20 things you MUST do on your Cunard cruise!

In this post today, I’m going to share with you some of my ‘top tips’ or recommendations of things that you MUST be sure to check out while on your Cunard cruise. This post was put together following my experience onboard Queen Elizabeth - you’ll be able to do most of these things on any Cunard ship, but it’s always worth checking for any ship-specific differences if you’ll be cruising on Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, or Queen Anne.

If you would rather cover these tips in video form, then you’re in luck! You can watch these tips on my YouTube channel by clicking the below link. While you’re there, it would be amazing if you’d give the video a ‘thumbs up’, click ‘subscribe’, and please share with anyone in your travel party - all totally FREE ways to support my channel and journey.

Before taking my first Cunard cruise, I had no idea what to expect. I’m hoping that this post might help to point you in the right direction, and also help you to ‘get excited’ about your cruise - you’re in for a real treat!

Anyway, let’s get started with our first point…

20. In-Stateroom Dining - give it a try!

Now, I’m not usually a fan of room service, especially due to the fact that a number of cruise lines charge a delivery charge for the privilege. I don’t agree that room service should come with an additional charge on cruise ships, as you choosing to dine in your cabin should in turn alleviate the stress in some of the ship venues. For example, if everyone chose to dine in the Main Dining room all of the time, it would be SO tough to get seated!

On your Cunard cruise, food deliveries are included in your cruise fare, and the menu really is pretty extensive! In addition to food, you can order drinks to your stateroom - there’s even some deals available for ordering multiple beers etc, so well worth a look to save a few pennies here and there - perfect for ‘stocking up’ the fridge in your cabin. I do enjoy this feature, as on my first cruise I ended up paying additional gratuities to buy my beers from a bar and then retreat to my room, rather than saving some money by ordering using the room service function - worth noting!

19. Check out the Sports Pavilion!

Ok, I’m actually surprised to be writing this, but yes - there’s a SPORTS PAVILION onboard Queen Elizabeth! This facility is on the top deck, all the way to the front of the ship. Up here, you’ll find paddle tennis, outdoor boules and croquet, and they’re all free of charge! Here’s some pictures, so you know what to expect:

In terms of timing your visit up here, I found that it would be particularly busy early in the mornings and also early in the evenings, once the heat of the day had subsided. If you’re cruising in warmer climes, I’d recommend you keep this in mind up there! On that note, it was great to see that Cunard crew members would keep a water dispenser topped up (and iced) up there with paper cups all day, so you didn’t need to worry about taking water up from the Lido etc - all provided for you! The final point to think about up here… If, like me, you’re travelling solo, this is a great way to meet people - what better way to make friends than to beat them at a sport? That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it, ha! Okay, let’s think about point 18…

18. Try a Cunard beer!

I didn’t know this before cruising with them, but did you know that Cunard have their own BEER?! That’s right - Cunard have teamed up with ‘Dark Revolution’ on land to create 3 different beers: Cunard Gold, Cunard Red and Cunard Black. You can either buy these beers ‘by the pint’ down in the Golden Lion pub onboard (Deck 2 of Queen Elizabeth), or you can order a flight! The latter results in you being presented with 3 drinks (all one third of a pint each), and that comes at the cost of around $8 USD (at the point of my cruise in 2023).

17. Check out the fresh flowers!

On most cruise ships, you’ll find a couple of flower displays, especially down in the region of Guest Services. On your Cunard cruise, you’re going to be blown away by the work of the onboard florists - they really are experts in their field! My top recommendation - check our the Grand Lobby (or, in non-Cunard speak, the Atrium) of your ship, and also check out the Queens Room - these spots are bound to have fresh flowers on display throughout your cruise! Here’s some examples from my time onboard Queen Elizabeth:

16. Take a walk on the Promenade Deck!

On Queen Elizabeth, you’re going to find a full wrap-around deck on Deck 3 of the ship. This open deck allows you to walk all around the exterior of the ship, while soaking in the remarkable views. I met so many people who had no idea there even was an external promenade, so be sure not to miss out!

A ‘top tip’ for this one is that you’re in a fantastic wildlife-watching spot down here. As you’re on Deck 3, you’re MUCH closer to the ocean than up on the pool deck. Keep your eyes peeled - you might just be lucky enough to spot whales, dolphins, or maybe just the odd jumping fish!

In terms of seating out here, you can choose from upright seating, the traditional wooden benches emblazoned with the ship name, or you can also go for one of the traditional wooden loungers. However you choose to spend your time down here, be sure to pause, look up, and soak in those views!

15. Eat at the Golden Lion pub

Some people don’t realise that you can not only drink in the pub, but you can also eat! In terms of the menu, think typical British pub fare - fish and chips, curry, sticky toffee pudding - you’re going to get them all in here. Now, the menu isn’t massive, but it’s such a nice way to avoid the crowds of the Lido Buffet, and also the formality of the Main Dining room.

A ‘top tip’? Get in here just before the food service begins - it’s really popular with ‘those in the know’, so don’t miss out!

14. Watch a movie in the Royal Court Theatre!

Most cruise lines now have incorporated movies into their daily schedules. Often, this means that movies will be presented on a large screen pool-side, allowing you to watch a blockbuster while sipping your favourite drink in the sunshine.

Cunard are showing movies a little differently, and I really like it! Rather than showing outside, they’ve opted to utilise the Royal Court theatre. Not only does this utilise a space onboard the ship which would otherwise be sitting not being used during the day, but it also creates a cinema-like environment for all to enjoy - a really great idea! So remember - grab a drink before you head in, and then settle down to watch your favourite film!

13. Eat ice cream!

I know - like you needed me to tell you to do this - you’re on vacation, after all! Before you ask how much you’re going to have to pay for a refreshing ice cream, let me tell you - IT’S FREE!

Up on Deck 9, you’re going to find the Lido - this is the onboard buffet. This is where meals will be served, but also where you’ll find the ice cream machine. In fact, you’ll usually find 2 in here - one on the Port side, and one on the Starboard. These are soft-serve, and you can choose whether you would like to serve yours in a cone (good luck pouring that if you’ve not tried before…), or a bowl. You’ll get soft-serve vanilla ice cream during the day, and then they’ll introduce a chocolate (or another flavour) into the mix at night. Believe me, it really is shocking how many ice creams you can eat throughout your cruise - especially at such a low (or non-existent…) price!

12. Attend a Church Service?

One thing that I find really interesting when I travel is visiting the churches, cathedrals, mosques, temples, or other religious buildings in the places I visit. I find it fascinating to experience how people worship differently across geographies, but I didn’t realise that there are also services on cruise ships! In this case, it’s a cross-denominational service, and it’s held down in the Royal Court Theatre on a Sunday morning.

These services are often led by Senior Officers or the Entertainment Director or, in the case of my cruise, the Captain of the ship. Whether you’re religious or not, I do think it could be interesting for you to pop in - it’s also a nice environment to meet some familiar faces from around the ship!

11. Do Laundry…

I know, you’re on a post talking about things to do when you’re on vacation, and I’m proposing that you do your laundry - YAWN. However, when I was cruising on Cunard, I was cruising ‘back to back’ on multiple ships, and so I was INCREDIBLY excited to stumble upon the laundry facilities.

There are a number of laundry rooms onboard, and you’ll find these on the decks with mostly passenger cabins. In each room, you’ll find washing machines, dryers, and also ironing boards and irons. That last point is so important - I can’t tell you how many cruises I’ve been on where I’ve been totally stumped with how to iron a shirt for formal night, but that’s just not an issue on here!

Laundry detergent and use of the machines is all totally free of charge on Cunard, so don’t worry about having to charge things to your stateroom/cabin in there!

10. Eat in the Main Dining Room!

On some cruise lines, I tend to try the Main Dining room once or twice, and then opt to go for Speciality options, or the buffet option upstairs. However, on Cunard (based on my experience on Queen Elizabeth), I would really encourage you to go and dine in the Main Dining room. The space itself is absolutely gorgeous, and the food far surpassed what I’ve been offered from some other cruise lines.

Dining usually works with either assigned dining slots (an early sitting, or a late sitting), or the option of flexible or open dining. However you choose to dine, you’re sure to meet some new people at your table, so enjoy! Here’s some photos of the Main Dining Room (the Britannia Dining Room) onboard - isn’t it beautiful for a venue that’s FREE/included in your fare?!

9. Learn about your ports!

On some cruises, you’re going to be able to attend a ‘port presentation’ that’s often paired with a ‘shopping ashore’ presentation, or primarily focussed on selling you a Shore Excursion. However, I found these talks on Cunard to be far more focussed on the ports themselves, rather than persuading you to pay Cunard to take you off of the ship on a tour. For each of our ports, we had a presentation a few days before covering topics including: geographic location and facts, top tips for the area, recommended tourist attractions and if it was possible to explore independently.

Some recommended tours were then presented in this forum, but there was absolutely no ‘hard sell’ on this front at all - massively recommended!

8. Check out the Library!

If you enjoy settling into a good book while you travel, then you’re going to love this one! Cunard prides themselves on having some really beautiful libraries onboard their ships, and this is certainly the case with the one on Queen Elizabeth. If you’d like to see the library for yourself, head over to my Queen Elizabeth ship tour on YouTube (I can’t find my pictures - oops!), and you’re looking to jump to 07:40 into the video - it’s amazing!

This library is two floors, and features a beautiful wooden staircase to take you from the lower level (deck 2) up to the upper level (deck 3). In here, you can check out books to read during your cruise, and this facility is totally free of charge! If you’re not travelling with your own computer but need to be online, you can also come in here to use a number of PCs - note though - you will need a wi-fi package to use the internet in here, and these packages aren’t cheap on a Cunard ship…! Another call out - be sure to return your books at the end of your cruise, or you may be subject to a fine being added to your onboard account!

7. Watch a show!

The theatres onboard Cunard ships really are stunning venues - here’s the one onboard Queen Elizabeth for reference:

6. Book a private box in the theatre!

Ok, the thought of heading to a show after dinner sounded good, but how about booking your own private box to enjoy proceedings? If you’re smiling now, then listen up! On some nights of your cruise, Cunard will offer you the ability to reserve your own box for the show. This will usually mean that you have a welcome drink on arrival (and usually a snack too), and some of the most unique and private seats in the house away from other people. If you’re interested in this option, then be sure to enquire as soon as you get onboard - they only offered this option for a couple of shows on my cruise (the Cunard production shows specifically), and it seemed pretty popular when available! If the boxes aren’t available for booking, then they’re available to the public to grab and use as regular seats - if you want one of these, you’re going to have to get there early on show night…!

5. Give ‘Cunard Insights’ a try

On your Cunard cruise, check your daily schedule for ‘Cunard Insights’. This is the onboard lecture programme, and you’re going to find lectures every day of your cruise. The topics of these lectures can be SO widely variable, so be sure to head along to one that peaks your interest. On my cruise, we completed a full transit of the Panama Canal, so we obviously had someone on the ship who delivered multiple talks to educate us on what we were going to see, and also the history of the canal itself. In addition to that, we had sports personalities, university academics, film producers and an astronomer delivering talks, so there was something to satisfy everyone at least once or twice!

My ‘top tip’ with Cunard Insights? Give it a go - you might just find your new favourite interest or hobby. You can’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

4. Get onboard with Formal night!

When I first tried cruising as a vacation, I really didn’t like formal nights. This was one of the things I was most nervous about before boarding my first Cunard cruise - I’d heard it was a VERY formal environment. Before my cruise, I actually did go out and buy my first ever full dinner suit - I’d never owned one before! On my 14 night cruise, we had 3 formal nights, which were ‘Gatsby’, ‘Black and White’, and also ‘Masquerade Ball’ themed. I’d thought this was going to be my nightmare, but I loved it in the end!

The whole ship really does ‘come alive’ for formal night, and Cunard certainly know how to put on a show! If you’re interested in seeing some more of a ‘formal night’ onboard Queen Elizabeth, then head over to my YouTube channel, where you can see first-hand what it looked like that night!

3. Try something different!

On some cruise lines, you’ll find ‘different’ activities going on - often things that you wouldn’t have thought about taking part in while on vacation. In my case on Queen Elizabeth, the example I would give would be the onboard choir. Now, to set expectations very clearly(!), I didn’t take part in choir rehearsals, nor did I stand on the stage and sing with them (they’d have paid me to stop), but I did go along to their recital and really enjoyed it! If singing isn’t your thing, why not do some jigsaws, play bridge or maybe something else?!

2. Afternoon Tea!

You knew this one was going to be in here. At 3pm in the Queens Room, you’re going to be served a formal afternoon tea, and it’s worth being a part of! The Queens Room is the onboard ballroom, so it’s where you’ll find the evening entertainment kicking off each night. However, from about 2.30pm, it’s completely transformed with white table cloths and pristine place settings, in order to deliver a special experience for all who would like to take part. You should expect finger sandwiches, cakes and scones, in addition to tea or coffee.

Take it from me - this one’s a real treat!

If you don’t like the thought of sitting in a formal venue being served afternoon tea while listening to the live musicians, then don’t worry! You can also order this to your room via the room service menu or go eat at the Lido. I chose room service a few times on my cruise, as I often value a bit of ‘down time’ mid-afternoon, and what better way to achieve this than by sipping tea and eating cakes and scones?!

1. GET OFF THE SHIP!

Some people, when they cruise, stay on the ship the whole time. However, my advice to you - do a little homework before your cruise and attend the port presentations. Hopefully, this will help to build your confidence with leaving the ship when you reach your next port of call. You never know what you’re going to find out there - I managed to find one of the most stunning beaches I’d ever seen in Aruba (Eagle Beach), some of the best pizza I’ve ever eaten in Naples (yes, in Italy - not Florida), and also found some of the best lobster I’ve ever eaten in Maine (yes, the last 2 examples weren’t on my Queen Elizabeth Panama canal cruise…!). Here’s Eagle Beach to hopefully encourage you to pack a day bag and leave the ship!

That’s it - my top 20 tips that I hope you’ll think about for your next Cunard cruise! If you enjoyed this article, please think about supporting my online content by subscribing to my YouTube channel - you can do this by clicking here, or searching ‘Fraser at Sea’ over on YouTube. While you’re there, why not check out some of my videos? I’d love you to say hello!

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