Doesn't compare to Celebrity

Queen Mary 2 Cruise Review to Transatlantic

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 43

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Verified Review
Queen Mary 2

Westbound Transatlantic Crossing

Sail date: December 15, 2016

Ship: Queen Mary 2

Cabin number: 6219

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

This was our first experience on Cunard.  Our favorite cruise line is Celebrity, so we will be comparing the two.  Arrival and check-in in Southhampton were chaotic, staff was hard to find, long walks and long lines.  The separation of "classes" was apparent this whole trip.  Certain areas and eating venues etc. were only available to the upper classes.  Really strange to experience as an American.  The room was nicely decorated, but do NOT pay the extra fee for a balcony room.  The balcony is enclosed and only gives a view of the sky.  Our room steward was very good and friendly.  The shower had a nasty shower CURTAIN! Not a door. Also, the shower drain was slow and had a sewage odor.  The food was very British....odd offerings and combinations for an American.  The dining room menu does not offer any everyday choices (like Celebrity), in case none of the specials appeal to you.  Also, even with open seating, they assign a table to you and you are stuck there for the whole trip.  Compared to Celebrity, the entertainment was a big zero. It was like being at a cheap amusement park!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5

Entertainment

1 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Ship tip

Do not pay extra for a balcony room. The balcony has no view, just a too-high window

Ports of call

Southampton (London), England

3 out of 5

New York, New York Did not visit port

Taxi at the taxi line outside the ship cost us $70 to Penn Station....😳
Was this review helpful? 43

12 Comments

cruiser262    7 years ago

Thx for posting this all my cruises have been with Celebrity. I was looking at Cunard for a transatlantic crossing but I will reconsider thx friend!

bekkiboo    7 years ago

All Cruise Liners have a class system... The same for airplane travel - First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy, Economy etc... And although I like Celebrity for overall experience I find the food so American and tasteless at times so am looking forward to more British food on our Cunard QM2 Cruise in July...

BAK1061    7 years ago

Never thought of it that way, but yeah, I guess you're right.

JusMe    7 years ago

Carnival now does have a caste system,   the Havana Suites have the Havana pool and hot tubs.  NCL has the Haven and MSC has the Yacht Club.

BAK1061    7 years ago

HEY !    What happened to my post ?    R U kidding me ?      C'mon man there was nothing wrong with it !!!!     It certainly wasn't offensive, I thought.   Oh ffs !!!!!!!!!!       Who's in charge of censorship here ???     No wonder no one responded, it disappeared , magically !!!!!!

BAK1061    7 years ago

Can you imagine a caste system on Carnival ?   What would THAT look like ?   There would have to be a pre booking questionnaire.    

glomarrone    7 years ago

I have sailed on Cunard in the past but I think that i will stick with Celebrity.  I have always been satisfied with Celebrity ships.  I dislike shower curtains and also don't like the caste system on ships which seems to be a growing trends.

BAK1061    7 years ago

Originally posted by: BDRebel

I think of sailing on Cunard, but then always end up deciding that they have classed me out of it. I don't care much for segregation based on income (or anything else, for that matter)

 

 

Sure you do ( segregate yourself ) .   We all do.  It's called a neighborhood.  Hey, I don't care what colour, race, etc you are.....if you can afford my neighborhood that's great.  No one wants so called affordable housing pushed on them.  Ask the residents of Yonkers, NY.

BDRebel    7 years ago

I think of sailing on Cunard, but then always end up deciding that they have classed me out of it. I don't care much for segregation based on income (or anything else, for that matter)

BAK1061    7 years ago

Wow.  Never read a comparison between Celebrity and the QM2, but okay.  We agree about Celebrity.  Reputation for getting the best chefs to work for them.  It is well known that the QM uses a caste system.   We would probably be somewhere in the middle.   Honestly, I don't know how they divide passengers.   I'm working class, construction.   They would probably hand me a bivy tent and put me on a deck somewhere.

Thanks for the review

ToddTheCruiser    7 years ago

Not that I was ever going to book a Cunard.  Thanks though for the good tip on the balcony.  Enclosed you say???  That's completly useless.  A balcony should be nice and open.

BklynCruiser    7 years ago

Right you are, friend...we are off to Bermuda on Celebrity next time!  Cunard is past it's sell by date!

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