QV/QM2 Kiel to New York with a Holland America Prelude

[erewhon]

Roy,

Thank you for your reports.

Will check back later to view the photos on your last report.

 

Good that you have booked another cruise.

Edited May 14, 2019 by erewhon

[Host Hattie]

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I will start with an update to my earlier reply to Host Hattie.  I find the wifi on QM2 much slower than on QV.  It works, but if it works this way on the World Cruise next year I will need to budget more than 30 minutes a day internet time.

 

Thanks Roy, my last few cruises have all been on Queen Victoria so that explains why I didn't think the wifi was too bad when those who travel on QM2 complain.

Hopefully the promised upgrade will help.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Love your reports Roy.

 

But from your latest one, not one picture opened for me.  Got the 404 error on each one.  I left a couple of them open for 10 minutes and nothing happened.

[rafinmd]

Sorry about the mixup with the pictures.  This is a straight list, they should work now.

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/nsdeck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qvdeck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qm2deck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dawn0513.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/muras.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/mccarthy.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/horntest.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes13.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dusk0513.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/bigband.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/soviet.jpg

 

 

Roy

[travelnap]

Thanks Roy, I just got caught up with your trip.  It has been enjoyable to follow your trip from ship  to ship to ship.  Thanks for taking us along with you.

[erewhon]

Roy,

Thanks for the  links to the photos.

[rafinmd]

Day QM2, Tuesday, May 14, Zeebrugge (encore)

Nieuw Statendam is in Copenhagen.  QV is in Stavanger.

It was a little bit calmer than Monday but still quite blustery.  I did do a short (4 lap) around the promenade deck, and the sun made it's appearance about 6 as I had just rounded the bow of the ship.  When I started walking we were about 15 miles from Zeebrugge.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dawn0514.jpg

We docked about 7:30, joined by Pheonix Reisen's Artania (formerly Royal Princess and P&O Artemis.  We were cleared at 8 but I was really in no rush to get off.  I disembarked about 9 and looked over my shoulder to find my cabin, 2 decks below boat 4.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/home.jpg

While there was a significant wind it was far than the gales we had when Nieuw Statendam visited.  I had thought about walking to the tram stop but there was a shuttle from the ship to the train station in Blankenberge.  Where I got off the driver pointed out the train station and gave us a simple map.  There was a church between the stop and the station.  St. Andrews dates back to the mid 14th century.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/anthony.jpg

I had been hoping to find a grocery store.  The shuttle driver was not familiar with the area but suggested the area near the beach might be a good possibility for shopping and it turned out that there was also a visitor information center there.  On the way there I passed another stately church, St. Roch.  It was much newer (1889) and is associated with a smallpox outbreak that ended soon after the church opened.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/roch.jpg

The visitor center gave me a better map and marked the grocery store on it.  But first as I left there were stairs leading up to the beach area.  It appeared to be a very commercialized beach (and was too chilly to even think of swimming).  There was a very nice promenade and I walked down the promenade until I was near a little park.  Just before turning I saw 2 little light houses ahead of me.  The park also seemed quite commercial with mini-golf, little restaurants, and some other diversions.  At the far end of the park was a wind shelter and on the other side of the wind shelter the small boat harbor.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/zeewalk.jpg

I walked back along the promenade to my starting point and down the street to the grocery store where I picked up a few things.  The stop for the shoreside tram was just short of the train station and I decided to take it back.  It was not a very efficient decision as a single ticket was 3 euro and a day pass was just 4 but I went anyway.  I believe it is the world's only active intercity tram.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/tram.jpg

There is a church at the stop in Zeebrugge with a nice graveyard alongside.  I don't think it's especially significant but it is a nice landmark visible from the cruise terminal.  The walk back to the cruise terminal seemed a LOT shorter than it did in the gale force winds 10 days earlier.  I returned to the ship for lunch (chilled soup and salad) and dropped off my bags.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/zeechurch.jpg

On previous trips I had noticed a couple of museum ships near the cruise terminal.  I took the shuttle back to the port and bought a ticket.  I did not think they were particularly well curated or maintained but it was interesting anyway.  The first was a light ship.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/lightship.jpg

There wasn't a lot really open or much in the way of information but it was interesting to see the view from the helmsman's position.  I noted that there seemed to be no instruments or controls on the bridge wings, but of course a light ship spends most of it's time anchored.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/helmview.jpg

The second ship was a submarine.  I saw very little of the background but it was Russian, built in 1960, and diesel electric.  My brother was in the submarine service about that time and I had a few holiday dinners in the wardroom of his boat;  I was very surprised to see such a primitive technology for a submarine built that recently by a major power.  There were several compartment hatches we needed to step through on the tour.  It became painfully obvious that I am not quite as supple as I once was.  

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/subzee.jpg

I was back on the ship in time for a scone with afternoon tea in the Queens Room.  I was quite surprised at how busy it was on a port day.  We had a string trio providing music.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qrtea.jpg

We had one missing person at table 66.  I did not see an appetizer that appealed but got a basic green salad along with the turkey medallions and apple/strawberry crumble.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes14.jpg

The featured entertainment was vocal group Beat 45's with 60's music, generally from British groups.  They were good but not great.  I got most of my photos organized after the show but was pretty drowsy and did not accomplish as much as I would have liked.

My parting shot will be another of our entertainment icons passing.  Rest in peace, Doris Day.

Roy

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

20 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Sorry about the mixup with the pictures.  This is a straight list, they should work now.

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/nsdeck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qvdeck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qm2deck.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dawn0513.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/muras.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/mccarthy.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/horntest.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes13.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dusk0513.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/bigband.jpg
https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/soviet.jpg

 

 

Roy

 

These links worked.

 

Great pictures.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your day in Zeebrugge was much better than a few days ago when you were there.

 

The churches are beautiful.

 

Love all the pictures.

 

In Tampa, Florida there is a tram that goesfrom the hotels near the cruise docks to Ybor City and back.  That might be called an intercity tram -- I am not sure.  I can't remember how much we paid -- we did get a discount since we are senior citizens.

[erewhon]

Enjoying your reports Roy.

Thank you.

[rafinmd]

Day QM3, Wednesday, May 15, At Sea, Queen Mary 2

Nieuw Statendam is in Warnemunde.  QV is in Flam.

It was one of the best days of the journey.  When I first went out on deck we were essentially South of Southampton.  There was virtually no wind, and conditions were perfect for my full 14 lap (about 5.2 miles) walk.  The sun came up about 6:15.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dawn0515.jpg

I usually snack my way through breakfast and generally head to Kings Court but I'll always stop in the MDR to check on the day's menus, and today stayed for an omelet.  I thought it looked just a bit different from the ones normally served in the buffet.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/mdromelet.jpg

There was a reduced morning schedule on the ship as there was quite a full crew at 10, starting with a fire in the crew laundry and ending with a general muster call.  I spent most of that time on the computer.  The internet has been very inconsistent, except consistently not very good.  When on internet by the minute I try to budget just 30 minutes a day for all my activities.  I think the internet in my room with the door closed is virtually useless.  It is significantly better when I prop open the door a bit, generally wedging a shoe in the opening.  In the morning I was able to download email, publish a blog post and carry it over to Cruise Critic, all in about 8 minutes so it is possible.  However the emails I read had indicated I needed to do some tax work for the fire department and from my room I wasted 12 minutes (2 of them just in signing out) trying to get into our bank account.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/shoetrick.jpg

Things were a bit better from Kings Court and I was able to do that and send a response back to our account as well as check all my email accounts but it took about a half an hour just to do that.  Uploading some menus and Daily Programmes in the evening worked from my room, about 14 minutes for what should have been about 5.  With over an hour a day until New York I will be ok this time, but when I have 43 days on the world cruise with only 16 hours internet included things will be quite challenging and expensive.

John McCarthy concluded his talk on his captivity at 11.  I left about 20 minutes early to go up to deck 12 for the noon update and horn test and walked up the stairs to deck 13, which is mostly just a walkway along the sides of the ship with a roof the middle.  I caught the remainder of the talk on TV in the evening.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/deck13.jpg

Keith Muras had his second talk (the KGB) in Illuminations at 12:15.  After the talk I got pizza at Chef's Galley and then a scone in Kings Court about 3:30.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/illuminations.jpg

Our third lecturer, Russell Parry had his talk "The Appley Bridge Meteorite - the space rock that hit Lancashire" at 4.  I watched a bit of it before leaving for what was to be scenic cruising.  Unfortunately, I never saw anything.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/parry.jpg

We were 9 at table 66 for the only gala night of the voyage.  Everyone looked great and my choices were the watermelon salad, beef Wellington, and poached pineapple.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes15.jpg

The featured entertainment was a double bill, comedian John Martin followed by a number from the Royal Court Theater Company.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/martin.jpg

The clouds and wind had picked up a bit and when I went on deck after the show there was still a bit of color in the sky.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dusk0515.jpg

We also had the Black and White Ball in the Queens Room, and gained an hour as we transitioned back to Southampton (and St. Peter Port) time.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/bwball15.jpg

Another sad parting shot.  Rest in Peace, comedian Tim Conway.

Roy

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds like your day started off nicely -- nice walk and nice sun rise.  

 

Did they make the omelet from the liquid egg stuff?

 

Sorry your Internet is so bad.

 

Yes, it has been sad days lately, a woman went overboard on the Amsterdam, 6 died in float planes in Alaska from the Royal Princess, Doris Day and Tim Conway died.

 

Great pictures.

[naturelovergirl]

Loved the pictures... your cruise diary has been delightful

[DeeniEncinitas]

Good morning Roy from Maui!!

DH on business so we’re staying at our condo in Kaanapali.

The Gala night with the big band and nice dance floor reminded me of the times long ago of elegance. Sunrise pic I enjoyed also! Hope WiFi gets better so you can take care of business. KK asked if that was a liquid egg omelet, I bet it isn’t like on 

HAL. I request real eggs and they are kind enough to do it.

Denise🌺

[rafinmd]

Thanks.  Of course I really didn't see the omelet made.''Roy

[erewhon]

Roy,

Thanks for your report.

Do you have a photo of you and your dining companions on Gala Night?

[rafinmd]

4 hours ago, erewhon said:

Roy,

Thanks for your report.

Do you have a photo of you and your dining companions on Gala Night?

I don't.  I tend to shy away of photos of strangers out of privacy considerations.  I was going to post a couple of me and ordered the digital copies but Cunard puts them on a CD and I don't have a CD reader so they will have to wait until I get home.

 

My post for St. Peter Port hasn't been started.  For my remaining time on the 5-day voyage I'm concentrating on adding menus to the blog which requires more of my internet time (my allocation for this voyage will expire this morning).

 

Roy

[deck chair]

Hi Roy

 

I have noticed since this past Winter that the string quartet has been reduced to a trio.  I  hope this is not the beginning of cut backs of musicians.   That would be a shame.

Deck Chair

[rafinmd]

Still delayed.  Post is all ready but I post to the blog (and host the photos there) by email and the email keeps getting to 100% completed but not going through.  Muster drill about to start.

 

Roy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble with the Internet.

 

We are patient.

[rafinmd]

Finally--

 

Day QM4, Thursday, May 16, St. Peter Port, Guernsey

Nieuw Statendam is at sea from Warnemunde to Tallin.  QV is in Olden, Norway.

I had planned a 4-lap morning walk but by lap 2 the crew was closing off the promenade deck to start preparing the tenders.  I continued diverting inside Kings Court until completing 3 laps and then called it a morning.  The sun came up about 5:30.  

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dawn0516.jpg

This is my second visit to St. Peter Port; the first was on the Prinsendam 4 years ago.  Both times I have taken tours related to the war but this time I opted for a walking tour instead of a bus.  While I have 70 days on QM2, this is only my 6th port and my first tender port.  I'm not sure how different things are from the other Queens (I remember tendering from QV in 2010 being the process I'm used to), so I'm not sure if QM2 is that different or if Cunard has changed.  I did first notice that they were using 2 tender spots and a little platform between the boat and the ship but what was completely new to me was needing to prove I was worthy before being allowed ashore.  We all needed to step over an 18-inch space marked on a mat before being allowed onto the tenders.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/tenderqm2.jpg

It was about a mile on the tender before arriving at quite a picturesque little town.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/peterview.jpg

As our guide pointed out we had an easy landmark to guide us back to the tender pier.  St. Peters Church (Anglican) is noted as the closest church in Europe to a pub.  It's about 4-5 feet for pedestrians between the corner of the church and Albion House pub but a gargoyle on the church eaves cuts the distance to barely 2 feet.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/peterchurch.jpg

We made a wide swath around the docks going first right for a bit and then back and up a back street behind the church.  Crossing between the church and the pub we walked to the left of the tender dock along the waterfront.  The end point of the tour was a small museum, La Valette.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/lavalette.jpg

During their occupation of Guernsey in WW2 the Nazis forced much of the town population into slave labor digging several tunnel complexes around the island.  In 2015 I had visited an underground hospital out of town; this one was much smaller and most of the displays were small artifacts.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/displays.jpg

As we entered there was a display of vehicles from the war.  On my past visit our guide mentioned that most of the German soldiers rode bicycles and the locals liked to mark the seats with chalk so when the soldiers dismounted they had a white "V" on their backsides.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/naziwheels.jpg

One of the side tunnels had a display that seemed to depict a foxhole type bunker.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/bunker.jpg

The final tunnel I looked at was glassed in and unfinished, a future part of the complex had the war lasted a bit longer.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/unfinished.jpg

The tour ended at the museum and we could either go back with the guide or on our own.  I decided on my own and stopped at Castle Cornet, an old fortress at the edge of the breakwater.  They still fire a cannon each day at noon.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/fire.jpg

Going back beyond the tender pier there was an area devoted to memorials of the war and occupation.  In addition to an obelisk marking emancipation, there were plaques honoring those who resisted, those taken to concentration camps (some of both groups died in captivity), and children evacuated to Britain just before the German invasion.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/warspp.jpg

I'm afraid my lunch was not very healthy, a bag of Walkers Crisps, a dish of Guernsey ice cream, and a glass of skim milk once back on the ship.

While the weather had been delightful ashore it got more cloudy and windy late in the day.  I spent a bit of the afternoon culling photos from the day.

All 10 were present at table 66, with 7 of the group disembarking in Southampton while 3 of us will continue to New York.  My choices for the evening were the Beef consume, Rack of Lamb, and Pecan Apple Tart.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes16.jpg

The featured show was "Singers in Concert", vocals from the singers of the Royal Court Theater Company, accompanied by the combined Royal Court and Queens Room Orchestras, String trio, and harp.

As a parting shot it's hard to match the feel of seeing everyone else's luggage out in the hallway and knowing that it doesn't apply to you.  Always a good feeling.

Roy

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

St Peter Port does look like a quaint town.

 

The underground museum is very interesting.

 

Exactly what are Walker's Crisps?  We can get Walker's shortbreads at home.

 

We like that feeling as well -- looking at everyone else's luggage in the hall and ours isn't out there.

 

Great pictures.

[rafinmd]

4 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Exactly what are Walker's Crisps?  We can get Walker's shortbreads at home.

They're potato chips.  Slightly different taste than those in the US, but not a large difference.

 

Day QM5, Friday, May 17, Turnaround day, Southampton

Nieuw Statendam is in Tallin. QV is in Haugesund, Norway.

I was on deck by 5:30 but even then we were passing the QE2 terminal, less than a half mile from our berth.  By the time I finished my 5-lap walk (about 1 2/3 miles) we were secure to the dock on a cloudy morning.

Each Cunard ship has several free self service launderettes.  They are nominally open 7:30 to 9:00 but usually open earlier and seem to open especially early on QM2.  I checked the door returning from my walk and it was already unlocked.  I figured this would be a day they wouldn't be busy and loaded 2 washers about 6:15.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/launderette.jpg

I had booked a "Titanic Walking Tour" but it didn't reach the minimum level of participation and was cancelled.  I decided to do some of it on my own and found a map which I put on my IPAD as well as my maps application.  Neither was the full answer but between the 2 of them it went reasonably well.  I had planned on setting off about 9 but there was a long line at the gangway and I returned at 9:30, last call for those disembarking.  I thought Cunard had given up the practice of collecting room keys at the end of the voyage (I kept my QV key) but security wanted it back as I disembarked.

My walk first took me about a mile north to East Park.  Before reaching any Titanic sites I passed the Queens Peace Fountain.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/peaceftn.jpg

Just beyond it was the first of the Titanic sites, the monument to the engineers.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/engineers.jpg

Almost across the street was the monument to the musicians.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/musician.jpg

There was a postal workers monument that was inside a building, either in city hall or nearby but I didn't find it.  My walk continued through town to Holyrood Church.  This ancient church was bombed in WW2 and the ruins preserved as a memorial.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/holyrood.jpg

Right next to the entrance to the church was the monument to the Titanic crew.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/crewmonument.jpg

That was the last of the Titanic sites I found, but sitting in front of the church was an anchor from QE2.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/qe2anchor.jpg

I had also planned on walking a bit of the Southampton Wall.  When I passed the gate at the center of town the wall ran at right angles to the path to Holyrood but I found a little piece of it on my way back to the ship.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/stonwall.jpg

 

Part of my lunch was a final bag of Walkers Crisps.  I stopped just before returning to the ship at Queens Park, directly across the street from the port gates.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/queenpark.jpg

I stepped onto QM2 for the last time (for 5 months and a day) about 1:30.

The muster drill was at 4:30.  I was not required to participate but chose to do so.  From the promenade deck I could see that it had started to rain a bit.  I watched from my balcony as we sailed away, waiting for the Marella Explorer to pass before dropping our lines.  There was a significant delay between losing the 4th to the 3rd to the second line but the last 2 came in just about simultaneously and we turned around and headed out the Solent.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/4-3-2-free.jpg

There were 9 people at table 66 including 6 newcomers.  I chose the beef consume, pasta, and apple strudel.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes17.jpg

The featured entertainment was flautist Suzanne Godfrey.

My parting shot will be one of extreme frustration with the internet.  Some may be due to recent Microsoft "upgrades" but the setup on QM2 is really not helping.  I could end up days behind and needing to catch up from home.

Roy

 

[Happily@Sea]

Roy, 

 

They let me keep my QM2 keycard from June 2016 - just after the 'Remastering'. So maybe they have changed the policy since then. I wonder if the reason for 4 formal nights out of 8 total on the crossing - is because it was that cruise was so special. All 3 Queens were in Southampton and a military band for the send-off. I picked that cruise - because it fit my time line - nothing else. 😄

 

Thanks for all the pictures and narrative,

Carole 

[bluemarble]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

... I thought Cunard had given up the practice of collecting room keys at the end of the voyage (I kept my QV key) but security wanted it back as I disembarked. ...

 

The policy I have experienced lately has been that if you have booked two or more consecutive voyages on QM2, they collect the key card from the first voyage(s) when you disembark but let you keep the key card from the last voyage when you disembark for the final time. Hopefully they will let you keep the QM2 card you have now when your voyage ends in New York.