New to Cunard, help required.

[Son of Bare]

Hello to all.

Considering a trip with Cunard having only previously cruised with PO, so any

help with the following would be greatly appreciated. All relate to Queen Anne;

 

Cover charges for Tramonto, Sir Samuel's, Aranya, Aji-Wa?

Are these restaurants bookable in advance ahead of sailing?

Is knitwear acceptable as mens evening smart attire?

Cost of excursions, like for like can we expect a premium over that charged by PO?

Loyalty scheme, is there a discount offered on OBS according to tier?

How similar are bar prices between PO and Cunard?

 

[DukeBeetle24]

12 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

Hello to all.

Considering a trip with Cunard having only previously cruised with PO, so any

help with the following would be greatly appreciated. All relate to Queen Anne;

 

Cover charges for Tramonto, Sir Samuel's, Aranya, Aji-Wa?

Are these restaurants bookable in advance ahead of sailing?

Is knitwear acceptable as mens evening smart attire?

Cost of excursions, like for like can we expect a premium over that charged by PO?

Loyalty scheme, is there a discount offered on OBS according to tier?

How similar are bar prices between PO and Cunard?

 

Hello!

I can help with the restaurants bit. You can book these restaurants in advance in MyCunard. It allows you to select number of guests to book for, date and time. You need to make payment at point of booking if booking in advance.

 

These are the below prices when booking online ahead of time. Note, some of these are deposits deducted from the total bill at the end.

 

Aji-Wa $20.00pp 

Sir Samuel's (Lunch option, smaller menu) $31.50pp

Sir Samuel's $58.50pp

Tramonto $18.00pp

Aranya $31.50pp

 

Some of these venues have additional charges marked on the menu, but you can find the menus online too so you can see the additional cost in advance. There is also the sushi bar in Aji-Wa.

 

For excursions - there is a discount booking excursions online through MyCunard (around 10%), but there is a premium for doing so. Some excursions can be cheaper booking direct, but there's the flip side of unexpected delays and missing the allaboard time. Gary Bembridge (Tips for Travellers) has recommended a couple of third party excursion companies that include guarantees if you miss the allaboard time. That might be worth checking out. That's what we've used for our upcoming sailings. 

 

Hopefully, someone else can answer your other questions for you. Enjoy your cruise.

[majortom10]

1) Speciality restaurants are bookable in advance of cruise.

2) States collared shirt if you wore v neck jumper over I am sure would be OK. If you mean crew neck jumper with no shirt I am not so sure.

3) Excursions are more expensive than P&O.

5) No discounts on purchases made onboard through loyalty tier.

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, Son of Bare said:

Hello to all.

Considering a trip with Cunard having only previously cruised with PO, so any

help with the following would be greatly appreciated. All relate to Queen Anne;

 

Cover charges for Tramonto, Sir Samuel's, Aranya, Aji-Wa?

Are these restaurants bookable in advance ahead of sailing?

Is knitwear acceptable as mens evening smart attire?

Cost of excursions, like for like can we expect a premium over that charged by PO?

Loyalty scheme, is there a discount offered on OBS according to tier?

How similar are bar prices between PO and Cunard?

 

Re loyalty scheme it’s not transferable so you would start from scratch and not receive any status match for your P &O loyalty status if any. Other main points to note gratuities are not included in the fare, currently 16 / 18 dollars per person per day depending on cabin grade. and there is a 15% gratuity added to drinks purchased around the ship not part of a drinks package. 

[Son of Bare]

49 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

Hello!

I can help with the restaurants bit. You can book these restaurants in advance in MyCunard. It allows you to select number of guests to book for, date and time. You need to make payment at point of booking if booking in advance.

 

These are the below prices when booking online ahead of time. Note, some of these are deposits deducted from the total bill at the end.

 

Aji-Wa $20.00pp 

Sir Samuel's (Lunch option, smaller menu) $31.50pp

Sir Samuel's $58.50pp

Tramonto $18.00pp

Aranya $31.50pp

 

Some of these venues have additional charges marked on the menu, but you can find the menus online too so you can see the additional cost in advance. There is also the sushi bar in Aji-Wa.

 

For excursions - there is a discount booking excursions online through MyCunard (around 10%), but there is a premium for doing so. Some excursions can be cheaper booking direct, but there's the flip side of unexpected delays and missing the allaboard time. Gary Bembridge (Tips for Travellers) has recommended a couple of third party excursion companies that include guarantees if you miss the allaboard time. That might be worth checking out. That's what we've used for our upcoming sailings. 

 

Hopefully, someone else can answer your other questions for you. Enjoy your cruise.

Thanks Dukebeettle, cover charges are appreciated.

[Son of Bare]

49 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

1) Speciality restaurants are bookable in advance of cruise.

2) States collared shirt if you wore v neck jumper over I am sure would be OK. If you mean crew neck jumper with no shirt I am not so sure.

3) Excursions are more expensive than P&O.

5) No discounts on purchases made onboard through loyalty tier.

Major Tom, the knitwear I was referring to has a collar so I think that question may be answered. Thanks. 

[Son of Bare]

8 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Re loyalty scheme it’s not transferable so you would start from scratch and not receive any status match for your P &O loyalty status if any. Other main points to note gratuities are not included in the fare, currently 16 / 18 dollars per person per day depending on cabin grade. and there is a 15% gratuity added to drinks purchased around the ship not part of a drinks package. 

Winifred. I didn't think our P &O loyalty would be transferable, so thanks for confirming.

Regards daily gratuities of 16/18 dollars, is this obligatory? Prior to P&O doing away with gratuities, passengers had the option of having theirs removed from the OBS in order to tip crew members individually.

 

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

Winifred. I didn't think our P &O loyalty would be transferable, so thanks for confirming.

Regards daily gratuities of 16/18 dollars, is this obligatory? Prior to P&O doing away with gratuities, passengers had the option of having theirs removed from the OBS in order to tip crew members individually.

 

You can remove them.  They go on overnight day one so speak to purser office and they make a note. They come off a day or so later.  You can also adjust them

[Pushpit]

11 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

Winifred. I didn't think our P &O loyalty would be transferable, so thanks for confirming.

Regards daily gratuities of 16/18 dollars, is this obligatory? Prior to P&O doing away with gratuities, passengers had the option of having theirs removed from the OBS in order to tip crew members individually.

 

The hotel service charge can be removed by going to the purser's desk on embarkation. The service charge is shared with people that you may not meet but who make your trip enjoyable, such as the person washing up your meal dishes and cleaning the common areas of the ship.

[david63]

11 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

is this obligatory? Prior to P&O doing away with gratuities, passengers had the option of having theirs removed from the OBS in order to tip crew members individually.

It is entirely up to you - you can remove it and give nothing, you can remove it and give whatever you want to whoever you want or you can take the simple option and leave it in place.

 

Remember though that if you remove it and give to individual crew members that there will then be some who will miss out as some of it goes to crew that you do not come in contact with

[cariad1000]

Is it expected to tip on top of gratuities on Cunard please?

[Classiccruiser777]

Just now, cariad1000 said:

Is it expected to tip on top of gratuities on Cunard please?

 

No. Your money, your business.

[BigMac1953]

47 minutes ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

 

No. Your money, your business.

 

That's not actually true.

 

Many people leave on the "Hotel Charge" and tip a bit extra here and there.

 

We do, and I know we're not alone.

[Classiccruiser777]

1 minute ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

That's not actually true.

 

Many people leave on the "Hotel Charge" and tip a bit extra here and there.

 

We do, and I know we're not alone.

 

Is an additional tip "...on top go gratuities..." expected? No, it is not. This is actually true.

 

And tipping/hotel charges are at the sole discretion of the passenger.  

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, cariad1000 said:

Is it expected to tip on top of gratuities on Cunard please?

 Tipping  'on top' is down to personal  choice and definitely not expected.

[PORT ROYAL]

5 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

 Tipping  'on top' is down to personal  choice and definitely not expected.

But greatly appreciated 

[Victoria2]

17 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

But greatly appreciated 

Far more than the chocs and flowery thank you cards in lieu!😀

[BigMac1953]

If tipping is not expected, why, on the penultimate day, do so many envelopes appear at the Purser's desk and at the Concierge's desk?

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

If tipping is not expected, why, on the penultimate day, do so many envelopes appear at the Purser's desk and at the Concierge's desk?

Saves staff being pestered by folk asking for them. 🙂

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

If tipping is not expected, why, on the penultimate day, do so many envelopes appear at the Purser's desk and at the Concierge's desk?

In all these years I have never been aware of that phenomenon.

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

In all these years I have never been aware of that phenomenon.

Also, never seen, but then we bring own quality plain envelopes.  Also do include the “half” of the “White Star” card, so they know one was completed and dropped off at GS.

[vieux_carre]

1 hour ago, PORT ROYAL said:

the “half” of the “White Star” card, so they know one was completed and dropped off at GS.

Not sure what you are referring to - can you explain?

[3rdGenCunarder]

Cunard has cards that say "You have been a star!" It's a way of recognizing someone who has given excellent service. You fill it out and drop off one part at the pursers and give the other to the staff member. If you don't see the person to give him/her part of the card, it's okay. They will be told by the purser's staff. 

 

It would be nice if the "MyVoyage" app had a "contact us" function as HAL's Navigator does. You can send a positive comment that way and it gets prompt attention. (So do the negative comments)

[vieux_carre]

This is the first I’ve heard of this.  Is there a way to accomplish this after I’ve disembarked?  There is a staff member who I would like to recognize who went well above and beyond.

[Victoria2]

6 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Cunard has cards that say "You have been a star!" It's a way of recognizing someone who has given excellent service. You fill it out and drop off one part at the pursers and give the other to the staff member. If you don't see the person to give him/her part of the card, it's okay. They will be told by the purser's staff. 

 

It would be nice if the "MyVoyage" app had a "contact us" function as HAL's Navigator does. You can send a positive comment that way and it gets prompt attention. (So do the negative comments)

Star cards are available at the Front Desk or Concierge desk.

 

I have never felt I can give part of the card to the staff member involved so have always dropped the complete card off at the Front desk. It's now just one card anyway. Saves paper I guess.