QM2 Attire Mix-up--Lesson Learned!

[Ballater]

Just returned from the 4-night New York to Princess Cays cruise. The final documents stated for evening attire: 2 formal and 2 casual. In reality, there was 1 formal, 2 semi-formal, and 1 casual (last night). Neither my husband nor I had packed semi-formal attire. Did anyone else on this cruise have the same problem?

 

Lesson learned? Overpacking isn't a bad thing!! I will definitely have a better selection of evening attire next trip. :(

[smoothdancer]

Yes!! We made out OK because by luck I had brought along seperates that I was able to mix and match to get around it.... My husband made double duty on a jacket and tie. Also the pirates ball was not in the doc's...

 

I think overall, especially service, they were not ready for this type of cruise crowd where there were large crowds on the outside decks. I am guessing that a crossing would be a much different experience. Still, it was incredible to experience the ship, but for us we will pass on another 4 day Bahama cruise.

[Adam_7]

Well thats no fun. =(

 

I always overpack even if i try not to... its not so great though when the airlines, after weighing my bag, expect to see my wallet as well =|

[pascalehague]

My wife and I just got home and were discussing this same issue. She had been very excited to wear more formal dresses and semi formal was not in the game plan. Also saw that the Buc. Ball was not in the docs. Do you attend? How was it?

I would also agree that while the trip was good overall the level of service provided in the dining rooms and cabin was not as good as I expected and felt very mass market. Still, I think we would sail her again for a longer cruise.

[Ballater]

No. I did not go to the Buc. Ball. Wasn't at all prepared for it!

 

In general, I too was disappointed by the service this time. I've traveled with Cunard several times, and this was by far the worst service I've experienced. And judging by the comments I heard from other passengers, I was not alone. Perhaps the crew was gearing up for the next voyage--they expressed concern that they expected to have to work much harder than usual on the full transatlantic gay cruise with lots of parties, late nights, and losing an hour each day. But...that's not my problem!

 

In general, I'm always very positive about Cunard--it holds a soft spot in my heart. But my next voyage is on Silversea, and I am looking forward to the change.

[smoothdancer]

Like everyone else, my husband and I walked away unhappy and we discussed.... what happened here???

 

Such a diisappointment on the service... On a few nights we had to decide between dinner or a show as the service was so slow in the dining room. But most guests we spoke with were first time Queen Mary passangers(like us). None of us can deny that the ship was incredible, the decor not at all like you see on the mass lines, the string quartets took your breath away.

 

We made the best of a very bad situation and just soaked up the ship, worked very hard at getting past the service issue.... And yes it was hard to do.

 

Never ever again will I sail on a 4 day cruise aboard the Queen, but still I am greatful for the opportunity I had to be on board.... I think if you all reflect upon this you will feel the same. Of course, we were in the Queens Room every evening, the ballroom incredible, the music ahhhh.....

[rolando]

Same happened to us. Had a variety of tux combinations and rest was casual. Boy, did our tuxedo jackets get a workout this trip!!! We dressed down our formal garb by switching regular black dress pants in place of tux pants and leaving vests and studs behind. Hated not having the right clothes.

 

Glad I was not the only one thinking this. I was starting to wonder :rolleyes:

[guernseyguy]

Perhaps the crew was gearing up for the next voyage--they expressed concern that they expected to have to work much harder than usual on the full transatlantic gay cruise with lots of parties, late nights, and losing an hour each day. But...that's not my problem!

 

And not an excuse! There has been quite a bit in the press about how that sailing is less than full (the charterers have had to pay Cunard compensation for failing to reach a minimum occupation level) - and they should be used to the Transatlantic back-and-forth by now.....poor dears! Oh well, I'm on next Monday.....and shall tell all.......

 

Peter

[snorklinbarb]

Great to find this thread as I just posted a question about "attire" on another post since we're doing the 4 nighter Labor Day (final payment coming up today and many of the comments make one pause). Sounds like the service really suffered on the shorter cruise.:(

 

1) I'd like more info on the Buc. Ball. What was the suggested dress? (We heard black & white ball - is this the same?) What time was it? Was it in the ballrm with a full orchestra?

 

2) Did any of you go to the Planetarium shows?

:D

3) Anybody remember any of the Brittania menus or have a copy?

 

4) Were there dance lessons and, if so, what type?

 

5) Were there any lecturers?

 

6) Was there a Captain's cocktail party to which all guests were invited?

 

7) I'm trying to organize a CC get together. Did you have one and was it organized by the ship or did you just meet somewhere? (If so, any suggestions where?)

 

As you can probably tell, it's the first time on the QM2 for us! Thanks!:D

[songanddance]

I suspect that a QM2 four nighter is similar in many aspects to a one or two nighter on NCL or Carnival. These trips also get terrible reveues as to service. I think that they throw the staff off their usual pattern as they require loads of extra woork getting the ship cleaned up. They have extra large passenger loads and attract a demographic that has not cruised before and has ultra high expectations and they seem to take it out on the crew. This further agravates an already stressed out crew so it becomes a downward spiral.

 

On a normal TA or a 12 - 14 days cruise, everyone can get their breath between loading and unloading and the passenger mix is more experienced and knows how to properly interact with staff.

[paulam]

I suspect that a QM2 four nighter is similar in many aspects to a one or two nighter on NCL or Carnival. These trips also get terrible reveues as to service. I think that they throw the staff off their usual pattern as they require loads of extra woork getting the ship cleaned up. They have extra large passenger loads and attract a demographic that has not cruised before and has ultra high expectations and they seem to take it out on the crew. This further agravates an already stressed out crew so it becomes a downward spiral.

 

On a normal TA or a 12 - 14 days cruise, everyone can get their breath between loading and unloading and the passenger mix is more experienced and knows how to properly interact with staff.

 

I think it is the experienced cruisers who have higher expectations. The first times cruisers have nothing to compare to and will not notice where and if service is lacking

[pascalehague]

Let me so if I can answer some of these...

 

1) NA

2) My wife loved the Illuminations she saw Cosmic collisions narrated by Robert Redford. I was there also and got motion sickness. Had to close my eyes....it was informative though so that was why I stayed.

:D

3) Britannia menus were interesting and I could find something each night I really enjoyed, service was the problem. I wish I had copies of the menus. Things I remember that I enjoyed were the Seafood symphony, Grouper on the first night, turkey dinner the last night, my lobster was excellent (while another person at my table had to return hers for another as it was rubbery). I also enjoyed the Chocolate lava cake. It was so good. Calamari appetizer was my favorite. I found portions to be of appropriate size and I never left hungry.

 

4) NA

 

5) My wife loved the lectures. The man that spoke on Pirates was her favorite. I felt these events were well advertised on the morning show on board and also on the website prior to sailing. Often they would have one of the speakers as a guest on the morning show so you got a taste for the topic. Cruise director stated that the lectures were recorded and broadcast again on the cabin tv system, never saw it though.

 

6) There was a captains party for Britannia and seperate for Q and P cabins. My wife and I glanced in at it and felt it was not for us. We had a nicer time meeting the Captain in the Commodore Club the last night by chance. He was a very nice person and very personable when we met him.

 

7) NA

 

I would suggest going in with an open mind and expect to have a great time! These boards, while a fount of information, biased me before my trip in what to expect. We kept an open mind and were able to have a good time. I wish now that I had addressed the service problems more while I was on board to see how staff addressed the problems, but with only four days I felt I needed to focus on the good stuff and enjoy myself. All said and done my wife will sail Cunard again, but on QV and for a longer voyage. QM2 is amazing, enjoy the ship...there was more than enough to do for four days.

 

Hope this helps.

[Ballater]

Regarding the possibility that poor service on a shorter cruise may be a result of too much work back-and-forthing with passengers getting on and off, this was absolutely NOT the case with the Memorial Day cruise. According to our waitstaff, the day before embarkation was their first day off in a very long time. The ship was in Brooklyn for a party, so not much happened the previous day. I chalk up the very poor service to too much time off--and perhaps too much partying by the staff. Again, not my problem! Just a very disappointing dining experience for me--and I've sailed the QM2 four times, so I know the difference...

[guernseyguy]

perhaps too much partying by the staff.

 

Shocking - that's our job!

 

Did you mention your concerns to the staff onboard, or comment on it in your comment card?

 

Peter

[Ballater]

No. I did not mention it to the staff. I should have spoken to the maitre d', but he was too busy gazing into his computer to ever look up and greet us. And this was in the Princess Grill. What could possibly have been so urgent during mealtime? Was he simply surfing the Web???

 

I do intend to write a letter and to send in the questionnaire to the head office.

 

Other than breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the cruise was fabulous. Steward was excellent, spa perfect, weather glorious...

[guernseyguy]

I do intend to write a letter and to send in the questionnaire to the head office.

 

Do! Get them to fix it before I get onboard - I sail in 5 days....you've got their fax number?;)

 

Peter

[lannp]

NorfolkBrit told me that on the recent Med. cruise that what their cruise docs said and what happened on board was different. They were changed from 2 semi-formal nights to 6 and 6 casual nights to 2. That's a big difference when you have to juggle clothes to suit these. There are samples of the menus listed on the Cunard site. On all my previous times aboard we have been presented with menus at the conclusion.

[travel-to-go]

Great to find this thread as I just posted a question about "attire" on another post since we're doing the 4 nighter Labor Day (final payment coming up today and many of the comments make one pause). Sounds like the service really suffered on the shorter cruise.:(

 

1) I'd like more info on the Buc. Ball. What was the suggested dress? (We heard black & white ball - is this the same?) What time was it? Was it in the ballrm with a full orchestra?

 

2) Did any of you go to the Planetarium shows?

:D

3) Anybody remember any of the Brittania menus or have a copy?

 

4) Were there dance lessons and' date=' if so, what type?

 

5) Were there any lecturers?

 

6) Was there a Captain's cocktail party to which all guests were invited?

 

7) I'm trying to organize a CC get together. Did you have one and was it organized by the ship or did you just meet somewhere? (If so, any suggestions where?)

 

As you can probably tell, it's the first time on the QM2 for us! Thanks!:D[/quote']Barb,

 

First. let me set your mind at ease. The Labor Day is nothing like the Memorial day. I think that is primarily because Nova Scotia is not exactly a "party-time" atmosphere. Bermuda is more of a "Caribbean-type" of destination ( I know it is not in the Carib, but I mean the atmosphere, and the people who might be likely to go on this, vs Nova Scotia in the almost- fall) I was on the four day Labor day, last year and it was wonderful. Of course the 85 or so people signed up for our CC: get-together (arranged by a couple of us on the roll call) and the over 65 who actually made it there, despite the fact it was rough seas in a Nor'easter and some were feeling under the weather and confined to their cabins, helped make it splendid!

 

 

As for the Pirate's Ball, it is informal or casual,. and one dresses like, what else... a pirate! But one doesn't usually have a pirate's ball on the Nova Scotia run,. It is usually held in warmer climes. Still, here is a group that did it right and had a great time fore the pirate's ball!

http://www.dancersatsea.com/index.html

Scroll down to see their picture!

My sweetie and I dressed for it, and he looked a lot like Johnny Depp, if I must say so! <G>

There are lecturers, we did not make it to the planetarium, but I have herd wonderful things about it. There are dance lessons. Ballroom primarily, and a couple who are world class competitors on board who also do demonstrations.

Usually no Captain's Cocktail party with a 4 day. too short.

Meet at the commodre for your CC: gettogether,. Start a roll call, or join one in progress (I believe there already is one) and some one will take the bull by the horns. Only recently has Cunard started supporting these gatherings. Previously they were Ad Hoc.

 

Menus are posted somewhere. I have copies, but they are in a file box awaiting the scrapbook treatment!

 

Have a marvelous time! We may decide to go on this trip. we haven't booked anything yet. But we loved it last year!

 

Karie,

who has done 6 Cunard trips so far, on 4 ships.

[Linda-E]

Great to find this thread as I just posted a question about "attire" on another post since we're doing the 4 nighter Labor Day (final payment coming up today and many of the comments make one pause). Sounds like the service really suffered on the shorter cruise.:(

 

1) I'd like more info on the Buc. Ball. What was the suggested dress? (We heard black & white ball - is this the same?) What time was it? Was it in the ballrm with a full orchestra?

 

2) Did any of you go to the Planetarium shows?

:D

3) Anybody remember any of the Brittania menus or have a copy?

 

4) Were there dance lessons and' date=' if so, what type?

 

5) Were there any lecturers?

 

6) Was there a Captain's cocktail party to which all guests were invited?

 

7) I'm trying to organize a CC get together. Did you have one and was it organized by the ship or did you just meet somewhere? (If so, any suggestions where?)

 

As you can probably tell, it's the first time on the QM2 for us! Thanks!:D[/quote']

 

1. We went to bucaneer ball and it was very poorly attended. The cruise staff tried to sell eyepatches, hats and bandanas but there were no takers.

2. We went to all three planetarium shows and they were wonderful!

3. The food was not memorable. Service in Britannia was awful!

4. There were ballroom and other dance lessons. We skipped them - the weather was too nice to be indoors.

5. Skipped - nice weather

6. Yes

7. I arranged a CC meeting onboard. If you e-mail me at the address below, I will send you the contact info for the person who reserved the Commodore Club for us.

 

Hope you had a better cruise than we did. By the way, our cruise was to the Bahamas not Bermuda. This wasn't a party cruise and I don't see why September would be any different.

 

The change in dress code was only one of many glitches in this cruise. Most people we met were experienced cruisers, and all were very disappointed with the service and staff attitude.

[smoothdancer]

Did any of you go to the Planetarium shows?

We went to one, were glad that we did.

 

Was it in the ballrm with a full orchestra?

There was an orchestra every night, not just for the balls, and they were wonderful. (We skipped the Pirates ball to give our dancing feet a rest!). The Black and White ball however was well attended.

[Norfolk Brit]

NorfolkBrit told me that on the recent Med. cruise that what their cruise docs said and what happened on board was different. They were changed from 2 semi-formal nights to 6 and 6 casual nights to 2. That's a big difference when you have to juggle clothes to suit these. There are samples of the menus listed on the Cunard site. On all my previous times aboard we have been presented with menus at the conclusion.

 

Absolutely correct Linda, which left me with two choices - wear the same two dresses three times each or wear what I was intending to wear for the pre-advised 6 casual nights. I opted for the latter, based on the premise that a polite host does not significantly change dress codes once his guests are afloat miles from their wardrobes;).

 

We were also given all the menus on the last evening in Britannia.

[Sirwinston]

Sorry to hear the 4 day was not up to snuff. My 3 day in 06 went well, just long lines in the shops. Of coarse perhaps I was too busy drinking my wine and enjoying the dining room to notice slow service. But the check in for the 3 day west coast break was an utter train wreck.

But the dress code mix up did happen on my 11 day Hawaii. That sort of made me mad in that I bought semi formal stuff that I did not wear and wore my tux more than I had planned. HOW is it that the shore and the ship do not have the same bulletin? :mad: Does the purser have a wheel he spins the day before to determine the dress code for the next day?

Does the shore office just make things up?

All for now, Tom in Long Beach

[lannp]

I guess I'd better throw in another semi-formal outfit just in case. I have 4 in a 22-day stretch and thought 2 outfits would suffice but if they mess around with ours I'll be like Mary and dressing down some nights.

[imacruizer]

But the dress code mix up did happen on my 11 day Hawaii. That sort of made me mad in that I bought semi formal stuff that I did not wear and wore my tux more than I had planned. HOW is it that the shore and the ship do not have the same bulletin? :mad: Does the purser have a wheel he spins the day before to determine the dress code for the next day?

Does the shore office just make things up?

All for now, Tom in Long Beach

 

Tom, I agree with you completely. It is totally unacceptable to make that many nightly dress code changes from what the passengers are told in their precruise documents. It can't be that difficult!!! Cunard are you reading these threads???? If so, get your act together on this issue. It should be very easy and will make your passengers very happy.

 

Beth

[carlmm]

The best consequence has really been drawn by the original poster

 

Lesson learned? Overpacking isn't a bad thing!! I will definitely have a better selection of evening attire next trip.

 

So many things can happen, port changes, dress code changes, weather totally different (I just returned from a supposingly warm weather cruise with days at the pool etc. but it was cold and raining all the time) - just be prepared, I would never pack exactly for any planned schedule but allow for some variations.

 

On the Queens it would not be wrong to pack for mostly informal and formal nights from the very beginning anyway; in these surroundings nobody looks out of place nicely dressed even on a casual night.