Cunard Cruises – Ten things to do

February 16, 2023 0 Comments

This is a cheeky enough look at the things to do aboard a typical Cunard cruise ship to get your imagination going. These are wryly written and feature things to make you laugh or do on board that you may not have thought of or thought but never said! Here it goes:

  • 1 Attend boating parties with a camera!

Many people miss out because they are busy getting acquainted with the ship, unpacking, and preparing for the first night’s dinner. Definitely leave these things for later. This is a great way to see your fellow cruisers, spot likely cruise characters, and meet people. Ask them to take your photo and offer to take photos for others. As the band plays and the party atmosphere gets going, try the cocktail of the day. Boating parties are always held on the aft pool deck of all 3 boats. The scenery and photos from here can be very picturesque with the wake of the ship, the setting sun and your last destination disappearing in the distance. Also, the photos from the sailing party are a good measure of how you looked at the beginning of the cruise!

  • 2 Have a pre-breakfast in bed every morning

This is absolute luxury and a great way to wake up in the morning. Fill out your room service card before you go to bed at night and hang it outside your door (room service is FREE). Even if you plan to have breakfast in one of the main restaurants, maybe just order a cup of tea. As we all know, there is nothing like a cup of tea in bed!

  • 3 Make use of the spa.

No treatment reservations are necessary to use the spa facilities, but there is usually an entrance charge. Instead of booking daily, you can reserve a spa pass for the duration of your cruise to save money on the daily entrance fee. Since the entrance fee keeps the crowds away, it is generally a quiet and relaxing place. This is well worth it, especially if you want to laze around in the thermal pool, read a book, or perhaps do suduko in peace and quiet on a lounger in a fluffy bathrobe. Maybe use the sauna, steam room or take one of those invigorating showers. The Canyon Ranch spa aboard the Queen Mary 2 has a large thermal pool with areas of bubbling springs and a communal underwater lounger, plus a separate spa pool. The Royal Spas on board Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth have a thermal relaxation chamber with heated sun loungers overlooking the sea. These two sister ships also have free saunas in each of the gym’s locker rooms.

  • 4 Try all the bars!

This can be fun as an unofficial pub crawl. On Cunard ships it’s a challenge with many bars on board, all very stylish to suit different moods. This is for some lively entertainment in the evening if you don’t fancy the show, plus you don’t have far to go home! Key drinking establishments include:

  1. The Golden Lion pub serving traditional English pub food at lunchtime, pints of bitter, karaoke and pub quizzes.
  2. The Commodore Club for a perfect cocktail in elegant Art Deco surroundings accompanied by a pianist.
  3. The Chart room is a great place for a pre-dinner aperitif accompanied by a string quartet.
  4. The Veuve Cliquot Champagne bar for a true indulgence.
  • 5 Take a formal photo!

This is great to fill spare moments during the cruise and can be quite fun. Photographers around the ship will offer to take a pre-dinner photo when you’re dressed in your finery with no obligation to purchase. There’s usually a changing variety of backgrounds to choose from: a faux New York City skyline or the Titanic’s grand staircase or a massive image of the ship to an ornate flower display or just plain white canvas. This gives you an excuse to search for your photo in the photo gallery (or rogues gallery as we call it). By doing so, you can see everyone else’s picture, which is a great conversation starter. You might see who’s traveling and laugh at some photos that haven’t turned out quite right. Play spot the bad guys, maybe a wince at the wrong time or the top of a palm tree sticking out of someone’s head from behind.

  • 6 Have Breakfast and Lunch at the Britannia Restaurant

Many people prefer to limit the formality of the main restaurant to dinner only, choosing to eat breakfast and lunch at the informal buffet restaurants (Lido at Queen Elizabeth & Victoria or Kings Court at Queen Mary 2). Because of this, the Britannia restaurants on Cunard ships are not as busy as they usually are for dinner and the atmosphere is surprisingly calm. During breakfast and lunch Britannia restaurants have open seating where breakfast is cooked to order and the menu choice at lunchtime is excellent.

  • 7 Gatecrash Cocktails.

This one is a bit naughty, but if you’ve ever attended a cocktail party on board, ask yourself, “How many times have you been asked to see your invitation?”

  • 8 Try any free alternative restaurant at night.

Cunard would like to encourage you to try their alternative dining venues instead of the Britannia restaurant. Visit the Todd English restaurants aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria or the Veranda restaurant aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. There is a charge for these of $30 per person. These are worth a try, especially if you’ve received a bonus on board. However, there are also FREE evening dining options in a section of the evening buffet restaurants. Apart from the self-service buffet, the restaurant at night becomes waiter service with laid tables, tablecloths and menus. These are very good and give you even more variety in your onboard dining options including Indian, French, Asian Fusion, Thai, Steakhouse and Italian.

  • 9 Have a cocktail at sunset in a jacuzzi.

Ahhh – Only on a cruise! As your fellow cruisers rush back to their staterooms to prepare for dinner, kick back and head to the poolside Jacuzzi. Try another of those cocktails of the day and watch the sun go down for a relaxed start to a leisurely evening.

  • 10 Attend the Nightclub the 2nd night and the penultimate night of the cruise.

Most people are too tired to go to the club the first night of the cruise. But many are tempted to explore the atmosphere on the second night; however, if it is calm, many do not return. So, take the opportunity to be a night owl for once, put on your dancing shoes, and let your hair down. At this time of night people are much more relaxed and it’s a great way to make friends. Similarly, on the last night of the cruise, the nightclub tends to be mostly empty as everyone has packed up and is getting ready to leave early the next morning. So the penultimate night of the cruise is when things really kick into gear: Inhibitions are cast aside, Daddy’s dancing is fun, requests for popular tunes abound, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate an enjoyable cruise.

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