Newbie for Cunard - Planning a TransAtlantic Cruise

[DocRock143]

Hi all.....my wife and I are long time Princess cruisers, but are contemplating a Cunard line transatlantic cruise from England to New York.

So we are Cunard newbies....

 

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

We are both 60, enjoy the leisure of a transatlantic cruise.

 

Comments on the Cunard experience vs. Princess? A step up? Lateral move?

 

Thoughts most appreciated!

[Salacia]

Hi all.....my wife and I are long time Princess cruisers, but are contemplating a Cunard line transatlantic cruise from England to New York.

So we are Cunard newbies....

 

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

We are both 60, enjoy the leisure of a transatlantic cruise.

 

Comments on the Cunard experience vs. Princess? A step up? Lateral move?

 

Thoughts most appreciated!

 

Stuffy? Moi? Opps, my butler just dropped a tray on my Rolls :eek: must dash.

[Sauer-kraut]

Not stuffy at all. Unless a communal sing-a-long in the Golden Lion Pub to the tune of "Knees Up Mother Brown" is too stuffy. :D

 

It might be a step up if you book a Grills level stateroom. The Cunard is not the 'casual' cruise, dress standards are basically adhered to. Dark Suite/Tux for gentlemen on Formal and Semi Formal evenings. A jacket is required for all other evenings.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Hi all.....my wife and I are long time Princess cruisers, but are contemplating a Cunard line transatlantic cruise from England to New York.

So we are Cunard newbies....

 

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

We are both 60, enjoy the leisure of a transatlantic cruise.

 

Comments on the Cunard experience vs. Princess? A step up? Lateral move?

 

Thoughts most appreciated!

 

Cunard is elegant but NOT stuffy. the "stuffy" stigma comes from the fact that, on cunard, formal night is truly formal. While a tux is not required and a dark suit will fit the dress code, most men do wear their tuxes on formal nights. Ladies dress up beautifully. The Queens Room on a formal night is truly a gorgeous sight! However, it is possible to be dressed up and still have a good time.

 

BIG step up from Princess! HUGE! Better service, even in the "steerage" cabins. The ship is much more spacious. Public areas never seem crowded. (Except the buffet--the only thing we thought Princess did better than QM2 was the layout of the buffet.) There are so many more things to do during the day--lectures, planetarium shows, RADA classes on transatlantics. The shows on board are backed by a live band, unlike some ships (not sure about Princess), where the singers and dancers work to pre-recorded music. Largest dance floor at sea.

 

One thing we absolutely hated on Princess was the endless stream of announcements encouraging us to go to bingo. Cunard sends out a daily programme and trusts you to be able to read it and choose your own activities.

 

BTW, a transatlantic is a "crossing," not a "cruise."

 

Welcome to Cunard!

[lannp]

Cunard does a much better job of entertaining you on sea days than Princess. Large library with lots of choices, and interesting lectures. I wouldn't call it stuffy but definitely a formal night on Cunard is formal. Last year on the Grand Princess I wore for formal evenings what I generally wear on Semi-informal on Cunard and I was better dressed than many of the passengers. I was frankly appalled what people considered what formal meant on Princess.

Princess does beat Cunard hands down for the layout of the buffet and they have chocolate chip cookies readily available all the time unlike Cunard who seems to keep the cookies hidden.

[jimpod]

We have mainly cruised with Princess but have been on Transatlantic crossings on both Queen Elizabeth and QM2. Cunard has a different 'feel' to it - definitely more elegant but I wouldn't say stuffy. As already said there is lots to do on all those wonderful sea days. I'm sure you will have a great time and will long for the next one! We found the buffet set up on QM2 truly baffling.

[fishywood]

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

Your use of the word "more" implies that you consider Princess to harbor a wee bit of stuffiness itself. My first Princess cruise was in 1996, my last just this past December. The air of Princess being one of the premium lines is now completely deflated.

 

By way of example:

 

Princess 1996: Cruise Director & Staff polite, pleasant, even a touch refined in manner;

Princess 2012: a bunch of screamie meemees;

Cunard: a more cooly clipped version of the former, especially on crossings.

 

Princess 1996: Compliance with formal and semi-formal dress nights de rigueur;

Princess 2012: contunally emphasizes multiple alternatives to participating in formal evenings;

Cunard: Formal still means formal; inelegant attire any evening (oustide of Lido/Kings Court) eyed as horribly askance.

 

And so forth...

 

So if you can recall the days when even the basic cruise lines brought a bit of elegance, you will find Cunard most welcoming. But if you consider the current atmosphere of Princess your limit of formality <:shudder:> then your worries about "stuffiness" will probably be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[rubrrick]

Your use of the word "more" implies that you consider Princess to harbor a wee bit of stuffiness itself. My first Princess cruise was in 1996, my last just this past December. The air of Princess being one of the premium lines is now completely deflated.

 

By way of example:

 

Princess 1996: Cruise Director & Staff polite, pleasant, even a touch refined in manner;

Princess 2012: a bunch of screamie meemees;

Cunard: a more cooly clipped version of the former, especially on crossings.

 

Princess 1996: Compliance with formal and semi-formal dress nights de rigueur;

Princess 2012: contunally emphasizes multiple alternatives to participating in formal evenings;

Cunard: Formal still means formal; inelegant attire any evening (oustide of Lido/Kings Court) eyed as horribly askance.

 

And so forth...

 

So if you can recall the days when even the basic cruise lines brought a bit of elegance, you will find Cunard most welcoming. But if you consider the current atmosphere of Princess your limit of formality <:shudder:> then your worries about "stuffiness" will probably be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

I cannot compare Cunard, as we are still just under two months from our first experience, of a "crossing"!

 

However, in 1996 I experienced my first cruise with Princess, on the old Pacific Princess, the original "Love Boat." And I found my true love, and we have been happily married since.

 

Princess today. We are Elite on Princess and Pinnacle Club members on Royal Caribbean. Neither line has a wonderful formal evening anymore.

 

The worst of the worst, was at a captains table, about a year ago plus, when a lady showed up in a pink t-shirt.......on formal night!

 

From my upbringing, if you cannot wear what is recommended, disappear! And that is why we normally have a full suite, so that we may dine in, when we don't want to appear formal, when less and less do.

 

And, that is why I'm looking forward to our crossing on the QM2, as we will have the proper casual clothing for pub food at noon, or a cocktail with new found friends onboard, and then come 6 PM......we will follow the proper dress code.

 

And we don't need a steamer trunk to do so, but we are shipping about 70 pounds of clothing and shoes from Copenhagen to our hotel at Southampton, so that we can be properly dressed for the voyage!:);)

 

Oh, and we are cruising on a TA from Florida to Copenhagen, in April, to start this trip, on Royal Caribbean!!

 

Rick

[Salacia]

Hi all.....my wife and I are long time Princess cruisers, but are contemplating a Cunard line transatlantic cruise from England to New York.

So we are Cunard newbies....

 

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

We are both 60, enjoy the leisure of a transatlantic cruise.

 

Comments on the Cunard experience vs. Princess? A step up? Lateral move?

 

Thoughts most appreciated!

 

Hi DocRock. My previous post was intended as a bit of levity; subsequent reponses were far better than mine. But may I suggest, that assuming you are not asking about the air quality on the ships, you are asking if sailing on Cunard ships is dull and boring, ill natured, ill humoured (alternative definitions of the word "stuffy").

 

I have no idea what you would find stuffy or non-stuffy, so I can't answer your question. But if I was considering a TransAltanic Crossing, I would want to take that voyage on an ocean liner, and there is only one. That is the best answer I can provide - at the risk of sounding stuffy.:)

 

Sincerely,

Salacia

 

Cunard Platinum

Holland America Two Star Mariner

Princess Gold

[seasidegal]

Hi DocRock. My previous post was intended as a bit of levity;

 

:D levity keeps things from becoming stuffy, eh?

 

I have no idea what you would find stuffy or non-stuffy, so I can't answer your question. But if I was considering a TransAltanic Crossing, I would want to take that voyage on an ocean liner, and there is only one. That is the best answer I can provide

 

And a very good-to-the-point answer it is...as you can't compare crossing on a cruiseship (done that) and crossing on QM2 (done that). There simply is no comparison. (especially in rough seas :eek::D)

 

 

 

seasidegal.

[north east girl]

Hi all.....my wife and I are long time Princess cruisers, but are contemplating a Cunard line transatlantic cruise from England to New York.

So we are Cunard newbies....

 

Some comments from the forum indicate that Cunard may be a tad more stuffy than Princess....true or not true?

 

We are both 60, enjoy the leisure of a transatlantic cruise.

 

Comments on the Cunard experience vs. Princess? A step up? Lateral move?

 

Thoughts most appreciated!

Hi, We enjoyed our first crossing in September 2009 on QM2 and had a wonderful time.

 

I took long gowns for formal evenings and Tony had his tux, the ship looks wonderful with most of the passengers in formal attire.

 

We found the passengers very friendly and we loved listening to all the experiences others had had on other lines.

 

I really enjoyed the sailaway knowing we we on our way to New York. There is so much to do and the choice is amazing. You can fill your days being busy or you can just relax.

 

Hope you have a wonderful crossings and we did. As you can see by my signiture we have sailed a few more times since. Think I'm hooked now, waiting for our next trip in November on Queen Victoria.

 

Catherine

[redhydra]

In my case, i am not effraid of that anynore

 

I sailed celebrity who is reputated to cater to well travelled passenger and after a behind the scene tour of the ship, we dined on the tuscan grill

 

It gave me i idea what dining at preset dining time would be like, as a normally dine with my diner time , my family tend to be anti social and not mix with other passenger

 

I was effraid because of my young age and the fact that i am shy that i wouldn fit but i ended up to my suprise, leading conversation with others and as a am well travelled as well, i could keep up with the others

 

With this in mind, i am not as fearful as i was the first time