QM2 May 15th sailing

[mcloaked]

Some men were certainly not wearing jackets - but they did wear a nice looking long sleeved shirt and smart trousers - there are some though, who come into dinner with a short sleeved polo shirt and jeans - and that to many people simply is not smart in any sense. So no you don't need to spend a fortune to look smart - in fact in the UK there are some outlets where you can buy a very nice looking smart jacket for about £15 which is hardly going to break the bank. It is about how you look, not about how much money you spent.

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

I hesitate to wade into this but I gather from your list of complaints that you booked a Britannia grade cabin of some sort, lots of things you mentioned would have been included if you had booked the Grills.

I can't believe that the price of an Oceania cruise is comparable to Cunard Britannia so it's a very unfair comparison. There is a more luxurious experience available on Cunard, you chose not to take it.

 

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

One thing I did notice was that Silverseas out-Cunard's Cunard, by having three different dress codes, two of which require a jacket, just like Cunard in the old days. Don't know how luxury that makes them.

 

Speaking of comparing Cunard Grills to other lines:

 

On this sailing Cunard Princess grills was $780 CAD per night. 

 

A typical TA crossing on Silversea is around $400-450 CAD per night. That's for all inclusive experience (all drinks, gratuities, internet, excursions etc). And Silversea is also very formal,

 

Why would anyone book the Cunard Grills at those prices?

Edited May 30, 2022 by ak1004

[ak1004]

3 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

Some men were certainly not wearing jackets - but they did wear a nice looking long sleeved shirt and smart trousers - there are some though, who come into dinner with a short sleeved polo shirt and jeans - and that to many people simply is not smart in any sense. So no you don't need to spend a fortune to look smart - in fact in the UK there are some outlets where you can buy a very nice looking smart jacket for about £15 which is hardly going to break the bank. It is about how you look, not about how much money you spent.

 

Agree 10% about polo shirts and jeans.

 

But I did see some men wearing jackets that didn't look so "smart" - although it was definitely not the majority.

 

My point is that jacket itself doesn't necessarily makes you look smart, so I'm not sure why some people are so obsessed about jackets.

[mcloaked]

True about jackets - I guess in the end some people have a dress 'sense' and others don't! Certainly there are some dreadful jackets around, but equally most people do tend to look nice in the evenings on the cruises we have been on.  When everyone dresses nicely (whatever that means!) then it changes the whole ambience of the experience for the evening.

[ak1004]

10 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

True about jackets - I guess in the end some people have a dress 'sense' and others don't! Certainly there are some dreadful jackets around, but equally most people do tend to look nice in the evenings on the cruises we have been on.  When everyone dresses nicely (whatever that means!) then it changes the whole ambience of the experience for the evening.

 

Agree 100%. We hated seeing so many people wearing jeans and t-shirts for dinner on Celebrity.

[Host Hattie]

41 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

 

Speaking of comparing Cunard Grills to other lines:

 

On this sailing Cunard Princess grills was $780 CAD per night. 

 

A typical TA crossing on Silversea is around $400-450 CAD per night. That's for all inclusive experience (all drinks, gratuities, internet, excursions etc). And Silversea is also very formal,

 

Why would anyone book the Cunard Grills at those prices?

Probably because they want to be on Queen Mary 2 ! How long is the Silversea crossing ?

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Probably because they want to be on Queen Mary 2 ! How long is the Silversea crossing ?

 

Their TA crossings are between 9 and 35 days. Most of them include few ports, which to me is an added bonus (and all excursions in the ports are included). For longer crossings, the price per day can be even cheaper. For example, this one is $370 CAD per day - 50% cheaper than Cunard Grills. All suites, 8 restaurants (all included in the price), butler in every suite, unlimited black caviar, no lines etc.

 

We are trying them first time in December. Not trying to convince anyone, just trying to understand. 

[Megabear2]

48 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Their TA crossings are between 9 and 35 days. Most of them include few ports, which to me is an added bonus (and all excursions in the ports are included). For longer crossings, the price per day can be even cheaper. For example, this one is $370 CAD per day - 50% cheaper than Cunard Grills. All suites, 8 restaurants (all included in the price), butler in every suite, unlimited black caviar, no lines etc.

 

We are trying them first time in December. Not trying to convince anyone, just trying to understand. 

As Host Hattie said people choose Cunard because they want to!  You may not find it value for your money, that is right and fair.  What is not is to keep bombarding those who have chosen Cunard with your choice.  Not wishing to be rude you keep referring to how much you paid or what you might have paid.  At the point you paid for your voyage you must have been reasonably happy or you wouldn't have done so.  Anyone researching a Cunard voyage should surely be aware of the grills and the different offerings.  

 

As a solo traveller I could not ever dream of affording a grills suite but I do get to enjoy all the other benefits onboard which you spoke of back at the beginning before becoming entrenched in this battle to tell us all we shouldn't be enjoying our experiences because ...

 

Incidentally other "midstream" cruise lines such as Celebrity and NCL are moving towards the ship within a ship experience with the all inclusive this and that.  However if you read the CC boards for those lines you'll find the mere mortals outside of this elite complaining of the service and benefits those paying more are receiving.  Basically if you want the full experience you have to pay for it and the scarcity of high end suites shows many are happy to pay for them.

 

My last 40 day QM2 solo cabin cost me less than £7,000, however a lady I shared shore excursions with was in a Queens Grill suite which she and her husband had paid $100,000 for yet in the public areas we had exactly the same experience and service.  

 

Cunard can be and is all things to all men and I for one and eternally grateful to them for giving people like me an opportunity at a price not beyond my reach to see the world on truly beautiful ships.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Megabear2

[Covepointcruiser]

Silversea crossing are, in fact, not crossings but repositioning cruises and are the least expensive way to travel on Silversea.  The OP traveled in a certain category of stateroom with dining in the beautiful, yet mass market dining room.   This category of travel on Cunard is mass market yet you still can enjoy the beautiful ship with everything she offers.   We have never had a problem with internet on the QM2 but we were not streaming video or attempting to upload much.   Boarding any ship these days can be problematic because of COVID.   

[ak1004]

59 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

 

Incidentally other "midstream" cruise lines such as Celebrity and NCL are moving towards the ship within a ship experience with the all inclusive this and that.  However if you read the CC boards for those lines you'll find the mere mortals outside of this elite complaining of the service and benefits those paying more are receiving.  Basically if you want the full experience you have to pay for it and the scarcity of high end suites shows many are happy to pay for them.

 

 

Suites cost significantly more on all midstream lines, and you get excellent food and service inside your bubble, but you are still on a big ship, with all the lines and the crowds. When comparing suite prices on those lines to entry level cabins on Silversea or other luxury lines, they can be comparable or in many cases even more expensive. 

 

One of the biggest differences between midstream lines and luxury lines is that on a luxury line, everyone is treated the same outside your cabin, regardless of your cabin category. You just get a bigger cabin, but the food and the service are the same for everyone.

 

35 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Silversea crossing are, in fact, not crossings but repositioning cruises and are the least expensive way to travel on Silversea.  The OP traveled in a certain category of stateroom with dining in the beautiful, yet mass market dining room.   This category of travel on Cunard is mass market yet you still can enjoy the beautiful ship with everything she offers.   We have never had a problem with internet on the QM2 but we were not streaming video or attempting to upload much.   Boarding any ship these days can be problematic because of COVID.   

 

I'm not sure why it matters how you call it. You still go from North America to Europe (or vice versa). And SS has some other sailings in the same price range.

 

It's easy to blame Covid on everything, but our embarkation on Oceania in December took 20 minutes, including a Covid test. And during those 20 minutes cold water and other drinks were freely available and served, while on QM2 we were standing almost an hour outside without any water. And suite passengers were treated the same way. Apparently Cunard believes that your cruise starts only at check in, even if you paid for a suite. Speaking of luxury..

[ak1004]

Nothing wrong being a loyal customer who wouldn't even consider a different product. In fact, I'm happy that many Cunard fans won't even consider true luxury lines, otherwise they would become too popular, prices will rise and it will be difficult to book my favorite cabins.

 

Just booked European cruise on Oceania at $230 USD per night and Middle East cruise on SS at $350 USD per night. 

 

Shhh.. don't tell anyone..

 

Signing off.

[techteach]

@ak1004 Just in case you haven’ really signed off…luxury is about exclusivity. This applies to Chanel or Hermes versus Kate Spade. Ritz Carlton versus Marriott. French Laundry versus Bouchon, they are both by Thomas Keller, but the availability and demand are very different. Smaller ships demand higher prices, which creates the exclusivity. Food has been upgraded across most cruise lines in the last few years, although I’m putting my money on Queens Grill for our next 2 cruises. The smaller ships will be able to have an exclusivity that larger ships will not unless the larger ships create a ship within a ship model. We have yet to sail on Cunard, so I can’t speak to the problems you mention. But, the world of work, hiring people and training them, is very different from Pre-Covid. The work force is simply not there, so we will all stand in longer lines and wait a little longer for an appointment at the Dr. or the emergency room. I hope you find a cruise line that meets your needs. 

[exlondoner]

One thing about Cunard ships at present is that they do have a good passenger/space ratio, though I'm not sure how QA will do. And because they have all these high ceilings and large spaces, they very rarely feel crowded. In fact, on sea days, I often wonder whether half the passengers have somehow fallen overboard. This gives a wonderful feeling of space, calm, and serenity. I'm not sure a smaller ship can achieve quite the same effect.

[ExArkie]

13 hours ago, ak1004 said:

…

It's easy to blame Covid on everything, but our embarkation on Oceania in December took 20 minutes, including a Covid test. And during those 20 minutes cold water and other drinks were freely available and served…

Personal experiences vary. Our April embarkation on Oceania took over two hours with no water or other drinks anywhere in sight. (Port of Miami, if that matters)

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

One thing about Cunard ships at present is that they do have a good passenger/space ratio, though I'm not sure how QA will do. And because they have all these high ceilings and large spaces, they very rarely feel crowded. In fact, on sea days, I often wonder whether half the passengers have somehow fallen overboard. This gives a wonderful feeling of space, calm, and serenity. I'm not sure a smaller ship can achieve quite the same effect.

 

One of the things I love about QM2 is that I can always find a quiet place to sit and look out at the sea. Mornings on a TA, I'll sit by a window in the champagne bar to catch up on my journal. Good view out and also a view of the comings and goings in the atrium.

[escrick]

22 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

Smart casual according to Cunard: "a dress shirt and trousers, jacket and tie optional".

 

And yet some people are surprised and sometimes shocked that about 50% of the gentleman did not wear jackets. Does a jacket automatically makes you look smart? Do you look smarter if you wear a cheap jacket from Walmart, compared to someone wearing a nice dress shirt from Hugo Boss? Or you wear a cheap rented Tuxedo compared to someone wearing a $2,000 suit? 

 

[escrick]

Just now, escrick said:

Sorry, pressed submit too soon.  I liked the statement from ak1004. My husband is trying to decide whether or not to take his “penguin” or his Hugo Boss.  He has a year to decide, 😊.  Yes, Hugo Boss cost more than the tux.

 

[exlondoner]

Surely it I should not a matter of cost, but of what is deemed appropriate. Even the most expensive bikini would be inappropriate at a state funeral, while an M and S black overcoat would be fine.

[Victoria2]

17 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Surely it I should not a matter of cost, but of what is deemed appropriate. Even the most expensive bikini would be inappropriate at a state funeral, while an M and S black overcoat would be fine.

I think a bikini, Primark or Chanel would be inappropriate wear at any time for me these days 😕 but I agree with your point. 

I would also add, an expensive designer garment doesn't necessarily mean it looks better than a cheap garment worn well and with panache.  I have an M&S simple but beautiful long black dress bought in a sale which I wheel out for formal nights and which when tarted up easily competes with any high end off the peg designer dresses.

[escrick]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Surely it I should not a matter of cost, but of what is deemed appropriate. Even the most expensive bikini would be inappropriate at a state funeral, while an M and S black overcoat would be fine.

Certainly.  My husband’s suit, though, looks a lot better than his tux.  I agree, if chosen well, cheaper outfits can look great on the right person.  Perhaps, I think the tux preference could be snobby, and even in some cases, pretentious.  A lot more so than wearing a designer suit that people probably do not recognise as such.

[escrick]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

I think a bikini, Primark or Chanel would be inappropriate wear at any time for me these days 😕 but I agree with your point. 

I would also add, an expensive designer garment doesn't necessarily mean it looks better than a cheap garment worn well and with panache.  I have an M&S simple but beautiful long black dress bought in a sale which I wheel out for formal nights and which when tarted up easily competes with any high end off the peg designer dresses.

Agree, see my post below.

[Mickb]

We have been lucky enough to sail on some 20 cruises with Silverseas, Regent, Celebrity, HAL, NCL, P&O & Cunard. Our Cunard experience has been 7 wonderful voyages in PG. I can honestly say that with the exception of the NCL and P&O cruises, when I couldn’t wait to get off the ship, I have loved them all. They were all different and all had their pros and cons. Personally, Cunard suits me the best although I am not blind to its deficiencies - I do however feel that that the comparison of a Cunard Britannia TA to a Silverseas repositioning cruise is not comparing apples with apples! 

[ak1004]

4 minutes ago, Mickb said:

We have been lucky enough to sail on some 20 cruises with Silverseas, Regent, Celebrity, HAL, NCL, P&O & Cunard. Our Cunard experience has been 7 wonderful voyages in PG. I can honestly say that with the exception of the NCL and P&O cruises, when I couldn’t wait to get off the ship, I have loved them all. They were all different and all had their pros and cons. Personally, Cunard suits me the best although I am not blind to its deficiencies - I do however feel that that the comparison of a Cunard Britannia TA to a Silverseas repositioning cruise is not comparing apples with apples! 

 

I completely agree with you that every line offers a different experience, and you need to know what to expect from each line. We don't expect great entertainment and activities when we sail with Oceania, and we would not sail TA with them.

 

I'm sure that Cunard PG offers great experience and there is huge difference between PG and Britannia. I'm curious why you think that comparing Cunard TA with Silverseas repositioning cruise is not comparing apples with apples (although I was comparing Cunard PG in terms of pricing).

[Lakesregion]

5 hours ago, escrick said:

Certainly.  My husband’s suit, though, looks a lot better than his tux.  I agree, if chosen well, cheaper outfits can look great on the right person.  Perhaps, I think the tux preference could be snobby, and even in some cases, pretentious.  A lot more so than wearing a designer suit that people probably do not recognise as such.

Trust me if it is a true designer suit, people notice it and depending on the wearer and the occasion it can be quite a bit more snobby than a well fitted tuxedo.

[exlondoner]

6 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

Trust me if it is a true designer suit, people notice it 

 

Trust me, most of us wouldn't. Probably had the wrong sort of upbringing.