First time with Cunard - Are They Quite Different from other Cruise Lines?

[Pushka]

That was a big surprise but also things like free room service, never had that on another cruise line. Or the free to use laundry room, again never had that before :)

 

 

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That's unusual as I've not been on a cruiseline that charges for room service. I rarely use it though. I understand some of the other premium lines don't charge for the laundry room either. Oceania doesn't. It's a great advantage. Celebrity ships don't have one at all which is really annoying.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Pushka

[MarkBearSF]

Other lines have followed NCL's lead and have instituted service charges for room service. (Carnival, Royal Caribbean?) For many others, I suspect it's only a matter of time.

 

-Mark

[Pushka]

Other lines have followed NCL's lead and have instituted service charges for room service. (Carnival, Royal Caribbean?) For many others, I suspect it's only a matter of time.

 

 

 

-Mark

 

 

I think that charge is only after midnight and until 5am. Otherwise it is free on all cruise lines.

[Host Hattie]

My only experience paying for room service is on P&O. Some items are free but others have a charge.

[Scrapnana]

While we are talking about what makes Cunard different (although it does not apply to the OP), is the single supplement. Cunard is one of the very few mass market lines that does not charge 200% for all stateroom types. On most cruises you can get any Britannia stateroom for 175% of the p/p double occupancy price. Cunard also has a few solo staterooms but the price of those are all over the place including, sometimes, more than a regular stateroom with the single supplement.

[Pushka]

While we are talking about what makes Cunard different (although it does not apply to the OP), is the single supplement. Cunard is one of the very few mass market lines that does not charge 200% for all stateroom types. On most cruises you can get any Britannia stateroom for 175% of the p/p double occupancy price. Cunard also has a few solo staterooms but the price of those are all over the place including, sometimes, more than a regular stateroom with the single supplement.

 

 

Yes. That is something special about Cunard and which I take advantage of.

[seacruise9]

Yes. That is something special about Cunard and which I take advantage of.

 

Me, too! :)

[ABoatNerd]

We find Cunard excellent with a "whole ship" feel that is enjoyed by all guests.

 

The product is premium and generally delivered with excellence. As others have posted, Cunard has a traditional feel with graciousness and a tad of formality.

 

Despite the Grill Class - the provision of separate space for the Grills is very discrete. Well done Cunard.

 

Contrast this to many of the mass lines which shove the "class segmentation" to the maximum and in your face. There is a thread on Celebrity right now headed by "space for steerage". This says a lot.

 

We are elite plus on Celebrity and have fired them for their class segmentation fixation, the shrilling to buy stuff, pushing of alcohol and the weariness of their depleted staff. In the past few years there has emerged on Celebrity a class warfare/entitlement ugliness/mentality on the threads and on the ship which we want no part of.

 

We have enjoyed Cunard because of the "inclusive" feel of the ship - similar to Oceania.

Also with Cunard and Oceania, you can customize your add on's unlike Celebrity which essentially financially punishes you if you do not take the beverage package.

 

People like different things - in the end you will only know if Cunard fits your wishes if you try it.

 

ABoatNerd

[Pushka]

I don't find Celebrity to be class conscious and the steerage issue comes up on this thread from time to time. I guess it depends on the 'people' mix.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Pushka

[Dowunder]

We have sailed with Celebrity and agree that the constant on selling of restaurants etc. is annoying. Also the seemingly lack of any sort of dress code leaves a lot to be desired. We have chosen Cunard this time because of its reputation and itinerary. It's July 1 Med. cruise on QV departing from Rome is perfect for us. It visits places that we have seen and some we have not. Itinerary is definitely a prime deciding factor, but then of course we are looking forward to the elegance and taste of the QV.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Dowunder

[Germancruiser]

Great posts and all describe Cunard just as would do. I am Elite Plus with Celebrity also and as Aboatnerd- I " fired" them for the same reasons. Cunard is a cruise line for people who love the " ship feeling"-, who love the traditionell way Cunard still maintains. I would never recommend Cunard for children- or if one needs a water slide, a skating ring and all this - Cunard is the wrong line. Queen Mary 2 is a experience in itself! Not to be missed!

The only ship in their fleet I haven´t been on is the QE, but in about 117 days- I will board the third ship with that name! QE2 was also nice to see- but one time was quite enough there, but I am glad I sailed her when se was still around!

[NSWP]

I think that charge is only after midnight and until 5am. Otherwise it is free on all cruise lines.

 

Princess charges $3 for pizza delivery to cabin. Princess only do a continental breakfast service to cabins, I believe Cunard does the Full English Breakfast to one's cabin, fried everything. Healthy tucker.lol.

[bazzaw]

Dancing is BIG on all 3 Cunard ships. In fact, they are really the only cruiseline that I know of who does "Balls" and a significant number of passengers attend. P&O UK is into ballroom dancing - but their dances are not as welcoming as Cunard dances. My experience, anyway! I would agree with another poster that ( short of the Princess/Queens grills - which I know little about ) , Cunard is really just another mass market cruiseline where service/food etc is similar to all other cruiselines that I have experienced - however the evening entertainments/dress code/ people are certainly much more formal than most would have experienced elsewhere. The staff dress better too!! :)

[Aussieflyer]

Princess charges $3 for pizza delivery to cabin. Princess only do a continental breakfast service to cabins, I believe Cunard does the Full English Breakfast to one's cabin, fried everything. Healthy tucker.lol.

And are you getting ready to put in your order?

Remember....eat healthy :D

[Scottygirl1]

Princess charges $3 for pizza delivery to cabin. Princess only do a continental breakfast service to cabins, I believe Cunard does the Full English Breakfast to one's cabin, fried everything. Healthy tucker.lol.

 

 

Yes you can get a full breakfast on Cunard but be aware to ask for gluten free (as you said you needed this). The scrambled eggs come with toast under them in little rounds but they don't mention this on the menu. The eggs are scooped on top looking like ice cream scoops.

[BigMac1953]

We only ever had breakfast in our room once.

 

I filled in the cards that you hang outside and decided to treat us each to two eggs, two sausages, two black puddings etc etc.

 

To my horror, two stewards turned up with two very large trays.

 

Mistakenly, I had ordered two PORTIONS of everything, EACH. That meant we both had 4 eggs, 4 sausages, 4 black puddings etc.

 

I'm pretty sure i heard the stewards mumbling "greedy bandits". :-)

[Solent Richard]

We only ever had breakfast in our room once.

 

I filled in the cards that you hang outside and decided to treat us each to two eggs, two sausages, two black puddings etc etc.

 

To my horror, two stewards turned up with two very large trays.

 

Mistakenly, I had ordered two PORTIONS of everything, EACH. That meant we both had 4 eggs, 4 sausages, 4 black puddings etc.

 

I'm pretty sure i heard the stewards mumbling "greedy bandits". :-)

 

 

Hence the Big as in Mac. :D:D

[Solent Richard]

We have been on other cruise lines but later this year, we are considering going on a Caribbean cruise on the Queen Victoria , and that will be our first time on a Cunard ship. We are wondering how different cruising with Cunard is compared to other cruise lines which we have travelled with, eg Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Celebrity, Princess, P&O and Fred. Olsen.

 

 

 

Though only a short cruise you may find this review interesting...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/07/08/queen-victoria-new-year-getaway/

 

[MarkieMarkNYC]

I have traveled with Cunard 4 times (once in PG, three times in QG) and almost always found it to be a friendly, beautiful experience. I say "almost" because the last time was on a 12-day segment of the World Cruise (Argentina to Chile) in QG and found the crowd in the grills to be almost unbearably stuffy, dull, unpleasant, and even rude. It seemed that they were mostly already bored and miserable by the time this segment occurred and it made me want to never again sail with Cunard. We also experienced some rather rude service by a couple of waiters in QG on that last sailing.

So we switched to Oceania and have found that to be consistently friendly. I personally like the more laid-back style of Oceania and I'm fine with the lack of entertainment. I work like crazy in my regular life and really enjoy sitting back with a book on my downtime at sea.

That said, we are taking a TA with Cunard later this year and have opted for a Britannia cabin.

[Solent Richard]

I have traveled with Cunard 4 times (once in PG, three times in QG) and almost always found it to be a friendly, beautiful experience. I say "almost" because the last time was on a 12-day segment of the World Cruise (Argentina to Chile) in QG and found the crowd in the grills to be almost unbearably stuffy, dull, unpleasant, and even rude. It seemed that they were mostly already bored and miserable by the time this segment occurred and it made me want to never again sail with Cunard. We also experienced some rather rude service by a couple of waiters in QG on that last sailing.

So we switched to Oceania and have found that to be consistently friendly. I personally like the more laid-back style of Oceania and I'm fine with the lack of entertainment. I work like crazy in my regular life and really enjoy sitting back with a book on my downtime at sea.

That said, we are taking a TA with Cunard later this year and have opted for a Britannia cabin.

 

 

I did that route around South America on Queen Mary 2, before continuing on to Australia, and was in the Queens Grill.

 

What year was yours?

 

[MarkieMarkNYC]

I did that route around South America on Queen Mary 2, before continuing on to Australia, and was in the Queens Grill.

 

What year was yours?

 

 

 

I was on in 2014.

You?

[Solent Richard]

I was on in 2014.

You?

 

 

2009...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/01/06/queen-mary-2-southampton-to-sydney/

 

The year the Grills were entertained at Hawaii's Governor's House...

 

 

[Aussieflyer]

We only ever had breakfast in our room once.

 

I filled in the cards that you hang outside and decided to treat us each to two eggs, two sausages, two black puddings etc etc.

 

To my horror, two stewards turned up with two very large trays.

 

Mistakenly, I had ordered two PORTIONS of everything, EACH. That meant we both had 4 eggs, 4 sausages, 4 black puddings etc.

 

I'm pretty sure i heard the stewards mumbling "greedy bandits". :-)

I did something similar once on Celebrity - you can order using the interactive TV and somehow we had 6 burgers between the 2 of us :eek: (I think I ordered plain ones then DH said he wanted cheese, then I decided something etc...so 3 orders each)

[Aussieflyer]

2009...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/01/06/queen-mary-2-southampton-to-sydney/

 

The year the Grills were entertained at Hawaii's Governor's House...

 

 

 

Was that they first year QM2 came 'down under' to do the royal circumnavigation of Australia? If so, it was treated as a big deal. We did the short leg from Adelaide to Sydney and met the replica Endeavour just off the coast of western Victoria.

[NSWP]

And are you getting ready to put in your order?

Remember....eat healthy :D

 

I would only order cabin service breakfast if we were going on an early shorex, of which we have a couple. The full English then, with GF toast, minus ye olde black pudding, (don't like it.):hearteyes: