Jim_P

I'm on QM2 now, we just had the new itineraries delivered to our cabins.

Yeah, it's pretty poor form when cruise lines that cost less than half the price like Carnival have always available dishes on the menu for everyone. Especially when a lot of Cunard dishes are a little esoteric. I remember one night there was only a choice between a couple of seafood dishes and some vegetarian eggplant thing. Wish I knew then that I could have requested a steak or chicken.

Excellent, thanks. I love tomato soup so will have to remember that one.

Hi all, Just a quick question about the main dining room. I was on the QM2 last year, loved it, and Im about to board again next week. One of the things I found was that the MDR menus often werent to my taste. I dont eat seafood, and a lot of the dishes on QM2 are seafood based, and often there wasnt an alternative that appealed. I was wondering if Cunard, like a lot of other lines, has some staple dishes that arent on the daily menu that are always available that you can ask for? Some lines have steak or chicken schnitzel that are always available for example. Obviously no big deal if there isnt, as I can always get room service or go to the buffet later, but just trying to be a bit more prepared this trip. Thanks!

Yes. I was solo, but there was enough in the jug to make a full refill. Of course you can always just tick the box on the menu for both people and get two jugs delivered.

Theres complimentary hot chocolate you can have brought to you in the morning as part of the complimentary room service breakfast, and it is amazing. Best hot chocolate I've ever had and they bring it in a big metal jug. Im on the QM2 next month and Im already daydreaming about sitting on the balcony drinking that chocolate in the morning.. Im not sure if theres any in the coffee machines in the buffet. Other than that the only hot chocolate is what you can buy in the cafes.

Yep, Fremantle to Sydney. As a solo cruiser I've always had interior cabins so pretty excited to have my own balcony for the first time!

Right at the bottom, plus a token $5 in case I was bidding against other people who bid the minimum.

I'm on QM2 next month. Both my travel companion and I booked separately as solo cruisers. I was offered to upgrade from my interior. I bid the minimum for an enclosed balcony. It was accepted within three days. About two weeks later my companion got an offer to bid on an upgrade from her obstructed view balcony, she bid the minimum for a regular balcony. It took about ten days and was accepted.

The letter sent to passengers said that the ship had undergone the required hull inspection prior to the NZ trip and had passed so I dont think this is really on the cruise line. They cant be drydocking a ship for a complete clean and inspection every time they go to NZ. As an island country with an economy built on exports with thousands of ships coming and going every year for the past 200 years it just seems a little absurd that suddenly cruise ship hulls are such a threat.

I think NZ will soon be kissing goodbye to the cruise industry entirely. The cruise lines can't afford this kind of thing repeatedly happening. And it certainly does nothing to help Australia get more and newer ships to homeport here.

Just heard today that the P&O Pacific Adventure has been denied entry into New Zealand for the exact same reason as the QE. From an email sent to passengers: We have just discovered some high-risk invasive species on a small, localised section of Pacific Adventure’s hull, which needs to be removed before the ship will be permitted to enter New Zealand. The hull had been deemed clean during a recent full dive inspection that was carried out to ensure the ship was ready to enter New Zealand. However, a final inspection has now uncovered this high-risk species, which was unexpected given the recent full dive. Makes you wonder how many more times this can happen before the cruise industry simply deems New Zealand to not be worth the hassle.

Oops, yes you're right, just looked at my photos from march, they already had that wave design, must have been since the remaster. Still, looks as though it's all been replaced, it's much newer and more vivid than in my photos.

Woohoo, the fade is gone. All new carpet designs everywhere. I think some may be a little controversial (especially the Britannia restaurant, which gets a major new look) but I think they're all very good.

From the Cunard FB page: "She's back! We are delighted that Queen Mary 2 is on her way back from dry dock. An expert team of three thousand worked around the clock to complete extensive technical and interior refurbishment across many of the ship's venues. Welcome back Queen Mary 2!"

There was a photo floating around that looked like carpets were removed but I think it was just panels laid down the hallway to protect the floor. But I also truly hope those terrible carpets are gone. My first impression of the QM2 was heading to my cabin and thinking "wow, these carpets are really worn out!". I thought that for the entirety of the cruise. It wasn't until long after that I found out its a deliberate fade. Mind boggling design choice. I've seen photos of the original carpets, so much nicer.

I was on Deck 11 very close to the laundry. No real noise, just people talking sometimes but since the laundry closes at 9pm it wasnt an issue. It was actually very handy being close, easy to check when it was free, and I could just go back to my room while I waited. I found that the best time was around 8pm. People are at shows or dinner and the laundry was usually empty.

I was just looking at the Sydney port schedule and the QE is scheduled in regularly in the 2025/26 season so Cunard had her planned to be here. This must have been a very last minute decision. Given that other lines are expanding their presence in Australia (and Princess just announced that their flagship, the Discovery Princess, will be spending 2025 and 2026 in Australia) and theres a lot of talk lately about a new cruise terminal being built at Port Kembla to accommodate the cruise market which is set to grow by about 10% in Australia in the next five years, this is a strange decision. Especially with a fourth Cunard ship set to enter the northern hemisphere market. Disappointing that the only way I'll be able to go on Cunard in the future means hopping on a leg of a world voyage and seeing the exotic ports of Adelaide and Melbourne over and over unless I want to have to make my way home from China.

Pretty sure thats from exhaust vents for the trash disposal.

I was in an IF room in March (11015 to be precise) and I thought it was great. Yes, only two chairs and a table, no lounge chair. I was in it for 10 days and it certainly did the job and I wouldn't hesitate to book that room again.

Shades of the SS City of New York/Titanic incident with the tugs saving the day. The old girl is having quite an eventful year.

In my case it was sold out before it appeared in the program. Just go to the Tour desk on your embarkation day and ask if they're doing the tour so you can put your name down then.

I did the Behind the Scenes Tour on the QM2 in March. Apparently the first one since they started them up again. I was blown away by it, it was much more than I expected and was worth every cent (which from memory was something like $120). It lasted for about four hours (I wasn't expecting anything near that). We got to see many working areas of the ship (as an ocean liner fanatic I was in my element). Parts of the ship we visited included the docking machinery and anchor area below the bow, the engineering room, the hospital, the galley (which was followed by an afternoon tea in which we got champagne and got to try specialty treats usually only available to Grills Suite passengers), the waste disposal area, the crews rec area and mess, the backstage area and dressing rooms and the highlight - a visit to the bridge and a photo op with the Captain. We were also given some cool souvenirs and keepsakes. I loved it and highly recommend it if anyone has the opportunity. Get in fast though, very limited numbers. I went straight to the tour office to book it as soon as it was advertised in the program and was told it was already sold out. I told them how much I am into Cunard history and have built models of the QM2 and how devastated I was to miss out etc. They took my name and room number and two days later I got an invitation from the Captain in my cabin mailbox to invite me to the tour.