If you follow me on social media, you will know that we were lucky enough to have the amazing opportunity to go on the stunning Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, for a trip around Europe via the Baltic Sea. It was an awesome experience, from the ship itself to the ports we visited and I just had to share with you a few of my favourite moments from our time on board.

Cruising with Cunard: On-board family fun

You may have seen that we didn't have the best start to our holiday, when just one week before we were told our youngest daughter was not allowed to travel with us. Thankfully we managed to get everything straightened out, and it was all put to the back of our minds when we finally embarked on our big adventure.

The Ship

The ship itself was absolutely beautiful, from the simple yet effective decor to the extravagant flower bouquet in the center of the Grand Lobby. There was so many parts to explore and so much to do, it made travelling between each port both comfortable and fun. It's so big you coils barely tell it was moving until you stood watching the sea from a top deck or near a window!

Dressing Up

It's not often these days that I get a chance to dress up. We don't really go out unless there's a special occasion, and as a stay at home mum I spend most of my time in comfortable maxi dresses or harem pants and breastfeeding friendly tops. I loved having the chance to get all dolled up and get my girls in pretty frilly dresses too!

Gourmet Food (without the gourmet price tag!)

Although you could go to the Lido to eat buffet style if you wanted to (which we did on some occasions due to the menu not having anything I would eat on it!) it was amazing to experience a bit of the high life with some beautiful fancy looking food. It also gave John the opportunity to habe food we would never buy at home but he loves, like lobster! As all the meals at the Britannia restaurant were included in our booking, it meant we could enjoy without having to pay extra to be there like some other ships offer. Don't worry though, if it's not your thing there was the Lido buffet and even the Golden Lion pub served food.

Chilled out Setting

Most of the people on board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth were older. Apart from the children of the crew there was only one other child passenger aboard and I was the youngest passenger apart from the children! This wasn't a bad thung though, everyone loved our girls and they made us feel right at home. There was so many places to go and tings to see and do, and everyone was so relaxed and very much enjoying themselves. With the price tag of the cruise I was a little worried people would be a bit... stuffy... but it was amazing, especially as our girls were so well behaved, endearing them to everyone!

Food Artistry

You could watch these being made, or just admire them once they were moved to the Lido, but either way they are totally awesome!

The Sunsets

I love a beautiful sunset and seeing them from one of the top decks on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth was something else. Sunsets at sea are truly extraordinary! We were so lucky with the weather, enjoying endless blue skies and clear sunsets for almost the entire trip.

Fun on Board

When I say there was loads to do, I really wasnt exaggerating. You name it, it was probably on board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth. There was a hair dressers, nail parlour and spa, two pools, SO much food, and plenty of activities on board. Squidgy loved the Kids Zone, and spent hours there each day. When she wasn't there she was asking to go back, so she obviously enjoyed it!

As for us, we had cocktails in the Garden Lounge, played giant chess on deck 10, failed miserably at croquet and enjoyed dance and music shows in the theatre. I picked up some cheap duty free gin in the shops and John kept gunning for the casino, but I managed to stop him going! There really was something for everyone, and Little L was quit happy just cooing and smiling at everyone and everything!

All Inclusive

The best part of being on board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth cruise ship was that it is all inclusive. Obviously there was added extras like getting your hair cut or a massage at the spa, but for all intents and purposes everything you needed or wanted was included.

We were able to swim every day, eat when we wanted, have child care throughout the day (and until 11pm at night!) play sport, watch shows, enjoy TV and movies from the comfort of our own room and even attend discos if we really wanted! There's white glove afternoon tea in the Queens Room every day too, and if you don't want the champagne version, it's included at no extra cost!

Not having to worry about the little bits and pieces that we used to when we went on self catering holidays abroad before we had children was absolutely perfect! Even 24hr room service and breakfast in bed was included! My kind of holiday that!

Added Extras

Although you could do the cruise on board Cunard's Queen Elizabeth without spending a penny on board, it's unlikely that you will want to. You can purchase wine packages like my in-laws did (although check which wine you want, because sometimes this isn't as great a deal as it first appears!) and soft drinks packages which we chose, so we could drink as much Coca Cola and tonic water as we wanted. You may also fancy an alcoholic drink, and for us a cocktail here and there went without saying!

John loves his fancy lattes, as does his dad, so despite being able to enjoy as many free standard coffees as he liked in the Lido, he had a coffee card to go and indulge. When I joined them on one occassion for a hot chocolate, I could see why they did it. I mean just look at how fancy it is, it came in a pot and everything!

Cruising with Cunard on-board the Queen Elizabeth really was an awesome experience. Now you have seen some of the top activities available on-board the cruise ship, why not check out my other cruising holiday posts and maybe even book your family on a cruise too! I promise you, it won’t be a decision you regret.

For more posts about our holidays abroad, child-free breaks and more, check out my Travel blog. If you have any questions about our cruise on board Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, feel free to ask in the comments section below.