A few thoughts from a loyal Cunard passenger: In room entertainment and the shows

[starbug]

(i.e. card insert to turn on lights and Tv)

 

Something to be aware of is that card being inserted is also required for the power sockets in the room as well.

 

We left our camera charger plugged in and swithched on and it took us a few days to realise that it was not being charged when we had left the room!

[edgeoftheworld]

If I had a problem with the in-cabin entertainment, I would write a sincere letter of concern to my wife. ;D

 

Actually, though it isn't currently possible, I truly hope that within the next few years someone makes an "entertainment server" for all professional hotel venues--prop the box in the basement and wired into the televisions, then people can rent hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows stored in the building. It uploads to the room instead of playing elsewhere. I'm surprised no entertainment industry clever-boys have designed and marketed such a thing, yet.

 

these do actually exist, its how the big hotels offer a range of services via the tv

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_television_systems

 

http://www.lodgenet.com/Pages/Home.aspx

(about 30 years old!)

[Leucothea]

Although it's not the end of the world, I do wonder why such a ship as QM2, supposedly "luxurious" (a relative term) removed the interactive and on demand services. Even the most run-of-the-mill hotels have these.

 

These services were in place when I first sailed on QM2, and they were rather nice, although I didn't use them that often. I can do without them, but I'm just wondering, does Carnival/Cunard need to cut costs that badly? And yet they installed wireless. You can use your cell phone now as well as your laptop.

 

As I recall, even QE2 had the On Demand music and movies; I think she did.

 

It's no tragedy, but I'm curious, is it that much more expensive to have these?

[oceansandseas]

I remember the first time that I was on QM2 when she had been sailing for about 2 years. There was a keyboard in the desk drawer. I could not get mine to work. Asked about it and was told that most of them did not work so I could not get a replacement. Seems that the passengers were not used to using the keyboards and in the process broke them. This might not be the reason, but it seems that is what happened.

 

Probably a touch screen method would be better. Still difficult for some seniors to master. Many people do not have patients when something does not work instantly. Can not even wait for a second. Therefore I am just guesssing that Cunard has found it easier to go this way.

 

I am not going to defend my thoughts if someone tears them apart. Just what I think might be the reason.

[sagejo]

You and us too Starbug!

[edgeoftheworld]

Something to be aware of is that card being inserted is also required for the power sockets in the room as well.

 

We left our camera charger plugged in and swithched on and it took us a few days to realise that it was not being charged when we had left the room!

 

 

presumably this is the same system that hotels use

so, something of the same dimensions as a credit card should work to keep the power on

[capnpugwash]

presumably this is the same system that hotels use

so, something of the same dimensions as a credit card should work to keep the power on

 

Nectar cards work just as well, I wonder if a piece of stiff card would also do the trick, thus eliminating the worry of forgetting it on the last morning.

[balf]

There's only one improvement I would like to see as far as the in-cabin televisions are concerned - their total removal! Damned abominations.

 

J

 

There is a little red button on that thing that looks like a cell phone, you press it and the picture disappears like magic.

 

David.

[edgeoftheworld]

Nectar cards work just as well, I wonder if a piece of stiff card would also do the trick, thus eliminating the worry of forgetting it on the last morning.

 

CunardHacker :cool:

[Jimsgirl]

Agree with the comments re the production shows, new shows are long overdue. The on board Entertainments person seems to do very little, even the movies in the day time are put on without regard to content, often a childrens film is shown at night - to an audiance that is 99% in the age range of 50-80 yrs.

 

As for the TV in the rooms, these are useless for entertainment. movies are shown at odd hours, long gaps (over 30 mins) when the screen is blank, and why Cunard cannot put a list of movie titles , channel # and time of showing in the room I do not know. Personally I do not want to sit at the "desk" trying to read an everchanging menu on the screen and write down the information of any relevant programe at one and the same time.

 

A simply computer generated list is all that is need, but that I suppose would be too much like work for the Entertainment Director staff.

[slhw]

Posted about the QM2s dire entertainment when we returned from our Norway trip last July. As said then, we went with our daughter and son in law who were 1st time Cunarders. They are currently on Thomson Dream and can't believe how much better Thomson entertainment is than QM2, how talented the show team are, how professional the shows and how friendly all the entertainment team are. They said that the ship comes alive at night. Is that boring ED still on board and are they still boring people rigid with Appasionata?

[TitanicFanatic]

We recently returned from a trip on the Queen Elizabeth. I was amazed that we were unable to view our running bill on the in-room TV. This is a brand new ship - the technology is not new. We found it bothersome to wait on line at the pursers office to get a copy. For a new ship - the technology that was installed seemed to benefit Cunard and not the passenger (i.e. card insert to turn on lights and Tv) - but no need to sort paper in the trash can - Holland America has a divided trash can for recycling. There were a number of things that I just shook my head and wondered what were they thinking. Don't even get me started on the brown trays in the Lido!

I've recently come back from a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth, not entirely sure what you mean about "don't get me started on the brown trays!!", umm I'm not entirely sure what you mean, they were tray-like and light brown, can't really see anything wrong with that?!

[Ray66]

I've recently come back from a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth, not entirely sure what you mean about "don't get me started on the brown trays!!", umm I'm not entirely sure what you mean, they were tray-like and light brown, can't really see anything wrong with that?!

 

They are different to the ones on the QM2 and the QV. The ones on the QE are non-stick ones and they don't have turn-up edges on them. So if you put loose cutlery on your napkin for instance, there's a good chance of them slipping off which happened to me sometimes on my trip on the QE this year.

[Norfolk Brit]

not entirely sure what you mean about "don't get me started on the brown trays!!", umm I'm not entirely sure what you mean, they were tray-like and light brown, can't really see anything wrong with that?!

 

They are not posh enough: should be solid gold encrusted with gigantic diamonds and perhaps the odd little ruby or sapphire - in fact, I may have just found a use for the tanzanite glut on board. I was appalled when I saw them - ruined my cruise and I shall never travel with Cunard again.:(

 

Mary

[Cruachan]

There is a little red button on that thing that looks like a cell phone, you press it and the picture disappears like magic.

 

David.

 

Indeed there is - and I have a clever little device that is with me all the time that turns the damn thing back on again. It's called a wife!

 

J

[Whitemarsh]

They are not posh enough: should be solid gold encrusted with gigantic diamonds and perhaps the odd little ruby or sapphire - in fact, I may have just found a use for the tanzanite glut on board. I was appalled when I saw them - ruined my cruise and I shall never travel with Cunard again.:(

 

Mary

 

LOL. I've been having a look around the P&O boards and it seems the disatisfaction is catching.

 

I love this review, it brings back so many memories of a certain poster.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30041924&postcount=1

[Norfolk Brit]

Oops...