What is the Planetarium?

[jax]

and what are these essential tickets that one must have in association with this venue? Are there different shows/movies here or does one just have a viewing of the heavens as we cruise along?

[MCC retired]

The shows change daily at sea .There are several showtimes each sea day . Tickets (free) are picked up at the desk down by the Internet Cafe .

[pb82]

Here is how Cunard's QM2 web site describes it:

 

IlluminationsSM

A shipboard Planetarium offering a variety of constellation shows and virtual reality rides through the skies, which also serves as the ship's movie theatre and lecture hall...

[Ray66]

The shows are called "Cosmic Collisions", "Passport to the Universe" and "Infinity Express" and last for 20 minutes.

[moniquet]

In reality it is a new way of watching stuff that has been on the discovery channel:D

[PortOutStarboardHome]

Somewhere comfortable to sleep during the day:D

[pumpkin 11]

Thought they were cool. the chairs were very comfertable, saw the "cosmic colisions" one, nice. I would rather have a planetarium than a rock climbing wall!:D

[devere]

We will be on QM2 this winter. Our last cruise on her was 3 years ago. Does anyone know if the planetarium shows mentioned are new or the same ones from 2006? Back then it seemed the the planetarium shows were the same ones we had seen on our first crossing the year before.

[rsquare]

Actually, remembering the Fels Planetarium of my youth, I would have called it a theatre. You see a show on a large screen; you not see a view of the heavens at any particular time, nor is the show about identifying stars. However, I recently saw the planetarium show at the Natural History Museum in New York, and it is much the same sort of thing, so I guess planetaria have changed since those days.

 

Given that it is a show, and not a view of the skies, you want to see as much of the overhead screen as possible, so it is best to sit as far back as possible. Some of the seats, marked by upholstery of a different color, recline a bit but many of them are, sadly, broken or have the recline handle broken off.

[sw18]

In reality it is a new way of watching stuff that has been on the discovery channel:D

 

You're spot on there!! :D

 

Calling it a Planetarium is stretching things a little (well....a lot really!!), but fun for 20 minutes... :)

[jax]

I thank you for your replies but the planetarium doesn't sound very appealing. My best bet would be to go to the Observation Deck during a clear night and cast my eyes at the firmament above me.

[tiller]

I did keep falling asleep every time I sat in Illuminiations. The comfy seats, the dark room, I couldn't help myself : ). I did enjoy the planetarium shows though.

[Boytjie]

I thank you for your replies but the planetarium doesn't sound very appealing. My best bet would be to go to the Observation Deck during a clear night and cast my eyes at the firmament above me.

 

 

I actually thought the show in the Planetarium was pretty good and at 23 minutes it does not take up a lot of time and you can still look at starts at night (if the weather permits, it never gets cloudy in the Planetarium!)

[Q-step]

I did keep falling asleep every time I sat in Illuminiations.

 

Me too. Even for the lectures. I think the ship's motion affects you as well as it is way up in the bow.

[Boytjie]

Me too. Even for the lectures. I think the ship's motion affects you as well as it is way up in the bow.

 

Or maybe it is thw winw at lunch. ;)

[MarkBearSF]

We will be on QM2 this winter. Our last cruise on her was 3 years ago. Does anyone know if the planetarium shows mentioned are new or the same ones from 2006? Back then it seemed the the planetarium shows were the same ones we had seen on our first crossing the year before.

 

The shows are originally created and presented at the American Museum of Natural History/Rose Center and then adapted to the specifics of the QM2. I believe that there is about one new show each two years, so I would expect to see repeats. (Last week, while aboard, I saw the one narrated by Harrison Ford which I originally saw at the premier season at the new AMNH planetarium in 2002 and on the QM2 last year)

 

If you're lucky, the show currently playing in New York on suns (narrated by Whoopie Goldberg) will be available - it was very good.

 

These are special, hi-def productions that you will NOT see on Discovery Channel and use the new digital planetarium equipment rather than the mechanical/optical devices many of us grew up watching. As a matter of fact, new planetaria are being built without the old devices. San Francisco's new Academy of Sciences no longer has their old equipment and has an all-digital facility now.

[flag fan]

I loved the show in Illuminations, which I had seen just a few days before at the American Museum of National History/The Rose Center in New York. The gentle rocking of the ship while watching the stars added a whole new dimension to the show.

[Karanja]

I thank you for your replies but the planetarium doesn't sound very appealing. My best bet would be to go to the Observation Deck during a clear night and cast my eyes at the firmament above me.

 

++++++

 

I make a point of seeing one show on every crossing, and I enjoy them as I did as a kid many, many moons ago. Sit high up to see the entire dome w/o straining your neck.

 

The obs deck night can be an excellent location to see the stars, but 1) you can't see straight up as you are standing right below the bridge and 2) it may or may not be closed off at night.

 

There are deck lights everywhere else on the ship.

[Aubreysshipmate]

Give the planetarium a chance at least. And yes I too found myself dozing, heck outright sleeping during one show after a good lunch. :D Its a nice venue all around.

 

While standing on the deck at night does work and is "tres romantique" the amount of "light pollution" reduceses the quality of stargazing. Deck 7 aft by the pools isn't too bad for this however.

[rsquare]

The obs deck night can be an excellent location to see the stars, but 1) you can't see straight up as you are standing right below the bridge and 2) it may or may not be closed off at night.

 

There are deck lights everywhere else on the ship.

 

If you're talking about the forward part of 7 Deck (what the crew calls Bladehenge) you actually can see straight up; that's where we are when passing under the Verrazano Bridge, an awesome sight. The bridge is somewhat to the rear of this area and does not block it.

[Mr. B]

Is the seating open/general admission with a ticket or assigned seats on the ticket?

[The Real PM]

Is the seating open/general admission with a ticket or assigned seats on the ticket?

It was general seating-- when we were there. Get there early enough so you can find out how the seats work. We entered at the last minute and quickly grabbed a seat without instructions. I spent the entire time trying to figure out how the seat worked and ended up with a crick in my neck, along with missing most of the show.