Im keen to try all the great cruise lines if possible and this Cunard ship was sailing out of Australia and returning to the same port at a time that suited our needs so seemed like the perfect choice for a nice holiday break. Check in was simple and quick, and we were allowed to go straight to our cabin once aboard which was fantastic. Ship is very smart, looks like a stately home of Art Deco ...
We chose this cruise as have never been on Cunard before. As it tied in with our time frame, was a good deal and no Princess cruises available, we wanted to experience it.
We are Elite Princess travellers with 23 cruises already taken, so had a lot to compare.
Embarkation without priority was very quick and smooth.. surprising with virus scares.(filled in form, had temperature taken, ...
I had never been on a curnard cruise before and have been put off by rumours that they are quite formal cruises. However I booked the cruise just a couple of days out before embarktation at a ridiculous price. So let's on the cruise
Overall I can discount a.lot of the critiscim i read on the formality of curnard although on gala nights there is a need to dress up.
From boarding the ship and ...
The good
Beautiful ship, lovely decor. Uncrowded, always places to sit. Wonderful library. Spotless cabin, plenty of storage, tea and coffee facilities and wonderful beds/pillows. Food was very good on the main dining room, in the pub, and reasonable in the buffet.
Shows, OK but not up to standard of other ships. Embarktion and disembarkation quick and organised.
Bad
Trying to get ...
This was our first cruise since the ship was refitted in late 2016, just after we did the Cape Horn cruise on her. Some things are better like the Stateroom décor, the Carinthia lounge is a great improvement on the Winter Garden. I feel though that the Kings court is a great big miss. The cool white marble type décor is not in synch with the rest of the ship which has a warm colour scheme. With ...
The voyage was bought in August 2017 for a February-March 2018 Sydney to Sydney via NZ, 13 nights. The itinerary date above says Auckland 9 nights, wasn't an option as Auckland was off the itinerary anyway and we had two days in Tauranga instead.
I enjoyed the surprise birthday present in January and that followed through with the experience. From the Captain to the waiters and cabin staff, ...
We chose this cruise as part of a package tour and cruised to Sydney from Capetown. Most of the Phillipino staff were excellent, Some of the staff did a rotation in the buffet area and European staff came on board, they were not friendly and quite surly they were definitely not suited to this type of work and many looked as though the guests were an inconvenience.
The food was very nice in the ...
The opportunity to travel on QM2 was too good to pass up and the 5 night itinerary afforded me the opportunity to travel in a Queens Grill suite. The itinerary was a round trip from Sydney, visiting Port Arthur and Hobart.
Embarkation was at Sydney's overseas passenger terminal at Circular Quay and went smoothly, but there was nothing special as far as Queens Grill privileges was concerned ...
About 2 years back I developed a desire to sail on the QM2. 50% of my friends who had been on the QM2 loved it and 50% hated it. Because of this I chose a short 7 day cruise from Sydney, Australia down to Tasmania and back to Brisbane, Australia, in February 2017. If it was not good, then I could endure 7 days. It was, in fact, very enjoyable. So much so, that we have booked two more cruises on ...
The best things:
An elegant ship.
Attentive service; staff frequently carried the meal trays for my elderly mother in the Lido, excellent room steward - Louie, MDR maître d against expectations managed to change our late dining to early (only booked cruise 2 weeks before departure) - I think he was sympathetic to my mother eating earlier.
Entertainment; on our voyage The Fabulous Beatle ...