CUNARD Queen Mary 2 Embarkation Day - What went wrong? Southampton to Hamburg 4 night cruise.
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- Опубликовано: 20 июн 2024
- #cunard #cunardline #queenmary #cruiseship
Join us as we embark on Cunard Queen Mary 2 for a 4 night cruise from Southampton to Hamburg and back. This was our first time trying Cunard and we were expecting it to be very posh, experience excellent service and be overwhelmed by the attention to detail. How wrong we were! Queen Mary 2 is a stunning ship but we experience shocking service. In the first episode of this series of vlogs we show you the embarkation process, muster drill, our first night onboard and our reflections on our first day.
This video was shot on a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 camera.
Photographs were taken on a Samsung A53 phone
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Loving your vlogs guys. I’ve sailed with Ambassador and on QM2 and I’ve been asked which I liked best. An impossible question to answer as I loved them both for different reasons. I enjoyed the food equally on both of them. I thought the entertainment was better on Ambassador. It was excellent value for money. The drinks were definitely a lot cheaper and the service was excellent.
I loved QM2. She really is a beautiful ship and we loved how you could always find a quiet space even though the cruise was full. We received excellent service but I know that isn’t always the case. We had fixed late dining and getting the same wait staff each evening was a definite advantage. They were just lovely. We had to wait ages on the first night to get the wine waiters attention but it improved after that. Drinks were expensive. We had a drinks package but probably didn’t get our monies worth.
As you say, everyone’s experiences are different. I’m just sorry that you were disappointed on your embarkation day. Can’t wait to watch the next vlog.
Ah bless you! We were hoping we didn't come over as too negative. We love our cruises and are very positive people, but day one was a disappointment! It will be the ship tour next - spoiler alert....it is a lot more positive! Thanks for watching and commenting. It is much appreciated 👍
I think it’s really important to be totally honest when reviewing cruises. And as an avid cruise vloggers viewer it’s really appreciated. We were supposed to be on a three week QM2 cruise tomorrow but had to change our booking as it clashed with our house move. Instead of sipping a cocktail on sailaway we will be packing up a house instead. I know which I’d rather be doing! x
@brigitteravenscroft8982 Good luck with the move. Far more stressful than a cruise!
I really hope you decided to add the gratuities back on, as its the executives who run the company who are responsible for the shortage of staff and lack of training after staff where moved to Queen Anne. The removal of gratuities doesn't effect the executives.
It was always our plan after we removed the gratuities to add a gratuity commensurate with the service we received at the end of the cruise. I am really conflicted about the remuneration on cruise ships. My principles are that staff should receive a good basic wage and not have to be reliant on gratuities and tips, however, in the real world this is not the case for Carnival and other companies and I know gratuities form an overly significant part of the package for staff. The other side is that a gratuity by definition is a freely given amount of money to reflect a level of service. On day one we genuinely received and observed the worst service and standards (see our cabin review when it comes out) that we have ever had on a cruise. It was a real dilemma deciding what to pay - should we pay the full amount to the staff - should we pay a partial amount or should we even pay nothing at all? That was a personal decision and one we may not share on RUclips as I don't want to suggest or dictate what decisions people should make. I do know that some people always remove the gratuities at the start of their cruise as a matter of course. I do not agree with this course of action in the slightest. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
£75 night aint bad staying in a 5* floating hotel with three meals a day plus afternoon tea and free tea coffee and soft drinks if you want them plus your getting taken to your destinations plus entertainment imagine how much that would cost in a posh hotel on land
I know, that's what we thought when we booked. Cruises generally offer very good value, even compared to UK based breaks. Thanks for watching.
I had to stop watching when I saw how they hold their cutlery.
😂 Thanks for starting to watch, and our profuse apologies for offending your delicate sensibilities. We hope you recover soon. Thoughts and prayers 🙏
I assume on P&O, Marella and Ambassador cruises (where was the counter for those mentions?) they must have different shaped cutlery.
Thoughts and prayers that you survive life with a dusty drawer and having had to sit through a safety briefing
@@ozlonzo 😆 Thank you for your retort. Well done. X
This person could be Amanda Platell! In an article she wrote about a dinner date she said; "at least he didn't use his fork like a spoon". Not a matter of etiquette I'd ever thought of before. 😀
@@TravellingLightLisaI think you hold your cutlery very classy ❤
''Giles is triggered by security,'' made me laugh. The asparagus situation was surprising, haven't they got any shame?? LOL.
I always get in a bad mood when I have to take everything out of my pockets and then put it all back. I am so chaotic I leave change, watches, passports all over the place. Than when I stuff them all back in, I can't remember where I put them! Grrrrrr 🤬
Wow this is really helpful as booked to go on Queen Anne next year so will watch your other vids to see how things went! At least you've had great weather. Brilliant video guys, thanks!
Thanks for that. Queen Anne looks like an interesting change of direction for Cunard. Hope you have a great time. Cheers for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 👍
We are Gold level Cunarders, have crossed Atlantic many times and the service and food on QM2 has gone steadily downhill. This last fourth of July was the worst. Cabin steward kept barging in, food was ghastley, boarding a nightmare. Years ago it was heaven on water.
Now its Carnival.
@wasylowskir That is interesting to hear. We thought we may have been unlucky - I don't know if you watched our cabin review. But we received the worst service and cabin cleanliness standards that we have had to date. We ended up eating in the buffet on formal night as the MDR was so poor. That is something we have never done before! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
I’ve seen that QM2 has dropped the ball recently and it’s been suggested that it could be due to the better members of the crew being transferred to Queen Anne and resulting in a number of staff who are either newbies or have no experience of Cunard levels of service. Ruth and I are going on a similar short cruise to Rotterdam next year and I *really* hope they’ve sorted themselves out by then.
That was our theory as well. By the end of the trip we sensed there were not enough staff or that they had not been trained properly. I really do hope Cunard can improve. Thanks for watching, and we hope your trip is better than our experience. 😀👍
Oh dear...we are going to be on the QM2 in 6 week's time. It's not looking good 😐
I was about to book a June 2025 NY Southampton crossing but having read the recent reviews at Cruise critic about the dress code is not enforced and how the quality of food and service has plummeted.. I changed my mind.
Interesting video. I look forward to your other videos in this series to see if the situation improves. You both seem to be positive, easy going people so the fact that your had to hold back on the gratuities shows how disappointing the service your received was. I also like the music and songs in your videos!
Thank you for watching.😊 I'm glad you like the songs! It is something we are experimenting with 😆
One thing I noticed on this is negative comments from viewers. Let me tell you folks, I have known Giles and Lisa from school days. They are two of the loveliest people you could EVER meet. They give a subjective opinion, and are always honest. It is anyone's right not to give a tip and as for the cutlery comment, what a sad life you must have to put that. That's like criticising someone how they hold a dart or a pen. You hold it in a way that feels comfortable personally.
Cheers, Dave. Some of the comments have made us laugh. A few commenters must have either stepped from the pages of a Jane Austen novel or are Jacob Rees-Mogg! Good luck to them. 😀
I cruised on Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton back in December, and found the whole experience to be absolutely wonderful!
I wasn't drinking much on board, but that's some price for a beer - I'm glad I was behaving during my cruise, haha!
We were expecting it to be wonderful, but as our cabin review shows, it wasn't up to even basic standards. We do think the movement of staff to Queen Anne must have affected service on board, so it was probably just a poor time to travel. Like you, though, we LOVED ❤️ the ship! Thanks for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 👍
You 2 crack us up! We've recently booked a Cunard Cruise so are now well prepared for what we may find, and we'll have a whole week, so I do hope things get better, lol! And Giles, Brian also HATES having to take his belt off. Looking forward to the next one.....
Lol. Glad I'm not alone with that belt thing. Hopefully, Cunard will have resolved the issues by the time you go. Let us know how you get on. Thanks for watching 👍
Your dinner experience illustrates why we select the 'fixed time' dining in Britannia [same table, wait staff and the 'late' seating]. The 'open' seating was introduced during the post covid restart, and from several recent YT reviews it looks like there are still many unresolved issues.
We did enjoy fixed time dining on our Ambassador cruise the month before and it was a lot better. You are right, Cunard have some issues to sort out and this reflects in few recent YT videos. However, this was only our experience. I am sure some passengers on our cruise will have had a better experience. On the positive side, the ship is lovely!
@@TravellingLightLisa Ah, so your dinner experience was integral to the flex option. Interesting. Last time we sailed QM2, they only offered fixed times, and we'll be sailing on her again later this year, but have also opted for fixed time. Perhaps that will be a smoother experience.
@ajs11201 hope you have an enjoyable trip. Yes, fixed dining tends to be a better experience than open dining. Staff can get overwhelmed if everyone turns up together. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I’ve sailed multiple times with Cunard on the QM2 and QE in regular Britannia and the service has always been excellent. My first thought watching this video was the negative comments even before getting on the ship… ie taking off belt for security, having to line up on the gangway area just before boarding and already comparing that and the club within a ship comment and that’s even before getting on the ship! The thing is you probably got a last minute cheaper trip which is often the case for these 4 day try out trip which tend to not really give a solid experience as a 2 week trip for example. Try Cunard on a full voyage for example on the new Queen Anne…you may think differently.
I think it was probably more likely that we went just after Queen Anne had launched and there were a lot of new staff to backfill those that went to QA. I am sure that we will go with Cunard in the future, but this 'taster' left us wanting to try other cruise lines before jumping back on Cunard. Thanks for watching 👍
When you post these videos you directly impact people's jobs. Cunard have slashed their budget due to the financial climate and many of the staff now do two jobs instead of one, for the same salary - some working on their feet for 18 hours a day. That is not their fault. However, you're there removing your tips (how bloody rude and pedantry) due to not being treated like a first class passenger when you're travelling cattle class to Hamburg for £299! You paid £75 a night - less than a Travelodge where you wouldn't get meals! The staff rely on their tips to send back home to support their families, it makes up a HUGE part of their salary. Your pittance of a tip that means nothing to you, is split between nearly a 1250 staff - not even a penny each. Let's be clear that nobody with any breeding films at their table - it's unbelievably rude and entirely explained why you were treated the way you were. The staff won't come to a table where people are filming because if they are shown in a negative video they could lose their job. You made all your own problems by not understanding how a Cunard (as opposed to some P&O ferry) works. If you can't afford the drinks, don't travel Cunard. If you had educated yourselves, all the issues (apart from your drawer trauma) would have been avoided. As you say, I hope you heal from your drawer PTSD and manage to recover. Stick to the Mersey Ferry from now on - it seems more your calibre.
Thank you for watching and commenting. We did say in the video that we asked at the Pursers Office when was the latest that we could add gratuities. Which we were happy to do if the service improved. This is fully in line with Cunards gratuity policy. So, at this time, you do not know whether or not we did add gratuities. I will not deign to comment on the politics of your reference to 'breeding'! Thanks again for having the confidence to air your opinion on us as people from watching one video. X
It’s clear you were determined not to enjoy it before embarking.
@@jn7812 An interesting observation. We don't tend to book holidays with the express intention of not enjoying them 😆 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
@@TravellingLightLisaIt is good to see another viewpoint and makes entertaining viewing. Looking forward to the next instalment of your self fulfilling prophecy. 😉 As for tips I agree. Best to remove the auto gratuities and you pay go to those who deserve it.
@jn7812 Thank you for that. Let's see what the next instalments bring! Thank you for watching and engaging with us. We do appreciate it.
Hi Lisa and Giles love your videos especially the singing is that you too you sound great, keep them coming 🚢🛳️
Thanks for watching and for the lovely feedback! The singing isn't us it's our good friend Al who helped us out 😁
The music is quality ..👍👏👏
Thank you. That's kind of you to say.
We are going on queen Mary 2 in December. I hope it better by then. I don’t judge a ship on the first day. Hope it got better.
We loved the ship, so watch our ship tour. Maybe don't watch our cabin tour! 😁 Thanks for watching, and we hope you have a great voyage.
Hi Guys , just watched your Cunard Vlog , really enjoyed it . We have just done a three night cruise on the Qm2 . It certainly wasn’t as formal as we thought it was going to be . Shame your experience wasn’t the best on your boarding day . 👋👋
Cheers guys. Things can only get better! Hope your experience was ok. 😁👍
@@watchtellyinuk Here are some facts for you , 30 May board in Southampton, 31 May Cherbourg , 1 June Portland , 2 June Southampton . Maybe you have got your facts slightly wrong , never mind happens to us all .
Thanks for your honest review I will suscribe
Bless you! Thanks a lot for watching and taking the time to comment 👍
I love the ship, and have done transatlantic about nine times. I'm not a real "cruiser"; I despise flying, and also like to start a European holiday with a relaxing week.
But I must say, while the food is variable in quality, I've never found the ship, or my cabin, dirty in any way.
Isn't alcohol terribly over-priced on EVERY cruise line? I save my money, and the calories!
We love the ship as well and she made up for the disappointment re service and cleanliness. If you have watched our cabin review you will see how dirty it was! Hopefully our experience was the exception to the rule. Thank you for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 😁👍
Nice video! 👍👍😊😊
Thank you for watching again. Not much stunning scenery for us though! 😀👍
Great video guys - good parking tip for Southampton..,Loving the AI music and Thank You counter too .. 40 minute muster drill well your getting value for money on that at least … Cunard Gold - Hope it was a decent pint? Love you guys tell it as it is with a big smile on your faces .. You guys rock … Asparagus Rationing did you not get the memo 😂? The food allergy stuff is poor and surprising for Cunard. Glad the entertainment was at least good … The cruise price is a bargain but as we found with MSC … bargains can come with strings attached .. Can’t wait till the next one …
Thanks, guys. The thank you counter and Lisa's handshake makes me laugh every time! The Cunard Gold was a nice pint. Ship tour next, then probably the cabin tour, which I have been working on today as Lisa has cruised off to Norway without me today! Hope you are both well, and thanks for your continued support 👍
I am sorry but you were 3rd class on curnard and for £75 per night pp thats the same as a haven holiday park! Most buffet meals are hit and miss..
I take your point. However, we took advantage of a very good last-minute deal. Other passengers had paid a lot more for the same cruise and would have received the same experience. The point we make is that we have had much better service very recently at the same price point. And if you count the Queens Grill Princess Grill and Brittania Club, we were actually 4th class! 😆 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
Had a good giggle at the food portions 😅
Strangely i only had sound in my left earplug lol for a lot of this video.
Can’t see me ever booking Cunard!
Great video, thanks both 😂
That's odd re the sound. I'll have to check the stereo settings before uploading. Thanks for putting up with it though. It's much appreciated. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
@@TravellingLightLisa not a problem at all. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
There’s a little known life hack that I’ll share with you which is especially useful on cruises. Whatever you want - Ask. 😉
We're worried now, we're taking our mother on QM2 in September. It will be her first cruise at 86.
Oops! Sorry, guys. 😂Hopefully, things will have improved by then. This was just our personal snapshot experience. I am sure many people will have had a fabulous time with no issues. Our ship tour is out next, which will hopefully whet your appetite as it is a lot more positive.
Don’t be worried…I’ve sailed on her a few times and it’s been excellent and the service incredibly good. These two are absolutely insufferable moaning for their budget cost they paid for their 4 days… it annoys me when people that clearly cannot afford all the extras that come with Cunard moan.
@pepelerue2552 Thanks for commenting again. Just a word of caution. The more you engage with us insufferable people by commenting, the more the RUclips algorithm will think you want to see more content from us, and your feed will end up littered with our videos! I don't think any of us would want that!
April last year I was staying in Ely. To get to Southampton it was train to Cambridge, bus to Standstead, train to London, taxi across London, then train to Southampton. Then when I got there the cruise was cancelled because the QM2 had broken down. Trying again in October, flying into Heathrow, then bus to Southampton.
Oh no! What an epic journey for such little reward. Good luck in October. She is a lovely ship. Thanks for watching 👍
I travelled to the USA and the Caribbean over 5 weeks on the QM2 in 2022 and the service was impeccable. I would go again on it without a second's thought.
I'm glad to hear it. I hope that our experience was the exception to the rule and that Carnival aren't changing their service standards or making it impossible for staff to achieve them. We still enjoyed our break, though. Thanks for watching
@@TravellingLightLisaother creators just posted the same exact thing! They just got off a ocean cruise
@kathytracy7952 If that was Ben and David, I think they went on QM2 just after us. We watched their video last week. It was interesting to hear their opinion, as it was similar to ours.
@@TravellingLightLisa yes it was them.
It doesn’t matter what class you’re on, poor service is never acceptable. While the rich folk get perks, all customers should be made to feel special, not crappy. Did you see the recent vlogs from (Cruise With) Ben and David, they had a similar experience. They were travelling fourth clsss, but so what? I went on a QM2 trip in 2007 and it was excellent. Well, apart from having to dress up every blooming night! Anyway, thanks for a very watchable video, and belated Happy Anniversary, Lisa and Giles.
We did see Ben and David's video. They went on the transatlantic leg just after we got off. Hopefully, we were just unlucky. I would be happy to try Cunard again, but not for a while. There are other cruise companies to try first. Thanks for watching and for your kind comments👍
From what you said and showed, discontent was widespread. But yes, hopefully they’ll up their game, maybe even fix that planetarium. If you have room for a cheap cruise in August, the Ambassador Ambition is doing a short itinerary leaving from Leith here in Scotland, taking in Amsterdam, Antwerp and… Newcastle-upon-Tyne, so no coats allowed. We’ll be there,
@Krypto64 Sunshine on Leith to the Toon! Interesting. Thanks for the heads up. We do want to try Ambience as well.
Sorry to hear you had a poor time, I've travelled on cunard many many times and had fantastic experience
@stevenvater8720 thanks. We may have been unlucky and we know this happens to everyone once in a while. We hope if we decide to cruise with Cunard again the standard of service and cleanliness in the cabin will be better. Glad you've had good experiences with them. So many people love them so perhaps we were unlucky.
@@TravellingLightLisa thank you for your very polite measured reply .. Been on 12 cunard cruises, only once had a hiccup but cunard responded brilliantly and more than made up for the small shortfall
Interesting video,, been considering whether to move from P&O over to Cunard, having watched your video I think I’m still wondering. Was your car okay on your return? Not sure if I’d be brave enough to leave it there for a longer trip.
The car was absolutely fine on our return. Westquay is Park Mark accredited, so I was happy to leave it there. We parked next to a wall so that only one side of our car was vulnerable to being hit. We would definitely leave it there for longer. A taxi to or from the port is £8. That was the same price for a Hackney or an Uber. Thanks for watching.
Giles, where was your Jacket at Dinner? As for the food allergy, I would have just spoken to the Maitre d' on the way out of the dining room
A jacket was not essential for a non gala night. 'Smart attire' is the Cunard guidance. The maitre d was conspicuous by his/her absence on that first night! Thanks for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 👍
@TravellingLightLisa doing a Transatlantic in October, my second Cunard cruise. Taking two suits, plus my Dinner Jacket. I have found on a number of cruises with multiple companies you find the Maitre d' at his desk just as you walk into the Dining Room
I took one and a DJ for this 4 night jaunt. The gala night was cancelled and then hastily reinstated on the last night following complaints from passengers. I didn't want to pack my DJ in hand luggage, so I never got to wear it on that cruise!
Agree. I just got off QM2 in Southampton ... Never again. And at disembarkation they lost my bags I left out the night before. Disembarkation was as chaotic as embarkation (if you can call it that)
Oh dear. Hope you were reunited with your bags. Thanks for watching 👍
Interesting video. The rest of them also looks interesting also. Thanks for your honesty, that what we viewers tune in to hear. Thank you.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
Iv'e done over a 70 cruises £75 pppn is good. You couldn't stay in a premier inn for that now adays with all the food free. Look forward to the next vid'
@Didderly It was a very good price, and we did love the ship - even if the service and the cabin was not up to scratch. With 70 cruises under your belt, I would be interested to know your favourite line and ship. Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@TravellingLightLisa Morning Lisa. Cunard is not on my list to go. Like you guy's im just a down to earth bloke no aire's no graces. Thomson/Marella are more us. Have done p & o, RCI, Fred,MSC, Ocean Village. etc. Enjoy the seas x
@@Didderly Thanks - you too!
£75 pppn seems quite good. Our first crossings in 2022 were about £260 pppn ( that was Britannia Club on a 2nd rebooking due to covid). The original 2020 booking would have worked out at £190 pppn for an obstructed balcony. For 2025 & 2026 Britannia Club is down to about £230 pppn, booked on release date.
I think it was a good price due to it being a very late booking and lots of availability. It was a nice way to try Cunard for the first time. Thanks for watching 👍
I watch paul and Carol lovee to travel. Quite lot of their followers say qm2 had problems with staff etc. Theory being good staff have been sent to the new ship. Loved you're ambassador vlogs especially of honfleur
Thank you so much for your kind comments. We suspected that Queen Anne may have taken some staff and they had either not yet backfilled the vacancies or the new staff were not properly trained. Thanks for watching.
I have 2 transatlantic voyages coming up in 3 months and a voyage to the Caribbean, all on QM2. Hopefully, they bring back the staff from Queen Anne. But honestly, I only plan to eat in the restaurant once and go to afternoon tea once to see how it is. Since I don't enjoy coursed dinner I'll be hanging out in the buffet every evening. Thanks for your review!
@GlobalAdventurer Hopefully, the issues we encountered will be resolved when you go. Enjoy your voyages, and please let us know if Cunard are firing on all cylinders again. Thanks for watching 👍
Cunard staff ,we have noticed in the last few years ,particularly in the restaurants can be pretty surly…no conversations are had , and the service can be pretty rushed especially on the QM 2..I think this is a result of staff shortages / cuts as the service used to be fantastic and very welcoming.
A few people have said that there has been a change on QM2. It is such a shame that the elegance of the ship is not matched by the service. Thank you for watching 👍
Wow guys, Thank you for the video. We won't be sailing with Cunard. Service is everything, no matter whether its budget or not. Thank goodness you're both so positive. Happy silver wedding anniversary year!!! We celebrated 30 years in Feb x
We have been stretching the celebrations over 2 cruises 😂 You've got to be positive and choose to have a good time! From your videos I think you guys have positivity nailed! Cheers for watching.
Agree, the food allergy issue is poor. Shame really.
Things can only get better?! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. It is much appreciated 👍
We have cruise with Cunard a few times but after the last one it's a NO from us now.we waited ages to get on , food and entertainment not great , Be interesting to hear about Ambassador,
It's interesting that you feel that. Have things changed greatly? This was our first experience of Cunard, so we had nothing to compare it to apart from our other cruises. Ambassador was a surprising revelation for us. Thanks for watching 👍
@TravellingLightLisa we have been on Victoria and Elizabeth few times and loved Cunard, but the last time , lots of waiting around, staff are great but too much to do and not enough of them , everything looking a bit tired. Love Royal Caribbean and PO cheap ,cheerful, and now off on Princess cruise in few weeks, our first time . Enjoy your cruises 🛳.
@@maureendawson7866 Thank you. You too!
You deserve a decent standard of service however much you pay. I haven’t seen your cabin review yet? Did you have dirty pants in your room?!
No. It wasn't quite as bad as dirty underwear! 🤣 The cabin review will be out next Friday all being well. Thanks for watching 👍
Just came back from Dubai £12 for a bottle of Heneken or Corona. Great insight into Cunard great guys
£12 for cooking lager! 😆 Shocking! Thank you for watching and commenting 👍
I certainly don't doubt anything you say, but I have to say based on our experiences these lapses of service aren't typical. We have enjoyed 10 QM2 voyages and travelled in all four restaurant classes and never had any serious issues. We have had everything from a basic Britannia cabin up to a Queens Grill stateroom. I wonder if the problems you had were on account of it being a short voyage. That is no excuse, of course. Most of our voyages have been Atlantic crossings of six or seven nights. The only cruises on the QM2 have been one-week trips from Québec to New York. I do hope these faults do not become normal. And yes, passengers in the Princess and Queens Grill suites do get better service and food. That is what they/we are paying for - in addition to the bigger accommodations. But we have been looked after very well in Britannia.
I am glad to hear it. Hopefully, this was a temporary aberration caused by the movement of experienced staff to Queen Anne. Our cabin review will probably demonstrate how very surprised we were with the standards. Thank you for watching, and I hope that we can have a better sailing with Cunard in the future. 😁👍
It's so disappointing to hear about the poor service you've experienced. We were on QM2 on our first transatlantic in December, New York to Southampton. We had a wonderful time and the service on that occasion was excellent but they need to be consistent. We're boarding Queen Anne for the Norwegian Fjords in August. We've always found Cunard passengers very friendly and they have great party nights in the ballroom.
Consistency is key, and Cunard seem to have dropped the ball recently from what we have hesrd. It didn't stop us from enjoying the ship itself and Hamburg though. Thanks for watching 👍
Over the years before Covid. I went on several cruise and all were fabulous. Seems now cruise lines could care less about their returning passengers which at one time was their bread and butter. Their bubble will burst eventually.
Ours was only one experience. I am sure some passengers are still loving Cunard. We loved the ship as you will be able to tell in our ship tour (out on Friday). It was our favourite ship we have been on. But you are right, if service standards drop, then passengers will vote with their wallets. Thanks for watching 👍
To be honest I didn’t see any issues
@fletcher123451 You probably haven't watched our cabin review. Thanks for watching 👍
Sheesh- first time I’ve seen you guys and never again. I don’t think sitting around playing “ain’t it awful” is helpful
@laureldauer5878 Lol! 😀 We are usually a LOT more positive. Sorry you jumped in on this video. Thanks for watching, even if was only just the once.
Interested to see the rest of the series. It was a bad time to sail. Starting in April they took more than 30% of crew to staff Queen Anne, replacing with newbies. Ben & David had similar issues and there were reports of standards dropping on CC. However there's a German video posted a day after yours, travelling from Hamburg to New York, overlapping yours and Ben & David's trips in same cabin grade as B&D. They seem to have fixed dining downstairs in Britannia and don't seem to have experienced same problems. Recent reports on CC suggest the newbies are getting hang of things and service is back to near normal. I don't think approaching the trip with a fourth class mindset as B&D did helped. The classes on Cunard only affect main dining rooms and a small grills lounge. Anywhere else on ship you've no idea what "class" folk beside you are travelling in.
I should say we're not cruisers. We're only interested in sailing trans-Atlantic on QM2 and Britannia Club suits our needs perfectly. I watch videos to see shots of the bits of the ship I like!
In that case, you may like our ship tour, which is out on Friday. We loved the ship and agreed it was our favourite ship so far despite the niggles we had. I do hope that these issues were a temporary aberration caused by staff movement to QA and they will be resolved quickly. Thank you for watching and commenting.
@@TravellingLightLisa And can I ask for as much dancing in your videos as possible please? All our evenings are spent dancing in Queens Room and G32. 💃
@davidhouston3946 We do most of our dancing in the lifts of cruise ships! It's become a bit of a thing for us. 😆
You paid less for what you got than a premier inn and I think your expectations were to big I have done 33 cruises and have never experienced what you say you have perhaps if you just went without playing Speilburg you might find everything better.
Thanks for the comparison to Spielberg. I'll take that as a compliment! 😂 Absolutely, we got a very good deal, and I make no apologies for that. If you watch our cabin review in a couple of weeks, you may be surprised by Cunard. If you still think we are over egging the pudding, please let us know. I will try and do a Spielbergian intro section just for you when I edit it! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 👍
I don’t have an allergy to peppers. I don’t like them. I asked for no peppers and it came with them. I sent it back and they picked them out. There were still some pieces. I knew the assistant manager and told her about it afterwards. This wasn’t on a ship.
Thanks for watching.
Cunard is no longer a British line. Just another branch of Carnival Cruises. Years ago my mate was a silver service waiter on Cunard, he would have been terrified of upsetting a passenger. Tip's were the most of his wages.
I always feel that staff should be given a decent basic wage and not have to be reliant on tips to make it up to a living wage. We are always happy to tip good service and have paid gratuities on Ambassador before, but this was exceptionally poor - maybe it gets better! Stay tuned to find out 😁 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
Why does the sound keep dropping out....?
I don't think it is a problem our end and nobody else has mentioned it. We did check the video before uploading. Is the problem your end? Sorry you can't hear us in all our glory! 😂 Thanks for watching 👍
@@TravellingLightLisa I had problems too. The first few minutes and after one of the adverts. It was like interference in the mic which cleared.
Same problem with sound .
@wendydavies3401 Sorry about that. I assume it is a microphone issue from the recording when we used 2 mikes. I will check to see if I need to change the channel to mono in the future. Thanks for raising this.
@davidhouston3946 Thanks for mentioning this. I will check with headphones prior to uploading in the future. Unfortunately, I can't amend this one now. We are amateurs at this game, but trying to improve! Thanks again 👍
This is why we stick with Ambassador! Had 4 cruises so far with them and all have been brilliant.
Yes they are fantastic
We have only been on the one Ambassador cruise, and it was much better than our experience with Cunard! We do want to try Ambience. Do you have a favourite Ambassador ship? Thanks for watching 👍
@@TravellingLightLisa The Ambition is a slighly smaller ship and it can feel a bit pinched if the weather is bad and the outside decks closed due to bad weather (think North Sea in Wintery months!). The self service Borough Market is 100% self service in that you personally help yourself. On the Ambience, the Borough Market works slighly differently in that whilst you pick want you want it is placed on your plate by a chef/kitchen assistant which avoids contamination of the serving utensils ( and as you know not everyone washes/gels their hands before entering the restaurant so I prefer this method). Other than those 2 issues, it is a great experience and the staff are wonderful, helpful and always have a smiley for you. If the destination was right I would definitely recommend the Ambition.
As I said the Ambience does feel more spacious and like the Ambition the public areas are well appointed. The slight let down are the cabins which do look a bit tired but are kept clean and the beds very comfortable. Air conditioning is great and the cabins quiet at night at least on deck 5! The food has been of a high quality and I would say has improved over the last 12 months (especially on the Ambition). Like the Ambition the staff are great but perhaps the odd one isn't, so If awards were being given out it would definitely go to the Ambition. At the end of the day, the ship I wouild choose would depend on the destinations being offered but I would happily sail on both again.
Just back from our first cruise on the marella discovery 2 and found your review before we went excellent.
we were amazed how good it was,the staff were fantastic the food and drinks were superb
We will be going again soon !!! 👍🏻
@jamiemacmillan7066 Brilliant! We are so glad that you had a good time and we were able to help out a bit with our review. It makes what we have started to do worthwhile! Thanks for watching 👍
Such a shame you had bad experiences with QM2. I've never sailed on her, but I've cruised on Queen Elizabeth several times here in Australia and the friendliness and service have been wonderful. I'm a vegetarian and the Maitre d' brought me the vegetarian menu every evening without me having to ask. I'll watch your next video to see if things improved for you.
I am sure it would be a different experience on every ship and on every cruise. Sometimes, it's the luck of the draw. The next video is the ship tour, which is very positive! Thanks for watching again 👍
I understand that Cunard has a: “rich history of……top service and signature experiences that set us apart from other cruise lines.” Their words, not mine. You found them wanting (on service aspects) and opined your view. You also infer that the cabin review reveals other service shortfalls. I thought this is what travel vloggers did: that is, share your personal experiences ? Not sure where someone suggesting that there is “inverted snobbery” in your video is reaching that conclusion. Bit of a non sequitur on their part. As always, thank you for an informative video.
Thanks Nick. Travelling Light is an inclusive space, and all opinions are welcome.... Even yours! 😂 We were very surprised by what we found on board. Certainly not 'top service' on day one. Thanks for watching 👍
Great vlog guys
Thank you, guys. Lisa is currently off cruising with a new travel partner. I have been left at home to look after the dogs! 😟 Terrible woman...but what can you expect. She was born in Wednesbury 😂
I watched another couple and they enjoyed parts of it but weren’t totally impressed.
And yet others love it! Ours was just one experience. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
You are always so fair about your cruises, so it was obviously not a great experience.. What a shame such a famous e company doesn’t live up to expectations. Can’t wait to hear about “Lisa’s drawers”!
Thank you. Maybe things will get better? Stay tuned 😉 Lisa's drawers will feature in our cabin tour.
Try Red Funnel Ferry, more your style.
@Dolly968 Thank you for your helpful and insightful comment. Hopefully, Red Funnel are cleaner than we experienced on Cunard! 😁👍
unfortunately Cunard play on their history they are very overpriced for what they deliver and nowadays they are just a middling cruise company that are dropping their standards as they cut their costs. And 'Asparagus gate' is a classic, there wasn't even an individual asparagus tip on the plate.
'Asparagus gate' 😂 I love it! As this was our first experience of Cunard, I can't compare what it used to be like, but we did hear a few complaints that things had changed. Thanks for watching 👍
I'm afraid this was a non stop whinge fest!!
I'm so glad the wine waiter didn't come because you'd have only have complained like hell!!
Thank you for watching. If you want to see more whinging please check out our cabin review! 😂
Guess that's one cruise line we will miss next time then 🤣
Lol! You may try them all and eventually get back on Marella. Thanks for watching 🎷
Ridiculous comment you make that you may not be drinking to due to the costs. You should have researched it before hand. Why spend the money on a cruise and then limit your enjoyment on board due to cost. As you say, at 13:17, it is a premium brand. You were both picking it apart very unfairly. You went on a taster for £75 per night. Perhaps you are more suited for the Queens Grill...
If you take a look at our cabin review you may see why we were a little grumpy with Cunard. We thought they were a premium brand, but although QM2 was a stunning ship, the service was poor and inconsistent even compared to so-called budget brands. We also don't need alcohol to have a good time. If drinks are expensive compared to other lines, it is our personal choice to limit our consumption and put the money saved towards something more worthwhile. Thanks for watching 👍
Too much inverted snobbery sorry
No problem. Thanks for commenting. Maybe our next video will have an acceptable level of inverted snobbery. 😉👍
$13 for a cola and a beer is insane though...
Inverted snobbery is my preferred form thereof!😂 I really enjoy your videos, Giles and Lisa.
@elisabethgallagher6853 Thanks for watching.
Why did you even go on that ship and not even be able to afford drinks! Moaning about prices and wanting to get free drinks… it’s not butlins 🤷🏼♀️
😂 We can afford the drinks. However, the price point is significantly above that of the other lines for the exact same products. I would rather limit my consumption and put it towards other travel experiences. Don't worry though we didn't go thirsty! Thanks for watching....Oh and re Butlins, I was a little confused. I was sure I saw redcoats when we boarded, but I never saw them again!
Tbh I for one am angry at your video and have downvoted it. Why because of your flippant comments ie bed bug comment. By making such rediculous comments I’m surprised you are not being sued by Cunard … there are many people on these ships your comments can affect their jobs.
No problem at all. I would, however, invite you to watch our cabin review out in a couple of weeks and see if you feel the same way. We review the ship itself on Friday, which we both agreed was the nicest we have travelled on, so it is a lot more positive. Thanks again for interacting and commenting.
it pays to book late...mostly
If you are prepared to accept some compromises, then booking late is usually a good option. But if you like to choose your room, airport, dates, destinations etc you are better booking well in advance to get the early bird offers.
@@TravellingLightLisa I'm easy...as long as the deal is right...I'm off on Carribbean princess at the end of the month 12 nights ..going solo
@@singingbuddhakaraoke Fabulous! Have a great time. Is that the one going to Iceland?
@@TravellingLightLisa no it's going to Lithuania amongst other places...never seen another going there
@singingbuddhakaraoke If you are going to Klaipeda we have a top tip. Forget the town centre and get the ferry across to the spit of land opposite. There is an open air free museum there along with great beaches on the other side of the spit and a Sealife centre if you turn right. If you turn left and keep going, you will end up in the Russian territory of Kaliningrad. We had a great day, and everyone else complained the town was rubbish. 😂
At least one of you can hold a fork correctly !
🤣 Thank you for watching so carefully. It is appreciated. ❤️
😂 good spot
I have heard QM2 took alot of their staff and put them on Queen Anne, so I don't know what they replaced them with. Unacceptable for sure. I sail on her next May - hopefully all will be resolved by then. Cheers from America !
Hi there USA! That's what we suspected at the time. Hopefully, normal service will be resumed by the time you sail. Thank you for watching and commenting it is much appreciated 👍
Also to add to my previous comment, one vlogger showed a huge lineup at the purser's counter and found out later that everyone in the que were there to remove gratuities. I think they are getting the message loud and clear.
Not just us then! Such a shame as it is probably not the fault of the staff.