Cunard

[BinleyBilly, Binley, Coventry]

A particular itinerary means that we may book a Cunard cruise after some five years away from them. However, reading reviews there are some scathing remarks about what is seen as Cunard's greed and lowering of standards - $3US for any small bottle of water + 15% with no other sources, some ports having no shuttle buses, ultra high drinks prices, indifferent food etc. We are happy to pay a fair price to begin with for a good quality cruise but do not expect to then pay extra for any and every 'extra'. What say the Cunarders on here?

[Mrs M]

Unless you want sparkling water, can easily obtain still filtered water from the food outlets. Never drink tap water in ships as it's recycle water which is not meant for drinking.

The water is tested and is potable.It is either brought on-board from reliable sources or it's ''manufactured'' on-board. I've been drinking it for over twenty five years and haven't turned green or luminous. Yet.

[Mrs M]

I’m sure Mrs M had near on 20 people in her balcony cabin on Sapphire Princess last October? It was cosy lol I can think of 16 off the top off my head.

Twenty one CC, and on a wet night so we couldn't use the balcony. That was in a mini suite. It was cosy but doable. When we had the use of the balcony subsequent nights, it was fine. We could have invited another ten at least. The balcony was huge.

[jc, liverpool]

I don't think you would have been allowed JC.

Hi Jill
I would have to have sat on the quay and drank it.
JC

[antalismy, UK]

Unless you want sparkling water, can easily obtain still filtered water from the food outlets. Never drink tap water in ships as it's recycle water which is not meant for drinking.

[cymrucruiser]

Hi Jill
That was OK with a few of you,there was over 20 of us (I think) on last months forum cruise,it would have been a bit of a squash to have a cabin party.I had a mini suite and you wouldn't get 20 people in it in comfort.

ps,we all don't drink wine,I'm not carrying a case of Guinness on board.

JC

I’m sure Mrs M had near on 20 people in her balcony cabin on Sapphire Princess last October? It was cosy lol I can think of 16 off the top off my head.

[Smith7]

Hi Jill
That was OK with a few of you,there was over 20 of us (I think) on last months forum cruise,it would have been a bit of a squash to have a cabin party.I had a mini suite and you wouldn't get 20 people in it in comfort.

ps,we all don't drink wine,I'm not carrying a case of Guinness on board.

JC

I don't think you would have been allowed JC.

[jc, liverpool]

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.

Hi Jill
That was OK with a few of you,there was over 20 of us (I think) on last months forum cruise,it would have been a bit of a squash to have a cabin party.I had a mini suite and you wouldn't get 20 people in it in comfort.

ps,we all don't drink wine,I'm not carrying a case of Guinness on board.

JC

[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.

[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.

[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]

...



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''..

[Smith7]

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

Garf

Thanks Garf. Just booked it.

[Garfield, Waterlooville]

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

Garf

[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.