Cunard

[grapau27]

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

 

Im sure you are correct. There are quite a few on here. I still struggle with the Covid-19 aspects though. Strikes me as about the most risky type of cruise you could do. Being ashore in a foreign country, even with a higher infection rate than us, would be less risk (if you stuck to outdoor areas) than being cooped up in a crowded ship on endless sea days. 

Absolutely agree.

[grapau27]

14 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

If this is what cruising will be like - no thanks 😞

 

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/cruise-ships-coronavirus-recovery?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

We like to discover new places and that is why cruising appeals to us.

Cruise to nowhere is not for us but if people want to do this then hopefully it will lead to cruise to somewhere if the cruises are successful against covid19.

[Britboys]

15 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thats good to hear as we will be considering Cunard once all of this is a distant memory. We have only been on P&O ships and find that all of them can feel crowded inside on sea days, unless the weather is such that all the sun worshippers are on deck! 

If you haven't already done so, search for Queen Elizabeth Cruise ship videos. There is a good one by Gavin & Luke. Don't set too much store in the commentary as they are social influencers who get some freebies - but the video is good and comprehensive. I loved QE in 2016 and would love to cruise on her again. The overall experience definitely reminded me of P&O a few years ago.

[terrierjohn]

43 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

 

I completely agree with you on the need to get the economy moving, but cruising remains the highest risk holiday activity, unfortunately. If it wasn’t, they would be operating. 

Higher than bungee jumping, scuba diving, ski ing, freefall parachute jumping and trekking in various places?

[AnnieC]

32 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thats good to hear as we will be considering Cunard once all of this is a distant memory. We have only been on P&O ships and find that all of them can feel crowded inside on sea days, unless the weather is such that all the sun worshippers are on deck! 

I think you'll love Cunard - I've only done two or three P&O cruises, the rest mainly with Cunard, and have had some wonderful cruises.

 

But you lot on here are much more entertaining than the Cunard boards.🤣

[AnnieC]

10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Higher than bungee jumping, scuba diving, ski ing, freefall parachute jumping and trekking in various places?

Considerably, where covid is concerned.

[ann141]

46 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thats good to hear as we will be considering Cunard once all of this is a distant memory. We have only been on P&O ships and find that all of them can feel crowded inside on sea days, unless the weather is such that all the sun worshippers are on deck! 

We sailed on QM2 last year and have previously sailed on Queen Elizabeth.I agree with others that the inside space seems to be less crowded and there were very few people waiting for lifts compared with P and O. The only thing I am not keen on with Cunard is that they don't do Freedom Dining.

[pete14]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Couple of additional tidbits:

 

Queen Elizabeth's itineraries around Britain appears to be offering "scenic cruising" with "uninterrupted sailing from departure to disembarkation"

 

Queen Mary 2 will sail via the Med and Singapore both to and from Australia on her 2022 world cruise. So no, Caribbean, North America , South America or Pacific crossings. That gives me hope that Aurora's 2022 world cruise will survive.

Molecrochip - what do you think will happen to the P&O Caribbean programme this winter? Obviously any decision they make will be dependent on the medical situation but do you think they are hoping to run at least some of the later cruises? Thanks.

[molecrochip]

4 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Molecrochip - what do you think will happen to the P&O Caribbean programme this winter? Obviously any decision they make will be dependent on the medical situation but do you think they are hoping to run at least some of the later cruises? Thanks.

Last thing I heard was hoping. Tours might be bubbled and official only. 

[tring]

33 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Last thing I heard was hoping. Tours might be bubbled and official only. 

 

This is what concerns me about cruising in the future as we are free spirits and like to just go own own way without restrictions.  We had a great time on a cruise up India, spending 6 days in port last February.  Although we are glad to have done it, heaven knows when that sort of life can resume, possibly not while, as 70 year olds, we are still able to go off in that way.  Seriously though I do not see ports allowing passengers to just roam round at will, then travel on to somewhere else ad infinitum.  It is that risk of spread that I see as the main problem, rather than actually on the ship, which can be controlled to a fair extent by social distancing, hygiene and a good dose of common sense.  In fact ship with less people on board sounds like a really pleasant place to be IMO, we do not usually go to the shows or other crowded venues, but like to seek out quiet places to sit or lie in the sun and tables for two.  Perhaps we just need a private yacht.............

 

We were hoping though that a vaccine would become available sometime during this winter or early spring and most of this will be over, but we will have to see.  The main problem would seem to be people who refuse vaccines and I suspect there will be more of them on the US than in the UK, so since Cunard seem to be geared towards the US, I wonder if that is partly why they have made the decision to cancel so many cruises.  Does not bode well for our American Eastern Seaboard cruise on Aurora Sept '21 methinks, unless it can be allowed as long as all crew and passengers have been vaccinated..

Edited August 25, 2020 by tring

[molecrochip]

A 2020 restart is more about offering a proposition rather than offering the multiple propositions to suit everyone like previously.

 

An option or no cruise is better than just no cruise.
 

It won’t suit everyone, some will decide no cruise. Some will try it and hate it, and the rest will adapt until the world returns to a 2019 normal.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, ann141 said:

We sailed on QM2 last year and have previously sailed on Queen Elizabeth.I agree with others that the inside space seems to be less crowded and there were very few people waiting for lifts compared with P and O. The only thing I am not keen on with Cunard is that they don't do Freedom Dining.

Freedom dining is a must for us. Having done both, we much prefer to dine at a time that suits us, which varies depending on appetite, mood, sail always, entertainment etc. Am I correct in thinking that if you book Grill class, you are allocated a table for the whole cruise and can dine when you like? We did a ships tour of QM2 and felt that the tables in grill class restaurants were far too close together, but maybe that will be change if ships sail with lower passenger numbers? 

[terrierjohn]

Just had an e-mail from that TA near Chesterfield about the new launch itineraries, but they only mention QM2 and QE no mention of QV at all, is this significant.

[Csardas]

18 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Just had an e-mail from that TA near Chesterfield about the new launch itineraries, but they only mention QM2 and QE no mention of QV at all, is this significant.

No. It's just a later, May, start.

[Eddie99]

19 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Freedom dining is a must for us. Having done both, we much prefer to dine at a time that suits us, which varies depending on appetite, mood, sail always, entertainment etc. Am I correct in thinking that if you book Grill class, you are allocated a table for the whole cruise and can dine when you like? We did a ships tour of QM2 and felt that the tables in grill class restaurants were far too close together, but maybe that will be change if ships sail with lower passenger numbers? 

There’s Britannia class or Britannia balconies or some such, where you get your own restaurant, own table and eat when you like.  From the MDR menu, I think, not the ‘what do you fancy tonight’ menu in the Grills.

Much cheaper but still considerably more than the standard fare 

[ann141]

25 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Freedom dining is a must for us. Having done both, we much prefer to dine at a time that suits us, which varies depending on appetite, mood, sail always, entertainment etc. Am I correct in thinking that if you book Grill class, you are allocated a table for the whole cruise and can dine when you like? We did a ships tour of QM2 and felt that the tables in grill class restaurants were far too close together, but maybe that will be change if ships sail with lower passenger numbers? 

I think if you book 'Britannia Club Class ' you dine in a separate restaurant and can decide what time you want to eat (I don't think it has to be the same time each evening)but I can't comment how close the tables are.We really enjoyed our Cunard cruises but like you, fixed dining is a real put off.

Edited August 25, 2020 by ann141

[Selbourne]

5 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

There’s Britannia class or Britannia balconies or some such, where you get your own restaurant, own table and eat when you like.  From the MDR menu, I think, not the ‘what do you fancy tonight’ menu in the Grills.

Much cheaper but still considerably more than the standard fare 

 

4 minutes ago, ann141 said:

I think if you book 'Britannia Club Class ' you dine in a separate restaurant and can decide what time you want to eat (I don't think it has to be the same time each evening)but I can't comment how close the tables are.We really enjoyed our Cunard cruises but like you, fixed dining is a real put off.

Thank you both for the info. That sounds like a good option, as long as they have accessible balcony cabins in that grade 

[wowzz]

The price of drink on Cunard is enough to put me off cruising with them, I'm afraid. 

[indiana123]

Britannia  Club Balcony cabins come with Club Class Dining. You have your own allocated table and about a three hour slot... dine when you wish.  Its good.

[ann141]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

The price of drink on Cunard is enough to put me off cruising with them, I'm afraid. 

They do have free cranberry juice, orange juice etc in the Buffet area rather than just water like P and O who only have it at breakfast.

[Selbourne]

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The price of drink on Cunard is enough to put me off cruising with them, I'm afraid. 

We aren’t heavy drinkers, so that wouldn’t be a show stopper for us. Besides, we would prefer to pay more for a better quality experience, if indeed that is what Cunard offers?

[wowzz]

30 minutes ago, ann141 said:

They do have free cranberry juice, orange juice etc in the Buffet area rather than just water like P and O who only have it at breakfast.

That wasn't really the sort of drink I had in mind!

Over £9 for a 250ml glass of the cheapest red wine is excessive. Two or three drinks a day, between us would cost us over £350 for a week! 

[ann141]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

That wasn't really the sort of drink I had in mind!

Over £9 for a 250ml glass of the cheapest red wine is excessive. Two or three drinks a day, between us would cost us over £350 for a week! 

You will have to take part in the team quizzes to win a few bottles!! We managed to win 2 bottles. We only have the occasional drink so not a problem for us. Cunard do have a similar drinks package to P and O but only worth it if you drink a lot.

[SeaJane]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

That wasn't really the sort of drink I had in mind!

Over £9 for a 250ml glass of the cheapest red wine is excessive. Two or three drinks a day, between us would cost us over £350 for a week! 

That’s the main reason we have been put off trying a Cunard cruise. A bottle of wine with dinner and perhaps a glass with lunch adds to our enjoyment of the holiday! We usually go on 18 or 19 nighters too so our bill would be huge! 

Edited August 25, 2020 by SeaJane
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[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, SeaJane said:

That’s the main reason we have been put off trying a Cunard cruise. A bottle of wine with dinner and perhaps a glass with lunch adds to our enjoyment of the holiday! 

That sums us up as well.

Princess are looking more attractive by the day, as they are offering an included drinks package on many 2021 cruises.