Decision Time

I am now thinking about the World Cruise in 2019, Queen Mary or the Queen Victoria? What a shame there is no Queen Elizabeth but variety is the spice or should that be the sauce of life?

The Queen Mary is an acquired taste and at the moment that taste may not have been acquired, but folks might be able to convince me. As we might recall. my wife and I started our cruising with a World Cruise and here we are again thinking about another, decisions decisions..

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For those of you that have sailed on the two smaller ships, what attracts you to one rather than maybe the other? I accept the rear ends are different, but would you stick with one or are we all happy to simply sail with Cunard?

I need to very quickly make up my mind as believe it or not, on the Queen Victoria there is just ONE cabin left of the type we want.

I have never sailed on the Queen Elizabeth, but have taken three long cruises on Queen Victoria, and a lot more on Queen Mary 2. Given a choice I will now only take Queen Mary2, She is big enough that you never seem to get a crowded feeling and her cabins are nicer and a bit more spacious compared to QV. The one thing I really like about QV however is the Royal Court Theatre.

I have only sailed on the Queen Mary. But I am told that, if you are booking a grills suite, the two smaller ships have nicer grills dining rooms and terraces than does the QM2. On the larger ship, the grills restaurants and lounge are on the same level as the promenade, so your dining entertainment includes watching lots of people stroll past the windows. This doesn't bother me, but I have read other posts where opinions differ. There is no grills courtyard on the QM2, like there are on the Elizabeth and the Victoria.

I can only speak to my limited experiences. I hope you get lots of more comprehensive responses in a short time frame.

Hi, John!

Glad to hear you are planning another world voyage!

Haven't been on either Mary or Victoria so I can't help you there but.... Does one of the itineraries appeal more than the other? Do you want to go around the world again or stick with mainly the Eastern Hemisphere?

Give my regards to Gloria!

Kathi

I have never sailed on the Queen Elizabeth, but have taken three long cruises on Queen Victoria, and a lot more on Queen Mary 2. Given a choice I will now only take Queen Mary2, She is big enough that you never seem to get a crowded feeling and her cabins are nicer and a bit more spacious compared to QV. The one thing I really like about QV however is the Royal Court Theatre.

Thank you for the reply and since writing my post I have watched some impressive video clips of the 'short' refit this ship has just had. I say 'short' purely because of the time she has been out of service but during this short peroid she has had some very impressive improvements.

If we were taking a shorter cruise (magic play on words which Kathi might spot), then maybe I would consider a more expensive cabin. I take onboard what both your good self, and giddy pea person has said and whilst the cabins might be bigger on the Queen Mary (I have no idea if this is the case). I am far, far more interested in balcony size.

I am disabled and the two smaller ships offer some very sympathetic cabins which put most other ships, companies to shame. These adapted cabins are only just and I say this with a straight face, they are just slightly more common than hen's teeth. We are still in the month of September 2017 and yet there is only one cabin left on the Queen Victoria which I\we would want.

I am studying the itineraries but there is not that much to choose between the two ships but so far, the amazing balcony on the smaller vessel is trumping all else.

Hi, John!

 

Glad to hear you are planning another world voyage!

 

Haven't been on either Mary or Victoria so I can't help you there but.... Does one of the itineraries appeal more than the other? Do you want to go around the world again or stick with mainly the Eastern Hemisphere?

 

Give my regards to Gloria!

 

Kathi

What a very pleasant surprise to hear from you, I was going to see if I could find our previous roll call and see who is still above terra firma :)

Wise words as usual and as you know, I am extremely lucky to have an amazing wife, the itinerary of any cruise is down to her and she is happy to simply start sailing the high seas again.

Do you think your first cruise influences any future decisions you make when selecting a cruise?

As you know, our very first dip into the ocean, was without a shadow of a doubt the most amazing experience, the people we met were amazing, the experiences we had will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

We tried cruising with Princess, enough said and next month we are off to Mykonos... Sadly, even though we booked this holiday over 12 months ago, the hens teeth were nowhere to be found and we ended up with an adapted cabin on eight deck (the last one once more)

Back on topic.. If we cannot find a suitable adapted cabin on the Queen Mary, then I feel it will be the Queen Vic.

Hello John (and indeed Kathi) - happy memories indeed. Glad to see you are both still cruising. Remember the 'bouncing' across the Atlantic- how could we forget?

I am sure John that you will love either ship - as you know QE well , you would find QV similar although as you know she has been 'freshened 'up. We liked the Central pool area on the smaller ship but also love QM2 - she is bigger of course but still beautiful. I would have a good look at the appropriate cabins (and costs) and layouts and make your decision from what would suit you regarding these. Perhaps go for the biggest balcony for you and Gloria or the easiest flow from room to room - possibly QM 2 ?Whichever you choose - you will love it no doubt at all.

E mail if you have any specific questions.

We did around Australia & Japan this year on QE and loved it despite very rainy weather. We are planning to complete our round the world in 2020 (all being well.) because the itineries are no good for 2019.

Good luck in choosing.......

The deed is done..

On the QM2 I see there are just THREE Britannia class adapted balcony cabins and guess what? They are right at the stern of this very large/long ship. Great if I want to stay at the back of that beast, but wheeling my chair over thick carpeting is not easy. Wheeling it the length of that ship a couple of times a day with my spinal injury will be a challenge I would soon get tired of.

THREE cabins speaks volumes regarding who they want and do not want on that vessel and I guess I will stick to the two smaller ships that offer FAR, far more adapted Britannia Balcony cabins and far superior balconies.

Looks like these smaller ships have THIRTEEN Britannia balcony cabins. Nuff said on that subject and I fear some love affairs just take longer to develop than others and for me and my better half, it is the Queen Victoria for our cruise.

I hope you have a wonderful time, I'm sure if you liked QE you will like QV. I love QM2 but she is big.

Well done John & Gloria .....good decision. Keep in touch.

Marge & David