Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
Cunard
In the world of cars you could choose to travel in a Vauxhall Astra or a Rolls Royce, both would get you to your destination but the relative experiences would be completely different.
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It is the same in the world of cruising, you could cruise in the Astra equivalent with MSC, or the Rolls Royce version with Cunard.
Of course, like the Rolls Royce travelling with Cunard comes with a hefty price tag but for that premium you experience sheer luxury.
Cunard doesn't go for gimmicks like water slides, virtual reality experiences - all the experiences with Cunard are very much real.
In an age where everything has to be bigger, brasher, more frenetic Cunard offers cruising as it used to be, slow paced living, impeccable but discrete service, teak decks, sophistication just like spending the weekend as a house guest at a country pile but instead of bricks and mortar you're on the high seas.
Think Titanic but without the ice.
Whilst other cruise lines, even P&O, have gone for gimmicky decorations on their ships, Cunard still has the sleek, black look from the days when it was solely an A to B passenger liner service.
Indeed Transatlantic crossings are still the staple of Cunard, with regular services between Southampton and New York, a throwback to how the Atlantic was traversed before the growing popularity of flying metal tubes.
However Cunard does offer more traditional cruises in all the usual areas, as well as its annual Round The World cruise.
There may only be three ships in the fleet but they are all Queens. With the flagship Queen Mary 2 still classified as an Ocean Liner as opposed to a cruise ship, she's joined in the fleet by sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, which are classified as cruise liners.
They will be joined by a new, as yet unnamed, ship in 2022, which will be smaller than Mary but bigger than the other pair.
On aspect of cruising with Cunard I love is the formality, where other cruise lines are relaxing their dress codes or, heaven forbid, abolishing them completely, Cunard sticks rigidly to their code. Even on the less formal nights gentlemen are expected to wear a jacket for dinner.
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