DaisyUK

Thank you for responding, glad to know it isn't just me and also that this thread exists - although it's of limited use when we can't get into the site😅

Not at all - I asked the same question on the Cunard board which was transferred to this one, which I didn't know existed, so you live and learn! I have been having problems for the last 24 hours and continue to do so. I have managed to get in today by going through Chrome rather than Firefox but it's very slow and cumbersome, most unlike the norm.

I have been having dificulty accessing these forums over the last 24 hours. At least half of th time, I get a blank page with a message to say that the page is unavailable. Is anyone else having this problem and, if so, have you found a solution?

To answer the first part of your question, Osman is still QG Maitre d' on the QM2 (we disembarked on Sunday) but I don't know when he will be taking his holidays next year and therefore whether he will be onboard in May 2025.

Thank you very much for your comprehensive reply. The 1 does look like the better bet given the price/sq ft plus the bigger/deeper/more private balcony. It’s always helpful to have an opinion from first-hand experience so really helpful to read your thoughts and thank you again 😊

Hi, perhaps a question for Victoria2 or anyone who has stayed in either or both of these room categories. Wondering what the pros/cons of each might be? Any advice/info would be welcome.

I think sound quality was an ongoing issue. Did you go to either of the female ‘Las Vegas’ singer’s shows? We went to her 2nd show and it was hard to sit through due to the sound distortion.

It says such a lot doesn’t it. Heartwarming to say the least. I looked out for you in the choir, but we were way back and to one side so it was difficult to see the entire line up. Sounded great though!

Indeed, and thank goodness we were close to land on this occasion. Just hope it worked out. It really brought home to us the value of a well trained crew, well equipped medical centre and the amazing goodwill and generosity of fellow passengers who stepped up and donated blood. I am ashamed to say that neither of us are blood donors, but this situation has convinced us to become donors asap.

This was the Anthony Inglis Event TA voyage from NY to Southampton, with 2 days tacked on; one in Newport, RI and one in Boston. For context, we have cruised many times with Regent and Crystal and continue to do so. This was our 5th Cunard cruise, but our first transatlantic. Overall we had a great time. There were a few irritations, but nothing to dissuade us from booking a future cruise with Cunard. For us, the 2 days in Newport and Boston really made the cruise worthwhile. Although we’ve visited both ports previously, there was plenty more for us to do and see and we thoroughly enjoyed both. We booked a Cunard excursion in Newport which was one of the best excursions ever, made especially good due to the excellent and informative guide, and very comfortable coach with plenty of legroom. We visited 2 of the ‘cottages’ and a bonus was that our day coincided with a vintage car show and so we enjoyed seeing many beautiful cars. There was plenty of time before sail away to walk around the town centre which was very enjoyable in the sunshine. In Boston, we did our own thing. Cunard provided shuttles into the city centre and we happily wandered around on our own. Again, we were beyond lucky with the weather. Once we had left Boston, we settled in for the transatlantic. We had been somewhat anxious about this part of the cruise, being effectively trapped on the ship for a week. We found there were pluses and minuses to a TA, but on balance I would probably choose a regular cruise over a TA in future – although, having said that, we are booked on a round trip TA next year albeit with 2 weeks of ports in between the 2 TA sections. We found the shows to be a bit hit and miss. We’re not huge on going to shows in any case, but had decided that we would make an effort to go to as many as possible. There were 2 gala evenings with Anthony Inglis and the NSO, the second of which included Amazing Grace performed by the orchestra, and sung by the passenger choir which was really good. None of the other shows particularly stood out for us. Insight lectures were interesting. We didn’t get to all of them, but there was a pretty decent selection. We used the gym every day. It was well equipped, but only 2 benches – for over 2,000 passengers! Always a wait to use them. Plenty of treadmills and the usual weights machines. The treadmills were interesting on choppy days at sea! We had planned to learn how to play bridge, but unfortunately the beginners classes were at 9.30am and I had pre-booked spa appointments at that time prior to boarding, so having missed the first couple of lessons, we didn’t feel we could attend the rest. We had also planned to participate in ballroom dancing lessons, but somehow that didn’t happen either – maybe next time. We did enjoy watching the professional couple dancing, especially when they danced the Paso Doblo. Our suite was roomy and well equipped, albeit somewhat dated. The bathrooms in particular are well overdue for a facelift and one of them was a bit of an obstacle course in the middle of the night – the door opens and on the left is a bath with steps up to it which are directly in front of the open doorway. It is impossible to open the door completely because on the right, behind the door is a bidet so the pathway from the door to the sink or the WC is narrow. I stubbed my toe several times before learning the lesson. Food in the QG was mainly very good and sometimes excellent. As on previous occasions, Osman and his team really stepped up and did a lot of tableside cooking each evening which helped to mix things up menu-wise, added to the sense of occasion and also tasted great. The only other venue where we at was the Golden Lion. We had fish and chips one day, which were pretty good. The other time, we shared a chicken and ham pie but it wasn’t great. Fellow guests were friendly and seemed to be enjoying the ship, and just about everyone we saw adhered to the dress code. Service was universally excellent, both in QG and throughout the ship. Every crew member we came into contact with was friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy being onboard. Spa services were also excellent, although I do wish they would limit the upselling. I find it so off-putting that it actually prevents me from buying products, even when I had intended to. At one point, I had booked a regular manicure and was told that I was ‘eligible’ for an upgraded service for an additional $$$. Really? How stupid do they think I am! We donated to the casino, but had fun doing so and enjoyed many a happy hour playing BJ and one of the table poker games. On our last night, we were awoken by the Captain announcing an emergency and asking for blood donors to come forward. Shortly afterwards the patient was medically evacuated by helicopter. It occurred to us, for the first time, that if you are going to be ill or have an accident there are worse places than a cruise ship for this to happen. To have medical staff and facilities onsite and a helicopter on call is reassuring. Hoping that the affected individual is OK. We disembarked at 8am and were home by 11am to a joyful welcome from our pooch!

We are onboard also currently, and agree that there are a few issues. We are enjoying our cruise, but it's not a 10/10. We are in QG, and cannot fault the service or most of the food. Like Old Bear, I wasn't planning on a live blog as I never know quite what to say - our days would probably seem quite mundane to many, but I will post a review/thoughts at some point. In the meantime, time to get ready for dinner. The dress code is most definitely being adhered to in QG, so I'd better go scrub up!

The meal looks great!

Brilliant, thank you. Ordered and will be here tomorrow!

These sound like a good idea. I just looked on Amazon but could not find them. Any chance you could provide a link or pic?

This is good to know, but I thought I had used my Air Wrap on QM2 previously. I must be getting confused with another ship/line. I will definitely take a back-up with me on our upcoming trip and thank you for the warning.

Yikes indeed! Disturbing news, especially for those just off QM2 and those who have just boarded.

What a great post and interesting to read everyone's opinions. I can't say I have an overwhelming favourite. I marginally prefer QV over QA as I like the decor and also loved the room we stayed in. I have mixed feelings about QM2, being such a big ship, but there's lots I like about her - and we had the best food experience on QM2. We have our first TA on QM2 shortly and I'm assuming that for a TA QM2 has to be the best bet. We haven't been on QA yet.

Thank you everyone for all the advice and info and to Meliador for the original post. All very helpful to those of us embarking in NY for the first time. We embark on the 4th Oct and hoping it all goes smoothly.

I asked the question 10 years ago when I did cruise with Oceania! I received notification that the post had been resurrected so commented on that fact, and then added that fresh milk was available, and then thought I’d better clarify that I didn’t have current experience with Oceania.

Don’t need to ask. To me, the difference between uht and fresh milk is as great as that between Apple and orange juice. I should say though that my experience over the last several years has not been with Oceania as we cruise on different lines now.

How funny that this thread has been resurrected! I remember asking the question 10 years ago before one of our very first cruises. Fast forward and I’m happy to say that we can always find fresh milk onboard these days.

I remember a cello performance from many years ago which I thought was simply beautiful, but I thought he had some sort of physical problem which prevented him from playing anymore, so it's good to hear that he is still able to perform.

I have been reading this thread with interest, as we are embarking on our first TA next month and I'm not at all sure whether we will love it or hate it. Being onboard for so many consecutive days is a little scary, but we are hopeful that we will enjoy the ship and that the lectures will be entertaining and interesting. There's only one way to find out!

Very much looking forward to following along, and hope you have a wonderful time.

That’s great news for you! Did you get an email from Cunard to let you know?