Classiccruiser777

“Shipboard credit is applicable towards onboard products and shore excursions. This includes shore excursions, private vans or cars during the cruise, La Reserve, Beverage Packages and Privée. Shipboard Credit cannot be used towards spa reservations made directly with Aquamar Spa and Vitality Center. However, you may use your remaining shipboard credit towards a spa reservation when you arrive on board.” https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009638813-What-products-can-be-reserved-using-shipboard-credit

Has the self-service laundry on deck 7 been removed?

At the risk of hearing all the criticisms and defensiveness about O, Cunard. We don't drink, don't take shore excursions and our last two O cruises were disappointing. There were several cabin issues and the food has definitely declined. "Simply more" is simply more expensive and with the recent decline the value proposition is no longer there for us.

Oceania has declined while becoming more expensive to the point that we’re not considering them for the foreseeable future.

Or have the entire service charge removed.

At tea, yes, but very limited. Usually scones and one other item. I’ve never seen GF offered at Baristas.

Hamburg has an outstanding maritime museum, the Internationales Maritimes Museum, walking distance from where QM2 will dock.

Beware, the fashion police are lurking!

Free = the cost is built into the cruise fare. Management wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t profitable.

Then why would management ask if changes weren’t being considered?

That would probably be the nail in the coffin for us after 14 cruises.

While onboard QM2 I suggested that a portion of the upper dining room, based on demand, be utilized for fixed dining. I received a smile in reply.

With "Simply more" and decline in food quality O isn't a good fit for us anymore. That survey portends more cuts.

Correct. And fixed seating is on the lower level, open on the upper level.

Simply more changes to squeeze more money out of the “guest.”

Starlink had been installed prior to our cruise this past October and worked very well.

Rust (the exterior of the ship looks pitiful), better and more varied food (we got off QM2 yesterday, October 13 and the food was, at best, mediocre to bad), return the operation of the bookshop to Ocean Books, get rid of open seating in Britannia, bring back the live musicians when boarding and on formal nights in the dining room. Apparently the WiFi is now Starlink and, for the most part, worked very well.

Just off QM2 after 14 days. Glad that she is about to enter dry dock in Rotterdam for much needed work. The hull needs repainting as does the superstructure, rust is prevalent. According to a hotel officer I chatted with most of the work will be replacing old machinery and remedying the aforementioned rust. Based on experience while leaving Boston a couple of days ago she may have problems with her electrical system. The lights flickered many times while attempting to get underway and yesterday she was delayed in leaving NY for Southampton. The reason given was that shore power dropped which disrupted QM2's IT systems. She didn't get underway to Southampton until this morning, Most of the interior appeared in good shape, just a few spots or carpeting needing replacing and the occasional piece of furniture in need of reupholstering. We had a very pleasant cruise but Cunard has declined since COVID. We missed having the live music and candelabras in the dining room on formal nights, the quality and choice of food has declined (greatly, according to my wife), the book shop used to be stocked with all sorts of goodies and almost always open, the room service menu is extremely limited. A bright spot was lunch in Verandah which was very good to excellent. Hopefully the ship will be up to the usual Cunard standard in time for our May 2024 crossings.

QM2 is going in for a three week yard visit in Hamburg in about 12 days.

Presently on QM2 and we booked that cruise. Northern lights are caused by solar flares and are due to be very active during 2025.

Both. My comparison is present day to pre-COVID. Grilled fish is still available most days, I’ve had the trout and salmon and both were good.

We’re on QM2 since NY and we’ve noticed a decline in the quality of food as well. I suspect the financial losses due to COVID are the reason for the belt tightening. The menus are not as extensive, beef is less prevalent and for the “gala dinner” the “surf and turf” was steak and prawns, not lobster tail. Portions also are smaller. There are cutbacks evident elsewhere and the exterior of the ship is in rough shape. Rust is prevalent. This is the first time I have ever seen a Cunard ship in such condition. Live music no longer welcomed us upon boarding, a player piano was operating. No live music or candelabras in Britannia on the “gala” (formal) evenings. The TV options are limited and poor, including the aspect ratio and audio described by the OP. The bookshop is just disappointing, very limited selection and short hours. Cunard should bring back Ocean Books. Despite these shortcomings we are having a good time. The ship still handles the weather better than any other, our cabin steward is excellent, the cabin is nice and the beds are very comfortable. And QM2 is truly the “only way to cross.” I hope Cunard steps up as the financials improve.

Presently onboard QM2 en route to Quebec. As with the OP, we requested first seating and told by our TA we had it but when we arrived onboard were told we had “anytime” dining. We don’t care for having different tables with different waiters each evening so will work to do what we can to minimize the randomness. Just our preference. Overall the food and service is good, our cabin steward, Eugene, is excellent and the interior of the ship is very nice. The exterior is in need of serious work with rust being widely evident. I have always been impressed on how well maintained Cunard ships appear to be but this time QM2 is not up to par. In a few weeks she will be in the shipyard for some much needed work, the hull and superstructure will hopefully get sandblasted followed by a much needed coat of new paint.

The dress code is taken seriously compared to most other lines. https://www.cunard.com/en-us/the-cunard-experience/what-to-pack

These cruises are staples of Cunard. We're about to go RT NY - Quebec next week and have done several RTs from NY Norway, the UK and the Med. Beats flying by a mile.