QE2 - January 3, 2006 - Six Day Crossing

[Calliope]

Ken W., I understand fully why you have to leave the ship, and I too know how a relationship must be give and take. I would have had a divorce if I insisted on coming back to the U.S. on the QM2 right away rather than stay in London, as originally planned, after my partner's and mine east bound crossing last year. Somethings just aren't worth it!

 

Now, as far as Cunard goes I would be very proactive on my own behalf if I booked at a much higher rate for a room than is now available. I would give reservations a call and tell them that you booked, while on the QE2, when the prices were higher, and you know that prices have come down since then. Explain to them that you know it is now past penalty and don't expect a refund. Tell them you have been wondering if it would be possible to have an upgrade, if it hasn't been done already. Chances are you will get an upgraded room in no-time.

 

This has worked for me with The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. several times. But as sophisticated as Princess Cruise Line/Cunard and their POLAR system is, my guess is that you have already been upgraded. Just don't take that Queens Grill stateroom that I am hoping to get upgraded to! ;-)

 

Best wishes for an upgrade and your special anniversary. We all look forward to celebrating both in style!

[tandemtourer]

Regarding pricing, last week the travel agents were offering C5 quarantees at lower prices than the C6's available directly from Cunard. The Cunard agent explained that the Flash promotions were only for outside travel agents.

 

 

That is great news, Tandemtourer! Will you be on to New York or Ft. Lauderdale?

Calliope, thank-you for the warm welcome to the wcc. We will be disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale and are thinking of it as a micro-segment of the 2006 World Cruise;). There were two things which we read on this thread which convinced us to book and one was the idea of sailing both in and out of Manhattan one last time.

 

We are now obtaining immense pleasure from preparing to be aboard. We first listened to Gary B's podcast of his winter crossing and now are enjoying Transat_jon's excellent photos. Tonight we'll watch the QE2 video which we first purchased for our 1990 crossings. We have seen that video so many times that we can turn down the audio and provide the narration.:p

[Cruising Ken]

JulieCat.

 

I've been looking on Cunards UK site but can't find any offer for this crossing, can you help?

[juliecat]

JulieCat.

 

I've been looking on Cunards UK site but can't find any offer for this crossing, can you help?

 

It's in the On Offer section:

http://www.cunard.co.uk/OnOffer_Details.asp?ID=111

 

My travel agent got in on the Flash special even though I was alreadybooked. I think he just kept them on the line until they were ready to give him what he wanted (either an upgrade or a price adjustment).

 

Julia

[Cruising Ken]

Thanks for that.:)

[Transatlantic Tom]

 

I'll be doing this crossing via my online connection at home, so you folks better have great things to tell!

 

 

:)

 

Vic:

 

You're an awfully strong man to stay connected to this group/this thread/this crossing, because I personally wouldn't be able to continue to read this stuff if I wasn't going to be on this crossing....and then you're going to be looking for updates from the North Atlantic ??? Wow !!!

 

Well, I -for- one will definitely post a couple of updates, for you, here on the Boards while at sea !!! You can count on me, Vic !! The only thing that I ask in return is that next time/next crossing you then buy me a drink in your favorite place of all places - The Chart Room !!!

 

Cheers !!!

 

Tom

[confetti]

Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.

[confetti]

Hello Everyone!

Whoops! I'm back! Calliope keeps me posted on # of days. Now since viewing his lastest video Queen Elizabeth 2's World Cruise 2003 /NY to LA and reading the recent postings, I have some questions.

(1) TOO FLAMBOYANT??? I have an outfit I'm thinking of packing for one of the evenings on board, if it meets the WCC's approval! I call it my Diana Ross dress- RED SEQUINS. 1 shoulder strap w/silver sequins, diagonal hem w/ red chiffon flowing out the side slit (appropriate? fun? warming to the spirit? entertaining?) What is the WCC concensus???

(2) SHORE EXCURSIONS??? Ernie posted recently about this. Since we are on the transatlantic portion of the cruise......how's about we improvise? One idea is A Tropical Night (or Afternoon) at our Chart Room rendezvous. Calliope is ready to pack his Hawaiian shirt designed with The Mariposa. I have a sarong & lei I could easily pack. This wouldn't too hard for everyone to "wing" if you are "game". Any other ideas????? -whale watching? -Birthday party for anyone???

Calliope & I are "sporting enough" if you want to add to the fun of this trip!

 

Any thoughts?????

[Transatlantic Tom]

I think that I scared Vic away by insisting that he buy me a drink, or else, after my pointing it out, he is in fact depressed at the thought of not sailing with us.....

 

Sorry Vic

 

Tom

[eroller]

Looks like the special 6-day crossing promo is finally filling up. I checked today and categories C5, M1, M2, and M3 are "closed", meaning sold out. Category C6 is on waitlist only.

 

Looks like more people have signed on for this amazing deal.

 

Ernie

[Cruising Ken]

Whats amazing about it is, here in the UK we are being charged almost twice as much as you people over there.

 

Cunard World Club memberline quoted me £699 for an M6 and £745 for an M5 today.:mad: Needless to say I wont be joining you.

 

Looking forward to April and crossing the atlantic on the Norwegian Dream !:p

[guernseyguy]

Whats amazing about it is, here in the UK we are being charged almost twice as much as you people over there.

Cunard World Club memberline quoted me £699 for an M6 and £745 for an M5 today.:mad: Needless to say I wont be joining you.

Looking forward to April and crossing the atlantic on the Norwegian Dream !:p

 

CruisingKen,

 

In the past I have booked via a US based TA (like one you see in the ads at the top of the page) and got US rates, even tho I'm based on this side of the pond. For this trip my fellow traveller who is US based has done the booking, to avoid confusion....

 

Peter

[ocngypz]

If you are a Cunard past passenger and have a UK address in the Cunard database, a US travel agent cannot book you. I've even tried doing reservations through GDS, and the reservation bounces back as unconfirmed.

 

I have a client who is a US citizen and who has two addresses.. US and UK. I have to call to make his reservations.. and have the rez rep click through the database until they find the US listing for my client.

 

Yes, there are different rate programs for North America..... and the rest of the world.. as they say. Guess they haven't learned that it is truly a global economy.. and while I understand the need for geographic distribution of services...I don't agree with them.

 

Sometimes we can work our way around all this silliness.. but most of the time we cannot.

 

Grrrrrrrrr

[guernseyguy]

If you are a Cunard past passenger and have a UK address in the Cunard database, a US travel agent cannot book you. I've even tried doing reservations through GDS, and the reservation bounces back as unconfirmed.

 

Unless something has changed since last April....they can and do....unless a 'Channel Islands' address somehow confuses them......

 

Peter

[transat_jon]

I've booked cruises (not crossings) twice with Cunard US and I am a UK Citizen. I have been told told also that I could not do this but it turns out Cunard US are as happy to take your money if they can as anyone else!

 

I also find customer service with Cunard US is far above what we are used to in recent times from Cunard UK (they actually answer the phones for a start!).

 

Doing crossings is not so easy as you will probably not be able to include return air as you will be doing the crossing & flight in the reverse order to a American passenger. I have been told I could get this in the past with a $100 surcharge but got a better deal than that in the UK so don't know if it would have worked.

[Post Captain]

Greetings, all...

 

I've been lurking on these boards for a while, vicariously enjoying all the talk about rough seas and teak decks & such... And, enticed by all the excitement generated here, on the spur of the moment my wife & I have just booked the January 3 transatlantic crossing on QE2.

 

By way of a brief introduction: I grew up with the old Queen of Bermuda & Ocean Monarch(! A story there, but it will wait until another time)... Have not done a transatlantic crossing since the old Rotterdam (June-July 1966), nor indeed any crusing as an adult until getting my feet wet again earlier this month on a Bermuda cruise (on a vessel that shall remain nameless). My mother is a QE2 regular of long standing; my brother's sailed on her three times; so I reckoned it was high time I join the club, while the opportunity remains.

 

I've been aboard for lunch & brief visits in NYC (when you used to be able to do such things) a couple of times, & am somewhat familiar with this lady & her quirks; am sure I'll enjoy discovering much more about her (if I'm in any condition to leave my stateroom!:).) We have a C4 guarantee. (Any insights into that category would be welcome.)

 

Greatly looking forward to this crossing, whatever the weather...

 

Cheers,

John

[Calliope]

Hi John,

 

Welcome to "The Winter Crossing Club"! Join us all for cocktails at the Champagne Bar and bring your stories of earlier sailings on the QE2, QUEEN OF BERMUDA, OCEAN MONARCH and ROTTERDAM.

[Transatlantic Tom]

John/Post Captain:

 

Rotterdam in 1966 ! Wow. That brings to mind a whole other era for passenger ship enthusiasts.

 

In 1966 you could sail to and from Europe -as you did- with Holland-America Line, as well as Cunard (of course), United States Lines, French Line, Italian Line, among others.

 

I'm not sure about service operated by American Export Lines, and others, as of '66.

 

Also, farther afield, you could embark on liner voyages aboard Union-Castle between the UK and South Africa, sail aboard Matson Lines ships between California and Hawaii, travel American President Lines to the Far East from California, and still take -I think- P&O's "Oriana" between Britain and Australia.....all still in 1966.

 

Even as Pan American, TWA, BOAC, Air France and all the rest were slowly taking more and more passengers away from ships - a year like 1966 looks, from the vantage point of 2005, like a "golden era" for passenger ships.

 

See you aboard !!

 

Tom

[Calliope]

I'm not sure about service operated by American Export Lines, and others, as of '66.

 

During 1966 both the CONSTITUTION and the INDEPENDENCE were operating in "The Sun Lane" from New York to ports in the Med. Sea. Two years later in an attempt to become "mod" the INDY got her new Jean Harlow eyes paint job, and both she and the CONNIE became more of a cruise ship than a transatlantic greyhound.

 

The Polish Line was still operating between Canada and Poland in 1966. Begining in 1968 the "new" STEFAN BATORY began running in that trade.

[Transatlantic Tom]

Thanks, Calliope !!!

 

I also think that Swedish-America Line were still doing the transatlantic at that time with Kungsholm and Gripsholm, but I'm not an an expert on that line.

 

Still, what an era !!! How great would it be to sail -for example- one way on the UNITED STATES, and sail the other way on the FRANCE ???

 

Tom

[Transatlantic Tom]

QE2 Winter Crossing Club

January 2006 Crossing

Southampton-NY

* Brian Boru (Chris)

* Stowaway2K (Kyle)

* Ken W

* sfo-john

* transat jon

* guernseyguy (Peter)

* eroller (Ernie)

* Cruisin Pup

* Richard Schmidt

* Mr. Murdoch

* Transatlantic Tom

* juliecat (Julia)

* Calliope

* Bluenoser

* Confetti

* transat

* sandiegoprincess (Sandi)

* seagreen

* tandemtourer

* captaintandem

* Post Captain (John)

[eroller]

QE2 Winter Crossing Club

January 2006 Crossing

Southampton-NY

* Brian Boru (Chris)

* Stowaway2K (Kyle)

* Ken W

* sfo-john

* transat jon

* guernseyguy (Peter)

* eroller (Ernie)

* Cruisin Pup

* Richard Schmidt

* Mr. Murdoch

* Transatlantic Tom

* juliecat (Julia)

* Calliope

* Bluenoser

* Confetti

* transat

* sandiegoprincess (Sandi)

* seagreen

* tandemtourer

* captaintandem

* Post Captain (John)

 

 

Hey Tom,

As always, thanks for the updated list. It would be really helpful if those that have screen names but no first name could let us know their name (first names are just fine). It will make it a little easier when we all try to meet onboard in person.

 

I'm assuming the Champagne Bar (Princess Grill Bar on One Deck) is still our preferred meeting point?

 

Ernie

[Transatlantic Tom]

Ernie:

 

Yes, for those who feel comfortable in doing so, please post your first names and I'll be happy to update/modify the "club list" with given names, as well as our nicknames.

 

While we're on the topic of meeting, yes, the Champagne Bar/Princess Grill Bar seems to have been the place most people have suggested as our meeting spot.

 

Also, on previous postings there has been some initial idea of meeting the night we sail from Southampton, January 3. I wonder how people feel about that, too.

 

Speaking for myself, I like to be up on deck until we sail. If the weather cooperates, I also prefer to stay up there for awhile. Last December, our departure was delayed (mostly due to taking on stores for the World Cruise) until (help me fellow 12/04 crossing passengers !!) was it 7:30 - 8 PM ??? At that point, being in Mauretania-Late Seating, my wife and I had to head straight down to dinner, and weren't free until after 10 PM.

 

Given the possibility of a delay this time, and everyone being split among different restaurants, do we want to try for a meeting the night of our sailing, say at about 10PM, OR aim for something the next day, our first full day out, at say 1:30PM or so ???

 

Shall we have a "show of hands" on :

(1) Our meeting place

(2) When we should meet

 

(as well as any names "members" want posted)

 

Tom

[Ken_W]

Tom, I remember being on deck watching the last of the provisions being loaded into an open hatch via a boom, and the hotel crew giving a cheer when the last of the pallets was lowered into the hold just before 7:30pm and saying at last we would be getting underway shortly. The got a nice round of applause from the dozen or so of us who had been watching, and I recall the we got underway just a few minutes later.

 

As to meeting times, I agree that the first night can be problematic and that if at all possible I too would prefer to stay on deck as long as possible before heading for dinner - but the weather has usually driven me indoors.

 

What about setting up two meeting times/points? First nighters in the champagne bar, first full day out in the Chart Room? That way, if anyone misses the first night for any reason they don't have to wander around looking for groups and people murmuring "Cruise Critic?" and waiting for a response.

[Calliope]

Call me Frank!

 

Great idea, Ken! Having two set times works out well for me. I couldn't make it to the Chart Room gathering of Cruise Critics the first night out of Ft. Lauderdale the last time I was on the QE2, so I never did get to meet anybody.

 

I must be off; I have a dinner cruise on the Str. NATCHEZ I need to catch. We'll see you all later!