Our first cruise over the Christmas vacation! This was our 19th voyage with Cunard, so it’s apparent we like the road loads. Each cruise line has a character. Formal nights, fantastic eating and attentive service ticks all the best packing containers for us. This was the primary 12 months we skipped the Christmas get together and adorning the home actions and set sail for the vacations. How did the journey measure up?
Total Rating: 96/100.
We’ve sailed with Cunard 19 instances. We frequently examine the present expertise to these on earlier journeys. For those who don’t, loads of the passengers round you’ll! We had fun. There have been much more nice surprises and few disappointments.
Evaluating the Cruise: That is executed throughout 10 classes, every price a most of 10 factors.
- Boarding and Disembarking: In 2023, a lot of the info Cunard as soon as gathered at examine in is now executed on-line. This hurries up check-in enormously. Boarding is completed in timed segments. Our timeslot was 1:00 PM. Every little thing proceeded very easily. When going ashore in port, Cunard used to scan the barcode in your boarding card with a handheld gadget. At this time, you lay your card on a panel, just like tapping a bank card and the system information the small print. It’s all very quick. Disembarkation in New York was fast too. 10/10.
- Well being: Lots of the Covid restrictions have been relaxed, however they’re nonetheless cautious about well being. Paper towels, not material towels within the public restrooms. Massive events just like the World Membership reception have returned. The net advance info signifies they conform with the protocols for every port. You may request to be seated at a bigger desk within the eating room as soon as once more (1st or 2nd seating). There isn’t any “Captain’s Desk” on formal night time, presumably since you can be mixing strangers not touring in a bunch. 10/10.
- Ship Design: Everybody is aware of Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner. There have been no issues with rocking and rolling on our voyage to and from the Caribbean. Passengers who sailed transatlantic the week earlier advised a special story, however I feel they sailed by a Pressure 10, which is past Gale and into Storm class. By way of inside design, the ship not often felt crowded, though it was crusing full, with 2,600 passengers. (10/10)
- Stateroom: We occupied a balcony stateroom in Brittania grade. Brittania represents about 87% of the lodging. Balcony staterooms common about 260 sq. ft, which I feel is bigger than the business common. This was a sheltered balcony, which you discover on decks 4,5 and 6. This implies you see the ocean by an enormous opening lower into the aspect of the ship. Cabins on Deck 8 and above have glass railed balconies. There was loads of room. 10/10.
- Purchasing: We’ve by no means discovered this ideally suited on any cruise ship. Usually talking, the outlets tended to have few prospects after we walked by. The duty-free liquor retailer’s costs had been increased than on earlier cruises. To their credit score, the outlets provide a value match assure. Once I purchased Bombay Saphire gin on shore at $17/liter, they diminished the onboard value of $29/liter to match it. I purchased one other two liters. There was an onboard promotion for a series of jewellery shops with a presence within the totally different ports. This was on TV, and in lectures. It felt self-promotional. The port maps they distributed highlighted the places of their shops, omitting different companies they weren’t selling. 8/10.
- Meals: We had been typically pleased with the meals served within the Britannia restaurant. On this event the picks appeared to have been scaled again. Much less beef, for instance. Nevertheless, the Christmas and New 12 months gala diners had spectacular picks. Fearful about gaining weight? The parts in Britannia are tasty, however on the small aspect. You may ask for seconds. We dined within the Verandah Steakhouse restaurant 3 times in 12 days. That was glorious. There’s a supplemental cost, however the parts are big! 9/10.
- Drink: Cocktails, beer and wine onboard are pretty priced. You may carry your individual wine into the eating room for a modest corkage cost. The wine record is in depth and has loads of bottles underneath the $40 value level. Cunard enables you to carry a bottle of two of your individual wine onboard. A few of their wine record picks are priced at about retail again house. 10/10.
- Leisure: We didn’t attend many lectures or night exhibits. I attended the Wine and Meals pairing lunch within the Verandah Steakhouse. It was about 2.5 hours lengthy with 5 programs and 9 wines! It was $80 nicely spent. In addition they supplied a fantastic wine tasting, which solely accommodated eight to 10 folks. It featured eight Pinot Noirs from the Previous and New Worlds. This was $120 per particular person. I attended and had a good time. We caught a little bit of the comic’s present within the Royal Courtroom Theater. We weren’t impressed. We noticed a few of the lectures on TV. Good movies on TV. The day by day quizzes are extremely popular, drawing huge crowds. . 9/10.
- Ports: The ports had been good. Of the 5 ports, Barbados, Dominica and St. Maarten had been the standouts. I’ve developed a brand new appreciation for reserving shore excursions. Piers are sometimes positioned within the much less engaging elements of city. My disappointment with strolling round onshore was countered by different passengers raving about the great thing about the island they skilled, as soon as the tour received them out of city. 10/10.
- Employees Attentiveness: Cunard has excessive requirements. Our cabin stewardess was fabulous. We had been barely out of our cabin earlier than she was in altering the towels and making the mattress. She was all the time cheerful. Our waiter, assistant waiter, headwaiter and sommelier had been excellent. They discovered what you preferred and anticipated your wants. I’m amazed they will “reset” and do that over once more when one group of passengers departs and new ones arrive. We had been very impressed. 10/10.
Excessive Factors: There have been loads!
- Singing Christmas carols. It’s introduced forward of time. Passengers collect across the big Christmas tree within the grand foyer because the Captain and officers lead the singing. Lots of of adults and youngsters attended. The standard of singing was very good.
- Santa’s arrival. This was one other occasion drawing a whole bunch into the big Queens Room. Santa and his elves arrive to offer presents to the kids. It was a excessive vitality occasion.
- New 12 months;s Eve. 5 events to select from! Years in the past, the posh lodge in your metropolis seemingly has a dinner dance within the ballroom the place everybody dressed up. This expertise is recreated. There was a countdown to midnight. It was fabulous!
- The gala dinners. Two of the formal nights had been Christmas Day and new Years Eve. The desk settings had been spectacular. The meals was glorious, together with lobster, Beef Wellington, Filet mignon and Baked Alaska. The get together favors had been nice too.
- Non secular companies. They don’t seem to be forgetting Christmas is a severe vacation. There have been a number of companies for Christmas together with each Midnight Mass and an interdenominational service led by the Captain.
- Web. This has improved enormously! You purchase a bundle both sooner or later at a time or for the whole voyage. We’ve heard Cunard now use Starlink, the service supplied by SpaceX/Elon Musk. Web entry and stability has enormously improved.
Areas for Enchancment: There are only a few.
- No Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Occasion. We’re thrilled the massive events have returned. We had the World Membership get together and the Senior Officer’s reception, however no “shake arms with the Captain” welcome get together.
- The onshore jewellery store promotions. Though billed as “find out how to store onshore” and comparable themes, these tended to advertise particular shops that didn’t please all friends.
Total, we had a fantastic expertise!
Images credit score Bryce Sanders
Many due to Cunard Line and to All Issues Cruise.
See voyages All Cunard Ships
Queen Anne
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Mary 2
Queen Victoria
Browse All Cruise Ships and Cruise Strains
Sea Tales 2023 Household Cruise Journey Planner (flippingbook.com)
Shore Excursions – Ports, Day & Weekend Journeys
