Is Cunard giving up on us Americans?

[Richard Stein]

I have sailed Cunard and this ship before many times. At tea time the Queens room is a little too crowded for me. So at first I went to the Kings Court for some scones and tea. In finishing on my way to the library I walked thru the Winter Garden and saw they had Black Forest Cake. After that I had some of my best deserts on board at the Winter Garden at tea time. I have no objections to the Germans getting equal treatment, but on this cruise they were treated better the us American or the Brits.

[Cruise Liner Fan]

It is fine that Cunard caters to German,Italian,French and Japanese passengers (I hope I have included everyone here) with daily programs and books in those languages.I have been aboard the QE2 and QM2 when there were also German and Japanese hostesses aboard and that is fine.However since the Cunard Ships are flagged to Great Britain, Cunard should remember that since that their biggest passenger base is British and American, Cunard should see to it that the daily programs and books for sale in the book store are in English along with daily programs and books in those other languages. Regards,Jerry

[balf]

 

They are hardly likely to remove all the English language books from the library shelves and replace them with German ones just for one cruise, now are they.

 

And there has been no suggestion that programmes etc. were not available.

 

David.

[Cruise Liner Fan]

They are hardly likely to remove all the English language books from the library shelves and replace them with German ones just for one cruise, now are they.

 

And there has been no suggestion that programmes etc. were not available.

 

David.[/quote I was not refering to the books in the library.I was refering to the books in the book store. Regards,Jerry

[Raqster99]

They are hardly likely to remove all the English language books from the library shelves and replace them with German ones just for one cruise, now are they.

 

And there has been no suggestion that programmes etc. were not available.

 

David.

 

Just to reiterate my orginal point for the nth time. The issue is that the nationalities were segregated - we wanted to mix!

The issue is that there was a totally seperate daily schedule with separate German activities/teas/spa deals etc that the other passengers either a) had no idea about or b) found out out about them by chatting to the German passengers, being able to read German, or simply stumbling across one of these special activities taking place. There were German-speaking tours of the ship taking place that some people we were travelling with would have loved to attend, however we were not afforded that luxury. The UK/US daily programmes did not have any of these activities listed so therefore we were not officially 'invited'. And as I posted previously there was a special German language theatre show one evening that excluded all other non-German speakers on board.

I could go on but it appears that people cannot comprehend the point I am making, and seem set upon unfairly painting myself and Mr Stein as raging xenophobes. All we are are customers that paid good money for the traditional Cunard experience (as we have on many other Cunard voyages) but did not fully get one this time.

[mabel58]

Perhaps I'm just a crazy American...but, the way I see it:

 

The Germans (and all other nationalities) were sailing on a British ship.

 

These people should have expected and been given a British experience...including the use of the native language.

 

Let's just say I was on that cruise....that's what I would have expected.

 

When there's a Trans-Atlantic to/from NY....isn't it still the British experience, or is it Americanized for the convenience of the Americans on board?

Don't think you get any 'national' experience on Cunard, definitely not British.

[Richard Stein]

Ragster and me were on the cruise and know what happened. In my pre-voyage documentation it indicated there would be 10 formal nights on my 22 day cruise 6 balls.There were 12 formal nights and 9 balls. My wife is upset because she planned based on the pre-voyage schedule and ran out of outfits. On most other lines we would have 4 formal nights on a cruise this length. I will say no more on this, but address my concerns to the cruise line. I will take care in the future on which Curnard cruise I book.

[sfbearcat]

Well it was a very short segment cruise..I doubt 2000 Americans would fly to Hamburg for a 2 day cruise ..more interesting is only 90 people booked that trip out of NY..I notice next year they have alot of these Grand Voyages and they are long..not your average mass market item.. this also goes along with the slower TAs, alot of Americans like 5-7 days and not that many sea days ..next years TA are pushing it. I have been sailing QM2 since her first season and the American passenger count is much smaller now on the TAs mostly British and its fine with me .They enjoy the crossing and its style as do we that also chose to cross by liner and thats whats different than say RCCL or HAl with high US passenger counts...Its more like the American market has left Cunard

[stowaway2k]

The American market is Cunard's bread-and-butter. It always has been, and that's not changed for a two-day cruise.

The German market is important to Cunard, and I believe that we're talking about a two-day cruise. So, for two days Cunard catered to the German market on one ship. Any r/t cruise it going to be marketed to the nationality of the country the cruise originates and completes in. Two days here, folks. :cool:

 

How "British" can any cruise be when practically none of the staff a passenger comes into frequent contact with is British?

Your fish n' chips is served by a Croatian, your single-malt Scotch is poured by a Russian, your afternoon tea by a Pole, your cabin serviced by an Indonesian...

[Boytjie]

Perhaps I'm just a crazy American...but, the way I see it:

 

The Germans (and all other nationalities) were sailing on a British ship.

 

These people should have expected and been given a British experience...including the use of the native language.

 

Let's just say I was on that cruise....that's what I would have expected.

 

When there's a Trans-Atlantic to/from NY....isn't it still the British experience, or is it Americanized for the convenience of the Americans on board?

 

What currency is used on the QM2? :eek:

[leagle]

Peter, you beat me to it.

I was more than a little surprised to find the currency on board the QM2 is US dollars.

The "British" experience is already changed by the large number of Americans on board. The OP seems to assume that the cultures are the same when only the language is similar. (see discussions about "pants", which to English ears sound like proposals to wear underwear and nothing else on the lower limbs and about "white" dinner jackets)

In any event, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have quite different cultures, so a "British" experience probably doesn't exist. (Although I suppose you could have a sampling of different UK experiences)

I like the idea that the QM2 is an international ship. I suppose it is the luck of the draw (and the destination) what the balance is on a particular trip.

It doesn't sound as though the OP was actually banned from attending the German events, although I accept it might have been more tactful of the QM2 to have put all public events in the newsletter and simply specified the main language of the event.

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Peter, you beat me to it.

I was more than a little surprised to find the currency on board the QM2 is US dollars.

The "British" experience is already changed by the large number of Americans on board. The OP seems to assume that the cultures are the same when only the language is similar. (see discussions about "pants", which to English ears sound like proposals to wear underwear and nothing else on the lower limbs and about "white" dinner jackets)

In any event, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have quite different cultures, so a "British" experience probably doesn't exist. (Although I suppose you could have a sampling of different UK experiences)

I like the idea that the QM2 is an international ship. I suppose it is the luck of the draw (and the destination) what the balance is on a particular trip.

It doesn't sound as though the OP was actually banned from attending the German events, although I accept it might have been more tactful of the QM2 to have put all public events in the newsletter and simply specified the main language of the event.

But since the QM2 which is even the flagship of the British merchant marine and her homeport is Southampton,England and she is named after the first Queen Mary Ship which was named after Britain's Queen in the 1930s and the British royal family live at Buckingham Palace which is located in London,England would that make the QM2 more of a English ship than a Scottish,Welsh or Northern Irish ship? I hope that I have included all the British cultures in this post. Regards,Jerry

[Cruachan]

...would that make the QM2 more of a English ship than a Scottish,Welsh or Northern Irish ship?

 

No - it wouldn't!

 

J

[The Real PM]

So I have a question? Does anyone know how long the Cunard ships have used the US dollar as their main currency?

[justfoxie]

I think the original poster may have fallen into the trap that anyone in these lovely Isles knows what "British" culture is. Yeah, made that mistaken assumption when I moved here too (made for some good conversations in the pub though!). Lots of shared history, similar wry sense of humour, but just about the only thing that the Northern Irish, Scots, Welsh and English have in common anymore is a derision for Whitehall and a pronounced love of good ale - or at least so it seems to me.

[Cruachan]

I think the original poster may have fallen into the trap that anyone in these lovely Isles knows what "British" culture is. Yeah, made that mistaken assumption when I moved here too (made for some good conversations in the pub though!). Lots of shared history, similar wry sense of humour, but just about the only thing that the Northern Irish, Scots, Welsh and English have in common anymore is a derision for Whitehall and a pronounced love of good ale - or at least so it seems to me.

 

There's a lot of truth in what you say. But it goes even farther than that - try discussing "English" culture with a Yorkshireman or a Cornishman for instance.

 

J

[garigoun]

I think the main mistake that Brits holidaying in the US and vice versa make, especially on their first visit, it to forget that they are visiting a foreign country that shares a language.

Gari

[Cruise Liner Fan]

There's a lot of truth in what you say. But it goes even farther than that - try discussing "English" culture with a Yorkshireman or a Cornishman for instance.

 

J[/quote That sounds like someone from New Jersey where I live discussing "American" culture with someone from New York.And it is true that there are some New Yorkers who hate the State of New Jersey for some crazy reason :eek: Regards,Jerry

[leagle]

And a good part of the "shared history" involves one part of the country being at war with another part of the country. It didn't even start to be one country until the Acts of Union in 1536-1543 (Wales), 1707 (Scotland) and 1801 (Ireland)

I once asked an American woman in an interview how she would deal with the cultural differences between America and England. Despite having lived in London for 2 years and having a superb American education, she said that she didn't think there were any important differences.

She did not get an offer.

 

To be fair to the OP, it could be very disconcerting to find yourself having a German holiday when you thought you would be on an English ship having an experience in English and just dipping briefly into other countries.

On the other hand, IMO, this sort of serendipity is one of the delights of travel, but other's tastes may vary.

[stowaway2k]

But since the QM2 which is even the flagship of the British merchant marine and her homeport is Southampton,England and she is named after the first Queen Mary Ship which was named after Britain's Queen in the 1930s and the British royal family live at Buckingham Palace which is located in London,England would that make the QM2 more of a English ship than a Scottish,Welsh or Northern Irish ship? I hope that I have included all the British cultures in this post. Regards,Jerry

 

Allow me to add... "Made in France". ;)

And Queen Mary, consort to King George V, was half German... :rolleyes:

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Allow me to add... "Made in France". ;)

And Queen Mary, consort to King George V, was half German... :rolleyes:

So since the QM2 was built in France does that then make her a French Queen? And while we're at it since the Queen Victoria was built in Italy and the new Queen Elizabeth is being completed in Italy would this then make the Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth Italian Queens? Regards,Jerry

[stowaway2k]

So since the QM2 was built in France does that then make her a French Queen? And while we're at it since the Queen Victoria was built in Italy and the new Queen Elizabeth is being completed in Italy would this then make the Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth Italian Queens? Regards,Jerry

 

You could say that... :)

 

Or, we could simply enjoy the ships without buying into marketing schemes giving them specific national identification, as the days of The Longest Gangplank are long over. That, using this thread as an example, just leads to dissappointment for some.

 

I've heard many British say that Cunard ships are more American than anthing else.

 

("The Longest Gangplank", a marketing slogan once used by the French Line to sell Americans on the idea that once one crosses the gangplank in New York, one has already arrived in France.)

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I also remember when I was aboard the QE2 in 2002 or 2003,I heard one of the QE2's deck officers blaming the British unions for killing off the commercial ship building industry in the U.K. and those are his words not mine.And according to him that's why the current 2 and soon to be 3 Cunard Queens had to be built in France and Italy.In my opinion it is sad that a nation like the U.K. that in the past built great ships like the Queen Mary,Queen Elizabeth and QE2 can not do so today for whatever reason.Regards,Jerry

[Classiccruiser777]

Allow me to add... "Made in France". ;)

And Queen Mary, consort to King George V, was half German... :rolleyes:

 

And owned by Americans (Carnival Corp.):confused:

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Allow me to add... "Made in France". ;)

And Queen Mary, consort to King George V, was half German... :rolleyes:

 

And owned by Americans (Carnival Corp.):confused:

But since the Carnival Corporation is listed on both the New York and London stock exchanges, is it possible that Carnival Corporation owners of the QM2,Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth, is owned by 50% of American shareholders and 50% of British shareholders? Regards,Jerry