Just off QM2 it has really gone downhill in 2 years

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

P.S.  I love that Cunard threads inevitably end on chocolate.  Or scones and clotted cream.  It’s kind of like turndown service.  Without the cruise.  (And the brawls on other boards.)

 

We have our priorities right!

[Covepointcruiser]

9 hours ago, david63 said:

Two possibilities - The contract with Godiva expired and Godiva did not want to renew it or it had become too expensive

Or Godiva is bad chocolate and if it once was it has gone downhill.   It’s no loss that it is not on Cunard.

[Clewgarnet]

Bring in a contract with Hotel Chocolat instead!

[napria]

I never liked Godiva. Being from the US, Hersheys is definitely supermarket candy.  And yes, grainy.  As for a vomit flavor, well I don’t know I’d go that far, but suffice it to say that I’d go without chocolate rather than eat Hersheys.  I prefer Lindt, which is what we keep at home for an occasional after dinner treat. But my all time favorite is Perugina Baci.  Now put that on my pillow and I’ll be a happy girl!

[Victoria2]

40 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

Bring in a contract with Hotel Chocolat instead!

Ewww no.

Prefer standard Cunard choc square to Hotel Chocolat!

[Clewgarnet]

37 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Ewww no.

Prefer standard Cunard choc square to Hotel Chocolat!

But we've already established that you like Hersheys, so your taste is... idiosyncratic!

[IB2]

9 hours ago, ace2542 said:

That bit was missing. It's the tradition and that has gone away. Perhaps that will come back when I am on in 2 years time.

The Cunard tradition of some of its passengers obsessing about the most trivial of details is however far from going away.

[Lakesregion]

a nail cost a shoe and for want of a shoe a horse was lost and the lost horse caused the battle to be lost and the lost battle caused a nation to be lost. So while the small things appear small at the time when they all are added up they will eventually amount to the sun setting on the empire called Cunard.

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, Clewgarnet said:

But we've already established that you like Hersheys, so your taste is... idiosyncratic!



I prefer different. Means the same but sounds less harsh.

 

I guess I’ll stick at something I’m quite good at and that is being an individual with individual thoughts.

 

Oh and I find Pol Aker drinkable if it's chilled to the bone! 😁

[Victoria2]

4 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

a nail cost a shoe and for want of a shoe a horse was lost and the lost horse caused the battle to be lost and the lost battle caused a nation to be lost. So while the small things appear small at the time when they all are added up they will eventually amount to the sun setting on the empire called Cunard.

 

I can't say I've noticed if staff were whlte gloved or not and never touched the bits and bobs with a pre dinner drink as it would spoil my dinner.

Small things are trivial. I sweat the big stuff and in that, Cunard is alive and flourishing.

[exlondoner]

On 9/3/2024 at 7:46 AM, Victoria2 said:

 

I can't say I've noticed if staff were whlte gloved or not and never touched the bits and bobs with a pre dinner drink as it would spoil my dinner.

Small things are trivial. I sweat the big stuff and in that, Cunard is alive and flourishing.

The OP will be pleased to know that they currently have white gloves on QE, according to a picture in the Alaska thread.

[foodsvcmgr]

My observations having boarded QV two days ago:

No canapés in Commodore Club but received three different dry snacks with our cocktails.

Saw reference to savouries in Chart Room in the daily and went looking but didn’t find them as yet.

No other “cuts” apparent.

Late seating service excellent thus far, food as I remember from last year.

Ship condition very good other than a few carpet stains here and there that look like they wouldn’t be that difficult to remove.

Regular Cunard logo pillow chocolates last night.

[King Amo]

Regarding the Chart Room, there is a perspex case positioned just outside, which shows what is available at any given time. Presumably you order them via the staff inside, but I never actually used the Chart Room when I was on board as its positioning on a main thoroughfare made it all seem very 'on display'. 

[foodsvcmgr]

Thanks for the info, headed to Queens Room for a concert after lunch and will look for the display case after.

[foodsvcmgr]

Update - I found the display case, about six different light lunch sandwich and salad type items currently on offer, no reference to any cost so apparently free upon request.

Will try to take a look at any canapé type items at a later hour.

I prefer the Commodore Club though, less crowded and better view.

World Club party tonight so won’t need to worry about searching snacks today lol….

[Bell Boy]

22 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Update - I found the display case, about six different light lunch sandwich and salad type items currently on offer, no reference to any cost so apparently free upon request.

Will try to take a look at any canapé type items at a later hour.

I prefer the Commodore Club though, less crowded and better view.

World Club party tonight so won’t need to worry about searching snacks today lol….

The selection of light bites on display rotate throughout the day, for example, light breakfast items before midday then rotate to light lunch items and occasionally pastries in the afternoon . They are complimentary with a purchase of speciality coffee/teas etc

 

Same concept on 'QM2' in Sir Samuel's. 

[Brummel]

I was on the 400th crossing and the British Isles voyage. The return crossing on September 15th may be my last.

 

The QM2 is still the most majestic and magnificent ship afloat and the staff continues to provide exemplary service. But the quality of the food has gone from dazzlng in the MDR to hit-or-miss (mostly miss), and the buffet offerings are what you'd find in an American all-you-can-eat for $9,95 buffet chain, with less variety.

 

On a ship that was at passenger capacity, I counted four buffet stations that were never used. Repetition of dishes is constant and I suspect the bakery and pastry shops have been scaled back or closed altogether. The dinner breadbasket used to offer six types of dinner rolls and brioche and brown breads, now only two types of hard rolls (one with poppy seed sprinkles, one without). The croissants are flavorless and dense and obviously from frozen, as are the pastries. The custands are grainy when they should be smooth; the mousse more fudgelike than cloudlike.

 

Ask for the entertainment, Cunard has never been known for dazzling shows but most passengers seem to enjoy the singers and instrumentalists bare-bones performances. I found the so-called comedians more cringeworthy than funny.

 

On my first few crossing the QM2 had a string quartet; now it's a string trio; in a year it will probably be a guy with a ukulele.

 

Bottom line? If you're really into ships and the ocean, a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 is the great E ticket in cruising. But if food and entertainment is a big  part of the experience, look elsewhere.

 

 

[Winifred 22]

Currently on QM2 and have enjoyed meals in Britannia. A couple of new menu choices too. Found the entertainment enjoyable.i have several further cruises booked and looking with  anticipation at some 2027 options. I see no reason not to sail with her again. All buffer stations seemed to be open as I passed through and judging how busy it was there were plenty of folk choosing to eat there. My personal preference is The Golden Lion or Britannia. 

[RK-NC]

15 hours ago, Brummel said:

the buffet offerings are what you'd find in an American all-you-can-eat for $9,95 buffet chain, with less variety.

 

Completely agree. We have avoided Kings Court as much as possible for the past 23 days but had lunch there today as it was our only option (other than Golden Lion which wasn't open yet) I had crunchy, flavorless green beans, roasted potatoes that were cold, a piece of fried chicken and a slice of dry and flavorless mocha cake.

 

Closed station today:

[King Kvetch]

On 9/2/2024 at 7:23 AM, *Miss G* said:

Hershey’s chocolate is very grainy and tastes like vomit.  For real.  Maybe include them in a box of Bertie Botts.

 

@*Miss G*, you are who I want to be if I grow up.

 

Has anyone here even tried a cake batter protein shake?

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 hours ago, RK-NC said:

 

Completely agree. We have avoided Kings Court as much as possible for the past 23 days but had lunch there today as it was our only option (other than Golden Lion which wasn't open yet) I had crunchy, flavorless green beans, roasted potatoes that were cold, a piece of fried chicken and a slice of dry and flavorless mocha cake.

 

Closed station today:

 

Was the closed station on a port day? Sometimes they close duplicate stations when people will be off the ship and there will be less demand at the buffet.

 

The few times I have had to eat in KC, I've found the food to be good. It's the confusing layout and odd arrangement of items that I dislike. And the need to collect everything in one go so that I don't get lost trying to find my table after a trek for something I've forgotten.

 

Well, now that I think back, it isn't all good. The salad bar is a joke compared to the offerings on QE and QV, where the cold line has many options. Even QA, where the salad ingredients are not extensive, has better choices than on QM2. My last QM2 voyage was a 14-day Canada cruise. Port intensive, so I usually had a snack ashore instead of lunch onboard, thereby reducing the aggravation factor of KC.

 

[BklynBoy8]

19 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

My last QM2 voyage was a 14-day Canada cruise. Port intensive, so I usually had a snack ashore instead of lunch onboard,

 

Kathy,

We too ate on shore....some ports...

[3rdGenCunarder]

23 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Kathy,

We too ate on shore....some ports...

 

 Lobster in Halifax? 🦞

[BklynBoy8]

11 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Lobster in Halifax? 🦞

Yes also...

 

Quebec, French Onion Soup and Fish & Chips tour operator on tour bus told us connected to the terminal. Very French/English next to pier. Saw the ship....VG!

 

 

Edited Sunday at 06:36 PM by BklynBoy8

[RK-NC]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Was the closed station on a port day?

 

It was embarkation day in Southampton today.