To Cunarders.

[jan lowden, sunderland (2)]

Hi all, A work mate is wanting to book a TA with Cunard and is asking me for advice,I can give him some do,s and dont,s on cruising in general but having not done Cunard (yet) I know i can turn to all you on here who have a wealth of experience on the subject, I will pass on all info to him, Thanks in advance. Jan.

[Mrs M]

QV is my all time favourite Cunard ship and we have T.A'd on her. However, I would suggest for a newbie, QM2 would be a better choice, even though I've not TA'd on her, because there's more choice in the scheduling and she's supposedly more able to deal with the vagaries of The Atlantic as she's a liner and not a cruise ship.

Other main point for starters, Cunard is a cruise line which takes holidaymakers [and business folk who don't want to fly] across the Pond in comfort. You will find the dress code more adhered to on a TA but don't be taken in by those who prattle on about the rigidity of the thing.

Daytime wear - as most other cruise lines. For the chaps, jackets ARE worn* but ties are optional on informal nights and dark suits/DJs are the norm on a formal evening.

Ball dresses are not required apparel for ladies on the Gala nights; cocktail wear i.e.elegant trousers/skirts/ tops and a long dress or three [if the passenger has them] will be fine.

Blue denim and worn jeans not appreciated anywhere on the ship after 6pm!

Will that do for starters?

Edit
*
and taken off by more than one gentleman once relaxing in the theatre!

[Happy, Wolverhampton]

I'm with Mrs.M. QV is our favourite ship. We have not done a TA but it is on our wish list. QM2 was our first cruise and got us hooked on cruising and is the ship (sorry liner) we would choose to do a TA on.

For a first time cruiser I would suggest booking a stateroom.

1. In the middle of the ship (midships) where there is less movement.

2. A deck not too high up, they are more expensive and there is a saying "the more you pay the more you sway"

3. A location with staterooms above and below your stateroom - quieter than having a bar, restaurant, pool workings, or spa/gym above your stateroom.

4. Other forum members will advise on the best side of QM2 for your stateroom, depending on whether the cruise is from Southampton-New York or New York-Southamoton.

Hope this is useful.

[jan lowden, sunderland (2)]

Thankyou MrsM and Happy, I will pass that info on to him asp. Jan.

[Val, Wolverhampton]

We did a TA on the QM2 and encountered some of the worst conditions you can imagine. I would now be happy anywhere on that ship crossing the Atlantic she handles it so well and it's amazing watching her cut through the waves, so it would be my choice everytime. It's a real special experience and of course she will have had her refit and be looking totally fabulous I am sure.

[wavell, edinburgh]

I agree the comments posted. We first sailed on the old qe 2 in 1971 and find the new qe perfect. However it is much more sedate than other lines. No piped music for example and fellow passengers tend to be quieter and better dressed than on some lines. One drawback for us are no tea or coffee faclities in cabin not a hardship though. Also guest lecturers have been better than on other ships.

[Happy, Wolverhampton]

I agree the comments posted. We first sailed on the old qe 2 in 1971 and find the new qe perfect. However it is much more sedate than other lines. No piped music for example and fellow passengers tend to be quieter and better dressed than on some lines. One drawback for us are no tea or coffee faclities in cabin not a hardship though. Also guest lecturers have been better than on other ships.

You can get free tea and coffee from the self service restaurant or from room service. I recall reading somewhere that stateroom tea/coffee facilities are being installed in the future.

[MAGGIEMOU, CYPRUS]

I have crossed the pond on all three different Cunard Queens. QM2 does regular crossing but you will only get to cross on QE or QV at the start of her world cruise as neither ships cross Southampton to NewYork through out the rest of the year. Crossing at the start of the World voyage is usually in early January. Even a TA that goes Southwards towards the Caribbean is usually in winter months . So from a weather perspective QM2 would be the best choice if you wanted better weather and a more smoother crossing. Personally I like the rough crossings and I have been in quite a few force 11 storms over the years.QM2 is lovely.
I have been Cunard cruising for many years and like the formal nights and the dressing up on such occasions. I have to say I have never seen men remove their jackets in the dining room or the theater. Once saw a couple of guys try to watch the show wearing t shirts and causal chinos and they were asked to leave the theater. Also if men try to enter the main dining without a jacket they are refused entry and if they sneak through a jacket will be brought to them by the head waiter to wear at the table. Hope this is helpful for you.

[wavell, edinburgh]

[QUOTE=Happy, Wolverhampton;729910]You can get free tea and coffee from the self service restaurant or from room service. I recall reading somewhere that stateroom tea/coffee facilities are being installed in the future.[/QUOT

Of course but saw no need to expand post we find it easy to go to self service and a little exercise

[jc, liverpool]

Hi all
I was getting my hopes up with Mrs M quote.... "You will find the dress code more adhered to on a TA but don't be taken in by those who prattle on about the rigidity of the thing."

And then i read Maggies post,,,,and bump!!!back to reality,,,,,that in a nutshell is why i and many many others will never sail Cunard.

Although i did flirt with Mrs Mrs M's forum cruise just to meet the lady herself and other forum members,,,but a fly landed in the ointment making it impossible.

I plumped for Britannia instead.
JC

[Mrs M]

Hi all
I was getting my hopes up with Mrs M quote.... "You will find the dress code more adhered to on a TA but don't be taken in by those who prattle on about the rigidity of the thing."

And then i read Maggies post,,,,and bump!!!back to reality,,,,,that in a nutshell is why i and many many others will never sail Cunard.

Although i did flirt with Mrs Mrs M's forum cruise just to meet the lady herself and other forum members,,,but a fly landed in the ointment making it impossible.

I plumped for Britannia instead.
JC

...and we would loved you to have joined us JC. We're all so different and bonkers at times but what fun we have. I wish more members would join us. Maybe next time.

MM's post reveals how different experiences can be had on the same cruise line. I haven't half the Cunard experience she has and only one TA under my belt but we've never cruised on the same ships at the same times so she won't have seen the sights I have and vica versa.

I ignore and I don't go along with it but not only have I seen jacket-less chaps in the theatre, I see casually dressed men around the ship but not in the bars, admittedly. The majority of passengers conform but those who choose not to, are there.

[MAGGIEMOU, CYPRUS]

On our last Cunard cruise I saw four people asked to leave the Commodore Club as It was formal night and they were not suitably dressed. The head bar person Julia went and spoke with them and they left. A few nights later in the mid ships bar again two people not in formal wear, short sleeved shirt and slacks for the man. Lady in casual cropped trousers. Waiter was instructed by head bar tender to have a word. He did and they left the bar. The dress code is mostly adhered to the staff do monitor it but it can laspe at times I guess.
we always depress as my husband would never not wear a tie on an evening.

[MAGGIEMOU, CYPRUS]

Just a quick point. TA on QM2 is quite dressy as there are often four formal nights and you do get some real extrovert dressy people onboard. I have seen a quite a number of mink coats out on deck in mid winter.

[Bigsis, Waterlooville]

Hi all, A work mate is wanting to book a TA with Cunard and is asking me for advice,I can give him some do,s and dont,s on cruising in general but having not done Cunard (yet) I know i can turn to all you on here who have a wealth of experience on the subject, I will pass on all info to him, Thanks in advance. Jan.

I would tell your colleague to go for it, with an open mind and enjoy every canard minute. I still have to pinch myself that our TA on QM2 wasn't just a dream, lol
We absolutely can't wait to do one again though I can't imagine crossing the Atlantic on any other ship. We had the worst weather imaginable but QM2 behaved impeccably. As for dress codes, well, we love dressing up when the occasion requires . Also, Cunards enrichment program and entertainment is , in our opinion, the best at sea

[MAGGIEMOU, CYPRUS]

Hi all, A work mate is wanting to book a TA with Cunard and is asking me for advice,I can give him some do,s and dont,s on cruising in general but having not done Cunard (yet) I know i can turn to all you on here who have a wealth of experience on the subject, I will pass on all info to him, Thanks in advance. Jan.

Hi, Jan. If your friend is on Face Book there are some very good private discussion sites all related to Cunard. All members of these sites are true Cunard fans and you can pick up some great tips and get a real feel for the ships. Lots of topics discussed and many photos etc. Lots about doing a crossing and the dress codes onboard which I have to say all members like to keep the Cunard formality even though it has loosened a little this past year.
Most Cunarders vote to keep the formal dress code in place. If your friend is a FB member, search for Cunard official site and others will appear as well. I hope they decide to do a crossing on QM2 as it is
"the only way to cross"
Edit.
I just looked on FB at Cunard Critic ( the only way is ..... Cunard) and last night someone posted up a video of QM2 passing under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge early yesterday morning. Interesting to see. Worth getting up for! She docked at 6-0am.