Cunard maybe for the first time.

[mattR]

Looking at maybe booking Queen Elizabeth for next summer to Alaska.  Have cruise most of the main lines RCCL/Celeb/NCL/Princess/HAL  what can I expect different on Cunard would be booking Inside/OV do I still have access to most of the ship with that category of cabin?   Looking for good food good main theater entertainment.  

[Bell Boy]

Don't worry about that old chestnut, you will have access to 'All parts of the ship' ! with the exception of two small ( Grill)  restaurants, one small lounge adjacent to the Grill restaurants and one Sun Deck. All the other venues are open and to be enjoyed by Britannia Category guests which will be the category you are planning to book.   

[Pushpit]

Have a good look around this Board to see menus and reviews. There are 300 cruise ships (and 1 liner) plying for your business. The 3, soon to be 4, Cunard vessels are different in just a few ways.

- it's one of the oldest companies working in this area so they draw on the long history of Cunard and White Star. You should feel it as soon as you walk on board.

- there is a bit of a British backdrop to everything, for example Afternoon Tea, and the entertainment programme. So long as you like scones you will be fine!

- the stress on dressing up is greater than other companies, so you should have 2 or so gala nights, and other nights will ask you to be smartly attired.

- some features, such as the Insight Lectures and the presence of decent sized libraries, you won't find on all other vessels in this market.

But yes if you are not Grills, it's by no means "a ship within a ship". When the meal times are over you can even poke your head around the 2 Grills restaurants if you wish. Onboard you will hardly notice this, essentially the whole vessel is open to you.

[Victoria2]

Yes there is theatre entertainment every night and great Insight lectures during the day but good main theatre entertainment depends on your expectations. Do not expect Broadway level although the ship's company do entertain. As a newbie, the shows will be new to you so you won't have yet another repeat of a show you have already seen three times etc, and be aware, occasionally  some of the individual acts can be almost sleep inducing in their blandness. Some acts though are fantastic so go with an open mind and be prepared to be right royally pleased when the acts delight.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Pushpit said:

Have a good look around this Board to see menus and reviews. There are 300 cruise ships (and 1 liner) plying for your business. The 3, soon to be 4, Cunard vessels are different in just a few ways.

- it's one of the oldest companies working in this area so they draw on the long history of Cunard and White Star. You should feel it as soon as you walk on board.

- there is a bit of a British backdrop to everything, for example Afternoon Tea, and the entertainment programme. So long as you like scones you will be fine!

- the stress on dressing up is greater than other companies, so you should have 2 or so gala nights, and other nights will ask you to be smartly attired.

- some features, such as the Insight Lectures and the presence of decent sized libraries, you won't find on all other vessels in this market.

But yes if you are not Grills, it's by no means "a ship within a ship". When the meal times are over you can even poke your head around the 2 Grills restaurants if you wish. Onboard you will hardly notice this, essentially the whole vessel is open to you.

As to the British aspects, this is clearly something US passengers notice, for me, from the UK, I notice how American it seems.

[sogne]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

As to the British aspects, this is clearly something US passengers notice, for me, from the UK, I notice how American it seems.

Dollars for example

[Classiccruiser777]

The dress code is taken seriously compared to most other lines. https://www.cunard.com/en-us/the-cunard-experience/what-to-pack

[exlondoner]

59 minutes ago, sogne said:

Dollars for example

And tuxedos.

[D&N]

4 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Do not expect Broadway level

We saw Chicago last July, Sunday Matinee at the Ambassador Theatre.

We were very disappointed. It seemed amateurish compared to our admittedly distant and infrequent West End and Glasgow/Edinburgh experiences.

 

[NE John]

Cunard shops are not as “class based” as you may think. Grills passengers are not sequestered behind different parts of the ship as other lines do with their suite pax. You could be sitting next to a Grills guest at the theater, at tea, or dancing in the Queen’s Room. 
I’ve found being on a Cunard ship is not stuffy nor pretentious; most people like to have a relaxed time within an elegant environment. Most pax abide strongly to the dress code, with some exceptions…
Try one of the alternative dining restaurants too and the meals at the Golden Lion pub are excellent. 

As for Britishness - while Cunard uses the word tuxedo and we pay in US dollars, it’s certainly a very British experience compared to other lines. Examples: Pictures and busts of British royalty around the ship, the naming of the ships after British queens, adding the British “u”to words like favorite and using the word “whilst”, much of the food sourced from Great Britain (Dorset lamb, Cornish crab, etc), making most announcements with someone speaking with a British accent, and, most importantly compared to other lines, respecting of the British concept of queuing and creating a sense of general etiquette onboard. The environment is British and that’s a good thing. Of course my view comes from the American side of the pond. 
 

Edited September 28, 2023 by NE John

[3rdGenCunarder]

10 minutes ago, NE John said:

I’ve found being on a Cunard ship is not stuffy nor pretentious; most people like to have a relaxed time within an elegant environment.

 

Yes, exactly!!! 

 

@mattR, have you been on one of HAL's Vista ships? QE is also a Vista. Not exactly like HAL, but the layout is similar. 

[rafinmd]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Yes, exactly!!! 

 

@mattR, have you been on one of HAL's Vista ships? QE is also a Vista. Not exactly like HAL, but the layout is similar. 

Unless QE has changed recently, the exception is that QE has a REAL Library.  I board QM2 tomorrow and will offer some additional perspective on the diffference between Britannia and Grills experiences.

 

Roy

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Unless QE has changed recently, the exception is that QE has a REAL Library.  I board QM2 tomorrow and will offer some additional perspective on the diffference between Britannia and Grills experiences.

 

Roy

 

She sure does! It has a charming spiral staircase. I'm trying to find a tactful way to describe the difference in decor. QE is very classy. Not to say that HAL is un-classy, but their decor can be quirky. 

 

I love to stop near the aft entrance to the Queens Room to see the display of Cunard memorabilia.

Edited September 28, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder

[BigMac1953]

3 hours ago, NE John said:

making most announcements with someone speaking with a British accent,

 

That's because it's the Captain. Cunard don't do "announcements" except in an emergency or emergency drills.

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

That's because it's the Captain. Cunard don't do "announcements" except in an emergency or emergency drills.

Though the last two captains I’ve had were US and Irish, and my next will probably be Danish, so British accents aren’t by any means invariable.

[moses0]

15 hours ago, mattR said:

Looking at maybe booking Queen Elizabeth for next summer to Alaska.  Have cruise most of the main lines RCCL/Celeb/NCL/Princess/HAL  what can I expect different on Cunard would be booking Inside/OV do I still have access to most of the ship with that category of cabin?   Looking for good food good main theater entertainment.  

You should do it QE is a lovely ship. We did the Alaska trip this year. However main theater entertainment is not always Cunard's best attraction. 

[tw0sugar5]

My opinion:

 

Food 👍🏼 

Shows 👎🏻

Classical music 👍🏼

Ambience 👍🏼

 

Don’t miss the dry sauna with the ocean views in the locker rooms.

Edited September 28, 2023 by tw0sugar5

[WantedOnVoyage]

Cunard is different from most lines in that, mercifully, you are treated as an adult... not a child in some theme park where they are at you constantly to "have a good time,"... there is, thank goodness no relentless mindless "musak" blaring over the open decks 24/7 and on the existing ships, at least, no hideous "jumbotron" dominating the lido deck... number this as one of QUEEN ANNE's "improvements".  

 

If you crave entertainment, I don't think you'd be hard pressed to be amused, if you don't and relish a good book, a steamer chair and a view over the rail to the ocean, you have that too (well again most likely not on QA). And... no "public address" announcements either except needed ones.  Quiet. Bliss. 

 

Cunard certainly has "classes"... like most ships, different venues attract different sorts of people.  Odd that people will fly on a four-class airliner but resist the notion of even the hint of classes on ships nowadays.  But it's more a natural gravitation of like minded people.  But no, you'd hardly notice there is a "grill deck" and if looking for a steward, indeed have better luck elsewhere!  

 

So far, Cunard also still attract some extraordinary individuals as crew members, too.  QV in particular being "a happy and efficient ship" that Noel Coward would have approved of. I do, too. 

[david,Mississauga]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Unless QE has changed recently, the exception is that QE has a REAL Library.  I board QM2 tomorrow and will offer some additional perspective on the diffference between Britannia and Grills experiences.

 

Roy

 

I was on a HAL Vista ship a few years ago. The QE is vastly superior in almost every way: not only the library as Roy said, but a real atrium, a real theatre, a Commodore Club with various types of live entertainment, especially the string orchestra, piano or harp and the ability to get a decent cup of tea almost everywhere on board.  On the HAL Vista the Commodore Club equivalent (Crowsnest) never had any background music other than recorded rock/pop or whatever it may have been. There's plenty more I could mention, but that is enough.

 

To be fair the HAL ship had a real teak promenade deck, the lack of which is the only thing I don't like about the QE.

Edited September 28, 2023 by david,Mississauga
typo

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

I was on a HAL Vista ship a few years ago. The QE is vastly superior in almost every way: not only the library as Roy said, but a real atrium, a real theatre, a Commodore Club with various types of live entertainment, especially the string orchestra, piano or harp and the ability to get a decent cup of tea almost everywhere on board.  On the HAL Vista the Commodore Club equivalent (Crowsnest) never had any background music other than recorded rock/pop or whatever it may have been. There's plenty more I could mention, but that is enough.

 

To be fair the HAL ship had a real teak promenade deck, the lack of which is the only thing I don't like about the QE.

 

The Crowsnest did have entertainment years ago, but not any more.  I used to think of HAL as "Cunard Lite." But their removal of libraries, downgrading of any entertainment beyond loud rock or blues music, and the many announcements during the day (which they didn't do years ago) stop me from saying that any more. 

 

Although how Cunard has used ship is definitely superior to HAL, but the physical design of QE is still a Vista, a size and layout I like in both Cunard (well, QE so far; QV soon) and HAL. 

 

 

 

[LittleFish1976]

 

Other 'British-ness' benefits of Cunard - being able to get a decent hot breakfast including black pudding.

Most of their food has in the past been decent British food including desserts/pudding. Very different from my experience on a US-style 'luxury' line which had, what I would call, 'dumbed down' desserts.

 

Cunard does a very good roast.

 

[mattR]

Do they bring in comedians or magicians or acrobats for the main show or just more sophisticated entertainment? Do they run a lot of trivia and other group activities during sea days? 

[LittleFish1976]

17 minutes ago, mattR said:

Do they bring in comedians or magicians or acrobats for the main show or just more sophisticated entertainment? Do they run a lot of trivia and other group activities during sea days? 

I've seen comedians on board, it's not a main attraction for the line though. They have a good amount of trivia, musical performances and speakers - the latter being their forte. As well as the dance lessons, exercise classes etc. The have song and dance shows but it's not their forte. They've traditionally had a professional dance couple on board who would give a brief performance on gala nights. There's a lot to do on sea days if the activities are to your taste. Think mature entertainment.

 

And specifically I would say no, they don't have acrobats and magicians.

Edited September 29, 2023 by LittleFish1976

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

I've seen comedians on board, it's not a main attraction for the line though. They have a good amount of trivia, musical performances and speakers - the latter being their forte. As well as the dance lessons, exercise classes etc. The have song and dance shows but it's not their forte. They've traditionally had a professional dance couple on board who would give a brief performance on gala nights. There's a lot to do on sea days if the activities are to your taste. Think mature entertainment.

 

And specifically I would say no, they don't have acrobats and magicians.

Cunard do have magicians [and/or illusionists], and acrobats who are usually the ones who hang from ropes and perform rather dangerous looking movements with their partner. It's down to scheduling as to when they perform so it's not every cruise.

[Victoria2]

29 minutes ago, mattR said:

Do they bring in comedians or magicians or acrobats for the main show or just more sophisticated entertainment? Do they run a lot of trivia and other group activities during sea days? 

Define sophisticated entertainment!

 

Some of the best guest entertainers are  the tribute bands. Some of them can get the whole theatre rocking, and not in a sea swell kind of way.

 

Yes, quite a few trivia sessions.