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Is there enough to do?


liberty64
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It depends on what interests you, there are links to examples of the Daily Programmes in your previous thread. The speakers will be different and some crossings have special themes but usually you can be as busy or as lazy as you like.

 

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2 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

It depends on what interests you, there are links to examples of the Daily Programmes in your previous thread. The speakers will be different and some crossings have special themes but usually you can be as busy or as lazy as you like.

 

Yes I did look at the planner but the activities, apart from quizzes, don't really 'float our boat'. With so many sea days I just wondered if there are enough activities?

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7 minutes ago, liberty64 said:

Thinking of a transatlantic crossing, is there enough to do?

For us there was more than enough to do. We couldn’t fit it all in every day, so we’re going again next year.

 

There are no:

Bumper cars

Climbing walls

Surfing waves

Water slides

Sky diving tubes

 

And it is wonderful.

 

There are:

 

Numerous lectures throughout the day.

Fencing lessons

Dance lessons

Watercolor lessons

Movies

Shows

Afternoon tea

The biggest ballroom dance floor afloat

A champagne bar

Large libraries

A pub with commensurate activities

A planetarium 

Beautiful spa (we’re not spa people, but we love the one on the QM2).

 

What do you like to do? There are plenty of activities for your mind and body, and plenty of places for quiet and peace. But it’s all relative. 

 

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We have never had difficulty finding an activity to keep us busy either on a short or long voyage on the Queen Mary 2.

 

Sometimes you will find difficulty picking an activity with several allotted to the same time spot. But some activities are repeated daily which you can select on another day.

 

Don't forget to check out the Bridge Observation Room (Forward) Deck 12 and see those responsible for gliding this Majesty Ocean Liner on it's journey. 

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Here's a Cunard marketing brochure that might provide some additional ideas. Sure, it contains some marketing fluff and naturally you can't count on seeing the specific speakers and performances mentioned here. But, all in all, I think it provides a pretty good overview of what QM2 has to offer.

 

101 things to do on Queen Mary 2

 

Like others who have already responded, my usual problem is that there is never enough to time to fit in everything I'd like to do.

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Part of why I booked Cunard was dissatisfaction with Princess. Not many lectures, corrupt bingo and removing one of the two chairs in all rooms below balcony. Looking forward to a change, especially with regards to the dress code. Has Cunard gone to those tablets for Bingo or do-they even have it?

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1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

Part of why I booked Cunard was dissatisfaction with Princess. Not many lectures, corrupt bingo and removing one of the two chairs in all rooms below balcony. Looking forward to a change, especially with regards to the dress code. Has Cunard gone to those tablets for Bingo or do-they even have it?

Yes, the have bingo games in the Queen's room daily. I have never been so I don't know what format they use. Sorry!

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Part of the reason I also book, is that there are no climbing walls, water parks, roller coasters, monorails and all the other stuff which seem to be quite popular on the majority of ships with other lines. 

 

I quite like the sedate nature of many of the activities that are on offer, and the relaxed experience of crossing, with the ability to do the odd thing here and there if I want to. 

 

I think the big thing to remember is that, Cunard and especially a Transatlantic Crossing is NOT for everyone, and it might be the case that this really is not something that your husband would enjoy, and if that is the case, it might be best to avoid it. Not for the fact that I think there is anything wrong with the line or the ship, quite the opposite, but just for the fact that I have been on trips before that have left me disappointed and really not that keen to ever return to doing it or anything similar. So might be best to give it a wide berth, for want of keeping the peace 🙂

 

If you do manage to convince him, approach with an open mind as to what is available 🙂

 

 

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7 hours ago, MelbTone said:

On QM2 I could spend endless hours looking at all the ship paintings again and again. I wish Cunard sold a book of them: they're missing a trick here IMO.

 

I agree... I adore the art collection onboard... This is one of my favourites: 

 

It used to be on the forward stair well, about deck 7, possibly between 6 and 7 or 7 and 8... Would go to look at it most days. Not sure if it is still there. 

QM2ART.jpg

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15 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

If all else fails, you could sit and watch the waves or look for wildlife if there are no waves.  It works for me.

 

Sometimes I plan to go to a talk, but sit by a window or on deck to watch the ocean for a while and then I forget to go to the talk!

 

On some crossings, DH and I were so busy going to activities that we would go all day without running into each other. Days on a transatlantic can be as busy or as lazy as you like. 

 

OP, what does your husband do to pass the time on sea days between port stops when you cruise? If he dislikes the occasional sea day, then he probably won't like the TA. But he might like it. A lot of people who worry they'll be bored come back from a TA saying "I wish I'd tried this before!"

 

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5 hours ago, T5LHR said:

 

I agree... I adore the art collection onboard... This is one of my favourites: 

 

It used to be on the forward stair well, about deck 7, possibly between 6 and 7 or 7 and 8... Would go to look at it most days. Not sure if it is still there. 

QM2ART.jpg

 

And the Cunard history. DH used to enjoy looking for the vintage advertising posters. 

 

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11 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

On some crossings, DH and I were so busy going to activities that we would go all day without running into each other. Days on a transatlantic can be as busy or as lazy as you like. 

 

This was us to a tee. We spent three weeks aboard and never made it to afternoon tea - too many other activities going on. There was usually an Insights lecture at 4 in the afternoon that we wanted to attend. I found many more activities than the mass-market line you'll see in my signature.

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On 9/18/2019 at 5:11 PM, Lanky Lad said:

If all else fails, you could sit and watch the waves or look for wildlife if there are no waves.  It works for me.

I could watch the sea and waves all day.  I always have my binoculars with me as you never know what may be out there in the water.  I'll be sailing with Cunard and the QM2 for the first time next July and I know I won't be bored.

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On 9/18/2019 at 10:28 AM, liberty64 said:

Thinking of a transatlantic crossing, is there enough to do?

There probably is a whole lot more “to do” than there is where you live.  

 

However, some people have strong preferences which cannot be met on any cruise: playing a round of golf is one; I know a few who ALWAYS find a reason to get in their car and go on an errand - perhaps just to get a quart of milk they will not need until tomorrow, or just to get an over-priced cardboard container of drive-through coffee. Some people seem to be afraid of being simply left alone with their thoughts - and need such busy-work.

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9 hours ago, Sue from Canada said:

I could watch the sea and waves all day.  I always have my binoculars with me as you never know what may be out there in the water.  I'll be sailing with Cunard and the QM2 for the first time next July and I know I won't be bored.

Ditto,

One of my favorite activities on board. I make sure I always take my binoculars with me.

 

Either sitting on an open deck or an our balcony with a hot pot of tea, we can too sit and enjoy the vast open ocean and the view it offers.

 

BTW....we too are sailing on her next July.....

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13 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

There probably is a whole lot more “to do” than there is where you live.  

 

However, some people have strong preferences which cannot be met on any cruise: playing a round of golf is one; I know a few who ALWAYS find a reason to get in their car and go on an errand - perhaps just to get a quart of milk they will not need until tomorrow, or just to get an over-priced cardboard container of drive-through coffee. Some people seem to be afraid of being simply left alone with their thoughts - and need such busy-work.

 

The only people I've met who have tried cruising and disliked it were avid tennis players and/or golfers. They did not like going on a vacation that did not involve those activities. 

 

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On 9/18/2019 at 3:54 PM, liberty64 said:

I'm trying to convince my husband that there will be enough to do 😊

First time we did a TA my now husband worried he'd be bored but he found it deeply relaxing and kept taking naps 😂 (he was only just in his 40's!) for the first 3 days. We've we've don'e 6 more crossings since then (we do head onwards on arrival to visit friends). and still haven't got round to doing everything on offer nor have we felt bored. We aim to do 1-2 miles walking round the promenade deck a day, we enjoy cocktails before dinner. The lectures are usually very good so if we are vaguely interested we might stick our heads through though we also catch up with them on the in cabin TV the following day. We read or play ipad games and wander round the shops. We chat with other passengers. Sometimes on more recent crossings we'll do a quiz.   We'll sit and listen to various musicians around the ship. We look at the gym & say we'll go there at some point (other than just to weigh ourselves!) In between all this we sample the food and drink offerings.  Our most recent crossing had a 24 hour photo treasure hunt which was fun to do & quite challenging for a couple of things, its also a good way to familiarise yourself with the ship make you aware of how many artworks and staircases there are! You do need to know how to relax and fill your own time to enjoy a TA or be a joiner inner and partake of the more organised activities but if neither of those options appeal it might not be for you - though still worth doing once if you can get a good price because there is something about NY in relation to a crossing that makes you feel connected to all those who've made that journey in tha past.

 

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Absolutely, yes. There is plenty to do. From running around and doing everything listed on the daily programme to the opposite extreme of,(quoting the old song) being busy doing nothing. We've done about a dozen crossings and everyone has been different from the last - we do stuff together and we also do our own thing.

 

If you go for it, I hope you love it...

 

 

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