Rare rafinmd Posted June 29, 2022 #1 Share Posted June 29, 2022 This post was recognized by LauraS! "Thanks for generously sharing your time at sea with everyone at Cruise Critic!" rafinmd was awarded the badge '"Live from...."' and 5 points. I'm in final preparation stage with several things already done My big bag sitting in Luggage Forward's Red Hook office. E -ticket, Cunard Health Questionnaire, and ArriveCan Code Proctored Covid test printout Amtrak Pre-travel health check completed And advance checkin to my hotel I hope to be on the road early, on my train before 10, and in New York before noon. This will be my first time on Cunard since I was thrown off QM2 in Perth 2+ years ago and I hope everything is ready. The itinerary: Embark July 1 Bar Harbor July 3 Boston July 4 Halifax July 6 Back home July 8. In addition to this thread I'll have daily updates on my companion blog: https://morethangetaways.wordpress.com/ and will also try to publish Daily Programmes to the blog. Getting close Roy 23 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonopah Posted June 29, 2022 #2 Share Posted June 29, 2022 I am so excited for you. Thanks for letting me “tag along”. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olegna Posted June 29, 2022 #3 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Roy, Happy to read you are well and on your way. Looking forward to chatting with you onboard the QM2. Have enjoyed your previous posts. Enjoy. 8 minutes ago, Tonopah said: I am so excited for you. Thanks for letting me “tag along”. 10 minutes ago, rafinmd said: ArriveCan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safarigal Posted June 29, 2022 #4 Share Posted June 29, 2022 I'm so happy you will be back on QM2 again. We did our first QM2 trip since that fateful day in Perth over 2 years ago last month, and it was really great. Some things have changed, but there is still nothing to beat being back on Queen Mary 2 again 🙂 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat shepard Posted June 30, 2022 #5 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Safe travels, Roy! Bon Voyage! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techteach Posted June 30, 2022 #6 Share Posted June 30, 2022 @rafinmd Roy - I am traveling in your pocket because I really wanted to do this cruise this year rather than next year. I will be baby-sitting instead, but hope to watch the concert and fireworks on TV. I also want a report on the luggage forwarding as I plan to use it in December for our Western TA. Have fun! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshannon5 Posted June 30, 2022 #7 Share Posted June 30, 2022 I'm excited for you! Did you find luggage forward smooth to work with? We're considering it, but are a bit worried during these days of uncertain plane travel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted June 30, 2022 #8 Share Posted June 30, 2022 @rafinmd Roy, thanks for taking us with you on the QM2. Sending our Best wishes for your safe travelling and a fantastic cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibertyBella Posted June 30, 2022 #9 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Also on this cruise, but driving up and parking. I am very, very happy to be cruising again, and Cunard QM2 for the 4th of July will be a great celebration! Keeping my fingers crossed for good weather and NO Covid! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare elmsliebev Posted June 30, 2022 #10 Share Posted June 30, 2022 bon voyage. You know the world is getting back to normal when rafinmd starts posting travel reports again! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Hattie Posted June 30, 2022 #11 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Have a great time, I look forward to reading about it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted June 30, 2022 #12 Share Posted June 30, 2022 I may have missed this, but what dining arrangements have you made? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted June 30, 2022 Author #13 Share Posted June 30, 2022 18 minutes ago, exlondoner said: I may have missed this, but what dining arrangements have you made? Britannia early Roy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted June 30, 2022 Author #14 Share Posted June 30, 2022 9 hours ago, kshannon5 said: I'm excited for you! Did you find luggage forward smooth to work with? We're considering it, but are a bit worried during these days of uncertain plane travel. Are you sure you're thinking of Luggage Forward? This is the service that picks up my bag at home and delivers it to the ship. They mostly use either UPS or Fedex ground for the distance part of the journey. Roy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted June 30, 2022 #15 Share Posted June 30, 2022 5 minutes ago, rafinmd said: Britannia early Roy Big table? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaisyUK Posted June 30, 2022 #16 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Looking forward to reading about your travels. I used to enjoy reading your blogs on the Crystal board. Hope you are feeling better.. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilNDebbieAtSea Posted June 30, 2022 #17 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Very exciting news!!!! Have a great trip!!! Thank you so much for bringing us along!! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil09 Posted June 30, 2022 #18 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Great to see you back on a ship. Enjoy your reports and hope you have a wonderful cruise. Looking forward to hearing the details. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted June 30, 2022 Author #19 Share Posted June 30, 2022 On the way. Train 182 dead on time! Roy 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshannon5 Posted June 30, 2022 #20 Share Posted June 30, 2022 3 hours ago, rafinmd said: Are you sure you're thinking of Luggage Forward? This is the service that picks up my bag at home and delivers it to the ship. They mostly use either UPS or Fedex ground for the distance part of the journey. Roy I believe so. We are considering using a luggage service to lighten our load once off the ship and travelling on. Not to transport myself. 😁 I was worried in case they use air travel to transport the items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace2542 Posted June 30, 2022 #21 Share Posted June 30, 2022 14 hours ago, safarigal said: I'm so happy you will be back on QM2 again. We did our first QM2 trip since that fateful day in Perth over 2 years ago last month, and it was really great. Some things have changed, but there is still nothing to beat being back on Queen Mary 2 again 🙂 Yeah sad to say some of the people we used to know onboard won't be there anymore. I suspect they have moved on with life which is a real pity. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrfran Posted June 30, 2022 #22 Share Posted June 30, 2022 So nice to 'see' you again--and on QM2. I was due to board QM2 shortly after you wee 'thrown off' and was following you and safari girl. I'm also about to embark--but on QE, boarding in Vancouver--I am calling it my 'Getting there without getting 'it''--hoping to avoid Covid enroute. And flying seems rather fraught at this point. Wishing you a wonderful time on QM2--will be following. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJBeaglemom Posted June 30, 2022 #23 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Roy, I am looking forward to this. We had a Cunard trip booked for May this year, but had to cancel due to a trip postponed from 2020 actually going to happen this year. We are probably going to do Cunard in 2024 and I have always liked your honest and balanced commentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petulia Posted June 30, 2022 #24 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Hi there, greetings from a newbie to posting on this forum. I look forward to reading your review of this cruise and in particular about the Bar Harbour stop. The reason being sixteen years ago we did a NYC / Quebec round trip on the QM2…’Splendours of the Fall’ cruise they called it. The weather was cold but good except for an Atlantic storm on reaching Bar Harbour and the local Pilot sent us on our way! So am hoping you can fill in the gap, so to speak. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted June 30, 2022 Author #25 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Day 0, Thursday, June 30, 2022, New York, New York(Part 1) I left my house just before 8AM for the half hour drive to Amtrak’s BWI rail station. I was a bit uneasy about the timing with the start of the US Independence Day weekend but there were no traffic issues, the station and parking garage had plenty of space, and the longest delay I had see on the train status board was about 15 minutes. My 9:43AM train left precisely on time. There was a bit of an issue with my 1A seat as it had no tray table but when the Conductor took my ticket he moved me to one where it was easier to work. We pulled into New York precisely as I expected at 12:40. Since my last time here the official station has moved from the original station beneath Madison Square Garden to a space below the the old post office. When we were pulling into the station, the conductor indicated that if we walked backwards from the train we would enter the new station but if we walked forwards it would be the original. Since I was headed for 8th Avenue I walked forwards. Unfortunately it wasn’t actually the original station but just tunnels that ended at the Long Island Railroad and Subway. That's where things took a turn for the worse. My hotel is Marriott’s Renaissance Times Square, near 8th Avenue and 48th Street. My directions were to go north 2 stations on the subway and then walk back 2 blocks. Unforturnately, I ended upon an express train that didn’t stop until about 75th street. Several flights of stairs later (with about 25 pounds on my back) I emerged at the correction and while the walk to the hotel was short it took a toll in the heat near 90 degrees. There was a room ready when I checked into the hotel. I was pretty well drained by the travel and ventured only as far as McDonalds for a quick lunch. Roy 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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