Cruise Critic Queen Elizabeth Member Reviews

[rkacruiser]

Many of the most recently posted reviews on CC are from Members who show very little activity according to their information. And, many are quite disturbing to read. I am wise enough to know that others' opinions may differ from mine on the same cruise. But, still, I have to wonder about what I read.

 

I am considering booking the QE's British Isles cruise for 2016. Good itinerary, a fairly new ship on which I have not sailed, an area that will be new to me: lots of reasons to do so.

 

But, the worst at sea experience I have ever had was on the Queen Elizabeth 2, a trans-Atlantic in 1980 from Hamburg-Southampton-New York. While some crew members excelled in their service, even in Tourist Class where I was, some were rude, items ordered in the Dining Room, i.e. a small steak which turned out to be liver, graffitti in the public restrooms, one--just one, after many requests--wash cloth for two people from Southampton to New York, a visit to our cabin by a Hotel Officer to apologize for our complaints, yet nothing improved. Reason: there were labor issues aboard the vessel. I will never forget my friend's comment while having cocktails in the Yacht Club one evening: "When will this 'garbage barge' get to New York?" (We had just completed a 24 day cruise on Royal Viking Sky.)

 

My cruise on QM2 to the Caribbean soon after her introduction into service was booked with "fingers crossed". It was a fine cruise on an excellent ship. A Table Captain that upset an originally great table by placing two ladies who could not seem to "find a suitable home" (ours was their 3rd table in 3 nights), but whom decided to finally become cooperative was the only negative.

 

But, now, what to expect? Cunard has only one 2016 British Isles cruise. Princess has several. I have ruled out Prinsendam; too old and too small. I cannot obtain any brochures that P & O may have that would relate to my interest. So, P & O is out of consideration: no information--no booking.

 

I would appreciate experienced Cunard cruisers to respond: QE or Carribean Princess?

 

Or, look elsewhere?

Edited June 12, 2015 by rkacruiser

[Scrapnana]

I have spent 130 days on QE in the last year and a half and both cruises have been great. I wrote positive reviews for both of them. I have not been on Princess so I can't compare.

[the english lady]

Many of the most recently posted reviews on CC are from Members who show very little activity according to their information. And, many are quite disturbing to read. I am wise enough to know that others' opinions may differ from mine on the same cruise. But, still, I have to wonder about what I read.

 

I am considering booking the QE's British Isles cruise for 2016. Good itinerary, a fairly new ship on which I have not sailed, an area that will be new to me: lots of reasons to do so.

 

But, the worst at sea experience I have ever had was on the Queen Elizabeth 2, a trans-Atlantic in 1980 from Hamburg-Southampton-New York. While some crew members excelled in their service, even in Tourist Class where I was, some were rude, items ordered in the Dining Room, i.e. a small steak which turned out to be liver, graffitti in the public restrooms, one--just one, after many requests--wash cloth for two people from Southampton to New York, a visit to our cabin by a Hotel Officer to apologize for our complaints, yet nothing improved. Reason: there were labor issues aboard the vessel. I will never forget my friend's comment while having cocktails in the Yacht Club one evening: "When will this 'garbage barge' get to New York?" (We had just completed a 24 day cruise on Royal Viking Sky.)

 

My cruise on QM2 to the Caribbean soon after her introduction into service was booked with "fingers crossed". It was a fine cruise on an excellent ship. A Table Captain that upset an originally great table by placing two ladies who could not seem to "find a suitable home" (ours was their 3rd table in 3 nights), but whom decided to finally become cooperative was the only negative.

 

But, now, what to expect? Cunard has only one 2016 British Isles cruise. Princess has several. I have ruled out Prinsendam; too old and too small. I cannot obtain any brochures that P & O may have that would relate to my interest. So, P & O is out of consideration: no information--no booking.

 

I would appreciate experienced Cunard cruisers to respond: QE or Carribean Princess?

 

Or, look elsewhere?

 

Well we are booked on the cruise you are interested in!

I don't think P and O are doing a round Britain. It will be our first time on Cunard.

Looked at Princess, but the Cunard appealed more.

We have done a round UK cruise before with Fred Olsen, and liked it,so thought we would try another.

What am I expecting? Well similar to P and O I guess. Maybe a little better.

Tend not to read too many reviews. Go onboard and make my mind up then.

I think back in the day cruise lines probably got away with more than they do today. There is so much competition out there that if you don't cut the mustard you would not be around for long.

[durante]

The ship is beautiful and the itinerary really interesting. I haven't been on Princess ships at all so not able to compare. I have done 4 cruises on Queen Elizabeth, and have enjoyed them all. The beds are really comfortable, and there are interesting guest speakers onboard on the days at sea. I would say the food is not generally as good as Celebrity or Oceania, I do like the promenade deck for walking around the ship and the 2 level library is pretty good. Its a good type of ship for all kinds of weather which would be a consideration in the British Isles itinerary. I have my doubts about some of those terrible reviews.

[foster269]

Hello rkacruiser,

Firstly could I give you my honest reveiw of the Queen Elizabeth.My wife and I have sailed on her three times and have two more booked this year,maybe that says it all.We allways enjoy the ship, it company and the food.The entertainment is not our choice but I will not critcise it because of that.

You speak of two ladies who could not find a suitable home.

When they landed on a table with a lady,no person,who says things like "when will this garbage barge get to New York,and another person who calls her a friend,I suspect they may have wished they landed somewhere else.

Rodger.

[Underwatr]

I've been on Caribbean Princess and the other two Cunard ships but not QE.

 

I was pleasantly surprised with the level of service on CB but otherwise I think the ship was a step down from trips I've taken on Cunard Little things add up - the stairways have open risers (looks cheap to me), the waiters dress according to the dinner (so on Italian night they dress like Venetian gondoliers), not as much formality on formal (dressy) nights...

 

Princess is great if that's what you're ready for and it probably will be less expensive (we got a great price for our balcony stateroom) but otherwise I don't think there's much comparison.

[pkpon]

Having sailed on the QE and with Princess and P&O I would definitely go with the QE.

 

While the other two lines were good value the QE is something special. She is beautiful.

 

Also the Cunard ships always get a special welcome in the ports on the round Britain cruises. As shown in Liverpool a few weeks ago.

[Host Hattie]

I don't often read the reviews but some of those recent ones are shocking aren't they ? I should probably write one for our QM2 trip.

 

I haven't sailed with Princess but this thread has some general comparisons which may help.

[sand dollar26]

rka-I have sailed numerous times on the Caribbean Princess and more times on Cunard. I have not sailed on the Elizabeth but have sailed on the Victoria, her sister ship. We are New Yorkers and no longer wish to fly. That is the reason we have sailed on the Caribbean Princess. The Qm2 also sails out of New York (Brooklyn). After sailing numerous times on Cunard we no longer sail on Princess. To our minds there is no comparison. The Qm2 happens to be my favorite ship. My husband prefers the QV. Either way it is Cunard for us and if it leaves from Brooklyn or Manhattan, we want to be on it. If you don't mind formal dress you will love Cunard. Enjoy your cruise no matter your decision.

S.

[Scrapnana]

I don't often read the reviews but some of those recent ones are shocking aren't they ?

 

It appears that some people only join Cruise Critic in order to write a bad review!:eek:

[resistk]

I've sailed on both. The Caribbean Princess is getting old and tired. It also caters to a different demographic. The QE is a much nicer ship and will likely be far more sedate.

[Host Hattie]

It appears that some people only join Cruise Critic in order to write a bad review!:eek:

 

Certainly looks that way doesn't it ? I guess sometimes the name doesn't help.

[DreamflightPat]

It appears that some people only join Cruise Critic in order to write a bad review!:eek:

 

Like you Scrapnana,I have spent a lot of time on QE. I did the half world cruise on QE las year and the other half this year. I cannot find fault at all. I have worked in the airlines for 39 and am very critical of service etc. I find that some people just make a habit of getting on board and looking for something to moan about.

 

All I can say to those people is "get a life". Enough said. I have cruised Princess as well and my first choice is Cunard.

 

Regards xx

[FLUFFY01]

RKACRUISER. You have done quite a lot of cruises, but going back 35 years to say about a bad cruise is funny. that was probably about when cruising first came into being as opposed to sailing on a liner to a specific place and a lot has changed since then, much of it good and some of it not so good.

[rkacruiser]

RKACRUISER. You have done quite a lot of cruises, but going back 35 years to say about a bad cruise is funny. that was probably about when cruising first came into being as opposed to sailing on a liner to a specific place and a lot has changed since then, much of it good and some of it not so good.

 

Thank you for the comment. Our QE2 voyage was a liner voyage, not a cruise. Hamburg-Southampton-New York. Our experience left a very poor impression of Cunard at the time. In Tourist Class on QE2, we were paying $100/day more than what we had paid for our cruise on Royal Viking Sky: New York-Copenhagen-North Cape Cruise-back to Copenhagen. The difference between the two, given the cost, was shocking.

[rkacruiser]

I have spent 130 days on QE in the last year and a half and both cruises have been great. I wrote positive reviews for both of them. I have not been on Princess so I can't compare.

 

Scrapnana,

 

Knowing you from the HAL Message Board, I was hoping that you would reply to my posting. Many thanks!

[rkacruiser]

Hello rkacruiser,

Firstly could I give you my honest reveiw of the Queen Elizabeth.My wife and I have sailed on her three times and have two more booked this year,maybe that says it all.We allways enjoy the ship, it company and the food.The entertainment is not our choice but I will not critcise it because of that.

You speak of two ladies who could not find a suitable home.

When they landed on a table with a lady,no person,who says things like "when will this garbage barge get to New York,and another person who calls her a friend,I suspect they may have wished they landed somewhere else.

Rodger.

 

Thank you Rodger for your response. I do appreciate learning your opinions.

 

To make my comment about my QE2 and QM2 experiences clear:

 

My companion who made the "garbage barge" comment about our QE2 voyage was not with me on QM2 when I experienced the woman and her daughter who had trouble finding a "home" in the Brittania Restaurant.

 

To expand on my QM2 experience, the older woman was a "moter mouth". From the very first moment when she arrived at our table, and her rear end hit her seat, her mouth became engaged. Her daughter was charming; quiet. Upon complaint by all of us at the table to the Table Captain/Assistant Maitre d'--never did figure out his role; and he was "officious" himself--he explained that our "issue" was what got her "removed" from other tables. He had even offered them a table for two which she refused! Why? Because she liked our table!

 

The rest of us at the table met the next day and plotted what we needed to do since she seemed destined to be with us "forever". Our plan: 100% ignore her and her daughter. We carried on our conversation and whatever, whenever she said anything, we totally ignored. It took 2 nights, but I think her daughter clued her in and for the rest of the cruise, she became a cooperative and pleasant--but opinionated--tablemate.

 

Obviously, for me, this was a memorable cruising experience.

[Liberal_Baggie]

This is great get some pop corn. I've only had to move once from a loads of money Essex based group with lots of gold bling on a booze cruise on QM2.Lady Sheppard and I were unable to lower ourselves to the UKIP and dangerous dogs table topics so we fled the next night to the earlier sitting. We then had a madman million dollar republican landlord from Brooklyn who was flying the everthing is wrong with the world flag and worse refused to buy himself on price issue, a glass of wine. We dumped him as well and ended up having a wonderfull indian meal on the last night in the special restaurant that they set up in Kings Court, but on our own. Having said that I'm looking forward to QE for a table of Eight on the 26th July better be good company!

[laktex]

Certainly looks that way doesn't it ? I guess sometimes the name doesn't help.

Maybe CRITIQUE is a softer approach?

[MicCanberra]

Many of the most recently posted reviews on CC are from Members who show very little activity according to their information. And, many are quite disturbing to read. I am wise enough to know that others' opinions may differ from mine on the same cruise. But, still, I have to wonder about what I read.

 

I am considering booking the QE's British Isles cruise for 2016. Good itinerary, a fairly new ship on which I have not sailed, an area that will be new to me: lots of reasons to do so.

 

But, the worst at sea experience I have ever had was on the Queen Elizabeth 2, a trans-Atlantic in 1980 from Hamburg-Southampton-New York. While some crew members excelled in their service, even in Tourist Class where I was, some were rude, items ordered in the Dining Room, i.e. a small steak which turned out to be liver, graffitti in the public restrooms, one--just one, after many requests--wash cloth for two people from Southampton to New York, a visit to our cabin by a Hotel Officer to apologize for our complaints, yet nothing improved. Reason: there were labor issues aboard the vessel. I will never forget my friend's comment while having cocktails in the Yacht Club one evening: "When will this 'garbage barge' get to New York?" (We had just completed a 24 day cruise on Royal Viking Sky.)

 

My cruise on QM2 to the Caribbean soon after her introduction into service was booked with "fingers crossed". It was a fine cruise on an excellent ship. A Table Captain that upset an originally great table by placing two ladies who could not seem to "find a suitable home" (ours was their 3rd table in 3 nights), but whom decided to finally become cooperative was the only negative.

 

But, now, what to expect? Cunard has only one 2016 British Isles cruise. Princess has several. I have ruled out Prinsendam; too old and too small. I cannot obtain any brochures that P & O may have that would relate to my interest. So, P & O is out of consideration: no information--no booking.

 

I would appreciate experienced Cunard cruisers to respond: QE or Carribean Princess?

 

Or, look elsewhere?

I have cruised both Princess and Cunard, and they are both good. Of course Cunard comes with a reputation but if that doesn't matter then, for me it would be itinerary, timing and cost that would sway my decision. The ports are most important for me, if they are the same them timing and cost are the next decisions.