QE2 - January 3, 2006 - Six Day Crossing

[greatam]

How do you answer specific points in a post like Host Doug does?

 

Thanks

 

Gina

[planetcadillac]

How do you answer specific points in a post like Host Doug does?

 

Thanks

 

Gina

 

On long threads like this one I view all the posts in linear mode instead of threaded mode because expanding the message tree takes forever and gets wild on the screen. When you view in linear mode you can click on 'Quote' button on the bottom of the message and I will insert all the text from that particular message. Then you can cut and paste and create the various quoted pieces. It sounds hard but its not.

[planetcadillac]

January 2007 QE2 Crossing

 

*Brian Boru (Chris)

*Stowaway2K (Kyle)

*transat jon (Jon)

*greatam (Gina & Dennis)

*juliecat (Julia)

*planetcadillac

 

April 2007 QE2 Crossing

 

*Brian Boru (Chris)

*Skipperette (Jan)

*Transatlantic Tom (Tom)

*Calliope (Frank)

 

My name is Craig just for what it is worth since we will be discussing these crossing now for greater part of a year I suppose we will all be good friends by the time we sail.

 

Anyone been to the Titanic-related landmarks in and around Southampton? I might want to check those out as I have been to England many times but not seen those and interest in the Titanic is what sparked my interest in boat travel (and transatlantic specifically) as a child.

[transat_jon]

Great to see Tom last night seems a long time ago now! I thought I was dreaming.

 

Now sitting in the lobby of the hotel in Whitefish, Montana. I am keepping going using a mixture of coffee and will power.

[Vic The Parrot]

I wish to extend my thanks to Ernie, Kyle, Pat, both Jon's ( ... sfo, and transat ... ;) ) TransAt Tom, and everyone else who took the time to share the experience with all of us who were landlocked this time around.

 

 

After reading Kyles entry, I have to admit getting misty-eyed.

Ernie took me on a whirlwind tour (even tho I wasn't there!)

And everyone elses kind words about the ship and voyage made me yearn to be with you all.

 

I guess there's always next year!

Welcome home everyone, and thank you!

 

 

:)

[Vic The Parrot]

Where did you end up?

 

 

;)

[seabourndt]

not heard from you for a while good you are reading about this trip on qe2 shame you did not make it over this time. booked qm2 in july on a short one to germany and back. need some info on accom in new york as my friends is staying with friends instead. wher abouts do you live?

dave

[BrianBoru]

QE2 is in Curacao today (Sat 14 Jan), and clearly visible from Sun Princess's bridgacam. Go to http://www.kroooz-cams.com and follow the links to Sun Princess.

 

Happy viewing!

 

Chris, in snowy, windy Bradford PA

[stowaway2k]

I am keeping going using a mixture of coffee and will power.

 

oh yeah!

the signs of a great holiday!

 

Make sure that you fill yourself up with plenty of mountain oysters while in Montana! Yum!

[stowaway2k]

Where did you end up?

 

 

;)

 

An inside double, #3031

see you in Jan. '07!

[dougnewmanatsea]

I already have 100 photos of the funnel for instance

Now when people complain that I take too many photos, I can introduce them to you ;) !

 

and interior shots are best done by tripod

Ah, who has time for such nonsense? A steady hand and a good pair of sea legs work just as well ;) .

 

I guess while Jon is off enjoying the joys of Amtrak (better he than I!) I should tell everyone a little story.

 

One day I was standing next to Jon in the Lido queue at lunch. The following conversation ensued:

 

Me: "Is that bulkhead green on the other side of the ship too?"

Jon: "I'm not sure."

Steward (overhearing): "The food is the same on both sides of the ship."

Me (smiling): "I know - my friend and I are just discussing the color of the bulkheads."

Steward (with perplexed facial expression): "Oh."

 

Yes, we're a unique group :) ...

 

(PS: The bulkhead is the same color on both sides of the ship.)

 

Nothing in comparison to the tandem departure, but special and memorable it was.

Pity I couldn't be there - it sounds like it was quite a moment. Your description was the next best thing, though!

 

Actually, if I knew HARVEY would be seeing QE2 off, I'd have tried to weasel my way aboard. She's a wonderful boat (for those not familiar with her, see here) and a great vantage point for watching departures from Manhattan (and eventually Red Hook, I guess).

 

Will Cunard return?

They are returning tomorrow, when QM2 makes her last call there ;) !

 

After that, who knows...

 

A VERY special kudo to Host Doug. I was totally astounded when I met you.

Thanks so much for your kind words! I do tend to have quite an effect on people, though not always a positive one ;) ...

 

How do you answer specific points in a post like Host Doug does?

Click on the "quote" button at the bottom of the post you want to answer. A quote of the post you're replying to will then be automaticlly inserted "message" box where you type your reply. You place your own message after "

" in the automatically-inserted text.

 

Hope that helps - I'm terrible at explaining things like this.

 

Anyhow, thanks to everyone for making this such a wonderful crossing - I certainly hope I can do it again next year! It was great meeting all of you and I'm only sorry we didn't have more time to spend together.

[eroller]

QE2 is in Curacao today (Sat 14 Jan), and clearly visible from Sun Princess's bridgacam. Go to http://www.kroooz-cams.com and follow the links to Sun Princess.

 

Happy viewing!

 

Chris, in snowy, windy Bradford PA

 

 

Good eye Chris! Here is a pic I captured from the live webcam.

 

Ernie

 

[flandre58]

It was great meeting you, Doug, as well. I've enjoyed reading the CC comments about the crossing and hope to do at least one more on the QE2, perhaps April 2007. Meanwhile, this will be my first posting, but doubtless far from my last!

[dougnewmanatsea]

Here is a pic I captured from the live webcam.

Am I getting my ships/captains mixed up, or is Ian MacNaught on SUN PRINCESS right now?

 

I wonder if he is looking longingly at QE2 :) ?

 

It was great meeting you, Doug, as well.

Is that you, Paul? Glad you found us!

 

hope to do at least one more on the QE2, perhaps April 2007.

Here I thought this was such a group of hardy souls, crossing in January, and then an alternative comes up next year and suddenly all these people are talking about crossing in April ;) !

 

I may have to prevail upon Cunard to cancel the April crossing, just to get everyone back on the ship at the same time again ;) !

 

PS: Sorry... Looks like I just edited myself out of your message. I guess I hit "Edit" instead of "Quote"... Those two buttons look too similar!

 

Note to whoever designs this software: can you please make those two buttons different colors please?

[flandre58]

Am I getting my ships/captains mixed up, or is Ian MacNaught on SUN PRINCESS right now?

 

I wonder if he is looking longingly at QE2 :) ?

 

 

Is that you, Paul? Glad you found us!

 

 

Here I thought this was such a group of hardy souls, crossing in January, and then an alternative comes up next year and suddenly all these people are talking about crossing in April ;) !

 

I may have to prevail upon Cunard to cancel the April crossing, just to get everyone back on the ship at the same time again ;) !

 

PS: Sorry... Looks like I just edited myself out of your message. I guess I hit "Edit" instead of "Quote"... Those two buttons look too similar!

 

Note to whoever designs this software: can you please make those two buttons different colors please?

 

If Cunard could move forward the January '07 crossing, it would be more convenient for those who want to avoid the holiday crush. Since that's not going to happen, April will have to suffice. Besides, I can recall an April crossing when snow fell and stuck to the open decks. It was very rough, something I can't say for this January's crossing. Now if certain Cunard captains would just stick to the more northerly course....

 

Paul

[dougnewmanatsea]

If Cunard could move forward the January '07 crossing, it would be more convenient for those who want to avoid the holiday crush.

True. Actually, we discussed this on board, didn't we?

 

This year (2006), flying out on New Years' Day would actually have been cheaper than flying out on 2 Jan but a 2 Jan departure from Southampton does throw a wrench in the works for those who want to fly out early... Unless of course one wants to spend New Years' in the UK which is another story entirely!

 

Personally I have little preference as to January or April (except that I don't think I'll be off in April, which settles it for me) - but with the group split up between the two, there might not be the same "critical mass" of ship enthusiasts on either crossing!

[Post Captain]

Hello All,

 

Just looking in to say I've enjoyed reading the posts here this past week since we arrived in New York. Disembarkation and its aftermath is always a let-down, but it's good to be able to keep up the conversation and the memories via this board.

 

Thanks to Kyle for that wonderfully evocative account of the sail-away from Manhattan last Monday evening. It brought back memories of the many Saturday afternoons I spent at the piers during my childhood in the late 1950s/ early '60s when my father helped embark passengers on the Queen of Bermuda & Ocean Monarch & later the Bremen & Europa, & when I was able to see all the great ships of that era lined up along the East Side.

 

I'd hoped to be able to get back to Hoboken last Monday evening to watch QE2 go out, but found myself absolutely knackered once I finally arrived home (just 15 miles west of NYC) on Monday... Interesting to read that the atmosphere on board changed once the winter crossers had disembarked & the world cruisers came on board. I do agree that the atmosphere during the crossing was quite magical; despite a gereral consensus that Cunard alas is not what it once was, the palpable sense of happiness on board sent shivers down my spine on more than once occasion. We were indeed fortunate to be aboard.

 

Too early to say whether I'll be able to make another crossing next year. This just-completed voyage was, for us, a fortuitous spur-of-the-moment decision. And ah, the added dilemma of whether to choose January or April next time!

 

In the meantime, we're booked on the April 28 2006 transatlantic repositioning crossing of Celebrity's Constellation from Bayonne to Dover via Le Harve--a reservation made some time ago, before we knew we'd be crossing on the QE2. I fear it might turn out to be something of an anticlimax. (And only two formal nights--I'll have to do something about that!) It will be interesting to compare the two ships (yes, I know there's no comparison) and the general ambience, etc. I'll probably bore fellow passengers by continually reminding them, a la John Maxtone-Graham, that the Constellation is a cruise ship, not an ocean liner.;)

 

While I'm thinking of it, an off-topic note that may be of interest to those in the NYC metropolitan area: The World Ship Society is giving a program on the Fred. Olsen Lines & their ships on Friday, January 27, at 6 pm. (Check the WSS-Port of New York website for further details.) Olsen's four cruise ships cruise out of the UK on very interesting itineraries; among these smaller ships are the Braemar (former Cunard Crown Dynasty), Black Watch (former Royal Viking Star), and Boudicca (former Royal Viking Sky).

 

It was good to meet so many of you. The time passed all too quickly.

 

Until next time, wishing you all many more bon voyages,

 

John

[planetcadillac]

 

In the meantime, we're booked on the April 28 2006 transatlantic repositioning crossing of Celebrity's Constellation from Bayonne to Dover via Le Harve--a reservation made some time ago, before we knew we'd be crossing on the QE2. I fear it might turn out to be something of an anticlimax. (And only two formal nights--I'll have to do something about that!) It will be interesting to compare the two ships (yes, I know there's no comparison) and the general ambience, etc. I'll probably bore fellow passengers by continually reminding them, a la John Maxtone-Graham, that the Constellation is a cruise ship, not an ocean liner.;)

John

 

We will look for you as we are anticipating booking on the Constellation as well for her April transtlantic. It will be my 3rd transatlantic but first on a 'cruise' ship as opposed to the QE2. Been following the Celebrity boards for this particular voyage. Although they are not quite the same atmosphere as the Cunard regulars, I don't think that the Cunard regulars on the Constellation will have too much trouble enjoying the crossing.

 

Celebrity (I have never sailed them) have taken strides to make their ships less like Holiday Inns and more like real ships especially with the specialty restaurants. The Constellation specialty restaurant is supposidly designed to be like the Ile De France. The Mellenium supposedly has leftover paneling from the RMS Olympic, sister to the Titanic. So while the Constellation won't have the caché as the Queens it should be memorable as any transatlantic crossing is.

[transat_jon]

Hi Kyle

 

I did have oysters tonight, although the Pacific variety. The ones in Montana looked a bit hairy for my liking.

 

In Seattle at moment. I should be in bed but tonight I am trying beer and will power; I will tell you if it works out better than the coffee trick.

 

I have no idea which timezone I am in. I have been in every one from Greenwich to the US Pacific in the last two weeks. Time and date no longer mean anything to me.

[Johnsy81]

DH and I are booked on our first ever QE2 crossing next April. Never been to London, never crossed the North Atlantic by ship, and never sailed on QE2! Looking forward to everything...and hope to meet many of you next April.

 

Transatl Tom: Please add us (John & Joanne) to the list for April '07!

[dougnewmanatsea]

Just to let everyone know, I've started a new thread for the 2007 crossings here.

 

I thought it best as those who will be travelling on one of these crossings but weren't on the 2006 crossing might not think to look to this thread for information... It seems logical to me that this thread should remain for reminiscing about this year's crossing, and the other for looking ahead to next year.

 

Of course, if you disagree, feel free to ignore the new one ;) ...

[stowaway2k]

 

I have no idea which timezone I am in. I have been in every one from Greenwich to the US Pacific in the last two weeks. Time and date no longer mean anything to me.

 

Another sign of an awesome holiday!!

Like they used to say....keep on truckin'!

[transat_jon]

We are so close to the 1,000 posts mark too......if we all try we can do it.

 

Today I was in a shop in Seattle called Transatantic Style, have a look there guys if you get a chance. Lots of art deco kit including a repro vanity.

 

Tomorrow Boeing factory for me.

 

Tonight Champagne : sleep is for loosers.

[dougnewmanatsea]

Today I was in a shop in Seattle called Transatantic Style, have a look there guys if you get a chance.

Sounds interesting - do you know if they have a web site?

[Transatlantic Tom]

Great to see Tom last night seems a long time ago now! I thought I was dreaming.

 

Jon:

 

It was great fun meeting up with you aboard the "Empire Builder" in St. Paul !! I only wish that I could have stayed aboard, so we could have continued our meetings of the "QE2 Winter Crossing Club-Breakfast Gang" !!!

 

Happy trails...

 

Tom;)