Considering Cunard, lots of questions

[calikak]

My husband and I are starting to plan a vacation for next year after our first child is born, and the QM2 is on our short list. We've only sailed mass-market lines in the past, but DH and I love tradition (we both studied history in college) and who wouldn't love the outstanding service on Cunard? But of course I have a million questions, like all newbies, and I'm hoping some of you can answer them for me. Here goes...

 

1. We are currently considering a Caribbean cruise, or the Splendors of the Fall sailing. How do these sailings differ in tone/passenger demographic from the Crossing?

 

2. We would be bringing our son along on the cruise (yes, we know that cruising with a child will be dramatically different from cruising as a couple, but we want to spend time with our son because we both work full time and are prepared to give up on some of the traditional cruise experience). He will be more than a year old, so he can participate in the nursery--I have read some very glowing reviews of the nursery but would love to hear more from people who have used this service. Is there a fee for the nursery program? What is the rate for evening group babysitting in the nursery (the Cunard website says that this is available)? What dining options will we have other than the dining room (which we assume wouldn't be an appropriate experience for a child that age)? Which cabin categories are too cramped with a crib? Ideally we would like to book a balcony, but finances may not allow that.

 

3. I live in Seattle, where people actually call a sports coat and jeans "The Seattle Tuxedo." No, really, I'm not making that up. I want us to dress appropriately, so I see this cruise as a fabulous excuse for me to do some serious shopping. :D But DH is a shorts-and-a-t-shirt guy during the day (he doesn't mind dressing for dinner, however), and I worry that he will feel out of place on a more traditional line like Cunard unless he does some serious shopping too. Not that that's a deal breaker...any thoughts?

 

4. What are some not-to-be-missed experiences on the QM2?

 

5. In what ways did the QM2 let you down?

 

Thank you in advance for your responses!

[Sahaj]

After 10 cruises with Cunard, I feel they are a cut above many other lines. Having traveled on Crystal, Radisson and Seabourn, Cunard is still my favorite. There are many, many dining venues in Cunard. Just visit their website and take a tour.

I traveled as a child on Cunard and it was great. My mother jokes that I was raised on an ocean liner (after 40+ sailings), because she could enjoy herself and have babysitting & nanny services for me, until I reached Martini age!

 

The QM2 has larger standard cabins than many ships, as well as extra berths that lower from above in some staterooms (I used one of these for extras). A balcony is great, a Suite is fabulous. I have been spoiled too often having a butler..but then I did enjoy the services provided.

 

So please don't wait..Live..Live..Live (A great quote from Auntie Mame), sail on the QM2 as soon as you can. The only downside to this Ocean Liner is her size, so do a longer sailing if you can, to allow time to really enjoy her.

[pb82]

My husband and I are starting to plan a vacation for next year after our first child is born, and the QM2 is on our short list. We've only sailed mass-market lines in the past, but DH and I love tradition (we both studied history in college) and who wouldn't love the outstanding service on Cunard? But of course I have a million questions, like all newbies, and I'm hoping some of you can answer them for me. Here goes...

While you are waiting for new answers you may learn a lot by using "Search this Forum" to locate the old answers to many very similar previously asked questions.

 

Paul

[lexxity]

Hi there,

 

we have sailed Cunard and are doing so again with our son. We fully intend to many more Cunard cruises and crossings with him. The nursery is fantastic, there is no charge. Cunard also do a childrens tea at 5:30 or 5pm, I forget exactly.

 

This thread contains my review.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=519257

[Betsy's Mom]

We have sailed both the QM2 and the QE as well as Regent (Radisson) Celebrity and HAL. We enjoyed them all, but always return to the QM2 and have two cruises booked on her at present. Look at the "in hull balcony cabins" they are described as "sheltered" they are plenty large enough for a crib. We have one booked for a TA in 2008. We usually book on deck 11, but the balcony could be useless on a TA due to wind and spray. We have never been on a Caribbean Cruise as we have a home there so I can not comment on demographics. The Nursery is no charge up until 10 PM and then an hourly charge, as I understand it. Our children are adults so we have never used it on the QM2 although we used it on QE many years ago. It was wonderful! Our son did not want to leave.

Do not fuss about your clothes-shorts/pants and casual tops are fine during the day. A blazer, tie and Docker type pants are fine except for formal nights. Tux or dark suit for formal nights. King's Court is available for dinner (res. but no charge) or use the nursery and eat in the dining room, late seating, as the nursery does close for the early dinner hour (I think), check with Cunard on this.

Just book and have a wonderful time!:)

B.

[imacruizer]

4. What are some not-to-be-missed experiences on the QM2?

 

Beth,

 

Welcome to Cunard. This thread will give you some wonderful information on the QM2. Enjoy reading it.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=104597

 

I think you will really enjoy the ship.

 

"Another" Beth

[imacruizer]

1. We are currently considering a Caribbean cruise, or the Splendors of the Fall sailing.

 

3. I live in Seattle, where people actually call a sports coat and jeans "The Seattle Tuxedo." No, really, I'm not making that up. I want us to dress appropriately, so I see this cruise as a fabulous excuse for me to do some serious shopping. :D But DH is a shorts-and-a-t-shirt guy during the day (he doesn't mind dressing for dinner, however), and I worry that he will feel out of place on a more traditional line like Cunard unless he does some serious shopping too. Not that that's a deal breaker...any thoughts?

 

We have done both the Caribbean cruise and the Splendors of the Fall sailing on the QM2. We enjoyed both very much.

 

During the day, the dress on the QM2 in the Caribbean and in Canada/New England is pretty casual. Shorts are fine in the Caribbean. In Canada/New England it was too cold for shorts but most folks chose casual clothing. If your husband doesn't mind dressing up at night, he will be fine on the QM2. So book your cruise and start shopping!

 

Beth

[Bramcruiser]

I know your questions could be answered in an exhaustive search of the Cunard threads but its always easier if someone answers them all at once so I'll add my two cents. I was once the newcomer - last year in fact. So while its still fresh in my mind:

 

1. The crossings tend to appeal to the ocean liner traditionalists more so than the typical cruise crowd. I've heard that the transatlantic crowd is far more formal. That doesn't equate to a QM2 Caribbean sailing being on the same level as a Carnival cruise. Far from it. The cruises out of US ports tend to have more North Americans and people like us who "want to try out Cunard". That being said though I found the Cunard cruising set ready to accept the formalities associated with the line and thus the 7-day Caribbean cruise I was on had three formal nights and no grumblings about it. Its just that in the Caribbean you tend to dress for the Caribbean during the day. There's just no hairy chest or wet T-shirt contests and drinks being pushed every direction you walk. I would think the crowd on the Splendours of the Fall cruise to be of a different dynamic then a Caribbean cruise but think it would still be a crowd accepting certain formalities.

 

2. Having no children its hard to help you here. Outside of the main dining room there is the Kings Court which by day is essentially the Lido restaurant but by night is split into 4 different dining venues. Unfortunately, while there is room service, do not expect room service to offer the full range of meals that you would have in the dining room. Personally, I say having your child on board should not be a problem but others will have to help with the room situation on that issue.

 

3. Cunard is NOT Seattle. Do some serious shopping for yourself and your husband. This doesn't mean he has to have a tux but a dark business suit will have to be the minimum for formal nights. Semi-formal is usually a sports coat, dark pants, shirt and tie. Casual is business casual. The dress codes are in effect throughout the evenings. I would expect at least half of the cruise nights to be formal which makes Cunard having one of the highest percentages of all the mass market lines.

 

4. Not to be missed? Lordie, that list is a mile long. The Planetarium for sure - the only one at sea and a nice relaxing place to be in. I should know as I almost fell asleep in it.:D Lunch at the Golden Lion Pub. Drinks at the Commodore Club. A stroll on the Promenade on Deck 7. The Library and Book shop. Dinner in the Britannia dining room. Oh and something hardly ever mentioned and I found it by accident on the last day of our trip - the glass window at the back of the bridge on Deck 12 from which passengers during certain times on sea days can peek into the bridge. Its not well marked and I stumbled onto it by accident and was glad I did.

 

5. Very little let me down actually. I think I was disappointed on day one going into the dining room. I didn't get the maitre'd having staff lead you to your table as I was accustomed to. Instead you have a dining room map in your cabin and, unless you specifically ask, the doors open up and the mass crowd walks in stumbling to find their table. I found this the oddest thing ever and couldn't believe that a formal line like Cunard did something like this. However, the dining room service itself is great and the food......well Cunard has the best on any mass market line as far as I am concerned.

 

Overall, I say give the QM2 some serious consideration. Then go for it!:)

 

David

[calikak]

Hi there,

 

we have sailed Cunard and are doing so again with our son. We fully intend to many more Cunard cruises and crossings with him. The nursery is fantastic, there is no charge. Cunard also do a childrens tea at 5:30 or 5pm, I forget exactly.

 

This thread contains my review.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=519257

 

Thank you for the review, that was particularly helpful information since our son will be about the same age as your child was. Could you describe the children's tea? Is this a high tea, but for kids?

 

Let me make sure this is right: there is no fee for using the services of the nursery in the evening? So, my husband and I could actually eat most dinners in the dining room (assuming the little one isn't having a melt-down and needs to be picked up from the nursery)? This puts Cunard head-and-shoulders above other lines for kids under 2, even Disney.

 

Thank you also for the information about the sheltered balcony. It would be nice to be able to sit on the balcony while the little guy naps.

[calikak]

Thank you to David and the other Beth for your helpful posts! David, we are hoping never to sail Carnival again. Although the service and food were fine, we found that the passenger demographic wasn't our cup of tea. I never thought I was a snob until that cruise.I think we're fine on formal wear (DH has a full dress kilt with Prince Charlie jacket and all the accessories, plus a nice, classic dark suit, and I have several formals that will hopefully still fit after I give birth). It's the less formal clothes that I worry about us going too informal. I assume jeans aren't appropriate for day wear on the Canada/New England itinerary (and are too hot for the Caribbean)? Would golf-ish attire, like khakis and polo shirts, be appropriate for DH? Would I be overdressed in sweater sets during the day?Also, a follow-up question about food: it's possible our son will still be eating at least some baby food when we travel. Will baby food be available onboard? If not, will the staff puree some vegetables or fruits for us upon request?

[Bramcruiser]

Khakis and polo shirts are just fine. That's essentially what I wore during the day on my QM2 cruise.

 

So your husband has a kilt. I actually saw a few Scots wearing kilts on formal night on the ship so I have a feeling he won't look out of place.

 

David

[calikak]

Khakis and polo shirts are just fine. That's essentially what I wore during the day on my QM2 cruise.

 

So your husband has a kilt. I actually saw a few Scots wearing kilts on formal night on the ship so I have a feeling he won't look out of place.

 

David

 

Thanks, David. Yes, DH has a kilt. Both of us are of Ulster Scots decent--mine came to America a few years after surviving the Siege of Londonderry (or Derry, depending on your point of view) and founded the town of Londonderry, New Hampshire. His also came over in the early 1700's--we think he is related to the Caldwells of Castle Caldwell, near Belleek. DH wore his kilt on a British Isles cruise we did on Princess in 2005 and an elderly Scotswoman came up to him and said, "Finally, I get to talk to one of my countrymen!" She was completely heartbroken to find out he was American...but at least we know his kilt package is authentic enough to fool an elderly Scotswoman. :D

[pnhmrk]

At least we know his kilt package is authentic enough to fool an elderly Scotswoman. :D

 

:confused:

 

:eek:

 

You can't mean what I understand you to mean:eek:

[calikak]

 

:eek:

 

You can't mean what I understand you to mean:eek:

 

 

LOL! Luckily for us, her granddaughter who was travelling with her, and everyone else in the atrium at the time, no, she didn't check to see if he was going "true Scots" that evening. :eek: :o :D

 

You Cunarders are a hoot! I'll have to stay on my toes to keep up with all of you!

[imacruizer]

Thank you to David and the other Beth for your helpful posts! I assume jeans aren't appropriate for day wear on the Canada/New England itinerary (and are too hot for the Caribbean)? Would golf-ish attire, like khakis and polo shirts, be appropriate for DH? Would I be overdressed in sweater sets during the day?

 

Hi Beth,

 

At the risk of being chastised by some on this board, there were some people wearing jeans during the day on the Canada/New England cruise last year. It is a very port intensive cruise and you will probably spend quite a bit of time off the ship. Yes, crossings are a bit dressier. However, I think your husband can wear jeans during the day. If he is prepared to dress according to the suggested dress code each evening, he will be just fine. I think you would enjoy wearing sweater sets during the day as they are a very good choice for cool weather. The fact that you are asking questions about what is appropriate, shows that you want to dress appropriately. Have fun planning your wardrobe but don't stress about it!!

 

Beth

[calikak]

Thanks, Beth. Yes, I do want to dress appropriately, but I also don't want to force DH to go shopping if he doesn't want to (it's not his favorite activity).

 

One other random question: DH uses a CPAP machine for his sleep apnea, so he'll need a place to plug in his machine relatively near the bed, and/or an extension cord. Should we bring our own, or would the ship be able to provide an extension cord, or is there are outlet near the bed so an extension cord would be unnecessary?

[pb82]

... One other random question: DH uses a CPAP machine for his sleep apnea, so he'll need a place to plug in his machine relatively near the bed, and/or an extension cord. Should we bring our own, or would the ship be able to provide an extension cord, or is there are outlet near the bed so an extension cord would be unnecessary?

Bring your own, better to be safe etc., and it won't take up much room in your luggage. Pack it in his sporran.

 

Paul

[calikak]

Bring your own, better to be safe etc., and it won't take up much room in your luggage. Pack it in his sporran.

 

Paul

 

His sporran is for holding my lipstick, mirror and room key on formal nights. ;)

[pb82]

His sporran is for holding my lipstick, mirror and room key on formal nights. ;)

No, no, no. I meant pack it there in the luggage, to save space. You are going to have a ball! Send us pictures.

[travel-to-go]

Beth,

Do bring your own extension cord, or even two. The outlet is on the wall on the backsplash (if that's the right term) above the desk. the bed is against the opposite wall. That is the only outlet other than one which is appropriate for razor in the bathroom. We went through this once on HAL with my Dad's CPAP machine. Marc (the SO) and I ended up stringing together all of our computer outlet strips. The line had no more extension cords.

 

Don't sweat about the dress. The dress code is in the evening, the rest of he day, wear what you would expect to wear if you were going out with friends. Shorts are obviously fine in the Caribbean. Longer pants for Canadian/New England, depending on the weather. I have done both on Cunard. (QM2) Don't let some of the threads and some of the people here scare you, As much as they might want to make you think that it is a very stiff and stodgy crowd, it is not like that. Yes, I would say golf clothes would be perfect for the day!

 

So THAT'S what that Sporran is for! <G> Great answer!

(And I Knew what you meant by "package" You were talking about "accessories" Malcolm thought you meant his "Necessities!" <G>

 

Karie,

Who doesn't know where ya've been, Laddie, But I can see ya won first prize!

[lexxity]

There is absolutely no charge for the nursery, it is totally free! Amazing! You can drop your little one off early at the nursery too if you need to. Just prearrange it prior to 5pm on the day. We did this every night as DS was out by 7pm.

 

The childrens tea is in a sealed off area of the Kings court and is decked out with balloons. It is what we would call high tea. The menu features such items as fish fingers (which were delicious BTW), mash potaoes, grilled chicken, beans, salad, soup and desserts. The staff will try and find you anything you need as well. We asked for some yoghurt and they brought five! So we took them back to the cabin and kept them in the fridge. Handy for snacks then. A tip, bring your own cutlery for your child, they don't have small people sizes. :p

 

If you do a Carribean itinerary there is a seperate outdoor area for children too.

 

I really cannot recommend Cunard highly enough. It is the perfect family holiday, you can have family time and you time! Can't wait until September and January!

[calikak]

Beth,

Do bring your own extension cord, or even two. The outlet is on the wall on the backsplash (if that's the right term) above the desk. the bed is against the opposite wall. That is the only outlet other than one which is appropriate for razor in the bathroom. We went through this once on HAL with my Dad's CPAP machine. Marc (the SO) and I ended up stringing together all of our computer outlet strips. The line had no more extension cords.

 

Don't sweat about the dress. The dress code is in the evening, the rest of he day, wear what you would expect to wear if you were going out with friends. Shorts are obviously fine in the Caribbean. Longer pants for Canadian/New England, depending on the weather. I have done both on Cunard. (QM2) Don't let some of the threads and some of the people here scare you, As much as they might want to make you think that it is a very stiff and stodgy crowd, it is not like that. Yes, I would say golf clothes would be perfect for the day!

 

So THAT'S what that Sporran is for! <G> Great answer!

(And I Knew what you meant by "package" You were talking about "accessories" Malcolm thought you meant his "Necessities!" <G>

 

Karie,

Who doesn't know where ya've been, Laddie, But I can see ya won first prize!

 

 

Thanks, Karie! By the way, I love that joke--my grandfather was the first person to tell it to me, so it always makes me think of him. :) Even though DH is willing to carry my lipstick in his sporran, he still gets very upset if you call it a "man purse." It's a fun to say that to him and see him get wound up. :D

 

We had the same problem with outlets on our Tahitian Princess cruise. Prior to that, we'd always had a cabin with an outlet near the bed, or at least we had since DH started using a CPAP, so we hadn't considered that we might need an extension cord. Now I know to ask about whatever ship we're going on, so we know if we need to pack the extension cord or not.

 

Thanks to lexxity for the info about the tea and the nursery. I am very impressed at the availability of services for children under 2 on Cunard. I've been doing research and I don't think any other cruise line offers as much for children that age. I had all but given up hope that we could have an upscale cruise vacation (one where the waiters don't sing and dance) and still meet the needs of our child. Now I just have to figure out how to pack enough nappies!

 

I'm sure I will have lots of other questions once we do decide to book, but in the meantime, thank you again to everyone for your helpful and friendly responses!

[calikak]

Thanks again to everyone--we've decided to go on the 11/9/08 Caribbean sailing, so we can celebrate our 6th anniversary onboard. We're very excited!

[patwell]

Thanks again to everyone--we've decided to go on the 11/9/08 Caribbean sailing, so we can celebrate our 6th anniversary onboard. We're very excited!

 

Calikak...great choice...you won't regret it. She's a fabulous ship and a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion.

 

We'll see you there...We'll be on the Nov 10th this year but next year we'll be booking the nov 9th with our friends.

 

If you'd like to see how I felt about our voyage last year just read my review...the link is below. And enjoy your anticipation...we had booked a year in advance for our first trip!!

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

[calikak]

Penny, so glad we'll get to meet in person! I hope you have a fantastic time on this year's cruise!