Paul Kennedy

Age: 56
Occupation: Designer
Number of Cruises: 5
Cruise Line: Cunard
Ship: Queen Mary 2
Itinerary: Southampton

QM2 is a magnificent ship and beautifully appointed inside. The use of synthetic material has been well done and I think will stand up to the passage of time. Indeed, the only wear and tear I saw was on natural materials, the wooden rails inside elevators.

Our B6 cabin (4097) was extremely comfortable although perhaps a little compact. We were expecting the enclosed hull balcony, but being on a cruise to northern waters, there was not going to be much use of the sun loungers. Having looked at the QM2 brochure with an eye to next year's cruise, it is just not worth paying the premium prices that Cunard is charging for glass-fronted balconies that are not overlooked, overhung or obscured by lifeboats (namely B1 cabins or higher), especially when one is restricted to the Britannia Restaurant.

We had heard tales of bad service and at the first night's dinner, both the waiter and the sommelier were taking orders within minutes of our sitting down. Great, we thought. The food turned up promptly, but was cold, on cold plates and in tiny quantities. The sommelier didn't return until we had finished our main course to say that the wine we had ordered was not available! At breakfast the next morning, the orange juice didn't arrive until we had finished breakfast. In fairness, though, the food and plates got warmer (but never hot) and the portions got bigger and, after the first night, the sommelier was prompt. Getting one, however, at lunch was always a struggle.

Breakfast service seems a strange ritual. The maître d' stood at the bottom of the stairs in front of a row of stewards, one of whom was instructed to show us to our table - we were not allowed to sit where we liked. About half the remaining stewards were circulating with trays of Danish pastries, jugs of iced water (what is this obsession with iced water with every meal?) and pots of coffee. At every breakfast, we were pestered several times by different stewards with pastries and water whilst the rest of the stewards struggled to serve the breakfasts ordered. At least the coffee was welcome whilst we waited for our meal. On QE2 and Caronia, there are lots of "men in suits" in the dining rooms and if they see a dirty plate or empty wine glass, they take it away or top you up. Not in the Britannia Restaurant. They didn't appear to do anything and didn't seem to be able to manage their staff (there was quite a bit of muttering under the breath when instructions were given).

We tried Kings Court a couple of times (once because were were refused service in Britannia for being two minutes late for lunch). Not to be recommended. Too many self-service counters in too many places, none of which seemed to contain the elements of a complete course. You could get a freshly cooked hamburger with every relish you could want, but would have to trail around half a dozen counters to find enough to make up a salad, all the time fighting against hoards of people going in all directions and reaching across your tray to grab what they wanted.

We tried Todd English for dinner one evening. Every dish had a two-line description which we found impossible to understand, although I agree in retrospect that we should have asked the staff for help in interpreting the menu. The first course of tuna tartare turned out not to be my taste so I can't criticize it, but I was unable to finish my main course - basically duck à l'orange. The plate for once was very hot and the duck was accompanied by a delicious sauce which was so little in quantity that it dried to the plate before I was halfway through my duck. That was overcooked and dry and I left half of it. The orange bit was two or three segments of tinned tangerine. The meal as a whole was not worth the $30 surcharge.

Service outside the restaurant in the various bars was excellent and I can't fault that. Our cabin stewardess was superb; very friendly and helpful. Prices, though, left a lot to be desired. Photographs taken on embarkation and on board were being sold for $27.50. I would have liked a souvenir, but not at that price.

We went on board with an open mind, thinking that the people who had written some of the reviews were being unnecessarily picky, but much to our regret, that was not the case. The ship is a wonderful ship, very quiet and very smooth, even when running at full speed, although the sea was like a millpond the whole cruise. It was impossible most times to know whether we were underway or tied up. I wish Cunard the very best for the ship, but it must seriously address its level of service. I would regard Britannia as a 2-star restaurant in a 5-star shell and not worth the present cabin prices. Nobody we talked to said they would use the ship again, but because people have booked so far in advance (we booked two years ago) it will be a while before the level of service will hit Cunard where it hurts. We have booked for next summer, but on QE2. Our C1 Caronia cabin costs less than a B6 Britannia cabin on QM2. I just hope that having lost staff to QM2, its level of service has not deteriorated was well.