Cunard World Cruise 2016 information

[Jimsgirl]

I commented on the "mini cruises" and a possible change in any transatlantics because of my experiences this year.

 

Ads for "Round trip New York", gave the impression that the cruise was the same type of TA as in the past, with additional port stops added. In fact this was not true, the added ports were not normal cruises but were in fact 3 separate cruises in the middle of East/West TA. So instead of an 22 day cruise (7+8+7) passengers found out that the cruise was 22 days divided up 7+2+4+2+7, with the middle section cruises accounting for 6000 passengers in 3 lots of 2000.

 

These passengers came on with just back packs or carryon, there were no formal nights because of course they did not bring formal clothes (why should they for just 2 or 4 days).Menu's were dumbed down, shops had extra taxes added, entertainment was also reduced , there were language problems.

 

NO I am NOT WHINING. I am merely stating a very hard fact, anyone taking a longer "Round trip "is likely to find that the middle section is going to be very UNCUNARD, leaving aside any behavior differences there was a problem that most of the 6000 "short break" passengers did not speak English- this gave a problem for staff. If you are from an Eastern country, it is difficult having to do your work in a second language -English, -on these cruises the staff had to contend with passengers irate because (in the case I am quoting) the staff did not speak German!

 

Looking at the schedules for rest of this year and whole of 2015, you will see many of these "short break inexpensive trips" sandwiched into the East West TA's, hidden without any information other than "call Cunard for details".

 

So Buyer beware. Unfortunately I had booked two longer cruises , the 22 day in July and a 19 day in Sept, it was not until it was too late to cancel the Sept trip that I found out that Cunard marketing have done the same thing for that trip as for the July one, namely slipped in a short inexpensive break into the middle.

 

Another strange thing in July was that the Future Cruise office did NOT have any brochures showing dollar prices (believe also the English prices were missing) . I could get a brochure for 2015 in German, with Euros as price but nothing suitable for USA/Canada. Office did not know when dollar price brochure would be available on board!

 

I will review the Sept cruise as usual. (I write a review not a eulogy ) No one has to read my comments or my review. I am sorry if you are unhappy, but -

 

"A tough steak remains a tough steak, it does not become a melt in the mouth steak just because it is served on Cunard".

[maina]

Jimsgirl--I respect you a great deal, based on a lot of your Cruiseciritc postings. Certainly I've found out a lot of helpful information from you in the past several years. However, you have repeatedly posted the same thing (almost identical cut and paste) in multiple different threads about your recent experiences with German short break passengers; Cunard's false advertising; etc. I'm sure your intent is to warn off as many people as possible who might be put off by your experience, but to those of us who regularly read Cunard threads, it's really getting to be beating a dead horse. Telling the truth is fine, but how many times? It loses its effectiveness with so much repetition, and people may be apt to start dismissing what you say. (Of course when we see you posting the identical comments yet again, we can always skip over them.) Have you ever stopped to think that there might be people interested in sharing space on the Queen Mary with a large international contingent for a few days? :D