QE2: Caronia vs Mauretania

[guernseyguy]

As a longstanding Mauretania fan (and Scot, why spend a shilling when sixpence will do...) I'm considering trying out Caronia for the January Trans Atlantic. I know its 'single seating' - but the food is the same, and the lower end cabins are similar in size to M1s.....so who has sailed in both, what is your preference and why?

 

Peter

[mth_mv]

We, too, enjoyed the Mauritania but are considering the Caronia for 2006. We know about the diningrooms, but we were told that the "C" staterooms were bigger and better appointed. I cannot stand being in M1 for any length of time. I did that in 2004. Not again.

[Oslo Dutch]

We cruised QE2 last June to the Norwegian Fjords. While in port the Mauretania closed and we were invited to have lunch in the Caronia.

 

I found the food and service very good in the Caronia. Perhaps a little above the Mauretania but not that much. Seating was a little more spacious than the Mauretania.

 

Reint

[BrianBoru]

We've eaten in both restaurants as well and prefer Caronia. The room itself is pretty and, since passengers arrive at staggered times rather than in two big clumps, the service more attentive and leisurely.

 

That said, we landed in Caronia (Dec 05 crossing and holiday cruise) thanks to an ungrade (M2 to C5). The C5 cabin was nothing special, fractionally larger than M grade, with standard fixtures and decoration. We had both shower *and* tub, but we never used the later.

 

Given the scant amount of time we spend in a cabin, and the negligable differences between the C and M restaurants, then, we would probably only *pay* for Caronia on special occasions.

 

Christopher in hazy, hot and humid NWPA.

[Richard Schmidt]

As a longstanding Mauretania fan (and Scot, why spend a shilling when sixpence will do...) I'm considering trying out Caronia for the January Trans Atlantic. I know its 'single seating' - but the food is the same, and the lower end cabins are similar in size to M1s.....so who has sailed in both, what is your preference and why?

 

Peter

 

I like the flexibility of single seating offered by Caronia. It gives one more latitude in terms of planning the day's adventures. The dining room is attractive, the food and service excellent, and no one is standing over you tapping their foot if you stay overlong. The Captain dines there also. The Caronia was originally the First Class Dining Room when QE2 was planned as a two class ship.

[Jeanne S]

As a longstanding Mauretania fan (and Scot, why spend a shilling when sixpence will do...) I'm considering trying out Caronia for the January Trans Atlantic. I know its 'single seating' - but the food is the same, and the lower end cabins are similar in size to M1s.....so who has sailed in both, what is your preference and why?

 

Peter

 

Have not sailed in M class but it is my understanding from photos and looking at the 1986 deck plan that an M1 cabin is smaller than a C5 - not that much but is smaller. You will share a galley with the Grills which means that you can order off the menu. (Although an a la carte menu is not printed, you can still request day a filet of beef, salmon anything grilled).

 

I do not know what International Night was like in M, but in the Caronia Dining room is very special. The room itself is gorgeous. My favorite restaurant at sea. (We found the sculpture in Princes Grill unsettling).

 

Once you get used to that single seating dining Peter.......

 

Not sure if M has the cheese trolley?

 

When it was the first class dining room it was called Columbia and this dining room is still the gem of the ocean!

 

Jeanne

[jbailey]

I've done both and Caronia was more relaxed and had less-rushed service. I'd choose Caronia if I could afford it.

[guernseyguy]

Thanks for all the replies - and since it will be the QE2's last crossing to Manhattan - I've decided to 'push the boat out' if you'll forgive the pun and booked a C Guarantee - and also just bought on ebay a 1971 QE2 Trans Atlantic Deck Plan, so I'll be able to tell definitively whether I've ended up in First or Transatlantic Class - either way I'm sticking to the D staircase and Quarter deck!

 

Peter

 

PS Jeanne S

 

Surprisingly some C5 and C4 cabins are actually smaller than some M's:

In square feet:

 

C1: 212 - 242

C2: 166 - 214

C3: 161 - 212

C4: 179 - 206 M1: 120 - 208

C5: 103 - 218 M2: 110 - 163 M3: 111 - 145 M4: 115 - 155 M5: 73 - 140

 

 

 

 

[rjms74]

Guernseyguy,

 

I read with interest re the Jan '06 QE2 crossing being the last to Manhattan. I am travelling on the crossing next August on the US / Canada cruise and assume from what you've written that we will dock at the new Brooklyn cruise terminal?

 

I guess we would still the Manhattan skyline and the Statute of Liberty as we arrive and depart from NYC?

 

I also guess it's a much longer taxi ride to Manhattan i.e. Central Park area / Park Avenue than if we had docked at the usual pier in New York City?

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[guernseyguy]

RJMS 74

 

The original announcement for the transfer:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1283

 

had the move planned for April 2006 - so if its on track, this will be the QE2's last arrival into Manhattan - and Cunard's penultimate with QM2's mid-January arrival the last - soo its farewell, Manhattan, Hello Brooklyn! Yes, you will sail into Brooklyn, you will see (but not sail past) the Statue of Liberty, and get distant views of Lower Manhattan, and you will not sail up the Hudson, past the Empire State or Chrysler buildings, to dock within a few blocks of Times Square....at the time of the announcement the move generated some discussion:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=164865

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=164872

 

There may of course be perfectly sensible reasons for the move - I've wondered about the QM2's stern sticking out into the river - and the facilities at the Manhattan Piers are primitive to put it mildly - but what stuck in my craw was the moron from Princess saying 'most are asleep on arrival into NY' - clearly never done a Trans Atlantic!

 

To give you some idea of where the pier will be & how much of Manhattan you will (not) see - see here (and zoom out):

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.682983,-74.013284&spn=0.005515,0.007703&t=k&hl=en

 

 

 

Peter

[redrover]

Recently returned from QE2 round the Med.

 

Dined in Caronia - service was excellent, friendly and attentive. Nothing was too much trouble and the Maitre D's were very approachable, though strict with their staff. A Managers Inspection of the state of forks on unoccupied tables one morning at breakfast put the fear of God into me - such that I turned every item on our own table so that the Cunard logo was in exactly the correct alingnment - just in case!

 

Study of the menus outside Mauretania revealed revealed that they were a duplicate of Caronias, except for a couple of nights when we appeared to have one extra choice of dessert.

 

I cant really comment on the Mauretania service except by default really. It seemed the waiters from different restaurants took turns on Afternoon Tea duties in the Queens Room each day. This was managed by the same team daily, but although overall service was uniformly good I thought that when service was provided largely by "our" waiters (from the Caronia) it had just that bit extra somehow.

[Jeanne S]

Thanks for all the replies - and since it will be the QE2's last crossing to Manhattan - I've decided to 'push the boat out' if you'll forgive the pun and booked a C Guarantee - and also just bought on ebay a 1971 QE2 Trans Atlantic Deck Plan, so I'll be able to tell definitively whether I've ended up in First or Transatlantic Class - either way I'm sticking to the D staircase and Quarter deck!

 

Peter

 

PS Jeanne S

 

Surprisingly some C5 and C4 cabins are actually smaller than some M's:

In square feet:

 

C1: 212 - 242

C2: 166 - 214

C3: 161 - 212

C4: 179 - 206 M1: 120 - 208

C5: 103 - 218 M2: 110 - 163 M3: 111 - 145 M4: 115 - 155 M5: 73 – 140

 

Peter:

 

Do not have my 1986 deck plan. I believe that 161 square ft C3 is the Single on Deck One and the C2 166 is also a single cabin. This is because we were in the smallest C3 which was located on Deck One at 186 sq ft (cabin 117). Also as C2 cabins were the lowest level of the first class cabins these would have to be singles at 161/166 (C2 is not cheap).

 

The C5 218 cabins on deck 4 and are quite nice if you get one configured with the beds by the porthole and not adjacent the door. I would imagine those 208 squ ft M1 cabins are on deck 5? We would have had to go lower than deck one to get a more spacious C3 cabin. What one is paying more for with C3/C4 is not extra space, rather the bathtub. Most Americans I know take a shower and this perk meant nothing to us, but passengers from the UK I have met treasure their baths and were willing to pay more for this. So if one forgoes the tub and will accept a lower deck (4), they are rewarded with a more spacious C5 cabin. I wish I had known this when booking the C3 several years ago. I only knew the ship as First Class and Translantic/Tourist. Our TA at the time had never been on a Cunard ship (big mistake using him for QE2) and since one cannot tell the true configuration of the deck 2 and 1 C3’s we would up with a stateroom whereby when we entered the cabin, the door hit the bed. We would have been much better off with a larger C5 mid ship on deck 4, and saved some money to boot.

 

You may do very well with a C Guarantee. Are you traveling alone or with a companion?

 

Do not have my brochure handy, when is this crossing?

 

 

Jeanne

[Jeanne S]

 

 

Study of the menus outside Mauretania revealed revealed that they were a duplicate of Caronias, except for a couple of nights when we appeared to have one extra choice of dessert.

 

 

The menu items for the P & B Grills are also the same, the exception being the a la carte portion of the menu and a separate dessert menu. In the Grills they will prepare chafing dishes on request. In the Grills and Caronia, the Asst Maitre d’hotels will make a batch of crepe Suzettes for all. We were offered the same Servuga appetizer in the Grills that was served in Caronia and probably Mauretania.

 

Is there a cheese trolley in Mauretania Peter?

[guernseyguy]

I believe that 161 square ft C3 is the Single on Deck One and the C2 166 is also a single cabin. This is because we were in the smallest C3 which was located on Deck One at 186 sq ft (cabin 117). Also as C2 cabins were the lowest level of the first class cabins these would have to be singles at 161/166 (C2 is not cheap).

The 161' C3 is 2147 - two deck all the way aft, while the 166' are Four Deck midships (4135, 4136, 4139, 4140). The C2 166' is one deck all the way forward - 1002 - all these are advertised as doubles - but there are only 8 Caronia singles so these may well be used as singles.

The C5 218 cabins on deck 4 and are quite nice if you get one configured with the beds by the porthole and not adjacent the door. I would imagine those 208 squ ft M1 cabins are on deck 5?

No, on 4 deck, forward - I think there is little rhyme or reason to this!

You may do very well with a C Guarantee. Are you traveling alone or with a companion? Do not have my brochure handy, when is this crossing? Jeanne

T'other half is not a QE2 fan and is a poor sailor, so I've cajoled a friend into coming along - he also did the December Trans Atlantic a few years back....we're very bad influences....the bar bills were horrendous!

 

The QE2's LAST Trans Atlantic to Manhattan departs on January 3 - the start of the World Cruise.

 

Peter

[sweep]

Jeanne

 

I was very interested in your comments about the C5 cabins. How can you tell from the deck plans whether the beds are near the door or the port hole? We thought we had done rather well in getting a 208' cabin mid ships but now I'm not so sure!

 

Sweep

[MollyBrown]

My first 2 crossings were in Mauritanea, and I booked Caronia thereafter. Mauritanea can be very nice, but I found, quite honestly, that I ran into people there a few times who were somewhat grumpy or didn't like "dressing up", etc.

 

I always had a wonderful time in Caronia, and wonderful tablemates. Perhaps it was just chance.

[guernseyguy]

How can you tell from the deck plans whether the beds are near the door or the port hole?

 

You can't, really - you need an old deck plan with a detailed layout.

 

Peter

[sweep]

Thanks for your reply Guernsey Guy. Our cabin is 4171. Does that show up on your deck plan?:confused:

[guernseyguy]

Yes, two beds by the porthole:) (assuming it hasn't changed since 1971!)

 

Peter

[Jeanne S]

 

The QE2's LAST Trans Atlantic to Manhattan departs on January 3 - the start of the World Cruise.

 

Peter

 

 

The C4 cabins I was referring to were actually midship by the E staircase. Terrance RIchards had a beautiful cabin adjacent the staircase/elevator - the one that stops on every floor. I believe this was 218 sq ft but I do not have the deck plan and forget the cabin #.

 

I read someone else on this site is doing at QE2 crossing so this must be it? This is the one you will be on?

[Jeanne S]

Jeanne

 

I was very interested in your comments about the C5 cabins. How can you tell from the deck plans whether the beds are near the door or the port hole? We thought we had done rather well in getting a 208' cabin mid ships but now I'm not so sure!

 

Sweep

 

Peter is right.

 

If the cabin appears square of rectangle, beware (usually aft/forward).

 

However for the ones more towards midship - you will see that they open up to a little area, then have a narrow hall followed by another little room by the porthole - only if you have a deck plan that labels what the furniture is, such as bed, couch, you will not be able to tell which is which and need the 186 or earlier deck plan.

 

Terrance Richards always had his deck plan available and is the site expert on C 5 cabins. If you can post him a question about your cabin or ask about specific cabins you also may have in mind or what he would recommed, you will get some great advice.

 

4171 is one of the cabins with the narrow hallway and 2 little rooms I believe - just not sure where the bedroom is.

 

Jeanne

[guernseyguy]

I read someone else on this site is doing at QE2 crossing so this must be it? This is the one you will be on?

 

Yes, there will be quite a little gathering on the trip - it brings out the 'Liner nuts' as Host Doug calls us!

 

Peter

[Jeanne S]

Is this the official last voyage to NYC?

 

If I can get someone to go on a Jan crossing may do this, but around here it seems everyone wants to go to St Thomas (I can evision Mtbny cringing at that seeing how he spent all of 10 min there on his last voyage to the port).

 

So Peter, have you made a choice - C or M?

 

 

Jeanne

[guernseyguy]

Is this the official last voyage to NYC?

So Peter, have you made a choice - C or M? Jeanne

 

Given the move to Brooklyn this is the last crossing to Manhattan - I've gone for Caronia.

 

Peter