milkcow

Thank you. Finally a post on QM2 on the way from Australia to England.

I have been watching the QM2 for hints whether our retirement year crossings planned for June, October, and January 2021 have any chance of happening.

Are there any USA citizens aboard now?

Is the QM2 continuing to New York?

Were USA citizens forced off the ship at Fremantle and forced to fly or seek Australian citizenships?

David

We diverted out of the fog towards Newfoundland for a medical evacuation.

An alarm went off for one of the propulsion pods as we cruised along south of Cape Cod, so we stopped for over an hour to check it out.  Captain Hashmi announced the alarm issue was resolved and there would be no delay to our arrival in Red Hook.  We actually were passing under the Verrazano Bridge at the exact time.

I did not see any unusual activity around the ship as we took the ferry to Wall Street—and I have been experienced in both pod and turbine activity in Fort Lauderdale.

Our crossing arriving in Red Hook yesterday 18th did have one disappointment—the fruit yogurt in Britannia was plain with canned cherries,  no other flavors.  And the chefs marched  without baked Alaska with cherries available.

Otherwise wait staff, room steward, all service was outstanding.  Captain Hashmi was very professional, handled two incidents quickly, with just the right amount of information to us passengers.

Steven  Rivellino was fantastic as our theater lecturer (We toured Radio City yesterday) and the London National Ballet was astounding—practices, question and answers, performances, and mingling on deck 7.

David

We used the new service this past June to Vancouver and return, then New York and return—agreed that the website and customer service is very user friendly for a clueless baby boomer.

One difference was that the collector person was standing outside the terminal yesterday in Red Hook instead of one of the little bays in the corridor between customs and the outside.

He was very friendly and gracious enough to laugh at my story that missed the White Star person standing inside  with no sign the first time we tried it many years ago—-and the only person that had the power, after trying local police and US customs agents to get us and our bags back into the terminal was the Union boss, who was friendly and fun as we were waved though all the barriers!

Campbell was on the QE for our Alaska cruise a few weeks ago. He said he will be going onto the QM2 in Southampton the 14th.

He was stuck at the top of the center stairs near the Corinthian Lounge on the QE, but had a loyal following.

We get on the QM2 in New York the 7th, so I am appreciating the reports from New England.

Hope you can keep Campbell on until we return westward  in August.

David

Hey, the best thing about our Pacific Princess Murmansk visit was watching the (painfully slow and labor intensive) coal transshipment from trains to ships.

I am serious— I love getting the chance to see the industrial side of ports—containers destined to USA Walmarts from the Far East, Sheep leaving Australia, Autos, Heavy machinery, and sailboats being loaded on roll-on roll-off ships at Southampton.

Cool , thanks for your advice!

David

Are there rooms at the Hotel Hafen Hamburg where we could watch the QM2 enter the dry dock, before we take a train back to Southampton to meet the Q.V.?

November Q.V. Northern lights with QM2 from New York 2020

We stayed near Penn Station both coming and going from our World Cruise QM2 earlier this year. We rode subway from Penn Station to South Ferry (both stations with elevators to accommodate our smaller rolling bags{rest shipped}], then walked around to the Wall Street Ferry Station. Reverse coming back. No hassle with taxis etc. A ferry was waiting after we breezed through customs on our return, but I was able to quickly buy tickets (they say they will sell them on board if you don’t get them.) Lots of room in the front two facing rows of seats for prams and babies and luggage.

It was a little warmer walk around the tip of Manhattan on our return in May.

We were in Dubai on the QM2 April 18 this year. Several people travelling with us had been checking the QE2 hotel website daily, and eventually we noticed that the QE2 Hotel was taking reservations for sleeping rooms starting the days we would be there. Excitement mounted.

Our daily program told us that QM2 passengers would be the first to tour the museum/reception building and the docked hotel version QE2, which would be visible from the QM2.

We were on the first short bus of regular passengers to go. We were interviewed by Al Jezera, which our departing Britannia Head-Steward confirmed was shown on the news at the airport.

We were shown around the fantastic memorabilia saved from the QE2 by a former Cruise Director who was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

We then joined ten or so other QM2 passengers who all, like us,had travelled many times on the QE2, for guided tour of the old ship. We all pretty much approved of the bedrooms, public areas, dining areas, and bars that had been updated, downsized or upsized as necessary for her new life.

Yes, indeed. Currently showing room availability from April 20th onward.

Gosh right about when we arrive at Dubai on QM2!

We have a Senegal flag flying, but the Sahara sand/fog/ wind makes it impossible to see Dakar, maybe a mile away.

I took a picture of the flag flying from our mast for scrapbook proof we were here.

David

Capt. Wells has been doing a really fine job keeping us up to the minute on our progress. He explained the technical challenges of a Force 10-11 following sea yesterday noon, although I believe we bounced more making the passage between Australia and Hobart several years ago than the last two days.

We did see a window full of green water one time in the passage with the puzzles on deck 2.

Smoother this morning, fun at ABBA night last night, and the new (to us) G-32 band we like better than previous bands—more general 60’s rock and less Carribean.

David

Thanks for the additional advice—I did not research enough to realize there were ferry busses to the East River as well as the Hudson.

Wow, should be a great ride—UN Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and water approach to the QM2!

David

We are staying near Penn Station New Years weekend for our Jan 3 QM2 departure. (Amtrak from Pittsburgh PA, big bags shipped by White Star)

We are going to try riding the MTA 1 train Penn Station to South Ferry, walking 8 minutes with our weekend bags to the Wall St. Ferry Terminal, and riding to Red Hook. Both Penn Station and South Ferry are listed as accessible, but we will check to see if escalators or elevators service the platforms we need.

No taxis or hire cars we have ever used (since 1980) have been able to find any place in Brooklyn from Manhattan— I have to give them directions.

We have walked from Carroll Street and Smith/Ninth several times are are lucky to be fit enough to be able to do some stairs with medium sized cases—but its embarrassing and a little scarey as really very helpful locals always volunteer to help. We started doing bag/stairs training on the London Tube in the 70’s.

We have often used the B61 bus from the Downtown Brooklyn Fulton Mall station.

I want to try the Ferry direct to the Atlantic Basin—should somewhat more room on the ferry for two medium suitcases than the B61 bus.

Thanks for the additional research help—I think we will try a dry (wet?) run during our long weekend.

David

The New York Ferrry map shows a dotted line denoting “summer only service” to Red Hook Atlantic Basin.

An online schedule dated 11/4/17 shows service to Red Hook weekdays and weekends.

Maybe its like white chicken gravy, we have a confusion over English and USA notations—4/11/17 could be the start of summer, what there is of it , in England

Will it be running for our January 3 boarding?

David

I don’t like the idea of not giving us a choice. We have often had legal messages and important sports results that I wanted to check on, and tuned on the data for a few minutes instead of dealing with the undependable or non-existent wi-if.

The phone companies send lots of warnings about the expense. If I want to spend the money (a very small amount compared to my bar bill in the past), why should I not be allowed.

David

When traveling on Cunard (over 600 nights so far, world QM2 staring in January) I forget beef and Amish food addictions. Able to keep my weight up ok, however,].

David, Holmes County Ohio

We usually have a cabin toward the front of the ship and have not been bothered by ship movement, but I know that most people say there is more movement at the front.

We had the (discounted) handicap room at the rear of the ship, 5250,for a world cruise, and had evening grinding noises for few hours most nights—like a giant garbage disposal.

Wife Donna did not like the lack of closet space and counter space, and flat floor into the large shower. Our steward brought a clothes rack to sit in the way to the bathroom, which bothered her even more:confused:!

We were actually in 6060 last July, which should be comparable to 6005, just a little farther back and quieter yet with its cozy corridor off the main corridor

This room was quiet and peaceful for our crossing westbound in July 17. There is a step to get up and into the bathroom, and a little wall to step over to get into the shower.

It seemed like mostly entertainers and speakers were our neighbors in our private little corridor, so we were all a quiet bunch.

David

I waited about seven minutes on hold when I called from our Hampton Inn at Clackamas OR at 6:07 am local time. I had received the official notice that we could book the QE Alaska cruises at 6 am, but of course I was well clued in with the timing from CC.

I got off on the wrong foot with Liz when I refused the air package since we plan to ride Amtrak and Via rail to and from Vancouver from our home in Ohio. She said I have to give a home address so they know my nearest airport whether we will ever fly or not.

But after several more hiccups we got the cabin, level, dinner seating, and date we wanted. And I have the reservation turned over to our always very helpful travel agent.

Now we are at the car dealer waiting for our new tire to be installed from the flattening effect of the invisable center curb I hit when making a U-turn last night, after dinner with the nephew (no alcohol)!

We are having a nice walk along the riverfront in Portland--beautiful city with lots of transit, restaurants, and young people.

Exciting morning!

GO BUCKS!

David

Thanks for great picture---we were on Pacific Princess at Bergen, fine day at old church, and our first ride on a bus on a ferry on a fjord.

We are ready to leave Trondheim just now after a really beautiful day, visiting the copper mine and riding the preserved electric railway.

Off to Longyearbyen, back to stormier weather which is what we came for.

Good to see our friend QE in Bergen yesterday also.

David

Agreed, fantastic, well written, gripping report--thanks so much for posting.

David