Considering Cunard

[d9704011]

I'm contemplating booking the Queen Anne from Dubai to Hamburg in April 2025.  I have never cruised with Cunard (Princess and Celebrity) and am looking for information on what I should expect.  This thread doesn't seem to be the one I should be using and I would appreciate it if somebody could direct me to a more appropriateplace to learn more about the Cunard experience.

[Host Hattie]

I've moved your question to a new thread so more people will see it.

[exlondoner]

I would characterise Cunard as serene. The ships are glamorous but never garish, and never seem crowded, but always spacious and relaxing. Obviously don’t yet know about the new ship.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Serene is a great descriptor for Cunard. Our favorite is the QM2, and the most relaxing vacation we’ve ever taken was a roundtrip transatlantic on her. There’s plenty to do, but you don’t have people screaming at you or unpleasant music blasting all the time. 
 

It can be very peaceful. And we’ve always found the service and food to be excellent. Specific questions could get you more useful information. What do you like to do? High energy or more moderate? Do you enjoy dressing for dinner? Do you like classical music? 

[NE John]

Agreeing 100% with other comments but OP presents a tough question.
 

Queen Anne is not only a new ship to Cunard, it’s also built around an entirely new platform to Cunard — a Pinnacle class ship holding more pax than even QM2. Looks like Holland American has that type of ship.
 

As for the other three Cunard ships: The QM2 is the only ocean liner on the seas and QE/QV are 2k passenger Vista class ships. 

We all hope the new QA will continue to operate with the same positive characteristics of being on a Cunard ship with a more formal, but not stuffy character. There is an emphasis on enrichment, nice afternoon teas, and passengers generally looking to dress up after 6pm. Not sure how the other lines stack up against Cunard’s strengths. My wife was recently on a Royal Caribbean 5k passenger behemoth with some friends and she said the experience was like night and day vs Cunard. Celebrity may be less of a gap than RC. 
 

QA will probably have more tech forward amenities than the other Queens i.e. a fob or no room card, USB slots in cabins, more interactive/app centered experiences; but that’s my guess.
Check out QA updates on YouTube too. 

Edited March 14, 2023 by NE John

[d9704011]

4 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

pecific questions could get you more useful information. What do you like to do? High energy or more moderate? Do you enjoy dressing for dinner? Do you like classical music? 

I'm getting the sort of feedback I was hoping for:

 

1.  This particular cruise caught my attention primarily because of the itinerary - Dubai to Western Europe in April, 2025.  There aren't that many options available to do that on cruise lines I'd like to use or try;

2.  We are not high energy cruisers so 'serene and relaxing' appeals to us.  As long as there is some evening entertainment of almost any type and a pool we're OK.

3.  I understand the QA will be new to Cunard and a departure from their usual offering.  I'm looking at an unobstructed view Brittania class cabin, probably on deck 5, forward.  Is dining (breakfast, lunch and dinner) by reservation or can I simply show up and be seated?  Is there a buffet dining area on Celebrity ships?

4.  Is everything a-la-carte?  By that I mean pay the cruise fare and separately purphase/pay gratuities, wi-fi and a drink package.  We don't drink alcohol or much soft drinks; is there a suitable package for water/coffee/tea or am I just as well off to take what's offered onboard with the fare?

5.  I don't mind dressing up a bit, including tuxedo, but would likely prefer to keep the mass of luggage to something I can easily haul around with me pre and post cruise.  Will a dress jacket, tie and trousers do for pretty much evert0ything?

6.  Does Cunard recognize loyalty levels from other cruise line?  I doubt it, but would like to know in advance if they do.

 

[lissie]

1 hour ago, d9704011 said:

I'm getting the sort of feedback I was hoping for:

 

1.  This particular cruise caught my attention primarily because of the itinerary - Dubai to Western Europe in April, 2025.  There aren't that many options available to do that on cruise lines I'd like to use or try;

2.  We are not high energy cruisers so 'serene and relaxing' appeals to us.  As long as there is some evening entertainment of almost any type and a pool we're OK.

3.  I understand the QA will be new to Cunard and a departure from their usual offering.  I'm looking at an unobstructed view Brittania class cabin, probably on deck 5, forward.  Is dining (breakfast, lunch and dinner) by reservation or can I simply show up and be seated?  Is there a buffet dining area on Celebrity ships?

4.  Is everything a-la-carte?  By that I mean pay the cruise fare and separately purphase/pay gratuities, wi-fi and a drink package.  We don't drink alcohol or much soft drinks; is there a suitable package for water/coffee/tea or am I just as well off to take what's offered onboard with the fare?

5.  I don't mind dressing up a bit, including tuxedo, but would likely prefer to keep the mass of luggage to something I can easily haul around with me pre and post cruise.  Will a dress jacket, tie and trousers do for pretty much evert0ything?

6.  Does Cunard recognize loyalty levels from other cruise line?  I doubt it, but would like to know in advance if they do.

 

I can answer some of these. 

 

Assuming that QA works the same as the other Cunard ships you don't need reservations for breakfast and lunch - never have. For dinner there is now now "open dining" but you can also choose to be assigned to a set table for early and late seatings. 

 

On the QE there is a Lido (buffet), and outside burger bar on the pool deck, pub meals in the Golden Lion pub (lunch and dinner) and daytime snacks in the Cafe.  I assume QA will be  similar. Oh and room service (free) . 

 

We did 55 days on Cunard last year and only checked one large bag between us. If you have a suit and tie for gala nights and a few different collared shirts/trousers for the smart nights you'll be fine. Plenty on these boards live in a Victorian past when white-tie and tails were the only options. But if you look at the actual dress code on the website its not that onerous. 

 

Nope they don't recognize other loyalty even from others in the Carnival group. 

[LibertyBella]

Well, welcome to the club!

 

I cruised Cunard QM2 last Summer, I am cruising Princess this Summer (Med), and right before Covid we cruised on Celebrity, and they are my three favorite lines, although Holland America is up there as well.  

 

When we cruise we usually choose itinerary as our priority, but for only a few times in my life I have chosen Cunard just to sail on some of their magnificent ships!

 

I will say that all of these brands are adult-oriented, sophisticated, and reflect the traditional style of cruising.  Cunard adds a special element as it is indubitably British, and that makes everything across the ship quite old world elegant.  

 

Husband and I love to dress up for formal evenings (we always pose for photos!), and when we sail Cunard he always brings his tux!  I find that I dress a little more trendy/sexy with my long gowns on the other lines as compared to Cunard.  I think the formality is what makes Cunard so special--there are also a lot of die-hard ballroom dancing fans who cannot wait to take their finery on the dance floor and show off--even if you do not dance it is quite fun to watch.

 

Of course, everything is similar across the cruise lines in terms of lots of activities, great entertainment--evening shows, lectures, etc., but Cunard will frequently bring in something extra -special like Shakespeare actor shows, or the English Ballet, guest authors, etc.

 

We never needed reservations for breakfast or lunch, and ate in both the formal dining rooms as well as the buffet areas for those meals.  Yes, you can do packages or a la carte.  There are multiple nice pool areas, shops, a library, and spa services as well.  Not sure about the loyalty issue, but it never hurts to try.

 

Have fun planning and bon voyage!!

[d9704011]

Has anybody used Cunard CompleteAir?  If so, how did you find the choices for flight selection,  prices and general overall service?

[MCC retired]

12 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Has anybody used Cunard CompleteAir?  If so, how did you find the choices for flight selection,  prices and general overall service?

Always found great 1way transatlantic flight fares from USA using Cunard Complete Air.

[frankp01]

14 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Has anybody used Cunard CompleteAir?  If so, how did you find the choices for flight selection,  prices and general overall service?

We had our travel agent price several flight options: both out of NYC and Philadelphia, and several travel dates. Doing so let us pick from a range of fares: from as low as $300 to $450 (one way, US to London). I thought those fares were extraordinarily good for a one-way flight. I'd suggest doing as we did and select several travel dates to see if the fares vary much.

[don731]

We recently cruised on a HAL Pinnacle class ship, and it was dreadful.  Essentially a Vista class with more passenger decks on top.  Every venue seemed crowded, and the overall experience was not refined, unlike Cunard.  We’ve done a number of cruises on QM2 and QE (including three weeks SFO-SYD) and love both ships.  We’ll likely stay away from the QA, although it’s probably a better experience than on HAL. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

27 minutes ago, don731 said:

We recently cruised on a HAL Pinnacle class ship, and it was dreadful.  Essentially a Vista class with more passenger decks on top.  Every venue seemed crowded, and the overall experience was not refined, unlike Cunard.  We’ve done a number of cruises on QM2 and QE (including three weeks SFO-SYD) and love both ships.  We’ll likely stay away from the QA, although it’s probably a better experience than on HAL. 

 

I was on a HAL cruise a few months ago. I used to think of HAL as "Cunard lite." Not quite as formal, not quite as much enrichment, etc. Sadly, HAL has slipped to a new low level; of "lite," not at all comparable to Cunard. I was on QM2 in September and I was delighted to find many different entertainment options and interesting enrichment, just as I have come to expect from Cunard.

 

I do not like the HAL Pinnacle ships, especially the deafening debacle that is the "Music Walk." But I am trusting Cunard to take HAL's design and carry it out in the refined manner that is Cunard. 

 

@d9704011, if the itinerary really speaks to you, then do it. You may have some maiden calls, and that can be special. There will be plenty of entertainment--pub band, jazz combo, classical, piano player, production shows, and probably others that I'm leaving out. It's true that you don't need the tux, but I say go for it. Formal nights (or whatever euphemism they're using these days) on Cunard are special. When I would book a cruise, the first question DH would ask me was, "Is this one where I can take the tux?"