Thoughts from a first timer to other first timers

[Cornish Surfer]

I am fortunate to have just returned from a westbound Transatlantic crossing on QM2 in Princess Grill. This was our first experience on a ship although we have traveled widely over the years.

 

Like many others I avidly scanned the reviews and forums in advance of our trip, learning many useful facts and tips which helped enormously before and during the holiday. I suspect that others will also identify with me when I say that some of the very critical reviews and comments sometimes had me a little worried.

 

Well, armed with the experience of one transatlantic I can honestly say that we loved every minute. Granted the luxury of Princess Grill gave us advantages in terms of dining and cabin size but I can honestly say I was overwhelmed by the luxury, tranquility and friendliness we came across throughout the ship.

 

As a first timer I truly appreciate the ease of boarding a ship rather than a plane. The cabin was well appointed and spotlessly clean. The food and service in Princess Grill was outstanding, and as somebody who has worked in retail and catering all my life I can assure you that I have high expectations.

 

We explored every corner of the ship (or I think we did!) and whilst there were one or two misted up windows on the lower decks the vast majority of fixtures and fittings were exceptionally well maintained. The facilities such as gym were first class and never seemed crowded. Each of the bars had a different character but shared the same cheerful service ethos. The entertainment varied in quality - we were fortunate to have the National Symphony Orchestra on board who were excellent. The regular shows were a little dated but still entertaining and as they are only 45 minutes long you haven't wasted too much time if it is not your cup of tea!

 

We loved chatting to our fellow passengers out and about around the ship and met many interesting people. The age profile was a little younger than I had expected.

 

I wasn't sure how 7 days at sea would feel but I absolutely loved it. Even with the extra hour on 5 days out of 7 there never seemed to be enough time to do everything. The ship coped with a variety of weather as perfectly as everybody says she does. Sailing into New York at 3.45am matched my very high expectations too. Having breakfast moored in Brooklyn looking at the sunrise over the New York skyline is a memory I will never forget.

 

Disembarkation st Brooklyn was also quite smooth and took no more than 30 minutes from when we left the ship. There was however a shortage of yellow cabs so we had to wait about 45 minutes for one.

 

Any criticisms? Yes the in room TV system is very dated and in urgent need of upgrade. The availability of an up to date onboard account should clearly be addressed. The Kings Court buffet looked hectic when I passed though, as has been described many times on this forum.

 

So if you are lurking on the forum soaking up information for your upcoming trip on QM2 my message is we loved it and hope you do too!

[pepperrn]

I am fortunate to have just returned from a westbound Transatlantic crossing on QM2 in Princess Grill. This was our first experience on a ship although we have traveled widely over the years. Like many others I avidly scanned the reviews and forums in advance of our trip, learning many useful facts and tips which helped enormously before and during the holiday. I suspect that others will also identify with me when I say that some of the very critical reviews and comments sometimes had me a little worried. Well, armed with the experience of one transatlantic I can honestly say that we loved every minute. Granted the luxury of Princess Grill gave us advantages in terms of dining and cabin size but I can honestly say I was overwhelmed by the luxury, tranquility and friendliness we came across throughout the ship. As a first timer I truly appreciate the ease of boarding a ship rather than a plane. The cabin was well appointed and spotlessly clean. The food and service in Princess Grill was outstanding, and as somebody who has worked in retail and catering all my life I can assure you that I have high expectations. We explored every corner of the ship (or I think we did!) and whilst there were one or two misted up windows on the lower decks the vast majority of fixtures and fittings were exceptionally well maintained. The facilities such as gym were first class and never seemed crowded. Each of the bars had a different character but shared the same cheerful service ethos. The entertainment varied in quality - we were fortunate to have the National Symphony Orchestra on board who were excellent. The regular shows were a little dated but still entertaining and as they are only 45 minutes long you haven't wasted too much time if it is not your cup of tea! We loved chatting to our fellow passengers out and about around the ship and met many interesting people. The age profile was a little younger than I had expected.

I wasn't sure how 7 days at sea would feel but I absolutely loved it. Even with the extra hour on 5 days out of 7 there never seemed to be enough time to do everything. The ship coped with a variety of weather as perfectly as everybody says she does. Sailing into New York at 3.45am matched my very high expectations too. Having breakfast moored in Brooklyn looking at the sunrise over the New York skyline is a memory I will never forget.

Disembarkation st Brooklyn was also quite smooth and took no more than 30 minutes from when we left the ship. There was however a shortage of yellow cabs so we had to wait about 45 minutes for one. Any criticisms? Yes the in room TV system is very dated and in urgent need of upgrade. The availability of an up to date onboard account should clearly be addressed. The Kings Court buffet looked hectic when I passed though, as has been described many times on this forum. So if you are lurking on the forum soaking up information for your upcoming trip on QM2 my message is we loved it and hope you do too!

Thank you Cornish Surfer for an excellent, informative and well-written report :) .

 

So very pleased you had such a great time. Your comments reflect my own views, esp how friendly everyone seems. I've not yet travelled "in the Grills" (but hope to do so one day), but have enjoyed Britannia Grade accommodation on many occasions. I am delighted that all went well and that you are impressed with your first (of many?) crossings on QM2.

 

Thank you again, all best wishes :)

Edited September 20, 2014 by pepperrn

[fantasy51]

Very helpful, Cornish Surfer! I'm so glad it went well for you.

[Thaxted]

Thank you, Cornish Surfer, for your good report. Our experience on our first crossing, traveling in Britannia, was the same as yours, which is why we've thrown caution to the winds and have crossed the Atlantic on QM2 again and again. May your happy voyage be the first of many to come!

[Keith1010]

Glad you enjoyed your voyage.

 

We sailed for the first time on QM2 in May from Southampton to NCY and also enjoyed ours.

 

Keith

[oxfordgal]

Was on the same cruise as you in a sheltered balcony on deck 4. Had a great time. Met a lot of interesting people. Was a member of the chorus with the National Symphony which was a lot of fun. One of the Cruise Critic members Lannp, was great to me and helped me out a lot. I met her on this message board forum in our roll call. Since it was my first time she really helped me out by showing me around and spending some time with me. It was very much appreciated. I just wanted to thank her here on the message board. She went way above and beyond. I was celebrating my retirement on this cruise and Cunard gave me a 4 category upgrade.

 

I will say one thing about QM2 and that is once you cruise on her it will be hard to go to another cruise line. There were a few small things as you pointed out in your review, but she shines above all the others I have sailed on and I have been on 4 other cruise lines.

 

Soontoretire (guess I need to figure out a new name since I retired May 2014)