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Queen Victoria

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Mary 2 (QM2)

Underwhelming

Kusadasi

Since my husband passed away, I have travelled on 6 Cunard cruises as a solo passenger. Since COVID the first thing that you notice is the lack of staff which makes things awkward for solos.

On the first evening there used to be a solo travellers get together where the Social Host/Hostess and Dance Hosts would make you feel welcome (with a glass of bubbly) and get you talking to other solo travellers. On this cruise  this was unhosted, and two groups of 6 ladies that already knew each other turned up - not my idea of solo travellers.

Solo travellers coffee mornings were always hosted - no longer. At least you can help yourself to coffee from a flask (on the QM2 you don't even get coffee as they hold it in the corner of a lounge where you have to pay for coffee, but at least they have hosts).

In the Britannia restaurant, things get even worse. I always request fixed dining on a large table for solo travellers when booking, I have only ever achieved this once on this ship, in 2018. Whenever I was lucky enough to get fixed dining I was always put on a table with 3 couples and one solo. On my last 2 cruises on this ship I have been put on Freedom Dining. I have ended up being put on a table for two with a total stranger or being put on a group table with - you guessed it - 3 couples and one solo. 

Pre COVID there used to be 3 waiters per serving station, now there are two. The Sommeliers now seem to have to cover twice the number of tables and are rushed off their feet. It is difficult for them to provide a level of service commensurate with the service charge. 

After the first day the ship ran out of decaffeinated tea bags. They took some more on board in Cadiz - a Spanish make - but these ran out very quickly.

I am booked on the Queen Anne in June next year but I feel like cancelling.

No longer welcoming for solo travellers

We had sailed in the Queen Elizabeth and 2018. This was our first ever cruise and we wanted to repeat the experience.

We were not disappointed. The service on Queen Victoria was excellent. From embarkation to to disembarkation, all our needs were catered for. 

We used the Britannia restaurant on several evenings. The service was excellent but found the choice a little limited. The food itself was delicious.  We only ate there in the evenings and used the Lido for breakfast and lunch. Great choice and good quality.

We enjoyed some of the activities and entertainment. Although did find some of the shows a little dated.

The Commodore Lounge is lovely and the staff (Sharath and Alvin in particular) couldn't do enough for us. We also used the Golden Lion and Midships bar. 

Service charge is automatically included but you can get this removed at the Pursers office.

Shore days were well organised and although we only did one excursion, it was fun and informative.

We enjoyed the "Insight" lectures and learnt a lot.

I would say that there is something for everyone. A cautionary note though. This is a very grown up holiday so better for singles and couples. Single travellers are very well catered for.

Passenger and crew were very friendly and we met lots of lovely people.

Spoilt Rotten

The Queen Victoria is a ship not a floating high rise hotel. Great service and excellent staff. It does seem to cater for an older clientele, some of whom could hardly walk. never the less a very enjoyable cruise. The Royal Court Theatre dancers were very talented but the routines are a little cheesy and I had seen some of the routines on previous cruises.

Food excellent and staff excelled. The cabin was clean as was the ship. The Royal Court musicians were fabulous especially playing rock down in the pub. The shops could have been better stocked. I suggest you read the details of any trip you embark on and avoid leisurely Vigo, waste of time and money.I was amazed they couldn't supply water in your cabin, you had to buy it from room service or a bar. A cut to far I thought. Wine and alcohol was expensive and the Pina Coladas were not brilliant, I tried a few around the ship.Booked for next year and looking forward to it.

Still very good

We sailed regularly with Cunard until 2018 so this was our first voyage for 5 years. It was a last minute booking 3 days before departure so a very hectic schedule arranging Insurance, parking , cat boarding and, of course packing. Unfortunately the usual converientl parking facilities were full so had to use a "Meet & Greet "service,which was not a very pleasant experience.We always prefer early dining so took advantage of the "Open Dining" which is a rather new innovation, but worked well for us.Our normal evening procedure is to eat fairly early, watch the show in the theatre and then watch the dancing and listen to the band in the Queens room. Mostly very enjoyable,as usual, but the variety of music played some nights seemed rather odd, to put it mildly. One evening devoted to "Soul & Motown" and another evening including hits from the Rolling Stones which soon cleared the dance floor and people simply trying to enjoy a quietish drink.Noted also only 2 guest dancers instead of on previous voyages at least 4 or 5. Generally most aspects of the trip were up to the usual Cunard expectation.The food and entertainment was as expected and i enjoyed participating in the guest choir which was very well led by 2 of the show singers.We took 3 excursions which did vary somewhat. On .the Sardinian coach trip we spent 2 hours, about half the total time, at a restaurant being entertained, somewhat repetitively, by a local traditional dance group whist nibbling on local food and drink.Much too long and i think we all would have preferred to see more of the island. Also over a hundred dollars each for a morning trip which was described as "no meal" The diembarking procedure for passangers being picked up by coach, taxi or "meet and greet" could be greatly improved. Hundreds of people , with their luggage standing around outsode the terminal trying to connect with whoever is meeting them. In our case we left the ship at 8 but it was nearly 11 before we left Southampton.  However,overall a  very enjoyable holidsay, with great weather and we were just pleased to be on board after variuous problems of recent years.

Enjoyable experience with fine weather

Cunard enjoys a reputation as a luxury cruise provider and the Queen Victoria (QV) is elegantly furnished throughout.  I would accept that constant use is going to have an impact on the fabric of the ship but in general it is well maintained.

Dining at the Princess Grill is excellent with very attentive staff, a good menu choice and a relaxing atmosphere.  Other areas of the ship also offered different dining experiences.  Bar staff were also helpful and efficient.

Entertainment was available throughout the day if one wished it.  Entertainment staff particularly in Winter Gardens were excellent. In the evening there was a broad choice of music playing which provided a nice background to post dinner conversations.  The main theatre, within the limitation of time and budget, sought to put on a range of shows.  The demographic of the cruise veered to the older side of the spectrum and perhaps this should be borne in mind when selecting shows. (Is there anyway to deter latecomers?)

The staff were unfailing polite and customer focused.

Embarkation was super smooth and helpful.

What could be better; do away with baths and improve the showers instead, which might also deal with the infamous shower curtain issue.

 I appreciate that it is challenging to balance maintaining the high standard which the brand is noted for and the cost to the customer but it is a key part of element in driving return custom.

Bobbing along

There was so much that went wrong it would take too long to write but in brief, no vaccination checks at departure, ship full of cold/cough/covid with no extra precautions or cleansing/sanitizing, Cunard blatantly lied about dry dock fiasco, propeller was in Cadiz on previous cruise where an attempt to replace was unsuccessful, they knew before we boarded, Lisbon would be cancelled confirmed by letter from Captain dated 23 December, day of departure.  Back injury caused by upside down mattress, mattresses not joined together, springs visible to the eye and touch, stained duvet and 50% urine stained mattress, bed bugs and bug bites.

Add to this mediocre entertainment, early departure from Madeira to rush to Cadiz on New Years Eve, poor food, poor service, leaks and temporary dangerous repairs throughout ship, constant smell of urine by ballroom and future cruise office, unable to use balcony in dry dock due to noise levels which went on until 2.30 a.m, constant during the day and toxic paint/varnish fumes when Cunard decided to repaint outside with no notification and unbelieveably when we complained to Purser’s office were told painting was not on our side of the ship, and that it had finished 2 hours ago and just close the door dont go out on the balcony for the rest of the day/evening!

So much more went on, too numerous to set out here.  A full complaint made to Cunard on return and eventually  they offered an insulting figure to compensate which we refused.  Have to say we offered to send Cunard video/photo evidence on several occasions, even offered to go to their Southampton office in person to present our evidence .  They have refused all our offers with no explanation as to why.  

They also ignore emails and in one of the few emails they sent, it stated they prefer to discuss complaint over the phone.  Beware.  If you decide to escalate the claim further to ABTA written evidence is vital to support a claim, telephone conversations are of little use.  Sneaky tactic by Cunard to try and limit the strength of your case.  Verbal communication cannot be presented as evidence!

We have been Cunard customers for 13 years, sailed on 10 cruises with them and probably 15/20 more with other cruise companies.  We have never received such disgraceful customer service during a cruise and post cruise with such arrogance and contempt.  An extra insult we have asked for a refund for a future cruise we booked over a year ago.  The reason, we will never travel with Cunard again due to our experience pre/during/post cruise.  Cunard have flatly refused to refund.  Interestingly however they have refunded deposit to our travel companion on this cruise who was travelling with us on next cruise.  They have also refunded deposits to other customers.

TERRIBLE

Having sailed many times with Cunard we looked forward to the Christmas / New Year cruise. We were supposed to have priority boarding - didn't happen.  We had asked to be seated on a table for 8 for the evening meal.  Didn't happen - got a table for 4 and maitre d' not interested. No cocktail parties - because of Covid but 1000+ people dined together at each sitting and similar numbers in the theatre. But the very worst was that the ship went into dry dock from 2 - 4 January in Cadiz and the visit to Lisbon was cancelled. Cunard not interested and state that passengers must claim off their travel insurance - if they have that type pf cover. It was akin to taking your car for a service , being forced to sit and watch the work being done and. despite having paid in advance, finding the oil hadn't been changed.  The ship was creaking and tired.  Although there were lots of hand sanitizers available the taps in the mens toilets only had cold water which doesn't kill norovirus which I caught on board.

Poor Customer Service

WE chose this cruise , as being frequent cruisers on other lines we had heard of Cunard 5 star reputation?

It was to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary and a 70th Birthday so very special.

We found the ship despite the Christmas decorations tired and cold particularly in the dining and public areas,  

The food was good, but limited and repetitive in main dining and the buffet disappointing.

It  was our perception that cost cutting was a priority on provisioning the cruise.

The ship itself was noisy with constant vibration felt in the dining room , and at times speech not possible because of the noise.

While enjoying dry dock there was a constant night time banging heard in the cabin.

The Wi-Fi was appalling poor as was the TV reception even when in Southampton

The shows were entertaining, but with the exception of Midge Ure who was excellent very average.

The cruise itself was very very far from acceptable. First we were told that we could not go to Lanzarote because of the WIND, and were to go to Palma instead . 

We were able to enjoy watching the cruise terminal being bulldozed, and walk amongst the rubble and see the mainly closed shops.

Then we learnt that we would not be calling at Lisbon and loosing a day in Madeira , as the ship was going into the drydock in Cadiz to have a faulty propellor replaced. The Captain told us that we were lucky, being able to see the ships hull,  a unique experience!!! Not for us we paid to take a cruise not to park in a shipyard for three days. Even Ryanair would not charge for sitting in a parked aircraft.

The dishonesty of the Cunard Line appals me. It transpired that the previous voyage had also called at Cadiz to fix the propellor, but divers could not free it. Cunard insisted that they did not know until we left Port that this work would be done? Yet the new propellor was on the dock, (bought on E Bay??) and the ship was expected, so who was being  very economical with the truth in such a puerile way .

WE wonder if it was the wind or the propellor that stooped us going to Lanzarote?

They also insist that passengers cannot be compensated as the ship remained operational during it's time in drydock???? sitting in a dry dock for three days with very limited access via shuttle through the shipyard to the City does however equate with the standard of service Cunard supplied.

We have our trips for 2023 booked , but not with Cunard or Carnival. Never again will we use a company that tells lies, and lives on a reputation that has relied on their past , and shows little promise in the future.

Cunard dry dock cruise con

Did the Xmas cruise after a break of 3 years due to covid. Glad that all the important features and standards have been maintained. Yes there were changes but were all beyond Cunard control. International legislation regarding the environment and Covid regulations meant that, just like life in the uk, things had to change. Life or cruising will never be the same again. The food,staff ,service and the shows were excellent. Unfortunately we had to miss Lanzarote due to strong winds and we had to miss Lisbon so that the ship could get urgent repairs to a broken propellor, although this was a hiccup it didn’t distract from our cruis as we got an overnight stay in Cadiz. The thing that really spoiled our cruse was the continual moaning of some of the passengers, they were blaming Cunard for everything ,unfortunately a few of the cutbacks had absolutely nothing to do with Cunard. We just got on with life and had a fabulous time getting spoiled by the staff on this superb ship. Well done to them all in such difficult circumstances.

Superb food and service

There were so many problems with this special trip, that its hard to know where to start.  Lots of other passengers felt exactly the same way.  We have no intention on travelling with Cunard again, unless they do something to make amends.

Firstly the big one - being lied to by Cunard, and then this being spun as a "unique opportunity".  The ship was faulty, and had been arranged to go into dry dock long before we even boarded, but they withheld telling us until the day after sailing (Christmas Eve no less).  This was to make sure the ship was ready for the World Cruise, which made us feel really special.  This meant the trip was never going to Lisbon as advertised, and our time in Madeira was curtailed.  On the previous cruise to ours, the ship had visited Cadiz for a "wet docking" during which they had failed to repair the faulty azipod propellor.  This was causing unpleasant vibration in the Britannia Restaurant on 2-deck, and across a number of cabins. We measured it as 80db.  We didn't enjoy the dry docking at all - it was noisy, it was hot in our cabin at night, it wasn't luxurious at all to be on the pool deck aft being loomed over by giant yellow cranes.  We don't believe the ship was actually fully repaired, as people are still complaining about the vibration now.

The food was consistently disappointing.  Tasteless and uninspiring.  Nothing we ate was of a standard that we'd pay for in a restaurant.  Fine dining it was not.  A recurring theme was things that looked or sounding nice, just being boring.

Drinks prices, and the drinks packages are just ridiculous.  I'll leave it at that.  Others feel the same.  To add to it, the "champagne fountain" on new years eve was a nice moment, everyone gathered to watch it - but the entertainment director (who was never seen around the ship...) looked positively embarrassed to then announce that it was $18 a glass if you wanted one.  When we had an expensive cocktail in the Commodore Club, the waiter didn't know what it was, and when it came it was small.

There was some sort of serious problem with the entertainment on board, particularly as this was meant to be a special "celebration" cruise.  Venues were devoid of atmosphere in the evening - the iconic Queens Room was a disaster in the evening - often nearly deserted.  Other disappointed passengers told us this was due to there being no gentlemen hosts.  There were also no cocktail parties.  Music is to one's personal taste, but we found it lacking.  Midge Ure was a highlight amongst lots of average music.  The string quartet were superbly talented, but they were on too often (every night I think)... it was a bit too much, probably for them too.

Technology issues - TV reception was problematic throughout, even in port.  They managed to screw up broadcasting the historic first Kings Speech live on Christmas Day (did nobody check the TV guide...).  And the wifi is poor.  I was using a state of the art Google Pixel phone, but despite that it just constantly disconnected.

There were lots of problems with repairs and maintenance - broken doors, threadbare carpets (both with hazard tape attached), major leaks into the commodore club and nearby areas when it rained - lovely smell of soggy carpets, which reminded me of the old and leaky QE2, but was surprising on a modern ship.  The sun shades on the aft pool deck looked like they'd shrunk, and looked dirty - they were white originally.

I don't know if it was Cunard's fault or the port's fault, but things would have been better if they'd insisted on a Covid test on the day of travel.  A huge number of people were coughing throughout the trip, but it started on day 1.

Staff were mostly friendly and competent, but most seemed new to Cunard, and often seemed poorly trained.  I realise the pandemic has impacted things, and made allowances.  Someone else said that the Captain sounded drunk during his announcements which made me laugh.

Plus points - the ship was nicely decorated for Christmas, the ports that we did go to were incredible

Quite possibly our last ever Cunard cruise - The "Fine Line" was anything but.

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