QA Doing Alaska And The Caribbean?

[pkpon]

I wonder with the mixed reviews for QA if it would be more advantageous for Cunard to have QA doing Alaska and the Caribbean.

 

The British market seems to prefer the Vista class ships and you would then have QE based going out of Southampton all year round and doing the world cruise again.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, pkpon said:

I wonder with the mixed reviews for QA if it would be more advantageous for Cunard to have QA doing Alaska and the Caribbean.

 

The British market seems to prefer the Vista class ships and you would then have QE based going out of Southampton all year round and doing the world cruise again.

I’d certainly love the chance to go on QE from Southampton again, much as I like QA. Do you think QA would be more popular over the other side?

[majortom10]

Would love the idea of QE/QV returning to sail all year round from Southampton.

[NE John]

QA makes a lot of sense for both: Alaska with great viewing from another large Commodore Club and a pool with the retractable roof and:Caribbean, from what I have seen and read about, the good amount of outdoor upper decks for sun bathing and a bigger ship for families. 
I don’t know though if QA can open up the prow deck for glacier viewing as QE can do. 

[foodsvcmgr]

Although I’m extremely happy to be sailing QE 12 day Caribbean, in general the U.S. market prefers the newest, largest, and most modern ships.

And with the facilities NE John has described I think QA would probably be well suited.

I imagine Cunard will be watching the success or lack of QA doing a world cruise and QE in the Caribbean and wouldn’t be shocked to see the ships flipped after a year or two.

[exlondoner]

31 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Although I’m extremely happy to be sailing QE 12 day Caribbean, in general the U.S. market prefers the newest, largest, and most modern ships.

And with the facilities NE John has described I think QA would probably be well suited.

I imagine Cunard will be watching the success or lack of QA doing a world cruise and QE in the Caribbean and wouldn’t be shocked to see the ships flipped after a year or two.

I fear that may be too late. 😀

[3rdGenCunarder]

NO!!!!!!!!

 

Please, please, please no! I am so happy to have QE as the North American Cunarder. She's my favorite. 

 

If they give us QA, I don't think I'd bother. Why should I spend Cunard prices when I can sail a HAL pinnacle ship for less? Or a HAL Vista, which would be even better. 

 

Does the UK market prefer the vistas? Most of the negative responses to QA here come from long-time Cunard fans like me. But what about responses from first-time Cunard passengers? I thought that would be the target audience, people who want to try a "fun ship" version of Cunard instead of what is viewed as stuffy. 

 

As for the US market wanting newest, largest, most modern, the people who chase the new and shiny are not going to want QA when there are new Behemoth of the Seas and other such monsters to get their attention. 

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

NO!!!!!!!!

 

Please, please, please no! I am so happy to have QE as the North American Cunarder. She's my favorite. 

 

If they give us QA, I don't think I'd bother. Why should I spend Cunard prices when I can sail a HAL pinnacle ship for less? Or a HAL Vista, which would be even better. 

 

Does the UK market prefer the vistas? Most of the negative responses to QA here come from long-time Cunard fans like me. But what about responses from first-time Cunard passengers? I thought that would be the target audience, people who want to try a "fun ship" version of Cunard instead of what is viewed as stuffy. 

 

As for the US market wanting newest, largest, most modern, the people who chase the new and shiny are not going to want QA when there are new Behemoth of the Seas and other such monsters to get their attention. 

😀😀😀Not that you are getting overly excited or depressed or anything? Incidentally, QA didn’t seem any more a ‘fun ship’ than the others, just slightly differently decorated, with one horrible room, and several rooms more gorgeous than on the others.

[david,Mississauga]

As I have mentioned before, long before the QA was completed there was something on their website and Facebook page saying the QA would take over the Alaska cruises in order to provide more capacity.

 

I have my doubts there is any need for more capacity.  We have enjoyed a QE cruise to Alaska in each of the four years of operation.  Until a few months before sailing date there has been a lot of unsold accommodation in all "classes" on our voyages and on several other dates that I checked out of curiosity.   After some exceptionally low fares are offered the ship gets sold out.

 

This applies to other lines as well. Almost every day this spring I was getting an offer from Holland America and a weekly offer from Princess.  It appears there are too many ships sailing to Alaska.  (Many residents would agree!)  The cruise lines must be happy with what must be reduced profits given the large number of cabins that are sold cheap.  Our cruise this year was booked only three months in advance.  We got a QG suite in a prime location for about half what it would cost per day on a QM2 crossing.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

😀😀😀Not that you are getting overly excited or depressed or anything? Incidentally, QA didn’t seem any more a ‘fun ship’ than the others, just slightly differently decorated, with one horrible room, and several rooms more gorgeous than on the others.

 

I think it's how she's being marketed. Remember when Coke had the "uncola?" QA is being marketed as the "unCunard." Look at the terminal signage. No black and red. It's pink and turquoise and light blue, etc. Right there, they are setting expectations. All the banners in Liverpool were that same color palette. Even the brochure I got recently for QA is in that palette. 

 

It's funny, I was just talking with a friend who went to the grand re-opening of an old hotel in our town. A sort of grand lady as hotels go, looked the same forever, and now it has been "modernized." My friend said it's jazzy and hip and attractive, but it just doesn't feel like our town.  As she put it, "This is not your grandmother's hotel."

 

Well, QA is not my grandmother's Cunarder.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think it's how she's being marketed. Remember when Coke had the "uncola?" QA is being marketed as the "unCunard." Look at the terminal signage. No black and red. It's pink and turquoise and light blue, etc. Right there, they are setting expectations. All the banners in Liverpool were that same color palette. Even the brochure I got recently for QA is in that palette. 

 

It's funny, I was just talking with a friend who went to the grand re-opening of an old hotel in our town. A sort of grand lady as hotels go, looked the same forever, and now it has been "modernized." My friend said it's jazzy and hip and attractive, but it just doesn't feel like our town.  As she put it, "This is not your grandmother's hotel."

 

Well, QA is not my grandmother's Cunarder. (And yes, I know, en suite is an improvement over bathrooms down the hall and a 3-class ship)

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

As I have mentioned before, long before the QA was completed there was something on their website and Facebook page saying the QA would take over the Alaska cruises in order to provide more capacity.

 

I have my doubts there is any need for more capacity.  We have enjoyed a QE cruise to Alaska in each of the four years of operation.  Until a few months before sailing date there has been a lot of unsold accommodation in all "classes" on our voyages and on several other dates that I checked out of curiosity.   After some exceptionally low fares are offered the ship gets sold out.

 

This applies to other lines as well. Almost every day this spring I was getting an offer from Holland America and a weekly offer from Princess.  It appears there are too many ships sailing to Alaska.  (Many residents would agree!)  The cruise lines must be happy with what must be reduced profits given the large number of cabins that are sold cheap.  Our cruise this year was booked only three months in advance.  We got a QG suite in a prime location for about half what it would cost per day on a QM2 crossing.

 

I agree that Alaska may be oversaturated at this point. I booked my Alaska cruise because of a promo email from Cunard that was too hard to resist. 

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think it's how she's being marketed. Remember when Coke had the "uncola?" QA is being marketed as the "unCunard." Look at the terminal signage. No black and red. It's pink and turquoise and light blue, etc. Right there, they are setting expectations. All the banners in Liverpool were that same color palette. Even the brochure I got recently for QA is in that palette. 

 

It's funny, I was just talking with a friend who went to the grand re-opening of an old hotel in our town. A sort of grand lady as hotels go, looked the same forever, and now it has been "modernized." My friend said it's jazzy and hip and attractive, but it just doesn't feel like our town.  As she put it, "This is not your grandmother's hotel."

 

Well, QA is not my grandmother's Cunarder.

Remember how QE2 was initially marketed. And how quickly they changed things.
Over here, in the newspapers I read, where the marketing is mainly though travel agents, she seems to be just another Cunarder, and you have to look quite closely at the detail to see which ship is doing which voyage.

 

I wouldn’t want to go on any form of transport that would be my grandmother’s.

Edited August 13 by exlondoner

[DukeBeetle24]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

NO!!!!!!!!

 

Please, please, please no! I am so happy to have QE as the North American Cunarder. She's my favorite. 

 

If they give us QA, I don't think I'd bother. Why should I spend Cunard prices when I can sail a HAL pinnacle ship for less? Or a HAL Vista, which would be even better. 

 

Does the UK market prefer the vistas? Most of the negative responses to QA here come from long-time Cunard fans like me. But what about responses from first-time Cunard passengers? I thought that would be the target audience, people who want to try a "fun ship" version of Cunard instead of what is viewed as stuffy. 

 

As for the US market wanting newest, largest, most modern, the people who chase the new and shiny are not going to want QA when there are new Behemoth of the Seas and other such monsters to get their attention. 

How is Queen Anne a "fun ship"?

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

How is Queen Anne a "fun ship"?

 

I think it's the impression Cunard wants to make--leaning a bit more toward young and hip and fun. Adding a little bit of the parent company to lighten the image. That was what several people I spoke to felt about Cunard's intent in making QA different from the other ships. Of course, those people didn't particularly like QA, so their impression might just have been biased. 

[NE John]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I agree that Alaska may be oversaturated at this point. I booked my Alaska cruise because of a promo email from Cunard that was too hard to resist. 

Remember that the Alaska overcapacity is from cruise ships diverted from the Red Sea/Eastern Med to Alaska and Caribbean. Once that situation gets resolved…who knows when…the amazing low prices we see now will go back up with less supply. I too was a beneficiary of the low Alaska fares. 

[DukeBeetle24]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think it's the impression Cunard wants to make--leaning a bit more toward young and hip and fun. Adding a little bit of the parent company to lighten the image. That was what several people I spoke to felt about Cunard's intent in making QA different from the other ships. Of course, those people didn't particularly like QA, so their impression might just have been biased. 

That's a fair comment, but I wouldn't say it's a wider approach to target the "young, hip and fun" or "HEY GUYS" crowd as they are often referred to on here. I think it's a wider decision to help differentiate Cunard as a whole. I think the uniforms introduced on Queen Anne reflect how they're acutely aware of their heritage whilst wanting to ensure they move forward. 

Katie McCalister has stated that following the launch of Queen Anne, the business is focused on homeporting Queen Elizabeth to North America (so I don't think there's much chance of her being moved given she'll be West Coast in the Summer months, and East Coast in the Winter months), focusing on a new approach to marketing the "Cunard difference", and reviewing / promoting the Grills experience offered to guests.

I love the look of Queen Anne, I think there are some elements of her not yet complete; ship models, nods to heritage and some "finishing touches". None of which would require a dry dock, I suspect they just weren't ready in time. Much like the bar stools in the Commodore Club, or the furniture in the cigar lounge. 

It's certainly not going to be a Cunarder if it had slides from the Grills Terrace to the promenade deck!

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think it's the impression Cunard wants to make--leaning a bit more toward young and hip and fun. Adding a little bit of the parent company to lighten the image. That was what several people I spoke to felt about Cunard's intent in making QA different from the other ships. Of course, those people didn't particularly like QA, so their impression might just have been biased. 

I must say it didn’t strike me as a fun ship at all. It seemed calm and serene just like the others. And there was nothing fun about having the lounge for the most expensive cabins lack a view or much daylight. Maybe that was Cunard having fun.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

I must say it didn’t strike me as a fun ship at all. It seemed calm and serene just like the others. And there was nothing fun about having the lounge for the most expensive cabins lack a view or much daylight. Maybe that was Cunard having fun.

 

I didn't mind that room, although I found it annoying that the bar was almost never open! I just wonder what they're going to do about dust on the leaves of the fake tree. 

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

It's certainly not going to be a Cunarder if it had slides from the Grills Terrace to the promenade deck!

Now that would be fun. And a way of ejecting intruders. 😀

Was I supposed to notice a different uniform, because I didn’t?

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I didn't mind that room, although I found it annoying that the bar was almost never open! I just wonder what they're going to do about dust on the leaves of the fake tree. 

Wouldn’t you have preferred a view, as on QE?

[DukeBeetle24]

9 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Now that would be fun. And a way of ejecting intruders. 😀

Was I supposed to notice a different uniform, because I didn’t?

There's a fleet wide uniform update (the first since QM2) that has started with Queen Anne, but will be rolling out across the rest of the fleet. I had uploaded the imagery (publicly available) before it was removed due to breaking the rules (my mistake!).

 

I don't think it's too drastic, but it's nice to see the entire uniform be reviewed, updated and use Cunard's heritage to inform it's designs / decisions moving forward. I thought it nice, but given the fact some staff were missing uniform on early cruises, I expect some of it is still working its way through.

Also, please don't shove me down said slide if I were to intrude to use as a pass through!! 

Edited August 13 by DukeBeetle24

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

There's a fleet wide uniform update (the first since QM2) that has started with Queen Anne, but will be rolling out across the rest of the fleet. I had uploaded the imagery (publicly available) before it was removed due to breaking the rules (my mistake!).

 

I don't think it's too drastic, but it's nice to see the entire uniform be reviewed, updated and use Cunard's heritage to inform it's designs / decisions moving forward. I thought it nice, but given the fact some staff were missing uniform on early cruises, I expect some of it is still working its way through.

Also, please don't shove me down said slide if I were to intrude to use as a pass through!! 

No only if you take a cocktail in the little pool, as has apparently happened.

[DukeBeetle24]

5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

No only if you take a cocktail in the little pool, as has apparently happened.

I wouldn't have dreamt of using the facilities I hadn't paid for (cocktail or not), however using as a passage to get to the aft of the ship I would have thought okay.

 

Regardless, that seems to have been nixed with a new keypad entry system anyway. I suspect the Grills Terrace and Grills Lounge may be one of the first areas to receive an "update" given comments on here and in reviews.

I was glad to hear you enjoyed your time aboard Queen Anne by the way.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

I wouldn't have dreamt of using the facilities I hadn't paid for (cocktail or not), however using as a passage to get to the aft of the ship I would have thought okay.

 

Regardless, that seems to have been nixed with a new keypad entry system anyway. I suspect the Grills Terrace and Grills Lounge may be one of the first areas to receive an "update" given comments on here and in reviews.

I was glad to hear you enjoyed your time aboard Queen Anne by the way.

Yes, I agree that passing though is fine. I suspect the keypad system may end up denying as many Grills passengers entry as anyone else, and how long will it take the number to be widely known?