We chose this ship because it was recommended by a friend. The ship is a good size ship and we expected Cunard to be of a high standard. Cabin - good size.good size balcony. excellent housekeeping. Buffet - good selection at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was hit and miss as to whether the hot food was hot, tepid or cold. Bread - cheap supermarket bread which I would not consider buying at home. I had a sandwich one day, the bread was so dry it was like cardboard. On another occasion the bread was damp and one morning it was frozen in the middle. Britannia restaurant - veggie - mean portions, tepid food on tepid plates, Poor quality food. I had to insist on having hot food on hot plates. The talk of the ship was the noticeable cut backs from last year and the limited choice of food at dinner, the quality of food and the small portions. Pretentious titles of some of the dishes. The other main topic of conversation was the price of drinks. A pint of beer around 7 dollars. Some cocktails were around 12 dollars with a 15 percent surcharge on top!! Read Less

This 14 night voyage is my 13th cruise with Cunard and it is a few years since I have written a review. However, as this cruise was one of Cunard’s ‘special event’ and themed voyages and the longest single cruise I have done, I think its time to share my thoughts again. At only 26 and 29 years old my husband and I are quite a bit younger than the stereotype Cunard passenger, however we enjoy the ambiance; dressing for dinner; the formality and the tranquility that a Cunard voyage provides. Indeed, with the addition of options such as the Gin & Fizz Bar Cunard is very much on trend and I feel many of my own generation are missing out. Embarkation and disembarkation was efficient and painless; in 13 cruises we have never had a bad experience in this area. We were on board by 11.30am. This cruise was the 2019 Voyage du Vin with guest speakers including Oz Clarke. We enjoyed a conversation with him and Cunard's Beverage Manager in the Commodore Club one night; they were engaging and approachable. There were a series of wine themed talks and events and overall, these made a pleasant addition to the Mediterranean itinerary. Many of the events were at an additional cost but those that we partook in were worth the additional spend. We are very interested in wine; it is a stroke of luck that this cruise was made the Voyage du Vin after we booked it. We would certainly consider booking a themed cruise again after the experience. This was our first time on Queen Victoria in nearly 4 years with Queen Elizabeth being our favourite ship. I was very excited to see her after her major refit a couple of years ago. The extra and more varied seating options on deck are a welcome addition and the Britannia Club restaurants looks very stylish and comfortable. I have already mentioned the Gin & Fizz Bar; we spent a lot of time here in the evenings. It is a new and innovative concept with an exceptional range of cocktails to complement the wide range of gins and sparkling wines. The move towards specific menus in specific venues around the ship adds variety and choice and is preferable to me to the generic bar menu that existed when we first travelled with Cunard. I would particularly recommend The Mary Rose cocktail. Bar prices are frequently mentioned in these reviews. I have no issue with Cunard’s prices; they are not dissimilar to London bar prices or indeed bar prices at a more average bar elsewhere in the UK. And remember Cunard use larger U.S. measures. The variety of canapes and nibbles served with drinks continues to impress again especially in the midships Gin & Fizz Bar. The food and service in the Britannia Restaurant was generally good throughout. There were some surprisingly good dishes such as ravioli with salmon caviar and some more average dishes. My lobster was a little tough one evening but was still very nice. Overall the food was pleasing, and we ate there all but one nights. We normally dine in the Verandah some nights however I am still of the opinion the Steakhouse concept is just not in keeping with the Cunard brand; we tried it QM2 and hated it feeling that it represented a major reduction in standards compared to the old Verandah menu. That said, I don’t eat beef and love elegant French cuisine. We didn’t try the Verandah this time. I feel that service aboard was very good; it wasn’t outstanding, just consistently good and reliable. Our cabin steward was faultless and the purser’s desk quick and efficient. Occasionally the sommelier was a bit slow in the restaurant or drinks took a while to come in bars at busy periods. Perhaps a couple of extra sommeliers or bar waiters in those areas would have improved this, but it really wasn’t a major issue and I am picky about service. It was interesting talking to other guests though that have travelled with different lines and feel that Cunard’s service is always better. We took several Cunard shore excursions for ease and peace of mind. We found all of them good value for money. We could possibly have done something similar ourselves for less but the avoidance of hassle and not having to worry about getting back to the ship was worth the additional expense of booking an excursion. The wine themed tour with tasting whilst in Vigo, where we visited the Albarino wine region was particularly good; it felt authentic with almost free flowing tasting and plentiful nibbles with the wine! There were a few niggles such as the air conditioning in our room not being very good; it was never so bad we actually got around to complaining so I can’t hold that against them. The Royal Court Theatre Vocalists were not great but the dancers were good. The hydrotherapy pool jets intermittently didn’t work in the first half of the cruise and the showers were cold, and indeed one morning the pool was empty. What was more surprising was that the spa staff didn’t know it was empty until we told them! Each time we mentioned an issue however it was fixed. We ate Alfresco one night for a small cover charge; the food was good and would have made a lovely change being able to watch a Mediterranean sunset had they not started jet washing and buffing the deck whilst we were eating. Obviously, this destroyed the ambiance. The maitre’d appreciated this and we were not charged. Clearly this was a communication issue between departmental managers. Despite these little problems I would give this voyage 4.5/5 stars overall. We had a wonderful time and I would happily book a similar voyage again. The combination of good food, good drinks, good service and excellent weather has made another memorable cruise. I can now start counting down the days until my next cruise of QE next year. A few notes regarding the ports of call. Vigo, Palma and Barcelona were all interesting and pleasant. In La Spezia we went to Florence and were disappointed; far too busy and polluted to properly explore its' history. In Cannes we went to Monaco. we absolutely loved Monaco; despite it being pricey I would recommend Cafe de Paris for lunch especially the profiteroles dessert. The Gothic quarter of Barcelona was very interesting and I highly recommend the little wine bar opposite Santa Maria del Mar. Finally Gibraltar was good; I recommend walking the Mediterranean Steps if able as it affords excellent views even when a bit cloudy. Read Less

We have been in the QG on Cunard many times and always enjoyed ourselves, so chose a Q4 cabin again. The cabin is spacious, with a lovely large balcony for lounging in the sun, separate bath and shower, and gorgeously comfortable beds. The pillow Concierge service enabled us to have goose down pillows, and they had complied with my request for blankets rather than duvets, which I had made in advance. Throughout, the cabin was serviced frequently and efficiently. Embarkation and disembarkation were both efficient, helped by the priority for the Grills. We were in our cabin before noon on the first day, and left the ship at 8.05 on the last. The ship herself is lovely. By modern standards she is not that big, but always feels serene, peaceful, and spacious, never crowded, so the voyage was truly relaxing. There were various lectures, which I didn't attend, preferring to watch the sunny sea from our balcony, but my spouse enjoyed the ones on space. I did attend the passenger choir, which all four Cunard singers gave up their time to rehearse, surely beyond the call of duty. The only show I saw was Top Hat, which was completely brilliant, singing, dancing, sets, costumes. We were lucky throughout the cruise with the gorgeous warm dry weather which obviously enhanced our enjoyment of the ports, most of which we had visited before. The only trip we went on was to a vineyard in Mallorca, which was most enjoyable. The service in the QG was excellent, but I have to say the food was somewhat inconcisistent. Most of the things we had were very nice. But, twice my husband was served very tough meat, once venison, once lamb, such that he did not feel like eating it. They were deeply apologetic, and offered something different, but that really should not happen. Also some of the menus were odd. One evening there were two tofu main courses out of five, which seems decidedly strange. Many other things we had were delicious, but not everything. Read Less

We went on the Queen Victoria Voyage du Vin cruise for 14 days September 2019 and in our opinion everything was better than last year. The Britannia Restaurant food was beautifully presented and the service was excellent. Thank you to Olesha and Victor. The Lido Restaurant was very good and the staff were very helpful and efficient. The place to go for delicious omelettes to order. Our Stateroom was beautiful and very comfortable. The Stateroom was kept spotless and I appreciated the turn down each evening. I think there were more activities on offer than last year and I enjoyed flower arranging and singing in the choir. I was really impressed by the music on board everything from flamenco guitar, a reggae and R&B band and a former member of the Drifters with amazing backing singers. I thought the Port and Shore excursions were well organised and informative. Our favourite destinations were La Spezia and Palma. We are looking forward to our next cruise on the Queen Victoria. Read Less

This was my fourth transatlantic crossing on board Queen Mary 2, but the first during the summer season. This was not the most memorable Overall: The weather was excellent for this transatlantic crossing, very sunny and minimal sea state. The ship was rather quiet during this crossing, during the day and during the evenings. The day time program wasn't particularly exciting or eventful and the passengers didn't seem to want to stay up too late in the evenings, even during formal nights. By midnight, the ship was very quiet and the bars even started to close. This was not a "party" sail like my usual pre-Christmas crossing. Cruise critic organized an informal meet and greet on the second day of the voyage. It was well attended and it let me meet the people in the forums. I enjoy transatlantic crossings a lot and despite some negative comments here, it is almost certain that there will be a fifth transatlantic crossing on board Queen Mary 2 in my future. Ship: The Queen Mary 2 is a special ship and I've always enjoyed her design and layout. While there are some quirks and oddities about her design (i.e. Decks 2/3 between A and B stairwells and getting the Queen's Room and G32), she is beautiful ship in the art deco style. One never feels crowded on board the ship. The Carinthia Lounge remains the area to avoid on the ship (it has a very retirement home feeling). The ship is showing some wear and age, but overall maintenance is still very good. Cabin: I had an obstructed view cabin, but it was a good cabin, possibly the best obstructed view cabin because it was behind a small boat rather than a full sized lifeboat. Dining: Britannia Restaurant. The food in the Britannia Restaurant for this crossing was average, not as great as it had been in the past. It was still very good but didn't feel as special as previous crossings. Presentation remains excellent, but the menu wasn't that exciting. The desserts were also rather plain this crossing. King's Court. Always busy, especially at lunch. Finding a table next to a window is nearly impossible and the food is average, but consistent. Golden Lion Pub. The pub lunch is always a good choice when the menu at the Britannia restaurant doesn't appeal to me. It serves traditional pub classic dishes such as fish and chips, or chicken tikka masala. Room Service. It was decent. I usually get room service breakfast. The food/coffee/tea is never piping hot, but that's expected given that its being delivered and the galley is rather far away. Entertainment: Evening shows: Cunard has never been known for their evening entertainment, so I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. The singing and dancing of the Royal Court Theatre Singers and Dancers was what I expected. Though other passenger's descriptions were harsher ("a high school production"). Lecturers: The selection of lecturers for this crossing was not the greatest. None of the lecturers really interested me and the comments from the other passengers were mostly negative as well. Planetarium: It's always nice to be able to attend the planetarium shows, but the show is always the same "stars above the north Atlantic." Service: The bartending staff remains excellent, my favourite bartender was on board and I have sailed with her for all of my voyages. My steward wasn't the greatest this year, but was still decent. The sommelier assigned to our table wasn't very good, rather than recommending me wines, he would just give me to the wine list and have me select the wine. I noticed there were a lot of trainees on board, so service was a bit slow. Shopping: Souvenirs remain a weakness of Cunard. The souvenirs are either overpriced and tacky or just overpriced. It would be nice if Cunard could get some decent and reasonably priced souvenirs. Their selection has improved over the years, but still has a lot of room for improvement. Embarkation: Very smooth this year, no queues, the fastest embarkation in Southampton I've ever had. But I found out that this was the case because there were a lot of people already on board who did not embark in Southampton. Disembarkation: Disembarking in Brooklyn is always frustrating. There was about an hour's delay from when I was scheduled to disembark to when I actually got off the ship. Then the queues to get through US Customs was a nightmare. Read Less

We selected this cruise to celebrate my 60th birthday and our 40th Wedding Anniversary, so it was very special and important to us. The embarkation at Southampton, despite the queues, was very well organised and slick. Our stateroom was not to the standard we had been accustomed to aboard other cruise ships. The room was very small and the bathroom tiny. A refurb is very much needed. The carpet was badly stained and there was masking tape all around the interconnecting door. We mentioned this to our steward who promptly removed it. Then we found out why it had been placed there - when the people in the cabin next to us opened their balcony door half a hurricane come through and a high pitch whistling noise accompanied it. Drinks on board were exceptionally expensive and the whole tipping policy has to be looked at as it clearly does not work from a service users prospective. Food was very tasty in the main restaurant but often the portions were small. Trying to obtain drinks in the restaurant was so bad that we resorted to purchasing drinks in the bars first and taking them into the restaurant with us. Everything onboard ship was geared up for the over 70s, so much so that on this transatlantic crossing of 7days we were bored. Shopping was very poor and the entertainment was awful. We have always looked forward to the shows on other cruises but these were the worst ever. The worst issue was disembarkation. Everyone is aware that American immigration is very slow and we were quite prepared for it. Despite Cunard regularly disembarking service users in New York the staff were clearly not prepared for it. We were told to vacate our rooms by 8am and to go to our particular meeting point. There they left us without communication, food or water for hours. When we did go to the restaurant to try and obtain some refreshments the staff were putting it away and quite clearly did not want us there. To add insult to injury when we disembarked the ship and went to retrieve our luggage one of our group had a suitcase stolen - and you’ve guessed it, no one wanted to know. Overall we were very disappointed with the cruise and we will not travel with Cunard again. Read Less

We chose Cunard because we wanted a classic cruise experience, a formal atmosphere, and an excellent itinerary. Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth took us above the Arctic Circle in absolute style. Embarkation was easy and we were on the ship in a timely manner. We loved our forward balcony cabin (but we choose forward because we love ship movement when we sleep). The stateroom was beautiful and our steward was excellent. I cannot say enough about how much we liked our forward balcony. We participated in fencing classes, which we loved. We also thought the history lectures were outstanding. They enhanced our experience so much. The ship is gorgeous and serene, just what we wanted. It was peaceful and lovely. The Britannia main dining room was very delicious at dinner. We had a wonderful sommelier and good wait staff. Only one time did we receive an item of food that was not to our taste, but it was quickly replaced with a delicious option. Most of the drinks options were outstanding, in our opinion. Some people complain about the cost of drinks on here... but we found them well crafted and interesting. The MARY ROSE in the Midships Lounge is a truly lovely drink. We also loved the atmosphere and view in the Commodore Club. The aft deck drinks menu is fun for sailaways. The only drinks we were disappointed in was the regular complimentary coffee. For such a beautiful cruise, the complimentary coffee is not great. (It should be better, honestly) We ended up buying some specialty coffees at Cafe Carinthia, which were lovely- but for those is us who like coffee (coffee snobs) the regular coffee should be improved. We were also not overly impressed with the Lido buffet. The food was fast and convenient, especially for breakfast... but we have experienced better buffets on other lines in design and in taste. It is another area that could be improved in our opinion. The only other gripe we had with Cunard is internet. The internet needs to be brought to modern cruise standards. If the other lines can do so well with unlimited plans, so can Cunard. Many cruise passengers must use internet to keep in touch with family and with their business dealings. Back to wonderful comments... Our itinerary with Cunard to Norway was amazing, the nature was breathtaking, and our experience above the Arctic Circle was magical. Most of the ports we chose to independently rent cars, use public transportation, or hike. We did take two Cunard sponsored excursions, though... and both tours were well worth it. (It must be noted that this is our second trip to Norway- with the first being a land trip... we were prepared to drive in Norway since we did it before- which can be challenging.) We enjoyed the special guest entertainment brought into the theatre and the live musicians around the ship very much. Overall, Cunard was fantastic. I would absolutely take another cruise with them. Read Less

Cunard boasts that the RMS Queen Mary 2 is the only true ‘ocean liner’ afloat in the world today, though I have not yet discovered why it is said to be different from, for example, the Queen Victoria or the Queen Elizabeth, the other two Cunard ships currently in service. (A fourth ‘Queen’ is due to be launched in a couple of years’ time). The Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is the largest of the three at present in service with a length of 1132 feet, a crew of 1292 and capable of carrying almost 2700 passengers. It is the flagship of the Cunard fleet and one of only two RMSs (Royal Mail Ships) in the world. Being that size, the corridors are very long and it is extremely easy to get ‘lost’, though there are nearly always helpful crew members on hand to guide passengers who feel disoriented. Everything about this ship is on a grand scale and very spacious. It has a charming, ‘old world’ style to it which distinguishes it from most cruise ships. It is elegant, rather than flashy, and the majority of its passengers tend to be that little bit older, though there are exceptions. In our view, the directional signage around the ship could be improved and we feel that, whilst it is intentionally fairly discreet, it should be re-evaluated to help ‘lost and confused’ passengers. For example, because the Britannia Restaurant is designed to be split level and straddles two decks, it is not possible to walk all the way through to the theatres without first going up in a lift (elevator), walking along a couple of decks higher and then descending again in another lift. This took us (and many others) quite a while to fathom out! We had decided to celebrate our 45th wedding Anniversary in August, 2019, by trying a Cunard ship for the first time. (We had been on numerous cruises in the past with different cruise lines, mostly in the northern hemisphere, but never before with Cunard). Our two-way transatlantic crossings saw us travelling from Southampton to New York and back, with just a day in the ‘Big Apple’. We just love ship life and found it quite relaxing knowing that we hadn’t any shore excursions to think about, except for in New York itself, of course. It was our intention to spend a relaxing two weeks at sea. We knew from past experience that there would be plenty on board to keep us occupied and stop our becoming bored, but we would also have plenty of opportunities to simply take it easy. The extensive library on board the QM2 is excellent and the Planetarium feature is also well worth a visit. We were checked in very efficiently at Southampton. Based on our past experience of being required to wait, on occasions for a couple of hours, in a lounge on board, we enquired if our stateroom was ready for us. We were told that it was, but that there had been a leakage of water so there might be a large fan in the room. That seemed OK to us and we proceeded on board and up in the lift (elevator) to our deck 10. Arriving at our stateroom (10097), we noticed a hive of activity in the vicinity and were quickly advised that our room had been flooded so that we could not enter. In fact, the furniture (including the bed) had been removed and the room was being re-carpeted! We couldn’t even leave our carry-on bags in the room. (We particularly did NOT wish to have a Butler and this affected our choice of stateroom). We were able to enter our stateroom after about 90 minutes and it looked just perfect. No-one would have been aware of the earlier problems, except for an unpleasant smell from the drains under the bathroom which persisted throughout both legs of our voyage. We drew this to the attention of our Cabin Steward, Dave, and were visited soon after by Emerson, our Deck Housekeeper. He acknowledged the problem and offered us a change of stateroom to another farther down the same corridor but we declined politely as we had, by then, unpacked all of our clothes and couldn’t face the disruption that would have been involved in a move. He offered us a concession which we accepted with gratitude and handled the situation extremely well. Dave had left a bowl of fruit in our stateroom which was replenished daily, as was the refreshments tray. Complimentary still and sparkling water was also provided each day. We had hoped for a walk-in shower so were disappointed to see a shower over the bath which my partially disabled wife found particularly difficult to use. (She is not in a wheelchair). We had all of the usual facilities in our room. The bed was very comfortable, as were the pillows, and we slept well every night using the simple temperature controls. There was plenty of drawer space and more than enough hangers to meet our needs. We had an in-room safe too. There were fresh fluffy towels, warm bathrobes, a coffee making machine, plus tea and coffee making facilities. It was great to be able to relax on our balcony (with 2 chairs and a table) on sea days. Our ‘smart’ TV was very good and, in addition to BBC World News, BBC HD, SKY News, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News, a Cunard lectures channel, and a Cinema Channel, we (sorry, I) was delighted to be able to watch ‘live’ soccer matches from the English Premier League! The Master in command for these two ‘voyages’ (NOT cruises!) was Captain Aseem A Hashmi. What an excellent communicator he is and so personable too. He inspired confidence and proved to be a most entertaining speaker. He was regularly seen around the ship speaking to passengers and answering their questions with the utmost patience and a friendly smile. He was always approachable and a great example to other crew members. We dined in the Princess Grill on table 18, a table for 6, where Carmelia, Vincent, Jayson and Sommelier, Christian, looked after us well. Generally speaking, the food was good, but we all thought it lacked that extra something we had been led to expect from Cunard. I can give three specific examples to illustrate why we were a bit disappointed. First, one of us ordered the Lobster Bisque one evening and it was nothing like any bisque I had ever seen or tasted – more like a consommé! Second, one my wife ordered a cheese soufflé one night but the texture and taste were all very substandard. Third, my wife and I ordered (a day in advance) the duck a l’orange to share one evening. It looked great when it was cooked and served expertly at the table, but was dry and chewy – not at all enjoyable, I’m afraid! (Overall, we all agreed that the Celebrity ships’ Aqua Class food was better, which we found surprising!) Our best meal by far was one night in the Verandah Restaurant, for which there is an additional charge of $40 per person. That was truly excellent with great service! As my wife has a partial disability, we decided to opt for the in-room breakfast because it was easier for her. The efficiency of this food service could not be faulted but, whilst realising that there are logistical problems in offering such a service on board such a large ship, we have to say that the food was only ever lukewarm. We used the efficient on-board laundry service and the self-service laundrette – a most useful facility for 7+ days at sea! The Canyon Ranch Spa Club is extremely expensive and exploits its captive clientele. Moreover, we all felt it is an absolutely appalling disgrace in this day and age for Cunard (and they are not alone) not only to charge for the use of the Wi-Fi facility, which is both slow and variable in quality of signal anyway, but to apply exorbitant charges – 30 minutes for just $15; 120 minutes for $45; and 480 minutes for $135 – when most public spaces in the 21st century, including public transport, provide the facility free! This is tantamount to taking unfair advantage of Cunard guests for what is, in any event, an unreliable service! The entertainment shows in the main Theatre were very good and, as a former competition dancer, I must say how very impressed I was with the dance troupe and the 4 main singers. There were several good guest speakers on board too, including a Canadian astronaut and a costume designer, who were most interesting. We also had the pleasure of watching the English National Ballet workshops and performances. Even though we are not ballet fans, we enjoyed them very much. We were not impressed by the Entertainments Director, Paul O’Loughlin, who seemed to imagine he was a ‘star’ in his own right! Our ‘special places for a coffee or an alcoholic drink were the Chart Room and the Commodore Club. We also greatly enjoyed the Carinthia Lounge at lunchtime for a delicious light snack and a drink. We found that the Golden Lion Pub was also very comfortable, but it can be difficult at certain times to find a table as its popularity, especially with British travellers, means it can be pretty busy. All of these venues had ‘live’ entertainment from time to time, usually in 45 minute slots. We didn’t really use the Queens Lounge (?) except for the Captains Cocktail party but it is a beautiful, large venue. All drinks on board carry an automatic 15% service charge. Before we had set off from home to catch the Queen Mary 2, we had been advised that a film crew would be on board on the return voyage back to Southampton. We were even given the opportunity of applying to be ‘extras’. The advance warning advised that there might be a few restricted areas when filming was taking place but gave an assurance that any disruption would be kept to a minimum so as not to spoil our enjoyment of the voyage. Well, we were never inconvenienced and only saw the filming a couple of times. At no stage was there a problem on such a large ship, and we were pleasantly surprised to see such ‘A listers’ as Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen and Gemma Chan (and others) at work. (We understand the film is to be released in 2020). In summary, the Queen Mary 2 copes well with everything the North Atlantic can throw at it so it was a smooth sail in both directions, in spite of 14 feet waves at one point. We did enjoy our first Cunard voyage, but not quite as much as we had expected. We might sail Cunard again in the future, but it probably would not be our first choice unless the itinerary particularly appealed to us. Read Less

U.K. Cruise – Queen Victoria – August 2019 Pre cruise in London We stayed at the Holiday Inn Kensington High Street. The staff was wonderful and the location was perfect -BUT- the rooms were tiny tiny tiny! We did not have room for our luggage. We got them to move us in what turned out to be a handicapped room which was adequate. The breakfast was included and was wonderful. We took the Original Tour, hop on hop off bus and had a great one-day tour of London (which was extremely busy!) We did not get on the included river cruise because it was just too busy. We had lunch in Leicester Square which was great (Belle Italia) Cunard transfer to Southampton We took an Uber from Kensington to Victoria Coach Station (15 pounds) and were bused to the port. Boarding was a breeze because we arrived at about 2:30 and most had boarded already. We went straight to our room and one of our bags beat us there! Amazing. The other arrived shortly after we did and we were able to unpack and get ready for muster drill. The ship Queen Victoria is what I would call understated compared to other ships we have been on. Classy but not flashy. The pools are very small and there are almost no loungers that are in a covered area. This was not too much of an issue for this trip as it was cool, but would be an issue on warm weather trips. We used the Chart room bar for pre-dinner drinks. It was fine. The dining room is standard design, nothing special. The theater was the best we have seen on any ship. We were able to sit in a private box for every show! We generally did not have dessert or coffee with dinner (6 p.m.) so we were able to arrive at the theater early and get the private box. Our cabin was a standard balcony cabin. Very small but adequate shower. Lots of storage space. (more than our hotel room in London!) Service on the ship was, with some exceptions, quite cold and impersonal. Most “good mornings” sounded like an obligation rather than a true greeting. The bartender in the chart room was great. The waiters were below average the room steward was just adequate. We expected for the price we paid to get super service…..we didn’t. Food Dining room was good but they had no items that were available every day (needed!) Some menus just did not have anything that we really wanted. Good food, again. Not outstanding. The Lido buffet was quite good. They had a good variety that changed every day. I think it was one of the best buffets we have seen. We did not see a grill facility although there may have been one. Theater and Entertainment Most of the shows were very good. The ships singers and dancers were hit and miss (as usual). We went to the show most every night. There was lots of dancing in the Queens Ballroom (which is gorgeous) but we did not partake except for the last evening. Ports Newcastle – we did not go on tour. We just went to the adjacent shopping mall (free shuttle) Edinburgh – After the tender in Newhaven we took a bus to the town center and met with previous cruise friends who live close by. We did a Hop on Hop of bus first, then we climbed the Scott Monument to get great views of the city (and the Queen Victoria at anchor). WE had a pub lunch and coffee at the Dome. A great day in a great town. Invergorden – We stayed in the small town and walked about. We had a complimentary tea and biscuit at the church and bought some souvenirs. Greenock – We decide not to go to Glasgow and instead stay in Greenock. The Inverclyde Tourist Group provided us with a free bus tour of the area which was very enjoyable. We saw the town hall and a local church as well as magnificent views of the whole area from high in the hills. Belfast – We booked Allen tours to take us around Northern Ireland. We saw the “troubles” area (which seem to continue!) then we went to The Dark Hedges, Bushmills, and the Giants Causeway and were back on the ship in time for our 6 p.m. dinner. Allen’s tours were efficient and friendly and 1/3 they cost of the ship’s tours. Liverpool – again. Cruise friends met us at the pier and took us up to Lancashire for the day. We got to meet their family in Burnley (and visit Smackwater Jack’s!) We had a nice British lunch and then got a brief tour of Turf Moor where the Premier League Burnley Clarets play. We toured an old mansion and got to see some Narrowboats at the Barrowford Locks. They took us to the Preston Train station and we rode the train back to Liverpool Lime Street station where we walked back to the ship. Saint Peter Port Guernsey – This was a great stop as the weather got nice and warm! We tendered into the town and walked about looking at the shops. The town and the island are beautiful. Southampton – We had a Cunard transfer to Victoria Coach Station Post cruise in London We stayed at the Park Plaza Victoria. The rooms were very nice and the breakfast the next morning was Full English. We went the Victoria Palace Theatre to see “Hamilton” that evening. The show was magnificent but the seats in the grand circle were too small for even a small human being! I am glad the show was so good because my wife and I were uncomfortable the entire time. WE booked a car to take us to Heathrow for the trip back to Canada Read Less

This was our 3 rd cruise aboard a Cunard ship. Booking was made through Cunard/Hamburg. Service here is in need of getting used to it. Very impersonal for the class we booked. A mere call center processing. Never beforehave I received such poor service in this section. We were even forced to print out our own luggage tags. I am willing to spend the money - but I am not willing to accept the lousy Cunard travel agency service. ( asserted Service ??? ) Also I am fed up with wasting my time on the phone trying to get connected for what they call service. Cheap Internet attitude. I was very disappointed and upset. Cunard Southampton did not even bother answering my letter regarding this issue. The service in the Queens Grill was very good again. Very attentive. Quality of food and beverage also very good. The whole atmosphere in the restaurant is inviting. The sameapplies for the Afternoon Tea Service. Laundry service also very good. Excursion service aboard the ship also lacks an attitude. Personally I do not like guided tours. Take a taxi instead and speak to the locals. Shops here are not very inviting. Variety very small. Many items are of very poor quality -sold at premium prices. After returning to Southampton again we were invited to a Windsor tour. Here we have to emphasize the very good support given by the bus driver and our tour guide. Thank you Port service was fast and effective. Most members ofthe staff are well trained. Read Less

This was our first Cunard cruise, having been on more than 10 cruises with Celebrity and Princess. The Cunard cache lured us into trying them. We were impressed by the Princes grill, we liked the restaurant and private decks available to us.Service in these areas was very good. There was no need to reserve sunbeds which was great. We noticed that the overall condition of the Queen Elizabeth was a little worn, common areas were showing their age. Entertainment was way below our expectations and didn't really compare with the 'Cirque du Soleil" style offerings put on by Celebrity. In fact, this was the first cruise we have been on that actually repeated shows throughout the week. The stops on the cruise were generally good, especially St Petersburgh. There seemed little point in visiting Skagen, (Denmark) yet NOT visiting either Tallinn or Riga. I would suggest a substitution here. We booked private tours of St Petersburg in advance which worked really well ( recommended!) All this said, we were very disappointed by the cleanliness in our stateroom. A more detailed review is under the Cabin section below. It seemed that the workload was just too much for the cabin staff to manage when compared with other cruise lines we've been on. No excuse for Moldy tiles and blood stained towels Read Less

Having cruised with Princess previously due to work commitments and a desire to cruise the Baltic we chose Cunard. Booked through Igloo cruises and will do so again, very helpful and good deal. Paid over 6 months with all trips included. Booked a balcony room and table for two in the main restaurant. So far so good. Embarkation was smooth and swift, staff helpful and friendly - We scored big time with the cabin. Due to the lines of the ship we had a balcony on the curve of the ships side giving us an extra third floor space of both the room and the balcony !! result. We didn't get our choice of dining table, but were aware that it was subject to availability so no big deal. We ate in the buffet at sea, and the dining room alongside. Best of both worlds.. Grub was of the standard expected. As i'm sure most passengers do, we smuggled a tot or 7 on board ! Just as well the bar prices were eye watering !! I'm used to cruise ship prices and the 15% but Cunard you are taking the micky................... Entertainment was brilliant, sorry cant remember their names but both piano playing comedians................Brilliantly funny. Also speakers on military music and astronomy equally as enthralling. The critic who mentioned the zimmer frame is an idiot. Haven't mentioned the ship itself - Dated, Rusty and in places dirty. Bit like the passengers. Would I sail again with Cunard ? Only if Princess weren't going were I wanted to go. Both my wife and I agreed the staff were a bit aloof - Just Saying !! Read Less

We are regular Cunard cruisers and found our Baltic cruise over the last couple of weeks disappointing. Cabin standards and food up to scratch but the entertainment programme left something to be desired. No sign of a Cunard singers & dancers show in the first week and only two shows in the second. We were told the company only boarded with us at Southampton and had to rehearse in the theatre. Sadly their first show looked like they were still rehearsing and some of they costumes looked cheap. Second show was much improved. We didn't appreciate the use of individual artists twice. If you didn't like them the first time you missed another night when they were put on a second time! The speakers programme was also thin, we'd seen a couple of them last year on previous cruises, one speaker had 5 slots in two weeks and on a couple of sea day there wasn't much to choose from. We found ourselves wandering around looking for things to do, which we've never had before. We were also disappointed in the change of the Verandah restaurant to a steakhouse. Although the steaks were fabulous, the sense of a special occasion was lacking without all the additional touches such as 'amuse bouche' between courses and dramatic serving glasses. It also felt that several of the waiting staff were also finding their feet. Hopefully just a blip but can't help feeling costs and corners are being cut. Read Less

Into each life some rain must fall and in my case it came in the form of a bucketful delivered on Day 12 of the cruise. But before sharing the details, let me say that cruises don’t get much better than this: the best European itinerary enjoyed from the luxury and comfort of Cunard Queen Elizabeth. My first sea cruise was to the Baltic and it remains a favourite. Every port offers such tantalising glimpses into the history of northern Europe and however many times you return, there is always something new to discover. If you’ve yet to do a Baltic cruise, I urge you to book one. In Stockholm the beauty of Gamla Stan (the old town) contrasts with the grandness of Royal palaces, in Copenhagen Christiansborg Palace offers rich history whilst the Abba museum offers history of a different sort – not just the chance to thank Abba for the music but also to join in with their songs. St Petersburg, rightly known as the Venice of the North with its network of canals and bridges, provides access to the largest art collections in the world – it would take a lifetime to view every exhibit in the Hermitage – whilst the views from a river cruise bring to life the chronology of the 1917 Russian revolution and the fall of the Tsarist monarchy. Then there is Helsinki, its stern beauty underlining for me by grey skies and early morning rain. Very different is sunny Warnemünde, a pretty seaside town of tree-lined streets and colourful window boxes. Expressionist painter Edvard Munch lived here but for most visitors the main attraction is the friendly cafés and bars along the Alter Strom canal, a five-minute walk from the berth. After days ashore there is much to do on board Queen Elizabeth. On sea days guest speakers cover a range of topics. Lt Colonel Graham Jones, music director for different regimental bands including the Coldstream Guards, attracted good audiences. He was a natural speaker and his stories about rehearsing for great state occasions such as the Trooping of the Colour were witty and laced with stirring musical pieces. The Clarendon Fine Art gallery on Deck 3 was a popular destination, with a varied range of original art work exhibited. Consultants David and Rachel shared their enthusiasm and made sure there was always something new to see. Towards the end of the cruise contemporary wildlife artist Colin Banks came on board to give a painting demonstration; his creation of a lion’s face was awesome and we peppered him with questions as he worked. Elsewhere on other decks there were ice carving displays, wine tastings, quizzes, bridge classes, croquet, the lot – and because the weather was so warm and sunny, plenty of time to relax on the sun decks as well. With my interest in painting I found the art classes led by Penny Wilton good fun. During the cruise she taught us different techniques and we completed pictures inspired by the ports we visited, like the Little Mermaid of Copenhagen and the lighthouse at Warnemünde. Each evening the Royal Court theatre was packed. John Martin, a Liverpudlian comic delivered two shows of non-stop jokes and anecdotes. His style reminded me of Ken Dodd in his heyday and so it came as no surprise to learn that John not only sold jokes to the King of Knotty Ash but was also a pallbearer at his funeral. On three evenings the Royal Court Theatre Company presented shows of music and dance with great energy. This was their first contract and they performed brilliantly together, ably supported by the ship’s orchestra. Less impressive for me was the Royal Arcade of shops. Yes, the range of goods is now more extensive and includes top-end brands such as Dunhill, Rolex and Montblanc, but I expect a sales team to have some knowledge about their products. With a generous amount of onboard credit to spend I found myself looking at a Montblanc pencil with a price tag high enough to make my eyes water. How disappointing to find that the sales assistant was unable to explain its features! Better by far was the team who came on board to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for Russian lacquered boxes. Service across the ship was memorable for all the right reasons . . . Ranji in Security for his cheerful welcome whenever returning after a day ashore, Ash in Mareel Spa for a great haircut mixed with good conversation (prices can sometimes be discounted on port days) and Gilda, my cabin steward, for ensuring my home on Deck 2 was maintained perfectly. In the Britannia restaurant, waiters Cleford and Angelo made every dinner special with their friendly manner and insights into the different menu choices. The quality of the food was first class and hot courses arrived at the table piping hot. The beef Wellington was moist and tender and a grilled turbot fillet I had on another evening was packed with flavour. A highlight every day was afternoon tea at 3.30. In the elegant Queens Room, white-gloved waiters serve finger sandwiches, cakes and scones and it is best to arrive early to avoid queuing. I loved the atmosphere but just as good, if not better, was the self-service tea in the Lido on Deck 9. Trays of warm scones are temptation enough but piled high next to them are tubs of clotted cream. Yes, an entire tub to yourself! What a good job I managed to visit the gym most days! But what happened on Day 12? Well, those gorgeous teatime tubs vanished to be replaced with whipped cream! Cunard’s commitment to reducing the use of plastics means that tubs are no longer acceptable. However, all is not lost. I was assured that clotted cream will continue to be served – not in tubs but as individual servings. What a relief - the world is saved, and so is my favourite Cornish cream. 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My husband and I have completed several cruises over the past ten years. To celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary we decided to visit the Baltics. This was actually a 14 night cruise and we enjoyed every minute. The cruise ship is spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The service is exceptional. The very vast majority of staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Food in the Brittania restaurant was delicious. We did eat in the Lido some evenings and that was good, although not quite as good! We were incredibly lucky with the weather on this voyage which certainly helps. That said, the ports of call in Denmark, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Germany were all wonderful. Our cabin was on Deck 8 Aft. We like the location near to the Aft stairwell and we would choose this location and deck again. Our cabin was comfortable and our steward was always happy to help us. Entertainment on this cruise wasn't quite as good as we have known it to be before but that might be down to personal taste. We enjoyed the shows and musicians.Guest speakers were interesting and the Celebrity Speaker, John Peters, was completely inspiring. There is so much to love about cruising with Cunard. We'll be back! Read Less

Embarkation - went quickly and smoothly, we had no problem with the alcohol we were brining on board at all - a box of wine, several bottles of wine and many mall bottles of gin, rum and port. At ports we had no problem bringing tonics and coke on board as our mixers. We have never sailed Cunard before, previously only sailing on more casual cruise ships, so were somewhat apprehensive about the dress code. Dress Code - The apprehension was missplaced completely. In the two week cruise there were 3 ball nights, and we knew the ladies and gents dress codes for them. Apart from that, if you were going to eat in the main Brittania restaurant men had to wear trousers, jacket and shirt (no tie necessary) and ladies normal smart going out clothes. If you wanted to wear jeans and t-shirt and stay completely casual, you could eat in the Lido buffet and drink in the Golden Lion pub, but could not go to the ball room, other bars, the main Brittania restaurant or the theatre. Some nights we stayed completely casual. Staff customer service - staff always had a smile and a 'good morning/afternoon/evening' whenever they walked past you or dealt with you. We had an enquiry at embarkation when a case was missing. The customer service team where friendly and helpful, finding the case within 10 minutes. Our cabin steward was friendly and welcoming, keeping our cabin immaculate and was always able to bring additional towels or other items we wanted without delay. Other facilities - there was access to several lauderies on the ship, and these were free!! This included the washing powder as well. The laundry included washers, dryers, washing sink, iron and ironing board. An invaluable resource on a cruise of 14 nights. State of the ship - the ship was kept spotless and any faults seemed to be sorted quickly - there was some water ingress in the ceiling of the central buffet area in the Lido. When in port the ship looked stunning and traditional in comparison to other cruise ships. The decor of the ship is art deco, with lovely wood panelled interiors and themed art work for each stair well. Food - there was excellent choice in the Lido buffet most of the time, ranging from early breakfast, main breakfast, snacks, lunch, afternoon tea, early main tea, later main tea, to later evening snacks (till 1.30am). There was shortages of some items, such as the clotted cream for the afternoon tea, hot chocolate drinks, earl grey teabags etc during the last few days - The main Brittania restaurant, we were on early sitting at 6.00pm, also had at least 4 - 6 choices for starter, main and dessert. On one occasion my daughter and I could not decide which dessert we wanted, and then asked if we could order two each - no problem at all. You left the restaurant feeling pleasently full but not stuffed. - There were snack options during the day available in the Cafe Carinthia. Lunch and dinner were also available in the Golden Lion Pub, we enjoyed Friday fish and chips at lunch time here. Waiter served afternoon tea was available on sea days in the Queends Room, this is not to be missed as the sandwich and cake selection is extremely appetising. We also use the Lido grill, deck 9 stern, at lunch time for fish, burgers and chips etc. - We did not try any of the paid restaurants and were not grills passengers. Room Service - On some mornings, and one evening, we chose to have breakfast and dinner in our cabin. It was such a treat being able to be served just what you wanted for breakfast rather than get up and queue up. The evening menu was not as varied, burgers and pizzas mainly. The room service menu was included in the cruise and not an additional extra, which was very good. Drinks - the bars and deck bars were all welcoming and very good, and we did treat ourselves to an occasional glass of wine with dinner, cocktail at sail away, or cider/beer in the evening or day time. The only issue, is that with the value of the pound to the dollar the cost of drinks is very expensive, especially if you are from the north east of England! If we had not brought our own wine, gins, rums and ports on board, plus mixers, it would have been a somewhat dry cruise! Entertainment - the theatre was exceptional, with proper theatre tiered seating, boxes and an exceptional theatre orchestra!! The ships crew were good (but not exceptional) in the two shows we saw them do. We also saw The Opera Boys both times they performed, they were brilliant. We say a violinist once, she was excellent. There was also a pianist/commedian, Jon Courtenay for the last nights of the cruise who was extremely good. The ball room/Queens Room was a bit of a let down as it was almost like a corridor between the front and back of the ship to one side separating the seating, and there was not enough seating for the passengers who wanted to enjoy the dancing most evenings. There was a ball room orchestra as well, who were also excellent. We did attend some dancing classes during the day and put our steps into practice in the evening when we could. There are some very serious dancers on board, so it did make it a bit awkward for novice dancers if they felt they were getting in the way. Other entertainment we enjoyed was the band Next Steps, both on sailaway celebrations and at the Yacht Club. Also, most evenings, we attended, and enjoyed, quizes in the Garden Lounge and later in the Golden Lion pub - we even won the Husband and Wife quiz in the Golden Lion. As you wandered around the ship in the evening there were other muscians and ensembles to enjoy listening to, such as pianist Andy Law in the Golden Lion, who could play/sing anything. Sea days - My daughter and husband thoroughly enjoyed the talks by Robin Scagett, about astronomy, space and time - my daughter, as a primary teacher she took a lot away from those talks. My daughter and I both enjoyed the inspiring John Peters talk and question/answer session. There was another speaker throughout the cruise, but we did not attend his talks. I went to the beginners bridge classes with Chris Jarosz, which was pitched at the right level. I attended on my own and that was a slight problem as many others attended as a couple, but Chris found solutions to this. I certainly hope to continue to learn bridge. Otherwise, I loved the afternoon social craft group in the Garden Lounge. I did also treat myself to an afternoon in the spa pool, warm loungers and steam rooms but I did not have any spa treatments. My husband attended the ships choir, who gave a wonderful performance on the last sea day. He made many friends through this group. I would say that all but one of the passengers we encountered, or met through groups, were lovely, engaging and warm people and came from all over the world. Aside from what we did, there was a wealth of activities to enjoy on sea days, outside there was a full bowling green and other outdoor sports, plus two swimming pools and 4 bubble pools. Indoors, there were card tables, board games, puzzles and puzzle tables, and a two story library that gave out daily quizes, cross words and sudoko. If you just wanted to relax, there were lots of indoor and outdoor quite areas to relax, read and sleep. Disembarkation - we were going to take our own luggage off, but a very experienced cruiser said to put it out, and explained that at the port luggage was arranged by deck number. She said that you could take yourself off at your own convenience rather than follow the instructions if you wanted to make an early get away - we had a long drive back up north, so got off at 9.00am, and collected our luggage very easily ready for the pre booked taxi back to collect our car from the hotel. Overall, we would definately cruise with Cunard again. A thoroughly enjoyable cruise with excellent choice of activities, ports that we wanted to visit and the chance to meet some fantastic people. Our party only did one shore excursion, my daughter and our friend did the segway in Copenhagen and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was $99, which I could have booked on my own for about $79, but not for the times that were best for our days plans. As my daughter and our friend were novice cruisers we felt better leaving them in the care of the excursion team. Read Less

Just wanted to experience a (mini)cruise to see what it would be like and if it would suit us (myself and my wife) for a future trip. We found the Queen Elizabeth a great fun experience! The meals were excellent quality, not oversized, and appeared to be nutritious (ie not rubbish American style food - fruit and veggies were included). We travel (sometimes up to 3 months per year) and eat out a lot and to us the service was excellent. The only other cruise we have done is a Ponant Antarctica cruise with 200 passengers and I found it interesting/amazing that it didn’t appear to be to different (ie. overcrowded) on this ship with 2000 passengers. The entertainment varied from having some excellent musicians (ex Moody Blues, Cliff Richard backing band members, etc ( they were great!) to having terrible dancer/Caberet acts (same as on the Ponant cruise!) but that’s just our preferences. The ship couldn’t stop at Guernsey because it was to rough to disembark passengers (disappointing) but they went to LeHavre instead and we went to HonFleur nearby which was lovely. For us we did conclude that touring by cruise ship was probably not for us as you could not get to really know a place you visited (like we would want to) because of lack of time but as a self contained experience a mini cruise was a fun experience and we would be happy doing a transatlantic crossing on one of these Cunard ships which is what we tried to do in the first place but we couldn’t fit it into our timetable. We would recommend a mini cruise as a fun experience. Whether you would want to tour on cruise ship (ie use a cruise to visit different places) depends on how you want to travel. We had fun on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth . Read Less

I’ll keep this short as I find I stop reading if people write to much. In bullet point fashion. Embarkation: great Cabin steward: absolutely marvellous and they always are. Ship: a bit tired looking, could do with new carpets and paint etc. Staff: reception: awful. If a smile is all your after, that’s all you will get. They really are dreadful. Waiting staff: at breakfast they are miserable and slow even though we were all extremely polite and patient. The evening the attitude is slightly better. Other guests: Rude, arrogant and miserable. Honestly why come on holiday if your going to be like that. I’ve found this to be true on Victoria as well. I think this contributes to the mood of the staff. Food: very good. Kids club: great Pools: dirty (all of them) I went in with my son wearing goggles and wished I hadn’t! Perhaps I’ve gone on too much but really I don’t expect anything to change and if Your only interest is to tell people you’ve been on Cunard you’ll probably continue to put up with it. Holland America beats them hands down (I’m English btw). Enough droning as I’ve definitely gone on too long. Happy cruising Read Less

Second time on QM2 & first since a supposed re-furbishment. As always Cunard smugly bang on about their heritage with artefacts & pictures everywhere yet overall the Cunard experience whilst generally very good it's not 'that' special. Cabin immaculate except that the wooden ornamental balcony railing had come adrift from its metal frame. As to be expected public areas including lounge & bar areas immaculate & rather grand - with one exception ( see later ). Britannia dining room staff utterly charming & food was fine but evening meals taken to the accompaniment of frequent screeching of babies or hyper-active infants not Cunard's fault of course, but why take babies on a cruise it's not a floating creche? The self-service café or Kings Court or whatever still has all the ambience of a 1960's Wimpy bar with many seats in a sort of corridor or in bay windows that have some sort of blue tint on them - weird. The Kings Grille always empty & on the sole occasion I ventured there to get a cheese burger it was tasteless (the burger that is). McDonalds could teach Cunard a thing or two. Food from the café was never ever hot enough, so much so I played safe & stuck to cold meats etc. Given that class division is so obvious on the ship I doubt whether those in Princess or Queens Grille class would ever risk soiling their Gucci loafers in such a place. A certain aspect of the posh Commodore/commode Club was a disgrace. In several places the wood edging to the window apertures had split, come adrift & hanging loose. The inside of the toilet door adjacent to the library was covered in rust. It seems the QM2 is long overdue for it's next mild re-furb. Theatre entertainment was obviously on a low budget e.g. a shrieking girl singer & a so so conjuror/comedian - all a bit village hall I fear. BUT...a guitar concert was a joy as was a talk in the picture gallery. Good selection of day time activities too. Places visited were second time around so need to be ripped-off by over-priced excursions. Took lots of my own photographs including a photograph of a photograph taken with the captain - $35 for one print ! - no way Cunard. However enough good points to be looking forward to next booked Cunard cruise but NOT on QM2. Read Less

Tried this same cruise last year but bas weather cut the itinerary so decided to try again. Weather this time was sunny in all ports, scenery was spectacular. Yes there was a force 9 gale on the final day but on this ship you would hardly have noticed it. Being a transatlantic liner there was hardly any movement so if you are concerned about sea sickness this is the ship to try. The cabin being an atrium view was small but comfortable. The crew were friendly and efficient. The international mix of passengers resulted in some interesting conversations. Yes the drink is expensive but the food was excellent and nothing was too much trouble for the waiting staff. The feeling of space on this ship is amazing. When is the last time you went up on deck on a sunny day and found less than a dozen loungers in use? Yes this ship is in some respects traditional but on the other hand it manages to strike a good balance between tradition and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Being a 150,000 ton ship with only 2600 passengers there were very few queues, with the possible exception of afternoon tea. We didn't have to wait more than 20 seconds for a lift throughout the voyage. Ports of call were really interesting and all arrivals and departures were on time. Best cruise we have ever had. Read Less

Our second time on Queen Mary 2. First trip was transatlantic a decade ago. The ship looks still to be in great shape. The food in Britannia was uniformly excellent. Beef tenderloin, sirloin, pork Wellington, venison, and lots of excellent fish including cod and trout. We did not mess with the “buffet“/Kings Court: Even at breakfast, one could sit down and have a lovely multi-course meal serve to you within half an hour in the restaurant. Entertainment was very good. Shipboard lectures excellent. Staff were uniformly a professional and polite. The shore excursions in Norway were well handled. Transportation from Heathrow to London and from London to the ship and from the ship back to Heathrow was seamless. However, we found our experience with Cunard disappointing in terms of booking the trip: Their website is not very good. The voyage personalizer page is not very well designed. I think we significantly overpaid for the London hotel which we booked through them. We booked airfare through Cunard as well and ended up having to pay significant extra premiums in order simply to have seat assignments. “Air Cunard“ seemed unaware that our flight from JFK to Heathrow that they booked had been canceled; and there was much last minute scrambling between the Cunard travel desk and American Airlines and British Airways in order to re-schedule us. Also, the entire Wi-Fi system on the ship is archaic. Additionally, although they “include gratuities“ and you pre-pay them, sometimes there is a gratuity line that you are asked to complete on receipts. I would prefer that either they leave gratuities up to the passengers or they make it a truly all-inclusive price and you are not expected to tip. Right now it is some kind of weird hybrid and you never really know who to tip or who is getting what tip. But, in the end, Queen Mary 2 is an amazing ship with first Street service. Go for it! Read Less

I wanted to experience a Cunard cruise.....and it exceeded my expectations. Elegant, traditional ship, no noisy pool side cinema screen..... a plus for me! Lovely cabin....deck 5, cabin 5006, amazing food.....with lots of excellent choices in included venues....Red Lion pub lunches extremely enjoyable...fantastic library, wonderful afternoon tea. Great sun loungers...with mattresses interesting celebrity speaker. The dress code is quite formal...but I liked this. Lovely canapés at captain’s reception. Very good captain....present around ship....he seemed to take a personal interest. There are always some cons: very overpriced alcoholic drinks...taking advantage of being a good quality ship, I think. Extortionate prices for excursions...again playing on being a good quality ship. Generally service was good to excellent...particularly our cabin steward...but waiters in Britannia restaurant...with exception of wine waiter...did not appear happy. Service was bordering on dude and surly. Nevertheless, for me the pros far outnumbered the cons. I loved this ship and can’t wait to take another Cunard cruise. Read Less

Normally we don't like many sea days but we'd never been with Cunard and never been to Iceland and we got a good deal so we decided to book. We both really enjoyed it as the food was excellent, the service great and the ship elegant with lots of public spaces. We're not fans of dressing up in the evening so didn't attend any gala dinners and had to avoid most public spaces from 6pm as we weren't in smart enough attire (we were asked to leave one of the bars at 6.15pm once as we had jeans on, there are casual bars but we went back to our cabin instead and stopped buying cocktails). We ate mostly in the Lido and had plenty of choice all the time and it was good quality. We only ate once in the dining room as 6pm is too early but the 8.30pm sitting was too late plus I'm not keen on having to dress smartly every night. Loved the food in the Red Lion and the choice in the Chart Room and the barista coffee was passable. I can't comment on the entertainment as we don't normally go to any or partake in most activities (there wasn't an option to say not applicable in the ratings) but we did like some of the guest speakers during the day. The gym isn't good if you like to do lots of weights. There are dumbbells but only two benches and the machines aren't worth using (they try and cover multiple exercises with one machine) and there's no lat pull down machine, Smith machine etc which other ships of this size have. It does open at 6am which is perfect. The ports were interesting. We booked independent tours for each port apart from Dublin which we did on our own. There isn't an not applicable option for shore excursions in the ratings so my 1 isn't realistic as we didn't do any. Read Less

Personally I have never been interested in going on a cruise but it was the choice of in laws and I ended up being dragged along. After initially booking Britannia we ended up taking advantage of a cheap upgrade offer to Queens Grill. It didn't start well at Embarkation when there was a scrum of people surrounding the doors into the hall in Southampton and no indication of where the priority booking queue was. Asking people working their didn't get us anywhere until one guy told us to go straight into the hall which meant forcing our way past the people in the main queue who were rightfully unhappy with us pushing past them where at last we saw the signs for priority booking. Given there are multiple doors into the hall surely it can't be that hard to put signs up outside as well. Though not as bad the disembarkation was also chaotic with little in the way of clear directions. First impressions of the ship were ok, some of it looked a bit tired but much of it very nice. The cabin was nice and spacious and we were glad to have upgraded. Food wise the Queens Grill was ok more of a decent chain restaurant than anything else though. Some really nice food, the beef wellington for example, alongside some pretty run of the mill stuff. The formality of the place and the dressing up got a bit wearying after a while particularly as you weren't usually eating food that lived up to it. It also led to some oddities like if you ordered a pie they brought out the pie dish and then spooned the entire contents onto your plate which took ages. Just serve it in a pie dish guys, my poor husbands cottage pie just looked a mess. Apart from that the staff were almost uniformly excellent and they were fine with us not all turning up and ordering at the same time. Went to Kings Court occasionally but it was nothing special. Entertainment wise some of the lectures were interesting but the entertainment was mostly end of a pier stuff, the planetarium pretty dull and the pub ok but quite small so you had to get to things like trivia early to get a seat. On that note the entertainment team in the pub were generally very good though the lady who liked to make the 'twist' question in the evening trivia easy really needs to learn the point of quizzes. Their didn't feel like there was much on though in general, certainly not much of any interest. I suppose mostly aimed at the elderly regulars. The gym was good though having no sauna or steam room other than having to pay in the spa is a mistake. Outside areas also ok though not that well used given the pretty average weather on most sea days. We spent a lot of time in the smoking area and got chatting to some very nice, fun people there, other than that there was little interaction on board. The casino was quite fun and they made it easy to play if you didn't have much experience, only issue was the crumbling floor so you had to watch your step the whole time. The floor is also starting to give way in the main lobby which was somewhat alarming. Stops wise Liverpool (helped by the weather) and Reykjavik were both very nice, with lots to see. We didn't go on any excursions as you can book the same trips yourself for half the price. Had a fantastic lunch at Islenski Barinn in Reykjavik. Halifax was ok but it's essentially a mid sized city with not much in the way of history to see. Corner Brook however may be the dullest place on Earth and I have no idea what they were thinking in stopping there. Overall a real disappointment, for all their talk about the glamour of the transatlantic crossing there was painfully little of that in evidence. Read Less

Was on the Iceland Canada crossing. Very smooth but there lacked things to do for anyone under 50. Also had a worrying fire on board one evening over the tannoy telling us it had broken out in the incinerator room. Could smell smoke. Also had a person helicopter lifted off. All quite eventful! Boat was clean and tidy and staff very nice plus the food was great. The buffet was very good especially the sushi etc. Did get a bit of a dodgy stomach from the mussels which upset my stomach for 24 hours but it soon passed. The entertainment in the theatre was very poor however. Some of the acts were dreadful including the resident singers. A very good guest French pianist though. Overall worth the money but be prepared to occupy yourself as there is very little to do on those long sea days if you don't do ballroom dancing or enjoy bingo etc ! Read Less