Cunard v P&O

[Presto2]

Hello, as someone who tends to 'live' on the P&O forum  (and sometimes Celebrity's) I have popped over to ask for your thoughts regarding a comparison between 

P&O and Cunard. (You are probably thinking 'How long have you got?')

 

We have seen a cruise on the Queen Victoria for August 2024, with a lovely itinerary and a decent price considering it is a fly cruise. We would be looking at a bog standard Britannia Balcony cabin.

 

Just to say that we are happy to do 'formal' and love the traditions of a more formal cruise. Infact, it is those traditions that we are missing at the moment as we are finding many of the things we loved about cruising being eroded.

 

If anyone who had cruised on both lines could help we would be very grateful. I did start to look at Cunard many years ago, but we could not find a cruise that we liked. At that time I remember coming 'over here' to ask some questions and many of you were really helpful and welcoming. I look forward to 'getting to know' some of you over the coming weeks while I do my 'homework'. 🙂

 

Thank you 

[BigMac1953]

We went once on the Ventura, but only because our daughter was a "Headliner", not that we got anything special because of it.

 

Definitely not a patch on Cunard!

 

Food, service sea day entertainment, all better on Cunard.

 

Different clientele.

 

The only downside, is that drinks are more expensive on Cunard, but hey, you're on holiday.

[D&N]

We sailed on Arcadia 14 nights eastbound Panama Canal Transit over New Year 2005/2006.

We sailed on QM2 14 nights B2B Trans Atlantic on May 29th last year.

 

We enjoyed both trips, although we'll only repeat one.  And P&O's charter flights from Glasgow to Acapulco and return from Barbados were awful.

 

On Arcadia the food was generally ok, but many dishes were a bit bland. I don't mean something that could be cured with salt & pepper. We don't use salt for cooking or add it afterwards. Over the fortnight we were offered 14 different descriptions of potato dishes. The waiters were even trying to get us to take potatoes and 2 x veg with curries and pasta dishes. Our summary of it was that the food was too British for our tastes. We wouldn't travel on P&O again unless they had an itinerary that we couldn't resist. Since we only want to travel B2B Trans Atlantic on a liner that's unlikely to arise.

 

As we expected QM2's cuisine was far more to our taste, more like the French home cooking we're used to, with a bit of cordon bleu as well. The worst dish was their Dauphinoise, which wasn't a patch on our home produced version where we use a UHT cream recommended by one of the ladies in our local hypermarket.

 

Dancing was better on QM2, with live music each night in Queens Room and all but 1 night in G32.

We're not 'floor snobs' so we were fine with The Globe on Arcadia but I think there was only an odd night with live music and it was unavailable at least one night for a movie or some other show.

 

Kir Royale was hopeless on both. Restaurants here serve about 30% creme de cassis topped up with champagne. Carnival Corp seem to work to an 'international standard' with much less creme de cassis.

[babs135]

We did the Norwegian fjords on the Iona in June, basically because the price was cheap. The food was bland and boring but we liked the Quays and ate there a couple of nights.  Entertainment was very hit and miss. I enjoyed some of the shows but DH disliked all of them!  The inside cabin was fine.  We felt that the ship was 'lacking' something but I can't put my finger on what it was. It's a big ship but we're used to that so can't say that was the problem.

In October we did a Northern Lights cruise on the Queen Victoria and we've just got back from the Victoria's Christmas cruise and they were both excellent.  Good food, 5 courses plus coffee and petit fours for dinner in the mdr and a reasonable choice in the buffet.  Excellent speakers and shows, the headline act being Midge Ure who was by far the best speaker and performer I've seen on board with a well deserved standing ovation. Atmosphere is somewhat 'calmer' on Cunard and the vast majority of passengers followed the dress code for the gala nights which gives the ship that extra sparkle.  Can appear quieter than P&O but don't be fooled by appearances.  One drawback is the price of drinks  - they are expensive.

[exlondoner]

At present there are a number of abysmal reviews of QV, most of which seem to be people looking for things to complain about and not worrying about complete accuracy. Do ignore these. You will probably have a lovely time, at least as nice as on P & O.

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Hello, as someone who tends to 'live' on the P&O forum  (and sometimes Celebrity's) I have popped over to ask for your thoughts regarding a comparison between 

P&O and Cunard. (You are probably thinking 'How long have you got?')

 

We have seen a cruise on the Queen Victoria for August 2024, with a lovely itinerary and a decent price considering it is a fly cruise. We would be looking at a bog standard Britannia Balcony cabin.

 

Just to say that we are happy to do 'formal' and love the traditions of a more formal cruise. Infact, it is those traditions that we are missing at the moment as we are finding many of the things we loved about cruising being eroded.

 

If anyone who had cruised on both lines could help we would be very grateful. I did start to look at Cunard many years ago, but we could not find a cruise that we liked. At that time I remember coming 'over here' to ask some questions and many of you were really helpful and welcoming. I look forward to 'getting to know' some of you over the coming weeks while I do my 'homework'. 🙂

 

Thank you 

Have taken one PO - Never returned 

Welcome to your new home.  There will be no going back to PO

 

One of the small differences is the spirit, wine and beer allowances, on embarkation and at each voyage port.  On Cunard there is no limit, as Cunard threat their guests as responsible adults.

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by PORT ROYAL
Drink

[Presto2]

Thanks everyone so far. To be honest we are not 'the theatre show people' and our idea of a nice evening is a good meal, then sitting in a nice area listening to a tinkling piano, having a stroll on the prom deck (if there is one) and enjoying a cocktail to 2 .. or three. 

 

The allowance for wine is interesting. We are not alcoholics (honest), but we always used to enjoy taking a bottle of wine back from a port to sit and enjoy on our balcony. To be honest on sea days we just love to relax on our balcony, reading a good book and watching the sea go by.

 

We have been on Celebrity so know that the drinks will be expensive, so we are used to that 🙂

 

Just to ask if the cruises tend to be quiet in August. We are looking at our 30th wedding anniversary and though we are planning to have retired by then it would be nice to go to include the actual date. Obviously, this means the school holidays. 

 

[Victoria2]

5 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Thanks everyone so far. To be honest we are not 'the theatre show people' and our idea of a nice evening is a good meal, then sitting in a nice area listening to a tinkling piano, having a stroll on the prom deck (if there is one) and enjoying a cocktail to 2 .. or three. 

 

The allowance for wine is interesting. We are not alcoholics (honest), but we always used to enjoy taking a bottle of wine back from a port to sit and enjoy on our balcony. To be honest on sea days we just love to relax on our balcony, reading a good book and watching the sea go by.

 

We have been on Celebrity so know that the drinks will be expensive, so we are used to that 🙂

 

Just to ask if the cruises tend to be quiet in August. We are looking at our 30th wedding anniversary and though we are planning to have retired by then it would be nice to go to include the actual date. Obviously, this means the school holidays. 

 

We too love ''just being there'' to relax' and have cruised many times on QV in August. I wouldn't say it's quiet [one ''shortie'' we did over August Bank holiday and  was slightly manic 🙂 so definitely not quiet] and there are more children onboard but the atmosphere is super and we have yet to be ''bothered'' by the children. In fact, I would say they enhance the cruise.

[Victoria2]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

We too love ''just being there'' to relax and have cruised many times on QV in August. I wouldn't say it's quiet [one ''shortie'' we did over August Bank holiday was slightly manic 🙂 so definitely not quiet] and there are more children onboard but the atmosphere is super and we have yet to be ''bothered'' by the children. In fact, I would say they enhance the cruise.

 

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

 

duplicated

[Presto2]

Just wondering about the dress code - will Mr Presto2 be expected to wear a jacket each evening?

Not a problem at all if he does, he was just curious. 

 

We both always 'make an effort' and dress smartly each evening on our cruises so we would just 'go with the flow'. 

🙂

[Craigrlewis]

17 cruises on Cunard and 1 on P&O (Britannia)

 

We felt there were things on P&O we preferred and things we preferred on Cunard.

 

Couple of examples:

 

P&O Britannia Rooms are much superior (layout and bathrooms) to Cunard (ex Grills)

 

Service on Cunard was much better than P&O in general

 

Eric Lanlard Afternoon Tea on P&O was amazing whereas Cunard don’t offer anything as special but normal afternoon tea on Cunard is great

 

I would say give it a go and if you dont like it then dont try it again

 

We were already mid loyalty teir with Cunard so after Britannia we just stuck with Cunard.  Would we go P&O again - probably but only on Britannia as Iona/Arvia seem too big-we thought Britannia was slightly too big for us as it was.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

We too love ''just being there'' to relax' and have cruised many times on QV in August. I wouldn't say it's quiet [one ''shortie'' we did over August Bank holiday and  was slightly manic 🙂 so definitely not quiet] and there are more children onboard but the atmosphere is super and we have yet to be ''bothered'' by the children. In fact, I would say they enhance the cruise.

I think without exception the children I have encountered on Cunard have behaved beautifully. On the other hand I still recall encountering a batch of about twenty pirates with cutlasses swarming down the stairs outside the Commodore Club on QV one afternoon. 😀

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Just wondering about the dress code - will Mr Presto2 be expected to wear a jacket each evening?

Not a problem at all if he does, he was just curious. 

 

We both always 'make an effort' and dress smartly each evening on our cruises so we would just 'go with the flow'. 

🙂

Jacket no longer required except on formal nights, though many wear them.

[Lanky Lad]

Afternoon tea on Cunard is much better than on P&O. 

There are far fewer passengers on Cunard than P&O so the ship will seem very quiet. 

No charge for Room Service on Cunard

More choice of drinks in the Lido including fruit juices 24 hours a day.

 

[Presto2]

5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Jacket no longer required except on formal nights, though many wear them.

In Summer, is a smart, short sleeved, collared shirt and smart long trousers ok ?

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

In Summer, is a smart, short sleeved, collared shirt and smart long trousers ok ?

The latest brochure doesn’t mention length of sleeve, so that seems fine.

[babs135]

41 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I think without exception the children I have encountered on Cunard have behaved beautifully. On the other hand I still recall encountering a batch of about twenty pirates with cutlasses swarming down the stairs outside the Commodore Club on QV one afternoon. 😀

 Must have been the same ones I saw!  They were clearly having a great time.

[Presto2]

44 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

The latest brochure doesn’t mention length of sleeve, so that seems fine.

If that's the case this is what we are used to when we travel and go to a land hotel or cruise so this great 🙂 I may need to shop though ---- I really, really do 😉

[elmsliebev]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

In Summer, is a smart, short sleeved, collared shirt and smart long trousers ok ?

Yes, the only stipulation is collared. My OH wore short sleeved shirts in July/August on QE.

[Teddy123]

7 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

We went once on the Ventura, but only because our daughter was a "Headliner", not that we got anything special because of it.

 

Definitely not a patch on Cunard!

 

Food, service sea day entertainment, all better on Cunard.

 

Different clientele.

 

The only downside, is that drinks are more expensive on Cunard, but hey, you're on holiday.

I agree, but drink costs are not the only downside - eg identical excursions always cost more with Cunard and no gratuities on P&O.  We have done about 15 cruises on each of Cunard and P&O, and have just dumped a 5 night Cunard cruise in favour of a 12 night P&O one at the same time - for the same overall price (considering fare, tips, drinks, excursions, lost deposit).  The cabins are essentially the same (Queen Victoria Princess Grill/Ventura Superior Deluxe Balcony).  Dining is different, of course.

 

For us, even with a somewhat "inferior" experience, 12 nights at sea/6 ports with P&O is better value than 5 nights at sea/3 ports with Cunard for the same price.  Of course, others may think Cunard are so much better that 5 nights on board are worth 12 on P&O, but we now question whether the Cunard premium is value for money.

 

The OP seems happy with the Cunard price, and in that case, I would say certainly go for it.

[Presto2]

11 hours ago, Teddy123 said:

 

The OP seems happy with the Cunard price, and in that case, I would say certainly go for it.

 

Hi, when I priced it up it is coming out at about £500 more than a 14 night fly / cruise on Azura at about the same time - standard balconies on both.

 

I am guessing that Cunard is similar to Celebrity in that: your gratuities are steep (not sure what they are); drinks are expensive and as Teddy123 has noted excursions are more expensive (even if the same). You pay in dollars don't you ? As former P&O passengers we would get 7.5% off our bill on Azura. I suppose those things add up.

 

Do Cunard do a drinks package? If so, is it 'silly money' ?

[Host Hattie]

Gratuities are currently $11.50 per day in Britannia. 

There are various packages, the most comprehensive is -

Beers, Wines & Spirits Option
Adults
$70 per day
Our most comprehensive selection, the
Beers, Wines & Spirits Option, includes
most alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a wide variety of speciality hot
drinks up to $12 per serving, as well as all
the benefits of the Premium Non-Alcoholic
Drinks Option. Includes: > An incredible
array of beers, spirits, liqueurs, cocktails
and wines by the glass > Unlimited soft
drinks and fruit juices, mocktails and small bottles of mineral water (500ml) > Unlimited speciality coffees, teas, and hot chocolates
>20% discount on any drinks not included
in the Beers, Wines, & Spirits Option
 

[Presto2]

Thanks Hattie.

Just checking - if you have a drink that is not in the package are you given the 20% discount off them?

[Host Hattie]

That's what it says but we've not had a package so I don't have any first hand experience.  We like a drink but we'd struggle to get value out of it on a port intensive cruise. We just pay as we go.