Advice on Cunard vs Disney . . .

[disboo]

We are booked on the westbound crossing from Barcelona to Orlando in fall 2010. For many reasons, it looks like we will cancel that trip and take a transatlantic crossing from London to NYC in June instead. We have been on several Disney cruises and love the ship, activities, CMs, etc.

For those of you who have been on both Disney and Cunard, can you tell me a little about how they are different, and what I can really look forward to on Cunard?

Thanks in advance for any comments!

 

[gismo1554]

Ok should start by saying it's my sister who's been on Cunard not me so this is second hand info. That being said I quized her like mad when she got off the boat and she did the TA London to New York and Back again as well as doing both TA's in 2007 on Disney with me.

For those of you who have been on both Disney and Cunard, can you tell me a little about how they are different, and what I can really look forward to on Cunard?

Cunard she found was a lot higher quality service wise than Disney. Although she felt it wasn't as friendly in the fact that people didn't know your name or anything you felt like you were being spoilt. The trip had a more adult fare and she loved everything about it. She said the best bit was coming in to New York under some bridge that the boat barely fits under! She said it was amasing and she would definately do it again. The service was first class and the food was so much better. She loved the shows and the lectures and felt like a princess dressing up to go to dinner etc. It was definately something she would do again.

 

[disboo]

Thanks for the info. Any other opinions?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I've never sailed Cunard but did read on their website that dining rooms are still separated according to stateroom class. Reminds me of how "Jack" couldn't enter the dining room with "Rose's" family on the Titanic.
A little snooty for my taste.

 

[starview]

I have been on many different lines, including Disney but have not been on Cunard by choice. I am totally against the class system. I don't like the idea of my stateroom category determining which dining room & what type of fare I receive.

On other cruiselines, everyone is treated virtually the same & we all feel special.

 

[wdwwishes]

Haven't cruised on with Cunard but from what I've heard as well as the impression I get from their website (just looking around), it seems to be an upscale, adult oriented experience. I think you just need to decide what type of experience you want. I'm sure their service and meals are quite a bit better than Disney's but they're aiming at a different crowd.

 

[sandiegosusie]

My inlaws have sailed Cunard, as well as every other line including Disney. My MIL wasn't aware of the class system until it was too late! They always choose to sail the cheapest way possible, which in Cunard's case meant bunk beds and less of a dining experience. My MIL begged and begged to be seated with her sister and her husband, who paid for their upgrade. She was denied. We all laugh about it, because my MIL is a travel snot! She expects to be waited on hand and foot and not pay for it...get my drift?

Cunard is for the most part an adult sailing experience. Not my cup of tea so to speak.

 

[mmouse37]

My parents were booked on Cunard and then found out about the class system of dining (stateroom price is tied to which dining room you are in) and cancelled because of it.

I doubt the "lower class" dining room is anything like "steerage" in Titanic, but the idea of it turns a lot of people off.

MJ

 

[calmpets]

To satisfy my curiosity I just checked the cost comparison of their EBTA to the DCL EBTA (both 14 days in April 2010). For my DCL inside stateroom I'm paying $1050pp. For the Cunard inside stateroom I'd pay $2500pp. If I paid that much more money and was then considered a lower class passenger on the ship I'd be mighty ticked!

 

[gismo1554]

To satisfy my curiosity I just checked the cost comparison of their EBTA to the DCL EBTA (both 14 days in April 2010). For my DCL inside stateroom I'm paying $1050pp. For the Cunard inside stateroom I'd pay $2500pp. If I paid that much more money and was then considered a lower class passenger on the ship I'd be mighty ticked!

OK I think maybe you're looking at a different cruise because when I priced up Cunard TA to New York from London (which is only 7 days I believe) and it was about 2/3 the price of Disney for the same category room.

You are treated no more like a second class citizen than you are on some other ships that still have dining rooms for the different staterooms. The food and service is the same

 

[jjgarv]

WE have sailed DCL 7 times and Cunard once.....
They are as different as can be....we are used to the friendly, outgoing castmembers of DCL where as on Cunard they were very impersonal and were only interested in you if you were one of their extensive guests (30 day trips or more) The pools on Cunard are not nearly as packed but they do not have any fun activities for kids, families, etc going on.
My wife and I joked that one day on Cunard we had the choice for activities between "Scarf Tying" and a seminar on lower back pain.
We wont ever return to Cunard....they focus on older guests and a huge thing on their ships is the ballroom and dancing.....We did not sense the excitement of being on a cruise...or on vacation for that matter like we do on DCL.
The food was not nearly as good on Cunard.
I would agree with the previous poster though on sailing in our out of NYC....that is awesome!