Cunard

[chrisan, doncaster]

Indeed I do. I’ve set up trackers for both her fjords cruises next year.
Baltic is next on the list so will be interesting to see what she has for there in 2021.

i now totally get why she’s your favourite and I totally get what you mean about the fjords.

Had the most hilarious run in with a Cunarder. He nearly choked on his cornflakes by the time I’d finished putting him straight and then gave us dirty looks the rest of the week 😂😂😂

I maybe a bit naive, but I'm intrigued as to the difference between a Cunarder and somebody who likes Cunard. Can somebody please enlighten me?

[JohnR, Chippenham]

We found the quality of everything very good mostly. I was impressed with their ability to cope with my celiac disease..

P&O are also excellent with regard to gluten in dishes. All items on the MDR menus are clearly identified if they are gluten free and if there are are none of the several gf options you fancy they will rustle up an omelette or something else for you.

As one who has a son, a sister, 2 nephews and a great niece with coeliacs disease we are well aware of their “challenges”. Fortunately labelling is getting better and better.

[Mrs M]

I maybe a bit naive, but I'm intrigued as to the difference between a Cunarder and somebody who likes Cunard. Can somebody please enlighten me?

I love Cunard but only Queen Victoria. I've had three cruises on QE, but I don't know much about QM2 [although we've had four short forum cruises on her] to be knowledgable.That puts me at a disadvantage to many other Cunard passengers who know a lot about all three ships.

I'm also reasonably relaxed about one or two things which annoy the living daylights out of more traditional Cunard passengers.

Thus in my mind, I'm not a Cunarder. I'm one who chooses to cruise on Cunard's Queen Victoria. Hope that helps.

[cymrucruiser]

I maybe a bit naive, but I'm intrigued as to the difference between a Cunarder and somebody who likes Cunard. Can somebody please enlighten me?

Here I go and then I may need to hide 😂🤷*♀️

I was very wary of trying Cunard I’d read so much content on forums and social media and had a perception of it being snooty, snobby and a very defined class system based on what I’d read.

I was worried we would be flamed for wearing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing.

We stepped on board Qm2 with quite a bit of anxiety but huge expectations. The anxiety wasn’t needed and the expectations weren’t met!

We chose QV simply because we had £200 compensation from Cunard for our Qm2 experience and because put with an early saver date it meant a trip to the fjords for £1100 cheaper than we could get for a comparable cabin with Royal, Princess or Celebrity.


We both run our own small businesses and work hard to enjoy fab cruises but a bargain is a bargain.

We boarded with a “we don’t care how awful this is” attitude and we’re blown away by QV, her crew and the whole experience.

But!

Cunard do have their very specific fans in the way that other cruise lines do as well. I guess a Cunarder is the same as someone who says they are “Loyal to Royal” for example.

These passengers in my opinion are very blinkered. Apparently it’s their way or the highway, the dress code must be kept to the absolute T. They look down on blokes that dare to wear a normal suit and tie on Gala nights instead of a tuxedo.

They think that Cunard is the only way to travel and anyone that doesn’t only cruise Cunard has something wrong with them.

Cunard is the only way to cruise period!!

Here’s just one example;

At breakfast in the Lido the day we docked in Bergen I could hear a disagreement between husband and wife on the table behind us. The husband was unsettling me up in the way he was talking to his wife as he was adamant he was correct and was extremely condescending to her in his manner.

His wife had pointed out that there was a P&O ship next to us. He exclaimed that it was Britannia even though she was certain it wasn’t. This carried on for a few minutes and as he stood up to walk passed us, my hubby literally sank in his chair as he knew what I was about to do;

Me “ morning your wife is correct it’s not Britannia”

Him “yes it is”

Me “ No it’s Azura she left Southampton the same day as us and will be following us home tonight”

Him “ But it’s got a flag on the front so it has to be Britannia”


Me” All P&O ships have a flag on now they rolled it out across the fleet”


When realising I was correct he then proceeded to tell us how they only travel Cunard and would never dream of trying another line and why would anyone.


To which I explained we had tried several different lines.

He then exclaimed that Cunard was the best.

My hubby then said that he didn’t agree and that up to two years ago when we tried Qm2 we found Royal and Celebrity far superior in our opinion, especially we special dietary requirements.

Well you’d have thought my husband had slapped him. He stopped dead put his hand up to silence us before turning around and continuing with his breakfast.


Half an hour later they sat in front of us on the shuttle bus and he gave us the filthiest looks. I just laughed as it thought it was pathetic.

Last week someone asked on a Cunard FB forum if Cunard was only for snobs.

My reply was that this perception stops people from trying the brand and does Cunard no favours.


You can love a brand and be loyal to it without demonising anyone that dares to cruise with another line. There’s no need for snobbery or put downs.

It would be a boring world if we were all the same and there was only one choice.

[annie, Glasgow]

Here I go and then I may need to hide 😂🤷*♀️

I was very wary of trying Cunard I’d read so much content on forums and social media and had a perception of it being snooty, snobby and a very defined class system based on what I’d read.

I was worried we would be flamed for wearing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing.

We stepped on board Qm2 with quite a bit of anxiety but huge expectations. The anxiety wasn’t needed and the expectations weren’t met!

We chose QV simply because we had £200 compensation from Cunard for our Qm2 experience and because put with an early saver date it meant a trip to the fjords for £1100 cheaper than we could get for a comparable cabin with Royal, Princess or Celebrity.


We both run our own small businesses and work hard to enjoy fab cruises but a bargain is a bargain.

We boarded with a “we don’t care how awful this is” attitude and we’re blown away by QV, her crew and the whole experience.

But!

Cunard do have their very specific fans in the way that other cruise lines do as well. I guess a Cunarder is the same as someone who says they are “Loyal to Royal” for example.

These passengers in my opinion are very blinkered. Apparently it’s their way or the highway, the dress code must be kept to the absolute T. They look down on blokes that dare to wear a normal suit and tie on Gala nights instead of a tuxedo.

They think that Cunard is the only way to travel and anyone that doesn’t only cruise Cunard has something wrong with them.

Cunard is the only way to cruise period!!

Here’s just one example;

At breakfast in the Lido the day we docked in Bergen I could hear a disagreement between husband and wife on the table behind us. The husband was unsettling me up in the way he was talking to his wife as he was adamant he was correct and was extremely condescending to her in his manner.

His wife had pointed out that there was a P&O ship next to us. He exclaimed that it was Britannia even though she was certain it wasn’t. This carried on for a few minutes and as he stood up to walk passed us, my hubby literally sank in his chair as he knew what I was about to do;

Me “ morning your wife is correct it’s not Britannia”

Him “yes it is”

Me “ No it’s Azura she left Southampton the same day as us and will be following us home tonight”

Him “ But it’s got a flag on the front so it has to be Britannia”


Me” All P&O ships have a flag on now they rolled it out across the fleet”


When realising I was correct he then proceeded to tell us how they only travel Cunard and would never dream of trying another line and why would anyone.


To which I explained we had tried several different lines.

He then exclaimed that Cunard was the best.

My hubby then said that he didn’t agree and that up to two years ago when we tried Qm2 we found Royal and Celebrity far superior in our opinion, especially we special dietary requirements.

Well you’d have thought my husband had slapped him. He stopped dead put his hand up to silence us before turning around and continuing with his breakfast.


Half an hour later they sat in front of us on the shuttle bus and he gave us the filthiest looks. I just laughed as it thought it was pathetic.

Last week someone asked on a Cunard FB forum if Cunard was only for snobs.

My reply was that this perception stops people from trying the brand and does Cunard no favours.


You can love a brand and be loyal to it without demonising anyone that dares to cruise with another line. There’s no need for snobbery or put downs.

It would be a boring world if we were all the same and there was only one choice.

Hi CC

You are responsible for me spluttering my coffee I was laughing so hard

No wonder I don't even consider cruising with Cunard!

Thanks

Annie

[cymrucruiser]

Hi CC

You are responsible for me spluttering my coffee I was laughing so hard

No wonder I don't even consider cruising with Cunard!

Thanks

Annie

Hee hee glad I could make you chuckle Annie it made me chuckle too 😂

[annie, Glasgow]

Hee hee glad I could make you chuckle Annie it made me chuckle too 😂

Hi CC

'Bores' like that are to be found on every line to be fair.

Earlier this year whilst waiting to transit the Gatun Lake section of the Panama Canal, there was a lively discussion between some men in the viewing lounge about the name of the HAL ship going through the locks.

Mr A - definitely the Volendam; Mr B - definitely the Nieuw Amsterdam. Then I piped up and said neither - it is a Vista Class vessel - the Zuiderdam. Oh no it wasn't said both of them. I sat and smiled as the Zuiderdam passed us by. At least they were gracious enough to acknowledge that this little Scots lady was correct. An Aussie asked me how did you know?? I had studied Panama Canal Itineraries so closely and recalled it was the only HAL vessel doing a partial transit that day.

Annie

PS Sorry to hijack the thread. BTW there were several 'Cunarders' on the cruise and if I heard once HAL is not as good as Cunard...…… It reached the point that I had to say you knew it wasn't Cunard when you booked didn't you??

[Smith7]

Well I definitely couldn't be called a Cunarder, a P & Oer or even a Fred Olsen fanatic (although I am a Fred fan). I've tried lots of different lines and ships within their fleets.

Garfield got me thinking about the Big Band cruise so I had a sneaky look on the Cunard website. There is a Big Band mini cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam on 4th October on Queen Elizabeth. As QE is the only Cunard ship we haven't tried, we are sorely tempted to book.

[Smith7]

Well I definitely couldn't be called a Cunarder, a P & Oer or even a Fred Olsen fanatic (although I am a Fred fan). I've tried lots of different lines and ships within their fleets.

Garfield got me thinking about the Big Band cruise so I had a sneaky look on the Cunard website. There is a Big Band mini cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam on 4th October on Queen Elizabeth. As QE is the only Cunard ship we haven't tried, we are sorely tempted to book.

I just checked with my agent. There are only 3 inside cabins & 2 0bstructed view outside cabins left at a cost of £649pp. A Balcony cabin is £662. It is obviously a popular cruise.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[Garfield, Waterlooville]

Hi there
2 nighter on QE 1st Nov this year..

Garf

[Smith7]

Hi there
2 nighter on QE 1st Nov this year..

Garf

Thanks Garf. Just booked it.

[Mrs M]

...



My reply was that this perception stops people from trying the brand and does Cunard no favours.


You can love a brand and be loyal to it without demonising anyone that dares to cruise with another line. There’s no need for snobbery or put downs.

It would be a boring world if we were all the same and there was only one choice.

Unfortunately for Cunard, there is a very, very small minority [vocal, so they're read or heard about] who do give the line a bit of a reputation but, they are few and far between. The folk I meet are very normal, just like me [gosh, I hope I'm considered normal!!!!]

It's the same for many lines though isn't it. I didn't see any beer swilling yobs on P&O and yet if reputations are to be believed, their presence, especially on shorties, has been indicated many times in reviews.

You're spot on with your summing up and I try my best to let folk know Cunard is an ordinary line which folk cruise with if they want a more traditional cruise where a more formal approach takes a star turn in the evenings in most areas of their ships.

Nothing to be snobbish about, just a different approach.

Re posted as an edit was ''unapproved''..

[Wilba]

I read Garfies comment earlier about me and JC being out if it were a Cunard Forum Cruise.

Not so, just get Cruisedot to negotiate a 50% discount and £200 per person OBC and I might consider it.

Seriously though, I keep reading that Forum Cruises are all about the get together and little about the ship, so why even consider a company that charges heaven and earth for drinks etc?

Personally I would much prefer a slightly longer, 'proper cruise' that actually goes somewhere worthwhile than channel ferry crossing.

A Big Band cruise would definitely get my interest..................Wilba.

[Mrs M]

No one had been interested enough to organise a forum cruise so a few of us did it for ourselves. Ignoring the marvellous one a month ago, we've managed four very successful ones so far. We didn't look upon it as a channel crossing. To us, it was a great opportunity to get together. Not too bothered about the ship and as the regulars were happy with QM2, then that's the ship we chose as the dates were OK. Itinerary came a lowly third.

We don't/didn't want a longer cruise as we all have different ideas on what we'd like for a ''proper'' cruise. We wanted a short get together on a ship we all agreed on.

Getting a load of people to clear their diaries for a week or longer takes even more organisation and whereas I wouldn't be too picky re the ship for three or four nights, I certainly would for seven or more.

[Smith7]

No one had been interested enough to organise a forum cruise so a few of us did it for ourselves. Ignoring the marvellous one a month ago, we've managed four very successful ones so far. We didn't look upon it as a channel crossing. To us, it was a great opportunity to get together. Not too bothered about the ship and as the regulars were happy with QM2, then that's the ship we chose as the dates were OK. Itinerary came a lowly third.

We don't/didn't want a longer cruise as we all have different ideas on what we'd like for a ''proper'' cruise. We wanted a short get together on a ship we all agreed on.

Getting a load of people to clear their diaries for a week or longer takes even more organisation and whereas I wouldn't be too picky re the ship for three or four nights, I certainly would for seven or more.

Can I also add that we all took wine on board with us and held our own pre-dinner drinks parties. For a short cruise, it worked well and the bar prices didn't bother us as much.

In short, we had a great time and have all become firm friends.