QE2 - January 3, 2006 - Six Day Crossing

[travel-to-go]

Very true Karie. The same can be said about airlines. If you fly enough, and use different airlines, you *will* eventually have a bad experience on every airline. At times, all the major airlines can be pretty decent, and at other times they all have the potential to be very poor. Much of it depends on your individual circumstances, state of mind, and whom you are dealing with. One employee with a decent attitude can make all the difference in the world ... even if something goes wrong.

 

I'm often amused by the same behavior on cruises. It doesn't matter what ship I am on (even something pretty upscale like the QM2 or Silversea), I will undoubtedly ask someone what they think of the ship. Their response will be something like "this ship can't compare to "X" ship or "X" line". I usually chuckle to myself. I can assure you these same people will go on their next cruise and rave about how much better the ship we were just on was.

 

With airline passengers, I always chuckle inside when someone says "I will never fly this airline again"! I know that will only hold true until said airline offers a fare that is a dollar cheaper on the next flight they want to take. ;)

 

Ernie

 

Ernie,

You are so right!

14 of us from my agency took a fam on Delta once- I don't know who was worse, one of the attnedants or us! One poor lady- We were flying only between Orlando and Maimi, I think it was- hardly time to give the safety talk, much less beverage service. At every row she said, Coke Sprite or water. After a while we all got the deal... And every last one of us asked her if she had any diet! I swear she was ready to open the door and jump- sans parachute! (BTW, the water was from the coffee pot- and it tasted like old tepid coffee grounds!- I think they shouldn't have even tried to do beverage service on such a short haul!) OTOH, I was very pleased that the attendents looked like normal people, including an older woman and an older man. Not just perky- "coffee tea or me, girls" that so many airlines try to push, for what is a federally mandated safety requirement. They are not wait-staff and babysitters with wings, as I am sure you are well aware!

 

As for my favorite cruise line? Our first four cruises were on Cunard products in the mid-nineties. We were so spoiled. I'm not even sure Cunard could live up to those memories! They've become so golden in our minds. And of course,it isn't the same world at sea any more- And Mr Arison is not even Trafalgar, much less Commodore (who supplied the personnel) and the Ray Kennedy Entertainers and Well- the fabulous service, food and everything! (And actaully Trafalgar bought her while we were on one of our cruises.)

I hope you get your business class non-stop seats!

[Skipperette]

The current forecast I have for the Atlantic shows waves in the mid thirties for 31Dec05. In the next few days we will get a forecast for the week we will be sailing. Looks like the first couple of days might be a bit lively and day five might also be. Incredible!

 

Jon:

 

You're talking my language !!!

 

This could turn out to be very interesting....

 

Tom (using SKIPPERETTE'S logon)

[dougnewmanatsea]

We were flying only between Orlando and Maimi, I think it was- hardly time to give the safety talk, much less beverage service. At every row she said, Coke Sprite or water.

LOL... This reminds me of a few funny experiences myself!

 

I've never flown MCO-MIA that I can remember, but a few years back I was booked on a PBI-LGA flight that was cancelled so I had to fly PBI-MCO-LGA; I only got home at all by the grace of an extremely helpful DL agent. The PBI-MCO segment was on Comair (DL Connection), in a little Embraer Brasilia turboprop. The in-flight service consisted of one individually wrapped hard candy per person. They actually counted out the number of pax on the flight so as not to have any left-over candy! Needless to say it was a strictly "one per person" basis!

 

Seated behind me was an extremely obese gentleman, in the last row, who had to be moved further forward so as not to upset the balance of the plane! It was handled discreetly but I am sure it still must have been quite embarrassing for him and indeed it was almost embarrassing for me watching it.

 

I also recall another very short flight, SEA-YVR on Horizon Air (regional subsidiary of AS) this time in a DHC-8. Drink service consisted exclusively of apple juce or beer. No, that is not a typo! No water, no coffee, no tea, no cola... Just apple juice or beer. That was truly odd! It is certainly the shortest flight I've been on where alcohol was served (free of charge no less).

 

The shortest flight I've flown, I think, is MIA-PBI (or was it PBI-MIA) way, way back on an American Eagle Fairchild Metro. 19 seats, no standing headroom, no loo, no flight attendant, hence no service of any sort!

 

Anyhow, back to the crossing... We just received our docs today. (Finally!)

 

They look a lot like RCI/Celebrity docs, a little spiral-bound book, rather cheap-looking, but at least they come in a rather nice blue vinyl folder.

 

Our cruise docs were printed on 23 Nov... Our air confirmations were not printed until 7 Dec for some inexplicable reason. I know they could have printed it sooner because I had already gotten our PNR from their air department and gone into the reservation on AA.com and chosen seats etc.! The Cunard confirmation actually shows the seat assignments I made, ironically along with the little dislcaimer about having to contact the airline on one's own to reserve seats. I'm certainly glad I was able to get our PNR before now otherwise we would have undoubtedly wound up with awful seats. As it is, we've got pretty good ones, a window and ajdacent aisle.

 

I'm not sure what date they actually mailed the whole thing but it certainly took long enough! Not impressive pre-cruise organisation from Cunard. Other silly things... The docs themselves say "see insert" for embarkation port information. There is indeed an insert but it entirely forgets about Southampton and New York, beginning at Ft. Lauderdale! Quite a mess.

 

Of course we have the ridiculous pre-printed airline-style baggage tags - with the wrong cabin number on them! (Undoubtedly these were printed 23 Nov with the cruise docs.) They make no provision made for cabin changes. Will see what they say about that in So'ton... Since they will see nothing of our bags until we get to the terminal it should not be an issue. If we were taking their transfer I'd have to call them up and ask what one does about baggage tags that prominently display someone else's cabin number!

 

All in all, a rather unimpressive package, and they certainly took long enough to arrive! I have a feeling that the docs are printed in Miami and then sent to Cunard/Princess headquarters in Valencia, CA for something or other before being sent out. I know they were mailed from Valencia but inside the back page of the little spiral-bound book it says "Date Issued: 23 Nov 2005 2 MIA" - I assume MIA is for Miami.

 

I have been told that at some point during the Miami era (not sure if pre- or post-Carnival), Cunard outsourced their ticketing to some independent contractor. I can only suppose that this contractor is out in Miami, and then sends the docs to Cunard for "finishing". This may not have been so inefficient originally if the firm that prints them is in Miami as that is of course where the old Cunard HQ was, but now that a transcontinental trip is involved it seems this chews up a lot of time.

 

My hypothesis is that they are only still using this contractor (if indeed they are using one) because of some sort of contract and that Princess will do the ticketing once that runs out.

 

Anyhow, all this doesn't really matter very much but after many cruises it is always interesting to compare pre-cruise documentation between different lines (and even the same line, from different years). It's fair to say that Cunard's is not all that impressive and the long time it took for them to come does not reflect especially well on their on-the-ground organisation. Certainly it is lesst han I would expect from Princess who generally are nothing if not organised!

 

And now for a silly beginner's question. We all know that days on westbound crossings last 25 hours, but as there is only a -5:00 time difference between GMT and EST, with a six-day crossing as we now have there must be one 24 hour day in the bunch. Which day is that?

 

It makes no difference to me, but it suddenly popped into my mind so I thought I'd ask!

 

Anyhow, we have less than a week to go now - the suspense is building! I move on Thursday and then will really start preparing (haircut, packing, etc.) after that.

 

I wish all WCC members a safe and pleasant journey as you head for the UK in the next few days!

[Allis154]

Just thought I would check in. Hope everybody had a good holiday, regardless as to what you celebrate.

 

We got our tickets on Friday afternoon, much to my relief. Now it really feels like we are going.

 

Started packing last night, and washing the clothes we are taking. I started at 5 pm, and stopped at midnight, and I am only about a third done! I can't find some things, as I am still living out of some boxes. That slows the packing process down. I WILL be done by bedtime tonight, so I still have tomorrow to buy what I can't find!

 

I have also started to keep track of the weather for our flight. The weather channel here is saying snow on Monday, but the government weather site isn't posting Monday's weather yet. I also found out where the plane stops on the way to London; St. John's, Newfoundland. I will be keeping track of the weather there too.

 

Our flight will not be tracked until Saturday, but after that we will be able to see if it is scheduled to be on-time. The documents that Cunard sent says that we have to be at the airport three hours before departure. It used to be two hours. At least it is not an early morning flight!

 

My lists have been a godsend this time around. Normally, I am packed about a month before we leave, so this time it eels really last minute!

[travel-to-go]

LOL... This reminds me of a few funny experiences myself!

 

Seated behind me was an extremely obese gentleman, in the last row, who had to be moved further forward so as not to upset the balance of the plane! It was handled discreetly but I am sure it still must have been quite embarrassing for him and indeed it was almost embarrassing for me watching it.

Marc and I had a horrendous experience on TWA on a short hop from JFK to BDL- Can't remember the plane- Could have been a Shorts. After waiting on standby for hours on our flight out of SJU paid for (to Cunard, as a matter of fact) more than 6 mos earlier, (They also neglected to pick us up and take us from the pier to SJU airport, with no cash to speak of on us after a cruise, and full cruise luggage! Not so much as a bus to get us to the airport!) Anyway, we finally got on board, only to have them call for someone to get off- We're both pilots, so we knew what that meant. Then they asked if someone in the rear would offer to move to the front. While I wasn't as big then as I am now, we both knew the plane was out of weight and balance. As we were in the back row, both of our hands shot up instantly. Well, seated behind the "bulkhead" in those pre-911 days, this was a flimsy cardboard material that didn't even extend all the way to the walls, we proceeded to listen to the stall horn blaring most of the way home, and were most curious about the route they took, being quite familiar with the ground visual references below. Since we also know a few who fly commercial (not ATP- or the big jets) and knowing some of them are not the best pilots we know, while building time to get their "big guy licenses" <G> we just prayed that one of us wouldn't have to somehow save the plane and passengers from imminent death and destruction! <G> Of course we finally got down only to discover half of our luggage was left in New York and would be brought in the next morning. We told them, no, we didn't think we'd be needing tux and ballgown for work the next moring, thank you! And you wonder why T-Dub went under!

 

The shortest flight I've flown, I think, is MIA-PBI (or was it PBI-MIA)

PBI is where I first experienced 0 Gs in a friend's plane. I was 14. His dad worked at Pratt.

All in all, a rather unimpressive package, and they certainly took long enough to arrive! "Date Issued: 23 Nov 2005 2 MIA" - I assume MIA is for Miami.

Darling, don't you get it? MIA means Missing In Action! <LOL>

 

I have some old Cunard blank tags (remember, you used to have to fill them in yourself, with cabin number name, return flights, etc) Maybe I should make lots of copies, distribute them and we'll make our own! <G>

And now for a silly beginner's question. We all know that days on westbound crossings last 25 hours, but as there is only a -5:00 time difference between GMT and EST, with a six-day crossing as we now have there must be one 24 hour day in the bunch. Which day is that?

Well, it's simple! While cruise lines call this a six day crossiing, it is really only 5, when you count the 24 hour periods. You leave on day 1 around 5 PM you arrive on day 6 around 6 AM. If you count say, Mon-Tues 5PM is day 1, Tues to Wed day 2, Wed to Thurs=day 3, Thurs to Fri =day 4 and Fri to Sat= day 5. Sat to Sun would be day 6! While you have used up portions of 6 days, (M,T,W,Th,F,Sa), to actually be aboard 6 days would have required you to disembark at 5 PM on Sunday! So there is your extra hour!

Karie

[greatam]

DHL finally arrived last night about 7:30PM. Driver informed me it had been very "busy". DUH!!!!

 

Not only will we have discussions about how the upgrades were allocated, but the difference in docs. I got something that looks like a boarding pass I could have printed from my computer. Inside a folder that are all of 2/$1.00 at the Dollar Store. Luggage tags have no names, cabin number, etc. Just Two Deck/Orange/QE2. Docs were processed on December 23. Since I did my own air, you would have thought Cunard would have processed them a little earlier than December 23.

 

Gina

[OceanAnnie]

As for the time change, it's simple: It's a five-hour time change and a six-night crossing. Every night except one, the last if I recall correctly, you turn your clock back by one hour.

[tumeroll]

Wow, just looked at a news report of the weather you UK folks are experiencing right now. By next Monday 30 foot waves will look peaceful to you. Hope all is well with everyone on the otherside of the pond. Keep warm. Only a few short days to go before the crossing begins.

[dougnewmanatsea]

The documents that Cunard sent says that we have to be at the airport three hours before departure. It used to be two hours.

Cunard's "three hours" warning is a generic warning... They have to write assuming that you are flying from the airport with the earliest check-in requirement.

 

I would suggest that you check with your airline to see when they adivse that you check in at your airport. I imagine that it is most likely not necesary to check in three hours early.

 

Marc and I had a horrendous experience on TWA on a short hop from JFK to BDL- Can't remember the plane- Could have been a Shorts.

Never flew in a Shorts but I always thought it was the most hilariously odd-looking airplane - rumor has it that some pax were so taken aback by its looks that they actually would not board!

 

Personally I think it would have been interesting to fly in one, just to experience a square cabin for a change...

 

They also neglected to pick us up and take us from the pier to SJU airport

That would have been Cunard's fault, not TW's...

 

only to discover half of our luggage was left in New York and would be brought in the next morning.

It was too heavy, of course ;) !

 

Darling, don't you get it? MIA means Missing In Action!

I thought of that too but decided that they are not exactly missing as after all they did arrive eventually...

 

Anyhow, I do wish you were coming along with us rather taking that new pretender QM2 down to the Caribbean... I'm sure the North Atlantic would be a lot more fun and you have added a lot of fun to this thread!

 

Not only will we have discussions about how the upgrades were allocated, but the difference in docs.

I'd take cheaper docs if they gave me your upgrade ;) !

 

Are you still interested in a far-forward cabin or have you realised what an outstanding upgrade you got and decided to stick with it?

 

As for the docs, I suspect seeing as yours were printed out on 23 December that they must have been "rushed" which is why you don't have a normal package (believe me, the normal docs are nothing special anyway). Perhaps the originals were lost in transit or something?

 

Every night except one, the last if I recall correctly, you turn your clock back by one hour.

Yes, this is what I was getting at - I was just wondering if anyone recalled which night it is that one doesn't turn back one's clocks.

 

It makes no difference really, was just curious.

[Calliope]

The U.S. Navy's North Atlantic wave prediction website has Tuesday afternoon January 3, 2006 predictions posted. Right now it looks as if the ole gal might have to contend with nine to twelve feet seas. We'll all be rocked to sleep like little babes, unless something changes.

[qehaprtr]

Hey everybody,

 

I have to meet the ship when it gets in New York City on the 9th and does anyone know where the ship will be docking? Is she moving to the new Red Hook Pier in Brooklyn or will she still be docking in Manhattan like usual? I've heard a bit of both but I think you guys would know for sure since you are going to be traveling on her.

 

Thanks

[travel-to-go]

Hey everybody,

 

I have to meet the ship when it gets in New York City on the 9th and does anyone know where the ship will be docking? Is she moving to the new Red Hook Pier in Brooklyn or will she still be docking in Manhattan like usual? I've heard a bit of both but I think you guys would know for sure since you are going to be traveling on her.

 

Thanks

 

According to all sources (including my cruise docs) nothing is moving til April.

 

Head for Manhatten's pier 90,92!

[dougnewmanatsea]

QE2 will be in Manhattan as usual. This should be her last call in Manhattan.

 

So far only one ship has been to Red Hook, ORIANA, and then only because there were no open berths in Manhattan that day.

 

Cunard calls in Manhattan end with QM2 on 15 Jan and calls in Red Hook begin with QM2 again on 15 Apr.

[signman]

Just thought I toss in that my shortest flight ever was from Houston Hobby to Houston Bush (although it wasn't called that in '97 when I did this) on Continental to make a connection.

[travel-to-go]

Just thought I toss in that my shortest flight ever was from Houston Hobby to Houston Bush (although it wasn't called that in '97 when I did this) on Continental to make a connection.

 

I think you've got us, Signman!

Actually I could top that. I used to fly five miles from Skylark Airpark to Ellington Airport. Of course it was in my own plane, which I kept at Skylark and Skydiving drop zone was at Ellington! So I guess that doesn't count! Of course I did fly between airports 10 miles distance after painting the runway with the 99's at another airport. Air Traffic Control vectored me around controlled airspace a total of about 40 miles. I could have done that on my own, a whole lot closer without ever entering their airspace, which I actually never did. Bradley International is midway between Simsbury (Where we painted) and Skylark. They took me in a ten mile ring outside Bradley's airspace at low altitude. I could have flown at a five mile distance and still been out of their airspace! Gotta love those ATCs!

 

Sp Houston Hobby to Bush. Did you just barely get in the air then set back down? I wonder if that is shorter than Midway to O'Hare?

I had the lovely experience of CVGs commuter to the regular terminal last year (Cincinnatti) I swear we should have taken a plane from one terminal to the other. Anyone know the distance between those two terminals? Ernie? Any idea?

[dougnewmanatsea]

Just thought I toss in that my shortest flight ever was from Houston Hobby to Houston Bush

Now that is a short flight... 24 mi!

 

CO used to do several of these odd short flights that made sense exclusively for connections. I know for a while they flew EWR-LGA, a mere 17 miles! That was not much of a success and they no longer fly it. I can't recall if they ever flew EWR-JFK (21 mi) or EWR-ISP (57 mi) or EWR-HPN (35 mi) but I definitely remember EWR-LGA?

 

I wonder if AA ever flew DFW-DAL, a mere 11 mi?

 

Anyway, all very off-topic for this thread but a lot of fun! I think MIA-PBI (or vice versa, I forget) must have been my shortest flight, only 54 mi but still twice as long as your HOU-IAH.

 

I wonder if that is shorter than Midway to O'Hare?

Nope, MDW-ORD would be 15 mi so shorter than IAH-HOU or even EWR-LGA (see above), but not nearly as short as DFW-DAL.

 

I don't know if anyone ever flew ORD-MDW but for some reason it sticks in my mind that UA may have, once.

 

Also not sure if anyone flies or flew between various London airports (e.g. LHR-LCY, 22 mi) or Tokyo (HND-NRT, 37 mi), or Montreal (YUL-YMX, 21 mi) or even very short inter-city routes like SFO-SJC (30 mi) or MIA-FLL (21 mi)?

 

The Great Circle Mapper is a really neat tool for figuring out distances like this.

 

Now, back to the crossing again (before we bore everyone else to death, especially people who don't like airplanes).

 

I know we finalized our meeting times and places, but I was just chatting with a friend (not a CC member) about our meet-up and he raised the question of whether the Chart Room will be big enough to accomodate all of us, once friends, cabinmates, etc. are added.

 

Having never been on QE2 I can't really judge the size of the room but this has gotten me thinking - even if we can all fit in the Chart Room, could we all fit in the Princess Grill Bar? It looks very small to me.

 

Just thought I'd bring it up...

[sfo-john]

It's 11pm here in San Francisco and I'm packing for my flight to Heathrow in about 12 hours or so. Very excited and hoping that I don't forget anything.

 

Chartroom shoud be large enough, though perhaps Champagne Bar will be tight..

 

I'm so excited! See you all next week.

 

John

[guernseyguy]

Never flew in a Shorts but I always thought it was the most hilariously odd-looking airplane - rumor has it that some pax were so taken aback by its looks that they actually would not board!

 

The 'Flying Shed' or 'Shed with Wings' is a fine aircraft.....in calm air....in any sort of turbulence she rocks, rolls and pitches in a way that might embarrass even the first QUEEN MARY......as to room sizes, the Chart Room will be big enough - unless we all want to sit - but then that wouldn't be very mingly - and the Champagne Bar won't hold half of us - which will make it kind of fun! Very Marx brothers 'A Night at the Opera':

http://www.nightattheopera.net/qtclips/qtclips8.html

 

 

Peter

[eroller]

and the Champagne Bar won't hold half of us - which will make it kind of fun!

 

 

Yes, I think it will be just fine. Besides, some people have already left for England so it's not fair to change times or meeting places now. If for some reason the venue doesn't work out, we will just move to some other bar right then and there.

 

Ernie

[signman]

Well before too many more of the WCC'ers head for Soton, I want to wish everyone at least a day or two of rough seas. I'll be with you in spirit as I kick myself for not joining you. Hopefully I will be with all of you next January. And please, when you return home, keep this thread going with all the stories from the crossing.

 

Doug, make sure someone leads you up to where you can touch the funnel, and don't break the bank in the bookstore, or at Cobwebs before you sail.

 

Happy New Year everyone.

[transat_jon]

The weather is starting to go the wrong way for what I many of us would wish. There is still time though, although I am not that optimistic about getting that heavy weather. At the moment it looks like day four might be a bit choppy although there is an outside chance of a bit of weather once we are past the cost of Ireland, I think we will see a lot of changes in the forecast over the next few days though, although I fear the weather is going to be missing us.

[BrianBoru]

At the moment it looks like day four might be a bit choppy although there is an outside chance of a bit of weather once we are past the cost of Ireland,

 

Jon, what site are you looking at (URL, please)? I've found a 96 hour forecast on the NOAA site that shows, I think, the system you mean. I imagine we'll scoot under it. :( OTOH, the weather *is* unpredictable, isn't it, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Chris

[guernseyguy]

Chris,

 

The 144 hour US Navy forecast shows some interesting weather on January 4: https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/PUBLIC/WAM/all_natl.html

 

Peter

[travel-to-go]

there is an outside chance of a bit of weather once we are past the cost of Ireland,

 

Jon,

I always find the cost of Ireland causes me a bit of weather! <G>

Karie,

Who is going out in the rain to try to find a ready-made hat for the Ascot ball that will not cost me too dearly. Assuming the QM is going to have an Ascot ball!

[transat_jon]

Much of this is my own opinions based on little experience and education.

 

I do have a bunch of weather map links on one of my web pages though, see http://website.lineone.net/~jonclair/qe2_jan06/index.htm

 

Long range wind forecasts can be got from http://weather.unisys.com/mrf/9panel/mrf_300_9panel_eur.html or http://weather.unisys.com/mrf/9panel/mrf_500_9panel_inv.gif for instance.

 

At the moment it is looking more promising again for some weather

 

I apologise for any typos, Karie.