QM2 crossing review

[stan01]

1 hour ago, rj1227 said:

I just completed the westbound TA crossing on QM2. I found it not my "cup of tea," but I do not blame Cunard. It is an iconic trip, and I checked it off my list. The experience just confirmed that I do not like cruising nearly as much as most who contribute to the forums on this website, and unless you love cruising or just want to eat and drink constantly for seven nights, this is not the trip for you.

 

Have you been on other cruises?  A QM2 crossing is a bucket list item with unique attributes, but its also not characteristic of most  other cruises these days.  Cunard, QM2, and the transatlantic crossing in particular harken back to an earlier day of formality in attire, cuisine, entertainment, dancing, and service.  Some cruise lines are better than others at seating single passengers at a hosted table, if desired.

 

[NE John]

1 hour ago, rj1227 said:

I did try the MDR. And again I am not trying to be critical of Cunard, which largely delivered on the product it offered. I just learned that I would prefer a different product. The ship, incidentally, is beautiful. I do think that the type of wine and whiskey classes offered by Total Wine would be ideal for QM2 on TA crossings.

There are wine tastings that do cost an extra fee but are highly worth it. You need to ask as they are not really advertised…yes, odd. There were only 10 of us for a fantastic tasting. There is so much music at night (outside of QR) and performances during the day. It’s a bummer that you left the ship unfulfilled. 

[rj1227]

I have been on other cruises, though some time ago. Oceania and Azamara. A very different experience. Those cruise lines are more expensive. Their ships are smaller. Their cruises tend to be port-heavy, especially Azamara. The dress in the evening is much more relaxed on both. And the food on Oceania was exceptional. 

 

Again, I am not critical of Cunard's execution, though there are areas where Cunard can improve. After having experienced the TA crossing, I probably would shy away from a cruise with a high number of sea days and from Cunard because of the dress code, and I would not go on any cruise as a solo traveler unless I knew others sailing.

[exlondoner]

9 hours ago, rj1227 said:

After having experienced the TA crossing, I probably would shy away from a cruise with a high number of sea days 

I think that is the key to it. I love the sea days, and, though many of the activities often look quite inviting, I rarely participate, because I prefer to lounge on the balcony (or indoors, if very windy) allegedly reading a book, but mainly just watching the sea.

[Pushpit]

9 hours ago, rj1227 said:

Again, I am not critical of Cunard's execution, though there are areas where Cunard can improve. After having experienced the TA crossing, I probably would shy away from a cruise with a high number of sea days and from Cunard because of the dress code, and I would not go on any cruise as a solo traveler unless I knew others sailing.

I think we were on the same Crossing together. Well, not exactly together perhaps!

 

Most of my Cunard trips have been as a solo passenger, and I'm very comfortable with that, it's a particular sort of travel which I can see isn't for everyone. I only ate in the Britannia restaurant (apart from one sortie to Kings Court for photographic reasons) and I ended up talking to a range of people from the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, France. This would all be on a table for 2 just for myself - well one lady decided she liked me so much that she moved herself to my table midway! I speak French and German so that helps. One lunch I was on my own, but that was more to the fact that I went in very late. But in essence I was manipulating the amount of company I was wanting to have. It's all about tactics. In Kings Court there are so many spare tables that this inter-action with other passengers is much more limited.  I am not a dancer - I really should learn a few moves - but I can see that would be a terrific way to have self-regulated company as and when.

 

You suggest there are areas where Cunard could improve. I agree. There were 5 Insight speakers:

- Captain Rick Reynolds, a former Concorde pilot

- Dr. Stephen Payne, the naval architect for RMS QM2

- John McCarthy, the journalist held as hostage in Beirut for 5 years

- Phillip James Dodd, talking about the architecture of New York's buildings

- Ian Gunn, former Scottish prison governor.

There were also the Clarendon info-mercial art talks and the Kings of the Broadwalk did a (wonderful) Q&A session.

 

The problem here was that these lectures were back to back, often into lunch but never went into the afternoon. If they had spread them about a bit, and perhaps had a sixth speaker, perhaps an academic from STEM or political science or something completely different, that would have helped.

 

I think there could also be a book club organised either by the librarian or via this board; language classes; you have already mentioned food and wine classes. They could exploit their onboard staff a bit to do insights into navigation, the ship's engineering, use of radar, how to run a huge restaurant 3 times a day. There are also not-well-advertised tours behind the scenes, but they are quite staff intensive and go on for 3 - 4 hours. The could also do much more simple tours of the galleys, water treatment unit, engine room, entertainments area, lasting 30-60 minutes and just using one knowledgeable staff member. Around the back of RCT there are all the trophies from first time port visits - they could get a sweet little tour picking out some of them and giving the stories and anecdotes of that particular port.

 

But ultimately there is a bottom line that not everyone is going to fall in love with Queen Mary 2, and that's fine, we just need to show understanding to those in that position.

[Host Hattie]

I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the experience but thank you for reporting back. 

[exlondoner]

55 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

I think we were on the same Crossing together. Well, not exactly together perhaps!

 

Most of my Cunard trips have been as a solo passenger, and I'm very comfortable with that, it's a particular sort of travel which I can see isn't for everyone. I only ate in the Britannia restaurant (apart from one sortie to Kings Court for photographic reasons) and I ended up talking to a range of people from the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, France. This would all be on a table for 2 just for myself - well one lady decided she liked me so much that she moved herself to my table midway! I speak French and German so that helps. One lunch I was on my own, but that was more to the fact that I went in very late. But in essence I was manipulating the amount of company I was wanting to have. It's all about tactics. In Kings Court there are so many spare tables that this inter-action with other passengers is much more limited.  I am not a dancer - I really should learn a few moves - but I can see that would be a terrific way to have self-regulated company as and when.

 

You suggest there are areas where Cunard could improve. I agree. There were 5 Insight speakers:

- Captain Rick Reynolds, a former Concorde pilot

- Dr. Stephen Payne, the naval architect for RMS QM2

- John McCarthy, the journalist held as hostage in Beirut for 5 years

- Phillip James Dodd, talking about the architecture of New York's buildings

- Ian Gunn, former Scottish prison governor.

There were also the Clarendon info-mercial art talks and the Kings of the Broadwalk did a (wonderful) Q&A session.

 

The problem here was that these lectures were back to back, often into lunch but never went into the afternoon. If they had spread them about a bit, and perhaps had a sixth speaker, perhaps an academic from STEM or political science or something completely different, that would have helped.

 

I think there could also be a book club organised either by the librarian or via this board; language classes; you have already mentioned food and wine classes. They could exploit their onboard staff a bit to do insights into navigation, the ship's engineering, use of radar, how to run a huge restaurant 3 times a day. There are also not-well-advertised tours behind the scenes, but they are quite staff intensive and go on for 3 - 4 hours. The could also do much more simple tours of the galleys, water treatment unit, engine room, entertainments area, lasting 30-60 minutes and just using one knowledgeable staff member. Around the back of RCT there are all the trophies from first time port visits - they could get a sweet little tour picking out some of them and giving the stories and anecdotes of that particular port.

 

But ultimately there is a bottom line that not everyone is going to fall in love with Queen Mary 2, and that's fine, we just need to show understanding to those in that position.

Were there things like concerts in the afternoons? Or drama stuff? 
I think they used to have a book club pre-Covid.

Edited December 24, 2023 by exlondoner

[Pushpit]

14 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Were there things like concerts in the afternoons? Or drama stuff? 
I think they used to have a book club pre-Covid.

Yes there were book clubs pre-Covid (and there are now if it's a literature themed sailing). There are some concerts mid afternoon in the bars - usually solo performances.

[Host Hattie]

21 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Were there things like concerts in the afternoons? Or drama stuff? 
I think they used to have a book club pre-Covid.

The Daily Programmes are in @Pushpit's thread 

 

 

[rj1227]

There was music in the different clubs during the day, but it was more pleasant background music than anything else. The lectures overall were good, though I did not religiously attend them. The lectures by Stephen Payne on the sinking of the Titantic and his design of the QM2 were outstanding. He should be a frequent speaker because his topics are perfect for a TA crossing and he is an excellent speaker. The last Dodd lecture I caught was very good, and I wish I had attended his other talks. I caught the first presentation by McCarthy, and it was interesting. And I enjoyed a lecture by Gunn on the causes of crime, but hearing about prisons and then prisoner life during the holidays was depressing. 

 

I actually tried to do some work during the trip, but after laptop issues and the disappearance of a document, eventually recaptured through the help of an IT friend in calls made in the middle of the Atlantic, I set the work aside. 

 

A TA crossing on QM2 lends itself to any number of fascinating subjects for lectures and presentations-- naval history, the architecture and history of London and New York, the museums of those two cities, travel talks on the places Cunard will be sailing to in the next two years. A serious talk on the Battle of the Atlantic would have been ideal, even or especially on a ship with so many who are British and German. 

 

 And again, I failed to take advantage of the many bridge lessons being offered during the trip. That's on me.

[shippmates]

rj1227 I am sorry you did not completely enjoy your crossing.  It takes some getting use to sailing solo, which I have had to do the last two years.  I have leaned to enjoy this and entertain myself if I want to continue to travel.  I learned from the very beginning you need to have a fixed dining time and table.  That is the way you meet some very interesting people.  On my first crossing in 2022, I met many great people and I have sailed with several of them since that first sailing.  

On my crossings they have a craft corner every afternoon at 3PM in the Carinthia lounge.  Many women joined that group to chat, crochet, knit and like me cross stitch.  They reserve a corner for us and it is a great way to spend an hour or so.

I also enjoyed the solo meet up they had every morning on sea days.  It was hosted by a Cunard crew member with coffee, tea and cookies.  They were well attended and many friends were made.  It was nice to walk around the ship and recognize people that you have chatted with before.  

Hope you are able to find a cruise line that you would enjoy if you continue to cruise.

[Pushpit]

49 minutes ago, shippmates said:

I learned from the very beginning you need to have a fixed dining time and table.  That is the way you meet some very interesting people. 

I can very much see this point of view. But Open Dining can also have uses for solo passengers since every day it's a different table with different people, and you can ask to share a large table too. So you will not get the continuity of the same gang every day, and some days may not have a great outcome, but on other days you get to circulate around more people, more backgrounds, and not get stuck with someone you may not like so much. One couple I kept bumping into, by coincidence, but I got on well with them.

[rj1227]

Thanks to all for the thoughtful comments. There are some things I should have done differently. I was uncomfortable about attending the solo-traveler gatherings--I was thinking these are probably easier for the ladies--and I should have given them a shot. And I boarded the ship physically exhausted after two weeks of hard travel in Europe and was at that point ready to get home (and I was also determined with the holidays approaching not to put on weight).

 

And were I to do it again, I would choose for three reasons an eastbound passage, which I know is the minority position on this forum. First, flying over to Europe is tougher than flying back home. Second, I would have begun the crossing ready for an adventure, rather than ready for the adventure to end. Third, the almost daily time changes are tough, but I think I would actually prefer the 23-hour days than the 25-hour days because I personally did not find enough on the ship to keep me busy. 

[stan01]

 

I'd caution anyone about comparing any cruise in 2023 to one done before COVID.  Lots of changes in the world, including changes in the cruise industry and I don't think there's any way to go back. Some of it is fewer workers doing the same amount of work (like everywhere else) and some of it is cost cutting.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, stan01 said:

 

I'd caution anyone about comparing any cruise in 2023 to one done before COVID.  Lots of changes in the world, including changes in the cruise industry and I don't think there's any way to go back. Some of it is fewer workers doing the same amount of work (like everywhere else) and some of it is cost cutting.

I must say that on the whole I haven’t found much difference, apart from actually getting Covid. My second cruise in 2023 was very little different from those in 2019.

[Victoria2]

I would choose for three reasons an eastbound passage, which I know is the minority position on this forum. First, flying over to Europe is tougher than flying back home.

 

I completely agree with you rj1227, I would also to cruise east and fly west. Jet lag gets worse the older I get and flying east can be a killer of a jet lag issue.

edit

Just make sure if you cross [fly] the International date line, you set your alarm to wake you up local time [Tahiti for us] and not the afternoon which throws your body clock totally out of flunter! 🙃

Edited December 24, 2023 by Victoria2

[D&N]

I hate flying east. Although last year's Delta flights from Nice to New York and back were remarkably good in economy. I prefer not to fly further than London or Edinburgh. And I only go north of London if it's unavoidable.

I worked in public transportation for over forty years and I would never attempt two weeks of hard travel in Europe. Perhaps three relatively close capitals; Paris, Brussels, London? Better still, two weeks on the Cote d'Azur!

Mandeville, LA seems very similar to our town in terms of population and proximity to sea. Towards the end of our fourteen nights on QM2 I was desperate to get home to our town and our ageing cats.