pmb1

My wife and I will be boarding QM2 in Brooklyn on November 12 for an over and back crossing returning home on November 26. We are looking forward to two weeks of good food, interesting lectures, fine music, new friendships, and especially no election news. This will be our first time looking at the North Atlantic from a Deck 4 hole-in-the-wall cabin instead of a Deck 10, 9, or 8 balcony and we don't expect to miss the open balcony at all. If you are on board then as well, come chat with us in the Commodore Club, Churchill's, or the Chart Room; I'm the little old man wearing a bow tie accompanied by the younger blonde lady.

Thank you, Happyboating, for taking the time and effort to share your eye for detail and your renewed affection for Queen Mary 2 with us. My wife and I can't wait to board next Sunday for a round trip crossing.

One little tidbit. At the pursers desk you can adjust the daily charge if you want, in either direction. I normally let the auto charge stand and give cash to those who serve me directly, but not my last two cruises.

 

On those voyages I ended up with an onboard credit I couldn't possibly spend. In both cases I skipped the cash and adjusted the auto tip to share the excess OBC. Easy as pie.

 

Roy

What a great suggestion that the crew, rather than the corporation, benefit from unused OBC. Thanks speaking up, refined.

...

In general the "remastering" provides some welcome improvement on QM2. ...

Welcome back, BlueRiband, and many thanks for sharing your observations and insights with us. I know how much time and trouble it takes to provide real-time reports while on board (which is why I'm always months late with my own Photobucket updates).

 

As I said in Post #5 above, I'll rely on your information about the changes to guide our re-acquaintance with our one and only liner when my wife and I are aboard from July 24 through August 9. Thank you.

Thanks for all the details.

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The balcony teak loungers are replaced with two wicker-like loungers. An ottoman holds the seat cushions outside of daylight hours so cushions no longer have to be placed between the curtains and windows.

Boo! No teak. Yea! Ottoman for storage.

 

...The deck 6 pool looks new and the aft kiddie water-cannon area now has an oval hot tub. The Pavillion Pool on 12 now has wind screens on the exit doors to the open deck.

Boo! Disarmament. Yea! Wind screens.

 

...One viewing area lost – at least on TAs – was the aft area on deck 12. This is gated off to allow more room for the dogs in the kennel to exercise.

Yea! More opportunity for the dogs to relieve themselves on the Grills-only deck 11 aft below (if it still is such).

Bon Voyage, BlueRiband. Come July 24 I'll be using your observations to guide my re-acquaintance with Queen Mary 2.

Hi, has anyone done a Norwegian Fjord cruise with Cunard ...

Check the album titled "2013 Norway July 6-27" in the pmb1 contribution to the "WELCOME ..." sticky for what we experienced on QM2 then, rain and all.

I doubt that Cunard will be publishing new wine lists soon. My experience on QM2 since 2004 has been that the wine list changes every year; I don't know how often Cunard updates its online versions. If you are interested in former QM2 wine lists, I've uploaded a few to my contribution to the above Sticky.

I did realize this was a post from 2015 but thought perhaps some posters may like an update if they hadn't already known this.

 

PMB1--I just spoke to Cunard (as there seems to be some difference of opinion on another thread) and was given the following: "There are four formal and four informal evenings. Please note that smart jeans (no holes or tears) are allowed on informal evenings." This is what was read to me by the customer service agent for our cruise.

Thanks for the good news about the formal nights, colonialinnkeeper. Too bad that oxymorons are allowed on informals.

We are on the Aug. 1 Jazz cruise this year. It was interesting to read all your posts. Thank you.

 

We will have 4 formal nights and 4 informal nights scheduled on this cruise.

Let's hope that the Pre-Voyage Documentation we just received is right about the four formals.

Whether or not you book on board, do buy future cruise credits. Only $300 each, good for four years, and can be used to pay the deposit, in full, on any future cruise.

This article answers a lot of questions about living on a cruise ship:

http://retirefabulously.com/blog/2015/05/05/smooth-sailing-through-retirement-could-living-on-a-cruise-ship-be-your-utopia/

Thanks for the informative link, Salacia. Except for the howler in ...

 

5. The costs you see on cruise ship web sites are only a portion of what you actually pay. ... Some lower-end cruise lines may offer free self-serve washers and dryers, but most cruise ships charge for laundry service. ...

 

The self-serve launderettes on QM2 were free when I last used one in January 2016. But of course you pay for the service laundry service; only fair, I think.

 

Anyway, thanks for the read. As much as my wife and I enjoy being at sea (QM2 transatlantics are our favorite "destination"), i doubt that we would take to living aboard full time. That said, if we had the money, it would be fun to try it for a year; just to be sure, you know.

No, July1963, you will not have to leave the ship and re-board in Southampton.

The housekeeping staff will do most of the work involved in changing cabins; talk to your steward and the helpful folks at the Purser's desk to work out the details.

 

The ship docks at ~8am and sails at ~4pm, so you will have plenty of time to see a bit to Southampton or even to take a tour to Stonehenge or Windsor etc. Your new westbound QM2 id is all the documentation you will need to leave and return to the ship without hassle.

 

By the way, my wife and I will be on board for those crossings (not our first back-to-back) and happily for us, we have the same cabin both ways. We have been to Southampton many times as in-transit passengers on QM2; never have we been required to disembark and reembark. We usually spend the day enjoying having the ship to ourselves and doing laundry.

 

Bon voyage!

News just in ;) ; Cunard have found a solution that allows QM2 to use the Panama Canal...

 

:D :D :D

And billions cheaper than what we in NJ are spending to raise the Bayonne Bridge to 215 ft clearance.

Bridge of the Americas high tide clearance: 201 feet

 

Queen Mary 2 water line to top of funnel: 203 feet

 

Pity.

 

P.S. No doubt she could make it with careful ballasting at low tide, but I doubt that the insurance carriers would allow it.

Wishing you and your dog Bon Voyage, Fogfog. If you're interested in what the QM2 kennels were like ten years ago, read my sebastian at sea blogspot.

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[/i]"... The skeg, in combination with the stabilizers, minimised the hunting instinct and vastly improved QM2's longitudinal stability in a following sea." [/i]...

Always good to learn a new (to me, anyway) nautical term. "Skeg" in this case, thanks, perrerrn. By the way, what do you call that underwater protuberance at the bow. I know what it's for, but I don't know its name. In December the one on QM2 was a most unappealing slimy green color.

The last thing you should do before leaving for the ship is to photograph your luggage, and keep the camera with you. Nothing beats a photo for speeding the recovery of a misplaced suitcase. Bon voyage!

I note that there is to be 10 new kennels on the Queen Mary 2. Now many more kennels than disabled cabins!!!!

Not quite: each "kennel" is a cage in the one cabin called "the Kennels".

A couple of years ago I suggested this for QM2 single cabins.

Old July 30th, 2013, 12:30 PM

Win-win single cabins for QM2 Grills passengers.

 

During its next refit single Queens Grill cabins could be added to Queen Mary 2 by replacing a few Q5 cabin modules (each 18 by 22 ft) with pairs of Balcony cabin modules (each 9 by 22 ft). There would be no change in passenger count because each double cabin would be replaced by two singles; no change either in the restaurant because the singles would be assigned to tables for two, or more. Cunard could charge each of these solo passengers two thirds of the per passenger Q5 Grills fare and come out ahead on fares.

 

To add Princess Grill singles two adjacent P2 cabin modules (27 by 22 ft for the pair) could be replaced with three Balcony cabin modules (each 9 by 22 ft). Three solo passengers would replace two couples so Cunard would charge each solo four thirds the per passenger P2 fare and come out even.

 

This proposal would let Cunard expand its pool of potential passengers by offering something to solo travelers besides exorbitant surcharges. Do you think solo travelers would be interested in Grills cabins this size at these fares? Would you?

I'll certainly let you know what happens. ...

 

Please do. I'll bet you a nickel that you actually enjoy your crossing, in spite of what you now expect.

 

While growing up the only time you heard of anyone dressing up is for a wedding or funeral, I've never attended either.

 

Well, of course, how you dress for your wedding will be up to you; and you may leave strict instructions about how your corpse is to be attired. Happily, Cunard doesn't do funerals; sadly, they do do weddings.

 

...

 

P.S. Nicely edited, HH.

Thanks for sharing your excellent photos with us.

... another indicator of the dressier nature of evenings is the informal night designation where a jacket is still required, sans tie however.

It's not "sans tie", it's "optional tie" and I am among those who choose that option. Sometimes we're in the minority, but not always.

I have sent them a copy of my share certificate but they are still emailing me back saying they need a fax from my banker or broker with proof of ownership that is less than two months old. ...

Congratulations, Bagitha, for discovering yet another reason not to have physical possession of any share certificates. CCL pays a dividend; how about sending a copy of the most recent dividend you received.

My wife and I have been in QM2 cabin 10008 six times. It's our favorite cabin because it's convenient to the Commodore Club, the Library, the Spa, Illuminations, and the Theatre. The only real problem we've ever had with the ship's motion was our disappointment in sleeping through the worst of a Force 12 storm. Check out Host Hattie's Sticky above for a link to all the stuff we've uploaded about our experiences in 10008 and other QM2 cabins. I'll bet you will love the forward location. Bon voyage!