hadn't received it when we came to leave. This meant trying to find everything in the baggage hall later in the untagged piles.  

 

Turndown service was essentially non-existent, with pajamas left in various places other than on the bed, including thrown on the sidetable one night. 

 

Finally, at 6.40am this morning on disembarkation day as we were preparing to go to breakfast, the steward asked if he could come in just to make up the beds for the next guests. Nevermind that we had the room until 8, that didn't seem very hygienic. We still had our pajamas and other overnight items out to be packed. Maybe this is standard due to the tight turnaround but no other steward has ever asked this before.

 

Quite a disappointing experience. We are sailing on Queen Anne next August and hope that will be better. Did anyone else find things a bit 'off'? 

Sounds a very poor butler. Failing to deliver a Daily Programme is one thing, arguing about it is completely inexcusable. And what an incredible cheek to rifle through your papers. 
 

I normally ensure I am fully packed up before breakfast, which I attend well after 7, so that they can turn over the room, leaving only the bathroom for us to use when we get back from breakfast. This has always worked fine.

[transatlantic fan]

We were also on this short trip.

All of my now 49 cruises have been with Cunard and this was by far the worst for service.

Main dining room food was luke warm at best, and the food choices are now very small compared to how they once were.

King's Court seemed to be fine.

Had a drink in casino and chart room and both didn't taste great like the glasses still had some kind of detergent in them,asked my wife to taste it and she said the same.

They seemed to of got rid of my favourite drink London pride in most bars.

Did I know it may be a bit of a trial run..yes..was it ..yes ,will I go again ..yes, but things need to improve going forward.

Our steward on deck 8 was great and had no problems. 

[Winifred 22]

19 minutes ago, transatlantic fan said:

We were also on this short trip.

All of my now 49 cruises have been with Cunard and this was by far the worst for service.

Main dining room food was luke warm at best, and the food choices are now very small compared to how they once were.

King's Court seemed to be fine.

Had a drink in casino and chart room and both didn't taste great like the glasses still had some kind of detergent in them,asked my wife to taste it and she said the same.

They seemed to of got rid of my favourite drink London pride in most bars.

Did I know it may be a bit of a trial run..yes..was it ..yes ,will I go again ..yes, but things need to improve going forward.

Our steward on deck 8 was great and had no problems. 

I don’t understand the concept of a trial run  A trial run of what. Nothing had changed except for some lovely new carpets and upholstery. The the menus were same as in May August and September and the portions no different in

size. I can appreciate there needed to be sea trials given all extensive mechanical work but for service I recognised the same waiters and other staff around the ship I had seen before this year. I was fortunate to have really enjoyed my short birthday break and not encountered problems that others seemed to have had. Nothing booked on QM until later next year but will be on QV for the first time this year in December so will be interesting to see any differences. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Winifred 22

[Bell Boy]

19 hours ago, EmVic said:

Just returned from the QM2 3 day Bruges roundtrip in the QG. Got the distinct impression it was a trial run after the dry dock. Just wondering if anyone else on this trip had the same impression.

 

Whilst we couldn't fault the dining experience, the suite service was by far the worst we have ever had. I won't go through everything that seemed to go awry but...

 

When the Daily Program was not left in our room, we asked our butler if we could have one. Instead of bringing it, she insisted we were wrong, that it had been left and we just hadn't seen it. She then went through all our papers on the desk to prove it was there - it wasn't. 

 

We got absolutely no information about disembarkation, including the luggage tags, or the one-pager that normally gets left in the room. When we asked where the tags and info were, we were told that it had been provided to us and it was in our room. Again, it wasn't. We still hadn't received it when we came to leave. This meant trying to find everything in the baggage hall later in the untagged piles.  

 

Turndown service was essentially non-existent, with pajamas left in various places other than on the bed, including thrown on the sidetable one night. 

 

Finally, at 6.40am this morning on disembarkation day as we were preparing to go to breakfast, the steward asked if he could come in just to make up the beds for the next guests. Nevermind that we had the room until 8, that didn't seem very hygienic. We still had our pajamas and other overnight items out to be packed. Maybe this is standard due to the tight turnaround but no other steward has ever asked this before.

 

Quite a disappointing experience. We are sailing on Queen Anne next August and hope that will be better. Did anyone else find things a bit 'off'? 

Have I understood this ?  You actually took the chance and put your luggage out the evening before 'without luggage tags'  . A quick visit to the Concierge or the Tours desk to collect colour coded tags would have saved you all the hassle in the baggage hall.   

[Covepointcruiser]

Luggage tags are available in the Grill Concierge Lounge.    We usually don’t like the ones we get so we exchange for tags nearer to when we want to disembark.    You can get off the ship early as your bags are the first put on to the pier.

[bluemarble]

5 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

I can appreciate there needed to be sea trials given all extensive mechanical work ... 

 

Just for the record, QM2 did undertake sea trials between the time she left the drydock in Rotterdam and her return to Southampton. She did a small loop just after getting into open seas after departing Rotterdam and another loop in the English Channel south of Bournemouth. She also did some other course and speed alterations between Rotterdam and Southampton which I figure were part of the sea trials.

[Winifred 22]

13 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

Just for the record, QM2 did undertake sea trials between the time she left the drydock in Rotterdam and her return to Southampton. She did a small loop just after getting into open seas after departing Rotterdam and another loop in the English Channel south of Bournemouth. She also did some other course and speed alterations between Rotterdam and Southampton which I figure were part of the sea trials.

Yes I followed her on CruiseMapper. She had a interesting route. Always like to track her in home waters.