Jim_P

8 hours ago, maggielou362 said:

Me too, Jim_P!

Maybe Sydney to NY in 2026?

One can only dream...

That would be amazing. I'm thinking Sydney to Hong Kong on that trip, depending on work. Or maybe even San Francisco to Sydney. The Auckland to Sydney leg is way too short.

18 minutes ago, D&N said:

Ten times per day!

 

Pretty easy to do. If you were to use it for each meal there's six trips on the lift and then you only need to go out twice more during during the day and night. Lots of older people on Cunard who wouldn't use the stairs even for a single floor. 

I think the elevators are the real culprits. Not everyone even goes to the buffet, but how many times a day does your average passenger use the elevator? Ten times? On a ship like the QM2 that's 26000 times a day people are touching those same few buttons. I never understood why when they go to defcon 5 when there's a covid or gastro outbreak the first thing they do isn't having elevator operators or a team constantly disinfecting them.

13 hours ago, dbjhughes said:

Could anyone please report if norovirus on QM2 is ongoing or whether it is resolved?

The protocols have been very much relaxed in the last few days compared to a week ago which I can only take to mean that there's not many sick people left and 1600 of us disembarked in Sydney today so that leaves a pretty fresh ship.

I disembarked today in Sydney. My second trip on the incomparable QM2 and I loved every second of it and am now planning my next trip on her. 

1 hour ago, tjunmin said:

Just to remove any ambiguity, the way I interpreted your reply is that HDMI ports are not accessible at the back of the TV in your cabin/suite.

 

 

Yes, the way it's mounted flat against the wall makes any other HDMI on the TV other than the one wired to the ship inaccessible. There is however two USB ports you could (with some difficulty) get to. Whether they'd work is a different matter as hitting the "source " button doesn't have any option for USB.

2 hours ago, tjunmin said:

I believe I read in an old thread that the HDMI port at the back of the TVs are not accessible. Is that still accurate?

Mine isn't . Screen mirroring works though if you want to watch your own stuff.

1 hour ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

We are currently on QM2 and we have a Samsung tv in our balcony cabin.

I'm on too, LG in my room, Samsung in my travel companions (both the same room category). Perhaps some got replaced during the refit. 

LG 40 inch.

Glad to see QM2 on another world voyage after missing a year but the itineraries for Australia are shockingly bad. Given that they pulled Queen Elizabeth out of the region with promises that the Australian market would still be important as part of world voyages they could have thrown us a bone. My options are fly to New Zealand for only a five night cruise back to Australia, or embark in Sydney and have to go all the way to China.

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!

34 minutes ago, artvlay said:

Does the metal jug contain enough for two people?

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. 

8 hours ago, ChrisMV said:

And this was for a world voyage segment that you won the upgrade for the minimum bid plus $5?  That is really outstanding, congrats!

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!

9 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Not asking for a specific amount, but how far on the meter did you and your friend bid?

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.
 

9 minutes ago, sucramdi said:

This carpet? It's the same one that was there when I sailed last year.

 

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!"