Cunard Cruise MD614D Hamburg and Fjords

[Frank Manning]

This was our first cruise with Cunard and we were prompted to do it by our Bridge partners, the lady wife concerned is an avid watcher of cruise bargains, and told us about this one. Consequently we accompanied them. I wont go into it day by day but will just cover the best and the average experiences.

Check in was fast and highly efficient, and there was no waiting around for access to cabins, it was straight in. We unpacked and went looking for food. Chance took us to the Carinthia Lounge where there was an array of very nice light snacks from a small buffet in the corner of a comfortable lounge for'ard of the Kings Court Buffet on deck 7. This venue quickly became a favourite, and especially for lunch on days when there was entertainment laid on in Carinthia. Obligatory safety drill took place and since we were on late sitting in the Britannia restaurant we did a bit of exploring of the ship.

Queen Mary 2 seems to be in a transitional period. She has very traditional decor, wooden panelling and reliefs, with art deco and art nouveau influences everywhere aka her namesake. Some lifts have superb paintings of Cunard ships of yesteryear by artists such as Gordon Bauwens and Stephen Card. (Eat your heart out Frank!) I got the impression that perhaps some of these will be replaced which for me would be a great shame. Some of the public rooms have been beautifully thought out, the Commodore Club, Atlantic Room and the Chart Room were favourites. There is plenty of deck space and 3 circuits of deck 7 get you a mile on proper wooden (teak?) decks.

Britannia Restaurant has similar decor art deco styling over two floors. Our table stewards were excellent, and nothing was too much trouble for them. However the wine was extremely expensive even by P&O standards, and to be honest we were very disappointed by the standard of food. Generally vegetables were few, and if more were requested they arrived very under cooked. Sauces (Gravy to us) were very bland and sparingly applied. There was a small alternative section labelled Canyon Ranch, but we could not see the significance of this. The meat and fish were good and portions were not skimped, it was just the general accompaniment which disappointed. For example on the last night we both ordered roast rib of beef, which was tender and delicious, but who had the bright idea to accompany it with an under cooked jacket potato smothered in nutmeg (?). Where was the yorkshire pudding and roast pots?

We also ate in the Golden Lion Pub, where there was fabulous English pub food. The whole range being well cooked and plentiful. They also have 8 traditional cask conditioned ales, I am not a big drinker, but I wish we had discovered this venue earlier, to be honest we were put off by our P&O pub style experiences which seem to revolve around endless quizes and consumption of lots of beer. In the latter respect there was absolutely no pressure to have more drinks in any of the venues. I hope this continues because it made a nice change from the P&O style of pestering.

We tried the Kings Court buffet where the food was much better than in the MDR, if you could stand the scrum for tables and the pushing and shoving of the 1500 or so German passengers, who after Hamburg outnumbered us 3 to 1. One evening the four of us went to Coriander for the Indian meal, which was probably the best Indian meal I have tasted since I was last in Mumbai in 1999. Service was excellent, an the cover charge no problem.

Our cabin sadly had not been remastered, and the carpet was not very good. In other respects the balcony was spacious, and the cabin well laid out. Mattress was comfortable and sound proofing very good. There was a massive wall mounted TV right in front of the bed if laying in bed watching TV is your thing. The range of films shown were very good. A minor gripe was that the electric razor point location did not make recharging very convenient.

The entertainment was superb. We went to Bridge Lessons on sea days, these were conducted by a charming couple; Bob and Nancy Munson from California. Royal Court Theatre for'ard and Queens Room aft are excellent venues. The entertainers were very good. especial mention for the Cunard singers, 4 young Americans, and unusually for ship board teams each really hit the notes (none of the pseudo shouting aka the Headliners). The Jeff Hughes big band were superb, and there were two evenings of dance band music and on each occasion we walked in to the Queens Room to sound of Moonlight Serenade (it couldn't be better). On the last evening we were entertained by the highly talented Philippa Healey a real musical star with a fine soprano voice.

Several of the passengers were Aussies, who were great company, and apart from the barging we got on well with the Germans, several of whom were genuinely sad about Brexit, saying that they regarded us as their biggest ally in the EU. (Not as sad as I am!).

Hamburg was the star port for me (Nostalgia), but we knew Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger from previous cruises and enjoyed our walks ashore. We did not do any tours. Frankly compared to P&O they were lacking in imagination, and very badly advertised, and explained. It is possible that this was due to the preponderance of Germans, or due to the Atlantic Liner culture of the ship. (incidentally she seems rock steady to us so I imagine she will be good on the North Atlantic).

It was a very enjoyable cruise and rekindled Sue's enthusiasm for cruising I am glad to say.The officers don't dispense as much interesting info as on P&O, and whereas on some P&O ships the Captain walks about the ship and talks to passengers readily, this Captain was noticeable by his absence except that he came through the MDR once or twice in all his gold braid en route to the Britannia Club area.

I think if the opportunity arises we will go with Cunard again. The minor downsides were outweighed by the many plus points.

[sunseeker16]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write a review, which I enjoyed reading; I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise

[Dancing Queen]

Thanks for the review Frank, it sounds as if you enjoyed your QM2 experience

[oldbluefox]

We enjoyed QM2 and if the itinerary were right we would happily go on her again. You make no mention of the class divide. Was this intentional or did you fell, as we did, that it made no difference to the enjoyment of your own holiday and, unless you went looking for it, it was not apparent.
Glad you had a good cruise. We would love to go to Hamburg For myself I would love to see the model train layout although I'm sure there are plenty of other attractions to be enjoyed there!!!
Thanks for your review.

[Frank Manning]

I agree, the class divide is so unobtrusive as to be of no importance to us OBF. I am not in to snobbery or class; people are people. If I thought we were down in the bowels of the ship in rooms with 6 bunks (steerage) I might have jibbed a bit though!

Disembarkation at Southampton was a bit chaotic. For some reason (may be TA influence) we had priority but were told to go to the Royal Court Theatre. They were despatching the tours from the stalls, and the circle quickly filled up, but with no information at all. Eventually we were led past the Vive Cliquot and Chart Room back via immigration to the level 3 atrium, but for a while we had to fight our way out past loads of other waiting passengers.

I forgot to say that both departures from Hamburg down the Elbe were in lovely evening sun. The bank lined with people, some hotels playing British patriotic music. It was quite moving at times, and QM2 responded with three long blasts at each location. Great atmosphere and good of the Germans to do it.

Bit different to one of my trips up the Elbe in 1960, when for a joke they hung me over the stern by my arms and legs, and I started to slip out of my uniform jacket and trousers... a bit frightening at the time. but least said about our visits to Hamburg in those days the better.

[oldbluefox]

but least said about our visits to Hamburg in those days the better.

Now that would make interesting reading...........................

[barney]

A fantastic review, thanks Frank.

We've not tried Cunard yet, but no doubt will at some time.

[Dancing Queen]

but least said about our visits to Hamburg in those days the better.

Now that would make interesting reading...........................

It would indeed .. I remember going to Hamburg as a nineteen year old and what a 'blast' we had

[Manoverboard]

Interesting report Frank, thanks for posting it but we would probably only choose Cunard for a Transatlantic trip.

ps ... Voyages of Discovery do wall to wall ' Bridge ' on some of their cruises via ' The Bridge Club ' if you get the bug.

[Frank Manning]

but least said about our visits to Hamburg in those days the better.

Now that would make interesting reading...........................

It would indeed .. I remember going to Hamburg as a nineteen year old and what a 'blast' we had

I doubt if you were there in the summer of 1960 though DQ. Ah the Zillertal, etc. I wish I had known then what I know now.

[Kenmo1]

Hi Frank - very pleased to see that you and Sue have found a ship/cruise line that you are both happy with and hopefully this will mean that you will both look forward to more cruises.

I had to look up Zillertal - I thought it might have been one of the risqué nightclubs in Hamburg but I see it is a beer.

Best wishes to you and Sue.

Maureen.

[Frank Manning]

Hi Maureen,
We thought of you as we sailed past The New Holmwood. Yes The Zillertal was a beer hall but they used to have a fabulous band, and it was just the one which our crew seemed to head for after a leer at the girls in the Herbertstrasse (not really interesting to be honest; I felt desperately sorry for them.). Most trips our ship was berthed in the suburb of Harburg which had its own attractions in those days. I found it very nostalgic to stand on the (now very enlarged) St Pauli Landungsbruggen last week,

I expect we shall come over to the island again soon, and will try to meet up with you all again. The drinks are on me next time!

[Raybosailor]

but least said about our visits to Hamburg in those days the better.

Now that would make interesting reading...........................

when for a joke they hung me over the stern by my arms and legs

Now that's what I call a 'Sail Away Party' Frank.

[Frank Manning]

I forgot to say in the original report, that towards the end of the cruise, the children aboard (Ages I guess 6 to 13) did a performance of 'Annie; in the Queens Room. Not many people came but they missed a treat. It brought a tear to the eye, to see these children putting on such a show. the star Annie, was about 8, and a real trouper. I should think some Stage School experience because she sang and danced really well with those slightly exagerated hand and leg actions which one sees in actors.

These little things are the memories that make cruising so good.