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Despite these issues, traveling on QM2 still feels like a special experience, and there's a feeling of quiet excitement onboard. Dressing for dinner is taken seriously, and passengers enjoy the romance of walking the Promenade Deck, dancing in the Queens Room and experiencing the Planetarium. And the thrill of approaching the New York port (if you're on a Cunard Queen Mary 2 westbound crossing) becomes progressively more palpable the nearer you get to the U.S. On recent crossings, the ship under delivered in some areas, notably the (un)helpfulness of a couple of crew members and the quality of food in the ship's main dining room, Britannia Restaurant, where the majority of passengers eat. Queen Victoria enjoyed a $40 million refurbishment in 2017, which involved slicing off the back of the ship to add 43 new cabins, and, in the process, increasing the size of the aft pool deck. The month-long refurb also saw the addition of a new dining room, a new specialist café and significant refurbishments to five Penthouse Suites and four Grand Suites.
The Cunard Queen Mary 2 Deck Plan Includes Elegant Lounges and Quiet Public Spaces
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At the same time, it provides the expected conveniences of modern times like computer lounges and plenty of shopping opportunities. Queen Victoria attracts mainly couples -- both straight and gay -- and a few single passengers. To that end, the ship offers singles meet-ups including coffee mornings. It is not really a family-oriented ship, although it does offer excellent kids' facilities. To sum up, Queen Victoria is a comfortable, graceful cruise ship best suited to couples, single travelers and mature cruisers.
Very good all round cruise apart from some of the food
On a seven-night cruise, there are two formal nights; longer cruises will have three or four. Some have a theme, such as the Black and White Ball, a Cunard tradition that includes the classic 'Officers Gavotte' dance. Dress code for these formal nights translates as dinner jacket, tuxedo or dark suit with tie for men, and a range of men's formalwear is available to hire onboard for anyone who does not wish to bring his own.
Cunard Queen Victoria Dress Code
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For ladies, formal nights mean evening or cocktail dress. Many ladies go all out to impress by wearing floor-length gowns covered in sparkles or sequins; some wear fascinators in their hair, carry glittery evening bags and are adorned with plenty of look-at-me jewelery. Ninety percent of passengers adhere to the dress code on formal nights, which is as it should be; this ship is elegant and guests enjoy looking their best as part of that experience. Other evenings are designated 'informal', which on Cunard does not mean passengers can turn up wearing anything they choose. For men, a jacket is essential, and although a tie is optional, many older men still wear one.
Do not expect even the slightest hint of neon or glitz nor -- perish the thought -- rock climbing walls or bumper cars. Luxurious furnishings and eye-catching features lend an air of extravagance to the onboard atmosphere with muted colors and lots of dark wood. Architecture is in keeping with the ambiance of Cunard ocean liners of times past while the interior design offers the contemporary elegance of a modern luxury hotel.
They offer a range of itineraries, from short breaks to longer voyages to destinations such as the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean. QM2 has one of the most rigorous and formal dress codes at sea. This is a ship where passengers appreciate formality; even informal nights require jackets and dresses.
If dressing up isn't your thing, it's not the ship for you, unless you are OK being restricted to the buffet at night. Although most people may immediately think of relaxing transatlantic voyages when imagining a trip on QM2, Cunard’s flagship vessel offers a wide range of itineraries. Sometimes combined with New York-to-Southampton crossings, 7-night Mediterranean itineraries offer an overview of the region with ports of call in Spain and Italy, including Sardinia. You'll have to be dressed up to visit anywhere else onboard, including the theater. For first-timer cruisers, Queen Victoria is a good choice.
Cunard Queen Mary 2 (QM Dress Code
A favorite area during the day, Carinthia Lounge felt lacking in character in the evenings, although the sophisticated tones and seating are a step up from the aged space it replaced. With daily news stories of delayed and canceled flights, lost baggage, and travelers stranded overseas in the middle of a natural disaster, it's ... Passengers wishing to dress more informally in the evening are recommended to dine in the Kings Court buffet and use the Carinthia Lounge. Sadly, with so much going for it, our biggest disappointment onboard came from the service -- a far cry from the touted standard of White Star Service we were expecting. Aside from a select few crew members who were exceptionally helpful or friendly, service onboard was surprisingly lacking. Cabin attendants seemed disinterested or downright depressed, staff bickered in the spa, bar managers reprimanded waiters loudly in front of passengers and servers seemed annoyed by simple requests.
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One of the ship's signature features is the stunning three-tier Grand Lobby with its unique artwork, sweeping staircase and sculpted balconies. With a dramatic triple-height ceiling, the -lobby serves as a majestic focal point and is the center of onboard activity. It forms the core from which the ship's other public rooms flow. A bronzed-effect sculptural representation of the cruise ship emerging from a sun motif coordinated with a marquetry relief depicting a map of the world graces the staircase landing and is visible from nearly every part of the Grand Lobby. And, if you receive service that goes above and beyond, adding to the recommended gratuity is always appreciated.
We have done too many cruises to count with Cunard and this cruise out of Auckland for eight days and disembarking in Sydney did not disappoint. Apart from a few high-trafficked areas, like the buffet or close to the theater after a show, you'll never feel crowded on Queen Elizabeth; there are plenty of nooks and crannies to settle into and enjoy the quiet that comes with this style of cruising. If you've been feeling like you need a break from the rat race, a cruise on Queen Elizabeth offers you the chance to just sit and watch the world go by. Cruising is a popular way of traveling for many people, offering a unique experience that combines the convenience of a floating hotel with the excitement of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation.
Many dyed-in-the-wool Cunarders wouldn't dream of sailing with anyone else. Speaking of amenities, make sure you understand what you'll get as part of your fare and which extras will come with an additional cost. For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing. There is no limit to the glamor on formal nights, called gala evenings -- typically three on a 10-night sailing (two on Alaska voyages).
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Crew either went above and beyond or couldn't be bothered at all. As far as service goes, in the main, the overall quality is satisfactory. Most staff members are friendly though some are unresponsive while others are rather inexperienced. The majority either speak excellent English or have a good grasp of the language. Norwegian Dawn, the smallest of the fleet sailing in Europe this summer at 92,250 gross tons, will also spend its summer in Northern Europe.
Passengers' peace is not disturbed by multiple announcements either -- there is just one announcement a day -- at noon, by the captain, telling of the ship's progress. A refurbishment in January 2015 saw the addition of nine single cabins while carpets, mattresses and paint work were replaced or refreshed. Eight new Internet stations were added to the upper floor of the library and awnings were installed at the back of the Lido and Upper Grill Terrace.
If the onboard aura and sentimental pursuits call up the past, so, too does Cunard's cabin category system in which the cabin you're staying in dictates lounge and dining room access. While this might add to the exclusivity of the ship, it isn't exactly a luxury experience. While the main dining food (and even room service) are high quality, there's some of the same nickel-and-diming that you'd find on any other big ship (charging for water in cabins and on shore excursions, for example) -- just in a more polished setting. In typically understated British style, the ship doesn't do glitzy or loud, so ambience overall is modest rather than striking.
