Jack E Dawson

On 11/16/2023 at 2:43 PM, Minnie29 said:

Can anyone confirm if you are able to make off menu requests in Princess Grill dining room? 
Not sure if this is only Queens Grill?

Thank you

We were in PG on the QE for 14 nights and Aug/Sept of this year. There was no offer from the wait staff to order off menu and we did not see anyone near our table do so. However, we did mix up the menu a few times by selecting side items from different dishes to go with the main that we wanted. Hope that makes sense. Besides the nightly menu, there was also an extensive a la carte menu that changed weekly. Between the two the number of choices was quite extensive. Here is an example of one night's offering:

In addition to all of the above, we were told that salmon, ribeye steak and chicken breast were also available any night.

Hope this helps

Jack

On 11/13/2023 at 12:40 PM, ClipperinSFO said:

Am I the only one who is not offended by the corridor carpets?

I thought the asymmetrical pattern of the corridor carpets was pretty cool and liked the blue/gray colors. However, I can see where others might think it did not fit the overall decor of the grand QM2. Isn't "style" latin for, you can't please everyone???

On 10/26/2023 at 2:45 AM, Victoria2 said:

For info, this was QV's list last July. The selection slightly changes at times but this seems to be the core list.

Thank you Victoria2. Very helpful.

Jack

Wow, GREAT review s.s.France. Especially appreciate all of the details regarding your Q2 suite. Some really surprising information. Just curious, how broad was your selection of wine/sprits for the complimentary in-suite bar? 

Thanks again for taking the time to post. 

Harold

2 hours ago, NE John said:

Time well spent for you making it and us watching. 

Thank you very much

Jack

5 hours ago, Gomac said:

our first PG voyage on QE coming up next month

1 hour ago, NE John said:

We’re going on PG first time next year on QE

Gomac,

We got off the QE last month having sailed for the first time in PG. We were amazed and thought the value proposition was definitely there. It exceeded all of our exceptions which were quite high. However, it is all what you make of it. My comments on the voyage are in the attached thread.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2957434-la-to-ft-lauderdale-via-the-panama-canal-on-the-qe/

If you would like to see a picture montage of our PG experience on the QE, you can go to YouTube and search "HGQE 2023". Make sure to include the quote marks. Its kind of hokey and long but may give you some sense of the experience. 

When it comes to the QM2, for us the sweet spot is BC. The PG restaurant on the QM2 looks out onto the promenade deck and in some spots the view of the water is blocked by the ships superstructure. Also, the Grills lounge on the QM2 has no view. On the QE the Grills lounge looks out over the Grills terrace. BC dining on the QM2 gives you any-time dining at a table reserved strictly for your party, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Grills Terrace in the QM2 pales in comparison to that on the QE and as Pear Carr pointed out, you probably won't get much use of it in January. With that said, if you can get the PG upgrade for $900/pp, I'd go for it. If you do, and are successful, would love to see how you compare the two PG experiences.

Jack

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Queen Mary 2 is a very fast ship with a cruising service speed of 28.5 knots.

I believe the cursing speed is around 26 knots and flank speed is close to 30 knots. This was told to me by Deputy Captain Aureliano Mazzelis on the QM2 in 2017. 

1 hour ago, Germancruiser said:

We sail at a speed  of 25 kn

WOW, that's right at 29MPH. That's moving! Would love to know what you top out at.

Jack

Yes, phoning seems to be the only option right now. We recently ordered flowers and a Spa gift certificate (separate occasions) and they were very helpful.

Jack

3 hours ago, bitob said:

both my bags have been recovered. 

I'm sorry bitob, I know this has been a very frustrating and stressful situation for you but I have looked forward to each of your updates as if they were a new episode of The Crown. Luggage in the water, divers  in the water, airtags, communications breakdown, it's too much. If this had happened 4 weeks earlier, during the writer's strike, Hollywood might have bought your story. 

A few years ago we had fire in our house. The smoke, water and chemical damage to our clothes was extensive. Yet, at the end of the day, the mitigation contractor salvaged almost all of our clothes. So take heart, you may be surprised as to what can be recovered. Thank you for sharing your situation so that the rest of us can benefit. 

Jack

13 hours ago, bitob said:

If you do not have AirTags in your luggage you are crazy!

We got our first set of air tags for our QE Panama Canal trip last month. What a stress reliever. I was amazed at how precise they were. Could actually see the bags move up the conveyor belt onto the plane on my iPhone. When we landed back home in Chicago at O'Hare, Dee's bag came right out onto the conveyor belt but mine took an extra 10-15 minutes. No worries, could see it was still in the cargo hold of the plane. Just relaxed and waited knowing it wasn't far away. What a wonderful invention. 

Jack

5 hours ago, techteach said:

I just put clean in one case and dirty in the other and balance out the weight with shoes.

Brilliant idea techteach although it wouldn't surprise me if I'm the only one who hadn't thought of doing it that way.

Thanks

Jack 

How wonderful this all sounds Roy. Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness in taking us along on you voyage. We will definitely be following your thread. 

Although our cursing experience pales in comparison to yours, we just recently sailed in PG for the first time and quite simply were blown away by the experience. I would only say to you that there may be a few things about PG that you don't know that you don't know. Perhaps those who respond here might share their experiences in PG, Here are a few things that really surprised us that we loved.

- You never need to feel rushed to get to the PG restaurant. I guess we are creatures of habit but the first couple of days we felt this need to be at the restaurant at 7:00PM even though we knew it was anytime dining. Then we noticed that everyone else showed up at different times each night. Have that second drink before dinner. Stay a little longer in that lounger on the promenade deck before lunch. The point is, that wonderful staff in the PG restaurant will be there when YOU are ready.

- Even though you are in PG and not QG, the restaurant staff want you to challenge them. I had seared scallops 3 nights in a row even though they were only on the menu the first night. I had rum raisin ice cream 13 of the 14 nights even though it was only on the menu 3 nights (don't judge me until you've tried it). I had things in my morning omelette that never appeared on the breakfast, lunch or dinner menu.

- The "off menu" menu is just over the top. 

- The Grills' lounge is an oasis of serenity and (on the QE) was the best bar on the ship.

- The Grills' concierge was just so helpful on so many details. 

- You will be offered personalized stationary. Crazy, right. Start thinking now about how you want your Heading to read.

I'm sure that there is so much more that you can experience that we didn't because we just didn't know. I hope others can contribute their "secrets" to PG.

Enjoy,

Jack

3 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

Sorry Jack. In the South of England between Southampton and Bournemouth. Bit of a trek I fear. 

Well, you and Jane have caught me in a bit of a technicality. I was using Western Hemisphere as a metonym for the America's. My bad. So perhaps I will just claim having the only bottle in the United States until otherwise proven wrong. Now that Cunard isn't buying quite so much Pol Acker, perhaps I can find a distributor in the US to bring it in. Let's see, its now after 5:00:PM here, think I'll have a drink. Hmmmm

Jack

Dee and I are free on Friday. Close to Chicago???

Jack

Very informative review Kynance and done with a wonderful writing style. Thanks. Our very first voyage ever was a TA on the QM2 in May of 2017 and we had opted for Club as well (no bidding on upgrades back then). It sounds like little has changed except that the off menu choices have been upgraded and we had the flambe' trolly only once in 7 nights. We have since sailed in Sheltered and Unobstructed Balcony but think that Club may be the sweet spot for us on the QM2.

Jack

On our recent QE Panama Canal voyage, the evening before disembarkation, a small bottle of our beloved Pol Acker was left in our cabin sometime after dinner. Not sure why but since it was too late to chill and drink it, we popped it into our checked baggage and brought it home. Could this possibly be the only bottle of Pol Acker in the United States??? North America? The Western Hemisphere?

Jack

2 hours ago, Pushpit said:

So I am on QM2 tonight, a Gala night, and in Britannia I was assigned a table in the best area, which in my view is Port side upper gallery on Deck 3, open dining. This allowed me, over a 20 minute period to do a survey of the first 100 men going past my table, both directions. 

Wow, GREAT job with the survey. Thank you very much. I think your results are a good sign. Two weeks ago, on the QE, my much less scientific observations earned a score of 98% plus compliance over the 14 day cruise. While we were in PG we did go to the Royal Court Theater all but 3 nights. Perhaps equally encouraging was that on Smart Attire nights most gentlemen exceeded the minimum requirements.

Jack

17 hours ago, BeachTunes said:

Alas, we've been assigned a very late check in time of 4:15pm

Beach Tunes,

For folks who are not in The Grills or who do not have Platinum or Diamond status, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to how boarding times are assigned. We have spoken to many many fellow passengers about this. It isn't by deck nor by fare paid. It doesn't seem to matter what type of cabin you are in. It also doesn't seem to matter if you booked a year in advance or a month in advance. However, if you do decide to arrive at 3:00PM, I think you will be able to board very quickly. Would love to hear back from you after you board. 

HAVE A GREAT VOYAGE.

Jack

15 minutes ago, rakkor said:

Happy to report Pol Acker is still a feature in Britannia - Just a half bottle, you wouldn't want to be spoiled!

 

 

Oh, be still my heart......

Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy

22 hours ago, newbie202020 said:

I took the non-drowsy anti nausea pill every day and was fine.

newbie202020

We are looking at the same cruise, it does look interesting. We got off the QE last week (LA to Ft Lauderdale via Panama Canal) and were very impressed how stable this ship is. If your current anti-nausea medication is working for you, don't change. However, we have found that candied ginger works wonderfully. 

On 9/9/2023 at 1:04 PM, jrmende63 said:

We are sailing Queen Anne October 11& 15 2024. We are just so excited. I had to share with someone who would understand our excitement! 

Congratulations and Happy Anticipation

Just got off the QE on Tuesday. The GL is open in the evenings, same menu as lunch. No charge for food. Fish & Chips was awesome. While we were onboard they were serving pints of draft beer in the large pint and a half mugs, same price. For more on the GL please see my trip report in the thread above, LA to Ft. Lauderdale via the Panama Canal.

Jack

I did want to share 2 pictures, Dee and I with Captain Mazzella aboard the QE last week and again with Deputy Captain Mazzella aboard the QM2 in 2017 aboard the QE last week.

On the QE, this trip, and on our last QM2 Crossing the consensus was counter clockwise. However, I'm wondering if on voyages south of the equator it should switch to clockwise??? 

Jack