Our very first Cunard cruise turned out to be an almost last-minute decision, as we booked it at the end of May, and sailed on June 24 last.
My mother and I took the plunge only thanks to the great staff at Bolsover Cruise Club, who helped us secure one of the last available cabins for our 21-night roundtrip from Southampton.
It was a bucket list experience, with the added bonus of it being the 185th anniversary crossing, which meant that we got to attend some very interesting lectures by the ship’s architect, Stephen Payne.
Our inside cabin was more than adequate, very clean, with plenty of storage space and no signs of wear and tear.
We found the staff to be friendly, attentive and helpful (shoutout to our cabin steward, Dewa, on deck 6) throughout the ship.
Our cabin was situated under the gym, and we had no noise issues whatsoever.
Most of our meals were taken in the buffet, occasionally enjoying a lunch or two in the Britannia Dining Room, where we also ate on Gala evenings, and the staff was always attentive and very efficient; the fabled Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Room also turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience.
We appreciated the Cunard touch also in events such as the Cocktail party offered to first time passengers, and altogether were quite impressed by the memorabilia and historic timelines displayed around the ship, where it was easy to find one’s own favourite spot to just enjoy the spectacle of the ocean in such a relaxing atmosphere.
The activities offered in the daily programme provided something for everyone, and we did our own thing, felt altogether quite pampered, and met quite a number of very interesting fellow passengers.
The itinerary, together with the experience of crossing the Atlantic Ocean on this superb liner, were our main reason for this choice, and it delivered an unforgettable experience.
The only drawback (not Cunard’s fault) was that the Port of Southampton still had technical problems with the gangway on July 15th, which translated in the lobby and the adjacent hallways being packed with passengers patiently waiting to disembark for longer than anticipated.
Special thanks to Penelope at Bolsover Cruise Club for her precious assistance during the booking process!