Not-quite-Live < limited > cruise journal: QE (Q427) Alaska cruise: 10 night, 30 Aug – 9 Sep 2024 plus Vancouver pre & post

[mking8288]

Better our a rush to finish up this trip report with a final review & summary b/c our next cruise is just around the corner, with Royal Caribbean to New England/Canada ... in 10 days.  By next weekend, going to be heads up & eyes/ears on hurricane forecast.

 

Skagway - instead of doing the popular White Pass scenic railroad, we opted to do a shared, semi-private tour by mini-bus, with scenic stops.

 

 

 

Google Fi - T-Mobile has cellular services here but the iPhone data only Sim was on 3G only ... configuration error, reset & fixed. 

 

Video clip at one of the waterfalls on our way back to town, after crossing into Canada. 

 

[mking8288]

18 hours ago, dexddd said:

Hmmm, sounds like the last Airbnb might be owned by cruise lines like Diamonds International ... 

Glad you got to experience before trip and after trip transportation, shelter, and food ... those costs alone easily match an entry level 7 day cruise fare.

That AirBnB host apparently has up to 10 rental units in the greater Vancouver, BC area ... with our "requirements" - choices were limited, we "got what we paid for" and her name will be off our short list for that province, not that  we will be going back anytime soon.  The private home with separate entrance, that was pretty nice and we wouldn't mind staying there again or recommend it to others.  

 

As part of the review, messaged the host with suggestions ("private") on how to make her "home" more attractive & welcoming to others.  

 

Speaking of DI, I thought they're out of business until we saw the advertisement and their brick-n-mortar store in Juneau ... I got an idea for them, provide free WiFi in Alaska for visiting ship passengers, haha.  

[mking8288]

13 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Ok now I'm starting to use Dirty Harry to describe NCL to my friends

Jim ... Oh, you are joining the clan to refer NCL as being Dirty Harry too ?  And, I wonder "why ?"  I believe we should "credit" someone else here on CC with that label.  In hindsight, glad that we put NCL on suspension, taking a sabbatical in not cruising with them until next Spring ... will check up on one of RC's "older" ship, Liberty of the Seas - just checked the port times, they are still as advertised as who wants to wake up at 5 AM to get ready & go ashore to sightsee ... unless it's to watch a Maui sunrise in Hawaii or equivalent.  

 

Got 2 CC friends that's 10 minutes from us, doing the Getaway TA, Lisbon to Miami at the beginning of October (got approved to disembark early when she docked in NY instead of continuing to Florida) ... should become Diamonds like us afterward - will be very interested in hearing their first hand feedback (they don't review or post much, if any, on CC) 

 

Kind of out-of-the-loop with news & gossips over at the NCL board here, should catch up - appeared to be the same old ... 

[JIMESOPUS]

8 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Jim ... Oh, you are joining the clan to refer NCL as being Dirty Harry too ?  And, I wonder "why ?"  I believe we should "credit" someone else here on CC with that label.  In hindsight, glad that we put NCL on suspension, taking a sabbatical in not cruising with them until next Spring ... will check up on one of RC's "older" ship, Liberty of the Seas - just checked the port times, they are still as advertised as who wants to wake up at 5 AM to get ready & go ashore to sightsee ... unless it's to watch a Maui sunrise in Hawaii or equivalent.  

 

Got 2 CC friends that's 10 minutes from us, doing the Getaway TA, Lisbon to Miami at the beginning of October (got approved to disembark early when she docked in NY instead of continuing to Florida) ... should become Diamonds like us afterward - will be very interested in hearing their first hand feedback (they don't review or post much, if any, on CC) 

 

Kind of out-of-the-loop with news & gossips over at the NCL board here, should catch up - appeared to be the same old ... 

Dirty Harry, like most CEOs, must report to the shareholders but it seems in the NCL realm that Prince Harry has pushed the pendulum way too far to the right or is it to the left. 

I could see him saying " Go ahead, make my day and book a cruise ", or " Was it one entree and two sides, or is it one side, kinda of lost count with all the changes ".

You are not the first to use Dirty Harry, what was Frank's nickname? Looks like his son is next in line to inherit the NCL Kingdom.

#schmoopie fest 2026 is alive and well, wish @schmoopie17 would do a " Live " on his next cruise, that would be a classic.

Edited Sunday at 01:03 PM by JIMESOPUS

[Sugar Magnolia]

11 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Dirty Harry, like most CEOs, must report to the shareholders but it seems in the NCL realm that Prince Harry has pushed the pendulum way too far to the right or is it to the left. 

I could see him saying " Go ahead, make my day and book a cruise ", or " Was it one entree and two sides, or is it one side, kinda of lost count with all the changes ".

You are not the first to use Dirty Harry, what was Frank's nickname? Looks like his son is next in line to inherit the NCL Kingdom.

#schmoopie fest 2026 is alive and well, wish @schmoopie17 would do a " Live " on his next cruise, that would be a classic.

 

I wish @schmoopie17 would report Live from the Escape right now. However, he is traveling with newbies so he is likely preoccupied, or struggling with the free CC site, or kidnapped by pirates.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

@mking8288 thank you very much for this thorough and entertaining Live from the Cunard QE. It was helpful to hear from a friend to demystify this legendary cruise line. The jury is still out whether I will actually book a Cunard cruise in the near future, though it is not out of the realm of possibilities. However, I would need to invest in some clothing and shoes outside of Dick's Sporting Goods.

 

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@mking8288 ... The jury is still out whether I will actually book a Cunard cruise in the near future, though it is not out of the realm of possibilities. However, I would need to invest in some clothing and shoes ... 

Noted and with thanks, a few more short video clips and photos that slipped thru will be added in the next 2 or 3 days.  Traveling today with my Chromebook, which will likely be in the maritime Station Zebra bundle when we embark next Thursday from NJ, it is lighter & fewer adapters/cables to bring along, ideal for a shorter trip to stay connected.  Probably not going to do a semi-live with the Liberty ship since many are quite familiar with the competition ... we'll see, but I do want to check our Voom - their Starlink connectivity, maybe just get that for a day as we'll have cellular services on port days to upload.  

 

I am skipping a few review sections to our midship balcony stateroom, the run-of-the-mill cabin that isn't anything special - serviced by our room steward (no assistant) - he has 17 cabins assigned by housekeeping, responsible for twice a day services including evening turndown (tidy up, empty trash bins, replace towels, close the balcony curtains & chocolate mints on the pillow and remove dishes, cups & plates, bowls from room service) and leave the Daily Programme (Freestyle Dailies, NCL) on the bed along with other notices or announcements.  

 

 

Crew members including him, shared in that $16 pooled DSC / tipping pool collected (vs. $18 for Royal and $20 for NCL ships - with dirty Harry, continuing FDR's cutbacks to once a day only housekeeping, except for Haven & suite guests) - maybe it's the British/English thing, other services chargeable for tipping or gratuity is 15%, not 20% - like drinks & beverages.  

 

 

We typically reward & recognized crew members for good, excellent to outstanding or exceptional services on our cruises - this one, included - and, we do cash tips directly when ordering room service (instead of the flat rate charges going into that "dark corporate hole" and gave our "thanks" to the restaurant team as well as our room steward.  Unlike NCL, we didn't hear them talking about working long hours and burdened with heavy workload ...   Our luggage were delivered to outside our stateroom's hallway within 2 hours of handing them off in the cruise terminal with porters shore side ... puzzled as to why & how NCL is taking hours to do the same, granted QE is a mid-sized ship and carrying fewer passengers.  We were the few pax that travel "light" as many others have big pieces of luggage (airlines love those 65+ lbs checked bags ... NOT and $$$) 

Edited Sunday at 03:11 PM by mking8288

[mking8288]

Welcome abroad, bottle of sparkling wine (nothing fancy, it's token & symbolic) plus another welcome glass in the MDR as part of dinner on the first day ... am sure 99.98% being a corporate and fleet-wide practice.  It signals that Cunard do recognize the passengers are customers and not to get jerked around with BS like due to "unforseen circumstances" after final payment. 

 

And, we brought our own soda & bottled water onboard as our carry-on, no problem whatsoever 👍

 

Go ahead, " make my day" again, Harry  🫢

 

It's the little things that add-up daily, not nickels & dimes. 

 

Most cabin & hallways don't have these - highly decorated & apparently allowed, until disembarkation time. 

 

[mking8288]

We did a tiny bit decorating our own cabin's interior wall, magnetic items stick to them 

 

 

On a more serious note, Google Fi came thru for us with shore side cellular and data coverage, 4G LTE and where available, 5G.  Free hotspot and tethering coverage. 

 

 

Red Bull Mobile Data is a worthy backup to be considered for world travellers on other home plans if you need data - as it has maritime service on the QE, probably good for light use as it is pay as you go by the GB in Euro dollars.  Set that up as an eSim and you get 100 MB free to test & use, good for 1 year - in Alaska ports, it picked up Verizon wireless and AT&T coverage when T-MOBILE was weaker. 

 

 

Learn about this option from someone else posting on Cunard, thank you for sharing the tip - passing along 👌 

 

Red Bull is an Australia mobile carrier and the prepaid rates are as low as 2 Euro per GB in EU countries. 

Edited Sunday at 04:03 PM by mking8288

[mking8288]

When it comes to satellite WiFi at sea over Starlink tech ... NCL doesn't stand a change against other competitions, not even somewhat close.  Cunard has multiple transceivers ( 2 banks of 6, pole-mounted ... seen here for) deployed & stationed on the top decks to maximize reception & coverage, and sells it package bundles for less. 

 

 

QE's WiFi hotspots are ceiling-top mounted in the hallways, about 30 to 40 ft. apart provding excellent dual band WiFi-6 signals & coverage (full bars on 6ac and 6 ax hardware) another wireless hotspot on the other side of this corridor, about the same distance ... hence, signal is actually a little weaker out on the balcony due to metal shielding (great when near the shore to pickup land cellular tower signals)

 

 

NCL ought to be ashamed for its grossly over-priced product-tiers as "discounted" under Free-at-see packages. 

 

 

I am completely at a loss to explain NCL's upgrade to Starlink, lately just about everyone reported bad results. These speed obtained on the 2nd newest ship, the Prima are "faster" than what others obtained.  

 

Scorecard - Cunard - doubled bonus points.  NCL - minus👎👎 5 points **** Reason - NCL's Getaway has faster "speed" when EMC was its satellite ISP (Jan. 2023) but latency was much higher (worst) cruising the Caribbean then. 

 

 

Full disclosures: we own shared of both CCL and NCLH stocks as small investors

Edited Sunday at 11:29 PM by mking8288

[cruiseny4life]

Thank you, @mking8288 for giving us a NCL'er's perspective on Cunard! This was such an enjoyable read, especially knowing you would provide so much detail, photos, and videos. Not much else to say that I haven't already, so bon voyage as you embark Royal Caribbean sometime in the next couple weeks (I forgot when, because, well...it's me)! 

[D&N]

@mking8288 Not being familiar with your style, I certainly didn't expect this much detail.

I've really enjoyed it, and found it very informative.

I won't be taking anything like the tech you do on our next two QM2 B2B crossings. It all gets done on my Moto G (probably a new model by then). I will have a bit more weight than last time with a full frame camera and a load of bits for it.

Interesting to see you've been able to post video with sound. I couldn't get that back in 2022 without providing a link to another posting platform. Seems like an update to the forum.

 

Thanks again for all your efforts!

[dexddd]

So you're making us to go to another non NCL board?  Sailed both Cunard and Royal...once.

 

Cunard looked too fancy since our one and done, now maybe.  Royal did honeymoon through PC.  Had one issue, wrote Royal, zero reply.  Royal put on permanent no sail list.  Will post same on your Royal post.

[mking8288]

@cruiseny4life  When's the 2 of you doing that road trip across, I don't recall you taking Rt 66 ... saw Amtrak ads about low rail fares but DW doesn't like sitting by the window staring for 4 to 5 days, changing trains and all that ... but she hates flying.  Destined to cruise and going forward, maybe will have little choice but to/combine those one-way repo/TA cruises with a return, sort of B2B unless we doing a circular routing, away from home base for 2 to 3 months, don't think we are ready for that.  

 

Sailing Cunard for the 1st time, and having others in tow made it more challenging than just 2 of us - unlike the Prima TA & being with familiar NCL givens, its pluses and minuses - the QE sailing was rather "foreign" in many ways.  Thanks to the help, tips & suggestions of the Cunard regulars - it eased anxiety and having time to browse thru pages & skimming thru some of the roll calls, definitely help a lot ... and we didn't act/behaved like fools & idiots onboard - met the minimum dress codes for gala/formal nights, etc. 

 

Hang tight for another 2 or 3 days, tops for the final wrap up ... b/c we are now officially doing the final countdown sequence ... Royal's LOT "short" 9 nights NE/C cruise - T minus 9 days, driving to Cape Liberty next Thursday morning to embark (3 cabins, linked together & port arrival/check-in time is 12:30 PM) & parking 2 cars there.  I am not sure about trying to do a "semi" again, maybe not - and just do random notes.  Haven't print out the boarding passes and luggage tags, let alone look into shorex options, or packing clothes ... checking weather, etc.  Will just "wing" it - except for Sydney, NS.   

[cruiseny4life]

26 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@cruiseny4life  When's the 2 of you doing that road trip across, I don't recall you taking Rt 66 ... saw Amtrak ads about low rail fares but DW doesn't like sitting by the window staring for 4 to 5 days, changing trains and all that ... but she hates flying.  Destined to cruise and going forward, maybe will have little choice but to/combine those one-way repo/TA cruises with a return, sort of B2B unless we doing a circular routing, away from home base for 2 to 3 months, don't think we are ready for that.  

It's getting close! We head out on Sept. 27th, driving from our home to JFK. Once we get to JFK, we'll pick up a mother and head for Chicago, staying there for the night. By the 28th, smooth driving allowed, we'll be in Kalispell, MT where we'll hotel it for a few nights and explore Glacier with some friends. We did nix Grand Teton, so we can have dinner at the most amazing steakhouse in the entire world (seriously, best steak I've ever had and it's not even close). Then down to Gardiner, MT for a few nights as we explore Yellowstone and say hi to friends there. And, we'll be back in the Utica area on October 7th so I can get myself to work. 

 

Lots of road miles. Lots of hiking miles - our plan is to hit at least forty miles of backcountry in Glacier and a few miles down in Yellowstone. And some seriously good food! That aforementioned steak. Chicago Deep Dish. Native Tacos (frybread with all the taco fixin's). Yummy huevos rancheros. And MacKenzie River Pizza. Given the miles hiked, miles sat in the car, and food devoured, I'm unsure if I'll gain or lose weight! 

 

No Amtrak on this visit. Hopefully I'll see the Empire Builder or Lakeshore Limited on the trip. Someday I'll take enough time where we can lay back in a roomette onboard an Amtrak train, enjoy the scenery, and pop off at different cities along the way. I suspect I'll need to be retired for this plan to work! 

 

 

[mking8288]

@D&N   Thanks, we / I didn't expect to get so much out of a single Cunard cruise and able to come up with all the "details" - photos, info and the video clips (majority of them ... "hijacked from DW's Samsung, hahaha with a little editing, trimmed to make it shorter)

 

DW has been telling me to lighten up the load ("Station Zebra" being the nickname for all the tech gears & geek toys) and going to cruise next week with less.  Pleasantly surprised that QE has up to 6, actually 8 "usable" power outlets (2 "hidden" ones used by the bedside lamp ... which, can be tapped withe a 220V splitter) plus the single 240v UK outlet and the other 220v EU outlet ... on top of the 4 US outlet - 110V with 3 prongs.  Items that I bring along aren't "heavy" but more in terms of varieties and options to adapt - should and if/when sail Cunard again, I would be very comfortable bring less and leave more behind at home.  

 

Brought along the Olympus digital camera, just in case and never got the chance or time to use or play with it ... the 2 smartphone & iPhone trio more than covered the bases and what I needed to get things done.  When we did the 2 NCL Prima TA, having 1 standalone USB power bank/battery pack wasn't enough but this time, having 2 was mission critical, we kept the devices up & running ... carried them both in the travel vest ... and, use United Airline's "free" T-Mobile inflight WiFi to stay "connected" for the 4 hour duration, until wheels down - landing back at our home airport.  Learning something, each & every time we go on vacation and complete a trip and look back to review matters. 

 

Bring a full frame camera with attachments (flash ??) isn't going to be lightweight ... friends that do social media stuff just bring their GoPro ... but I refuse to invest and buy into more gears.  

 

As for uploading video clips to CC - I tried to get MP4 videos down to 30 seconds or less, about 50 to 55 MB sized (in 1080p/HD mode) and upload onboard the QE - despite the relatively fast Starlink connection, it timed out with error, unable to finish the transfer ... same with UA's in-flight WiFi.  Connected to home/B&B's WiFi, things just worked & everyone is reported that zero issues in seeing the videos, that's very good.  My guess is that CC upgraded their server's storage capacity and tweaked its options to better house contents / materials.  

 

Standby / wait & let's see if others and you can watch the next 2 video clips - coming up next, about QE's embarkation and sailaway at Canada Place Cruise Terminal ... end of September, uploading from the Android smartphone.  

[mking8288]

Uploaded - 2 short video clips taken at Canada Place Cruise Terminal in Vancouver, BC on Friday, Aug 30th - boarding the QE and sail away as seen from our midship Deck 5 balcony, over the tops of life boats 

 

Boarding - around 3:30 PM 

 

Sail away - around 5:15: PM 

 

Uploaded directly from Google Pixel 7 Pro to CC - "success" 

Edited Monday at 09:15 PM by mking8288

[david,Mississauga]

As I looked at the dinner menus I thought the number of main courses was less than what we had in 2019.  That was the first year the QE went to Alaska.  We were in Britannia on that cruise.

 

I pulled out some of the menus we were given by our waiters and noticed there were eight entrées every night.  Two of them were marked Signature Entrées.  I have attached one of the menus.  I don't have the exact date but it was in June of 2019.

 

 

[mking8288]

@david,Mississauga  Thanks for sharing those 2019 QE Britannia menu ... impression when we saw ours on embarkation evening was that, it is different but also trending like NCL, fewer options and choices, with 5 selections each evening (we only skipped once & went to the Lido 1 evening (night before disembarkation, wasn't very hungry since we had a late lunch/early "supper" in Victoria's Chinatown, North America's 2nd oldest with close ties to San Francisco's)  

 

Not being expert or familiar with Cunard, one entree seemed to be vegan/vegetarian ... options that're gluten-free, etc. marked, taking the guessing out for those with dietary concerns to know & avoid. Red meat isn't a given, chicken/pork & fish being consistently offered (personally, I'm good with that, cardiologist "approved" with our age/health ...) but surprised that game meat like that from Kangaroo, another evening was Venison.  Accustomed to sailing NCL and lately, it's unusual for the main gallery to serve lamb varities for dinner, unless it is one of the specialty restaurant with an upcharge ... ditto for Dover Sole, you will find it only in Cagney's - NCL's upscale "signature" steakhouse (fleetwide, I called NCL's variety of specialty dining venues to be offering only Specialty Lite as in being, very, "limited" with far fewer selections than just a year or two ago.  

 

But, as I come to learn & now see onboard Cunard, the grass isn't necessary greener & softer with other lines ... reading/browsing thru other Cunard threads with posted comments, "regulars" aren't necessary pleased with the "industry" trimming and limiting options, to contain & manage rising expenses & food costs.  But, it has been a very positive dining experience - without going to Chops and "alternative dining" with the whole "gang" - DW and I would've definitely try the steakhouse to see, if not dinner and at least the lunch selections ... NCL hasn't open its specialty for lunch in more than 15 to 20 years, not even during long & multiple-consecutive sea days on TA crossings (it is a shame) - except, sometimes, on several ships with Food Republic (or its equivalent, if any) that's dining a la carte - for lunch, at ship's managerial discretion (Prima/Viva - that's being displaced by "Indulge Food Hall")

 

Wasn't going to jump ahead to comment about dining & food onboard the QE ... but, we've concluded that it's most definitely above & superior to NCL, without a doubt - where one can expect to see only its featured selection several times on a given cruise ... ta ta - Tilapia, fish is fish but we can buy that at the local supermarket's frozen section for $3 a pound or eat at IHOP or Denny's (not sure if it's on Tim Horton's menu, up north in Canada as we usually don't eat there while vacationing on land)  

 

Cunard got bonus points from me - personally & I'm biased - for having variety of good, tasty salmon over breakfast (yes, especially room service - at no extra upcharge) and dinner, lunch - easily found in Lido (along with smoked Mackerel) at the salad bar ... instead of hidden or kept hidden/inside a refrigerated cabin, upon request and in small quantity only)   Pan seared salmon for dinner at Britannia is a treat, along with Beef Wellington (NCL used to have that in the "steakhouse" - eliminated, gone and not even with an upgrade)   

 

I could be mistaken as some of these are probably still being served in Haven (NCL) & suite dining ... am sure that the NCL clan now snooping here know better, but not going to "call" them or their "friends" out for being in the loop to "correct" my impressions.  

 

We are, a little bit disappointed, that the salad options and one & only soup choice for each evening is just that - maybe, having two soup to choose from and a third salad ??   Still, I give Cunard one point again for serving the hot soup "hot" at 120 to 130 deg. F or higher, instead of lurk warm or barely above ambient / room temperature (fairly "common" and typical of NCL these days, sadly)  

 

We are able to order an extra (2 is fine too) appetizer or starter since the portion sizes are "petite" or small, just like NCL these days, no extra charge or fees, no dirty looks from the waiter and/or the assistant - they are always cheerful, smiling and helpful, sometimes offering suggestions if we appeared unsure or puzzled at "decoding" the descriptions associated with something on the menu (since there is no "picture" - unlike going below deck while on the behind-the-scene tours to visit & see the gallery operations)  Ditto for ordering an extra entree (and dessert) to eat and/or to share among those seated at the table ... bravo !   We do it sometimes, out of curiosity for the taste buds and being a bit hungry, and not to waste food to be turned into fish food later on.  

 

... will return to "food" on breakfast & lunch, and the other options like the Golden Lion, "later"

[mking8288]

6 hours ago, dexddd said:

So you're making us to go to another non NCL board?  Sailed both Cunard and Royal...once.  Cunard looked too fancy since our one and done, now maybe.  Royal did honeymoon through PC.  Had one issue, wrote Royal, zero reply.  Royal put on permanent no sail list.  Will post same on your Royal post.

Nope, not forcing anyone, including you but wouldn't you want to take another look again ?  Come on, what are friends for ... be a good sport and give "us" something positive to look forward to, I know you've invested in MSC lately but ... tell me more, outside of YC because isn't that a mixed bag in steerage.  DW said putting the money where my mouth is ... guess what, my dentist and her assistants are the only ones laughing these days - implant is costing a bit, so can't "afford" to sail in suites, grills, haven, etc. for a while.  Cunard's steak is tender, soft & easily chewed unlike NCL - dunno about Royal as it's been over 10 years since we last sailed them, going to find out.  It's a good thing that most CC roll calls are DOA these days and I got no upcoming plans to run any M&G.  Maybe, I'll stay under the radar and won't even do a lean-n-trim, slimmed down post-cruise report, and you'll got nobody around to entertain, haha.   

 

Times-are-changing-and-we-are-getting-older too ... hey, can you "name that tune" - Cunard experience was decades ago, right and how old are DS and DD this year, thinking of your Royal encounter then - sometimes, we gotta to "let it go" and "let it go" and open our eyes and see the world thru a different set of lens.  Life would be boring, really, if we continue to stick with NCL and what, become another eventual casualty like Yvonne @YVRteacher despite earning her "Ambassador"-ship status to be "dis"respected, all the way to the GM on the ship.  Face it, rather depressing to read the CC "headline" posts lately ... lots of negativity and nothing really positive, more surprises & changes after final payment ... for your (in) convenience.  

 

Maybe, in the end of these "exercises" to sample the pool to see what's different and more likely, what is common and similar, still not abandoning NCL ... don't think we are, at least not yet ...  Dirty Harry & company are "on notice" from my small "clan" as "leader of the pack" - "on suspension" with future sailing.  Going to look at Princess too, maybe not Celebrity and/or HAL as their itinerary/ship are (yet) appealing to us ... don't think we are a good match or fit for Virgin Voyages either.  

 

Bottomline, just looking for the best bangs for our bucks ... as in cruising dollars.  Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on where we should "zero in" our future cruises ?? 

[mking8288]

These are photos of one of our 2 balcony staterooms, the other one also on Deck 5 but AFT ... this was 5 Mid and #5088, nothing on opposite side (no Insides) - nearest self-service laundry is about 15 cabins forward, hours are 7:30 AM to 9 PM daily, entirely complimentary - powder detergent provided (approved for & suitable for maritime plumbing systems)  

 

 

 

Lounge chairs have several recline position, adjustable.  

 

These 2 clothing hooks are more useful & practical than the ones onboard NCL.  Samsung Smart TV, believed it is 30" or 32" sized and securely wall-mounted, input source appeared to the Cat-5 or Cat-6 cable ... recommendation: do NOT mess or play with it. 

 

 

Each of the night table lamp is plugged into a 220-240v outlet behind the nightstand - usable with the proper power tap/connection for CPAP users, please check & ask first.  

 

Old fashion "latch" from the inside - move & swing to "lock" the balcony door - recommended if it is windy as the door could unexpectedly open. 

 

Having a min-coffee table is handy for snack, breakfast-in-the-cabin, etc. 

 

About the only item not in the cabin is an ice-filled bucket, upon request via your room steward.  The mini-refrigerator is taller & bigger than the ones used by NCL with an adjustable & usable shelf, and empty except for the complimentary small bottle of sparking wine & 2 glasses, a bottle opener is also there (not needed - just "pop" it) 

 

 

 

 

 

Cunard chocolates on the pillow, nightly - but, no towel animal(s)

 

Lots of smart storage inside the small bathroom/shower, kept clean & in VG to excellent conditions for a 15 years old in-service cruise ship.  

 

Under-sink storage shelf (laundry & shoes can go here ??)

 

Shaver-only outlet, not "near the ceiling & hard to see/find"

 

Shower curtain - not my favorite in that small space but it does the job, along with the bath-floor-mat to keep splashing water to a minimum.  

 

Edited Tuesday at 01:07 AM by mking8288

[david,Mississauga]

There has been some downgrading even in the Grills.  We don't cruise/cross in Queen Grill very often, but I had a look at the QG dinner menus from the QM2 in 2011.  There were nine main courses on the daily dinner menu and 13 on the à la carte menu.  Ordering off-menu was and still is, of course, an option.

 

On our Alaska cruise in July of this year there were five mains on the QG daily menu and 10 on the à la carte.  The number of flambéed items is also less than what it was pre-pandemic in both PG and QG. This won't deter me from cruising with Cunard and even in the Grills when finances permit.  There is plenty of choice.  I suppose the attitude of many of us loyal Cunard passengers is that it is still very good.

 

(There are cut-backs in the air as well. Air Canada's Signature Class - on domestic flights - used to provide a pre-departure drinkloyal , an amenities kit and freshly-baked cookies served with ice cream.  But it is still very popular.)  

 

 

 

 

[WantedOnVoyage]

I have literally every single menu from some 65 voyages/cruises I've enjoyed in the last 50 years so happy to compare that of half a century ago in Classe Turistica on T/n RAFFAELLO with my most recent cruise, QUEEN VICTORIA in Princess Grill.  On Italian Line, you got all the free table wine you wanted, at lunch and dinner, and this 16-year-old high school student thought that was wonderful and the food itself was mighty tasty... I still remember the mushroom ravioli.  That on QV was varying degrees of exceptional but I think everything was better when one is 16 so I give edge to RAFFAELLO. 

 

BTW, don't try comparing today's Grill menus with those of QUEEN ELIZABETH 2... now that was something. 

 

But Cunard still manages to do a good job despite Carnival accountants' best efforts. 

Edited Tuesday at 01:32 AM by WantedOnVoyage

[mking8288]

This is more functional than NCL's desk/dresser/work area inside the stateroom, everything within easy reach; and, a proper chair with a high back ... not a stool 😤 despite numerous ship built & design changes, whether it's the Italian or French or whoever. 

 

Only the newest NCL ships, Prima & Viva (and, launching soon, Aqua ... has nearly the same quantity of outlets ... USB outlets would've gotten extra 2 points, including bedside source, except idiots capped the max output at 1.8 amp only - Geez, my Motorola not-so-smart phone needed 2 amp output to properly charge overnight, 10 years ago !!! 

 

Station Zebra was fully prepared in adapting 🤗 ... picked up 3 of that EU 220 adapter at a store in Ponta Delgada that catered to crew shopping needs, during a TA crossing last Spring, hard to find here in the US for under 3 Euro 

 

Sink is small and deep, enough to do hand washing of delicate clothes 

 

Minor issues - hot & cold water controls are mounted a little too low for me, perhaps it's code-related, had to bent knees to reach down ... ditto for the shampoo & body wash. Can't do much ...just an observation & commentary.

 

Like the Norwegian Epic, built around the same time (2010) - the composite ? or acrylic shower floor pan has softened from age & usage ? with a bit of flexing when stepped upon or moving about - maybe, due for a replacement at its next dry dock or maintenance - it's probably code-compliant. Just didn't like to step in/out feeling a bit loose under both feet. 

 

Space is small within and the odds of slipping & falling, not likely. But I swear that the shower curtain is annoying.

 

Otherwise, it is one of the smallest bathroom-shower on ships that we've cruised in 30+ years, very functional and long knees sitting on the lookout doesn't bang against the corners, unlike those spacious NCL bathrooms ... and double sinks (different demographics, I recognize 🤫 )

 

[david,Mississauga]

34 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

...

 

BTW, don't try comparing today's Grill menus with those of QUEEN ELIZABETH 2... now that was something. 

 

But Cunard still manages to do a good job despite Carnival accountants' best efforts. 

 

We never travelled in the Grills on the QE2, but alternated between what was originally called Tourist Class and First Class.  We were happy with both, even the Caronia Restaurant when it was no longer called First Class.  A friend was in Queens Grill on the QE2 just after the turn of the century. He obtained an extra set of menus for me, which were indeed impressive.

 

Other than dining, there are some aspects of QG which are better on the current ships. My friend had a rather small stateroom with one porthole.  A half-bottle of California champagne-type wine was provided. Only the most expensive suites and some large staterooms had balconies on the QE2.  Now all QG get a large balcony (with two exceptions on the QM2) real Champagne on embarkation, a butler, a concierge.  I regret not having experienced PG and QG on the QE2, though.