Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Review

Take your kids elsewhere

Review for the Baltic Sea Cruise on Queen Mary 2 (QM2)
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RevFun
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

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Sail Date: Jul 2012
Cabin: Balcony, sheltered
Traveled with children

Our cruise was to be a time of relaxation with our children. The discovery of the removal of the Basketball goals was horrible for two of my children who wanted to play and shoot every day. Over 2000 passengers would thus be awaiting to play on the one paddle tennis court or two table tennis tables. There was no dedicated space for young people (Teens) as they don't even have a video game console dedicated to youth. The two daily times when youth can use the Zone facilities are during meal times....thus the pool or a 25 dollar per half hour golf similator is basically all you have (and a golf driving net with a few clubs and shuffleboard). Unless your children want to sit and read quietly for hours and play scrabble, this sort of cruise will drive them, and you crazy. I am not sure Cunard sees young people as their market and it is obvious in the lack of provision. The failure to notify guests of the removal of the Basketball court is just wrong. Their virtual tour today still shows this as an option for guests...."sports enthusiasts can enjoy a game of paddle tennis or basketball in the sea air".....it is not true! And your teenage son or daughter will be very angry with you when they stand on the lined sports court staring at steel poles.

The ship is beautiful and it is clear that some things clearly are five star, but I was suprised by the disparity in the service at the purser's desk with young people who varied in their helpfulness and competence. The buffet becomes small in the evening as they try to make money by creating fee paying themed resturant areas...and the sparkle of white star service fades when you have to search out a single working ice cream machine (which will often have been turned off perhaps to save a few pennies.

You can see where staffing levels in the Britiannia are very thin and servers are having to work very hard to keep up, and when you are travelling with children you don't really want to wait 30 minutes to order. No doubt quality is compromised on the QM2 in places which means the consumer has to work hard to seek out things which I am guessing used to be more commonly available.

Cabin Review

Balcony, sheltered

Cabin BC

6065 - We were beneath the Caynon Ranch spa which flooded our cabin forcing us to have to move in the early hours of the morning...no fun. 6169 - Nice cabin with adjoining balcony with next cabin....adjoining rooms if you were to book them both. If the neighbours smoke and are not in your party, not such a good thing!6279 - Back of ship near the kids zone. Good location for level six pool and lifts to the level seven food / buffet6226 - Strange interior corridor to this little interior cabin. It is small and dark and not the place if you are claustrophobic....an interior interior cabin. Close to stairs/lift to level 7 food.6010 - Great disabled cabin in the front left of ship. Lots of noise when anchor going up and down as it is right below cabin. Also tons of engine noise when coming and going from port as front thrusters are below this cabin....5am docking is not something you can sleep through.

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