What are Cunard cruises like?

I've been writing a series of posts lately aimed at first time cruisers to introduce them to the different cruise 'brands' available to them. What they can expect onboard; what the cruise is like, the kind of people they'll find onboard etc.
Today's post will be aimed at what Cunard cruise lines are like.


Cunard currently have three ships in their fleet.....
The Queen Victoria, (2,000 guest capacity),
The Queen Elizabeth, (2.058 guest capacity), and
The Queen Mary 2, (2,620  guest capacity) - This is my favourite ship in the fleet and my second favourite ship at sea!

Cunard have to be one of my favourite cruise brands; I just love a Cunard cruise. They're also one of the oldest with their first ship completing a transatlantic crossing back in 1840.

In fact did you know it was a Cunard ship that carried the horses that were used in the Charge of the Light Brigade?
(Click here for a history of Cunard).

What confuses a lot of first time cruisers about Cunard is that they're an American cruise company.
This is true and you'll find your onboard account will be in dollars, however it won't be an American cruise experience you have onboard. The experience you have will be traditionally 'British'.
The example I always like to give to people looking to compare Cunard to something is the movie Titanic with Leonardo Di Caprio in it, (ignoring the whole iceberg and sinking thing obviously). The scene where he comes down the stairs and everyone is wearing ball gowns and tuxedos is perfect for picturing a Cunard formal night and that's where Cunard really come into their own.
The Cunard experience can be summarised as formal, traditional and elegant. This obviously means they're not suited to everyone though. If you're looking for a holiday where you can just chill out and relax in your jeans Cunard may not be for you. Don't get me wrong the days can be extremely relaxing, just chilling by the pool or whiling a couple of hours away in the library, but the nights are definitely for those you like to get dressed up and enjoy the finer things in life.
They also have one of the best guest speaker and lecture programs at sea so not only can you come back from your holiday really relaxed, you can come back slightly smarter than when you left as well!

So, the Pros of a Cunard cruise...........

Very elegant, traditional and British onboard.
Some of the most beautiful ships at sea.
There's a tremendous sense of history to a Cunard cruise going right back to the early days of cruising.
A great lecture program.
Perfect for celebrating one off or special occasions like milestone birthdays, retirements etc.
The QM2 has the only planetarium at sea.

Cons of a Cunard cruise...............

Some people can find Cunard a bit too formal sometimes, they may find it a bit 'stuffy'.
Because they're American owned you will find your gratuities are automatically added onto your onboard account;
and a 15% service charge will be added onto your bar bill, (this is standard practice in America).
They don't have an open dining service, just a fixed dinner sitting of early or late dining.
The ships are very traditional and don't have many of the modern, 'fun', features of other cruise brands.

Feel free to share your own experiences of Cunard below or ask any questions about the cruise line.

Happy cruising.