QM2 Lecture Series

[tartegnin]

Does anyone know when the list of speakers for the transatlantic cruises will be posted? The CunardConnexions list on the UK and US websites only shows speakers through mid-April - the same list that's been up for the last several months.

 

Just curious!

[DrRobbie]

A very good question. I have been checking the cunard website regulary with no success.

Cheers

Robbie:)

[tartegnin]

me too - I'm very curious. Doesn't it seem a bit strange that there are no lectures posted for after the April 3 sailing - surely they must have a clue for the transatlantic schedule - at least the first few sailings...

 

:confused:

[DrRobbie]

I e-mailed Cunard with the question. They sent me the same old schedule in e-mail form with no other explanation. :rolleyes:

 

Robbie

[cruiserking]

The Cunard Website Staff is about as incompetent at their Reservations Department. In the months prior to our recent January 3 QM2 Voyage I was ecstatic over the prospect of seeing John Maxtone-Graham appear as a lecturer during our trip.

 

It was only through reading the posts on a QE2 thread that I learned that in fact Mr. Maxtone-Graham was lecturing on the January 3 QE2 Transatlantic. Subsequent calls to Cunard continued to publicize Maxtone-Graham as a speaker on our trip. Fortunately, once you board the QM2 everything runs very smoothly and you will shortly be lulled into a state of great satisfaction.

 

Cruiserking

[JWB.ESQ]

Here's a link to Oxford University's own Discovery/QM2 site. It features links to numerous sailing dates and details on speakers provided by Oxford. http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/qm2/

 

As for speakers not affiliated with the Oxford program, I supose we'll simply have to keep watching the Cunard site.

[tartegnin]

Oh Thank You!!!!! This is a great site with so much more information, anyway, than the Cunard site has anyway. Strangely, though, there are no speakers listed yet for our sailing (July 18) even though there are speakers on either side and throughout the season. Never mind - the representative selection on the sailings for which speakers are listed is very encouraging ... I would happily attend any of them.

 

For us, the lecture series ties evenly with the spa facilities for what we're looking forward to most on this cruise (besides sleep, that is - we're both overworked lawyer parents of a six year old - not the greatest combo for relaxation...)

[tabascored]

OH MY GOSH, JWB! I reviewed the speakers for the August 11 T/A and one of my favorite writer, PD James will be giving a lecture. I also found something from the Titanic History Society (titanic-nautical.com) that they are planning a special program about the finding and history of the ship.

[tartegnin]

Tobascored - you really lucked out* on your cruise dates - I only hope we end up with as good a slate of speakers as you - I adore PD James, and she seems a real character - also, Justin Webb is such an articulate and surely interesting person. Had we had access to this site before we booked, we would seriously have reconsidered our dates ...

 

* don't know if you're American or British ... my British husband doesn't interpret "lucked out" the same way I do ...

[tabascored]

Tartegnin,

We are American. We picked the crossing because it was closest to our 30th anniversary. The first of my husbands family left Southampton in 1629 for Plymouth MA. It seemed so appropriate for us to do a westbound T/A.

 

Sue

[tartegnin]

Sue:

 

Happy anniversary and bon voyage!

 

Karen (Tartegnin)

[JWB.ESQ]

Cunard's US website has updated its listing of enrichment offerings.

[tartegnin]

Thanks. I just checked it - no programs at all listed for our sailing (July 18) - should I worry!?

[Paul NH]

We were spoiled last year with John Cleese as part of the Connexions program. Our April 15 crossing this year does not have anyone listed at all!

 

Paul

[DrRobbie]

Paul, here you go.

 

http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/qm2/

 

Cheers.

Robbie

[Paul NH]

Thanks for the link, but there are still no guest speakers on the Cunard ConneXions program on the April 15 crossing. The Oxford Discovery Program is separate from ConneXions - more academic in nature. I was hoping for a celebrity again to accent the respectable Oxford curriculum. Guess I cannot luck out every time.

 

Paul