Queen Victoria is a wonderful ship offering excellent entertainment options and an amazing dining experience. It does have some problems, as does every ship I've sailed on, but overall I think you'll enjoy your experience. First of all, it is not a young person's cruise. The average passenger on my cruise was 70+ years old. If you have trouble with elderly people walking very slowly in front of you and stopping suddenly for no apparent reason, you may be frustrated at times. At the height of the summer cruise season for families, there were hardly any children on board. Secondly, It is largely a British clientele, which I found charming. The average cruiser was well educated and well mannered. No line jumpers of chair hogs, which was refreshing. I could strike up a conversation with almost anyone I met and found most of them interesting. However, if you want to shoot the breeze about NASCAR, baseball and the NFL, you may be disappointed. Check-in was smooth on the dock, but scattered and unprofessional on board. No one met us in the lobby. There was no sign telling us where to go. We were boarded on the open deck three and had to find our own way inside. Even inside, no one greeted us or offered to help us find our cabin, lunch, etc.. We had to ask! Talk about a bad first impression. It got better after that. We had a suite and were dining in the Queens Grill. Our butler met us at the door (Suite 7050), took our alcohol orders for the in-room bar, showed us how to work everything in the room and walked us to the elevators to show us how to access the private Queen's Grill dining room. She was amazing throughout the cruise. She set up a cocktail reception in our room for a half dozen guests (the complimentary appetizer platter was huge and delicious). Lourdes took care of last minute laundry requests and kept our suite spotless. She also restocked the bar any time we were running low. The suite has a boxy crowded configuration which made the room seem much smaller than it was. There were plenty of electrical outlets with both American and British sockets. We had no problem keeping two cell phones, two tablets and two fitbits charged. The love seat is fine. There is adequate storage space and the butler stowed our empty luggage so we wouldn't have to worry about it. TIP: Don't remove your stateroom luggage tags. You'll need them to find your luggage at disembarkation! The balcony was large enough for a table and three chairs plus two loungers. The bed was very comfortable, however they do not use typical American sheets, on board, but rather European duvets. Very comfortable, but not what I'm used to. The bathroom was functional, with a private toilet room and a private room for showering and bathing, The tub was jetted and offered a very relaxing bath with bubbles. The towels were not soft at all, The teri cloth material made for the worst towels I've experienced in 25 cruises. The suite's bar was stocked with loads of teas, coffee and cookies. My wife and I each chose a brand of alcohol. I requested Crown Royal, even though it was not on the list offered by Cunard. The butler made it happen! The fridge was stocked with Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7-Up, tonic nd soda water, Carlsberg Beer and plenty of water, Again, our butler replenished our bar twice a day! We dined in the Queen's Grill, which is the best dining experience on the seas, in my opinion. The menus are very similar to those in the Princess Grill and Britania Dining Room. The difference is we were invited to order off the menu at every meal, and the dining staff did their best to accommodate us. Among the items I ordered off the menu were: Caviar, shrimp cocktail, Dover sole, chateaubriand, lobster, veal parmasean, fettuccine Alfredo, pistaccio ice cream, french onion soup and several different salads. Basically, the sky's the limit, if they have the ingredients on board, The tables are close together. My wife and I were seated at a table for two, but conversed easily and often with diners at nearby tables. When we wanted privcy, we were left alone. However, we all became instant friends. Here's a tip: Be the first to say hello to someone and do it early in the cruise! Coincidentally, one gentleman, at a six-top next to us, turned out to be a Cruise Critic member I had conversed with on line! He and his wife were positively charming! I found the entertainment on board to be excellent. The big production shows were good, but not amazing, Headliners like the magician and acrobatic dance team were marvelous. And it seemed on any given night there were six or more venues offering music and fun. I've never experienced such a wide variey of musical enterrtainment on any ship I've sailed. It truly was a highlight of th cruise.And it meant fewer crowds. We never had a problem finding a table or a seat in the showroom for the late shows. The only bummer was the Grills Lounge never had live entertainment. The enrichment activities were a disappointment. Cunard offers wine tasting seminars on its web site. High end wine seminars. However, after pre-booking a very expensive tasting, we got on board to learn the wine seminars were canceled. In fact our sommelier told us they han't done the high end wine tastings in six months. Cunard refused to credit the money from my canceled wine tasting to my shipboard account and told me I'd have to try to get refunded when I returned home. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SEVICE on that! Tip: Do NOT PRE-ORDER WINE TASTINGS! There were 3 speakers on board. One was a retired fighter pilot, who offered some fun anecdotes about his flying career. The other two sounded so boring, I cannot even remember them. I believe one woman was discussing the film career of an actor I've never heard of. We did not use Cunard for shore excursions. We booked everything independently. I suggest you consider private independent shore excursions as well. Remember, every group tour moves as fast as its slowest member. Everyone else has to wait on the slow poke. You may only have one shot to visit some of these ports. Do you relly want to wait on that last person? Additionally, Cunard builds profit into its excursions. The independent tours are almost always cheaper. Cruise Critic has an excellent section devoted to independent tours. Disembarkation for this cruise was difficult, because we got off in Kiel. It is an hour+ drive to Hamburg from there. It's pricey and difficult to reach the airport in time to make flights to the USA. Many people opted to spend an extra day in Hamburg. Don't take the negative aspects of my review as an indication I was disappointed. I was not. I will definitely cruise Cunard again if I can find the right itinerary. And I will definitely book Queens Grille for the dining experience. These reviews are supposed to help future cruisers prepare, I hope I have! Read Less

We have been on all 3 Cunard ships which are all beautiful and very well presented. The staff are second to none and very helpful. We chose this cruise and had booked a year in advance whilst still on board in 2018. It was our wedding anniversary on the 24th June so we like to go away the same time every year. We don't mind where to as long as it falls on our anniversary date and as long as we are on board a Cunard ship! Our stateroom was serviced twice daily and a turn down service for the evening with chocolates provided, just before bed time (as if we hadn't already eaten enough) and tomorrow's programme of events to browse through and plan tomorrow, before some very much needed zzzzzz's after such a fabulous day/evening. We usually chose a large table of 6 for dinner as we enjoy meeting like minded cruise buddies. Two of our 'tablemates' we'd met on a previous cruise the year before (we had arranged this with them and are certainly now lifelong friends). We met two other guests who were delightful. We all had a lot in common particularly when it comes to cruising! The food was very well presented and tasty. The Lido buffet on board is fabulous. The food is fresh and plentiful in choice. Despite being in the Grills, we still love a wander through and maybe a little nibble here and there ;) The entertainment on board is amazing. I particularly enjoy the Cunard singers and dancers and all the other shows and guests appearances/entertainers. Also during the day on sea days, we love going to the on board speakers insights/enrichment talks. They are very interesting and have met some really lovely speakers from famous sports people to pilots to ex-policemen/detectives. There is always plenty to do around the ship on sea days and of course there's the swimming pools and hot tubs and the gym if you feel you need to burn off a few gained pounds! The service on board from the stateroom steward to the waiters and sommeliers to the cleaning staff and pursers desk are always so helpful and nothing is too much trouble. They are always welcoming and are very polite and say 'good morning' or 'have a good evening'. The shore excursions are varied and interesting. The coaches are clean and comfortable and the guides are very knowledgable. I love the fact that we can book an excursion and know the ship will be waiting for us whether we are late or not. We have travelled with our grown up children who equally love the Cunard ships. We haven't got grandchildren yet but I'm sure they would love it with their very own special area and staff to entertain them on sea days. We will certainly book again soon. We just have to save up the pennies first :) Read Less

I stayed in an interior cabin on this recent cruise and found it to be just what I needed for a comfortable bed in the evening. Linens, pillows, comforter - all great. Cabin attendee was warm hearted and helpful with anything needed. Bathroom was starting to show its age, but great shower pressure, size and heat. Spa services were wonderful, took advantage of some of the discounts onboard during slower times and found the value to be good, especially considering you get use of the in-spa jacuzzi and pool. Ate in the main dining room twice out of the five nights and probably would reduce this number on the next cruise. Service was not nearly as good as specialty restaurants, though I had no issue with the food quality. Our waiter in the second seating was rude, always trying to rush and never in sight after the order was given. It also took a long time for the sommelier to get to our table, he clearly had his hands full and the two times we ate there he would arrive at our table around the time we were eating our appetizer. I don't fault the ship for this and give a 5 star review because this was easily solvable by eating at the specialty restaurants where all these issues were more than solved. The Veranda was wonderful (ate there twice) as was the rotating restaurant - we had Indian and it was great. Loved grabbing lunch at the golden lion pub in the afternoons. Pool decks were nice and public spaces in part because there were far less children on this boat than many other carriers. This kept things more organized. My wife and I are in our early 30's and felt well placed in the crowd. Overall a great experience and great value. Will be back and would like to try the princess grill on the next voyage. Cheers Read Less

This was our second Transatlantic cruise on QM2. We love this ship as it’s a proper ocean liner. Having read some reviews, all I can say is don’t listen. We had a wonderful time and I fail to see any issue with this cruise. The cabin... smallish yes, but everything there. And it is a ship, so space obviously won’t be the same as in a hotel. We had a balcony and enjoyed the fresh sea air. The service... probably the strongest part for Cunard. Quiet, efficient, friendly without being pretentious. Our waiters Ganesh and Arnold were particularly good. Any wish was catered for and next time quietly repeated. My husband was looking for a toothpick and there was one there every time. The food.... lovely food, good variety and in one word delicious!! Afternoon tea was a treat and always a spectacle. Entertainment... during the day there was lots to do and I enjoyed the fact that I would join activities, I wouldn’t normally do. Lectures on air travel, a dance class. In the evening we enjoyed the shows, yes some of the dancing wasn’t what I would ordinarily choose to see, but I still enjoyed it as part of the experience. Some of the shows were exceptional, Francis Ruffelles fro the West End was fantastic. Dancing in G32 was fun and a drink in your Sunday best in the Commodore’s Club is special! Embarking and disembarking was easy a very organised. Maybe my only criticism would be that drinks are very expensive. We loved every minute and can’t wait to see you again QM2 ❤️ Read Less

" Slow boat " to Japan for the Sakura or Cherry Blossom, and a bit of sightseeing, fine dining and some dancing in between, that was the idea and why not, take 19 nights instead of 9 hours fly direct. It is the journey that matters and something to reminisce in future. See photos. In Nov 2017, we travelled the shinkansen or bullet train around Japan for the autumn foliage and kind of felled in love with the beautiful people, place and views. So this time, we wanted to see the sakura. We experienced sakura in Hirosaki Castle Park in North Honshu. Aomori is the closest big town. ( see photos and separate review on the Diamond Princess ) We sailed QE, Melb to Yokohama for the first leg and switched over to the Diamond Princess to sail around Japan for the 2nd leg for another 9 nights. Thanks Cunard staff for the cabin upgrade. Hundreds of us, had to do the switch over and gladly give the Japanese a chance to enjoy what we did in the last 3 weeks on the QE. The rumour was, 1700 Japanese were getting onboard the QE for the Golden Week ( 4-5 public holidays ). In my past reviews on Cunard voyages, I have commented their excellent ambience, decore, service, food, entertainment and varied activities. Breakfast room service and dining service were excellent, everyday. These high standards continued, in my humble view. Thanks Reynaldo and Alvin for your serving of pistachio souffle which I enjoyed watching more than eating ( I am not a dessert person ). Thank you to our Brissie realtors table companions and making everyone laugh, sometimes in tears, each night. And to Ron and Angela for the many many happy times we had while onboard. On sea days and there were many, Zumba exercises at 9am and line dancing at 10am, ballroom dancing at 11am and in the afternoon, different type of dance lessons and from 7.45pm onwards, ballroom and latin dancing in the Queens Room till midnight and in the Yatch Club, with more pop and disco until the wee morning hours. In QE, you can literally DANCE TILL YOU DROP DEAD. As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Survive I did with a trick, get some rest and catch a nap. We enjoyed dancing but not as dedicated as some others who wake up at the crack of dawn, to practice in the Queens Room. Thanks to the many people we met while dancing like Des and Pauline, Ron n Barb, Arthur n Betty, and Tim n Tima, Mark n Annie, etc.... Life on board the QE includes the pool activities, mahjong, fencing, table tennis, darts, trivia, interesting talks, shows and of course, drinking and fine dining and late night suppers in the Lido after dancing. Following an interesting presentation on the social culture and food aspects of Japan, there was an interesting ceremony on breaking of the sake or wine barrel. The Japanese vintage sake was free flowing and was limitless. It was not a good idea, on an empty stomache and before lunch but life goes on.... Neil, the entertainment director and zumba instructor, was easy, funny and encouraging to many newcomers to zumba. He got my table companions, Steve and Donna, converted. Lesley, did a great job hosting and was ably assisted by the dance hosts like Brian and Sheila, Richard, etc. Much credit is due to our 4 dance instructors who patiently taught many of us, several useful dance moves and techniques to improve ourselves. Recorded music used for dancing was in manyways better than live music on some occassions ( see review on QE to Tasmania and Port Arthur) As for the ports, we were lucky to get some magical views of sunrise over the Sydney Opera House and the ferries darting in and out of Circular Quay ferry terminal. I have lived and worked in Sydney before and this experience is still a treasure. A tip, get the portside cabin when coming into Sydney. We enjoyed strolling along the Royal Botanical Gardens and the views from Mrs Macquaire Chair of QE, Opera Housre and the Harbour Bridge. This must be one of the most beautiful harbour in the world, in my view. In Brisbane, we enjoyed the free shuttle to town centre, free City Hopper ( red coloured ) ferry ride around Southbank and wandered and shop inthe high street. We dropped in a big Commonwealth Bank to do some banking and got free wi-fi and an excellent coffee, on the house. Thank you customer service. That is why banked with you. We skipped visiting Alotaul in PNG as it was so bloody hot and humid but we did our own shore excursion ( aud 45pp for a 2 hour air cond bus tour ) in Rabaul to the Hotsprings, Mt Tavurvur ( pronounced TaVOORvoor) volcano that last erupted 5 years ago in Sep 2014, the Japanese general Yamamoto bunkers, and the Volcano Observatory station. The scientist staff showed us in and explained all the seismological monitoring. You can get some beautiful views of QE in the harbour below and the volcano, too. In Manila, we got a free shuttle to a big shopping complex. We got some currencies and went shopping. I booked and got a nice hair trim by a gorgeous hairdresser and my wife got a manicure done at the same time. You can walk out of QE or port to see Josef Rizal Memorial and Fort Santiago without having to catch the free shuttle. Do that later. Otherwise, it was a 30 min hike back and it can be very sweaty due to its humidity and the pathways are not always clear and smooth. In Nagasaki, we took a tram ride to the nearest station and walked 5 min to the Peace Park and another 5 min walk to centre of the atomic bomb blast. The English tourist brochure on how to ride and pay the tram fare and the direction to the stations is very simple and clear to understand. Remember to change tram at the main station for the next tram and get a transfer ticket from the tram driver before disembaring. This is used for the 2nd and final tram when you exit. Just follow the cruise crowd as nearly all will head in the same direction. It is 50% cheaper to pay on the tram as you exit instead of buying the day pass. You may not have much time visting other places. We window shopping when we return and walked up to the Church which was first used by Portugese inthe 13th-15th century. BTW, you can see the small mountan scenic top from the QE ship portside andyou can catch your own ropeway or cable car up there for a small fee as compared to shore excursion. Yokohama, has a lot ot offer which we will do the next time. This time, we caught the city free shuttle to Sakuragicho station. We have a Suica card from previous visit and we avoided the very long queue to buy a train ticket to Central Tokyo or Shinjuku or Akihabara in our case. We caught the unreserved seating JR Keihin- Tohuku for Omiya direction express train direct to Akihabara for under 600 yen or usd 6 or aud 9. Incredibly cheap and quite fast if you know how and do your homework. Use hyperdia.com website. Otherwise, Cunard transfer will be aud 100 plus. Hopefully, my table companions took up my suggestion,if not for the money, at least, just for the experience. In conclusion, we were very happy overall with the voyage and the many people we met, dined and danced with and highly recommend this ship and voyage especially for the Pollywogs who have never crossed the Equator. You get a big colorful Cunard map of the world certificate with your name on it for crossing the Equator. Nice surprise. Looking forward to the next Med cruise in Sept. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading the review and got something out of it in some little ways. Well, at least enjoy the photos. Read Less

Xmas and new year cruise to the canaries From embarkation to disembarkation it was everything we expected Arrived at the port 10.15 checked in and on by ten fifty five Balcony Cabin 4042 near stairway A no issues quiet location the balcony had a solid front which didn’t cause any issues A very calm transit through the Bay of Biscay Food and waiters in Brittania we’re excellent best we have had (Alex and Jeffrey) New Year’s Eve was spectacular We enjoyed all the ports, disappointing that we didn’t get into Madeira, this was due to the weather, it was not safe for the tenders, very scary watching other tenders going into port Would highly recommend a very good cruise The only negative I have is the high costs of the drinks and the cost of spa treatments, if only they reduced the prices t am sure more people would indulge Read Less

Overall, it is difficult to imagine anyone who is executing the overall shipboard experience better than Cunard and their flagship Queen Mary 2. From the big pieces, ship design and maintenance, to the fine details, cool towels and ice water waiting for guests returning from ashore, everything was executed brilliantly. We were on the Christmas holiday sailing roundtrip from New York in a sheltered balcony stateroom and we took our meals in the Britannia Dining Room at the late sitting. Some areas that may be most interesting for those considering a voyage. EMBARKATION Absolutely seamless. We arrived via car service at the pier and were through check-in, had our photo snapped, dropped off our hand luggage in the room and were eating in the Kings Court in less than 30 minutes. Our luggage was delivered before 4PM. STATEROOM Our sheltered balcony was well-appointed, with more than adequate storage. The room was spotlessly clean and in overall excellent condition. There were two minor issues, we had some very warm but not hot water for about 24 hours, but the problem was documented and corrective action taken and our room was able to be cooled just adequately, but didn't really offer the ability to make it delightfully cool. FOOD Food in the Britannia Dining room was outstanding. The menu had a very broad and deep offering with diverse flavors always on display. Portions were perfectly sized for a multi-course meal and the service was attentive and professional. One of Cunard's signature benefits is lunch served daily in the dining room, even on port days, which we found very pleasant. The Kings Court was recently refreshed and the new layout is far superior to the previous version. While the overall selection may be slightly smaller than what is available on other ships, the quality of the individual dishes is outstanding and there certainly are dishes to suit a wide variety of tastes. We only had breakfast from room service, but the food arrived fresh and the order was correctly filled. It is a luxurious option to have a hot meal delivered in the morning. ENTERTAINMENT Cunard is unparalleled in their breadth of onboard entertainment. The guest lecturers were world class, the evening entertainers very good to exceptional and the days offered so many options that it would be all but impossible to take it all in. SHIP Queen Mary 2 remains unique among ships offering cruises. She feels more like a grand stately hotel than anything, but maintains a great maritime heritage. Despite the large number of passengers, the ship never felt crowded. Overall cleanliness and condition were absolutely marvelous. The crew's care and attention to detail was evident everywhere. ITINERARY While it was not the critical factor in our choosing this journey, the round trip out of New York and stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten make for a great variety of experiences and of course it all begins and ends in one of the world's greatest cities. SUMMARY Cruising with Cunard is different than anywhere else. There is a formality and refinement that just isn't prominent elsewhere. This leads to a great environment that isn't stuffy or boring, but refined and thoroughly enjoyable. Between the magnificent ship, the fabulous food, the superior service and the warm waters of the Caribbean in December, this was a marvelous journey. Read Less

As a critic, it becomes a nightmare to fulfil your dreams, as you are always on duty you never switch of. I choose Queen Mary2 because I still believe she is the most elegant ocean liner that’s sails, awaiting the new queen, many whispers on what she will be called “Queen Anne” is my answer now to wait and see, the cruise set sail and began its magnificent voyage to New York seven sea days. I was disappointed to find the ginger bread village had been cut only a quarter of the village displayed and they didn’t bring it out until we continued onto the Caribbean. The Cunard guest choir was outstanding. The staff always serving at such high standards. The North Pole making connection to say Father Christmas arriving the children amazed .. perfect xmas voyage - finally I could switch off.. place my sun hat upon my head and relax as we headed towards the Caribbean feeling the warmth as my body began to tan. New Year’s Eve the 8 o’clock party to bring in the new year in the golden lion was absolutely one of the best parties I have been too for bringing everyone together. The veranda head waiter and his staff for me shone more than any one with exception to Clyde and Romas in the golden lion. The Britannia restaurant food was of a good standard Christmas Day was exceptional. The spa for once on a cruise ship had a hairdresser that actually could do your hair. Maya. The events planner deepsha was professional in organising my event to perfection. The itinerary packed with things to do what ever your day you desired to fill with. The water colour class was a great class as 35 dollars also the floristry class with mikey and jay lo absolutely outstanding 50 dollars for a two day course. You practiced with beautiful flowers and Cunard never cheated you to gain money , they gave an exceptional class to ensure you had a five star experience. I took myself off to the 9.am fencing club now able to use a sword beware this critic can now defend herself. Midge Ure was performing and also gave lectures this was received well with passengers, whilst I carried in the moves with his daughter Molly in the fabulous G32. Until Dawn broke. The queen Mary2 suffered a complete power failure through out the ship on New Year’s Eve late in the evening. Darkness hitting the ship no power for around 25 minutes. The ship drifting as the chief engineer and his colleagues desperately trying to find a solution, alongside the captain who took almost 10 mins to make his announcement try to get to grips with what was happening to the ship before trying to let passengers know the details, some passengers complained this was too long but for the captain safety being his first priority. Three times they tried and Queen was back under command. A ship where no panic hit due to the training given to ensure passengers were safe and not frightened at this time. Another negative the social hostess was the worst I have ever come across, dosnt interact with passengers is very off putting Thai I was shocked to see, but I didn’t downgrade a star because I know Cunard will deal with it . So yes Queen Mary2 as you as sail keep on making dreams a reality. Yes she is a little more pricey but if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Cunard provide excellence I await to sail again Lady Kendal Jaggar Read Less

The voyage was to the Canaries from Southampton. At the start , we were a little apprehensive due to the Bay of Biscay but the ship handled it well despite the 4Mtr swells. We had superb food in the Britannia restaurant and Lido, probably the best to date. We were also glad to see that Cunard were maintaining the dress code, I did not see anyone who was not dressed to the correct standard. The dress standard is what Canard is all about. The dining staff were extremely attentive and were very keen to try and please. The ship was decorated beautifully in readiness for Christmas, we even had a small Christmas tree in the room. Our Stateroom was very comfortable, the Cunard staff could not do enough for us, nothing was too much trouble. The enrichment activities were wonderful, in particular the NASA talks by Jim Kennedy. Overall the evening entertainment was to a high standard in particular the Cunard show called Hollywood nights, especially the new introduction of the "Greatest showman" which we thought was stunning. Most of the evenings involved late night drinks in the Commodore club listening to a pianist/singer. Overall a fantastic cruise Read Less

A crossing on the QM2 was a bucket list item and chose our 36th Anniversary as the time to take this cruise. We chose this cruise because we wanted an elegant experience that harkens back to the grand ships from 70 years ago and QM2 delivered. Our balcony stateroom (deck 11) afforded great views and plenty of space. The food in the Britannia dining room (breakfast & dinner) was excellent. How can you go wrong with choices like steak, fish, rack of lamb, beef Wellington, lobster, pheasant, and venison. Staff service was great including our room steward fulfilling a special request to shine my shoes for the first formal night. Special light meals and specialty coffees in the Corinthia lounge with string quartet and watching ballroom dancing at high tea with cucumber sandwiches and scones are experiences not found anywhere in Fort Lauderdale where we live. The dancers in the shows were outstanding and could perform on any network dancing show. Anyone looking to escape their work a day world and dress up at night this ship is for you. We loved it! Read Less

Although I have travelled with many different cruise lines, I had never cruised with Cunard and my partner had never cruised before. We sailed from Southampton, the embarkation very smooth. Our balcony cabin on deck 5 greeted us with a complmentary bottle of bubbly which we drank sailing out of the harbour. The cabin was a good size with reasonable sized bathroom. The toiletries were replaced daily. Great cabin, beautfully presented and tasting food with superb service from all staff. One day we had breakfast delivered to the cabin and we ate on the balcony as the sun rose. The entertainment was first class and the enrichment lectures very informative and entertaining. We used the gym daily and my partner had a treatment from the sports therapist which was very beneficial. We used the complimentary launderette several times which minimised the weight of the suitcase. Special thanks to the Chief Engineer for making my partner's first cruise unforgettable. Read Less

In late 2018 we waited to find another amazing bargain on an off-season trip on Cunard from Barcelona to Southampton. Given the increased demand for cruises, this was not to be. The backup plan was to re-create the original idea for our honeymoon over 30 years ago, a transatlantic cruise. Prices were decent on Queen Mary 2 crossings and frequent flyer miles /points could be used for flights and a Manhattan hotel as the school holidays were mostly over. Cunard requires or at least celebrates formal attire and dressing up, so for that one needs baggage. The New York yellow cabs in the form of small Nissan vans are ideal for jumbo suitcases. The cab to the Holiday Inn Flatiron from LGA was around $50 and the same from the hotel to the ship. After reading many postings online, we jumped in the cab right after hotel check-out at 11 and arrived at the Red Hook Cruise Terminal at noon. We were aboard and unpacking our checked luggage in our stateroom by 12:45. I tracked down several senior hotel officers at the welcome reception and thanked them personally for this amazing effort. The secret on the speedy luggage delivery was later revealed by one of the waiters – a draft of crew from other departments helps to expedite the ship turnaround and bag delivery. Once aboard the Golden Lion Pub did not disappoint. I am still slowly working my way down the beer list aboard, and a Jaipur IPA was a good choice. I managed over the week to try most of the excellent lunch choices. I started trying to decide between the fish and chips and the chicken tikka but ended up on the ploughman’s platter with the duck mousse, ham, chutney and an excellent soft bun. A glance at the program for embarkation day revealed ballroom dancing with the live orchestra was at 8:30, which was also the time of our dinner seating. We are early dinner people and the reported 260 person wait list and notice in the program and signs to not try to seek early dining were not encouraging. Buffets seem unsanitary and remind me of a school cafeteria no matter how classy they are. We are not steak people either, so Veranda was out (they had a six only week trial of a steakhouse menu) but the Italian alternative option – La Piazza -up in the buffet area ($14.50 on sale) seemed fine. They set up tablecloths and the china and the buffet wait staff did a credible job of providing fine dining for us. I had a shrimp and scallops entrée that was well prepared. The way to arrange early MDR seating if it is utterly sold out is to wait a day, then ask kindly for the dining room leadership to sort out a temporary place. The no-show rate is significant for assigned dinner places. You can also start a self-important rant as one woman we know did but that seems tacky. The dancing was good. The dance floor seemed smaller (or perhaps wider and shorter) than the one on Queen Victoria or even the NCL Breakaway. We loved the orchestra (seven pieces and a skilled vocalist). Dances included foxtrot, waltz and rumba. They would mix in a jive and quickstep and play also recorded sequence dances on the band breaks. Note a metronome as in use by the band leader. We were counting noses on the dance staff and came up short. There is usually a ranked dance couple aboard along with the hosts and hostesses. There was apparently last-minute incident involving the scheduled dance couple. The lead dancers from the theater filled in – the lessons were just right. I despise in room refrigerators and the one on our deck five sheltered balcony cabin tortured me. Every 32.8 seconds it cycled, ran a bit then shut off. I called the front desk and they came out to fix it. After a new motor it now cycled every 40 seconds. Our cabin attendant, Nancy, got wind of this and agreed to have it unplugged. In the cabin you get a real teapot and plenty of outlets. The drawer pulls are pretty but useless as reported. They had a blissful limit to piped in music and announcements broadcast over the PA- even on the morning of departure. Britannia dining was hit and miss. Several of us mentioned looking at the main dining room menus and the published-online “French” one for Verandah and being baffled as to what some of it was. The idea of mixing salads and starters on the menu was unusual. One of our table mates was surprised to see the fish course was fried with chips. It got better over the week- for those wanting lobster tails at no extra charge those were served the last formal night. The service was flawless. We had a lovely discussion over breakfast on Morocco with our fellow passengers (a trip on my bucket list) which is a feature of Cunard. The morning breakfast large tables never failed to produce fascinating conversation. The lectures were interesting- I am a bit of a cruise ship/liner historian and one of the retired staff – Maureen Ryan (who is a rock star brand ambassador) - from the Queen Mary and QE2 gave a stirring several first person account of life aboard. The idea of second seating dining continued to bother me until it was pointed out that the clocks were to be set on hour later five times during the cruise at noon. So, after a while, late seating got earlier and earlier by our body clocks. And the band started at 9:45 after the first days. The only line all week was to enter the tea dance, which was well executed. We peeked in at one show – it was dancing – but a bit stylized for us. Cunard has onboard boxing rings- the guest laundries. If you chose to join the fray, don’t wander off after your washing is done as there is keen competition for washers and dryers. On the other hand, lost socks were politely placed in the basket. We had lovely mild weather all week- calm seas and Force 2-3 winds. This is apparently more common in summer – and Force 10 winds and matching storm driven waves are not unheard of in January as an example. The aft pool is a must have feature. There was still a bit of grousing about the cost of single cabins aboard- they at least have some. There were reportedly more than 300 single passengers aboard. The new spaces post drydock are attractive – I would have found a way to make the Britannia dining room and the dance floor larger, the rest of the ship layout seems sensible. There was not a trace of smoke from the modest casino or anyplace else on board, except, sensibly, the after outside teak deck, downwind. Several of the public rooms, such as the disco (G32) were quite stunning. And of course, the best feature, the wrap around promenade desk, was in constant use. The only real gap all week was the Edwardian Internet- the Connexons Internet Center was ground zero for angry guests and those filled with stress and worry about slowness, application access and the ancient logout.com feature not working. Cunard needs to a invest a little here in more satellite dishes- reliable Internet is as important to their guests as say tea or scones these days. On Saturday around 11am, it took exactly 50 minutes to download a 79.2-megabyte file. This is also a crossing not a cruise and historically, captains of industry dictated memos and managed business affairs by letter (and later telephone) all along. The days flew by. By the time we realized this it was Friday afternoon- and there was a good trade at the onboard booking office. My four novels, three movies and one (the shame of it) business book were finished. And life was good. Read Less

After travelling on the many cruise lines, celebrity x 13 cruises and P O for 12 cruises......Royal Caribbean x 5, Princess, NCL and MSC.....we now prefer Cunard, excellent around except the price of the drinks.... Really lovely team onboard and lovely passengers made the experience even more charming. The Internal Decor is the style to suite Cunard, and the Brand. The dining experience excellent and the lido had good choices.....they do not push you towards the other dining ( extra cost ) restaurants......P O food in the dining rooms and buffet has dropped in quality and this was mentioned by other passengers when comparing with Cunard. So we have book Queen Victoria for next December 13 ......due to being so delighted with this cruise.......well done to all the staff and the team at Cunard. They are building a new ship and have promised.....not to let their brand slip and keep the the standards.... Read Less

I recently took my wife on our first QM2 cruise. I list 10 positives and three negatives, but the overall ratio of good to bad was far higher than that. We definitely plan to go again and made a future cruise deposit. Ten Best Things About My QM2 Voyage • The crew, who were almost unfailingly polite, cheerful, efficient and available when needed. • The public areas of the ship, which, with the exception of King’s Court, rarely felt crowded, even on a sea day with the decks closed. • The musicians, especially the Dixieland concerts. • The dancing in the Queen’s Room. • The peaceful, well-stocked library, which features outstanding views. • Afternoon Tea, although what virtually amounts to another meal is hardly what I needed! • Room service breakfasts. • The bar/wine service at dinner. • Catholic Mass every day. • The shrimp linguini served at dinner the first night. Three Areas for Improvement • Excursion dispatching and tender operation in St. Lucia. I understand there was an initial delay beyond Cunard’s control, and I make allowances for that. But the organization left a lot to be desired. For some reason they chose to provide stickers with numbers that were not unique to the excursion, instead using a combination of number and color. Most of the colors seemed to be orange, peach, rose, pink or coral, but what could go wrong? They must have been boarding a lot of non-excursion passengers, because it took forever to get called. Then, our tender pilot had a great deal of difficulty docking and our 9:00 excursion (for which we had to report at 8:15) didn’t actually start until 10:15. When waiting to return we once again witnessed a docking procedure I can safely describe as inept, because the next tender docked without difficulty. And is there some rule that prohibits loading two tenders at the same time? Note that all of this relates to St. Lucia. I have no issue with the decision to scratch Antigua due to the conditions. • Dress code compliance, particularly in the theater and the pub. • Cunards’s website. It is full of inaccurate information. I could cite five instances, but I’ll spare you. It also requires six fields each time to log into the personalizer. Who else requires more than two or three? And the “one time” consent screen must be acknowledged every single time. So, I had to vent a bit, but this was a fantastic experience. Read Less

After cruising for more than 25 years, we are old school. We like ballroom/Latin dancing, promenade decks, and days at sea. It is hard to argue with the pricing and choices from the mass market lines these days, but we felt we had to make a change. We have been looking at Cunard off and on, and finally an off-season nine-night trip matched our open dates and my (low) price point. We were a little stressed over the dress code. I despise neckties, but could manage a sport-coat without great suffering. My wife found a large selection of new formal dresses online for around $69.95 each, which only required hemming and some fussing over shoes. I owned a tuxedo, which after a bit of dieting and a replacement set of trousers from eBay still could fit. Embarcation in Barcelona was the worst we have ever seen. We were not told when to arrive and when we did we were assigned groups in a tired outer hall. After 45 minutes they seemed to stop calling groups and angry guests just stormed up and went into the departure hall where there was a long snaking line. We were commiserating with some fellow passengers when one disappeared. He came back shortly and said to follow him. He found the “group check in” was under-utilized and he made our own pretend group. We wonder if the others ever got on, despite the fact that we did not leave until the next day. A little supervision would have fixed this. Cunard cleverly checks passports for UK arrivals at sea, so getting off the ship and to the bus in Southhampton was on the other hand the fastest we have ever seen. We walked off the ship about 8:30 and were at our gate at Heathrow by 11:30. All modern ships are nice, but the Queen Victoria was a cut above. They got rid of the wasted space of a massive lobby. The “woodwork” was upgraded and just felt classy. There was a half bottle of Champagne waiting in our stateroom. The cabin was well appointed, quiet and had some nice touches. We were delighted to find a tea kettle, which allows the use of proper boiling water for making tea. Our cabin attendant acted more like a butler. Smaller cruise lines are better than large ones for one reason lately. There is not an aggressive “draft” of literally thousands of experienced crew to go to newer vessels. They get to learn their craft and perfect it. The main dining room team was amazing- down to deftly removing skin from fish and applying lemon. You never got a trainee waiter, even for breakfast, which is normally a pick-up team. Eagle eyed head waiters maintained service standards, energy which on other, lesser lines, goes to upselling you to alternative dining. The Britannia main dining room food was as reported- you get to eat what they are serving. It is well prepared, but is probably not what you want or were expecting. We would scan the menu and it was sometimes unrecognizable. The choices were explained to us as British food. There were 1000 Brits aboard out of around 2000 total. We had lovely Indian in the pub. The wine list was large and varied but not cheap. The beer list was extensive- they even had an IPA. One iron clad industry rule was gone- you could actually buy wine ashore and bring it aboard to drink in your cabin. And it was a great luxury to find self-service laundry on most decks. Sales pressure was limited – the photo staff was unobtrusive and there was no overt selling of unlimited diabetes (fountain beverage) packages. They had the old style per minute Internet service (who remembers logout.com) which was pokey slow. The dancing was lovingly cared for. The Queens Room was in the center of the ship and had a large dance floor. A social director called the dances and there was a seven-piece dedicated orchestra. There was a dance couple, who were internationally ranked and some dance hosts and a hostess. The dances were split between ballroom, Latin and some British Sequence Dances. A lesson or two were mixed in. This was the place you could use the dance lessons you took on other lines. The dance floor was often quite full. The Queens Room was the home of several balls, such as the Black and White. The Captain was charming. You got the sense he was very much in charge of our happy ship, and was not just a minor functionary assigned to read us policies from headquarters. One night he decided we would dock early in Gibraltar, and get a good night's sleep at the dock rather that "driving around in circles all night." The fellow passengers were normally retired, accomplished and well-travelled. There is great brand loyalty to Cunard (pronounced with a leading “Q”) and there seemed to be demand for shared tables at dinner as the conversation was quite interesting. All in all we were impressed. If you are tired of waiters in training and smoky casinos and don’t mind dressing up for dinner this is the place for you. Read Less

We had a morning walking around the old town of Southampton as our check in was 2.30pm. and a short taxi ride from the hotel. The QM2 had arrived at 9am. Wow what a sight from the Hotel. Slick booking in, bags disappeared at door and a long and well stocked (receptionist line) – zero queue. Only hoot was the discussion about the ESTA rules for expiry (unlike a passport it can be the day after you leave eg current ) we had Dec 2017 on ours and there were conversations about this – but not an issue. Issued with boarding cards. Straight on to ship (we arrived only slightly early, as per the Cunard communications. Cabin 6137 – perfect right in the middle of the ship.great – better than I hoped. Steward Dennis, professional and the room was always well kept and clean. Ship wow Only sea going planetarium, casino, pubs, shops. Only comment the pavilion pool – the tiles are chipped and the changing room (like a public pool from the 1960's) - flooded floor -one cubicle and the entrance door open onto the pool area, so it I was going from the shower to the flooded manky cubicle – I would be on view if someone opened the door – and same for my wife I understand. Crew, food wow. Drinks VERY Expensive. Dress for dinner 3 formal nights – perfect --- we did the 6pm sitting and felt that was just right as we are early up people. Our friends at Table, USE, New Zealand and British were great company. We did breakfast and some lunches in the Kings Court (buffet) and a meal in the pub. All good Shows – really good. Two people playing one piano – amazing. Casino and arranged activities great – QM2 has it all. Took me 5 visits to eventually see the ‘view of the bridge’ well worth it. We did every deck down to 13 – 2. (TIP) The Silly Wrist bands sea sickness Worked. I was ill only on the morning of day two after that even a force 9 gale at night did not bother me. (TIP) Launderette FREE even the wash powder – and well machines broke down on every deck – but FREE .. washer / dryer and ironing board 2/x ( 4 machines on deck 6 6137 side) (Poor) Leaving the ship – not knowing the time until the day before a pain, rang the car transfer (WASTE of Time) - not Cunard's fault. (Poor) Off boarding – the cases were randomly left in a huge deck 6 area - finding all 4 – took ten minutes.(note to Cunard please!) - the ship is run perfect the cases in the harbour, silly badly managed. Come on Captain this could be a lot better. (TIP) Tie a ribbon around each case to find it easier!! Read Less

Superlative in every respect, including food, which some other reviewers have criticized. i can't see why. The selections in the Britannia restaurant were well-varied and appealing. The Spa selections show that you could achieve the impossible if you wanted to: lose weight while eating well on a cruise! The Lido buffet was as sumptuous as you're likely ever to find in a buffet -- including such delicacies as venison. The ship was 100% sold out for our cruise of the Adriatic and Greek Islands, yet it never felt crowded. The shore excursions (and embarkation and disembarkation) were executed flawlessly without waiting and without making you feel like cattle on a drive. The dress code is a plus as far as I'm concerned. Two black tie nights out of seven is just right, and jackets without tie the others is dressy enough to be special without being burdensome. Most of the entertainment -- pianist, humorist, etc. -- was very good. Only the resident company of dancers and singers was disappointing. All in all, if you're looking for top-shelf service, food, ambiance, accommodations and general elegance, you'll love Queen Victoria. If your idea of a cruise is to stay in cutoffs and flip flops 24/7, then this ship is not for you. Read Less

The voyage is the vacation! We chose this trip because we love sea days in the first place, we've always wanted to try Cunard and found an amazing deal. Originally the plan was to cruise to Southampton and fly home, but getting from ship to Heathrow is a pain so we just went both ways. First the ship: Queen Mary 2 is the only true ocean liner afloat. She was designed and built to cross the North Atlantic. She is smooth, fast, luxurious and absolutely amazing in her design. The layout can be a bit confusing especially moving on the lower decks from back to front and back again, which you do a lot going to the different venues. Entertainment: Two Theaters. Really. The Royal Court theater for the production and feature entertainment shows and some of the speakers, and Illuminations, which is a very nice venue for speakers, movies oh and yeah, a planetarium. Most amazing. A great big ballroom at the aft of the ship, and a high tech night club. Music in most bars in the evenings. Daytime music recitals, and classical music at afternoon tea. They had some really terrific guest speakers. I could go on about the world war 2 veterans for hours, but just go to tggf.org and read about these wonderful people yourself. Food: Absolutely some of the best. Main Dining room: I've had a few better meals on other ships, but in general the chef's on QM2 do a terrific job. Our only complaint is the layout of the buffet, It's not done well. Very tight quarters, noisy and kind of difficult to navigate. The food is good though. We were assigned an A2 class balcony on deck 13. How cool was that??!! I was told that most balcony cabins are generally the same, the only difference being location. The deck 13 cabins were only installed in June 2016, so very new and very nice. In short, I'm checking my websites every few days in hopes of finding another great deal on the QM2 Read Less

Life aboard the Queen Elizabeth was a bit like living at Cliveden/the Ritz or in endless episodes of Downton Abbey, or in a novel by P.G Wodehouse or Agatha Christie. We were constantly surrounded by live music of all types, and with one crew member for each couple, we were literally waited on hand and foot. The ship is Art Deco style, spotlessly clean and ultra luxurious. The staff were excellent; extremely polite, attentive and friendly without exception on every occasion that we encountered them. The food was abundant and top quality and we had the option of silver service breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus complimentary room service 24 hours a day and a running buffet. That's not to mention the afternoon tea. Every day at 3.30pm, the doors to the ballroom open and 20 waiters emerge wearing white gloves and brass buttons bearing the teapots aloft. After they have taken their bow to light applause, a harpist strikes up, or a pianist or a string trio and they would serve cucumber sandwiches with no crusts, cakes and scones with jam and cream. We also had lectures to attend; the history of navigation, the story of Pinewood studios, an interview with the highly entertaining Captain Aseem Hashmi. And in the evening, there was live music and dancing every night (jazz and swing), plus live acts in the theatre including soloists and groups. The best of these were a male vocal group performing songs from the shows called The Barricade Boys and topping the bill, Will Martin, a Kiwi soloist who performed pop and classical numbers and was an excellent singer and entertainer. He was so good on his evening show, he was brought back by popular demand for a matinee. And that was just at sea; never mind all the exciting ports of call and adventures we had ashore. Stockholm was beautiful and we didn't see half enough of it but had fun in the Abba Museum. And Russia was so romantic and full of history. We had an excellent two-day tour there in a small group delivered by a local guide from Alla Tours that we had booked privately and we saw a great deal of St Petersburg thanks to their efficiency and know-how. We visited the Peter & Paul fortress where the Tsars are buried (including Nicholas II and his family since 1998), the Catherine Palace, the Hermitage, the Peterhof Palace gardens with their fountains overlooking the Gulf of Finland, the Yusupov Palace and the basement where Rasputin was murdered. And there were other highlights; seeing Girl with a Pearl Earring at The Hague, walking the cobbled streets of Tallinn, buying a Skagen watch in Skagen, multiple sailaway parties on Deck 9 accompanied by live bands and much exuberant waving. Loved it and would not hesitate to travel with Cunard again. Read Less

I have a bucket list and a cruise including the Greek islands was on it. I'm retired with a flexible schedule so at least weekly I get on the internet looking for cruise deals that hit that bucket list. This 14 night cruise popped up offering a great price for a balcony cabin. I checked reviews on the Cruise Critic website and became worried that this was a gamble that might not pay off. My fiance and I like dressing up for dinner and Cunard's evening dress code seemed a perfect fit. If the previous Queen Victoria cruise reviews were true experiences I believe Cunard has taken action to improve every aspect of the cruise experience. I cruise at least twice a year and previously cruised 15 cruises with Royal Caribbean, Princess, and more recently Celebrity. The Britannia dining room food we experienced offered a menu that was different every night, beautiful presentation, perfectly cooked, served hot, well seasoned, and an adequate portion size. I never eat desert at home but we got hooked on their excellent deserts! We ate the buffet for breakfast and lunch and enjoyed the very tasty food. The fish was being cooked behind to the buffet line and was excellent! I noticed a woman daily checking the dinner meals coming from the galley and checking the buffet food and always checked with us for feed back. We never felt the need to try the upscale dining rooms. At home I drink Cabernet blends and I didn't find a red wine I enjoyed and the onboard drink and wine prices are expensive ... my fiance enjoyed the better house Chilean Chardonnay next time I will bring my own on board and pay corkage. The balcony cabin was a nice size with adequate closets, a comfortable bed, a large flat screen tv, nice sized balcony, and our room attendant was pleasant and did a great job. Getting on and off the ship was fast and efficient. There was no waiting around for the room to be ready and our suit cases beat us to the cabin!! Every night we attended the 10:30 show which featured British entertainers and the house entertainment groups were very good. Everyone on board was very pleasant. We took one ok excursion in Corfu otherwise we did our own thing which for us worked out well. The ports were half good and half were lame. We will check first with Cunard for our next cruise! Read Less

This was the first ever cruise for both me and my partner. Cunard wasn't our first choice. We had planned to go with Celebrity Cruises on recommendation however there were a few snags with the cruise we were considering and we looked for an alternative which happened to be this cruise with Cunard. Honestly we weren't aware of the Cunard reputation when we booked and we were a little bit daunted when we read online about the high standards and strict dress-code. We flew down to Southampton and it cost about £20 in a taxi from the airport to the port (which seemed a bit steep really). We were met at the port by friendly staff who took our cases. The embarkation system was very organised. We were a lot earlier than our scheduled time but this wasn't remarked upon. The only issue was a problem with the bridge (which seems to be fairly common with this ship) which meant that everyone present had to wait 30 minutes or so to board. We weren't bothered by this but some other guests seemed really annoyed and impatient! Once we got on board, we found our cabin and the cases were left outside the room soon after. The cabin was an Inside Deluxe on the first deck. Everything was very nice and met expectations. The main cabin was bigger than we expected with lots of storage space. The bathroom was smaller than expected but you do get used to it. The facilities on the ship itself were great. I won't go into detail because this information can easily be found elsewhere. We are both in our 30s so you could say we are well below average age for a Cunard traveller, or indeed any cruise line. We were concerned that we wouldn't fit in but we needn't have worried. Everyone on board from guests to staff were delightful. We shared a table at dinner each night with two retired couples who we got on fabulously with. I should probably mention the infamous dress code! The formal nights are what you would expect. It was the informal nights that are still very smart. Jacket is still required for men but ties are optional. If you don't want to dress up you have to eat in the buffet and aren't meant to go anywhere else on the ship! The restaurant was quite hot on some nights and people did remove their jackets which was fair enough to me but is technically against the rules. Honestly I didn't mind the dress code and it was quite fun to dress up for dinner. Before 6pm you can wear more or less what you want around the ship, within reason. We dined in the Britannia restaurant and found the food quality and menu variety excellent. The table service was generally very good although there were a few slight errors on occasion which is understandable with so many guests. Dining on the ship is like a military operation and I don't know how they do it. Cunard prides itself on the White Star service and they certainly do treat you like royalty. Very impressive. We did eat a handful of times in the Lido restaurant which is seemingly open almost round the clock. As with any buffet, you have to get used to it being crowded and people going the wrong way in the queue etc. It was alright but we far preferred the main restaurant. Our expectations for the entertainment on board were fairly low based on reviews we had read but it was actually of a far higher standard than expected. The shows each night were sufficiently varied and at about 45 minutes, just the right length. The dancers were superb, the singers were pretty good and even the comedian was actually very funny! The programme of activities was very good, especially on the sea days. As you would expect, a lot was geared towards the older market but by no means everything. On the last sea day there were even two or three things I wanted to do that clashed, which illustrates the range of choice. The lectures on board were all interesting and we often watched the movie shown in the theatre each afternoon. These were all fairly recent releases from the past 6 to 12 months. There were a vast range of excursions at each of the 4 ports we visited. We had panicked when we tried to book a trip online a few days before departure and saw everything fully booked! In fact they only seem to advance sell a percentage of tickets and keep plenty back for sale once everyone is on board. The one exception to this was the Flam railway for which tickets were like gold dust. We actually heard people say that it was over-rated so we didn't feel like we missed out too much. The trips do seem very expensive and yes you probably could do most of them yourself for cheaper but you are paying for the peace of mind and to save hassle. There was a handy in-ship TV channel which gave information about the ports and trips available ahead of time and it was actually very useful. We did our own thing at Stavanger and Bergen where there is lots to see close to the port and went on Cunard excursions at Flam and Andalsnes where there isn't much at the port itself. The two excursions we did were very good and although we felt they were pricey, we weren't disappointed overall. Apparently there was a problem with one of the excursions and a lot of people received partial refunds but it sounded like it was something outside of Cunard's control that went wrong. Disembarkation was also fairly smooth. It was a bit of a pain to have to leave your case outside the cabin by midway through the last evening when you are expected to still be dressed up for dinner etc. We had to do some rather creative packing, including suit jackets in our hand luggage which was not ideal. We were also a bit miffed that our steward (otherwise incredibly friendly and helpful) was trying to get us out of the cabin about 30 minutes before we were due to vacate. Overall we had a fantastic cruise and will definitely travel with Cunard again. It wasn't perfect but I think because so much is of a very high standard it tends to magnify the handful of things that could be a bit better. Certainly we had no major issues and would definitely recommend them, but Cunard may not be suitable for everyone. Read Less

From the embarkation to disembarkation the whole experience was wonderful. I have sailed with P&O before which was very nice, but Cunard really was a different class. We had a balcony cabin on the 8th deck. The cabin was spacious, clean and beautifully decorated. The bed was a good size and the bathroom was also a good size, a little small for my husband, but he is 6'6". There was a great choice of dining and the standard of food was excellent. The entertainment was good, although the dance shows didn't seem to be very polished. Staff were approachable and extremely helpful and friendly. We did not book any Cunard excursions as we did our own thing. Norway itself was absolutely beautiful although very expensive but we will definitely be visiting again. We are already planning our next Cunard cruise which hopefully will be in 2019. We hope to try another ship in the fleet but would definitely cruise on the Queen Elizabeth again. Read Less

To give my wife an experience of a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords was the task to help celebrate our 10th! Frankly the thought of being cooped up with thousands of people did not appeal and we had put off cruising for years. After a lot of research we went for an 'Early Bird' on the QE, choosing an outside cabin, midships on deck 1 to minimise any 'rocking and rolling' as my wife was concerned about the ship's movement. Booking direct with Cunard was easy and my naive questions were fully answered without condescension. We arrived early for embarkation, as our taxi pulled up a very polite porter took our bags and directed us to check in. 'Check In' was fast, efficient and as soon as we were on board, as our cabin wasn't ready we were directed to a lounge to sip tea and take in the view. Our cabin was surprisingly (to us) spacious and very clean, the bed was so comfortable and the window at ideal height to sit by. Lots of room for clothes, cases etc etc. The shower area was compact but had enough space and there were lots of lovely fluffy towels and a robe & slippers for each of us. We have stayed in some of the best hotels in the world and the cabin was on a par with some of those. Our Steward Gio was very helpful & friendly even apologising when he missed a call as he was off duty!! The restaurant for dinner and breakfast was excellent, the staff; are so well trained and professional putting many so called 'top restaurants', we have dined in to shame. The menu selection was so wide there was always something to tickle the palate - as usual the only thing that was below par was the attempt at Chinese food but we are used to that....being from HK. The buffet meals were all fresh and top class and the layout such that it was very easy to meet other passengers. So the BIGGEST surprise was that rather than being, 'cooped up' there was plenty of space and we met some delightful people. There is so much room on-board you can always find a quiet spot. Being newbies we booked excursions at every stop - yes we could have done our own thing but it was so nice to sit back and let someone else take the strain. Most of the guides were excellent and the one tour that was below par we got a partial refund for - the next day. The only real downside was the $49.99 minimum charge for access to the ship's internet that we passed on; so our roaming charges were high. The entertainment wasn't really our kind of thing but our fellow diners went every night and enjoyed it. The outdoor swimming pools were crowded at peak times so I did my swimming exercises outside of these hours or when it was raining! All in all it was a great experience! Read Less

We chose this cruise as a thirtieth anniversary celebration, we love ballroom dancing and managed to have some lessons with world champion dancers....excellent. Our cabin was spacious and well laid out with a complimentary bottle of wine upon arrival. A nice touch. We spent our days, at the lectures, reading, walking, dancing and quizzing, which we enjoy. We found the food to be varied, with a good selection of items to suit everyone. The Lido restaurant was OK but we felt the layout didn't always suit us as we had to go hunting for things that had been moved. Otherwise it was fine. Our destination was Hamburg, very nice but cold. The entertainment on board was first rate Bernie Flint and the Bluejays, everyone really seemed to enjoy the party night...we did. Overall, a lovely brake for our Thirtieth wedding anniversary.We will be back...for the dancing as it was excellent. Read Less

Since we were celebrating our Golden Wedding Anniversary, we wanted a special cruise and at the same time sample a Cunard ship. As we didn't see much of San Francisco and Hawaii when we visited six months prior this cruise gave us the chance to see both for longer. We enjoyed the activates on board, in particular darts and trivia's, the entertainment staff were the best we have ever encountered. The food was very good and in the dining room, not over facing, if you wanted more you could receive more (other cruises tend to put too much on a plate, which means a lot of wastage). Our friendly waiters, Marina and Glen, went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our meal The taste of the food, in particular Cheddar Cheese, brought back memories of how it should taste. I was able to have kippers every other day, and the waiters didn't think I was asking for 'capers'. After this first cruise with Cunard we were very impressed, and may have now become our favourite Cruise Line, but future cruises would depend on the itinerary. Read Less