Please Help a Cunard Newbie - QE Alaskan Cruise

[richstowe]

 

We've been on six other cruise lines in the last dozen years but have no idea what to expect on this summer's QE Alaskan cruise . I'm sorry there is no Cunard for Dummies like on the CC's HAL site as I have lots of questions . 

1) Are the pools heated?

2)Can you bring on multiple bottles of wine , and soda , and god-forbid vodka ? (Asking for a friend)

3)Can we use our OBC in the casino ?

4) Food recommendations (aside from afternoon tea which looks amazing).

5)What can you do with the Cunard app ? Is it anything like HAL which gives you access to multiple newspapers and magazines or Princess that has many many cool features, when they work . 

6)Is there a way to book flights on-line or must you call Cunard .

7)How's the steak restaurant ? Worth it ?

8)Cunard excursions or go with private tours?

And most importantly 9)Any tips or advice to impart on food, entertainment, cabin info or anything else .

And not a single evening dress question . 😊

Thank you

Richard

 

[naturelovergirl]

3- On Board Credit is not able to be used in casino

 

8- All of the Cunard sponsored excursions we have done have been excellent. We tend to do a mix of independent excursions and Cunard ones. It just depends on what we want to do in that particular port. (I find Cunard’s pricing to be fair and competitive, honestly, for Alaska.)

If you have any tender ports I suggest getting a Cunard excursion on those.

 

Cunard is beautiful. Enjoy!!!

[sfred]

We did the Tokyo to Vancouver via Alaska voyage on QE in 2019, and had a wonderful time.  It was a very memorable trip.  Several other regulars here in the Cunard forum on Cruise Critic also did Alaska voyages that year.  Below are my additions to @naturelovergirl's reply..  Others may have additional thoughts.

 

1) Are the pools heated?  Yes

2)Can you bring on multiple bottles of wine, and soda, and god-forbid vodka?   Yes.  Cunard is very relaxed, and you can bring aboard whatever you want.  Although there is an official policy restricting the amounts of grog to bring onboard, it is only enforced if they think someone is going to abuse the situation.  Your cabin will have glasses and your steward can bring ice.  Anything consumed in a restaurant has a corkage charge. 

4) Food recommendations (aside from afternoon tea which looks amazing).  Afternoon tea is a great occasion on Cunard.  Definitely recommended to do it at least once.  A tip for QE and QV:  Prior to afternoon tea there is often another event happening in the Queens Room, usually a music concert.  If you go to this event, you can then just stay at your table for tea.

5)What can you do with the Cunard app ? Is it anything like HAL which gives you access to multiple newspapers and magazines or Princess that has many many cool features, when they work .  Not much at all, unfortunately, and it isn't even really an app.  It is just an intranet site on the WiFi.  One useful thing on the site is to check the charges on your onboard account, but you can do that at the purser's desk or the Grills concierge.  You can also book onboard activities, but it is usually easier to just stop by in person. 

6)Is there a way to book flights on-line or must you call Cunard .  Not sure.  We've always booked flights separately.

7)How's the steak restaurant ? Worth it ?  The food in the main dining room is very good, and even more so in Grills.  That said, Verandah is worth doing once.  We often go on a formal night and make it a bit of an occasion.  They serve lunch in Verandah too, but it can be too much food for midday.

And most importantly 9)Any tips or advice to impart on food, entertainment, cabin info or anything else.  Cunard usually does very well in providing excellent insight lectures.  We had a great historian, a nature photographer, and an Alaska wildlife specialist, aboard in 2019.  We've yet to be even the slightest bit bored on a Cunard trip.  Our challenge is to decide what to do among so many choices, and to also find the time to just sit quietly in a deck chair and read or enjoy the scenery.

 

Best wishes for a great voyage!

[JRoyston]

Welcome! We went to Alaska on QE in 2019 and we are doing it again this June. So I feel confident in saying that you’ll have an amazing time.

 

1) Are the pools heated? Yes

 

2)Can you bring on multiple bottles of wine , and soda , and god-forbid vodka ? (Asking for a friend) Definitely as much soda as you want. There are limits on alcohol but I don’t know if they are strictly enforced.

 

3)Can we use our OBC in the casino ? No. 

 

4) Food recommendations (aside from afternoon tea which looks amazing).

Last time we didn’t do any of the specialty dining as the main dining room food was so good. However, I can recommend lunch at the Golden Lion pub (which is included anyway).

 

5)What can you do with the Cunard app ? Is it anything like HAL which gives you access to multiple newspapers and magazines or Princess that has many many cool features, when they work . 

Not much. It is not very well developed.

 

6)Is there a way to book flights on-line or must you call Cunard . I had to call back in 2019, but I don’t know if that has changed.

 

7)How's the steak restaurant ? Worth it ? I want to try it this time, so I’ll let you know in June!

 

8)Cunard excursions or go with private tours? Last time we did all Cunard excursions and loved it. This time, as we are going as a group of 6, there are 2 places we’ve booked private excursions as we can get a boat to ourselves. But we’ve still booked plenty with Cunard.

 

And most importantly 9)Any tips or advice to impart on food, entertainment, cabin info or anything else. I think someone else has mentioned the insight lectures, they are great. In Alaska they have a naturalist onboard and she is often on deck or in the garden lounge and I’d recommend hanging out with her as she has a lot of interesting knowledge and is great at spotting whales.

[LadyL1]

Regarding flights, call Cunard. We have always found to be given very good prices especially for premium seats (we are UK based) and have seen may posts from US folk who say the same.

[moses0]

17 hours ago, richstowe said:

We've been on six other cruise lines in the last dozen years but have no idea what to expect on this summer's QE Alaskan cruise

When are you going? We are on 30th June.  Not our first Cunard cruise but first Cruise to Alaska. Love Cunard. Just my cup-a-tea. Or should I say afternoon tea 🙂

[alibabacruisers]

We also were on the 2019 Cunard Alaska cruise that was Tokyo to Vancouver and it was a magnificent cruise!  We love Cunard!  It looks like everyone has answered your questions.  We did a mixture of both Cunard excursions, which were prettty comparable to the private ones.  We did a private tour in Skagway, I believe and it was wonderful as we had a small van and were able to see things much better!  We even drove along side a few bears, that were foraging along the roadside.  

[richstowe]

I was on the phone with Cunard . I asked a few questions specifically about the ship app .

The agent said  "Not so such. That's why we have a huge library" 🤣

 

Thanks for all the great tips . Any more ?

6 hours ago, moses0 said:

When are you going?

July 27th - 11 days

[LB_NJ]

On 3/21/2023 at 12:22 AM, sfred said:

 

7)How's the steak restaurant ? Worth it ?  The food in the main dining room is very good, and even more so in Grills.  That said, Verandah is worth doing once.  We often go on a formal night and make it a bit of an occasion. 

 

As part of a promotion I can book (once onboard) either one free dinner at the steak restaurant or 2 free at the alternative dining in the Lido.

 

Any thoughts on which to choose?  I am in Brittania.

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

 

As part of a promotion I can book (once onboard) either one free dinner at the steak restaurant or 2 free at the alternative dining in the Lido.

 

Any thoughts on which to choose?  I am in Brittania.

If the Lido has Coriander and La Piazza, go for them. I think the Steak Restaurant overrated and somewhat snooty, in a way very atypical of Cunard.

[MCC retired]

Check the menu’s onboard then decide , but reserve as soon as you decide.

We only have done lunch in the Steakhouse and Bamboo prior.

Loved them both but reserved late and got waitlisted for Bamboo .

Coriander had greater availability.

Intend to do the Steakhouse dinner on May TA.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, LB_NJ said:

As part of a promotion I can book (once onboard) either one free dinner at the steak restaurant or 2 free at the alternative dining in the Lido.

 

Any thoughts on which to choose?  I am in Brittania.

 

I concur with the suggestions to check what themes will be offered at the Lido Alternative Dining venue for your cruise once you are on board. If you are on an Alaska cruise (per the subject of this thread), I'm reading where Cunard might be introducing a "Frontier" theme at the Lido Alternative Dining venue for Alaska cruises.

 

This would be in line with the "Nordlys" theme they introduced for cruises to Norway and the "Riviera" theme they introduced for Mediterranean cruises. I don't know what the menu will be if they do introduce that new theme on Alaska cruises. But it might influence your decision about how to use your free dinner perk.

[starquake]

On 3/23/2023 at 7:11 PM, LB_NJ said:

 

As part of a promotion I can book (once onboard) either one free dinner at the steak restaurant or 2 free at the alternative dining in the Lido.

 

Any thoughts on which to choose?  I am in Brittania.

 

I'd book 2 at the Lido pesonally, both on Coriander (it's amazing if you like Indian foods).   We've had amazing both service and foods at the alternative lido dining on both QM2 and QE, and it was better than the trip we had to Verandah at both.

 

The steak resturant, although good, we have had as good steaks from the MDR on occasion.  The rum babas in there are not to be missed, but you can have that at lunch at Verandah usually.

 

(There is another reason actually for us, the Verandah's suppliers of steaks as noted in the menu are actually the same place we buy our meat from in rural suffolk, England, so we are quite accustommed to it, but given we have a steak a week from that supplier when at home, it's not actually something special for us).  

[3rdGenCunarder]

I've done a mix of ship tours and non-ship tours in Alaska. All have been good. I do suggest that you book early. This past June, vendors were not fully staffed, and QE had to cancel some tours VERY last minute.

 

Your signature doesn't show Alaska, so here are a few things I recommend. For Juneau, look for the photo safari whale watch. I think that's the name. It's a small boat that won't be crowded, and you'll have an excellent view of whales. It's Gastineau guiding, and may be available through the ship or might be available to book direct. It depends on who they've contracted with. There are other small boat vendors, so check the port of call boards. 

 

If you're going to Hubbard, it's a $plurge, but consider the boat ride to get close to the glacier. If you're into photography, you can get some fantastic shots. 

 

Cunard's entertainment is varied and all of it is excellent. Production shows, dancing with a live orchestra and proper dance floor, jazz, classical, pub band. More things than you can do in one evening. Best bar is the Commodore Club (like HAL's Crows Nest before they ruined it). Great view, good cocktails (try the honeysuckle daiquiri!), always some music in the evening. 

 

QE is my favorite Cunard ship. Enjoy!!!

[techteach]

Ditto to book excursions early, as in now. Don’t be afraid to shop Trip Advisor if Cunard excursions sell out. I had to do that for dog sledding last August. Make sure you read their cancellation policies and reviews.

[richstowe]

We are not big drinkers but .... it seems Cunard doesn't enforce a strict carry-on liquor policy .

So any issues bringing on a single bottle of vodka, a few bottle of wine plus sodas ?

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Your signature doesn't show Alaska, so here are a few things I recommend

Oops . Forgot to update .

Thanks for your suggestions and enthusiasm . 

[LB_NJ]

8 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

 

If you're going to Hubbard, it's a $plurge, but consider the boat ride to get close to the glacier. If you're into photography, you can get some fantastic shots. 

 

On my cruise I don't think they offer ANY excursions at the glaciers.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, LB_NJ said:

On my cruise I don't think they offer ANY excursions at the glaciers.

 

Sometimes the Hubbard excursion isn't offered until you're onboard. I think that was the case on my first QE cruise in Alaska.

[naturelovergirl]

The Hubbard Glacier excursion is definitely being offered for the August sailing in MyCunard.
You are, perhaps, missing seeing it for your cruise @LB_NJ because Hubbard does not have its own little bubble header in the excursions section. The smaller boat Hubbard excursion can be found in the complete list of all of the excursions for the entire trip.