QM-2 24thJune For 3Weeks

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, RJChatsworth said:

We have booked dinner at the Verandah for next Tuesday.  It is $45 per person but if you have the Diamond vouchers $20pp.  Alternative dining at La Piazza is now $25pp.  That seems to have gone up in price somewhat unless I am mistaken.

 

Thanks for the updates. Yes, those both appear to be price increases from 2019. Verandah used to be $39 for the evening dinner and the Kings Court Alternative Dining venues used to be $19.50 (with a $14.50 special usually offered for embarkation day).

[Jack E Dawson]

2 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

 Tonight is the first formal evening and the show is ‘Be Our Guest’ with the singers and dancers.  We have seen it previously but I’m looking forward to it again.

 

Hope you enjoyed the show. When we were onboard the May 8th Crossing we greatly enjoyed all 3 of the different shows put on by the QM2 singers and dancers. They are a very talented bunch who really give it their all. We were surprised that at least one of the singers had been on our 2018 Crossing. 

Jack

[RJChatsworth]

The show was excellent this evening considering the movement of the ship.  The Ent Dir said they were determined to perform.  On recent QE cruises we have been on, the Royal Court Theatre Company has performed to canned music.  Tonight's show was with the 8-piece orchestra and I believe it really makes a difference to have live musicians.

 

Prior to the show, the Captain Andrew Hall came on stage to introduce some of his senior officers.  He then gave some numbers which those interested in such things may be interested.  I'm now stretching my memory!

 

1945 passengers from 22 countries

699 Brits

554 from the USA

451 from Germany

Others from Canada, Switzerland, France, Australia etc

 

1005 crew from 55 countries.

 

That's it!

[ronpes]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble for your regular updates and allowing us to come along with you. 
We have cruised many times over the years but finally got to sail on the QM2 in April this year for the first time and simply can’t wait to get back on what we thought was a beautiful ship.

[ew101]

On 6/24/2022 at 4:09 PM, RJChatsworth said:

 

This evening's meal in Club Balcony took 2 hours, far too long.  We got there at 6.30pm to catch the 8pm show but missed it by 30 minutes.   The late show was too late for the first evening.

 

Thanks for the report.  This seems too long.  One cannot blame staff shortages or the supply chain here.  This is a broken process- track down the Hotel Director.  Serving dinner aboard was perfected by Cunard in around 1840. 

 

I would avoid our beloved tables for eight for the moment.    Loud talking and singing in groups is still not recommended.      

[RJChatsworth]

It was very rough last night - thought I'd roll out of bed.  Had to hang on to everything in the cabin.  We don't mind it being like that.

 

It's now late Sunday morning, Force 3 only and temps of 13C/55F with bright skies.  Speed 22.5 knots.  I note on the cabin navigation channel the resting point of Titanic is marked on the map.  That is new to me.

 

The front desk longish queue reformed after breakfast.  What are they all talking about!

 

Went to a superb lecture this morning by Malcolm Nelson a UK customs office or ex.  He was talking about all the ways smugglers bring drugs into the country.  He was based at Heathrow.  He related a story about an incoming passenger from the Far East.  He collected several items of bedroom furniture in baggage claim.  Headboards, wardrobe, dressing table and bedside tables which he manhandled on to several trolleys.  He then pushed them one at a time into customs.  They thought this a bit strange, what might he be hiding?  They took the whole lot apart, did lengthy tests on the wood to see if the drugs had been dissolved in water and impregnated into the wood.  Nothing!  The traveller just watched very calmly.

 

Then it transpired he gone to a funeral and been left all these items in a will.  He didn't want the stuff but felt he had to take it with him as he was seen off by relatives at the far airport.  He had paid high excess baggage charges. He now went off at Heathrow smiling with one trolley and thinking about the insurance claim for the bedroom furniture he never wanted in the first place!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for your update, was breakfast better this morning ? How are you getting on with the wifi ?

[exlondoner]

Can you not amble slowly past the Pruser's counter and see what they are talking about? It must seem urgent to them or they'd leave it until there wasn't a queue?

[RJChatsworth]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks for your update, was breakfast better this morning ? How are you getting on with the wifi ?

No is the short answer to breakfast.  After a long time to order, a wait of 20 minutes to get a yoghurt, I had a minor explosion with the waiter.  Less than 6 in restaurant but as others came in they were served immediately by other waiters.  He made comments like, ‘I thought you were on holiday?’  which didn’t help.  Anyway at lunch he didn’t acknowledge us once, but he was very quick!

 

We have another little gripe to ourselves about the CB restaurant.  This is our 50th Cunard voyage (apologies for mentioning it again) and we are on for the 3 week duration.  We were given a poor table almost at the back against a wall.  The Maitre d’ said all the three rows of tables from the windows are taken by passengers who embarked before us in New York and Hamburg, but almost all of them never turn up for breakfast or lunch.  We go to all three meals.  Interestingly in the Grills, passengers turn up for breakfast and lunch in high numbers.  Minor rant over.

 

After lunch fewer in the front desk queue - running out of questions maybe!

 

Went to another brilliant lecture this afternoon by the guy who found Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endeavour which sank 107 years ago in the Antarctic.  It had been a 10-year project with them finding it in March 2022.

 

In answer to HH, the Wi-Fi hasn’t been too bad albeit a little slow at times.  The router box is fixed to the ceiling outside our cabin so that must help.  However, today was the first time I tried sending emails but they wouldn’t go from the cabin.  I spoke to the lady in the library and she said that sometimes the signal through the heavy cabin doors is the problem with sending.  The emails went perfectly on my iPad in the library.

[exlondoner]

At the very least you should get a better table, with a competent waiter, after NY.

[Victoria2]

The router on the ceiling of lift lobby B [QV] is one of the reasons why  sit on the stairs for my late afternoon email catch up.

Edited June 26, 2022 by Victoria2

[carlmm]

4 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

It was very rough last night - thought I'd roll out of bed.  Had to hang on to everything in the cabin.  We don't mind it being like that.

 

It's now late Sunday morning, Force 3 only and temps of 13C/55F with bright skies.  Speed 22.5 knots.  I note on the cabin navigation channel the resting point of Titanic is marked on the map.  That is new to me.

 

The front desk longish queue reformed after breakfast.  What are they all talking about!

 

Went to a superb lecture this morning by Malcolm Nelson a UK customs office or ex.  He was talking about all the ways smugglers bring drugs into the country.  He was based at Heathrow.  He related a story about an incoming passenger from the Far East.  He collected several items of bedroom furniture in baggage claim.  Headboards, wardrobe, dressing table and bedside tables which he manhandled on to several trolleys.  He then pushed them one at a time into customs.  They thought this a bit strange, what might he be hiding?  They took the whole lot apart, did lengthy tests on the wood to see if the drugs had been dissolved in water and impregnated into the wood.  Nothing!  The traveller just watched very calmly.

 

Then it transpired he gone to a funeral and been left all these items in a will.  He didn't want the stuff but felt he had to take it with him as he was seen off by relatives at the far airport.  He had paid high excess baggage charges. He now went off at Heathrow smiling with one trolley and thinking about the insurance claim for the bedroom furniture he never wanted in the first place!

Thanks for making me smile: A couple of years ago I heard Mr Nelson telling the same story about the bedroom furniture yet the final punch line was different. A good story gets even better over time.

[Host Hattie]

Sorry to hear the breakfast service is still poor and you're having waiter problems.

Hope you see an improvement tomorrow.

[transatlantic fan]

On 6/24/2022 at 5:27 PM, RJChatsworth said:

Arrived at Southampton early at 1145 and boarded easily. There was a bit of confusion at check-in as staff hadn’t seen an ArriveCAN form for entering Canada at Halifax before.  It is one form with both my wife and my name on it.  This couldn’t be correct, we should have one form each - NO!

 

When in the cabin I rang the front desk.  Question: our 3-week cruise is made up of 3 voyages, Southampton to New York, New York to New York and New York to Southampton.  Wi-Fi for 3 weeks would cost 21 days x $15 per day = $315 and I can only offset my $135 Diamond benefit against it - not my wife’s as well.  As we are on 3 separate Voyages shouldn’t I get $135 benefit per voyage.  They didn’t know and reply is taking some time!

 

Looking at cabin plan in little booklet in room I note that all deck 8 cabins are grey in colour with no numbers.  I do hope they are not expecting that much Covid isolation!!

 

PS:  The kind lady at the front desk has just phoned to say our 3 week cruise is made up of 3 voyages and therefore I am entitled to $135 Diamond benefit for each sector which will more than make up the $315 -win win!  Very happy bunny!

Re the Internet,you need to go to illuminations and check.

When we did the Caribbean it was the same 3 segments. 

Use all the time up on the last day of each segment,  and then start again.

[D&N]

2 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

He made comments like, ‘I thought you were on holiday?’  which didn’t help.  Anyway at lunch he didn’t acknowledge us once, but he was very quick!

 

We have another little gripe to ourselves about the CB restaurant.  This is our 50th Cunard voyage (apologies for mentioning it again) and we are on for the 3 week duration.  We were given a poor table almost at the back against a wall.  The Maitre d’ said all the three rows of tables from the windows are taken by passengers who embarked before us in New York and Hamburg, but almost all of them never turn up for breakfast or lunch.  We go to all three meals.

In answer to HH, the Wi-Fi hasn’t been too bad albeit a little slow at times.  The router box is fixed to the ceiling outside our cabin so that must help.  However, today was the first time I tried sending emails but they wouldn’t go from the cabin.  I spoke to the lady in the library and she said that sometimes the signal through the heavy cabin doors is the problem with sending.  The emails went perfectly on my iPad in the library.

I'm assuming you are talking about Britannia Club rather than Club Balcony. I understand since I think all Britannia Club are balcony cabins.

Can I ask are you on port or starboard side of the restaurant?

As far as I gathered port was mainly deck 12 cabins and starboard deck 13, at least that was what one waiter said before we were allocated a table at the port side and thought nothing further of it.

We were 3rd table in from window, which afforded us a sea view from a few tables away, but made it easy to see throughout all sections of the port restaurant and wave to waiters/sommelier as the need arose.

If you're on deck 12, I often went to Pavilion early in morning, where wi-fi was more reliable than in cabin, although the corridor repeater was only 2 cabins along from us.

[RJChatsworth]

Apologies for a previous error, the ship was Endurance and not Endeavour.  The speaker was Mensun Bound, explorer and archeologist.  He led the group to find Shackleton's Endurance.

 

This evening's meal in Club Britannia this evening was good and after my altercation with the waiter the meal takes less than an hour rather two hours as previous.  A bit too quick but I'm not complaining!

 

A couple of snippets from Sunday's Daily programme.  A request for passengers not to punch a hole in their voyage/key card as it renders them useless.  Who would punch a hole in the microchip?  Where do these people come from?  I forgot to bring my punch!!  Secondly, US and Canadian citizens booking certain cruises onboard for 2022 and 2023 will have their tips/service charge paid.  The Rest of the World:  'Please go away'.

 

Off to hear the singer Jenny Williams in the Theatre.

[RJChatsworth]

We are in portside which is for deck 12, deck 13 are starboard.

[vettprincess]

40 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

Apologies for a previous error, the ship was Endurance and not Endeavour.  The speaker was Mensun Bound, explorer and archeologist.  He led the group to find Shackleton's Endurance.

 

This evening's meal in Club Britannia this evening was good and after my altercation with the waiter the meal takes less than an hour rather two hours as previous.  A bit too quick but I'm not complaining!

 

A couple of snippets from Sunday's Daily programme.  A request for passengers not to punch a hole in their voyage/key card as it renders them useless.  Who would punch a hole in the microchip?  Where do these people come from?  I forgot to bring my punch!!  Secondly, US and Canadian citizens booking certain cruises onboard for 2022 and 2023 will have their tips/service charge paid.  The Rest of the World:  'Please go away'.

 

Off to hear the singer Jenny Williams in the Theatre.

We are on 7/1 and were hoping that Mensun Bound would be on our sailing. Very excited to hear about his experiences. Would be lovely if he would be on for the 7/1 sailing also. One can only hope.

Thank you for all your updates. Very much appreciated.

[RJChatsworth]

To D&N.  Thanks for reminding me it’s Britannia Club.  I remember when it was first introduced on QM-2 and we thought it was the best idea since sliced bread as we couldn’t afford the Grills.  Can someone please remind me but when originally introduced wasn’t it known as Club Balcony?  Or have I got this totally wrong for which I apologise?

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, RJChatsworth said:

To D&N.  Thanks for reminding me it’s Britannia Club.  I remember when it was first introduced on QM-2 and we thought it was the best idea since sliced bread as we couldn’t afford the Grills.  Can someone please remind me but when originally introduced wasn’t it known as Club Balcony?  Or have I got this totally wrong for which I apologise?

 

The full name of the category on the Cunard website is "Britannia Club Balcony". I'm not aware it has ever officially been named otherwise. Most places on the Cunard website or in the Cunard brochures where the name is shortened call it "Britannia Club".

 

However, the Stateroom Category keys on the Cunard deck plans list the category as "Club Balcony". That might be where that shorthand originated. The various Britannia categories are simply listed as "Club Balcony", "Balcony", "Oceanview" and "Inside" on the deck plans with Britannia assumed. The restaurants are labeled as "Britannia Club" on the deck plans though.

 

Many travel agent websites refer to the category as "Club Balcony".

 

As I see it, "Britannia Club" and "Club Balcony" are both widely used shorthand for the "Britannia Club Balcony" stateroom category.

 

Edit to add: I don't think there has ever been ambiguity regarding the name of the restaurants for the "Britannia Club Balcony" staterooms. As far as I know they've always been named "Britannia Club Restaurant".

Edited June 27, 2022 by bluemarble

[exlondoner]

10 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Apologies for a previous error, the ship was Endurance and not Endeavour.  The speaker was Mensun Bound, explorer and archeologist.  He led the group to find Shackleton's Endurance.

 

This evening's meal in Club Britannia this evening was good and after my altercation with the waiter the meal takes less than an hour rather two hours as previous.  A bit too quick but I'm not complaining!

 

A couple of snippets from Sunday's Daily programme.  A request for passengers not to punch a hole in their voyage/key card as it renders them useless.  Who would punch a hole in the microchip?  Where do these people come from?  I forgot to bring my punch!!  Secondly, US and Canadian citizens booking certain cruises onboard for 2022 and 2023 will have their tips/service charge paid.  The Rest of the World:  'Please go away'.

 

Off to hear the singer Jenny Williams in the Theatre.

 

So, if you are a US citizen resident in Europe, you still get the perk?

[ew101]

17 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

In answer to HH, the Wi-Fi hasn’t been too bad albeit a little slow at times.  The router box is fixed to the ceiling outside our cabin so that must help.  However, today was the first time I tried sending emails but they wouldn’t go from the cabin.  I spoke to the lady in the library and she said that sometimes the signal through the heavy cabin doors is the problem with sending.  The emails went perfectly on my iPad in the library.

Yes there are two unrelated issues.  Your device in hand needs to see a strong Wi-Fi signal.  Usually if you can see a good signal the path back from your computer is good also.  Radio waves are blocked by steel walls and doors.  So seeing a router/access point box is good.  In any given cabin/venue one can open the Wi-Fi app and locate a place where you might have a usable signal.  It will be random.  Microwave radio behaves a lot like light.  A bit can get in under the door, etc.  The other consideration is how full the satellite connection to space is from the ship.    That is outside of your control.   If you are trying to download a book, it might be faster at 4AM etc.  

[tv24]

We went to the show last night, singer Jennifer Williams.  She has a powerful voice and it was entertaining.  I went to a good lecture by an art historian on the art works that had been commissioned for the original Queen Mary.  She had good slides to show.

 

We have taken to using the internet under a router in the Grills Lounge.  It is still slow, often cuts out, but is a better connection than in our stateroom where the internet barely functions.  IMHO, Cunard's upgraded system is no improvement over the past.

 

We like to eat light breakfasts so we order a continental from room service once we are up and ready for the world.  Everyday the room service guy forgets something.  Today it was milk for the coffee and napkins.  Another day it was silverware.  Another day it was cups for the coffee.  It would be funny if it were not so annoying.  Obviously no one is checking the tray before it leaves the kitchen.

 

Dinner in the Verandah last night was hit-and-miss.  Our short ribs and desserts were good, but the clam chowder was missing clams.  And interactions with the wine steward were absurd, very hard to explain the misunderstandings and poor communication.

 

Sunny weather today...More lectures, more drinking!

[RJChatsworth]

Verandah, oh tv24, we are booked for tomorrow evening!

[exlondoner]

48 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

Verandah, oh tv24, we are booked for tomorrow evening!

 

Perhaps better to choose a different starter. 😀