LIVE (almost) from QM2 Transatlantic June 23 to June 29

[Tattycoram]

7 minutes ago, leyland1989 said:

I have managed to rebook my flight to depart from LGA at 16:00. 

 

 

Congratulations!  Time for a celebratory drink!

[Joe33472]

43 minutes ago, Kordy said:

In a way, you guys are lucky - you get to spend extra 4 hours in an "all-inclusive"!

I wonder if the restaurants will stay open for longer and how it will affect the food venues for lunch and dinner.

 

The sommelier at lunch today says that it will likely be a mad house disembarking tomorrow, so I'm not sure if 4 extra hours is worth the headache on the departure.   We were originally thought we go to Kings Court for breakfast and be ready to depart at 7:00 a.m., but know we will definitely go to QG instead. 

 

Our plan is to carry our own luggage off the ship, so hopefully there is still some priority with that.  Since we won't have to wait for our bags, I'm hoping that immigration and customs won't be too crazy.   New disembarkation paperwork is supposed to be delivered early this afternoon, but people will probably rush to disembark despite the new guidance, and I'm not sure if there is much, if anything, Cunard can do to make it a little more civilized. 

[olegna]

[Kordy]

50 minutes ago, Joe33472 said:

 

The sommelier at lunch today says that it will likely be a mad house disembarking tomorrow, so I'm not sure if 4 extra hours is worth the headache on the departure.  

 

Good points about this being a "mad house"

 

How will this affect the people joining in on Saturday?   will the dinner times be extended if everything is running 4 hours behind?

[leyland1989]

The earliest disembarkation time is 10:30 according to the Purser's office. 

 

I think I have made the right call to proactively rebook my flight for 16:00 LGA departure, and grabbed the last 2 seats. 

 

It's physically impossible to get from the port to EWR before 11:30 (check bag drop off deadline). 

[Victoria2]

Thank you for taking the time, to take us with you. I've thoroughly enjoyed this thread. Safe onward journey. 🙂

[Host Hattie]

Sorry to hear about your delayed arrival, I hope it doesn't ruin your plans too much.

Thanks again for all your posts and enjoy your last day on board. 

[Joe33472]

5 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Sorry to hear about your delayed arrival, I hope it doesn't ruin your plans too much.

Thanks again for all your posts and enjoy your last day on board. 

 

Thanks!  We're having a great last day!  Very relaxing.  We're spending through our OBC like we're on a shopping spree.  Not that we really have any room in our luggage for all this stuff.  

 

We have no connection deadline so we're good.  Hopefully with those with connections and grounds plans are able to adjust.  Long lines at the Purser's desk. 

[Pushpit]

The upside here, though, is a wonderfully civilised arrival into New York, perhaps a good view during breakfast. If you aren't under a deadline, well it could be worse.

[Host Hattie]

15 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

The upside here, though, is a wonderfully civilised arrival into New York, perhaps a good view during breakfast. If you aren't under a deadline, well it could be worse.

I know, sounds perfect to me but I can see it's different if you have somewhere to be.

[Joe33472]

The last set of QG menus for this cruise! 

6.27.24 Queens Grill Menus .pdf

[Kordy]

24 minutes ago, Joe33472 said:

The last set of QG menus for this cruise! 

6.27.24 Queens Grill Menus .pdf 2.99 MB · 4 downloads

 

Any standout dishes you recommend on QM2?  I wonder if they do lamb well. I find that lamb in the UK is cooked better than lamb in the USA.  

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, Kordy said:

 

Any standout dishes you recommend on QM2?  I wonder if they do lamb well. I find that lamb in the UK is cooked better than lamb in the USA.  

I always enjoy the rack of lamb, Dartmoor lamb, if you are lucky. Delicious and not too massive, unlike the duck.

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I always enjoy the rack of lamb, Dartmoor lamb, if you are lucky. Delicious and not too massive, unlike the duck.

and lamb shank. Always cooked to perfection and delicious whatever the sauce it's braised in.

[Joe33472]

18 minutes ago, Kordy said:

 

Any standout dishes you recommend on QM2?  I wonder if they do lamb well. I find that lamb in the UK is cooked better than lamb in the USA.  

 

Osman made us Turkish Style Salad and it was absolutely delicious.  I was reviewing some old menus last night and saw it on one of the regular menus, but don't remember seeing it this week on any lunch or dinner menu. 

 

[King Amo]

You can't muck up a lamb shank, so it's an absolute Godsend for a busy kitchen. I personally can't bear stewed lamb, so would be steering well clear of it. 

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, King Amo said:

You can't muck up a lamb shank, so it's an absolute Godsend for a busy kitchen. I personally can't bear stewed lamb, so would be steering well clear of it. 

All a matter of taste. I can’t bear eggs, which has a limiting effect on breakfast, but there you go.

[david,Mississauga]

20 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

Printed materials left in the stateroom this evening:

 

Day 6 Programme .pdf 12.29 MB · 13 downloads

 

Disembarkation Information.pdf 4 MB · 11 downloads

 

Our plan is to do the early self disembark option at 7:00 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.  I hope we're on time. Rather than order a car service or other transfer, I'm just going to use Uber or Lyft from the cruise port.

 

The notice about a charge being made for items taken away by passengers is a surprise to me.  it's a shame that has to be made. The only time I have seen that on a Cunard ship was on the QE2 in the last year of service. It was quite a long list of items - just about everything that wasn't bolted down -  with a price attached to each one.  We laughed at some of them, such as the folder that contained on-board information, the telephone and the hair-dryer. 

[Jack E Dawson]

4 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

The sommelier at lunch today says that it will likely be a mad house disembarking tomorrow, so I'm not sure if 4 extra hours is worth the headache on the departure.   We were originally thought we go to Kings Court for breakfast and be ready to depart at 7:00 a.m., but know we will definitely go to QG instead. 

Joe, 

Just 2 weeks ago we also arrived into NY Harbor 4 hours late on the QM2. It was not a mad house but here are a few tips:

 

Arriving late allowed us to pass under the Verrazano Bridge at 9:00AM and the by the Statue of Liberty at 9:30AM. We went up onto of the top of deck 13 cabins for the bridge experience. NOT TO BE MISSED. I suggest getting there around 15 minutes early. Take the A lifts, then go out of the port side stairs and up top. For the Statue of Liberty we had a port side cabin so we viewed the passing from there. There had been an announcement that everyone needed to be out of their cabin by 9:00AM but our steward told us that 9:45 was fine. So after watching the Statue of Liberty go by at 9:30AM we left the cabin.

We had applied for and received  Fast Track departure early in the Crossing. By the time we left our cabin and got to Deck 3 (around 9:45AM) the Fast Track line went from the Grand Lobby, all the way down the hallway and into the Britannia Restaurant. We took a seat there and eventually the line went all the way into the Queens Room then back through the MDR, down the main hall way and back to the Grand Lobby. The good news is that once the ship docked and disembarkation started, we were off in 10-15 minutes. That line moves very fast. The staff did a great job communicating to the passengers and keeping the line orderly. 

We were at Laguardia Airport and through security at  about 11:45AM.

Bottom line, just stay calm.

Jack

[Joe33472]

The new disembarkation information was just dropped off and I spoke with the concierge in the Grills Lounge, and he pretty much said that tomorrow is going to be a horror show. 

 

The new disembarkation guidance says we're to vacate our stateroom by 9:00 a.m. but the first fast track disembarkation isn't until 10:30 a.m., so we'll have to find a place for 1.5 hours to sit around with our luggage.  He suggested the Grills Lounge or better yet the Champagne Lounge so we can "monitor" the departure line.   Originally, we were going to walk off with our stuff at 7:00 a.m. going right from our stateroom. 

 

The concierge also said that the last time this happened (late arrival), which I think was just last week, that people started lining up at 6:30 a.m. in the fast track line.  And that the line was HUGE and CRAZY.  

Something to look forward to tomorrow.  There has to be a better way.   If we're late 4 hours late arriving then the normal time that people were to vacate their rooms should be pushed back 4 hours.   And the embarkation should be pushed back 4 hours.   Based on a recent post, embarkation was only pushed by 2 hours.  So, there's the 1.5 hours we will be standing in a long queue tomorrow.  There is absolutely no way we're getting in line at 6:30 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. "fast-track" departure.  Absolutely NOTHING fast-track about a four hour wait in a line. 

 

I feel like they don't care about the departing cruisers in favor of those embarking.   What if you're on the list for 12:30 p.m, you're going to vacate your stateroom for 3.5 hours? 

 

 

 

[Joe33472]

2 minutes ago, Jack E Dawson said:

Joe, 

Just 2 weeks ago we also arrived into NY Harbor 4 hours late on the QM2. It was not a mad house but here are a few tips:

 

Arriving late allowed us to pass under the Verrazano Bridge at 9:00AM and the by the Statue of Liberty at 9:30AM. We went up onto of the top of deck 13 cabins for the bridge experience. NOT TO BE MISSED. I suggest getting there around 15 minutes early. Take the A lifts, then go out of the port side stairs and up top. For the Statue of Liberty we had a port side cabin so we viewed the passing from there. There had been an announcement that everyone needed to be out of their cabin by 9:00AM but our steward told us that 9:45 was fine. So after watching the Statue of Liberty go by at 9:30AM we left the cabin.

We had applied for and received  Fast Track departure early in the Crossing. By the time we left our cabin and got to Deck 3 (around 9:45AM) the Fast Track line went from the Grand Lobby, all the way down the hallway and into the Britannia Restaurant. We took a seat there and eventually the line went all the way into the Queens Room then back through the MDR, down the main hall way and back to the Grand Lobby. The good news is that once the ship docked and disembarkation started, we were off in 10-15 minutes. That line moves very fast. The staff did a great job communicating to the passengers and keeping the line orderly. 

We were at Laguardia Airport and through security at  about 11:45AM.

Bottom line, just stay calm.

Jack

 

Thanks Jack!  I wish I had read your post prior to my recent post.   I was already stressing about.  I  was really hoping to see the approach to NY Harbor and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and the Statute of Liberty, especially since it will be later than normal.

 

You've made me feel so much better about tomorrow.   The 10-15 minutes in the queue sounds great.  

[Covepointcruiser]

We stay on the ship as long as possible, never saw a reason to rush.   The luggage delivery works well and never had a bag misplaced.   Can’t imagine that long disembarkation walk with luggage.   We get a Porter at the pier and breeze through customs to either our ordered ride or a taxi.   We don’t see a need to stand in lines.   Hope your last day is not terrible.

[Kordy]

The only reason to rush or leave the ship soon is when you you have a flight connection or you have some onwards travel plans and you have to get somewhere before too late.

 

The big thing for me is to never leave the ship with an empty stomach!  enjoy your nice proper breakfast or brunch and have that last reminder of being in a luxury all inclusive

Edited Friday at 11:34 PM by Kordy

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/27/2024 at 7:04 AM, Joe33472 said:

 

Had to Google "banoffee" as I never heard of such a thing in my life, but sounds delicious to me.   Haven't seen that on a menu yet.  Maybe tonight in Kings Court. 

 

You don't know what your missing.   You will definitely have to give it a go. Banana's, whipped cream and a Caramel sauce in a crust. 

[leyland1989]

The winds have finally calmed down enough to open the top observation deck. (It was closed since the second day)