Are Member Reviews worthwhile?

[pepperrn]

Pepper, I regard you as a fair minded contributor here, but I hope you are not including me as an anonymous moaner. Please read my posts on this thread.

David.

Hi David, thank you for your kind words.

No I hadn't thought of you in that context at all, I hope that I didn't give that impression, and apologise if somehow I did.

 

Although it is early days, since the very welcome departure of Peter Shanks, the replacement of the Vantage/Getaway fares mess, coupled with an upturn in the economy, the re-positioning of P&O and Cunard so they no longer compete for a similar market in the UK, we could, just could, maybe, see a new "golden age" for Cunard (sorry, couldn't think of a better expression). I certainly hope so.

 

Best wishes, thanks again, and happy sailings for the future.

Edited March 1, 2014 by pepperrn

[pepperrn]

I haven't noticed any real cutbacks recently but I understand that the staffing levels in the Britannia Restaurant on QM2 are set to be adjusted soon. I expect that this will take place after the World Cruise finishes. I don't know how major the changes will be. If the adjustments are being made to QM2, I expect that the other ships will also face similar treatment.

Up or down? ;)

[bananavan]

Well the World cruise ends on May 9, in time for the 10th anniversary celebrations. I am on the second leg of that followed by the Norwegian adventure and the return to NYC.

I imagine that whole ship will kick it up a notch for the Anniversary crossings.

After that who knows?

I know that I was not impressed with the Britannia when we sailed on QM2 in 2012. That is not insurmountable though. There are alternatives available. (This time I am in PG, but that is not the point.) Britannia service was similar to the Celebrity Solstice class ships in the main dining room. Both need revising. Princess has the best service I have ever experienced overall. (I never thought that I would say that.)

I think that it is unfair though to state that the cutbacks are obvious without knowing if there have been any. It could be a case of poor training. That is one area that Cunard could improve if it took a look at the Princess model.

[southwestie]

I would appreciate you listing some of the "many, many cut backs" on the QM2.

 

Bob

 

 

How far should I go, from 2006 there have been many cut backs, Ok the pillow chocolate is one , all businesses have made cut backs, I will if you make a full list of the ones I know since 2006, when I return from the cruise in on and have more time, however there are threads on this forum which may help you meantime

Edited March 1, 2014 by rob6852

[BobBranst]

How far should I go, from 2006 there have been many cut backs, Ok the pillow chocolate is one , all businesses have made cut backs, I will if you make a full list of the ones I know since 2006, when I return from the cruise in on and have more time, however there are threads on this forum which may help you meantime

Thank you. I'll be watching for it. I'm curious to see which ones you consider significant.

 

Bob

[capnpugwash]

Up or down? ;)

 

Down, I am afraid. There will be less people graded as head waiters and a shuffle down from there.

[southwestie]

Thank you. I'll be watching for it. I'm curious to see which ones you consider significant.

 

Bob

 

I don't consider any to be significant, except I do miss the cavear at the wine tasting:)

[cruisetrail]

How far should I go, from 2006 there have been many cut backs, Ok the pillow chocolate is one , all businesses have made cut backs, I will if you make a full list of the ones I know since 2006, when I return from the cruise in on and have more time, however there are threads on this forum which may help you meantime

 

Cut backs from 2006!?

For B&B cruising - possibly.

How about two new first class cruise ships? :)

[Salacia]

PARTIAL QUOTE

...Although it is early days, since the very welcome departure of Peter Shanks, the replacement of the Vantage/Getaway fares mess, coupled with an upturn in the economy, the re-positioning of P&O and Cunard so they no longer compete for a similar market in the UK, we could, just could, maybe, see a new "golden age" for Cunard (sorry, couldn't think of a better expression). I certainly hope so....

 

I'm not too sure the departure of Peter Shanks was all that welcomed. When he left Cunard last September, the position of president and managing director of Cunard disappeared. As I see it, the subsequent restructuring of Carnival UK suggests more "brand blending" amongst the Carnival Corp fleet.

 

The competition Cunard faces seems to be increasing as new ships roll out. As one example, the new Britannia seems to be targeting a market similar to Cunard's UK market [http://www.pocruises.com/britannia/]

 

Pepper, I share your hopes for a new golden age for Cunard ships. Mr. Arison just announced that he plans on selling up to 10 million shares of CCL stock [source: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/28/6197295/arison-to-sell-up-to-10-million.html ] Maybe he will put some of the profits from the sale of stock into the Cunard Line (as if!). ;)

 

Cheers,

Salacia

Edited March 2, 2014 by Salacia

[keithm]

I thought for a while that you were going to get through an entire post without mentioning the "Eclipse", but alas... :) (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

 

Bob

Sorry! I was trying to get the post written pretty fast, as I was getting yelled at to get upstairs & have dinner. We found the Eclipse to have a pax grouping very similar to QM2.Now I can't say that for all of Celebrity. Feeling that they do longer trips than other Celebrity ships, they would get pax similar to those on Cunard trips.

[keithm]

dude stop tormenting yourself....find another cruise line forum and post there;)

Unfortunately with Cunard leaving the Caribbean, Celebrity seems a good fit for us(well, at least the Eclipse)If only Cunard would do some B2B TransAtlantics from NYC(OK, Brooklyn!) like they used to, then we'd joyfully book another trip. We've noticed "legs" of the world cruises that go from New York/Ft.Lauderdale to LA or San Francisco that might get our attention.

[southwestie]

Unfortunately with Cunard leaving the Caribbean, Celebrity seems a good fit for us(well, at least the Eclipse)If only Cunard would do some B2B TransAtlantics from NYC(OK, Brooklyn!) like they used to, then we'd joyfully book another trip. We've noticed "legs" of the world cruises that go from New York/Ft.Lauderdale to LA or San Francisco that might get our attention.

 

 

Yes, I agree with this, B2B s were always the best , we too have booked celebrity for South America cruise, we had to cancel, but they looked after so well and rebooked us on a RCL cruise from san paulo for next year, giving us upgrades, free drinks package, hotel and transfers,

 

They are a good line ,

[keithm]

Yes, I agree with this, B2B s were always the best , we too have booked celebrity for South America cruise, we had to cancel, but they looked after so well and rebooked us on a RCL cruise from san paulo for next year, giving us upgrades, free drinks package, hotel and transfers,

 

They are a good line ,

Just seeing Perry Grant on Eclipse makes us want to do another Eclipse trip next season.