If I favored Princess and Celebrity, will I be pleased with Cunard?

[CruiseFever]

Out of the blue I've received an invitation for a crossing on the QM2.

 

I've sailed Celebrity, Princess and others, what will I write about when I return from a sailing with Cunard?

[Bramcruiser]

Let me get this straight! From the signature I see you are thinking of a Cunard crossing instead of a Carnival trip? (Nothing against Carnival myself but its like comparing apples and oranges!) Do Cunard if you so enjoy Princess and Celebrity. The QM2 may be more mass market than the QE2 but its a step above the usual. Go for it man!

[cusyl]

You wil definitely like Cunard. I've been on Princess and Celebrity and HAL very many times and the experience is similar. The QM2 is my favorite ship.

[garycarla]

Chris: I am confused over your question. I have read many of your postings and believe you would be "pleased" and still have a good time if your took a freighter across the pond. As I remember, you tend to make the best of what you have.

 

Really have not read much about bad things when it comes to the QM2, other than those that like to complain anyway or just had a bad day.

[CruiseFever]

"Nothing against Carnival myself but its like comparing apples and oranges"

 

I know, I'm a little afraid that Cunard is going be more like comparing apples and oranges to a Lovely Fruit Salad Served On A Cloud Of Quality,

 

"....and believe you would be "pleased" and still have a good time if your took a freighter"

 

Guilty as charged

 

"I've been on Princess and Celebrity and HAL very many times and the experience is similar."

 

A compelling argument. Ok you win!

 

Question:

 

The near nothing fare we're getting requires that we book our own air. No problem there except for the magic time: Don't book a return flight from LHR to JFK departing before:_______

[garycarla]

check the Britain board for connection information. It sounds like there are good options and reasonable time expectations getting to Heathrow or Gatwick.

 

And, you probably know, that in most cases you can book a RT ticket for less than one way. By the way, there was a link here recently for a new airline that is offering all business class at a good price into JFK and you only have to buy a one way ticket.

 

Just found the link for Maxjet, though they fly out of Stansted at 10am meaning you would have to spend a night in merry ole England. Hmmmm...

 

On another note Chris: Didn't your signature used to have links to reviews, etc?

[imacruizer]

Welcome to Cunard, Chris. It seems you have already been convinced to give the QM2 a try. You have made an excellent choice. I look forward to your review. It would be a shame to go all the way to England on the QM2 and not spend a few days there to enjoy that lovely country. If at all possible, try to book your return flight several days or a week after your arrival in Southampton.

[CruiseFever]

Ok it's official, we're doing it, thanks for all your help!

[CruiseFever]

Ok you people have me hooked and I've yet to sail your line.

 

I just booked the little 4 day QM2 Labor Day sailing to Nova Scotia.

[LunchCompanion]

keep a smile on ur face especially for your favorite bartender:confused:

[imacruizer]

Congratulations, Chris. Can't wait to read your reviews. I would expect the 4 day will be quite different from the crossing.

[travel-to-go]

Ok you people have me hooked and I've yet to sail your line.

 

I just booked the little 4 day QM2 Labor Day sailing to Nova Scotia.

 

Chris,

You will have three ready-made friends on board/ My SO, Marc and I will be on that sailing in an 8 deck forward cabin- obstructed balcony, but it's the one over the shorter Zodiac boat. Our friend Maria will also be onboard in an 8 deck cabin also!

 

Welcome aboard!

[CruiseFever]

Well this just gets better all the time!

 

First value pricing, then an insider's perspective from this board, then another one over Labor Day, now people we'll "know" ..this is shaping up very nicely indeed

 

Do they even do roll calls for Cunard sailings?

 

...somehow it seems inappropriate but remember; I'm the new kid

[travel-to-go]

Well this just gets better all the time!

 

First value pricing, then an insider's perspective from this board, then another one over Labor Day, now people we'll "know" ..this is shaping up very nicely indeed

 

Do they even do roll calls for Cunard sailings?

 

...somehow it seems inappropriate but remember; I'm the new kid

There is a roll call somewhere. It is under "all other ships on the roll call lists. AFAIK, you simply wade through the subject lines to find yours!

 

Karie, who shall be delighted to meet you, and show your around the ship, being a "veteran" (of 1 12 day cruise on her)

[imacruizer]

Chris, you are indeed fortunate to be sailing with Karie, one of the most enthusiastic posters on the Cunard forum.

 

The Roll Call for your cruise in actually on the "Cunard" forum rather than the "Roll Calls - Other Cruiseline" forum. Right now it is still on page one. Hope you can find it.

[garycarla]

It is not too hard to LINK exisiting roll calls to you signature.

 

Of course, you need to know how to do a signature first. Click on USER CP at the top left of the page and you should get something like this. Click on EDIT SIGNATURE which will take you to a page like this.

 

At this point you can type in just about anything you want, that will show at the end of every post you make. You will see links to future cruises and past ship pages in my signature below.

 

Okay, now you have learned how to add things like past and future cruises to each of your posts. How about a link to Roll Calls, etc.? Each of the underlined words in my signature below will take you to a new page. Try one out. This one goes to the QM2 April 15th roll call.

 

Now, to LINK to a roll call, etc. Open the web page/roll call in another window. The COPY the address from the top of the page by pressing CONTROL C - this is a universal windows copy function. The address will look something like this: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=304897&referrerid=24674

 

Do NOT try to copy and type it. Almost nobody gets it right, especially me. Copy and Paste instead.

 

Then, going back to your signature or message, highlight the word(s) that you want highlighed with your mouse.

 

Then, click on the little icon that looks like a globe and a little chain. A window will pop up asking for a URL. You then PASTE the web address into this space. You just put the mouse there and press CONTROL V, which is the universal command for pasting.

 

There, you have pasted it. Then view you message and test it. You have a few minutes to go back and edit your message. Again, this message board allows you to edit a posted message for just a few minutes.

 

Good Luck, Gary

[CruiseFever]

I am suddenly worried about finding my way around the ship; I can't even find the roll call for the 5/23 sailing. This is an April Fools joke right?

[LunchCompanion]

there was a good pocket map of the ship but in small print a year ago. I had the pursurs make an enlargement and I was fine finding my way around most of the time

there are four main elevator banks, A B C D

dont go to the lowest level on D bank if the Britannia restaurant isnt open

There were announcements which bank of elevators to take, so things shouldnt get too confusing.

there is a scenic elevator forward that is worth finding; most of the bartenders know where it is

good luck and have fun

[garycarla]

I am suddenly worried about finding my way around the ship; I can't even find the roll call for the 5/23 sailing. This is an April Fools joke right?

 

I think you are trying to fool us Chris. You have been around the horn enough to know that getting around is not that bad. The only problem is they keep putting bars in your way that tend to slow you down and disorient us!

 

It does not look like there is a roll call message thread started for May 23rd. Here is a list of Roll Calls I started awhile ago to make it easier to find those on just the QM2.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=315886

 

Hopefully folks will add any new ones there, including when you start one for May 23rd.

[imacruizer]

Chris, I realize in my earlier post, I was unclear about WHICH roll call you can find on the Cunard forum. I was referring to the Roll Call for the Labor Day cruise which you should find on page 1 of this forum. I'm sure you can find that one! Sorry.

[travel-to-go]

Chris, you are indeed fortunate to be sailing with Karie, one of the most enthusiastic posters on the Cunard forum.

 

The Roll Call for your cruise in actually on the "Cunard" forum rather than the "Roll Calls - Other Cruiseline" forum. Right now it is still on page one. Hope you can find it.

 

<blush, blush>!

Enthusiastic! Now, that's much more diplomatic than saying "She drones on and on and dominates more than her share of the boards!" <EG>

 

As for getting around the ship, I printed up deck plans from one of the web sites- Luxury cruises or something was the name of the site, and they had up-to-date deck by deck plans. Cunard has them in adobe acrobat, but I had trouble re-sizing them, and it was all one sheet (microscopic- yet cut off on the ends due to not fitting the page) and not one or two decks to a page. I found it easier to work with the other website's deck plans.

 

Gary, thanks for the tutorial. I will get around to putting a sig on one of these days- Can't decide what to put, though. Still going through old papers and such to find the dates of my old cruises! I'm halfway there. I have some stuff in big plastic bins full of memorabilia. It is buried! (buried treasures, you might say! <G>) And gosh, what kind of avatar would be "clever" enough, without plagiarizing someone else. I see some and think- Oh! that would be great! I don't seem to have much independent artistic thought sometimes!

I never did make it to the scenic elevator. And so many other things I realized I didn't do. I HAVE to go back now, to do them!

 

And speaking of creative, Colleency's journal on livejournal.com is fantastic! Make sure to click on any highlighted words for pictures of what she is referring to. And remember she MAKES some of her own clothing! talented sewer, - uh make that seamstress- I don't like the looks of that word! <LOL> , talented journal writer and talented picture picker and taker!

 

Karie, who is humbled by all of the smart and talented people we have on this forum. I am always amazed when people can rattle off all sorts of facts, figures, dates and such about the Cunarders, past and present!

 

P.S. Here is the "good" deck plan page- you can print them individually, and see just where the least pbstructed cabins are. Someone here referred to this site for good deck plans. Much better than what Cunard gives you!

http://www.deluxecruises.com/

[imacruizer]

Something strange is going on with this thread. What happened to Karie's post????

[imacruizer]

Now that I have posted it is showing up on the thread. Oh well!

[garycarla]

The link for deck plans above is great. Watch the category naming though. I know of at least one situation where they have changed. They now have Category A1,A2 and A3 balcony not shown on the other site. When you go the Cunard site and EVENTUALLY find the deck plans here. Make sure you go to fullscreen mode to see more.

 

As to finding the labor day cruise, I looked all over and would post a link, but I can not find it. Maybe somebody has the link?

 

As to the post going away and then coming back, you sometimes have to leave the board or do a refresh (that is a button at the top that looks like two arrows going in a circle).

 

Also, for future information, instead of making another post, you can EDIT your existing post for a few minutes... I think it might be within 10 minutes.

 

Whew!

[imacruizer]

I hope this works. I am not the best with links.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=283745