Japan with Cunard

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, godfreyb said:

Not in PG, but the Lido was all ready to go by 3 p.m.  Initially, as we arrived too late for lunch in PG on a half day tour, we thought that we would just substitute tea at 3 p.m. instead, but all those carbs didn't work for us.  As an aside, the lack of atmosphere when they serve tea in PG instead of the Grills Lounge is not an encouragement to go!

Another thing we see differently: I enjoy tea in the PG so much more, because there is so much more room on the table, and the comparative levels of the chair and table make dealing with the food easier.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

Another thing we see differently: I enjoy tea in the PG so much more, because there is so much more room on the table, and the comparative levels of the chair and table make dealing with the food easier.

So much more peaceful in PG for a cup of tea of an afternoon than trying to get a seat in the lounge as of years ago.

Works for us too.

[Queenvee]

Re: OP's original question: I was on QE for a 9-day circumnavigation of Japan just pre-pandemic and while there were Japanese passengers on board, I didn't notice changes to the normal Cunard processes, etc..  Specifically, there were no changes to entertainment that could be traced to the Japanese pax.  The Lido buffet has always offered a specific section of Asian dishes and that may have been expanded somewhat but there were plenty of the standard European/UK/American dishes as usual.

 

Of course, there may have been some changes but they weren't significant enough to bother me.  After multiple sea voyages, I've experienced various tweaks to daily schedules, meals, etc and I go with the flow.  Because more and more voyages are packaged/sold as one longer trip comprised of a 9 day plus a 14 day or something similar, there are often passengers on board for a longer duration than others.  I'm often onboard for a shorter leg and have never experienced any "second class treatment".  As someone mentioned further up in the post, the reason some newly embarked passengers received flower arrangements was likely due to them being part of a group with the group paying for the flowers in each passenger's cabin (my TA has done that).

[Austcruiser84]

18 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Another thing we see differently: I enjoy tea in the PG so much more, because there is so much more room on the table, and the comparative levels of the chair and table make dealing with the food easier.

I find it odd that on QE and QV they do afternoon tea in PG but on QM2 still in the grills lounge.

[Austcruiser84]

3 hours ago, Queenvee said:

Re: OP's original question: I was on QE for a 9-day circumnavigation of Japan just pre-pandemic and while there were Japanese passengers on board, I didn't notice changes to the normal Cunard processes, etc..  Specifically, there were no changes to entertainment that could be traced to the Japanese pax.  The Lido buffet has always offered a specific section of Asian dishes and that may have been expanded somewhat but there were plenty of the standard European/UK/American dishes as usual.

 

Of course, there may have been some changes but they weren't significant enough to bother me.  After multiple sea voyages, I've experienced various tweaks to daily schedules, meals, etc and I go with the flow.  Because more and more voyages are packaged/sold as one longer trip comprised of a 9 day plus a 14 day or something similar, there are often passengers on board for a longer duration than others.  I'm often onboard for a shorter leg and have never experienced any "second class treatment".  As someone mentioned further up in the post, the reason some newly embarked passengers received flower arrangements was likely due to them being part of a group with the group paying for the flowers in each passenger's cabin (my TA has done that).

Good to know Cunard doesn’t diverge much. Hopefully some sophisticated nods to Japanese culture will be there. Excited to experience a new place on a beautiful ship. 

[NancyDrew1953]

On 11/5/2023 at 10:07 AM, alc13 said:

I didn't judge it at the time, but I think half or maybe the majority were from Japan.  Others were from Australia/New Zealand, USA, and elsewhere.I am booked on an upcoming Japan voyage with QE in May 2024.  According to my very experienced TA, while the passenger demographics can and will vary somewhat by voyage, the norm is usually between half and two-thirds from Asian countries, with mostly from Japan, but also South Korea and other countries.

 

Based upon shore excursions being offered, it appears that just about all choices are the same, except English or Japanese speaking options.  In a couple of places, there is one or two offerings in one language but not the other —sometimes English and sometimes Japanese, but it doesn’t seem like there is more choices in one than the other.

[EarleyretiredJB]

We’ve only just booked on Q412 leaving Tokyo on 28 March 2024, and finding quite a few of the Cunard shore excursions (English speaking) already booked up.

Will Cunard provide a shuttle bus into city centres? (Akita, Kanazawa, Busan in S Korea and Shimizu)

[Queenvee]

I was on QE circumnavigation of Japan in 2019 and at that time, shuttle buses were provided but you may want to check w/Cunard to see if that's still the case.

[Down-Unders]

On 11/5/2023 at 1:12 PM, Austcruiser84 said:

Hoping there may be some wisdom on the board with cruising Japan with Cunard.
 

I’m curious about the passenger demographics, kind of entertainment (similar to what I’m used to with Cunard or unique to region?), food (do love Japanese cuisine), quality of shore excursions (or best to organise myself? I have found shire excursions touch and go in quality) and the general experience and any advice people who have done such a cruise would have. 
 

Will be a first time in Japan! 

We went on the first Japan cruise with Cunard and had a fantastic time, the dress code with lots of Kimonos and Japanese good manners, just great! The only tour we took was to the Nagasaki War Museum. It was cherry blossom time and Cunard at every port dropped us off in the middle of town where we would explore on foot or local taxi. Dinner time was earlier as I believe they like to eat early but this did not worry us, never noticed much Japanese food but that is not to say if you let the dining room know the day before they would have Japanese dishes. Our cruise had quite a few ports and after being out all day we were happy to have room service, you will love Japan, just go with an open mind you will get much information on board with Cunard's Japanese Tourist People who speak to you with great pride and knowledge and perfect English.We cruise to Japan March 10 and meet up with Japanese friends who will travel with us to Hiroshima unfortunately not by ship . Bon Voyage!.

[Down-Unders]

On 11/6/2023 at 1:02 AM, godfreyb said:

We were on the Singapore -Tokyo QE cruise and stayed on for the next round Japan cruise.  The changes were remarkable:

1. All new Japanese guests received flower arrangements in glass vases in their cabins - continuing cruisers got nothing.

2. All dining times were moved earlier by 30 minutes.

3. The buffet featured Japanese items every day, but no explanation as to what they were to the uninitiated.

4. Japanese speaking 'helpers' appeared in various parts of the ship, who somewhat resembled 'guards'!

5. Surprisingly, the dress code was relaxed for certain Japanese customers (jeans at dinner regularly appeared at dinner with no objection form the maitre'd in PG) which is surprising as most of the time the Japanese clients were well dressed

While we thoroughly enjoyed the round Japan part of our cruise, there was definitely a feeling that the continuing cruisers, of which there were quite a few, were second class cruisers on this leg.

What do you mean by second class cruisers?

[Down-Unders]

On 11/7/2023 at 2:09 PM, rj59 said:

I think if you really love Japan and want to experience it well, you'd be better off with the varied itineraries on Diamond Princess, which is based in Japan and designed for the Japanese market.  So it visits things like the Nebuta Festival in August, which was one of my favorite memories when I lived there for 2 years. Instead of dealing with cultural resentments that seem to be apparent with traditional Cunard cruisers wanting others to conform to their standards, I think I'd rather be perhaps in the minority and adapt to the majority on a ship designed for Japan and that's likely to be majority Japanese. That means you're likely to get better food, better excursions (since it's their base), and more interesting cultural experiences, particularly tea drinking (just as on Cunard as an American I sat through a tea service and wondered what point of it was). 

I think your information is misleading for the original poster, Cunard has now started a 

season being based in Japan with Queen Elizabeth and would be designed for the Japanese and international market. On our cruise the majority of passengers were from Japan, comparing the Diamond Princess to the Queen Elizabeth is to me like a Toyota to a Mercedes Benz. I certainly do not think the original poster will feel like being in the minority but will be charmed sailing with one of the worlds best mannered fellow passengers, we certainty did!

[Down-Unders]

On 11/10/2023 at 5:25 PM, Queenvee said:

Re: OP's original question: I was on QE for a 9-day circumnavigation of Japan just pre-pandemic and while there were Japanese passengers on board, I didn't notice changes to the normal Cunard processes, etc..  Specifically, there were no changes to entertainment that could be traced to the Japanese pax.  The Lido buffet has always offered a specific section of Asian dishes and that may have been expanded somewhat but there were plenty of the standard European/UK/American dishes as usual.

 

Of course, there may have been some changes but they weren't significant enough to bother me.  After multiple sea voyages, I've experienced various tweaks to daily schedules, meals, etc and I go with the flow.  Because more and more voyages are packaged/sold as one longer trip comprised of a 9 day plus a 14 day or something similar, there are often passengers on board for a longer duration than others.  I'm often onboard for a shorter leg and have never experienced any "second class treatment".  As someone mentioned further up in the post, the reason some newly embarked passengers received flower arrangements was likely due to them being part of a group with the group paying for the flowers in each passenger's cabin (my TA has done that).

Thank you for your positive comments agree with everything you  have said. I think on every Cunard ship a large sign at boarding should read ." The mind is like an Parachute works better when open "

[NE John]

7 hours ago, Down-Unders said:

charmed sailing with one of the worlds best mannered fellow passengers,

That’s good to hear this observation about Japanese pax. DW visited a friend in Singapore and took a four night (thankfully for her not longer) RCL cruise built for the Chinese market and predominantly Chinese pax. She reported back that the rudeness and lack of courtesy was off the charts bad. Total chaos. 

[Queenvee]

@Down-Unders Did I see that you're on the March 10, 2024 Sydney to Tokyo voyage?  Me too!  You may want to look at the Roll Call for that cruise since it's pretty active; some people are arranging non-ship tours, etc.  (If you haven't used Roll Calls before, go back to the CC Board main page, select Roll Call/Cunard then pick Queen Elizabeth and March; the specific threads will appear.  Note that the roll call is for the full 28 day cruise, but plenty of the people posting are only on for the first leg.

[Down-Unders]

On 1/12/2024 at 1:55 AM, EarleyretiredJB said:

We’ve only just booked on Q412 leaving Tokyo on 28 March 2024, and finding quite a few of the Cunard shore excursions (English speaking) already booked up.

Will Cunard provide a shuttle bus into city centres? (Akita, Kanazawa, Busan in S Korea and Shimizu)

Certainly will, last time we were in Akita it was cherry blossom time, we went to  a park and spent most of the day there including a Japanese tea ceremony, the ship will give you the details it is only a short walk from where the bus drops you off. The fish markets in Busan well worth a visit also the tower great views of the city, enjoy!

[Down-Unders]

5 hours ago, Queenvee said:

@Down-Unders Did I see that you're on the March 10, 2024 Sydney to Tokyo voyage?  Me too!  You may want to look at the Roll Call for that cruise since it's pretty active; some people are arranging non-ship tours, etc.  (If you haven't used Roll Calls before, go back to the CC Board main page, select Roll Call/Cunard then pick Queen Elizabeth and March; the specific threads will appear.  Note that the roll call is for the full 28 day cruise, but plenty of the people posting are only on for the first leg.

Yes this is  our second time Sydney to Japan, last trip into Yokohama this year into a brand new terminal in Tokyo which has been closed for COVID. Arriving into Tokyo is a great idea especially for folks who are disembarking and flying home within in a few days. Before it was Yokohama to Tokyo and if you were flying out off Haneda or Narita airports on the day it could be challenging.

Say hello to Hartford for me.

[Victoria2]

17 hours ago, NE John said:

That’s good to hear this observation about Japanese pax. DW visited a friend in Singapore and took a four night (thankfully for her not longer) RCL cruise built for the Chinese market and predominantly Chinese pax. She reported back that the rudeness and lack of courtesy was off the charts bad. Total chaos. 

To go on a cruise specifically aimed at [built for] the Chinese market is to realise the culture is totally different [at the moment]  from perceived Western culture.

That is not to say it's wrong, just different.

[maggielou362]

Hear hear, Victoria2

[NE John]

4 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

To go on a cruise specifically aimed at [built for] the Chinese market is to realise the culture is totally different [at the moment]  from perceived Western culture.

That is not to say it's wrong, just different.

Very true and she was looking forward to experience a different culture….she spent a month in Singapore and Thailand with friends’ families. In this case the culture was on a 5k pax RCL ship trying to get something from the buffet and getting run over by a culture that doesn’t believe in queuing up and personal space. Even the Singaporeans were complaining about the Chinese behavior!