As CUNARD goes so goes HAL?

[LocoLoco1]

Cunard’s QAnne brochure p.3 ‘…offers dedicated restaurants corresponding to her 4 accommodation categories.’ Does that mean what I think it means..??

[CruiserBruce]

Maybe ask on the Cunard board? Don't see how it has anything to do with HAL.

[visagrunt]

This is the same on all Cunard Ships:  Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia Club and Britannia Restaurant are all assigned based on cabin category.
 

[LocoLoco1]

13 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Maybe ask on the Cunard board? Don't see how it has anything to do with HAL.

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

[tjcox9]

Been that way the times we've been on Cunard. So many people have said they would never cruise with Cunard due their "class" status. Now, it seems many, not all as far as I know, have somewhat similar cabin/dining structures.

[Sea Hag]

12 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

With the new Sun Princess, Princess is making a move in that direction. There're at least two dining rooms for "special" cruisers, based on cabin category.

[LocoLoco1]

I actually like Cunard, now after watching the CEO Weinstein on TV today I am left wondering if HAL (or the entire fleet) may be sooner or later headed that way. 

[Guest ldtr]

25 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Just wondering if it is a trend amongst CCL’s various cruiselines or if destine to remain only on Cunard..

Nothing new on Cunard it has ben that way for years.  No reason to think that HAL will copy it now when they have not done so in the past.  Cunard has its own characteristics.

[Guest ldtr]

22 minutes ago, tjcox9 said:

Been that way the times we've been on Cunard. So many people have said they would never cruise with Cunard due their "class" status. Now, it seems many, not all as far as I know, have somewhat similar cabin/dining structures.

more due to the dress code.  Cunards implementation of their class system, which has basically been there from the start is far less intrusive then Celebrities implementation.  Especially on ships they retrofitted.

Edited March 27, 2023 by ldtr

[rafinmd]

What do you mean "Headed that Way".  Club Orange, Pinnacle Grill Breakfast and so on.  HAL has been there for years now.

 

Roy

[eroller]

All major cruise lines have gone the way of Cunard and in most cases taken it to the next level.  The Cunard Grills are pretty discreet.  The suites are spread throughout the ship and besides a small private deck and lounge that is the extent of the segregation.  Many lines now have the ship within a ship concept that is completely segregated from the rest of the ship and is keycard access only.  
 

So in many ways we are reverting back to a segregated class system.  What is old is new again.  Of course it’s all market driven.  Those paying the highest prices for the top suites want more than just additional living space. They want an overall elevated experience and exclusivity, even on mass market lines.  

[DAllenTCY]

HAL Club Orange comes to mind.

 

NCL "Haven" has gone that way and so has Celebrity "Aqua".

 

 

David

[Sir PMP]

All inside and ocean view cabin passengers will eat downstairs with the crew:

 

 

[Vic The Parrot]

30 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

All inside and ocean view cabin passengers will eat downstairs with the crew:

 

 

I didn't know John Mullany moonlighted as a HAL crew member. 

 

Dude wearing blue shirt lower left hand corner ...😶

[Hllb]

As a family of 5, we always have two cabins, generally in different categories. Next time will be an inside and a signature suite. Curious how that would work on Cunard. We couldn’t eat together? The suite pax would have to move down to dine as a family?

[HappyInVan]

4 hours ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Cunard’s QAnne brochure p.3 ‘…offers dedicated restaurants corresponding to her 4 accommodation categories.’ Does that mean what I think it means..??

 

I certainly hope so. It's hard to justify paying 5x more for Neptune over a plain Veranda. For the same price difference on MSC Yacht Club, you get value for your money.

[lissie]

6 hours ago, Hllb said:

As a family of 5, we always have two cabins, generally in different categories. Next time will be an inside and a signature suite. Curious how that would work on Cunard. We couldn’t eat together? The suite pax would have to move down to dine as a family?

Yes I think so -  if you are in a higher level cabin on Cunard you can dine "down" to Britannia class.  And many do because Britannia has the spectacular dining room. We dined with a couple in Princess last year and they said the food wsa pretty similar. They get extra lobster etc. 

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  In my opinion, as ships get larger, it becomes difficult to maintain a certain level of quality that many of us old timers expect and newcomers as well.  We love Cunard and the Grills experience which many lines of copied albeit in different ways Haven, Retreat to name a few. Many are willing to pay more to have enhanced service and dining levels. No different that concierge levels in hotels and resorts. They need to do this not only for their bottom lines but to keep repeat guests coming back for more. I personally have top tier at many lines but I don’t repeat because I want a tote bag or a free drink. I want peace and quiet, good service and great food to the best I can attain. I love the monster theme park ships when I am in the Caribbean and luxury elsewhere around the world which is when smaller more luxurious ships are my choice. If on a monster ship, the Haven, Retreat etc is a necessity. But in summary the Cunard model has worked for decades and is certainly the way to go. 

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

HAL Club Orange comes to mind.

 

NCL "Haven" has gone that way and so has Celebrity "Aqua".

 

 

David

Club orange can be purchased by anyone, in an type of stateroom.  I know people believe this is a ship within a ship but it’s not.  
 

Nothing new with Cunard, it’s same old, same old.

[shippmates]

I enjoy the way Cunard is set up.  The food is pretty much the same in all dining rooms and the service is a little above the other lines.  It would be nice if the other lines would enforce or passengers would adhere to the dress code.  On Cunard it is so nice to go into dinner and see people in dress clothes and not shorts, sweatpants or even jeans.  Cunard has become my cruise line of choice.

 

[CNSJ]

1 hour ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha.  In my opinion, as ships get larger, it becomes difficult to maintain a certain level of quality that many of us old timers expect and newcomers as well.  We love Cunard and the Grills experience which many lines of copied albeit in different ways Haven, Retreat to name a few. Many are willing to pay more to have enhanced service and dining levels. No different that concierge levels in hotels and resorts. They need to do this not only for their bottom lines but to keep repeat guests coming back for more. I personally have top tier at many lines but I don’t repeat because I want a tote bag or a free drink. I want peace and quiet, good service and great food to the best I can attain. I love the monster theme park ships when I am in the Caribbean and luxury elsewhere around the world which is when smaller more luxurious ships are my choice. If on a monster ship, the Haven, Retreat etc is a necessity. But in summary the Cunard model has worked for decades and is certainly the way to go. 

Its really no different than on an intercontinental long haul airplane:  first, business, premium economy, coach (steerage).  You get more if you are willing pay more.  For us, the standard verandah on HAL is best place to be.  DW won't sail without a balcony.  I don't want to pay Signature or Neptune suite prices, but will opt for a Vista on the R class. 

 

As a side note, I see HAL upping the Neptune experience to include more than club orange and laundry.  At that price it should include all drinks and mini-bar.  

 

Based on cruise line costs (non-fuel costs quoted) expected to go up 6% this year, expect prices to remain where they are or go up.  Inflation raises all things.

[RICHARD@SEA]

For several years now I have thought the ships will turn into floating malls w accomodations at various levels.  W thousands of passengers there is no escaping the masses....whether in a penthouse or an inside(now w artificial portholes)

 

After sailing since the early 19070s when people dressed every nite to now where some lines allow shorts in the dining room for dinner itstime to get real.  The FRANCE & QE2 - the biggest passenger ships at the time only had about 100 - 1100 passengers.

 

Now  with a wide variety of price points I could see the mass lines having passenger accommodations w all pay for restaurants.

 

I remember travelling w several suitcases (3-4).  Now I try to keep it to one w a carryon. I send out laundry & eat at shoreside restaurants when in port.  On my last 13 day cruise I only ate in the main dining room once.  I do try the specialty restaurants onboard.  I always get a midship balcony cabin & escape the masses as much as possible - 

 

Its a new day ...

[LocoLoco1]

Methinks all cruiselines in general will HAVE to charge more for upgrades to basic food & services if they are to turn a profit. ‘Ship within a Ship’ can be done in various ways it appears. Interesting to hear how other lines do it. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 hours ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

For several years now I have thought the ships will turn into floating malls w accomodations at various levels.  W thousands of passengers there is no escaping the masses....whether in a penthouse or an inside(now w artificial portholes)

 

After sailing since the early 19070s when people dressed every nite to now where some lines allow shorts in the dining room for dinner itstime to get real.  The FRANCE & QE2 - the biggest passenger ships at the time only had about 100 - 1100 passengers.

 

Now  with a wide variety of price points I could see the mass lines having passenger accommodations w all pay for restaurants.

 

I remember travelling w several suitcases (3-4).  Now I try to keep it to one w a carryon. I send out laundry & eat at shoreside restaurants when in port.  On my last 13 day cruise I only ate in the main dining room once.  I do try the specialty restaurants onboard.  I always get a midship balcony cabin & escape the masses as much as possible - 

 

Its a new day ...

 

QE2 carried about 1800 passengers. Norway was probably about the same. QE2 had four dining room levels. By the time I sailed on her, "classes" were not kept apart. There was one bar for Grills passengers, and that was the only distinction. Definitely not a ship within a ship. Today's Cunard ships are similarly low-key about classes. France had two dining room levels, but as Norway she had only one class, and neither dining room was a higher class than the other. Sadly, sailing for NCL, Norway had very little class in her later years. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Club orange can be purchased by anyone, in an type of stateroom.  I know people believe this is a ship within a ship but it’s not.

 

When CO was new (K'dam was the only Pinnacle ship then), HAL hyped CO as a big deal. It's definitely not a ship within a ship. CO dining room gets one extra main course. And CO passengers get a special tote bag!!!! Whoopeee! (Actually, it is a nice bag, but hardly a big selling point IMO)

 

I'm 4-star and don't need the CO priority, but I have bought CO on my last two bookings because the price of CO was a small amount compared to the value of the upgrade I was able to get. I keep expecting HAL to change the upgrade to just one category up, not to the highest in the "meta category."

 

8 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Nothing new with Cunard, it’s same old, same old.

 

Yes, it is, and I love it. Although Cunard doesn't have a ship within a ship, moving up to a better restaurant is a much bigger step up than CO. Someone on this thread said that Princess Grill is the same food as the MDR. That's just a starting point. There are always extra choices, a very good "always available" selection, and some special items that you have to order the day before, like crepe suzette flambeed tableside. You won't see that in CO. I usually sail in a balcony cabin, and eat in the MDR, but once in a while, I splurge on Princess Grill. I can't quite bring myself to pay Queens Grill prices. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder