First cruise with Cunard

[Electra 7]

 This was my first cruise with Cunard I loved it I thought the food was of a very good standard, the ship was very elegant and does deserve to have a dress code to go with it, I found the staff to be very pleasant no one walked past without a hello, balcony on deck 4 was of a nice size

Above all the dress code was what I was hoping for before I went there had been much talk about how Cunard were dumbing down

this was the best dressed ship I have been on since P&O took away informal nights it was lovely to see most men had on jackets every night and I think I would say nearly every man had dinner suit on formal nights on the casual night I was surprised at how many ladies still wore long dresses it was lovely to see 

Ballroom was beautiful and the traditional afternoon tea is defo worth doing at least once in your cruise

To sum up I booked another 3 cruises while onboard that's how much I enjoyed the cruise

[watsonbeau]

So glad you loved it. Am looking forward to my turn next year. Always enjoy the people watching going into dinner and as you say the lovely clothes.

 

Out of interest by booking on board did you achieve any additional perks - extra on board credit, lower deposit etc ? If the 23-24 itinerary is out not too long from when I go I might well book onboard.  Were Future cruise deposits still available as had heard these had been discontinued ?

 

Great  not to have a Covid topic ! 

[Electra 7]

2023 is coming out end of January beginning of February that is what future cruise people said

yip worth booking onboard $300 dollars per person for balcony and $200 dollars pp for inside plus what the cruise is giving e.g $105 pp £175 pp deposit 

forgot to say in my review Covid was not mentioned in my company felt very safe if we had not been wearing masks I would have forgot all about Covid 

[Host Hattie]

That's great to hear, thank you very much for reporting back.

[watsonbeau]

That’s good to know as hoping to be on QM2 then so might get a bargain !

 

[BklynBoy8]

6 hours ago, Electra 7 said:

 This was my first cruise with Cunard I loved it I thought the food was of a very good standard, the ship was very elegant and does deserve to have a dress code to go with it, I found the staff to be very pleasant no one walked past without a hello, balcony on deck 4 was of a nice size

Above all the dress code was what I was hoping for before I went there had been much talk about how Cunard were dumbing down

this was the best dressed ship I have been on since P&O took away informal nights it was lovely to see most men had on jackets every night and I think I would say nearly every man had dinner suit on formal nights on the casual night I was surprised at how many ladies still wore long dresses it was lovely to see 

Ballroom was beautiful and the traditional afternoon tea is defo worth doing at least once in your cruise

To sum up I booked another 3 cruises while onboard that's how much I enjoyed the cruise

Electra,

So happy you enjoyed the QM2 and all it offered.

 

QM2 has been our favorite vessel to sail on since 2006 and look forward to our cruise in September.

 

Though we book one sailing at a time, we always look to the future on what other voyages are coming up and our interest.

 

My DW and I always feel like we are returning home when we approach the pier and step aboard the QM2. Like we never left.

[mcloaked]

It is so nice to read the mini review of this first time voyage with Cunard, and it certainly sounds like the majority of passengers were the silent majority who were of a like mind about dress code and maintaining the traditional atmosphere on board.  The vociferous minority who post about individual rights to dress differently to smart or formal do indeed appear to be the minority on board, and in recent years that is what I have seen on Cunard cruises on QE and QV also. As we go onto the next year, I hope that when we get aboard again the majority of people will also wish to dress smartly in the evenings even if it is not a stated requirement. It is clearly still something a lot of people enjoy and a significant factor in why people book Cunard rather than other cruise lines. Like BklynBoy8 we also feel like we are coming back home when we step across the threshold to the smiling welcoming faces of the crew once we have checked in with our cruise cards.

[mcloaked]

One additional point about packing the cases if you have dresses and jackets and suits to include - yes, packing  has to be done  more thoughtfully - though as ballroom dancers there are also dance shoes, and dancewear to include - and certainly when flying that means it is more difficult, and choosing  lightweight dresses and jackets, as well as lightweight shoes is vital. For some years I have been careful to buy lightweight luggage too, that is suitable for the limited flight baggage limits on those occasions when we had to fly to the ship. It is possible to buy evening dresses that are reasonably light, and for the ladies a heavy dress is often less comfortable than one that is made of lightweight materials, and not made heavy by lots of crystals for example. Equally mens' shoes can be half the weight of some makes for a similar looking style.  So planning what to pack means thinking ahead for us... and certainly not the same as in our youth when a small case each with a pair of flip flops, swimming costume and a few pairs of shorts and t-shirts was all that was needed for a beach holiday - well, not forgetting a toothbrush!

 

[BklynBoy8]

2 hours ago, mcloaked said:

One additional point about packing the cases if you have dresses and jackets and suits to include - yes, packing  has to be done  more thoughtfully - though as ballroom dancers there are also dance shoes, and dancewear to include - and certainly when flying that means it is more difficult, and choosing  lightweight dresses and jackets, as well as lightweight shoes is vital. For some years I have been careful to buy lightweight luggage too, that is suitable for the limited flight baggage limits on those occasions when we had to fly to the ship. It is possible to buy evening dresses that are reasonably light, and for the ladies a heavy dress is often less comfortable than one that is made of lightweight materials, and not made heavy by lots of crystals for example. Equally mens' shoes can be half the weight of some makes for a similar looking style.  So planning what to pack means thinking ahead for us... and certainly not the same as in our youth when a small case each with a pair of flip flops, swimming costume and a few pairs of shorts and t-shirts was all that was needed for a beach holiday - well, not forgetting a toothbrush!

 

mcloaked,

IMHO......We do notice the difference on board when others downsize their dress after dinner....They Stick Out like a Sore Thumb..Not a needle in a haystack..

We once saw a couple in the Casino and they actually distracted people making bets...Honestly..

[ronpes]

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to post this review.

We are booked to sail on QM2 next May and very much looking forward to it.

We have sailed many times over the years with other lines but this will be our first time on a Cunard ship and we are really excited about it.  

[Electra 7]

On 12/4/2021 at 2:13 AM, ronpes said:

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to post this review.

We are booked to sail on QM2 next May and very much looking forward to it.

We have sailed many times over the years with other lines but this will be our first time on a Cunard ship and we are really excited about it.  

I was really excited before I went even though I have done over 20 cruises it was like going on my first cruise I think partly because the rest of the cruise lines are dumbing down and I think I thought that if I did not like Cunard where would we go from here

I was not disappointed in the slightest loved every minute and the icing on the cake was that it was all dressed for Christmas 

We got an extra night because of storms but our 4 day cruise was cancelled however we will get money back and put it towards next year

Lots of people said Queen Mary is the best so we booked transatlantic for next year

[ronpes]

I totally get where you are coming from.

We have also cruised many times before but we are getting excited about our first time on QM2 and its like our first ever cruise! (which was way back in 2001 !)

 

Perhaps we have stayed too loyal to one line and its time for a change.

 

We are sailing on a transatlantic in May from Southampton to New York on the QM2. We have done transatlantic' s before but never on this line or ship. We then stay in New York for one night and then return to Southampton on Anthem of the Seas. So,…it will be very interesting to compare the two.

 

It is also good to know that the 2023 itineraries will be out early next year and we may well take advantage of booking another trip or two whilst on board. (we would love to do Sydney to Southampton !)

 

We always dress smart casual for dinner regardless of the night and make an extra effort for formal night but we will need to make an extra effort for the Cunard Gala nights which I believe we will have two. We are also looking forward to the afternoon tea and having a cocktail or two as we sail across the Atlantic.

 

As you can guess, we cant wait !

[exlondoner]

I do hope you have the time to be able to post here and tell us all about it. I, for one, would be fascinated by a comparison of two such apparently different ships.

[ronpes]

13 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I do hope you have the time to be able to post here and tell us all about it. I, for one, would be fascinated by a comparison of two such apparently different ships.

Hi,. I will try.

I am sure we will have a wonderful time on both ships regardless of how different they are.

[Electra 7]

On 12/5/2021 at 3:25 PM, ronpes said:

I totally get where you are coming from.

We have also cruised many times before but we are getting excited about our first time on QM2 and its like our first ever cruise! (which was way back in 2001 !)

 

Perhaps we have stayed too loyal to one line and its time for a change.

 

We are sailing on a transatlantic in May from Southampton to New York on the QM2. We have done transatlantic' s before but never on this line or ship. We then stay in New York for one night and then return to Southampton on Anthem of the Seas. So,…it will be very interesting to compare the two.

 

It is also good to know that the 2023 itineraries will be out early next year and we may well take advantage of booking another trip or two whilst on board. (we would love to do Sydney to Southampton !)

 

We always dress smart casual for dinner regardless of the night and make an extra effort for formal night but we will need to make an extra effort for the Cunard Gala nights which I believe we will have two. We are also looking forward to the afternoon tea and having a cocktail or two as we sail across the Atlantic.

 

As you can guess, we cant wait !

You must let me know what you think of your cruise

[Jack E Dawson]

On 12/3/2021 at 8:13 PM, ronpes said:

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to post this review.

We are booked to sail on QM2 next May and very much looking forward to it.

We have sailed many times over the years with other lines but this will be our first time on a Cunard ship and we are really excited about it.  

ropes,

We are booked on the May 8-15 Crossing, SH-NYC. Is that the one you are on? This will be our third crossing on the QM2, it is addictive. You are correct about the two Gala nights. On our previous two Crossings there were three, Not sure why the change. We plan to fly over and spend a week traveling before boarding so will ship our formal clothes to our hotel in Southampton before leaving the States. 

[ronpes]

3 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

ropes,

We are booked on the May 8-15 Crossing, SH-NYC. Is that the one you are on? This will be our third crossing on the QM2, it is addictive. You are correct about the two Gala nights. On our previous two Crossings there were three, Not sure why the change. We plan to fly over and spend a week traveling before boarding so will ship our formal clothes to our hotel in Southampton before leaving the States. 

Jack E Dawson;   HI, no we are on the QM2 sailing on the 24th April to 1st May SH - NYC,

then the Anthem sailing from the 2nd May - 13th May NYC - SH via the Azores.

From memory the QM2 calendar states one Gala evening and another listed as a Black and White gala evening.

[BklynBoy8]

4 hours ago, ronpes said:

Jack E Dawson;   HI, no we are on the QM2 sailing on the 24th April to 1st May SH - NYC,

then the Anthem sailing from the 2nd May - 13th May NYC - SH via the Azores.

From memory the QM2 calendar states one Gala evening and another listed as a Black and White gala evening.

ronpes,

Hi and Good Sailing in the Future.

 

According to the Dress and Theme Calendar of 2022 for the QM2 that bluemarble constructed and is located on the front page of the Cunard Board, there are 2 Gala Nights for your sailing.

 

I believe I saw Black and White and Masquerade Nights stated during that period.

[bluemarble]

11 hours ago, ronpes said:

Jack E Dawson;   HI, no we are on the QM2 sailing on the 24th April to 1st May SH - NYC,

then the Anthem sailing from the 2nd May - 13th May NYC - SH via the Azores.

From memory the QM2 calendar states one Gala evening and another listed as a Black and White gala evening.

 

7 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

ronpes,

Hi and Good Sailing in the Future.

 

According to the Dress and Theme Calendar of 2022 for the QM2 that bluemarble constructed and is located on the front page of the Cunard Board, there are 2 Gala Nights for your sailing.

 

I believe I saw Black and White and Masquerade Nights stated during that period.

 

I do indeed have Masquerade listed as the theme for the second Gala Evening on 29th April, the same as the second Gala Evening on all other 7-night westbound crossings when the dress codes were first announced. However I received a recent correction to the preceding westbound crossing (20-27 March), indicating the second Gala Evening has been changed from Masquerade to no theme.

 

@ronpes and @Jack E Dawson, would you mind checking the dress code schedule in your "My Cunard" calendars and let me know if there is any theme listed for the second Gala Evening now for your April and May westbound crossings?

 

I'm wondering if Cunard has decided a theme involving masks might not go over well in the current COVID environment with its mask requirements.

[ronpes]

5 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

@ronpes and @Jack E Dawson, would you mind checking the dress code schedule in your "My Cunard" calendars and let me know if there is any theme listed for the second Gala Evening now for your April and May westbound crossings?

 

Hi,. I have checked the calendar for my booking. 

On the 25th April the dress code is listed as;  "Gala Evening - Black and White"

On the 29th April, the dress code is listed as;  "Gala Evening - Masquerade"

All other evenings the dress code is listed as;  "Smart Attire"

 

I hope this helps.