King Amo

Selbourne, you're absolutely spot on about how lucky they are to have such a loyal customer base. 

There are certain things that don't surprise me in what he said about the accessibility changes. Automating the patio doors won't be simple and won't be quick to do, so I doubt there will be any change before the first session in dry dock. However, there is much more within their control. Additional grab rails may not be there by the end of your particular cruise, as I imagine they would need to look very carefully into the bathroom pod construction before drilling in willy nilly, particularly given it needs to take some very serious weight. I can't believe it will be insurmountable, however, so with a bit of work either at the manufacturer, or by investigating within a crew bathroom, it should be a matter of weeks rather than months to solve. The signage or management of the theatre seating area is solvable immediately though, so I would expect to see a visible difference tonight, be it through some manner of temporary signage, or a member of staff being asked to oversee the area. It would be such a quick win to make a legitimately unhappy guest feel like they have been heard (or if you were cynical, to paint this manager as wonderful and prevent a more serious complaint). 

Interesting review. I really appreciate how matter of fact it is, thanks Towanda.

Disappointed to see the comment on the outdated and unacceptable schtick from one of the entertainers. 20 years ago on the QE2 I was compelled to write and complain about something very similar from Duggie Brown. Absolutely ghastly stuff, particularly given the demographic of the staff who were doing such a wonderful job looking after our every whim, and made much worse by how it was lapped up by the aged audience. That it is still happening is just not acceptable. 

I always use the buffet for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is just easy and quick to be able to grab what you want, when you want and then get on with your day. I also never want a full meal at lunchtime, so being able to grab a salad or something light is much easier there than being tempted into a three course affair in the main dining room, plus it enables my son to have what he really fancies and feels comfortable with, when in the evening he'll be having to challenge himself a bit.

Looking at the menus that people have very kindly published on here, it looks as though Cunard has remained a cut above the likes of P&O and RCI, which I've most recently sailed on. That being said, I tend to know what to look for in order to reduce the risk of something being disappointing. Sometimes it may be a preparation that doesn't suit itself to the banqueting style of service, others it may be a particular ingredient that 'holds' well, but lacks taste. Plus you tend to get in synch to spot which desserts are what my wife and I refer to as 'miscellaneous cruise ship deserts' (i.e. those which may look attractive and different, but all taste the same. Generally some form of cake/torte with way too much gelatine added). Always, always try and avoid those. 

While menus will certainly follow a pattern, availability of ingredients, status of equipment, staffing levels etc. will make it likely that they aren't finalised until the day itself, so anything published already would be somewhat worthless. 

Generally speaking the gala evenings involve a greater level of 'pushing the boat out' with the menus, so these would be where you would find the likes of beef wellington, rack of lamb etc. This would make it a good night to be in Britannia, but on the flipside, many people like to use the alternatives when all dressed up and it feels more of an occasion. Horses for courses really. 

With regard to your second question, the answer is yes. I'm on a similar itinerary this summer, albeit a round trip from Civitavecchia, and a few months ago a particular new deal made it worth my while cancelling my previous booking (and losing the deposit) and rebooking under the new terms. Madness really. 

I would imagine it is for the staff to get acquainted and drilled with the new location, plus possibly the installation of certain specialist equipment etc. Everything will need to be absolutely spot on come June 2nd, given how both Cunard has trumpeted it, and the restaurant and Roux's reputations for perfection, and with no let up in the schedule, it's too much of a risk to try and just flip a switch. A 3 night cruise beforehand sounds like the ideal opportunity to rehearse and iron out any issues. 

Part of that is likely as there are now some excellent non-alcoholic spirits, which simply weren't available, even a few years ago. Non-alcoholic cocktails used to essentially be fruit-based drinks with an umbrella stuck in, but now with the likes of Seedlip, Lyres, and latterly the big spirit companies providing genuine alternatives, there is so much more potential. The downside is that the processes involved in producing these 'spirits' is similar to conventional drinks, and without the economies of scale, they come at a premium. The upsides, though, are massive. 

Cutbacks are to be expected, given that cruises have been priced at around about the same level for at least 20 years. Main thing is for them to be in the places which make the least impact to the majority of guests. 

43 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Barcelona is a matter of opinion. There are few ports I dislike more.

Wow, that really surprises me. I guess that's what makes cruising so great, having a bit of a pick and mix to suit everyone. If I was ever to get stuck somewhere, I'd love it to be Barcelona or Lisbon🙂

This is an older one, as QV, but yes they are risks. The positive side is that there aren't many better ports to be holed up in than Barcelona, even if you've already had a few days there. Would also give the opportunity to head out of the city and explore a bit, without any hard deadlines for return. 

Presumably passengers are able to stay on board as an extended port of call, rather than Cunard seeking hotels? 

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Also UK based. Our agent is the go between  us and Cunard. He takes payment details but like IMniles, the payment goes directly to Cunard and not our agent. 

Strange. The transactions on my statement is definitely the travel agent, both for the deposit and balance. The deposit was made over the phone when booking, and the balance paid via the TA's portal. 

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

Agree MaggieLou. The psychological element is important, and as I commented on another thread weighing this up as a solo cruiser, if I was going solo I would definitely pay up front so that I didn't have to question if I needed a drink, and as a means for something to do, scoping activities without commitment etc. 

I've decided for the family cruise we're on in the summer, I'm going to pay myself the drinks package for the three of us and try and treat the cruise as if it were all inclusive. If there is money left over at the end, which I'm sure there will be, that will be a bonus, but I'm going to do all I can to think of it as spent money. 

Thanks Pushpit. Doesn't surprise me, as the machines are not really Cunard's style, but it works well on RCI as it keeps the bar service running much more efficiently as staff don't need to worry about dispensing endless soft drinks. 

Out of interest, do they have self-service soda stations for those on the drinks package like on Royal Caribbean, or do you have to queue at the bar each time? Likewise do they provide the refillable cup?

Apologies for an attempt at friendly lightheartedness that clearly failed to land. 

You've been on a day and already hit the laundry? Come on Victoria, have a drink instead! 

There are some upcharge 'Michel Roux' items on QA

You would think with the hundreds of balcony cabins, someone who isn't on their honeymoon would be willing to do a deal on downgrading, given a significant enough level of encouragement. I'd definitely be willing to do a deal if I was on the ship, as the cabin is just somewhere to sleep to me.

This seems very strange, not least given they always sell 'guaranteed' grades without allocations, who you would think would be first in line for a let down. I've not heard of them (or anyone in this kind of industry) picking on an individual and giving them an ultimatum before, but I guess they are trying to avoid even more of a disappointment and scene on Monday after guests have flown out to Rome and are starting to panic. 

There is a website called Cruisedeckplans dot com (not sure if allowed to actually link - apologies if I've inadvertently broken rules here), which links to loads of photos or Youtube videos of certain rooms on each deck, so you can get a fair idea from there. From what I can see, while the lifeboat views below are significant, it will unlikely be significantly different to deck 10. 

Interesting, thanks Rakkor. I'd actually be choosing the asparagus main there too

It seems somewhat obvious to state that vegetarian food is not just for vegetarians, but the wording of some of the posts above seem to suggest that these could never be an option for a meat eater. 

Yes, it generally is cheaper to produce than meat or fish dishes (although not always), but the change will also be driven by Cunard's (and Carnival's) sustainability targets.

I think it's a good thing, as vegetarian options on cruise ships have been historically poor and very samey. 

Obviously a very personal thing, but if I was cruising solo I'd probably pay for the package, as parking yourself at a bar for a drink or a coffee, without consciously or subconsciously putting a value on whether you need the drink is a great way to watch the world go by, give opportunities to chat to other guests or staff and generally enjoy the time on board. You can just drift where the mood takes you.

Edit - thinking about it more, I definitely would. It would also allow you to scope out any activities you may be interested in without the full on commitment of diving straight in to something, as there is normally an outlet of some kind nearby the various venues used for the activities. 

I had an Indian sauvignon blanc at Gordon's a few years ago and it was fantastic. Well worth exploring new origins in my view. 

Yep, the chefs' parade and baked alaska obsession are certainly 'traditions' I'd happily lose.