firsttimewithcunard

My final reflections on the QM2 and the 120 night world voyage we have just completed can be seen on martinandjansjourney.com

I discuss the price of drinks and the Bars on QM2 on my blog from the current World Cruise. See martinandjansjourney.com

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We’re on the full world cruise. We’ve had 100 days onboard the QM and have blogged about it at martinandjansjourney.com. My advice is to ignore melodramatic reviews which talk of leaving the ship early and which report a litany of apocryphal inadequacies. The QM2 is not perfect. But it generally provides outstanding value for money.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

To be clear. The QM2 is at Cochin the day after tomorrow. Passengers can go ashore with E visas and without the delays about which Cunard speculated last year. And those of us who don’t want to visit Cochin (again in our case) and are happy to stay onboard do NOT need a visa of any description.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It’s a pleasure.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Loving your blog Martin, thanks for taking us along with you.

I've never been on Deck 11, so it's good to hear that you are happy with your balcony. How much of an overhang from Deck 12 is there ?

12 is directly above and so their balcony floor directly and exactly covers our balcony. But we get plenty of sunshine.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

That’s a kind thing to say. Thank you.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I’m in month 3 of the 4 month QM2 World Cruise Amy am just approaching 20,000 views. If you’re thinking about a World cruise, particularly on a Cunard Ship you may find it useful.

You can find it at martinandjansjourney.com

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We’re currently on the QM2 World Cruise, with a month to go of 5. We’re in 11028 with an acrylic balcony. It’s excellent and even on very high seas between New Zealand and Australia, there has been virtually no movement. We’ve had a look at the steel balconies but would not want one. There is absolutely no view when seated.

I’m blogging about the QM2 and the World Cruise on martinandjansjourney.com

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you all for these very welcome comments. I hope you all continue to enjoy the blog. Don’t hesitate to use the comments box on the blog if you have any questions.

A world cruise diary for the QM2 - currently at Southampton- is at martinandjansjourney.com

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'm planning to blog from the QM2 on her World Voyage departing 10 January from Southampton. We're early sixties, from the UK, and this is our first World Cruise. You can find the blog at:

https://wordpress.com/view/martinandjansjourney.com

That is so sweet! The internet was a real challenge - but with perseverance it all worked out. I look forward to hearing all about your voyage, and to meeting up after Osaka :)

In the hope that it might cheer you. We have previously sought a disabled cabin if one was available and have enjoyed the significant additional room, not least in the bathroom. Ours was more than adequately furnished and we felt we had suite type space at no extra cost which, on a long cruise, was a bonus.

In case people are still anxious about this we have had it confirmed by Cunard that if you want to stay on the QM2 when it visits Cochin on the 2018 World Cruise, you do not need a visa of any description. If anyone would like a copy of the email then mail me on nareymartin@gmail.com

We've been to Cochin before and to India - which we love - many times. Cochin is unexceptional and we feel no need to see it again.

How miserable do you have to be to worry about children around a swimming pool. Were I a parent and I came across pools forbidden to my children I'd be furious. I wish there were cruises with pool areas which were closed to sad and whinging adults.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

There is a real issue here which can't always be thwarted by gels no matter the extent to which different cruise lines encourage passengers to use the gels provided. We've just returned from Greece - not cruising this time - but in Corfu one day we observed passengers from Costa, Silversea and Cunard ships. I had occasion to spend some time queueing for the bathroom when our cafe was swamped by some of the passengers, rushing into the first cafe next to the car park where their coaches had dropped them.

The men I shared a queue with were well dressed, apparently affluent, certainly courteous and amiable. But I saw that about half of them failed to wash their hands after using the toilet and some of those who did wash gave their hands no more than a cursory rinse.

I don't know if it's something about getting old. But many cruisers seem to believe that the rules of personal hygiene somehow don't apply to them. And not infrequently, they make many of us ill.

Companies need to be brave enough to confront this reality and using hand gels should be mandatory, but firm reminders about the necessity of personal hygiene need to be prominent in all bathrooms.

Many thanks for this helpful and reassuring reply. I'll follow your advice..

Hi,

I'm from the UK and I found your recent review of your Equinox's Caribbean experience really illuminating. We're doing the same trip in 12 months (our first time on Celebrity).

I wonder if you could tell me a little more about finding excursion alternatives to those provided by the ship. We find them very frustrating indeed but we have been nervous of trusting independently organised excursions (not least in getting us back to the ship).

I'd appreciate any guidance you can offer.

Kind Regards

Martin N

Eric,

This was very helpful and reassuring. Thank you.

Have my wife and I made a mistake. We have paid a small fortune for the 26 day cruise from Buenos Aires to Barcelona after which the Mariner goes into wet/dry dock. I'm troubled by posts which suggest that the Mariner is looking tired. Is that so?

While I am not certain when the Mariner goes in for refurbishment (think it will be a wet dock rather than a dry dock) but the first sailing after it is refurbished will be April 7, 2014.

 

Assume that this will be similar to the Voyagers recent wet dock where all carpeting in public replaces was replaced, the lounges and atrium areas were redone (furniture, upholstering, etc.), and the penthouse suites were redone. Regent works on the time so everything is I good shape. It is nice when they give areas a whole "new look".