buchanan101

6 hours ago, safarigal said:

We did a bridge tour so I got to find out what is in that mysterious white area. It is crew cabins - so hopefully they will not be too noisy above you 🙂

Oh bridge tours sound interesting. Sign me up! 

13 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

Can someone explain something for me please. We are on Britannia open dining so we eat on deck 3 and arrive when we like. However we tend to book an early slot as we like to go to the first show. 
We enjoy moving around, meeting new neighbours and experiencing different servers. 
We have noticed that there are quite a few people who have set tables they go to every night on deck 3. They bypass the front desk and seat themselves. How is this possible with open dining?  Is it an overflow of fixed dining guests from deck 2?

I guess it could be because more people opted for fixed than the capacity of the lower deck? 

2 hours ago, napria said:

The cruise I booked on QM2 for August 2026 is supposed to go through the Norwegian fjords as well, but I read some articles that Norway is prohibiting ships that aren’t powered by electricity from UNESCO fjords starting next year.  Thoughts?  I asked my TA and she said that it’s too far out to know what will happen in 2026.

UNESCO world heritage fjords may have ban from 2026. It was going to be 2025 and whereas supposedly it was electric only cruise ships (there are none) I read something about source of fuel used or offsets. I can imagine a big push back from affected economies (eg Flam). 
 

Your TA should at least know there is a possible issue and should know what the current status is. Poor show. 

42 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

I picked a cabin on Q2 that was landscape but when I arrived it was standard portrait layout  so not 100% sure that the plans are accurate and this would work to find them, 

Q2 is Queens Grill - and large. Not going to be landscape or portrait. 
 

If you mean an inside it could be one on a corner and door position not clear? 
 

the landscape insides seem to be a bit bigger, or better laid out. One of the other Vlogger couples had one. 

8 hours ago, canoncruiser said:

I have a large glossy Cunard publicity book from the earliest days of QE2 which is full of ‘bright young things’ of the late 1960s, bell bottoms, long hair, mini skirts-the works; and the reaction to the new ship’s decor was shock and negative awe. I first sailed on QE2 in 1973 and the purple, orange, chrome strips and wine leather and blue and green reversed leather, plastic pillars-they were radical departures from all at Cunard that had gone before. 

I had a bon voyage party in the soon to disappear Observation Lounge and the stewards were veterans of the older Queens. Their reviews were very mixed. Also remember the slogan “Ships have been boring long enough"

Cunard was then and again now is reaching for a younger demographic with Queen Anne. Over the coming years she may undergo interior changes just like QE2.

I’ll be aboard in July-we’ll see. 

 

 

I expect interior changes will only happen if she’s not popular. Looks good to me. But maybe at 63 I’m the younger demographic 😉

5 minutes ago, Froxfield said:

I am afraid I got a bit tired of the constant reminders that they were Diamond CWC members!!

I thought that their Vlogging income could get them more than an inside though they have the better “landscape” layout. 

2 hours ago, Surprise50th said:

Thank you everybody for your help, we have booked the cruise on the Queen Anne and I added the drinks package as we would have a drink before dinner, couple of glasses of wine with dinner and maybe 3 drinks after dinner plus taking into account the sea days it would be more and also it means everything is paid for before we go apart from excursions. 

Excursions- there are 3rd party companies that offer excursions a fair bit cheaper than Cunard. Or things like Flam railway book direct. However the coach trip to glacier at Olden is cheaper through Cunard than the one other one I could find not sold out… Don’t know your itinerary but we are doing Bergen and the Cunard prices for cable car and funicular are ridiculously expensive. I think (?) you can walk to funicular from ship… and advance booking when it might be low cloud is a little risky anyway. Worth googling excursions …

1 minute ago, Pushpit said:

It's pretty leisurely when she does get going. Each sector is 200 to 300 statute miles long, it's probably around half the total distance of the original. It's basically swapping Corsica and Sicily for a gentle plod around Sardinia.

And of course the repairs could overrun…

A 7 day “cruise” and half of it in Barcelona? I’d want my money back plus a huge chunk of FCC. Hardly worth going! 

20 minutes ago, MylesS said:

Somewhat related I suppose, but when talking to the Environmental Officer on Queen Anne during one of the World Club parties, he mentioned Queen Anne will be the last Pinnacle class ship Carnival will build.

Presumably they have a new design. Not a roaring success then as a design. 

Cruise Critic now have an official “Expert Review” but nothing really we didn’t know. Except apparently it’s not based on. Pinnacle Class after all but is yet another Vista.. 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/cruise/cunard/queen-anne?source=58226&lid=3ek7qq2hqdyg&crm_source=58226&crm_pos=uk&crm_cid=b0931bf3-ecea-4f36-bfb6-2aea0ec42f54&crm_rid=4dO1eIgBVQ1LqmSHOdAR&crm_cname=UK Ship Trigger Final

1 hour ago, Mudhen said:

In the past we've always asked for a small dinner roll or better yet, a baguette for our cheese.

After all, it's just a vehicle to hold the cheese..hahaha! I don't really like their crackers (bisquits?).

I just eat the cheese...no need for crackers

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

No, not at all. The noise, the traffic, the tedious shuttle ride, the tedious berthing place, the Gaudi architecture, etc, etc. But I do accept that it is probably a very efficient embarkation port.

If I wanted to spend 4 nights in Barcelona I'd want to do it in a city hotel, not on a cruise ship. Offering just $100OBC is an insult.

But Barcelona isn't really high up on my list of places I want to go, so I'd only want to spend one night on a cruise there - so having to spend 4 nights on a ship there would be unacceptable. Are they offering refunds?

All hypothetical of course as I'm not on this cruise - but I'd be very disappointed...

Many cruise itineraries really don't interest us - if we want to go somewhere we'd want to spend a few nights - one of the Holland America pinnacles arrived in Lisbon whilst we were there for a short break - it was there 6 hours. What is the point of that, especially for such a great city? Most med cruises are probably out for us - go to Rome for 6 or 8 hours... why?

We have booked a New England cruise where there's an overnight in Boston so a bit better, and allowing extended holidays both ends in NYC and Quebec.  And we are off to fjords in 4 weeks - we wouldn't want to spend a few days in Flam, so a cruise is perfect for that

57 minutes ago, Wagtail adventures said:

Yes I noticed my QG transatlantic on QM2 was very similar in price to 2 years ago

Yes and the cruise I've booked for 2026 is about the same price as crossing in 2022 (booked in 2021)... meanwhile in that time there's been perhaps 20% inflation overall

This is a great review - and they are Diamond members. He has a great voice.. 

11 hours ago, bananavan said:

So many Vloggers are in love with the Queen Anne but they also give away the fact that they have never been on a Cunard ship before. I am certain that she is lovely .
I believe that QA is best suited to 7-14 day voyages. 

I've only seen a couple of VLOGS by people who have never been on Cunard. Most have been by regulars, and most have been very complimentary

1 hour ago, BigMac1953 said:

We've done over a dozen crossings. Mostly the ship was either full or almost full.

 

Never at any time has it felt crowded. Indeed, most of the time you'd think there were only a couple of hundred pax aboard.

The only time we saw anything crowded on our crossing was the Carinthia lounge on a bad weather day and that merely looked a bit busy. 

Turned my 8 in to 😎...

For and aft on 4,5,6 are ocean view - just a non opening porthole. Sheltered balconies are more midships.  Seem a pretty good compromise to me on a winter crossing (having said that we went QG in October 22 but made sure it was south facing - and was very pleasant - a sun trap whilst the other side was cold). In summer I'd probably do the opposite

All well laid out on the Cunard deckplans https://www.cunard.com/content/dam/cunard/inventory-assets/ships/QM/9/QM2_accessible_deckplan_Feb2022a.pdf

11 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

So what is the difference between a Britania Balcony and a Britania Balcony Sheltered?  Considering the latter is $1,000 less than the former is the Cunard-speak for partially obstructed?

Sheltered is in the hull (decks 4,5,6)  So you have a window like opening in the hull on the balcony and below the opening is metal. These are lower down (obviously) so you can look directly down to the water, and on a bad weather crossing you get more protection. Some people swear by them - enough open air, but sheltered more..

Balconies are in the superstructure so have a more open balcony and it's glass fronted.

Partially obstructed are balconies (so glass fronted) but with lifeboats in front (deck 😎

20 hours ago, King Amo said:

I'm from the UK, so it may be different, but certainly paid my TA, not Cunard.

Agree - in UK I pay TA (who don't even take Amex). I can't get ,my Amex points or Avios that way, but a 5% discount is worth more. I can't see how legally they could use my card details to pay Cunard direct

32 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

Unfortunately, even on a Westbound with 25 hours in a day, there's still not enough time to participate in all the activities/lectures/concerts/shows/classes etc. etc.

The 25 hours also allows more food to be consumed... trying to fit 3 or 4 meals in to a 23 hours day must be tricky

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

One thing, though: if they are aiming at a younger demographic (is that the term?), it is not the case on this cruise that probably has more elderly and decrepit passengers than any I have ever been on. It makes me feel quite young again. 😀

Don't know - maybe one would think they are after a younger demographic, but do you *have* to be younger to appreciate a more modern design? Design is design...

14 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

We have talked about doing a Cunard (C) cruise but I have hesitation.  First I have severe social anxiety to the point I signed up for a support group and never attended because of it.  If you don't suffer from it it can be debilitating, if you do, you will understand.

DH and I are very blue collar, but we strive very much when in public not to put on airs, but to follow the rules of etiquette to a T.

One thing I am concerned about, besides not having fancy enough clothes, is the restaurant situation.  While we would live to be in a Queen's Grill Suite, we could only barely afford Britania.  Does this mean Britania is one step above the buffet, which photos look like is nothing to sneeze at either.

What about the public spaces and lounges?  If they do the dining rooms this way do they do the same with the rest of the ship.  I picture Titanic less the icebergs and sinking.

I have friends in Houston that rave over C, but because of what I pointed out I am hesitant.

The QM2 outside the restaurants has virtually no distinction by cabin class. Grills get a rather ordinary lounge and a small dark (interior) concierge room and a smallish deck area - and priority embarkation and disembarkation. Everything else is open to everyone and you cannot tell who is travelling in what cabin.

Clothes - don't have to be fancy, just smart enough - there are endless arguments on here about what the dress code actually says, but on board no one really cares that much - sounds like you won't be trying to dine in jeans anyway, so you'd be fine. You may think QM2 is a modern day class ridden Titanic but in reality it is nothing like that

16 hours ago, Poole Boy said:

I was on the maiden, and yes there were some issues with slow service, these were acknowledged and quickly addressed. QA is the first new ship in almost 15 years so she is not going to be anything like the others is the same way QM2 was nothing like QE2.

 

My impression was on the whole positive, so much so I booked 3 segments of the WC next year.  Many of the negative reviews have been based on Service, and subjective comments on Food Quality and portion size, for me the food quality was good and the portion size adequate ( you can always get more if you want more). QA is not trying to copy the other 3 queens and should not be criticised for that. For me the essence of a Cunard cruise is still there, yes some aspects of QA are new and some are familiar. All I would say is give her a chance, if you have a cruise booked, take it, go with an open mind, you may be plesantley surprised.

 

 

I'm very happy that portion sizes aren't that big. with 3 (or 4 meals, including tea) I want tasty food in smallish amounts.  As you say, you can always get more.

QA not copying the other Queens is a good thing for the company as it has added 45% more berths so needs to expand who it appeals to, though I hope that both QA and QM2 appeal to me.

Was a little tiresome to see comments on here complaining that it wasn't like other Queens, especially by one person who was criticising things.... then saying that they only ever go on QM2 on crossings. Why come here and comment in the first place...?

Just now, Selbourne said:

I’ve never been one of those who laps up positive reviews whilst discounting negative ones, but that’s hardly the most robust review! Give me a good balanced review any day.

Waiting for yours 😉