So, who ACTUALLY is a Cunard cruise for?

[tacticalbanjo]

19 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Usual mantra, don't like it then don't read it.🙂

How do I know I don't like it until I've read it? 😁

 

We've also met some really interesting people over the few years we've been sailing with Cunard and it is one of the big things that brings us back. A couple who had fled Iran before the revolution and left family behind. A NYC police officer who scared everyone else on the table off with his political views but did have some fascinating stories. All the ladies I've met at the craft hour over the years. Whatever else might change, I hope that the passenger mix continues to be as diverse, friendly and fascinating as ever.

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, tacticalbanjo said:

How do I know I don't like it until I've read it? 😁

 

We've also met some really interesting people over the few years we've been sailing with Cunard and it is one of the big things that brings us back. A couple who had fled Iran before the revolution and left family behind. A NYC police officer who scared everyone else on the table off with his political views but did have some fascinating stories. All the ladies I've met at the craft hour over the years. Whatever else might change, I hope that the passenger mix continues to be as diverse, friendly and fascinating as ever.

Ha ha, true but I think those who don't like the tenor of anything remotely contentious can skip the threads!🙂

 

We too have met amazing and fascinating  people over the years and that's not including the repeaters we meet who have become friends.

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

On 7/1/2024 at 3:10 PM, blonde-cruiser said:

I'm mid 40's. I've now completed a total of 52 nights on all 4 queens. For sure I'm not a Cunard regular BUT I feel like I've cruised enough to voice my thoughts here. My most recent cruise on Queen Anne has me genuinely confused and wondering how to cruise next.

 

 Sadly I found the clientele on QA a little too, dare I say it, P&O'y. Lots of loungers being moved half way across the deck for bronzing, men in budgie smugglers and too many pint glasses being carried on lifts and through corridors. Short-sleeved shirts and tattoos on display at night and even t-shirted guests with a screaming baby allowed in Sir Samuels at 9pm. We witnessed a couple asking for their tips to be removed and instead $30 be added as 'that was plenty enough for their cabin steward' - the Purser allowed this, didn't explain the work of all the buffet and behind-the-scenes staff. Frankly this annoys me. The staff work incredibly hard (apart from the young entertainment team who just slouch about the buffet or clogg up the pavillion grill queue like bored teenagers, faaar too cool for school to be onboard).

We joined the lift from embarkation muster point and a woman shouted 'don't drink the bar dry' at my elderly parents as they exited on their deck. It was a packed lift with arriving passengers and no one had yet felt the need to exchange such pleasantries. One drunk chap later was shouting 'no room at the Inn' and immediately hitting the doors close button when people tried to come in the lift.

Maybe its the new ship effect but this cruise was very heavy on the drunk 50 - 60 year olds who wanted to dance to sub-par musicians like they were the hottest thing ever to board a ship. We found the entertainment woeful - why on earth does Cunard have a so-called comedian? Blackpool at sea didn't spring to mind when I saw their latest ad. So, WHO does Cunard want to attract with Bingo and free drinks at the slot machines??? Is there no longer a big-ship line for the discerning cruiser?

[Windsurfboy]

Although I  completely disagree with original post above that behaviour described is typical/normal for a Cunard (or P&O) passenger. It does have some validity, and will be even more valid as or if more bigger ships are introduced. Its wrong to pretend that all Cunard passengers are interesting and refined......    Let's not kid ourselves 

 

Cunard ships with 300,000 to 400,000 passengers a year are a reflection of today's society . The behaviour described by original post is not entirely uncommon. 

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Although I  completely disagree with original post above that behaviour described is typical/normal for a Cunard (or P&O) passenger. It does have some validity, and will be even more valid as or if more bigger ships are introduced. Its wrong to pretend that all Cunard passengers are interesting and refined......    Let's not kid ourselves 

 

Cunard ships with 300,000 to 400,000 passengers a year are a reflection of today's society . The behaviour described by original post is not entirely uncommon. 

There have always been passengers who are unpleasant/nasty to staff/loud/obnoxious so no one is kidding anyone.

What I haven't seen is a ship as described in the opening post

[King Amo]

And poor ExLondoner still hasn't be told what's so wrong about shifting loungers😉

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, King Amo said:

And poor ExLondoner still hasn't be told what's so wrong about shifting loungers😉

I’m sure there are some others who might like to know. It is obviously a case of, if you have to ask, you’re not fit to be on Cunard. The right type automatically know. 😀😀

[Windsurfboy]

10 minutes ago, King Amo said:

And poor ExLondoner still hasn't be told what's so wrong about shifting loungers😉

 

Nothing at all wrong with shifting  loungers as long as there is space so it doesn't impact on others. Ships or hotels having plenty of space is a critical factor in our choice of where to go. 

 

However if loungers are tightly packed in rows and then it would effect others don't. Depends density in the part of ship you are on.

 

Nothing to do with manners , it's about how much personal space per passenger or hotel guests, space  to do what you want without impacting others. If the ship or hotel has the space use it

 

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 11:43 AM by Windsurfboy

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

However if loungers are tightly packed in rows then it would effect others. Depends which part of ship you are on

An interesting observation. How did you find the sunbed situation on your recent Arvia cruise or did you not need to use one? Obviously the P&O suite guests do not have the benefit of a Grills Terrace so assumedly everyone needed to use the sunbeds on deck. Certainly I've never experienced on any Cunard ship sunbed density like on P&O so moving a sunbed hasn't been a problem, in fact staff generally have rushed to assist.  Perhaps the observation by the OP of people dragging sunbeds refers to no staff to assist with the placement of beds on Queen Anne.

[Windsurfboy]

 

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

An interesting observation. How did you find the sunbed situation on your recent Arvia cruise or did you not need to use one? Obviously the P&O suite guests do not have the benefit of a Grills Terrace so assumedly everyone needed to use the sunbeds on deck. Certainly I've never experienced on any Cunard ship sunbed density like on P&O so moving a sunbed hasn't been a problem, in fact staff generally have rushed to assist.  Perhaps the observation by the OP of people dragging sunbeds refers to no staff to assist with the placement of beds on Queen Anne.

 

90% of time of the time we stayed on our balcony on Arvia which had room to move sunbeds at any angle. But one port day the back of the ship pointed north , as we weren't getting off, we used general deck but ship was empty no problems on port days. On sea days when I went for afternoon walk,  it was very clear especially by pools but also aroundmost places it would have been physically impossible to move the sun beds , in rows with under a foot between them. Not our cup of tea to say least

 

Arvia has a passenger  space ratio of 35 to 30 (184000 tons 5200 to 6200 passengers) Queen Anne 38 to 34 (113000 tons , 2900 to 3200 passengers)  . But that's the average,  given roughly 20% of upper deck space given to grills deck for 10% of passengers , then effective passenger space ratio for rest of 34 to 31 (38×.8/.9) so must be nearly as crowded  as Arvia