cunard/princess

[hampshire]

We will be cruising for the first time on Princess in January (Crown). We usually sail on the QM2 but due to her limited cruises this year decided to give Princess a try. We were told by several passengers on QM2 that Princess is more up scale??? Would anyone care to comment. Also we are runners - is there a track we can use early in the morning without bothering passengers. We would appreciate any tips. Thankyou.

[GloriaF]

I cannot compare QM2 with Princess, but can say Princess has a sophisticated, more upscale product for the mid-price range cruise lines. Please let us know your impressions when you return from your cruise.

 

There is a jogging/walking track on the uppermost deck - a lane for each. Also many people use the Promenade deck for running and walking in early morning. My husband wakes very early and often takes the stairs down to deck 4 and back to the top as a warm-up. Princess also offers a gym situated on one of the upper decks with a view out to sea.

[Griller]

We will be cruising for the first time on Princess in January (Crown). We usually sail on the QM2 but due to her limited cruises this year decided to give Princess a try. We were told by several passengers on QM2 that Princess is more up scale??? Would anyone care to comment. Also we are runners - is there a track we can use early in the morning without bothering passengers. We would appreciate any tips. Thankyou.

 

It will be interesting to find out the Cunard/Princess experience.

 

We used to cruise Princess a lot, then we didn't find interesting itineraries anymore as we had done most of the Princess ones at the time so we switched to Cunard and QE2.

 

Now QE2 is gone we will be taking a long transatlantic on Grand Princess in a couple of weeks.

 

One difference we know we will find is that here will be many more US passengers on Princess than were on QE2 in the last few years.

 

We already know that Cunard rely on Princess for their stores so maybe the food won't be so different.

 

We used to get great deals on QE2 in nice suites so the cost isn't so different between the two lines.

 

We have never tried QM2 but I have been told its not as formal and British as QE2 was.More fun/less fun, more polite/ruder ?? Depends on your viewpoint and the particular cruise I should think. Maybe QM2 is more like Princess than QE2 was.

 

As far as running is concerned I could never imagine going on a cruise to run but there are probably facilities on most big ships these days for that, just don't do it too early or late in the day if the track is above my stateroom or you won't be running anywhere for a while, (LOL)

[yorky]

The first and biggest difference is that the QM2 is far more formal than Princess. At dinner on a Princess ship you will see some people go as far as wearing shorts and a tea shirt and many on a formal night wearing a short sleeved shirt, something we never saw on QM2. Dress code is not enforced the same way. Food wise I think the food in the main princess dining rooms is every bit as good as Britannia on the QM2 although room service food on QM2 is better along with food in the golden lion pub and if you used it Todd English.

 

On the whole as with cruising in general now entertainment, food, is based toward American cruisers rather than Europeans as it is on a Cunard ship, you won't be offered high tea and the tv channels will again cater for Americans. If you don't mind American style cruising you should enjoy Princess as we do.

[fiona page]

We are sailing with princess next April for the first time. We have previously sailed QE2 and QM2.

 

We prefered QM to QE2 altgough as with all cruise lines the cut backs are evident. We tried Celebrity in the summer and we were nervous about change from cunard, but it was good, the only thing we missed was the afternoon tea. We found in general the average age was 35-65 were as the QM2 was more 65+. Having talked to others we are hoping Princess will suit are needs. We are in the 45-55 age group, love to dress for dinner and found the difference with American lines is that you get a more modern array of fashion. Hope you enjoy princess.

[Griller]

We are sailing with princess next April for the first time. We have previously sailed QE2 and QM2.

 

We prefered QM to QE2 although as with all cruise lines the cut backs are evident. We tried Celebrity in the summer and we were nervous about change from cunard, but it was good, the only thing we missed was the afternoon tea. We found in general the average age was 35-65 were as the QM2 was more 65+. Having talked to others we are hoping Princess will suit are needs. We are in the 45-55 age group, love to dress for dinner and found the difference with American lines is that you get a more modern array of fashion. Hope you enjoy princess.

 

We are on a 22 day cruise and there are apparently 4 formal nights on Grand Princess during this time which doesn't seem as many as there would have been on QE2.

 

When we last cruised Princess we found it to be an older age group much the same as Cunard but we go for longer cruises and repositioning so you tend to get an older group on here and few families or college students. I am sure if you pick holiday dates and short cruises the mob gets younger on Princess, and maybe even on QM2 in the Caribbean now their prices have tumbled.

[caber]

We have not been on Cunard but I would not think that Princess would be more upscale.

The class system has always put us off Cunard. On Princess the restuarants are not allocated according to your cabin grade.

We have cruised P&O and Princess and like both.

[hampshire]

Thank you for all your help. QM2 is the most formal ship we have sailed - in Europe and the Caribbean. We are in our 60s - dressing up is fine with us - I hope not to many passengers wear shorts on formal nights though as someone mentioned in a previous post. We grew up in the UK and have lived in the US for 42 years. My husband will miss the pub lunches that are served on the QM2. Does the Crown have anything that compares. I did read that the new Ruby Princess will be serving British style food - fish and chips - cottage pie etc.

[caribill]

We tried Celebrity in the summer and we were nervous about change from cunard, but it was good, the only thing we missed was the afternoon tea.

 

That's something you will not miss on Princess.

[caribill]

Also we are runners - is there a track we can use early in the morning without bothering passengers.

 

Running track is on deck 19. Not long (1/16 of a mile), see pictures below.

[DanJ]

My husband will miss the pub lunches that are served on the QM2. Does the Crown have anything that compares. I did read that the new Ruby Princess will be serving British style food - fish and chips - cottage pie etc.

 

They are supposed to roll those new features out across the fleet, but I have no idea of the time frame for it.

 

I think the poster above who mentioned shorts in the dining room was referring to a non-formal night. Then on the formal nights, some would only wear a shirt with no jacket. The only time I've seen shorts in the dining room was on the first night when some people hadn't got their luggage yet.

[RvrCrzr]

Dressing on Princess is not much different than RCI, or Carnival.

 

I understand Cunard cruises are a little more traditional in the dress. When you dress for formal night, you don't just go to dinner in formals and then dress down for the evening. People wear formals for the entire night. (which I always do on all lines) Cunard customers pride themselves in dressing up, and enjoy it. (this is based on what I'm being told...as I haven't yet cruised Cunard)

 

I'm cruising Emerald Princess for 10 days in Feb, and Queen Mary 2 for the Christmas/New Years in 2009 so I'll be a more informed reference then! :D

 

I only get dressed formal for weddings and funerals...so

I look forward to dressing up on cruises. It's just part of the fun and romance of traditional cruising to me.

[DrivesLikeMario]

You asked what the differences between Princess and Cunard are, so here are a few:

 

There will be more formal nights with Cunard (3 per 6 night Trans-Atlantic, for example). Princess has 2 formal nights in a 7 night cruise.

 

There will be informal nights with Cunard (in a 10 night Caribbean cruise, there would be 4) and this means men must wear a jacket and tie.

 

Princess does not have informal dress, only 'smart casual'.

 

With Cunard's QM2, you can get your e-mail on your in-cabin TV for a fee. With Princess, you cannot.

 

The casino is for anyone aged 18 yrs. & older on Cunard. With Princess, it's 21 yrs.

 

No jeans are allowed in the dining room with Cunard. They are with Princess.

 

QM2 has dog kennels and a planetarium.

 

QM2 has a library with over 8,000 books and two full-time librarians. QV has over 6,000 books in its library. Princess' library is okay, but certainly no where near those numbers of volumes. They do not employ librarians and the libraries have limited blocks of time that they're open for check-outs.

 

Cunard has Grand Balls with a schedule of which night they'll be on and what type they are, that is mailed out in your pre-cruise packet; Princess does not.

 

Cunard's dining is based on your cabin category. With Princess, it is not.

 

Cunard has the some of the largest & most varied suites at sea with butlers. Princess does not any more.

 

Cunard appeals to those looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, those who like nostalgia, history, and glamour. They have one of the widest enrichment class programs at sea. Princess has some interesting classes that are pretty good, although most of them have a fee attached.

 

The average age of a Cunard cruiser is 55-70 yrs. old during the school year and 45-55 during the summer. With Princess, it's a bit lower. Of course, the destination, month of cruise and the length of the cruise all affect the age demographics too.

 

Both cruise lines have future onboard booking programs. Princess' is a little more generous as far as deposits and OBCs.

 

Princess' past passenger program is more liberal than Cunard's. Princess' Captain's Circle program has better perks than just about any other cruise line at sea.

 

Princess no longer limits the number of children onboard. Cunard does.

 

Self-service laundry is free with Cunard (even the detergent soap and softener). With Princess, it is not. (It's not too costly though.)

 

Cunard's spa facilities are massive and they have the only Canyon Ranch Spa at sea (QM2). Princess' facilities are adequate, but not as elaborate.

 

Crew tips are higher with Cunard than Princess. ($13 pp, per day for Grills & $11 pp, per day for standard cabins).

[rrunner]

You asked what the differences between Princess and Cunard are, so here are a few:

 

There will be more formal nights with Cunard (3 per 6 night Trans-Atlantic, for example). Princess has 2 formal nights in a 7 night cruise.

 

There will be informal nights with Cunard (in a 10 night Caribbean cruise, there would be 4) and this means men must wear a jacket and tie.

 

Princess does not have informal dress, only 'smart casual'.

 

With Cunard's QM2, you can get your e-mail on your in-cabin TV for a fee. With Princess, you cannot.

 

The casino is for anyone aged 18 yrs. & older on Cunard. With Princess, it's 21 yrs.

 

No jeans are allowed in the dining room with Cunard. They are with Princess.

 

QM2 has dog kennels and a planetarium.

 

QM2 has a library with over 8,000 books and two full-time librarians. QV has over 6,000 books in its library. Princess' library is okay, but certainly no where near those numbers of volumes. They do not employ librarians and the libraries have limited blocks of time that they're open for check-outs.

 

Cunard has Grand Balls with a schedule of which night they'll be on and what type they are, that is mailed out in your pre-cruise packet; Princess does not.

 

Cunard's dining is based on your cabin category. With Princess, it is not.

 

Cunard has the some of the largest & most varied suites at sea with butlers. Princess does not any more.

 

Cunard appeals to those looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, those who like nostalgia, history, and glamour. They have one of the widest enrichment class programs at sea. Princess has some interesting classes that are pretty good, although most of them have a fee attached.

 

The average age of a Cunard cruiser is 55-70 yrs. old during the school year and 45-55 during the summer. With Princess, it's a bit lower. Of course, the destination, month of cruise and the length of the cruise all affect the age demographics too.

 

Both cruise lines have future onboard booking programs. Princess' is a little more generous as far as deposits and OBCs.

 

Princess' past passenger program is more liberal than Cunard's. Princess' Captain's Circle program has better perks than just about any other cruise line at sea.

 

Princess no longer limits the number of children onboard. Cunard does.

 

Self-service laundry is free with Cunard (even the detergent soap and softener). With Princess, it is not. (It's not too costly though.)

 

Cunard's spa facilities are massive and they have the only Canyon Ranch Spa at sea (QM2). Princess' facilities are adequate, but not as elaborate.

 

Crew tips are higher with Cunard than Princess. ($13 pp, per day for Grills & $11 pp, per day for standard cabins).

Thank you for the very detailed post - it gave us a hint of what to expect. We will find out for ourselves in a few weeks. We are hoping that we really enjoy Princess enough to return many times - we have heard lots of fave reviews. Cunard will always be special to us though. I will watch QE2 on the web cam tomorrow sail out of Southampton for the very last time.

[DrivesLikeMario]

You're welcome! ;) I wish I could've given the QE2 a try before now. Hope you enjoy Princess. :)