QM2 not up to the standards presented

[ToadOfToadHall]

Do you actually know anything about a Disney ship? It is modeled after old time ships, beautifully decorated. The ships we go on have 2 adult only restaurants that are impeccable. It is soooooo far from a floating theme park. But only someone of your obvious ignorance would choose to judge otherwise.

 

So other people who dismiss something they have not experienced (i.e. going on a Disney ship) have "obvious ignorance" but that "obvious ignorance" does not apply to you when you dismiss something even though you have not experienced it (i.e. eating in the MDR).

[Nclbella]

I would have thought it was obvious. Because you said :

 

Because of other passengers that told us their reviews, we did not go.

And

 

I can make the highlighted statement because I clearly mentioned that those we spoke with had horrible experiences,

 

I've re-read all you comments and you had not, until you last post, said anything about the menu not being appealing (with 3 veggy options etc). You've now come up with that reason after being challenged.

 

I did not come up with those reasons, those reasons are true. Each day my husband and I looked at the menus and found the choices of Turkey Parmesan or ribs to be limited.

 

Again, do you care to comment on anything else? Because this horse has been beaten into oblivion. You obviously have no defense for the way Cunard presents itself, which is what we were excited about, compared to the experience.

[Nclbella]

So other people who dismiss something they have not experienced (i.e. going on a Disney ship) have "obvious ignorance" but that "obvious ignorance" does not apply to you when you dismiss something even though you have not experienced it (i.e. eating in the MDR).

 

I don't consider not trying a restaurant that I have seen with my own 2 eyes, read the menu, etc and not going ignorance. I do however find ignorance in someone who looks down their nose at something they obviously do not know anything about, and do not care to find out about.

[Shawnino]

Nclbella,

 

I'm very sorry to read that you did not enjoy your sailing. I am preparing to book my first voyage on Cunard. Your notes are interesting. I'm glad BlueRiband posted in this thread as my mind was short-circuiting trying to marry your notes to BR's blog of the same voyage! I hope you will consider a longer trip that includes the MDR.

 

 

To the Board as a whole,

 

If this thread exists somewhere, please bring it to my attention, but if not, could somebody consider starting the Complete Cunard Compendium of how to maximize one's joy on a voyage? I've been reading every thread, trying to glean line- and ship-specific knowledge here and there, and I will continue to do so. But it would be great if there was a repository for "So you've chosen Cunard, here's our collected wisdom for your first..."

 

There are many eloquent, efficient writers who frequent this board. I'm reluctant to start a list, lest anyone think I left somebody off it! It would be such a great help if novices such as me could find much of the collected knowledge all in one spot.

[pepperrn]

... But only someone of your obvious ignorance ...

Thank you for this very useful comment. It says so much in so few words.

... how much money I have ...

Please be assured that I do not judge people by, or have any interest in, how much money they have. But if that is how you choose to rate people, then that again speaks volumes with such a modest number of words.

 

Once again I shall be polite and wish you happy sailings for the future, and all best wishes to whichever cruise line you choose.

 

Thank you again.

Edited July 7, 2014 by pepperrn

[ToadOfToadHall]

I did not come up with those reasons, those reasons are true. Each day my husband and I looked at the menus and found the choices of Turkey Parmesan or ribs to be limited.

 

You are missing the point; you only stated those reasons after your initial comments were challenged. If you have other reasons other than the one you initially stated for not dining in the MDR then so be it. But I based my comments on what you had written, not what you later added - I'm not a mind reader.

 

Do I have any comments on your other points ? No. Because you made you other points based on what you saw and not what you were simply told by others.

[Water Log]

Nclbella. Lest I be beaten, I happen to agree with you. Frankly I was underwhelmed on the QM2. The cabin was well designed and clean, the MDR was fine ( we had a two top, late dining).My husband enjoyed his meals there very much. He just let the waiter make the decisions! the Kings Court was no better than a canteen. Most of the chairs in public areas look good but feel uncomfortable. The wicker in the winter garden is ready for a garage sale. And what really got to me was paying $4.11 for a diet coke and two weeks before paying $2.15 for the same drink on the Emerald Princess. I will use Cunard again, but I need to think of it as TA transportation only and more pleasant than a flight.

[capnpugwash]

I've never travelled with Disney but I understand that, perhaps unsurprisingly, they are great for families with children. A few ago I had arranged a meet and greet on QM2 and was chatting to a couple of first time Cunard passengers. They also expressed great disappointment with their QM2 experience thus far, as this conversation was on the first sea day I was a little surprised and I asked what had particularly disappointed them. Their answer floored me because they were disappointed with the ship's whistle of QM2 because unlike Disney ships, it didn't play "when you wish upon a star"!

[cunardaddict]

I also did not go because of the menu. It was not appealing, and had 3 vegetarian entrees each night.

 

The people we spoke with shared other interests with us, upon having conversations with them, so I valued their opinion.

 

ETA: there were also nuts in a lot of the entrees, and my husband is allergic to tree nuts, so it severely limited our choices.

 

Any special needs can be arranged with the Maitre d' or the headwaiters. Guests usually do this a day in advance.

[gentlemancruiser]

She entered service in 2004.

 

As for Kings Court, a member who had been on the Inside Tour quoted the Hotel Director: "He said that he cannot wait for the ship to go into dry dock for it’s next refit, .. specifically, that big changes are coming on deck 7. He said that 'The Kings Court Buffet lets the ship down and is a source of frustration for the food and beverage team. The Kings Court Buffet area will be gutted and reworked completely during the refit.' ”

 

Given the source, I'd consider that pretty credible. Even those of us who love QM2 find this area to be an embarrassment. To me it's like an employee cafeteria only without the cash register.

 

sorry 2004! Thank you for catching my typo. We were on the QM2's 2nd voyage(maiden Caribbean), we were told way back then they were going to make major changes because of problems with the layout. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Nanny2Trey]

Hi Linda. I agree with you that you could havee done a week on another cruise line for what you paid for that 5 night cruise on QM2.

 

You mentioned "We tried to engage them in conversation and got nowhere with that. Our service was very slow." Please take into consideration the the number of tables that the waiters serve has been increased, so they have little time to engage in conversation with passengers...the time passengers occupate the waiters in conversation, delays the service at the next table - which results in a further lack of time for conversation and slow service complaints.

 

I wasn't on board, but I suspect the focus of the Captain and the crew was more directed to the hurricane rather to amenities - that storm sure got my attention.

 

Best wishes on your next voyage,

Salacia

 

I understand your comments. We also were concerned about the storm. We tried to be pleasant not ask for their life history or anything like that. Even questions about a particular food item were answered with things like all the items are very good. In fact that did not turn out to be true. On 3 of the nights they had very few people at their tables. I assume they ate in the specialty restaurant and in Boston many people ate in Boston. In fact half of our group ate in town. I assume my expectations were just too high.

 

Linda

[gentlemancruiser]

I've never travelled with Disney but I understand that, perhaps unsurprisingly, they are great for families with children. A few ago I had arranged a meet and greet on QM2 and was chatting to a couple of first time Cunard passengers. They also expressed great disappointment with their QM2 experience thus far, as this conversation was on the first sea day I was a little surprised and I asked what had particularly disappointed them. Their answer floored me because they were disappointed with the ship's whistle of QM2 because unlike Disney ships, it didn't play "when you wish upon a star"!

 

John you've made my day! That was the best story I've heard in a long time.

[newjoisey]

these short trips do not [imho] show cunard or their passengers in a good light. i forego the MDR years ago,the menu starts out nice [steak...] but then the bizarre way and in its cooked :rolleyes:. we have NEVER gone hungry at kings court;). todd english is good for a change[excellent service ,good food at a good price] we can not recall a bad experience with staff [7+ cruises on qm2]. i am sorry you where disappointed.

[Salacia]

Several have commented on the difference between short cruises and longer ones. From what I have experienced from on the 5 night QM2 NY/Halifax/Boston July cruise (often called the 4th of July cruise) - there was a distinct difference from other short cruises that I have read about, so I don't see a valid comparison between this short cruise and others.

 

The most obvious difference is the fact that this cruise has been priced higher (per Diem, per passenger) than many - if not most other QM2 cruises. Secondly, from my observation - it was a celebratory cruise, but in no way was it a booze cruise as other short voyages are sometimes called. Passengers observed the dress code and the atmosphere on board was contagiously festive (in a muted-New England-sort of way :))

 

I wasn't on board for this July cruise, although I have taken it a few times in years past, and I won't be on board for the July cruise next year, which has a completely different itinerary to celebrate a different occasion.

 

Bottom line: the 4th of July cruise this year was comparatively expensive, as it has been in the past. The ship dealt with a hurricane, while fighting a noro outbreak. The City of Boston changed the date of their Independence Day concert and fireworks due to the storm. So there were several reasons why service was not what it should have been, for passengers to be displeased, and for crew members to be over-worked and harried.

 

But the reality is that QM2 weathered the storm, kept to the itinerary (albeit leaving Boston port a few hours earlier than planned) and arrived back in port, safe and sound, as scheduled - and that, in my opinion, is more important than food or decor. Whether or not it was worth the fare, or even if Cunard will offer this cruise in 2016, is a subject of debate. -S.

[Salacia]

I understand your comments. We also were concerned about the storm. We tried to be pleasant not ask for their life history or anything like that. Even questions about a particular food item were answered with things like all the items are very good. In fact that did not turn out to be true. On 3 of the nights they had very few people at their tables. I assume they ate in the specialty restaurant and in Boston many people ate in Boston. In fact half of our group ate in town. I assume my expectations were just too high.

 

Linda

 

Linda, maybe your expectations weren't too high...sounds to me like this cruise it was just not all it could have been. Sorry about that. Do you think you will give Cunard another try - or are you completely turned off? -S

[cunardaddict]

these short trips do not [imho] show cunard or their passengers in a good light. i forego the MDR years ago,the menu starts out nice [steak...] but then the bizarre way and in its cooked :rolleyes:. we have NEVER gone hungry at kings court;). todd english is good for a change[excellent service ,good food at a good price] we can not recall a bad experience with staff [7+ cruises on qm2]. i am sorry you where disappointed.

 

Well, QM2 is an international ship pretending to be rather English. For those who understand a steak beeing the nicest food to be served the MDR and the Grill could be dissapointing. From a rather European view a steak is the worst way of preparing decent meals, followed by burgers. Todd English is also more US orientated and frankly dissapointing because the menue doesn't change for centuries.

 

I am quiet happy with the Grills. If guest treat the staff as high professionals and not as if they were student waiters at the crab shag or illegal immigrants I promise that all meals there will be a nice experience.

 

But those NYC ladies who try to teach the waiters on how to cook will certainly have a mixed response.

[corporate services]

Have I led a sheltered life? What is a crab shag?

Personally I have always found the waiters in the MDR quick, efficient and friendly, even in the midst of a Noro outbreak. Also I may be very easily pleased, but have also never found anything to complain about with the MDR food. In fact I have never found much to complain about at all on QM2 - (except the cost of the excursions when you find out later you could have done it much cheaper by yourself, but that's another story).

[Lady Hudson]

I also was on the 5 day and am currently on the 28 day voyage. I found everything on the 5 day to be great -- mdr meals were good, waiters were very attentive. I have been on other lines (over 60 voyages including Carnival, Celebrity, Holland and RCI) and find QM2 to be a wonderful experience. However, I do wish I could sail without the single supplement:(

[vtgal]

I agree that the food standards have diminished. Was on the transatlantic ending july 1 and the best meal I had on board was American Bistro. The dining room meals were only adequate and much of the buffet not much better. Have been sailing the QM2 since 2007 and do feel it's not at all the same. Still better than air travel, though.

[david,Mississauga]

There aren't many well-experienced/repeat Cunard passengers who would call eating at Todd English each night "lucky".

 

It was excellent at first, but the food and standard of cooking has gone downhill recently. My last few visits (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) have been disappointing to be frank.

 

In May '14 one passenger wanted a "blue" steak (the Britannia Restaurant had done this perfectly a couple of nights previously), Todd English presented it "rare". It was sent back for a second try.

 

I find the service there to be overbearing and obsequious. At one point I said to one steward "if one of you comes to the table once more to ask if "everything is alright" I shall walk out and won't expect to be charged". This was after being asked this question at least three times with each course. They try too hard.

 

On the other hand, my personal experience of the service in the Britannia Restaurant (over many voyages since 2006) is 99% "superb". I'd give the food and presentation 95%.

 

But we all have different tastes (thank goodness). For example I'd have to be paid (a very great deal) to go anywhere near a Disney floating theme-park.

 

Best wishes and happy sailings for the future :) .

 

On the w/b crossing of 5 June we dined in Todd English for the first time. At the risk of sounding like a tight-wad, I will mention that it was a gift from our travel agent. The food was very good, but certainly no better than what we experienced in the Grills. Compared to the Grills, the service lacks flair. One of the people sitting at the next table ordered the rack of lamb. It was simply carried by the waiter from the galley and placed on the table. A few weeks before, on our e/b crossing in Princess Grill I had the rack of lamb. It was finished table-side by the assistant maitre d' and was accompanied by a "silver service" of various vegetables.

 

Although there were a lot of wait staff in Todd English, the food was slow coming from the galley. Even though the room was only 20% occupied at the time we arrived, the wait staff were telling people their food was not arriving quickly because "it is full tonight.":confused: By the time we were having pudding the room was indeed full. There was only one sommelier for the entire room. She did a superb job and remained efficient and friendly even when the room did fill up.

 

One strange thing about the location of the room is the access it provides to and from the outdoor area of Deck 8. Notwithstanding the notices (on a pedestal at the interior entrance to the room and the sign on the outside door) asking people to show respect for those dining and use alternate entrances/exits, there was a steady stream of casually dressed people coming and going to the smoking area.

 

The best thing about Todd English was being able to chose a time for dinner. When travelling Britannia we find the first sitting too early and the second one too late. So Todd English makes sense. But when we are in the Grills I won't bother.

[Cats2010]

[quote name=pepperrn;

 

It was excellent at first' date=' but the food and standard of cooking has gone downhill recently. My last few visits (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) have been disappointing to be frank.

 

[/quote]

 

 

Yes, you are right, especially the Kings Court's lunches in 2013 were lamentable. At times, all of the self services offered the same, and this on a very low level.

[ToadOfToadHall]

It was simply carried by the waiter from the galley and placed on the table.

 

Isn't that how most foods get from the kitchen to your table ? Mine certainly is.

 

I've never had it delivered by say a knight in shining armour on a white stead or a had it flown in by a flock of doves or even something a bit boring like being it resting on a jet pack three inches above my table.

 

No, someone always carries it and then puts it on the table.

[pepperrn]

Yes, you are right, especially the Kings Court's lunches in 2013 were lamentable. At times, all of the self services offered the same, and this on a very low level.

Hi Cats2010,

 

I'll bow to your observations and greater experience than my own :) , as it is not often I am in the Kings Court for lunch (except for embarkation day, normally I much prefer the Britannia Restaurant or Golden Lion at lunchtimes). I would have to say that I've not noticed a decline, but then, as I said, I am rarely there (but often pass through).

However, having said that I have noticed where there used to be variety, all three main areas seemed to be serving the same items recently.

 

I use the Kings Court very early for coffee & orange juice after walking the promenade (way before it gets busy). Occasionally I'll have breakfast there. A rare lunch, almost never dinner.

 

I read/hear that some passengers seem to take almost all their meals there, so they either don't have a problem with the much-criticised Kings Court, or actually prefer it to the three-times-a-day formality of the MDR.

 

My reasons for not using the Kings Court more often (warning, heresy ahead :D ) aren't to do with the layout, which I don't find confusing at all. Once I had learnt/learned my way around on my first crossing*, I've had no issue with it.

No, my reasons are:

A. It gets too busy, with people constantly standing chatting in main passageways blocking the way of others with trays of food or drinks. Or forgetting that others are waiting behind them while they're deciding how many slices of gateau to have ("Three? Four?").

B. Why pay all that money and then serve myself? I can visit a self-serve buffet in numerous rail stations, motorway service stations and store cafeterias (Ikea comes to mind) on land. I've never understood the addiction some have to carrying trays of (rapidly cooling) food about. To me, part of being on a ship such as QM2 is to be served my meals by waiters.

 

I also hate to see food waste; in the MDR there is portion control, however too often I have seen half-full plates of food being left behind on vacated tables in the Kings Court by people with "eyes bigger than their stomachs" as my grandmother used to say. Given how much food is wasted this way, no wonder the quality is low if it is budgeted "per person" for meals.

 

Anyway I'll duck now as the people who hate the Kings Court or get easily lost there... will be hurling things at me shortly :eek: .

 

Thank you, very best wishes, and many happy sailings for the future :) :)

 

(* I know there is talk of massive changes in the Kings Court, but I am not convinced that this will be anything other than cosmetic/new furniture. The whole of Deck 7 is arranged around public stairwells and lifts/elevators, uptakes to the funnel, vents, air-conditioning ducts and emergency stairs. These cannot be moved. So they will always be obstacles to an open plan food court. So unless the current "islands" are removed and long serving "aisles" (ala QV & QE Lidos) are installed port and starboard (which could be the plan, and my wish, I was pleased with them on QV & QE) then I feel we are stuck with roughly the current overall layout :( . Also this huge area is the main emergency assembly area (along with the Winter Garden and three "Grill" rooms). All those doors along the outer walls, and regularly spaced easy access across the ship, are essential. These are other constraints for any rebuilding of the Kings Court).

Edited July 8, 2014 by pepperrn

[brigittetom]

Have I led a sheltered life? What is a crab shag?

Personally I have always found the waiters in the MDR quick, efficient and friendly, even in the midst of a Noro outbreak. Also I may be very easily pleased, but have also never found anything to complain about with the MDR food. In fact I have never found much to complain about at all on QM2 - (except the cost of the excursions when you find out later you could have done it much cheaper by yourself, but that's another story).

 

I agree with you about the MDR and the QM2.

 

When we went thru the terminal in Halifax, the tour bus was sitting there waiting for passengers. The driver asked if we were from the ship and told us the cost would be $60. for two. A lady came up to ask the price....he asked her if she was from the ship, she said no. He whispered the price to her. I couldn't resist asking her......she was told the price would be $30. for two. That was totally discouraging and says alot about Cunard tours. My guess was that Cunard had to get their cut so the price doubled. I now wish that I had told the driver what I thought about his practices.....but we had done the tour a few years ago, so didn't really care that much. :rolleyes:

[jerseygirlindc]

 

Yes, I agree that the American Bistro is a fitting choice given the voyage, but all 3 nights the alternative dining was offered?

 

I was on the cruise and did not eat at the alternative dining but I distinctly remember walking past menus and info boards for Italian and Lotus on various days on what I believe was the port side of Kings Court. The American Bistro was on the other side. I liked Kings Court for quick light breakfast or lunch and I found the meals in Britannia quite good considering the number being fed. Sorry you had just a bad experience.:( Mine was just wonderful.