Queen Mary 2 ~ Reflections of a Grand Transatlantic Crossing

[Transatlantic Tom]

Ken:

 

Please click over onto a new thread I've started ("Original QE2")....

 

I imagine that people who see a thread about your QM2 crossing don't want to have us take them off on a discussion about the original version of QE2 !!

 

Tom

[guernseyguy]

Ken,

 

Given you enjoyed your crossing, and there has been some recent discussion of service shortfalls on QM2 - I wondered if you had any other perspectives on service onboard, apart from your waitstaff?

 

Peter

[mufi]

Ken - have just re read your original report and you could be on a very different ship compared to more recent ones. It seems that things have gone badly wrong in the last few weeks on QM2. Let's hope Cunard can get back to normal soon.

 

I will see how QE2 compares next month.

 

David.

[KenC]

Yes, it seems as if we were on a different ship!!!!

 

Staff, other than dining room, that we had cause to speak to were always polite and helpful. When boarding we were offered an escort with a smile to our staterooms, but we declined. Our stateroom attendant was charming and couldn't have been more in evidence - the only time he wasn't was when we were disembarking and we wanted to give him an extra gratuity! Purser's Office staff were efficient and pleasant when they dealt with my sister's requirement to have another credit cards registered to her stateroom. The Librarian / bookshop attendent was all smiles (especially when I asked for the CC Log Book). Bar staff were quick and happy to serve. Kings Court staff (always ready with a smile and a 'good afternoon') were quick to clear our table and we had to decline to have our trays carried on many occasions. I think, as I have said before, service for me was almost unnoticeable because it was so seemless and well ordered - but there again I do hate service that is too formal or too obsequious It was a complete contrast to the maiden voyage when we had issues about surly and slow service from some badly trained and arrogant youngsters.

 

The latest QM2 service was in marked contrast to the service onboard QE2 in May. On QE2 were 'upgraded' once on board and unpacked but in a very 'take it now or naff off because we haven't got time to deal with you' attitude from the Purser's Office. Princess Grill Staff were efficient but cold and remote. Bar staff pestered for drink orders and hovered when glasses were nearly empty - they also annoyingly refused to give enough ice to last the duration of a drink, in spite of being asked repeatedly (and I am not a slow drinker!!). The captain was extremely slow to inform passengers what was going on when we were fogbound off Guernsey. When we did finally tender into St Peters Port it took a grinding 2 or 3 hour wait before we could get on a boat!

 

I guess service is such a personal thing that two people on the same ship can get completely differing experiences.

 

Ken

[elaine61]

Yes, it seems as if we were on a different ship!!!!

 

Staff, other than dining room, that we had cause to speak to were always polite and helpful. When boarding we were offered an escort with a smile to our staterooms, but we declined. Our stateroom attendant was charming and couldn't have been more in evidence - the only time he wasn't was when we were disembarking and we wanted to give him an extra gratuity! Purser's Office staff were efficient and pleasant when they dealt with my sister's requirement to have another credit cards registered to her stateroom. The Librarian / bookshop attendent was all smiles (especially when I asked for the CC Log Book). Bar staff were quick and happy to serve. Kings Court staff (always ready with a smile and a 'good afternoon') were quick to clear our table and we had to decline to have our trays carried on many occasions. I think, as I have said before, service for me was almost unnoticeable because it was so seemless and well ordered - but there again I do hate service that is too formal or too obsequious It was a complete contrast to the maiden voyage when we had issues about surly and slow service from some badly trained and arrogant youngsters.

 

The latest QM2 service was in marked contrast to the service onboard QE2 in May. On QE2 were 'upgraded' once on board and unpacked but in a very 'take it now or naff off because we haven't got time to deal with you' attitude from the Purser's Office. Princess Grill Staff were efficient but cold and remote. Bar staff pestered for drink orders and hovered when glasses were nearly empty - they also annoyingly refused to give enough ice to last the duration of a drink, in spite of being asked repeatedly (and I am not a slow drinker!!). The captain was extremely slow to inform passengers what was going on when we were fogbound off Guernsey. When we did finally tender into St Peters Port it took a grinding 2 or 3 hour wait before we could get on a boat!

 

I guess service is such a personal thing that two people on the same ship can get completely differing experiences.

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken

 

Well I still have to do my report. On the whole we had a wonderful time. Gosh those corridors on QM2 are long aren't they??? We had no problems with the wait staff in the restaurant or with the cabin stewards. All were fairly efficient. I did find it very difficult not to compare between QM2 and our cruises on P & O. P & O are marketed as 4* and QM2 5*. I have to say I did think that the service we have had on P & O was slightly better than that we had on QM2. So my gripe there was the $11 tip!! On P & O the the recommendation is £3.75. I do object to giving the maitre D or the head waiter a tip. Unless you have specific dietary requirements you have very little dealings with them. Occasionally they would come to the table and check all was OK. But that was all we used them for. It was our waiters that did all the hard work. Also I will tell more in my report about our first experience in Todd English for our daughters birthday. It was priceless!! A lot of our problems really were to do with very (and I mean VERY) bad organisation of the tours department. But then they very rarely do tours so that may be why they are not as organised as what we have experienced with P & O who do it all the time. Even so, it would be nice if they admitted that the tours were leaving late unless telling us well if that's the way you want to see it. Again I will elaborate more in my report. We had a good time (I think we only argued once in the whole 25 days, a mean feat for us all stuck together in the same confines for such a long time)!! The kids were great. Had no trouble with my son.

 

Elaine