Day 3 aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth marked our second of two back-to-back sea days as we make our way toward our first port of call, Costa Maya, Mexico. Originally, this was supposed to be a stop in Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, followed by Montego Bay, Jamaica. But thanks to Hurricane Melissa, both of those were swapped out for Costa Maya and Roatán. So here we are with not much else to do but relax, which honestly isn’t the worst problem to have.
Before diving into today’s happenings, I figured this was a good time to talk about something new onboard that’s gotten quite a bit of attention lately, Cunard’s new beverage packages.
Just a few weeks ago, Cunard completely overhauled its drink program and rolled out a new structure called “A World of Drinks.” The old Beer, Wine & Spirits package was your typical alcoholic drink package that included soft drinks, bottled water, juices, beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails. Very simple, but it came with a frustrating limitation! More on that in a second.
Cunard Beverage Packages
Now Cunard has two different alcholic beverage packages, with one catering to those drink enjoy top-shelf stuff. Here’s the new packages:
- Alcohol-Free Collection – This is the everyday soft drink package. It includes unlimited fountain soda, soft drinks, juices, and hot drinks valued up to $4.50.
- Premium Alcohol-Free Collection – A nice upgrade that includes unlimited hand-crafted alcohol-free cocktails, bottled mineral water, freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, milkshakes, and specialty hot drinks, each valued up to $12.
- Beverage Collection – The standard alcohol package that covers most drinks up to $13.50. You also get 15% off Wine and Bar Academy activities and bottled wine, plus all the perks of the Premium Alcohol-Free Collection. This pretty much was the old Beer, Wine & Spirits package.
- Premium Beverage Collection – The top-tier package that includes fine wines, champagne, and craft cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, valued up to $20 each. Anything more expensive and you just pay the difference. You also get 25% off Wine and Bar Academy activities and bottled wine, along with all the benefits of the Beverage Collection.
Prices vary depending on the length of your cruise, and you can save 10% if you pre-purchase through My Cunard before sailing. All prices are per person, per night, and are listed in U.S. dollars.
Now, here’s where things get tricky. The package that came with my fare was the old Beer, Wine & Spirits Option. Under that plan, you could order any drink up to $13.50, but if you wanted something more expensive, you couldn’t just pay the difference like you can on most cruise lines. You had to pay for the entire cost of the drink out of pocket.
So, even though I technically have a drink package, every time I order something priced higher than $13.50, I’m paying full price for it. A little disappointing, especially once you realize how small that $13.50 window is once you start looking at the drink menus.
Thankfully, the new packages fix that problem. Now, if your drink exceeds the included price cap, you simply pay the difference, bringing Cunard in line with the likes of Princess, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean. It’s a much-needed improvement that makes it easier to enjoy the good stuff without feeling like you’re getting nickel-and-dimed.
If you’re planning a cruise with Cunard and wondering whether a package makes sense for you, check out my free Cunard Beverage Package Calculator. It’ll help you figure out which one, if any, is actually worth the splurge.
Three Days In, Initial Impressions Time!
Now that we’ve got the drinks sorted, here are some general observations from life onboard so far.
The Passengers – The crowd onboard definitely skews older. I’d say the average age is somewhere around 55 and up, with plenty of folks well into what I like to call “speed limit territory” aka: over 65. It’s a refined, polite, mostly British crowd, as you’d expect on a Cunard ship. There are some exceptions I’ve encountered who have been a bit on the posh-pompous side, but you learn quickly to ignore them. I’ve counted maybe a dozen kids total, and that’s being generous. This isn’t a family ship. There are no splash zones, no water slides, and no kid-centric activities beyond a small children’s club.
Formality is still alive and well here too. It’s not unusual to see an older man in a full suit and tie wandering the pool deck at lunchtime, or ladies dressed like they’re heading to afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace rather than grabbing a burger at the pool grill. Most people keep it casual during the day, but that old-world Cunard refinement is definitely alive and strolling throughout the ship.
The Crew – Cunard’s crew matches the line’s formal, British heritage. Officers roam the decks in crisp white uniforms, looking every bit the part of an old-school ocean liner. It’s a big contrast from my last cruise on Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady, where officers blended in with the rest of the crew in polos and casual wear.
The crew here is a healthy mix from around the world, though much of the front-of-house staff and officers are decidedly British. Service has been friendly and polished overall, though there are a few new crew members still getting their bearings. You can spot them easily, they’re the ones who look a little panicked when you ask, “Which way to Deck 3 aft?” But the professionalism is unmistakable, and everyone looks sharp. No polos, no sneakers, just tradition.
The Food – If there’s one area that hasn’t lived up to the ship’s elegance, it’s the food. I’ve said it before, the Lido Buffet exists because it has to, not because anyone’s clamoring for it. There’s nothing wrong with the food, but there’s also nothing memorable about it. It’s all just… there.
Even passengers I’ve chatted with, including one Diamond-level loyalist who’s been sailing with Cunard for decades, agree. His exact words were, “Everything about Cunard has been Carnivalized.” He’s referring, of course, to Cunard’s parent company, Carnival Corporation. And I can’t say he’s wrong. The food presentation, options, and even the portioning all feel more mainstream cruise line than luxury ocean liner. (Yes, I know Queen Elizabeth is not an liner.)
The Casino – The casino on Queen Elizabeth makes the one on Brilliant Lady look like Las Vegas. It’s tiny, more like a casino corner than a casino room. It’s tucked right off the walkway near the Golden Lion Pub on Deck 2, with a handful of slot machines and a couple of table games. It’s almost always empty, which explains why Cunard repurposed part of the casino space during the ship’s refit to create the nine solo staterooms, one of which I’m staying in. Clearly, cabins generate more revenue than blackjack tables as this is definitely not a gamblig ship!
The two pictures below show the entire casino!
Quick note, I did have some luck last night. I turned $100 into $800. That for me is a major win on a cruise ship, as I never have much luck gambling onboard.
The Ambiance – The overall vibe on Queen Elizabeth can best be described as quiet, eerily quiet at times. There’s no background music in most indoor spaces, and unless the live band is playing by the pool, all you hear outside is the sound of the sea. It’s peaceful for sure. Definitely not complaining about that as it’s great to be able to sit outside and not have loud music blaring in your ears.
Once dinner time hits, the ship turns into a ghost town. Bars empty out, lounges go dark, and the decks are deserted. If you’re walking around after 10 p.m., you might feel like you’re the last passenger onboard. The entertainment schedule wraps up by 10:30 p.m., and that’s considered “late night.” If you’re looking for nightclubs, deck parties, or post-dinner buzz, this isn’t the ship for you. This mirrors pretty much what Holland America Line is like at night, so for those who have sailed on HAL, it’s pretty much the same.
That said, if you enjoy peace, quiet, and space to yourself, it’s paradise. There are always empty loungers, cozy nooks, and quiet places to sit with a book or a drink. The two-story library with its beautiful spiral staircase is a highlight, easily one of the most elegant spaces at sea. And one undeniable perk, you’ll never wait in line for a drink. There are bartenders and servers everywhere, ready to take your order before you even think about it.
The Entertainment – If there’s one thing Queen Elizabeth does right, it’s live music. The ship may not have high-energy parties, but it has live performers. There’s the big band in the Queen’s Room, which draws a solid crowd each night for ballroom dancing, a pianist in the Commodore Club and another in the atrium, and during the day, you’ll hear steel drums or a small duo playing poolside.
The best part, it’s all live. In an era where so many cruise lines rely on canned music for shows and lounges, Cunard keeps musicians onboard, and it shows. Aside from the resident DJ, everything you hear is the real deal.
Afternoon Performance of Cunard Street & Afternoon Tea
Being a sea day, I did what every cruiser does when boredom creeps in, I opened the daily schedule to see what I could get into to kill a little time. At 1:45 p.m., I headed down to the Queen’s Room for a play called Cunard Street.
The performance was put on by the ship’s Royal Court Theatre cast, and it turned out to be a surprisingly fun little production. It mixed humor, history, and a touch of self-awareness as the cast poked fun at Cunard’s long legacy, its most famous ships, and the high expectations placed on its crew back in the golden age of ocean travel. It was lighthearted, well-acted, and informative without feeling like a lecture, honestly, the kind of thing every cruise line should do to connect guests to its history.
When the curtain closed about 45 minutes later, the timing couldn’t have been better, it rolled right into Afternoon Tea, which is still very much a tradition aboard Cunard. The tables were set with crisp white linens, servers in white gloves, and trays of scones, finger sandwiches, and pastries making their rounds while guests chatted over fine china that Hyacinth Bucket would approve of. There’s a full selection of teas to choose from, and if you’re feeling fancy, you can add a little sparkle with a glass of bubbly for an extra charge.
Afternoon Tea on Queen Elizabeth feels like stepping back in time. It’s not rushed, it’s not loud, and it’s unapologetically proper. It’s one of those old-school touches that sets Cunard apart from the rest of the cruise world, where “tea time” usually means grabbing a coffee refill and a cookie from the buffet.
We also had a special guest onboard for this sailing, none other than Todd Bridges. Yes, that Todd Bridges from Diff’rent Strokes.
He was scheduled to give a presentation about his life, covering his rise to fame, the struggles that followed, and ultimately his journey of “redemption.” It was one of those “only on a cruise” kind of guest appearances that make you do a double take when you read the daily program.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to attend because I had a few other commitments at the same time, and by “commitments,” I may or may not mean a cocktail. I’m hoping he’ll do another session later in the cruise because let’s be honest, hearing the Diff’rent Strokes theme in my head while sipping a gin and tonic makes me almost have to go see his lecture.
Red & Gold Gala Night on Queen Elizabeth
Tonight wasn’t just another night at sea. It was Gala Night on Queen Elizabeth, and this isn’t your run-of-the-mill “dress nice if you feel like it” kind of thing. Cunard takes this seriously.
They actually have two Gala Nights during the cruise, and this one was the Red & Gold Gala, a nod to Cunard’s brand colors. And when I say formal, I mean formal. We’re talking tuxedos, floor-length gowns, polished shoes, and a whole lot of sequins (on men and women, by the way).
Signs were posted all over the ship’s restaurants reminding guests that:
“Tonight you’re invited to embrace the occasion of Gala Evening and choose your favourite eveningwear, from tuxedos and floor-length dresses to cocktail dresses and smart suits and ties.”
Translation: if you’re not dressed for the occasion, the Lido Buffet is waiting for you, because you’re not getting into the main dining room in your khakis.
And you know what? The majority onboard actually followed it. The ship looked like a floating black-tie event. There were tuxedos, sparkly dresses, bow ties, and plenty of couples doing slow laps around the decks 2 and 3 just to be seen.
As for the “Red & Gold” theme, not many people seemed to get that memo. I saw a few pops of red here and there, but it was mostly your classic black, silver, and navy crowd. Still, the ship looked great, the vibe was elegant, and it felt like stepping back in time to when cruising was actually classy, before karaoke contests and deck parties became the norm.
Even if dressing up isn’t your thing, it’s hard not to appreciate the effort everyone puts in. It’s one of those “only on Cunard” moments where you look around and think, yeah, this is definitely not Carnival.
Dinner in the Britannia Restaurant on Queen Elizabeth
After a few pre-dinner cocktails, because that’s how all good dinners should start, I decided to make my way to the Britannia Restaurant, the ship’s main dining room. Since I’m on open seating, I logged into Cunard’s MyVoyage website, again, not an app, and tapped “Join the Queue.” Less than five minutes later, I got a notification saying my table was ready.
A nice feature of the check-in is that you can choose how many are in your party, whether you need a wheelchair-accessible table, and whether you want to sit at a private or shared table. And honestly, I can’t imagine anyone in 2025 voluntarily choosing “shared.” This isn’t 1982, nobody’s looking to sit down with strangers and pretend to care about where they’re from.
One thing I don’t love is that Cunard doesn’t post the daily menu for Britannia on MyVoyage. You actually have to walk down to the restaurant and read it off the display case outside the door like it’s 1999. It’s a small thing, but still a little inconvenient, especially when every other cruise line posts their menus in their app.
Anyway, since it was Gala Night, I was expecting the menu to be a little “spiffed up,” but it looked pretty standard. After my server brought over bread and refilled my wine glass, I placed my order.
I started with the Shrimp and Lobster Croquettes, breaded, fried, and filled with minced seafood. Not bad at all. Next up was the Parma Ham, Mozzarella, and Tomato, which was exactly that plus a few slices of melon tossed in for good measure.
For my main course, I went with the Beef Wellington. If you’ve been following along since last week’s cruise on Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady, you’ll remember I had a Wellington there that was cut-to-order and so tender you could slice it with a fork.
This one on Queen Elizabeth was good, not great. The portion was smaller, not as tender, and while the pastry was flaky, it didn’t have that “wow” factor. Still, not a bad dish overall.
I also ordered a side of Linguine with Shrimp Alfredo, which came with a few medium-sized shrimp and a thick Alfredo sauce that clung to the pasta so every bite had some.
For dessert, I went with the Vanilla Soufflé, which arrived piping hot in a ramekin before my server poured a warm vanilla sauce over the top.
Service was excellent from start to finish, my server was attentive, friendly, and my wine glass was never empty. Overall, this was a much better dining experience than my first night’s chaotic dinner service. Looks like the Britannia team got their act together, and thankfully, the dining room is back to running the way you’d expect on a ship like this.
After dinner, the ship actually showed some signs of life for once, and I was pleasantly surprised. Couples were out dancing in the Queen’s Room, gliding around the floor to the live band like something out of a 1950s cruise brochure. Over in the Yacht Club, things were a little livelier with a DJ spinning tunes and a small crowd actually moving, which, on this ship, qualifies as a party.
I wrapped up my night back at the Commodore Club, my usual spot, which was on the slower side. There were maybe four of us at the bar, quietly sipping drinks while the piano player worked through her setlist with a voice that could melt glass. A few people were scattered around the lounge, chatting softly, and that was about it.
It’s not the late-night vibe you’d find on most modern cruise lines, but honestly, there’s something kind of nice about the calm, just a few people, good music, and a nightcap before calling it a day.
Tomorrow we finally make landfall, our first port of call, Costa Maya, Mexico, and fittingly, it’s happening on Halloween. The forecast looks absolutely perfect once again, so it should be a great day!
Overnight, we’ll be setting the clocks back one hour to match Mexico’s time zone, so an extra hour of sleep is coming my way, and I’ll gladly take it.
Thanks for following along so far. Tomorrow’s report will cover everything from the port experience to what’s waiting in Costa Maya. Stay tuned!
Daily Schedule
