Has this Queen lost some of her lustre?

Queen Mary 2 Cruise Review to Europe

LifeInCamelot

Contributor Level: Cruise Director

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 99

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Hong Kong to Southampton

Sail date: March 18, 2017

Ship: Queen Mary 2

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 4067

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

This was my 4th cruise aboard QM2 and my husband was keen to see the changes made after the expensive and extensive "remastering" took place last year so we sailed for 3 weeks around Asia, but as these were the same ports we visited last year on board Queen Elizabeth, it wasn't that exciting.

Yes, many of the changes have enhanced QM2 but some of the most basic items haven't been attended to e.g. the metal finish on hand taps in public bathrooms is wearing off, and for some unknown reason the Golden Lion pub still smells strongly of cigarette smoke despite it being a non-smoking area. My daughter even thought they might be piping the smell in just for the ambience of an English pub, but I'm not convinced of that.

I was also sad to see that the interior glass lift that started in the grand lobby and went up to the Kings Court has gone, but I understand this was removed to assist in making space for the new interior cabins on decks 2 and 3.

I was thrilled to reconnect with a couple of our waiter friends, whom we met on board in 2015, and have stayed friends with since.

We also had the best sommelier we've ever had on board a Cunard ship (thanks Adrian).

BUT our room attendant was the worst I've ever encountered. We barely saw him, he didn't clean our toilet once during our 21 night voyage and after being in our cabin for a week I had to track him down and ask him to try to do something about the black mould (yes, you read that correctly) that was in our bathroom. He managed to get rid of some of it but I am definitely going to write to Cunard about that, as well as his complete disinterest in providing anything for us.

I fear that Carnival is all consumed with making dollars instead of pleasing passengers, and once they realise that they need to up their game with various issues, including the cost and speed of the internet on board, and the very lacklustre and boring (with a capital B) entertainment (plus the awful Entertainment Director on QM2), then things might return to the way they were when we first sailed upon her.

Is it just me, or is this Queen beginning to lose some of her lustre?

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

The food in the Kings Court is far superior to the food in the Britannia restaurant these days, I'm afraid.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Once they get a new and improved Entertainment Director running things on QM2, it might improve.

Entertainment

1 out of 5

QM2 desperately needs a new Entertainment Director!

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Adrian our sommelier was superb, as was Juanito, our senior waiter in the Britannia Restaurant. But once again, our room attendant was hopeless and I don't appreciate black mould in my stateroom bathroom!

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Ports of call

Keelung (Taipei), Taiwan

3 out of 5

This port was cancelled from the itinerary and replaced with Pusan, South Korea.

Thumbs Up 0

Nagasaki, Japan

5 out of 5

What is not to love about the people of Nagasaki?

Thumbs Up 0

Incheon (Seoul). South Korea

3 out of 5

Bangkok, Thailand

3 out of 5

Sadly, the port of Laem Chagang is too far away from Bangkok to make this a viable trip.

Thumbs Up 0

Traveler Photos

7 Comments

nursematt 6 years ago

Lifeincamelot. Thanks for the reply. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that princess is far inferior but it is different. Having said that we’ve compromised and have booked again next year on sapphire princess, big cost savings was a major driver. I will always be a cunarder at heart and look forward to cruising again with them hopefully in 2019. We’ve looked at Viking too but as you say the expense is perhaps prohibitive as is the case with regent and crystal. I’ll have to keep saving as I’m bit by the cruise bug and have expensive taste. Lol. Hope you’re cruising career continues with interest.

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LifeInCamelot 6 years ago

Hi Matt, I have just seen your response to my review. That is great that you sent a letter to Cunard - I am a great believer in reviews, good and otherwise and I always praise where appropriate. I did contemplate writing to Cunard but did feel it would fall on deaf ears. We have our next Cunard cruise booked for June 2018 but I do feel it may be our last for a while unless some of the cracks that have started to appear in Cunard's 'white star service' are addressed. So am I correct in reading that you found Princess to be far inferior to Cunard and that is why you are returning to them? My husband has discovered Viking cruises (far more expensive though) so we might try them in the future.

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nursematt 7 years ago

I enjoyed reading your review. Until this year we have always travelled Cunard. In 2011 and 2012 we sailed on Queen Elizabeth, she was amazing and nothing was too much I really felt special as a valued customer. However in 2013 we sailed on QM2, I can't say our experience was of the same standard. We had similar issues in our suite, neither the steward or the butler seemed keen on cleaning or serving us, we hardly saw either of them the whole week. As for entertainment on board never found anything to complain about. Food and service was impeccable as ever, as a veggie I was really looked after by the grills team. When we complained to Cunard on our return, they refused to acknowledge the problems and in their initial letter did not even bother to apologise. Several letters back and fro to which no resolve was ever found, in the end the complaints manager actually blamed me for not bringing the issues to the attention of the concierge onboard and as I had not done this she refused to take it further. I could not bring myself to write back at point. Anyway we tried princess this year and realise now what side our bread is buttered. Back to Cunard me thinks.

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LifeInCamelot 7 years ago

Thanks for your comment Adam29UK, and I have also travelled aboard QM2 4 times.

I am sure that the problems we encountered on this journey were not anything to do with the restoration, in fact the ship is looking very nice indeed. I feel that Carnival might have poured a great deal of money into the ship without paying attention to the smaller details that made Cunard what it once was. My husband and I are Diamond members of Cunard because we have loved sailing upon all the Queens, but service is slipping and that obviously doesn't apply to all of the staff on board, some of whom are now our dear friends and we take them to lunch whenever the ship is in Melbourne.

However, I believe that attention to detail is what used to make Cunard stand out - they still pride themselves on their White Star Service - but I am not the only passenger who has noticed the standards slipping.

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Adam29UK 7 years ago

I know everybody has and are entitled to their own opinions of all 3 Queens, but I find what you've stated here very hard to believe. I've been on QM2 at least 4 times & never found a single fault. I don't see how everything you've mentioned could be just because of the restoration.

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miatapete 7 years ago

wow. I would have brought the bathroom issue to someone's attention the first day. we have 7th and 8th crossing booked. love the ship the crew and both captain oprey and wells. entertainment is different from normal cruises. more lectures. we go to all. and rada is entertaining.

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wl1962 7 years ago

What we all feared with carnival aquisition. We like carnival but the queens were always special. They are starting to morph into just another cruise. Not there yet. Hopefullysomeone will notice and stop the slide. This from a three time queen sailor

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