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To Grill or not to Grill |
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Reviewed By: Jones, Bournemouth on 27th Jun 2009
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| Cruise Line: Cunard Cruises |
Times cruised before: 6-10 |
| Cruise Ship: Queen Mary 2 |
Sailed:
June,
2009 |
| Destination: Transatlantic |
Age: 46-55 |
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This was our second Trans Atlantic Cruise with Cunard, our first being 4 years earlier on the QE 2 when we travelled in a Queens Grill category cabin. Sadly since retiring a couple of years ago we could only stretch to a Brittania restaurant category cabin so this time so we had our fingers crossed.
Our findings may interest you especially if you are considering a similar cruise.
The Queen Mary 2 is such a big ship you are allocated a specific check-in time, ours was 12 noon and we arrived on time. We were greeted by a smiling member of staff who sweetly enquired as to our dinning category when we explained that we were Brittania Restaurant her tone changed and we were handed a numbered card and told to wait over there untill called... Grill category guests were allowed to check in straight away. We had to wait an hour before our number was called, I kept wondering why we had been given a 12 oclock slot in the first place.
Once on board there was the usual scrabble for the lifts to the cabins, the best advice I can give is walk along the deck a bit forward or aft depending on your cabins location and try the lifts there, they are far less busy.
Our cabin was clean and and well planned out but the mattresses were somewhat worn. On close inspection we found that they had not been turned from new and had extensive wear in the torso area, housekeeping were only able to assist with boards so we turned the mattresses ourselves to make them a little more comfortable.
Our cabin steward was very good, the trip was to mark our Silver Wedding Anniverary and Cunard had made a real effort by placing flowers, chocolates and a bottle of sparkling white wine in our cabin with a card congratulating us in our celebrations.
That night we dined in the Brittania Restaurant, we had been allocated a table for four, we are not unsociable but my wife has had a head injury and has speech difficulties so not wishing to spend the entire cruise interpreting for her or re living the events leading to her injuries and rehabilitaion we requested a table for two, this was not a problem and Cunard are to be congatulated for this as requests on other cruises have been denied!!
Be warned the Brittania Restaurant is VERY big and gets VERY busy, its also dull and gloomy with poor lighting and there is a strange vibration especially noticable on the upper level which is a real distration.
The food was very good no complaints there, a few cost cutting measures were noticed in the meal selections but the best thing about the whole cruise was the alternative dinning venues most of which do not have a cover charge, I especially enjoyed the Carvery the steaks were outsanding.
As for activities on board we noticed a distinct lack of free ones compared to other cruises, the 'ART AUCTIONS' are clearly an EARNER for cruise companies, the QM 2 had one most days as well as lectures on Opels, Gems, Health & Diet all of which had a commercial aim in mind.
The staff and crew on board were helpfull and polite and the waiters in the Brittania Restaurant didn,t stop to take breath, boy do they earn their money. I have no problem with the $11 dollars a day service charge, they really do deserve it.
Another word of advise, there are plenty of Yellow cabs when you arrive at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal waiting to take you into downtown Manhatten, ours cost $35 plus tip, Cunard were charging $99 dollars each for a coach tour there. If you shared a cab with another couple each way then take the 'Down Town RED BUS tour at $44 each you could save a few bucks.
Happy Cruising JJ Bournemouth
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| Quality of Food |  |
| Great Selection with so many dinning options we were never dissapointed, The Carvery steaks were first rate ***** | | Entertainment |  |
| Didn,t go to any shows so cannot comment, plenty of films to choose from though. | | Shore Excursions | n/a |
| 6 Days Trans Atlantic none stop | | Staff | |
| Brittania Restaurants staff all work incredibly hard and deserve recognition | | Children's Facilities | n/a |
| We have no kids | | Onboard Activities | |
| Enough to keep occupied even when not eating or drinking, relaxing is a very nice activity for normally busy people as well | | Cabins |  |
| Bright and spacious but mattresses a bit worn and had not been turned from new which must have been when ship was launched some years earlier. | | Overall Rating | |
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