WantedOnVoyage

Pleased you were pleased.... The beer prices are cheaper than most "happy hours" in the U.S. Nothing beats a San Miguel in the Commodore Club sailing out of Stockholm through the archipelago. And unlike the Grills Lounge, the crisps are not stale shards. Me... I just like to see another Expos fan .. like QE2, they date from 1969!

A big thumbs down to any... of any sort, at any volume, canned "musak" on decks, in dining rooms... anywhere. I was delighted on QV in May to the Baltic, it was mercifully absent around the midships pool where it has been an annoyance on past cruises. Hurray!! I just hope it stays turned off. It was a major turn off on QM2 around the aft pool and I just pity those occupying those very expensive duplex QG suites aft who are forced to listen to that audio garbage on their "private" verandas. There are zillions of ways nowadays to listen to YOUR music. No one should be forced to listen to someone else's. The original Veranda on QM2 actually had a wonderful 1950s West End menu, all in French of course, that was quite distinctive. Alas, too much so for folks who cannot conceive of "fine dining" without "a steak knife" the size of a Lee-Enfield bayonet. The present Veranda actually thinks it's "de luxe" to choose your bayonet from a large canteen of them.

Sounds like the classic line from the Viet Nam war... "we had to destroy the village in order to save it..."

Frankly, rather than the pins, the pat on the head cocktail parties, even the discounts, I'd rather be appreciated as a regular Cunarder (going back to 1977) by valuing what makes me sail with them rather than feel the company is all about changing what I like to attract folks who haven't spent a penny with the company. Loyality seems to engender a degree of contempt with most companies now... they think you're just not hip enough and can't wait to thrust you into the brave new world of "silent disco" and dressing for dinner like it's the 19th hole. That neither rewards loyality nor inspires future patronage.

Actually most of it overlooks "the ashtray"... the outside smoking area!! But you nailed it, it's like the waiting room of a colonscopy clinic in atmosphere. The service is forced, phony and as they say in show business, the smaller the house, the greater the effort. I think there six other diners when we had dinner. Personally, I wish they would convert it into the Grill Lounge. But as you say, this space has been numbing the skulls of Cunard management for too long. Odd, as the veranda restaurants in QE and QV are quite pleasant and busier for it, too. We'd the de luxe afternoon tea, brunch and luncheon in them on various cruises and all have been very satisfying.

Got it, too. It's North American market only or at least asks for "state" or "province". I was interested in one of the "what I want out of a cruise" being something like "eat in the same restaurant and dress formally in an elegant group experience".... the day when that's a "negotiable" or an "option,"... forget it!! Well at least it received one "Strongly Agree". Odd it never had a "Have a functional website for World Club members" option, though!! I guess they've given up the entire idea...

"Katie McAlister, President of Cunard...." Who's she??? So the Aussie bloke lasted about eight months?? Art might last forever (although in this case one might wish not), but Cunard "presidents" have the careers of whole milk in August.

When we were last aboard QM2 in January 2022 for 26 days, it was so deserted you could have had the whole place to yourself. We tried it once for dinner... not impressed on any level. But, the Verandah about QV this May for luncheon was superb. We were travelling PG, too, and found it really exemplary. But can't imagine you cannot get a table to yourself. Group table.. I would suspect not.

Well, we were on our honeymoon this very week 30 years ago.... aboard RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2, Southampton to New York back when... it was a proper five day crossing. Britannia Grill. Dennis Dawson as deck steward. And one of those enormous First Class staterooms with the trunk room and two portholes. I don't we've aged as much as steamship travel has in those three decades since.... well I wouldn't admit it anyway.

Well sigh.... looks like it's going to be Fred. Olsen for us for the second cruise for 2025... they have some wonderful itineraries I must say but it's going to be a bit of shock not "going Grill". I have not been on Fred. Olsen since the enchanting BLACK PRINCE so maybe time for a change and see what they have to offer. I was amused, too... their dress code is no different than the "new" Cunard and... no "theme" nights!! Hurray! Thanks SO much for posting these btw... a lot of work that's most appreciated.

One way to kill off Roaring Twenties night is to be entirely authentic and prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol for the evening. BTW, as we all should know, "tuxedo" is derived from Tuxedo Park, Orange County, NY, were the short evening jacket for gentlemen was first introduced in the US by a local socialite who himself was made aware of it by HRH Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. So in the US, it has always been referred to as a... tuxedo.

Odd that a "British" ship should be "celebrating" the so-called Roaring Twenties anyway... they weren't so in Britain. Maybe everyone can dress up as a General Striker or unemployed serviceman or shipyard worker. Time to put these "themed" evenings to bed. If you haven't the courage to just call them Formal Nights... Dress as grown up Ladies and Gentlemen aboard a Cunarder, please... then just go to "smart casual" and be done with it. I'd rather look at another sea of "khakis" and "polos" than inflatable guns and silly hats.

I guess we will be looking elsewere for our second cruise in 2025 (we are booked on QM2's long West Indies Cruise in January). We prefer QV and are not interested in "fly cruises" especially in or out of Barcelona and being hosed with their outrageous "GST" add on to all on board purchases. I am not sure if the Italians are in on this scam, though and it applies to sailings originating from there, too. We have zero interest in QUEEN ANNE on any level. Cunard doesn't have much confidence in her either if they resort to making her "the" Southampton ship to the exclusion of everything else. We might take another look at Fred. Olsen at this point.

Hard to believe it was almost 101 years ago that RMS LACONIA was the first Cunarder to transit the Panama Canal (29 November 1922) and then the largest ship yet to use the canal. Cunard paid a $13,237.50 toll.

Maybe it's time to revive....

Not in North America you cannot. There is NO interface with the Cunard loyalty programme. And has not been for five years.

What precisely is wrong with Cunard "loyalty" programme anyway? It's been five or more years since the website even existed or worked for this... it used to show all your past voyages, days aboard etc.and one could get nostalgic seeing QUEEN ELIZABETH 2, CARONIA etc. But Cunard has "IT issues" with this and other former functioning parts of their website that have outlasted three Prime Ministers and counting.

Or at least be honest. And respectful and fly the correct Red Ensign for Bermuda. A ship registered in Bermuda should NOT be flying a non defaced or plain Red Ensign. But this

Curious on most ships today where the staff are better dressed than most of the passengers. "Khakis" and "polo shirt" was what deck stewards wore on Oceania.... when we found 80 percent of the passengers were wearing the same at dinner (and more than a few with ball cap to boot), we stopped sailing with them after many trips. Khaki and polo shirt is fine if you're playing golf. But wearing in the evening to a fine restaurant or bar... you disrespect the venue if nothing else.

Exactly... so the people who want to live in khakis/polos, want 24 extra cost dining venues and a giant tv on the lido deck... go on the 95% of ships that already offer that and leave Cunard as it is alone!

Why??? Look at what Carnival have done to all of their once distinctive brands like Holland America, P&O, Princess in the last decade.... they have been dumbed down, larger robbed of their distinctiveness and are just a web site "click on the deal" homogenised non entity. And with QUEEN ANNE being the thin edge of the wedge, they are embarking on the same policy with Cunard. It will become just another khakis/polo shirt at dinner ("formal" nights only of course), 24 "speciality restaurants" for a fee, Jumbotron on the open deck everyman cruise company.

Really? This from a line that made their reputation on the classic FIVE-DAY Atlantic crossing??? If they cannot, for whatever the reason, offer a premium product for 2,3 or 5 days, then don't. I think the classic "costs more per diem on shorter cruises" maxum holds true so there is simply no excuse here. QV in the Grills is, by my own personal and very recent experience, an exemplary product... all the more reason not to discount when it is not for anyone else and for their own good reasons. Cunard doesn't need anyone to make excuses for them, either. Basil Fawlty as Queen's Grill Maitre d' is a great episode concept ("a barrel of beans garnished with two dead dogs") but for a real cruise holiday... no thanks.

My goodness, what a defensive bunch.... talking someone out of their honest first hand experience is a fool's errand. Short cruise, long cruise, first timer or repeater.... a bad experience and with pretty specific examples of what made it so, especially in QG. Enough said. I cannot imagine a maitre d' in any Cunard restaurant utter '...are you taking the mickey out of me !' to a simple passenger request. But why would the poster make it up. If I worked in Cunard management, the individual would be working the late night snack in the Lido for the next six months if he said that. And yes... how many times can you think "Not the cruise or ship I was on" but that's precisely what makes customer service such a minefield. But it doesn't mean the person was delusional or imagining shortcomings you did not see or encounter even if sitting at adjacent tables. As for citing QUEEN ANNE as a possible cause for staff shortages and lack of experience with some crew... well, then don't build another ship if you cannot staff what you've got!

"Cunard top management".... well that's the first in quite awhile I even knew Cunard had any management at the top or middle. It's been a progression of non entities for so long and possibly due to decisions like this (do they really have a weekly "How can we annoy our regular customers" meeting?) anonymity seems a wise course of action. Last I heard, an Australian somebody was "in charge" of Cunard and I guarantee you he never set foot on a Cunarder until he was appointed... and quite possibly has yet to. Carnival hired a Coca Cola HR person to "run" Holland America who... wait for it.... had never taken a cruise in his life. Cunard ships are normally very well managed... aboard ship. It's like any competent employee cannot wait to get away from 100 Harbour Parade or possibly blossoms once they get aboard the real ships and with real customers.

It's a crap shoot.... my first westbound crossing, Cannes to New York, aboard Italian Line's peerless T/n RAFFAELLO, in September 1974, we hit the tailend of a hurricane the last day at sea. It was thrilling to be on deck (barely!) and see her plough through the Force 10 seas and throw spray over the superstructure. Even the Italians had to slow down... just a wee bit. And we still arrived at New York on time. But other crossings in September have been pretty tranquil and often less foggy than July-August. And a lot warmer than April ones. My advice: forget the weather what ifs, pack a nice thick sweater and a waterproof for every crossing and revel in the wonders and vageries of The Great Western Ocean. There's nothing like it.