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Melnote
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hi we are looking at booking QM2 trip to Fjords next August as it’s the only time to go and wondered if there’s likely to be loads of children? Has anyone experienced Cunard in August?

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There were a number of children on my recent crossing on QM2 and for the most part they were neither seen nor heard. There were a few running around the ship, but this was not a problem.

 

We did have "pirates" marching through the Carinthia Lounge one afternoon, but they were very well behaved pirates with not a Arrrrrrr! in sight.

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We did the fjords during the last week of August in 2014 with our two kids (9 and 6 at the time.). There were a good amount in the kids clubs, but I never noticed many in other areas of the ship (although we were in the Queens Grill, so I was not in the main dining room) and the ones I did see were well behaved.

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I have had only one bad experience with young, very young kids. Our QG table was near a family that had a small child. When the mother was at table the kid cried incessantly. When only the father was there, the child was well behaved. About mid crossing they spent much less time in the Grill, I suspect something was said to them. The Child had learned that the mother would pick him/her up when the child opened his mouth. The mother was well trained.

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Sorry to say our experience on the Westbound crossing last week (13/7 to 20/7) was not as positive.

 

We are in our mid 50's & young in outlook. We have three children and five grandchildren aged 1-5. This was our third QM2 crossing and there were many more children than we had seen previously.

 

The problem is not so much the children, as parents who completely abdicate any responsibility for what their offspring are doing. We personally witnessed:

 

(i) Reckless running on many occasions, including a group of three kids aged approx. 11-12 near the 'Illuminations' theatre. No parents in sight.

 

(ii) Teenage girls running & shrieking whilst eating soft scoop ice creams in the passageways outside cabins on decks 10 & 11. Again, no parents to be seen.

 

(iii) Brother & Sister - aged approx 6 & 4 - sprawling at full length, whilst lying on adjoining chairs (shoes on & all over the upholstery of course) for an extended period of time on seats in the main lobby. This went on for around 30 minutes, interspersed only by brief runs up & down the main lobby steps whilst playing 'chase' & narrowly avoiding a couple of elderly passengers making their way down. All witnessed also by the Father (presumably), who did absolutely nothing to control his kids.

 

(iv) Multiple examples of kids shrieking & yelling in the Britannia Dining Room.

 

It was still an enjoyable crossing, but we were left wondering at what stage did the above behaviour become acceptable at home, let alone in such a public place ?

 

That kids display such complete lack of awareness or consideration for those around them is dispiriting. Moreso, given that their parents allow them to do so with utter indifference.

 

Still, given that some of the parents/grandparents were the same ones who treated the formal night dress code with utter contempt (e.g. orange checked & untucked shirt with a beige crumpled jacket (rapidly removed at the dining table), spotted 'clown like' bow tie & blue & white deck shoes), I guess we shouldn't have been surprised.

 

Basic manners no longer seem to be in fashion & few seem to care.

 

Which is a very great shame.

Edited by IDB37
Grammar
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I've seen VERY few children on any of the QUEENs in the last 5-6 yrs during my 1-2 sailings per year. Although, none of these were summer sailings.

 

Overall, I'd have to say CUNARD is the least interesting ship for children that I can imagine.

 

I've sailed on Royal Caribbean with gr-children and they are F A R more oriented to kids.... climbing wall, miniature golf, basketball/ tennis courts, many more kids on board so the youth clubs have far more to offer.

Various other lines have awesome water slides /pool/ water tunnels.... things kids are crazy about.

 

Bottom line, I feel CUNARD is divine for adults, but not so much for kids.

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For parents who come from the UK Cunard offer cruises which are similar itineraries to P&O including the odd transatlantic. The price difference tends to switch bookings to P&O. Parents with two children on Cunard are going to be charged £122.50 extra per week for their children's gratuities. The programme on Cunard is less family orientated than P&O consequently - fewer children.

 

Regards John

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Quite a lot of children on Q.V. at the monument.

Normally they are well behaved but last night a few were running around and in between couples trying to dance in the Queens room. Staff did nothing about it either. Shocking display

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I've seen VERY few children on any of the QUEENs in the last 5-6 yrs during my 1-2 sailings per year. Although, none of these were summer sailings.

 

Overall, I'd have to say CUNARD is the least interesting ship for children that I can imagine.

 

I've sailed on Royal Caribbean with gr-children and they are F A R more oriented to kids.... climbing wall, miniature golf, basketball/ tennis courts, many more kids on board so the youth clubs have far more to offer.

Various other lines have awesome water slides /pool/ water tunnels.... things kids are crazy about.

 

Bottom line, I feel CUNARD is divine for adults, but not so much for kids.

 

On Cunard I've only sailed on QM2, so I can't speak about the other ships.

 

 

I think it depends on the kids. My kids have enjoyed sailing on QM2. There are so many pools available on QM2, they are never crowded. The pools on all Disney ships are small and have way too many kids in them. It's nice to actually be able to swim.

 

 

For younger kids, like my 8 year old daughter, the kids club is as much fun on QM2 as on any other ship. They have all the usual activities. My 12 year old son wasn't thrilled with the kids club, be he enjoyed attending the beginners bridge classes with my wife, as he was a member of the bridge club in his school for a few years. He also enjoyed attending the lectures by the astronomer. We also played alot of shuffleboard as a family, which was nice. Anthem of the Seas has one tiny shuffleboard court that is angled into the jogging track.

 

I think every ship and line has it's advantages and disadvantages. QM2 might not be the most exciting ship for all kids, but there are certainly things for them to do, and I don't think it would be classified as the least exciting ship for kids.

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Many thanks for your replies, it confirms QM2 should be perfect for my son, he loved the Queen Victoria when he was 12, he doesnt join in large groups of children easily is much more comfortable with a few and the description of the kids facilities on other ships is precisely why we chose QM2 to avoid that. He too will enjoy the planetarium, the piano recitals and join in adult table tennis and this time he’s old enough to go in and out of the kids club when he pleases.

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We are just on QM2 with 16 &13 year d boys. There is a teen zone for them and at check in we could see quite a number of children and youngsters. We haven’t done Cunard with them before so will wait and see how it goes but I am optimistic.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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