Back to back Queen Mary 2 - Atlantic Crossings

[2old4this]

My wife and I have reservations for the Queen Mary 2 sailing September 4 and will stay in London one week before returning on September 20 to New York. We are desperate to avoid all long distance flights and we have strong reasons for visiting London. We have never cruised the Atlantic and we seek comments from anyone who has done this back-to-back travel on QM2. We have no idea if this is common practice among travelers or a 'no no' thing with those in on the know. Your comments will be appreciated. Jack

[William Dean]

My wife and I have reservations for the Queen Mary 2 sailing September 4 and will stay in London one week before returning on September 20 to New York. We are desperate to avoid all long distance flights and we have strong reasons for visiting London. We have never cruised the Atlantic and we seek comments from anyone who has done this back-to-back travel on QM2. We have no idea if this is common practice among travelers or a 'no no' thing with those in on the know. Your comments will be appreciated. Jack

 

If you are staying in London for a week this isn't really "back to back". Not that this really matters - semantics only.

 

I've done more than one true back to back (that is, with only the turnaround day on the other side of the pond and then straight back home) and loved it. Now the Atlantic can be a cruel sea - at her worst (or best,, depending on your point of view) she is angry and rough. You'll be fine on QM2 but she will move in a really heavy sea. September can be a rough time. Equally it can be like a mill pond. I have seen both in September crossings.

 

Having said that, a crossing is a wonderfully relaxing way of getting across the ocean, and one I'd choose over air travel every time.

 

WD

[turquoise 6]

A wonderful way to travel to Europe , and you can sail back!! I recommend

it. A great experience.

[jla418]

I look forward to the day I have the time to take the ship both ways, for now though, I have to be happy to do a one way and a flight. I'll be on the September 20 crossing Southampton to NY and am looking forward to it! It is my second TA, but first on Cunard, and first on the northerly route!

[Whitemarsh]

Buckingham Palace is open to the public from July until the end of September each year. If you have the time, I highly recommend you visit the palace as it is awe inspiring.

 

You can book online before you leave the U.S.A.

 

From London you can also take the train and do a day trip out to Windsor Castle.

[turquoise 6]

To be even more indulgent,you can sail on the 4th to Southampton,stay on board and take around the British Isles cruise, then sail back on the 20th

to New york ;)

[William Dean]

To be even more indulgent,you can sail on the 4th to Southampton,stay on board and take around the British Isles cruise, then sail back on the 20th

to New york ;)

 

Given that QM2 is a tadge large to reach London, and that the OP has the need to be in London, I don't think this is a practical solution.

 

WD

[turquoise 6]

Given that QM2 is a tadge large to reach London, and that the OP has the need to be in London, I don't think this is a practical solution.

 

WD

The Pratical solution would be to fly to london. Sailing on the QM2 is an indulgence

[2old4this]

Thank you for your responses. Appears that most of you feel guesting on the Queen is the way to go. I would have liked another week in UK but one will do. Jack

[3rdGenCunarder]

We did a back-to-back-with-gap (we really need a term for this) on QE2. We sailed to England, spent 10 days there while the ship did a Med cruise, then rejoined the ship and sailed home. We were able to leave some of our luggage on the ship with the luggage master while we were on land.

 

I don't think they do that any more, but I believe they have shoreside storage. You might ask about it once you're on board.

[NomDePlume]

We did a back-to-back-with-gap (we really need a term for this) on QE2. We sailed to England, spent 10 days there while the ship did a Med cruise, then rejoined the ship and sailed home. We were able to leave some of our luggage on the ship with the luggage master while we were on land.

 

I don't think they do that any more, but I believe they have shoreside storage. You might ask about it once you're on board.

 

They do indeed, and I have used it every time the opportunity presented itself. Not expensive, and it's waiting in your cabin when you return. Just ask at the Purser's desk whilst on board.

 

[Underwatr]

I've been thinking long and hard about the two transatlantics separated by a week. We would do the same - disembark after the eastbound and spend a week sightseeing in some corner of the island before reboarding for the westbound. Few TA pairs originating in NYC are separated by as little as 7 or 8 days. By my check none of the new 2012 sailings have such an itinerary. I don't think I can make the schedule work this year, however.

 

I believe Cunard has a program where they will store your cruise luggage for the intervening week to permit you to do the London leg with a smaller set of luggage. I recall it was on the order of $40 per bag.

[capnpugwash]

I've been thinking long and hard about the two transatlantics separated by a week. We would do the same - disembark after the eastbound and spend a week sightseeing in some corner of the island before reboarding for the westbound. Few TA pairs originating in NYC are separated by as little as 7 or 8 days. By my check none of the new 2012 sailings have such an itinerary. I don't think I can make the schedule work this year, however.

 

I believe Cunard has a program where they will store your cruise luggage for the intervening week to permit you to do the London leg with a smaller set of luggage. I recall it was on the order of $40 per bag.

 

They do operate this luggage system and you need to discuss it with the purser to book the bags, when you return they will be in your next cabin. Very claver and painless.

[2old4this]

They do operate this luggage system and you need to discuss it with the purser to book the bags, when you return they will be in your next cabin. Very claver and painless.

 

Thank you for the luggage storage tip. Leave the tux and gowns for the return voyage seems a super idea.

 

Can you comment about Internet usage aboard? Or are you not a man of the electronic keys? I would like to bring my Kindle aboard and read from it.

[capnpugwash]

Thank you for the luggage storage tip. Leave the tux and gowns for the return voyage seems a super idea.

 

Can you comment about Internet usage aboard? Or are you not a man of the electronic keys? I would like to bring my Kindle aboard and read from it.

 

I use the onboard internet and the price is roughly $0.50 per minute reducing to about $0.35 if you buy a package. Connection is relatively slow in comparison to broadband but it works quite well. The speed varies depending upon how many people are using it so early morning late evening is better. Not sure how Kindles work sorry. I suggest you take a power strip to give you more sockets, sometimes the sockets are very close to the desk so it is often difficult to plug some items in.

[heywood]

I suggest you take a power strip to give you more sockets, sometimes the sockets are very close to the desk so it is often difficult to plug some items in.

 

This post is a cross between a comment re power strips and the thread re the Purser's desk.

Our sockets were too close to plug our phone charger in and I went to the shop first to see if they sold power strips. A lovely young man said that they didn't but that in some rooms they had been changed round and if I asked at the Purser's desk, he was sure something could be done.

I can still see that look of incredulity when I mentioned it and the shaking of the head. :D

However, on a positive note, as I was using my phone as a bedside clock, there was no problem in leaving the phone to be charged at the Purser's desk quite a few times- the staff were always most pleasant.

[Richard Schmidt]

My wife and I have reservations for the Queen Mary 2 sailing September 4 and will stay in London one week before returning on September 20 to New York. We are desperate to avoid all long distance flights and we have strong reasons for visiting London. We have never cruised the Atlantic and we seek comments from anyone who has done this back-to-back travel on QM2. We have no idea if this is common practice among travelers or a 'no no' thing with those in on the know. Your comments will be appreciated. Jack

 

I did back to back crossings on QE2 in 2008. Those were her final two transatlantic crossings, very emotional ones for all aboard who loved that great ship. It was a rare and wonderful experience. You'll never fully appreciate how brutally uncomfortable and depressing transatlantic air travel is until you've made the same roundtrip by sea.

 

If your vacation destination is the North Atlantic then the round trip is obviously the way to go. I never tire of being at sea, and the North Atlantic is one of the most complex, changeable and unpredictable bodies of water on earth.

 

On the other hand, I can understand wanting more time in England, a beautiful country in any season as far as I am concerned. Tough choice. The good news is, whatever you decide you will have a trip most would envy. Bon voyage!

[TheOldBear]

I'm starting some long range planning for next year.

 

It looks like a fly over and sail back will work better than a round trip - meet up with some folks we 'know' from facebook and email, then get to Southampton to meet the ship.

[Richard Schmidt]

My wife and I have reservations for the Queen Mary 2 sailing September 4 and will stay in London one week before returning on September 20 to New York. We are desperate to avoid all long distance flights and we have strong reasons for visiting London. We have never cruised the Atlantic and we seek comments from anyone who has done this back-to-back travel on QM2. We have no idea if this is common practice among travelers or a 'no no' thing with those in on the know. Your comments will be appreciated. Jack

 

P.S. If you want to read up on the subject there are a number of excellent books that would provide you with a better understanding of, and appreciation for the whole transatlantic crossing experience. "Transatlantic" by Stephen Fox, "The Sway of the Grand Saloon" by John Malcolm Brinnin, or "The Only Way To Cross" by John Maxtone Graham are all excellent reads, but plan on reading them before you sail. Once you are aboard you will find the expression "nothing to do and so little time to do it" describes perfectly life aboard ship on a transatlantic crossing. You won't believe how fast the time passes. Have a great trip.

[Underwatr]

In October '12 there's an Eastbound TA followed by about 5 days of the QM2 doing something else before a Westbound TA. I'm likely to wait a year or two so I can do it without worrying about things like work.

[2old4this]

I did back to back crossings on QE2 in 2008. Those were her final two transatlantic crossings, very emotional ones for all aboard who loved that great ship. It was a rare and wonderful experience. You'll never fully appreciate how brutally uncomfortable and depressing transatlantic air travel is until you've made the same roundtrip by sea.

 

If your vacation destination is the North Atlantic then the round trip is obviously the way to go. I never tire of being at sea, and the North Atlantic is one of the most complex, changeable and unpredictable bodies of water on earth.

 

On the other hand, I can understand wanting more time in England, a beautiful country in any season as far as I am concerned. Tough choice. The good news is, whatever you decide you will have a trip most would envy. Bon voyage!

 

Thank you, Richard, for the comments. The more I think about our many previous flights to and from the states and the UK the more we dream of the QM2 and what we will experience in September. We disliked the flights so much that we had agreed we would never again cross the Atlantic unless by ship. Your comments and those of others have us eager to get underway. Jack

[2old4this]

P.S. If you want to read up on the subject there are a number of excellent books that would provide you with a better understanding of, and appreciation for the whole transatlantic crossing experience. "Transatlantic" by Stephen Fox, "The Sway of the Grand Saloon" by John Malcolm Brinnin, or "The Only Way To Cross" by John Maxtone Graham are all excellent reads, but plan on reading them before you sail. Once you are aboard you will find the expression "nothing to do and so little time to do it" describes perfectly life aboard ship on a transatlantic crossing. You won't believe how fast the time passes. Have a great trip.

 

Send me an email at ( morrisjac@gmail.com ) and explain how you managed to to implant the photo with your message. It must be fairly simple since so many people add a picture. Jack

[2old4this]

If you are staying in London for a week this isn't really "back to back". Not that this really matters - semantics only.

 

I've done more than one true back to back (that is, with only the turnaround day on the other side of the pond and then straight back home) and loved it. Now the Atlantic can be a cruel sea - at her worst (or best,, depending on your point of view) she is angry and rough. You'll be fine on QM2 but she will move in a really heavy sea. September can be a rough time. Equally it can be like a mill pond. I have seen both in September crossings.

 

Having said that, a crossing is a wonderfully relaxing way of getting across the ocean, and one I'd choose over air travel every time.

 

WD

 

William - Is September the worst month for bad Atlantic seas or just another month when things can be rough and pitching? Jack