Cunard - things to know

I like to make a list of what I like or dislike on ships.  Cunard would be my favorite cruise line for the extras, excellent employees, delicious dinners and superb entertainment.   If you are going on Cunard, here are things I thought I would pass on to first time cruisers:

• Afternoon Tea at 3:00 is excellent.  They line up so get there early.
• There is a kettle in your room, with tea bags, instant coffee and cookies 
• At breakfast, cappuccino and espresso are free in the dining room
• Even on port days, the dining room is open at lunch
• Launderette machines and soap are free
• No extra charges in the dining room if you want a better steak or lobster tail
• There is no Splenda on this ship.  The sugar is from Australia, and it’s got aspartame. That was on the July 11, 2024, cruise.  Supplies were loaded in a previous cruise, so this may not be on every cruise.  If you use Splenda, you may want to pack some.
• They have an English Pub with pub food that is included in your cruise fare
• Dart tournaments in the pub most days
• Organized Bridge 
• Prizes from darts, trivia etc. are very nice.  Not junk like RCCL and Princess
• More activities than the four-star cruise lines every day
• No annoying photos at dinner or at ports
• A two-story library with lots of books
• One announcement at noon every day from the bridge.  No other announcements
• In the specialty dining room, if you have a gift card, they don’t ask for a gratuity
• The casino is very small and it’s non-smoking!
• Exercise classes are free

Internet has two options, Essential and Premium.  Essential is cheaper and does what most people want.  I bought Premium and can watch You Tube and other streaming.  I had problems uploading photos to my blog and getting into secondary sites.   

“My Voyage” is a website that gives you all the ships information you don’t need internet to activate it.  Go to the library and get the brochure that shows you how to do it on apple or android.  You can see the daily program, check your shipboard account, and lots of other information.  It doesn't include a messaging app to contact other passengers.  It is a handy site to have on your phone!