Jack E Dawson

Wonderful report mcloaked. We noticed the same lack of proper ballroom dancing music as our May 8th Crossing progressed. 

Thanks,

Jack

Thorswife59,

Hopefully you are onboard the QM2 and sipping Pol Acker as you depart Southampton. There will be no COVID test prior to disembarkation in NYC. This was discontinued on our may 8th Crossing. There wasn't even a health form. We were very surprised when informed but relieved as well. There were no COVID questions when we cleared Customs. Have a great Crossing. 

Jack

1 hour ago, david,Mississauga said:

 I don't like using my tablet unless absolutely necessary and prefer to use the provided computer terminals, so can I ask if the computer room is still there? If it wasn't free as a perk from the World Club I wouldn't bother with Internet at all. I know from experience it is still slow on the desktops, but I have heard fewer complaints about the computer room than about the wi-fi.

There were desktop computers in the Library that were being used by passengers. However, I don't know what all they were able able to do on those computers. I did not pass by the computer room.

Jack

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

It's difficult to find an appropriate place to split comments but I've done the best I can.

 

Do you want me to tidy up our last few comments @Jack E Dawson ?

I think we are OK Host Hattie. Thanks

Jack

1 hour ago, Weebo15 said:

Thank You Jack,

As someone embarking on their first ever Cunard trip on QM2 tomorrow, I've found your posts on this thread incredibly helpful.

Congratulations Weebo15. Enjoy your voyage and would love to hear your first impressions of traveling on the QM2

Jack

Thanks HH, didn't mean to keep you up late.

Jack

Folks,

As the Original Poster of this thread, I feel it has been a bit hijacked. My purpose was to pay it forward for all of the help and good advice we got from CruiseCritic by letting near future QM2 cruisers know what they might expect onboard so their trip might be more enjoyable. While I can only ask please, if your discussion is about whether or not Cunard is a luxury cruise line, or some other topic, you may want to start your own thread. 

Thanks

Jack

36 minutes ago, MJC said:

Is it just shampoo or a conditioning shampoo product? 

MJC,

It was just shampoo. 

Jack

3 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

Our waiter told us we will be getting a survey in a few days, but I guess she was misinformed.

 

There is no point to write any letters. It is what it is, and it will not change. I knew exactly what to expect when we took this cruise, so no major disappointments. It's just when you drive a Mercedes, it's difficult to go back to Toyota..

ak1004,

We did receive a survey, via e-mail, two days after we disembarked this cruise. It was fairly long and offered many areas to make comments. You may want to check your span/junk mail box. When it came to the WiFi service, I did not mince words.

Jack

3 hours ago, Luv2Crus40 said:

Thank you for the extensive and detailed info.  We're sailing July 1st.  It sounds as if first seating is still fixed,  which we prefer.

Do you know if the Pools are salt water or fresh water?  Thanks.

I do not Luv2Crus40, we only use the hot tobs but I’m sure other will respond. 
Jack

Good point bluemarble.

Jack

8 hours ago, steve4031 said:

I found a travel agency in my home town of Chicago that seems to have good reviews and has a relationship with Cunard.  I've exchanged emails and their response was pretty good.  I like that the agency has a physical office I can go to.  If necessary I can go to the location and get stuff done rather than deal with non-returned phone calls and non-returned emails.  

My test booking for an eastbound Ocean view cabin for a single was around 4,000.  

 

Wow Steve, that seem pretty high. I just looked on the Cunard website at eastbound Crossings and randomly picked an Aug. 28th - Sept 4th voyage. The prices were dramatically lower for a single cabin.

Jack

2 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

angry,

The WiFi on our QM2 was unusable for us. We used our CWC credit to partially offset the cost of the

aungrl,

Please except my apologies, I failed to notice that autocorrect had changed your name form "aungrl", as I had typed, to "angry", which I'm sure is not the case.

Jack

11 hours ago, aungrl said:

Very helpful review, as well as Q&A. Thanks so much!  

 

A QM2 crossing is a bucket list trip for us, and the only thing holding me back - other than Covid - has been the wifi issue.  I don't need wifi to upload photos or post on any type of social media, but with elderly parents, we need the ability to check in via email or text a couple of times a day.  How bad is connectivity these days?  I know you couldn't post your review while you were sailing, which suggests that it really is still pretty bad.  Any detail much appreciated.

angry,

The WiFi on our QM2 was unusable for us. We used our CWC credit to partially offset the cost of the week long WiFi plan. As lissie suggested above, we had planned to use WhatApp to communicate with our family and basic internet to post updates on CruiseCritic. After spending a very frustrating first day unable to connect I went down to the Purser's Desk on the second day to cancel the WiFi plan. A very nice guest services agent persuaded me not to cancel. She reloaded the program and was able to get a connection. However, the Purser's Desk seemed to be the only location where I could connect. Finally, on the third day, I went down to the Purser's Desk again and cancelled the plan. I was able to do so with no push back and received a full refund. By coincidence, the passenger next to me at the Purser's Desk was also cancelling their WiFi plan and received a full refund. I think that on our cruise there were a lot of WiFi issues. 

Jack

13 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

A quick update live from QM2.  All staff are still wearing masks. 

What about seating at the bar in Golden Lion, Commodore Club and Chart Room. Is that still prohibited?

Thanks

Jack

1 hour ago, Sabrina66 said:

Hello Jack, you mention that 5-6 passengers were required to immediately return to their cabins and contact the purser’s desk - does that mean that during the voyage there was a mandatory onboard testing of all passengers? Or do you think they were identified as close contacts of someone who referred themselves to the medical team?

Sabrina66,

There was no random or ship wide mandatory testing. I suspect that you are correct that these were close contacts of passengers who had tested positive. The announcements were usually made mid to late morning, 4 bells then the announcement. I know that this is a serious situation but i still found it amusing how when those 4 bells sounded you could hear a pin drop in whichever room you were in. Then the big group sigh of relief if your name wasn't called. By the mid point of the cruise Dee and I figured that even if we did catch covid (we had had our SECOND booster 4 weeks before boarding) we probably wouldn't test positive before reaching NYC so we started to really mingle at breakfast and lunch as well as in the evenings and of course in gossip central, the launderettes. In talking with a fair number of passengers, my best guess is there were very few cases of COVID on board, maybe between 10 - 20 tops. Again, this is just a guess. No one spoke of losing their waiter or steward and all of the performers/speakers were there throughout the voyage. I can tell you that we did not see a single crew member without a mask or wearing their mask improperly either inside our outside on the deck. There were staff with bottles of hand sanitizer everywhere  and they were not timid in dispensing it. I would swear those folks were being paid on commission. 

Jack

When we boarded the QM2 in Southampton two weeks ago the fridge was already empty except for a bottle of Pol Acker and two Champagne glasses. There was a letter on the desk saying that you could have your fridge stocked, and specify with what items if you wanted, for a charge.

Jack

3 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

On Cunard's site there is a notation that everyone 18+ must take an antigen test 24 hours prior to disembarking in New York. Was this actually the case?  (Apologies if this was answered but I couldn't find it if it was.)

No David, a negative test was not required to disembark. I was very surprised when told this on the ship. It is hard to believe that a cruise ship, with known COVID cases onboard, was allowed to pull into New York and disembark 1500 passengers without any testing requirement. I actually checked with the Purser's Desk 3 times confirming this. I was told that the only people requiring testing were those who were immediately flying out on International flights. When we went through Customs the issue wasn't even raised. 

Jack

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

When you stop to think about it, and are capable of performing a bit of basic arithmetic, you will realize that a drinks package on virtually any cruise line only makes sense if one is determined to spend his/her entire cruise in an alcoholic stupor - or is simply planning to destroy his/her liver.

navybankerteacher,

I believe the Silver Spirits Drinks Package on Viking is around  $20/day. I'm not sure that would qualify for being in an alcoholic stupor.

Jack

21 minutes ago, harpy3 said:

Not according the Contract we must accept before online booking is complete.   But maybe that is just for US citizens and Brits get a different contract,

Actually Harpy3, I'm happy to report that is for everyone. This has been a topic here on the Cunard Board many times. We just got off the QM2 a little over a week ago and still true. Some passengers literally bring wine on by the case. It's been that was for years.

Jack

2 hours ago, steve4031 said:

I appreciate the assistance.  I live in the United States.  Chicago to be exact.  A transatlantic trip on the Cunard is a bucket list trip.  Our plan would be to take the ship eastbound out of New York.  I just think it would be cool to sail by the Statue of Liberty on the way out of NYC and under the Verazzano Narrows bridge.  Once we get to England we would spend a night in a hotel and then ride trains in UK and possibly in Europe before flying back to the States.  

 

I understand about losing an hour each day, but I am used to this because I travel by train from the west coast to Chicago several times a year.  

Steve,

We also live in Chicago (Riverwoods actually) and just got back from a Crossing a week ago yesterday. Just to be clear about the time issue. On an eastbound Crossing the ship's clocks are moved ahead one hour at noon each day. So you loose an hour right in the middle of your day. This happens on 5 of the days. Trying to do lunch, afternoon tea in the Queen's Room and dinner just kind of becomes one big meal. On the west bound Crossings on 5 nights the ship's clocks move back from 2:00AM to 1:00AM giving you an extra hour of sleep. Because of all the entertainment that goes on in the evenings, that extra hour is always very welcomed by us. We are rarely to bed before midnight. This was our 3rd (once in a lifetime) Crossing on the QM2 and we always go over at least a week ahead of time and travel in Europe/UK. There are pro's and con's to both eastbound and westbound crossings and certainly no right or wrong, just personal taste. 

Jack

On 5/14/2022 at 8:34 AM, D&N said:

Don't know if you noted that Jack was planning to walk the reverse route the afternoon after you made the trip (8th May) lol.

We plan to take a taxi from our hotel near Queens Park, but still hoping for an update from Jack after he disembarks tomorrow as to how his lateral flow test booking went and if he then walked as you did.

We decided not to walk from the Holiday Inn to the ship. It just wasn't how I wanted to start a voyage on the QM2. Our Cab ride was 5.80 pounds. I tipped the driver 3 pounds and he was very appreciative. The weather was actually perfect for walking and yes, we could have done it. We had already jumped so many hurdles getting to that point, we just wanted to get on board. 

Jack

26 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

I suspect many passengers prefer to take their own photos, as it saves time at check-in and what they want mainly is to get on board as soon as possible. But there is no problem if you don't want to do it, don't do it, and they will do at at check-in, while you delay the people queueing behind you for a couple of minutes. Over the years I have from time to time read complaints that Cunard don't let you print out your boarding pass on line. Well now they do. Perhaps some people will be pleased.

Couldn't agree more exlondoner.

Jack

2 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

Thanks Jack,

excellent advice! I’m feeling happier about achieving a few pre dinner drinks in our cabin now.

Isn’t life grand?

One other tip. Before each of the gala nights we had champagne in our cabin with the friends we were traveling with. I would order a wine bucket with ice from our cabin steward and extra glasses from Room Service about an hour before our friends would arrive. The cabin steward would always come by and grab the bottle of Champagne so that he could put it in the wine bucket first and then add the ice. He would also bring a few extra pillow chocolates to nibble on. Very nice touch. When we would get back to our room at the evening, everything was all picked up.

Jack

7 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

Doing a bit more thinking about our drinking dilemma.

We have a private transfer from our Times Square hotel to Brooklyn. 
 

Do you think our driver will be amenable to a stop at a liquor store before we board? I’m thinking a few dollars in her/his hand might help.

Kristal Blade,

Your driver should have no problem stopping if you let him know he will be compensated. If you know what you want, may I suggest that you call ahead to the liquor and have your ordered pulled and waiting for you. Then just pop in, pay for it and you are on your way. 

Jack