World Cruise 2006

[tcad1]

We are taking the World Cruise on the QE2 in January 2006 and have booked a C4 guarantee. Does anyone know what the chances of an upgrade would be to Princess? Queen?

[Blazerboy]

The common wisdom on upgrades is that they're quite random. I also hear that in 2005, a significant number of people did the whole cruise, and the cruise was nearly sold out, making upgrades less likely. But a friend who was on the first leg through the Canal was upgraded from a C1 to a P1, and was thrilled! It's a gamble.

 

2006 looks to be just as popular. I think it was here that I learned that the C2 staterooms were the former first class staterooms, and have nicer finnishes, similar to the higher grades of staterooms in the P category. The other issue is that if you like your twin beds made up as one large bed, that option starts with C1's or higher.

 

I know the differences in price are significant, but I'd try to book in a cabin category with which I would be happy, and then be delighted if anything changes.

 

Best of luck.

[roscoe39]

We are booked on the world cruise out of NY in 2006., Im organising it for a gorup of 10 of us and eveyone else in the group booked c1 cabins and I booked a m1 as a single occupancy....I was upgraded to c5. I think its just the luck of the drawer and as with my past 2 cruises Im just happy to be on board and anything above the waterline is fine with me!

[Louise D]

On the World Cruise 2005 quite a number of Princess grade seem to have been upgraded to Queens Grill, including the two ladies sharing our table and a Japanese lady who was heading a tour group of Japanese, who was upgraded from Princess even though the rest of the tour group stayed in the lower grade. I would think they did this either to be able to sell more Princess grade or to upgrade some Coronias to Princess. My experience is that on the World Cruise there is a fair bit of upgrading between Princess and Queens Grill but I would think that there is less upgrading between Mauretania and Coronia. This is especially the case if the ship is full. The Coronia and Mauretania are easier to sell because of the price levels. I never came across anyone who was upgraded from Coronia to Queens Grill on the World Cruise, but they would be unlikely to mention it anyway.

[Richard Schmidt]

We are taking the World Cruise on the QE2 in January 2006 and have booked a C4 guarantee. Does anyone know what the chances of an upgrade would be to Princess? Queen?

 

To be truthful, I would not take an upgrade to a Princess or Queen cabin. The QE2 was originally designed as a two-class ship, with Caronia being first class. Tha Caronia Restaurant was the First Class restaurant. It is quite beautiful, and that is where you will have the only opportunity to be seated at the Captain's table. Princess and Queen were luxury upgrades and afterthoughts.

[Louise D]

The Q3 staterooms on the first and second deck are, in my opinion, the most spacious and well-situated in the ship (barring, of course Q1-Q2 of which I have no experience). Also, the Grill Lounge on the Boat Deck is a particular favourite of mine for reading, afternoon tea and watching the world go by. I do not think I would wish to change this for the delights of the Captains Table.

[Louise D]

I should add as an afterthought that I enjoy observing the old, wealthy and eccentric people that travel in the Q class on the World Cruise. Apart from a baby aged 13 months, and myself, most of the other guests were very well advanced in years but generally beautifully turned out at every meal. We always have the same seating and waiters at every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the last trip the waiters came to realise that I enjoyed the tricks they played on me with my orders at every meal. (Of course, the waiters do not play tricks on the elderly American passengers, who would think that they were getting bad service. But I am a mad Australian, so it makes all the difference. :) )