QUEEN Mary 2 summer crossing Questions

[tmee]

So I have few questions...

 

I have finally convinced dear friends to cross!!! but I have questions!!

 

I haven't sailed on QM2 since the pandemic so...I don't know the answers.

 

Does the Carinthia lounge still have the massive port wall with the abundance of ports? (I bragged about it previously my friend is a port lover)

 

Dress code question...I know I know.....how many tuxes/dinner jackets are on the crossing these days...they were just going to bring suits but I said tuxes...but now I wonder am I setting them up for overpacking?

 

How cool is it in summer on deck ( I am a winter sailing gal  :))?

 

Final question (for now) what  kind of onboard "gift/surprise"  do you suggest I get for them (I did dinner for  Verandah but they booked that themselves so know I have to find something else;))

 

Thank you in advance for the help and info!

 

tmee

 

 

[TheOldBear]

51 minutes ago, tmee said:

So I have few questions...

 

I have finally convinced dear friends to cross!!! but I have questions!!

 

I haven't sailed on QM2 since the pandemic so...I don't know the answers.

We were last onboard November 2022 - just as the post pandemic restrictions were lifted.

51 minutes ago, tmee said:

 

Does the Carinthia lounge still have the massive port wall with the abundance of ports? (I bragged about it previously my friend is a port lover)

Yes - they were still there

51 minutes ago, tmee said:

 

Dress code question...I know I know.....how many tuxes/dinner jackets are on the crossing these days...they were just going to bring suits but I said tuxes...but now I wonder am I setting them up for overpacking?

I think on a crossing the majority of gents were wearing tuxes - with a few of the tux wearers wearing a black satin 'four in hand' tie instead of a bow tie.

51 minutes ago, tmee said:

 

How cool is it in summer on deck ( I am a winter sailing gal  :))?

 

Final question (for now) what  kind of onboard "gift/surprise"  do you suggest I get for them (I did dinner for  Verandah but they booked that themselves so know I have to find something else;))

How about a 'champagne afternoon tea'? I'm thinking of treating Mrs Bear to that during our upcoming sailing.

51 minutes ago, tmee said:

 

Thank you in advance for the help and info!

 

tmee

 

 

 

[NE John]

3 hours ago, tmee said:

So I have few questions...

 

I have finally convinced dear friends to cross!!! but I have questions!!

 

I haven't sailed on QM2 since the pandemic so...I don't know the answers.

 

Does the Carinthia lounge still have the massive port wall with the abundance of ports? (I bragged about it previously my friend is a port lover)

 

Dress code question...I know I know.....how many tuxes/dinner jackets are on the crossing these days...they were just going to bring suits but I said tuxes...but now I wonder am I setting them up for overpacking?

 

How cool is it in summer on deck ( I am a winter sailing gal  :))?

 

Final question (for now) what  kind of onboard "gift/surprise"  do you suggest I get for them (I did dinner for  Verandah but they booked that themselves so know I have to find something else;))

 

Thank you in advance for the help and info!

 

tmee

 

 

What month in the summer? Weather on our the June Crossings have been mixed. Wind is the big issue lounging on deck and walking the Prom Deck. Remember the ship is often sailing 22-25 kts and add the usual stiff ocean breeze to that. Fog is common south of Halifax area. And there are a couple sunny days too!
A tuxedo is not expensive to buy and it will make a difference. Two Gala nights for a Crossing. And many people adhere to Smart Attire code too but SA nights are not jacket and tie as in the past. Most lounges offer a good selection of port so it’s not just offered in Carinthia. You can order port watching dancing in QR. Many places. 
Great idea for the Champagne Tea. 
Ironically, I want to do a winter Crossing next…

[vieux_carre]

3 hours ago, tmee said:

Final question (for now) what  kind of onboard "gift/surprise"  do you suggest I get for them (I did dinner for  Verandah but they booked that themselves so know I have to find something else;))

Unless they are going to be in QG (where this is included), how about the $140 “Welcome Onboard” package that includes a bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne, a nice bouquet, and chocolates?

[WantedOnVoyage]

On North Atlantic crossings... there is no season, just North Atlantic weather in all its glorious unpredicability. Think layers: a sweatshirt and a wooly-pully heavy sweater seldom go unused. And whilst it's warmer in August-September, it's often foggier and you'll feel the dampness more than a chill. And yes... it can be breezy on deck, too. It never feels as warm as the air temperature.

 

Now, you have me hankering for a crossing and a reserved deck chair, tucked up in one of Dennis Dawson's QUEEN MARY steamer rugs and a cup of beef tea...

Edited August 8 by WantedOnVoyage

[vieux_carre]

3 hours ago, tmee said:

Dress code question...I know I know.....how many tuxes/dinner jackets are on the crossing these days...they were just going to bring suits but I said tuxes...but now I wonder am I setting them up for overpacking?

There will be 2 Gala nights on a typical crossing.  I brought a tux for one (Black & Gold) and tails for the other (1920’s).  I was certainly not overdressed, even seeing a few others in tails.  I personally felt more comfortable in a suit or sportscoat & tie on the Smart Attire evenings and many others were similarly attired.  They’ll be OK in a dark suit and dark tie or bow tie on the gala nights if they’re particularly averse to a tux, but I personally would have felt somewhat underdressed.  Your mileage may vary & the point is to have fun!

[vieux_carre]

4 hours ago, tmee said:

How cool is it in summer on deck ( I am a winter sailing gal  :))?

I was recently on a July crossing & encountered heavy fog for a couple days, then just sunny & breezy.  The advice you’ve received about layers is spot on.  Include a light windbreaker since it can be quite breezy even if only from the speed of the ship.

[Planning to cruise]

DJ as we Brits say for gala nights.  DH always wears a jacket on other nights.  

 

We have crossed some 8 or more times at all times of the year.  On our first, in May, I was sorry that I had not taken something warmer for outside.  I also pack a woolly hat and gloves.  As has been said, its the wind.  If, like us, the pax like to get outside at some point in the day its useful to have a waterproof for wet times - there are sheltered parts on the promenade deck.  

[Pushpit]

I don't normally wear a hat, but yes I think having  a woolly hat is a good idea. It takes very little space and no real weight but it can be very useful. The jet stream can be quite warm (and has to be, in order to carry all the moisture over to NW Europe) but if it's windy then combined with the layers it's an efficient way to stay  dressed for the occasion.

 

If the weather gets bad then unfortunately they tend to block off the outside areas, and the balconies - apart from sheltered balconies - may not be that usable. They usually allow access to deck 8 towards the stern, part of which is the smoking area, and that's a bit more sheltered.

[D&N]

I have lots of hats to protect my bald head from the strong Mediterranean sun. And a few woolly ones to keep my ears and bald head warm on brisk winter walks. I won't be taking any on our crossings. We won't be taking layers either. Our solution to inclement weather is to stay indoors. We get plenty of fresh air here.

We'll get all the exercise we need in the gym and dancing. 😀

[IB2]

On dress code, on the two crossings I have done since the pandemic, my perception was that dinner jackets/tuxedo were no longer universal on formal nights, with a decent sprinkling of (subjectively, mostly American) guests wearing smart dark suits.  Such that if you don’t take a tuxedo, you won’t feel like “the only one”, but you will be in a relatively small minority.

 

Obviously, how it is on deck depends on your luck with the weather, which generally tends to be warmer at the NYC end of the crossing than at the UK end.  A point often overlooked in discussion of the TA is that the prevailing wind in the Atlantic is typically from the South West, often around 20-30 mph even on fair weather days, and the ship is sailing at roughly the same speed.  Such that it is very common that on westbound crossings the felt wind on deck is close to 50 mph and being outside is a gusty experience, whereas crossing eastbound, if you are lucky the wind and ship’s speed cancel out and you can sun yourself on deck in the calm. So on average being out on deck is a much more pleasant experience crossing eastbound.

[tmee]

Thank you all for such helpful replies, I truly appreciate it.

 

I will pass on the pertinent information!    I didn't think about the fog or the direction of that ship was going, affecting the weather but that makes sense.   I am leaning towards the Welcome Aboard package and maybe an onboard credit with a note that says something like "first cocktail in the commadore club on me.  tmee recommends.. the Libertatum or The Grand Atlantic."  🙂

 

tmee  

[tv24]

We were on a QM2 crossing in June, 2023 and the weather was good.  Lots of sun, but cool temperatures.  I did a lot of walking on the deck, getting my steps in.  Somedays I had to wear a windbreaker.  Most PAX adhered to the dress code on formal nights and thus were able to enjoy all the facilities, but many men, including me, wore suits rather than tuxes.  For a simple gift for your friends, take them out to one of the pop-up restaurants that are set up in Kings Court at night, such as Bamboo.  And buy a good bottle of wine to go with dinner.