Cunard Cruises – Ten Things To Do

This is a pretty cheeky look at things to do aboard a typical Cunard cruise ship to get your imagination going. These are wryly written and feature things for you to laugh or do on board that you may not have thought of or thought about 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 dinner on the first night. Definitely save these things for later. This is a great way to see your fellow cruisers, spot likely cruiser characters, and meet people. Ask them to take a photo of you and offer to take photos for others. As the band plays and the party atmosphere gets going, try the cocktail of the day. Sailing parties are always held on the aft pool deck of all 3 ships. The scenery and photos from here can be very picturesque with the wake of the ship, the setting sun, and your ultimate destination disappearing into the distance. Plus, the sailing party photos are a good measure of what you looked like at the start 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 at one of the main restaurants, maybe just order a cup of tea. As we all know, there’s nothing like a cup of tea in bed!

• 3 Make use of the spa.

It is not necessary to book treatments to use the spa facilities, but there is usually an entrance fee. Instead of booking daily, you can book a spa pass for the duration of your cruise to save money on the daily entrance fee. As 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 sun 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 bubbling spring areas and an underwater community lounger, plus a separate whirlpool. The Royal Spas aboard Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth have a thermal relaxation chamber with heated loungers overlooking the sea. These two sister ships also have free saunas in each of the gym 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 at night if you don’t like 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 bitters, karaoke and pub quizzes.
2. The Commodore Club for a perfect cocktail in an elegant Art Deco setting 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 in the spare moments during your cruise and can be quite a lot of fun. Photographers around the ship will offer to take a pre-dinner photo when you’re dressed in your finest with no obligation to purchase. There’s usually an ever-changing array of backgrounds to choose from: a faux New York City skyline or the grand staircase of the Titanic or a huge picture of the ship to an ornate flower display or just plain white canvas. This gives you an excuse to look for your photo in the photo gallery (or rogues gallery as we call it). By doing so, you can see everyone else’s image, which is a great conversation starter. You might see who’s traveling and laugh at some photos that didn’t turn out quite right. Play spotting the bad guys, maybe a grimace 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 Britannia Restaurant

Many people prefer to limit the formality of the main restaurant to dinner only, choosing to have breakfast and lunch at the casual 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 normally are for dinner, and the atmosphere is surprisingly quiet. During breakfast and lunch, Britannia restaurants have open seating where breakfast is cooked to order and the menu choice at lunch time 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 on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria or the Veranda restaurant on board Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. There is a charge for these of $30 per person. They are worth a try, especially if you have received a bonus on board. However, there are also FREE evening dining options in a section of the buffet restaurants in the evening. Apart from the self service buffet the restaurant in the evening becomes waiter service with tables set, linens and menus. These are very good and give you even more variety in your onboard dining options such as Indian, French, Asian Fusion, Thai, Steakhouse and Italian.

• 9 Have a cocktail at sunset in a Jacuzzi.

Ahhh – Only on a cruise ship! As your fellow cruisers rush back to their staterooms to get ready for dinner, kick back and head to the poolside Jacuzzi. Try another of those cocktails of the day and watch the sunset for a relaxed start to an unhurried evening.

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

Most people are too tired to go to the disco on the first night of the cruise. But many are tempted to explore the atmosphere on the second night; however, if it is quiet, 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 high gear: inhibitions are cast aside, daddy’s dance is fun, requests for popular tunes abound, and it’s the perfect way to celebrate an enjoyable cruise.