So, who ACTUALLY is a Cunard cruise for?

[missson1967]

47 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions but usually, opinions on ships are given more credence when given through experience rather than he said/she said and unfortunately, quoting the phrase 'discerning customer' has led to merriment and jocular comments.

We have no reason to doubt the OP's opinion is based upon direct experience.  We are aware others have had a more favourable experience of QA, but the fact the OP seemingly did not have as positive an experience does not make it any less credible.  After all, it is by no means the only negative review of QA in circulation.   

 

As for our own opinion, as we have said several times, we formed that opinion based on our own research, which included reading both positive & negative reviews.  That is no different from researching other lines & forming the opinion that one or other is not for us.  Save for giving every other line a try, which would be a fairly expensive exercise, how else would one form an opinion as to which of the products on offer was most likely to appeal?   

 

As for quoting the phrase "discerning customer", that was the phrase used by the OP in the question posed in their post, hence the quotation marks.  For us, it wasn't a commentary on whether anyone else was a "discerning customer" or not.        

[Megabear2]

16 minutes ago, missson1967 said:

We have no reason to doubt the OP's opinion is based upon direct experience.  We are aware others have had a more favourable experience of QA, but the fact the OP seemingly did not have as positive an experience does not make it any less credible.  After all, it is by no means the only negative review of QA in circulation.   

 

As for our own opinion, as we have said several times, we formed that opinion based on our own research, which included reading both positive & negative reviews.  That is no different from researching other lines & forming the opinion that one or other is not for us.  Save for giving every other line a try, which would be a fairly expensive exercise, how else would one form an opinion as to which of the products on offer was most likely to appeal?   

 

As for quoting the phrase "discerning customer", that was the phrase used by the OP in the question posed in their post, hence the quotation marks.  For us, it wasn't a commentary on whether anyone else was a "discerning customer" or not.        

It is indeed true it is their review.  The problem to me is that it's not a review but merely an exercise in telling us what is wrong with the clientele.  Perhaps they should come back and speak about other aspects, we know they didn't like the comedian for instance but what else was right or wrong?

 

I've read a lot of reviews of QA, most are pretty fair albeit rating the ship fairly low.  As you say we all make an informed decision the best we can.  I did sail the ship with pretty low expectations and was pleasantly surprised but then I was in the lowest grade cabin and did not spend a huge amount. 

 

 

[Winifred 22]

Thinking a bit more. When I am not playing musical sun beds and fancy some lunch I can’t remember from my tour yesterday, is there an outside grill bar like on QV and QE ? I saw the wellness cafe but I am thinking more burger and fried chicken type fayre? 

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Thinking a bit more. When I am not playing musical sun beds and fancy some lunch I can’t remember from my tour yesterday, is there an outside grill bar like on QV and QE ? I saw the wellness cafe but I am thinking more burger and fried chicken type fayre? 

Yes, near the pool at the back.

[Pushpit]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

12 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

is there an outside grill bar like on QV and QE ? I saw the wellness cafe but I am thinking more burger and fried chicken type fayre? 

Yes, near the pool at the back.

Pavilion Grill is the official name, Deck 9, Stairway B.

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Pavilion Grill is the official name, Deck 9, Stairway B.

I realise back was an inappropriate term: towards the stern would have been better. 😀

[TouchstoneFeste]

The demographic mix could well have changed somewhat between the first few (overloaded with  Cunard old-timers who wanted to be first) and later voyages.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

The demographic mix could well have changed somewhat between the first few (overloaded with  Cunard old-timers who wanted to be first) and later voyages.

I hope so, for Cunard’s sake. And their next cruise or the one after may have lots more children on board.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

The demographic mix could well have changed somewhat between the first few (overloaded with  Cunard old-timers who wanted to be first) and later voyages.

Wanting to be amongst the first had nothing to do with our booking, It was the availability of a Cunard ship which wasn't QM2 and I do wonder if that was the thinking of many others.

 

I hope there will be children on the mid summer sailings. They will certainly be welcome as far as we're concerned.

 

[DukeBeetle24]

7 hours ago, blonde-cruiser said:

Lots of loungers being moved half way across the deck for bronzing, men in budgie smugglers and too many pint glasses being carried on lifts and through corridors

Are the loungers and glasses meant to be glued down to the deck / bars?

 

Honestly, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but this isn't a review of Queen Anne. This is a judgemental rant about other fare paying passengers, which is frankly not fair, nor kind. Who are you to judge a passenger type isn't acceptable for Cunard? If your biggest concern is pleasantries and other passengers enjoying themselves with a drink, dancing and sunbathing, you've probably had fewer "issues" than most of us on holiday whether it at sea or on land. . 

 

P.s. what's wrong with budgie smugglers? Perhaps those wearing them were offended by your oggling. I think it might be time to buy some Cunard red Budgie Smugglers for our October cruise... 🩲

[Planning to cruise]

We have sailed on Queen Anne.  That experience led us to cancel the other cruise we had already booked on her and transfer the deposit to an alternative on QM2.  It was not the passnger mix, it was the ship. That's our opinion, clearly there are others who like Queen Anne.  Unlike some, we like QM2, possibly more so than the Vistas.  We pays our money and takes our choice.  

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

I realise back was an inappropriate term: towards the stern would have been better. 😀

Happy with towards the back I can cope with that to work out where I am going. 

[david63]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

Happy with towards the back I can cope with that to work out where I am going. 

Or use the technical terms "blunt end" or "pointy end"😂

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

Are drinks free at the slot machine? I didn’t know that.

 

I can no more foretell a ship demographic, based on a single sailing, than I can predict the type of vehicular drivers I will encounter based on the last time I took that route. I imagine “the discerning cruiser” would choose not to post such an over the top public diatribe, so I am left with attention-seeking and click-bait (with a nod to feigned outrage). 

 

It’s an entertaining diversion, at any rate, so thank you.

It IS entertaining isn't it. 😄

I would go further and say 'the discerning cruiser' wouldn't actually 'own' that phrase, in print or otherwise.

[King Amo]

9 hours ago, Planning to cruise said:

We have sailed on Queen Anne.  That experience led us to cancel the other cruise we had already booked on her and transfer the deposit to an alternative on QM2.  It was not the passnger mix, it was the ship. That's our opinion, clearly there are others who like Queen Anne.  Unlike some, we like QM2, possibly more so than the Vistas.  We pays our money and takes our choice.  

An absolutely reasonable position. Some ships don't stir the same feelings as others, some have layout issues which drive you bonkers (such as having to detour up/down a couple of floors to get to the other end of the same deck), some are simply too big or too small. I could name numerous ships that I feel the same about. 

 

What made me laugh about the original post, and subsequent, is the notion that Queen Anne, the only Cunard cruiser sailing out of Southampton, has within its first couple of months been overrun by the characters from Benidorm. 

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, King Amo said:

An absolutely reasonable position. Some ships don't stir the same feelings as others, some have layout issues which drive you bonkers (such as having to detour up/down a couple of floors to get to the other end of the same deck), some are simply too big or too small. I could name numerous ships that I feel the same about. 

 

What made me laugh about the original post, and subsequent, is the notion that Queen Anne, the only Cunard cruiser sailing out of Southampton, has within its first couple of months been overrun by the characters from Benidorm. 

That certainly wasn’t my impression. Many/most of my fellow passengers were too frail to overrun anything.

[DukeBeetle24]

Just now, exlondoner said:

That certainly wasn’t my impression. Many/most of my fellow passengers were too frail to overrun anything.

To be honest, it sounded more like the only thing passengers were at risk of being overrun with was Olympic sprinters before the lift doors closed.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

To be honest, it sounded more like the only thing passengers were at risk of being overrun with was Olympic sprinters before the lift doors closed.

There was the added hazard of the benches in the middle of the lift wells, which had to be hurdled if a lift unexpectedly arrived on the opposite side.

[DukeBeetle24]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

There was the added hazard of the benches in the middle of the lift wells, which had to be hurdled if a lift unexpectedly arrived on the opposite side.

Ah, yes. I remember reading the various reports about those. Personally, I like those as a feature. Stops it feeling less like an empty space, however I can appreciate it makes navigating around them more like an obstacle course. Still, I think most passengers would be courteous enough to hold the lift doors for anyone if space allows (or is indeed needed) - we certainly will be.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, DukeBeetle24 said:

Ah, yes. I remember reading the various reports about those. Personally, I like those as a feature. Stops it feeling less like an empty space, however I can appreciate it makes navigating around them more like an obstacle course. Still, I think most passengers would be courteous enough to hold the lift doors for anyone if space allows (or is indeed needed) - we certainly will be.

Those benches are a lovely idea. But on our cruise I was about the only person I noticed sitting on them, because they were quite low and it took too long to elevate oneself when the lift arrived. They are also in an awkward place because you have to keep twisting round to see how some of the lifts are doing. Furthermore the feet are a bit of a hazard. My husband tripped over one, and I looked round to find him flat out on the ground, luckily without damage to himself except a slightly stiff neck.

 

And yes, people were very good about holding the doors.

[Mareblu]

I found myself appreciating those benches sometimes.  The only real QA dislike we have, and it’s a rather intense one, is her size.  We occupied an extremely comfortable Q3 (and we didn’t mind the partition) as aft as there is, so the journey to Grills lounge and QG restaurant and back three times a day was quite a trek.  When we arrived at Stairway B, I often sought a bench breather.  I sat and faced one way, and my husband was posted facing opposite (he never needed to sit, grrr) so that one of us could spot the opening doors and launch into the required sprint.  Actually, the doors weren’t quite as swiftly closing as I expected, and yes, fellow passengers, almost without fail, held the doors for others.

 

We enjoyed our British Isles cruise immensely, but if we had a preference, QE or QV would snare our booking.  That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t sail on QA again, we simply feel she’s not our preferred size, particularly after a cruise on Oceania’s Vista, which carries approximately 1200 passengers.  We do love the Cunard experience , though.  It’s our favourite.

 

 

[BigMac1953]

Remember, the lifts: one "ping" = up, two "pings" = down.

[exlondoner]

35 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

I found myself appreciating those benches sometimes.  The only real QA dislike we have, and it’s a rather intense one, is her size.  We occupied an extremely comfortable Q3 (and we didn’t mind the partition) as aft as there is, so the journey to Grills lounge and QG restaurant and back three times a day was quite a trek.  When we arrived at Stairway B, I often sought a bench breather.  I sat and faced one way, and my husband was posted facing opposite (he never needed to sit, grrr) so that one of us could spot the opening doors and launch into the required sprint.  Actually, the doors weren’t quite as swiftly closing as I expected, and yes, fellow passengers, almost without fail, held the doors for others.

 

We enjoyed our British Isles cruise immensely, but if we had a preference, QE or QV would snare our booking.  That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t sail on QA again, we simply feel she’s not our preferred size, particularly after a cruise on Oceania’s Vista, which carries approximately 1200 passengers.  We do love the Cunard experience , though.  It’s our favourite.

 

 

I agree, the distances are too great for me too. It’s not the number of passengers, who were rarely about in swarms, except leaving the theatre, it is simply that, compared with the Vistas, it is a long way to everywhere, and not always in a straight line, especially as many of my favourite places were at the very front.

 

Oh, and I may have mentioned I loathed the Grills Lounge. 😀😀

Edited Tuesday at 09:26 AM by exlondoner

[Mareblu]

15 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I agree, the distances are too great for me too. It’s not the number of passengers, who were rarely about in swarms, except leaving the theatre, it is simply that, compared with the Vistas, it is a long way to everywhere, and not always in a straight line, especially as many of my favourite places were at the very front.

 

Oh, and I may have mentioned I loathed the Grills Lounge. 😀😀

Several times😜

[Victoria2]

51 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

I found myself appreciating those benches sometimes.  The only real QA dislike we have, and it’s a rather intense one, is her size.  We occupied an extremely comfortable Q3 (and we didn’t mind the partition) as aft as there is, so the journey to Grills lounge and QG restaurant and back three times a day was quite a trek.  When we arrived at Stairway B, I often sought a bench breather.  I sat and faced one way, and my husband was posted facing opposite (he never needed to sit, grrr) so that one of us could spot the opening doors and launch into the required sprint.  Actually, the doors weren’t quite as swiftly closing as I expected, and yes, fellow passengers, almost without fail, held the doors for others.

 

We enjoyed our British Isles cruise immensely, but if we had a preference, QE or QV would snare our booking.  That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t sail on QA again, we simply feel she’s not our preferred size, particularly after a cruise on Oceania’s Vista, which carries approximately 1200 passengers.  We do love the Cunard experience , though.  It’s our favourite.

 

 

The lifts are fine if there's someone to hold the door but a wheelchair user would have to be a paralympic sprinter if on the wrong side of the lobby to get to an empty lift before the doors close. The timing however, meets regulations so it is what it is.

 

We can't say we particularly like QA as such but she's OK and has plus points [as well as minuses] although as has been said, she's too big but we can't shrink her. She's definitely not awful  but I wouldn't be joining in any discussion on Annie if the Vistas were in town but as we can't book the cabins we'd like on Mary [one of the reasons I don't like her], it is what it is and now having sussed her out in May, look forward to great cruises in the future...well at least until '27 when I hope Victoria comes back to homeport in Southampton.

Edited Tuesday at 09:43 AM by Victoria2
added 'empty'