My Honest Queen Elizabeth Review!
- Tesha Cox
- May 23
- 9 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
I just disembarked Cunard's Queen Elizabeth. We were on an 8-day Alaskan Itinerary. It was round trip Seattle and super easy for us to get to the port from Oregon. I paid for all components of this trip, and nothing was sponsored. As a travel advisor, I did take Cunard's Academy and passed which put me into Platinum Status as a Commodore, but more on that later.
The embarkation onto the Queen Elizabeth was fairly quick and easy. We had a transfer from the airport to the cruise terminal. A Cunard specialist met us at the luggage carousel. We did arrive early and before she arrived so we were a bit confused where we should go at first until we went back to the baggage claim. We were then sent to a covered parking garage to wait for the shuttle. It was about an hour wait and it was cold! We were exposed to the outdoors, but we were under cover. It is definitely something to think about being prepared for. Also, I recommend bringing snacks for both the shuttle wait and the embarkation wait.
We arrived at the port and went through security pretty quickly and had a very short wait inside the port building and then were allowed up the ramp to board the Queen Elizabeth. The line moved quickly and as soon as we stepped foot on board, we were directed to our muster stations to get scanned in. Most people went to deck 9 for the Lido buffet after the required scan in, but we took the time to explore the ship before it became busy with more guests!
Walking into the grand lobby, you could feel the elegance of a classic ship. Deep colors and intricate designs made the ship feel luxurious and rich. The carpeting and draperies made the ship seem quiet, more like an upscale hotel. There was music playing and the staircases gave the ship old classic charm. I am fond of lighter, fresher color palates, but there was a sense of royalty with the decor that made the ship feel a little special.
Check out the beautiful woodwork.
The curves and railing are so elegant.
The decks on the ship were fantastic. There was a lot of deck space on the top of the ship. There is a deck reserved for Grills Suites guests that we could not access, but it was not disappointing as there was plenty of room to take photos and videos as we cruised by beautiful Endicott Arm, all the port stops and the sea life we saw swimming by our ship. On deck three, there was a wonderful, covered promenade that you could walk all the way around the ship. There were lounge chairs as well and that deck was rarely used. The downside as non-smokers was that the smoking area was located on one side of the promenade. The smoke seemed to follow most of that deck since it was covered. But I will say, one of my favorite spots was on the very back of that deck and the panoramic view you get as you sail away.
The view from the back of the ship
Here is a video of the Promenade on deck 3
A view of some of the upper decks.
Our cabin was an unobstructed ocean view on deck 1. I felt that it was very quiet, not much motion even on the rougher sea days, and very well located. I was pleasantly surprised by the view that we had. Our cabin steward was incredibly nice and accommodating. The bed was particularly firm, but after shore excursions, I did not have any trouble sleeping. There were 2 pillow choices for each guest. I am particular about my pillow, but I was able to get by. I would prefer a less full pillow, but most people probably would love them. There was a lot of closet space! However, the bathroom size was sacrificed. I don't mind a small bathroom, but the shower was so small that shaving my legs was very difficult. Our mascot, Emmett D Otter enjoyed the room, and we felt like it was perfect for us!
The bathroom with a very tiny shower!
Our room was located down the hall from the Theater. It was so easy to walk down and get a seat closer to floor level where it was cooler. The box seats and upper levels were too warm for our comfort. The entertainment was fantastic! The theater was beautiful. In addition to nightly entertainment, we attended the port talks and destination specialist discussions. We always had a seat for the later show. The early show sometimes did fill up, but they are not very long so it did not feel exceptionally late to be up. Besides, our cabin was just a stone's throw away so it was easy to call it a night and head straight to bed.
Here I am sitting in the Theater on the Queen Elizabeth!
Our cabin was also extremely convenient for embarking and disembarking at the ports. We could easily come in and unload our cameras and freshen up after an intense Alaskan day of exploring! I had purchased a shore excursion through Cunard and unfortunately the event was canceled. Cunard refunded me immediately, so that was nice. We did use Viator to book an alternate excursion as Cunard's had filled up, but again, that was very easy and ended up being so fun and we had a great and funny bus driver. I will say that Cunard could improve their communication with guests about disembarking the ship, whether it was in a port or final disembarkation, we noticed several people confused, in wrong lines or even on incorrect busses. There needs to be more representatives on the shore helping guide their clients to where they need to be. Ports can be hectic, especially with multiple ships disembarking at the same times. We did enjoy our destinations greatly! I recommend Mendenhall Glacier for sure. Victoria BC was also an amazing gem and so much fun with lots to do!
A lot of people cruise for the food. I love food. I will say that we did not find the culinary experience to be as wonderful as we hoped. I had a highlight meal in the main dining room with Beef Wellington and a Baked Alaska. The pizza on board was very good. I also had a Cuban sandwich that was delightful. The buffet had a lot of choices, and they did a great job of accommodating food sensitivities with a dedicated Gluten Free section, vegetarian meals, and a range of international dishes. I am sure the restaurants were very accommodating as well. Now for the letdown, we noticed that at the buffet, cheeses would be dried out and curling up especially as the days went on, the desserts were very bland, the scrambled eggs were more like a blended and juicy stew. It is a buffet and it is on a cruise ship, so we don't expect perfection, but the quality did not improve much in the main dining room. I was served raw ravioli; the pasta dough was very raw, and I was unable to flag anyone down to get a replacement. On another occasion, I could not cut my steak despite ordering medium rare. The mashed potatoes certainly seemed liked a box mix, but I can't be certain. In one small scoop of steamed vegetables, I had the stems of a carrot and a zucchini attached still.
The service at the dining areas was also lacking. I was excited to have the white glove service I had learned so much about while I was taking classes in Cunard's Academy. However, other than 1 or 2 people on board, we had almost no interaction with anyone. Our cabin steward provided exceptional and caring service though, and we appreciated that. We were only asked once in the main dining room how our food was, after it was about gone. We were processed through more like a factory than guests. We also noticed that plates of food were left out on deck overnight multiple times and some staff would walk past dropped napkins or rubbish without picking it up. We also did not notice thorough cleaning of tables, chairs, and serving areas. Our fellow guests that we dined with were wonderful though and it made the experience rewarding.
The famous tea that Cunard serves was fun but again lacking in taste. The bread was dried out on one side of the sandwiches indicating they were made well in advance. We had tea one day in the main dining room and that was lovely. The service there was less rushed and we had a beautiful view of the ocean. We also avoided the worst part of the entire journey by being served in the restaurant. Keep reading for the worst part of the voyage!
Ice White night in the main dining room. It is a beautiful room and if you are fortunate a seat by the window is spectacular!
Cunard's scones are out of this world! They are so good. I would have taken these over almost any dessert served on board.
The worst part of our cruise, the smell. In the middle of the ship there is a horrible off-gassing of sewage. Some of the public bathrooms also must have clogged during the voyage because we did notice toilet paper strewn through the hallways that were stuck to people's feet. The most unfortunate part of this is that the concentrated portion of the smell was near the Queens Room where they serve tea, and the cafe and pub. It was almost impossible to enjoy a meal in those areas. Several functions occur in this location and sadly we usually cut those short. Interestingly, some people did not seem to mind it! We were still able to enjoy our cruise as we just tried to avoid those areas. And fortunately, our cabin did not smell bad. I have heard that this is common in some of the older ships, so it may not be just the Queen Elizabeth with the off-gassing issue.
I cannot comment on the specialty restaurants or the casino as we did not use either. I did not purchase any extra package and tried to do the most basic fare possible. We did purchase a couple of specialty coffees at Carinthia Cafe which were lovely. The ship coffee in our opinion was not the best, so it was nice to be able to enjoy a latte. They were about $5.00 each for a very small cup. The pastries there were also so delicious! I purchased a single device Wi-Fi package which my husband and I shared. We like to be able to check in with family members and make sure everything is ok. As a commodore, I did receive and $80 credit toward my Wi-Fi. The service was great and we didn't have any connection problems. Cunard also allows you to use their app while you are on board without a package which allows you to make dining reservations, shore excursion bookings, and more. This is such a nice feature. Overall, this sailing was very economical and definitely worth the price to see such a beautiful place like Alaska.
We did not use the sports courts at all, but they look really fun and great! There is such a nice viewing area from that deck as well, so I was often up there to take photos. We did not use any of the pools or whirlpools, but they looked nice and the cold Alaskan air did not deter others from using them. We also did not use the spa area but again, it is absolutely a beautiful space. The fitness center is well appointed, and people seemed to enjoy the use of that amenity as well.
We had 2 Gala Balls on our 1-week cruise. It was nice to see people dressed up and enjoying the classic event that cruising should be. You can opt out of Gala events, but I definitely recommend bringing smart attire as the dress code is strict. I actually applaud the dress code as it sets a standard and people represent themselves in a dignified and classy way. Cunard is a social cruising event and people tend to be very respectful and kind. That was my favorite part of the experience!
Would I recommend Cunard? Although we did not enjoy every aspect of the cruise, I would still recommend Cunard. I feel very fortunate to have been able to join the Queen Elizabeth in her last Alaskan season. While I don't like to judge an experience after just one time, for some people, one time is all they will get so I am being fully honest in my review! I think certain people are a right fit for Cunard and reading reviews and speaking with dedicated long-time cruisers with Cunard, it is clear that our journey may have been out of the norm for the cruise line. I hope that I get another opportunity to try again and see if the experience is different.
If you are interested in cruising, please contact me. I can help you find the Cruise Line that fits you along with the itinerary you dream of. If you are interested to learn more about Cunard or see more photos and video, please reach out! I am happy to share. Also, I will be doing a comparison of Viking and Cunard in an upcoming blog, so stay tuned for that. I have a cruise with Princess on the horizon as well as another Viking Ocean cruise and I will give you detailed information about those sailings as well.
Blessings and Bon Voyage!
Tesha
Travel With TLC
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