The positives are that this is still a very classy ocean liner with amazing staff in all departments.
Our Princess Grill suite was spacious, well maintained and very comfortable.
However, we understand that during the cruise prior to ours on the 15 February, a considerable number of guests had fallen ill with gastroenteritis.
Within two days of our boarding QM2, despite rigorous hand washing and avoiding touching surfaces such as lift buttons, handrails etc., we ourselves fell ill with same which meant we were confined to our suite for three days missing two ports of call.
We understand that many guests were similarly affected throughout the cruise and in Cadiz everyone was required to leave the ship between the hours of 10 am and 1.30pm in order that the ship could be thoroughly disinfected.
We also understand that at the end of our cruise in Southampton, boarding for the next cruise was delayed a few hours in order to deep clean the ship.
This is the first time in over 30 cruises that we have experienced such large scale illness on a ship.
Apart from the above, we can say that we thought that the main dining room looked spectacular and afternoon tea in the Queen’s Room was exceptional.
We thought that ambiance in the Princess Grill restaurant was lacking (although the staff were superb) and the food at best was very mediocre and of poor quality, as was the food everywhere else even in the cover charge restaurants.
We would add that the alcoholic drinks are astonishingly expensive.
In fact the food on board QM2 was not to be compared with P & O restaurants.
All in all a very disappointing cruise – Cunard need to get there act together as they are letting the Queen Mary 2 down badly.
