Live From QM2 - April 15 and April 23 Transatlantic

[QM2 Cruiser]

Hello everyone. I have a question reguarding the panoramic lifts on QM2 that run through decks 2-7 in the atrium. Can you get on and off these lifts on the passenger decks 4-6, or do they just access decks 2,3,and 7. I cannot remember from my last cruise on QM2 and am trying to chose a cabin that is stable but close to the elevators for my next cruise. Thanks a lot.

[pepperrn]

Hello everyone. I have a question reguarding the panoramic lifts on QM2 that run through decks 2-7 in the atrium. Can you get on and off these lifts on the passenger decks 4-6, or do they just access decks 2,3,and 7. I cannot remember from my last cruise on QM2 and am trying to chose a cabin that is stable but close to the elevators for my next cruise. Thanks a lot.

 

They call at 2 3 7 only

 

Pepper.

[QM2 Cruiser]

Hi. Are there any discounts available for back to back consecutive crossings? My travel agent told me that consecutive sailings are booked separately. Some cruise lines offer up to $100 off per stateroom if booking two or three cruises back to back. My understanding is that Cunard is not one of them. I guess a perk to booking separately is a second bottle of welcome aboard champagne half way through the cruise!

[garycarla]

Not sure what this has to do with the April 14 crossing, but...

 

If they are separate cruises and booked separate, here is what I would do. Get the AMEX Platinum card, and get $300 shipboard credit. That comes to $600 total which more than pays for the $395 annual fee.

 

Do a search or scroll through some postings to learn more about that.

[pnhmrk]

I guess a perk to booking separately is a second bottle of welcome aboard champagne half way through the cruise!

 

Knowing Cunard I wouldn't bet on it!

[SeaFlint]

If you already own shares of Carnival, you also qualify for some on-board credit. Amounts to about $300. The stock is in the $50 range and you must own 100 or more. Decent stock and probably worth buying/having in any case.

 

Also, if you qualify for the "World Club", there are also sometimes discounts.

 

Your travel agent should be able to scrape around and find you every savings or credit there is. Though we had good success just with using someone smart and helpful at Cunard.

 

It also sounds like you can save a bit by booking a cabin that would work for you (but not your dream cabin) and then upgrading when you get on-board to your "dream" cabin. Talking with the Cunard folks recently it sounds like that is fairly common.

 

Good luck.

[pnhmrk]

It also sounds like you can save a bit by booking a cabin that would work for you (but not your dream cabin) and then upgrading when you get on-board to your "dream" cabin. Talking with the Cunard folks recently it sounds like that is fairly common.

 

I hadn't thought of trying to negotiate an upgrade once I was aboard. What did Cunard say that implies it is "fairly common"? When I've been recently they always seen to have been fully booked, if they're allowing people to negotiate on-board upgrades it implies that isn't the case.

[SeaFlint]

After reading posts here about upgrades, I called Cunard because we do NOT want to be upgraded from our cabins. When I called, the lady said that it did look like we were on the upgrade list and that it was a good thing I called as it was likely our upgrades would have put us in different parts of the ship.

 

Now, I do NOT know how their upgrade system assigns priority. We may qualify for a higher or lower level than you do, if there is such a system. Also, you're kind of rolling the dice with the route I suggested, since you don't KNOW you're going to get an upgrade or an upgrade to a cabin you'd want.

 

I would call Cunard and see what they suggest. Especially when you get closer to time to sail. They should have a good idea of how full they are at that point. That might make the odds of rolling the dice a bit better. Besides, you can probably pay to upgrade in the last week or two if it looks like you won't get what you want.

 

All that said, I don't know how much you would save vs. how much energy you would use trying to save it. Still, might be fun. And even if you're in an inside cabin facing the engine room (no such thing, I THINK), you're still on the ship and probably spending most of your time out of your cabin. Right?

 

By the way, I was on a "Tall Ship" for a year and my bunk was directly above the engine. I was rarely cold and always slept well when the engine was running - purrrrrrrrrrrr. Or, rather, chunka chunka chunka...

 

Good luck, whatever you choose.

[Paul NH]

As a small thank you to your hard "posting job" during your voyage her is a pic we made last year. This was just very short bevore we slipped under Verazano Narrows Bridge, just an hour to go into NYC.

 

All the best to your upcoming trips from Rosa and Robert from Austria

 

Rosa and Robert,

 

Thanks for the picture posting. That is a nice, sharp image, considering it is a night shot. Did you take this picture using a tripod? I have noticed that it can be difficult to capture the full name, because the narrowness of the adjacent deck forces the photographer back at a sharp angle in relation to the letters.

 

Paul

[Paul NH]

Speaking of night shots, here is an image I took around 4:45 a.m. just off the Isle of Wight in the Solent on Friday, April 21. It was a weird experience being up that early and walking the deck, watching the lights of Cowes passing by slowly off the port side. Very few people were up on deck at this time, it was chilly, and it was pitch black. Those lights on the left are on the Isle.

 

Paul

[pepperrn]

Speaking of night shots, here is an image I took around 4:45 a.m. just off the Isle of Wight in the Solent on Friday, April 21. It was a weird experience being up that early and walking the deck, watching the lights of Cowes passing by slowly off the port side. Very few people were up on deck at this time, it was chilly, and it was pitch black. Those lights on the left are on the Isle.

 

Paul

 

Paul, what a brilliant and unusual photo, well done, you should be very proud of it. I'm a keen photographer and would be very pleased on my next crossing if I took a picture half as good.

[Pincus]

Paul, I have read every word of your three journeys on the QM2. Thank you for taking us with you in such a descriptive way.

 

I am hoping to do something similar late next spring. Do you have a recommendation for port side vs. starboard side cabin selection on both crossings? Which side is best for a west bound? For an east bound?

 

Thanks, once again, for sharing. I especially enjoyed the "Titanic site" picture.

 

Pincus

[Paul NH]

Pepper,

 

Thanks for the kind words about the night image.

 

And speaking of the Isle of Wight, here is a picture of a P&O Liner just off the waterfront of Cowes. As you can see, the ships come pretty close. We were sitting on a bench on the pavillion eating fish and chips when this ship came along. We were waiting for the QM2 to come down the Solent on its private 2-day cruise, but sadly, it never appeared while we were watching for it, and I learned later that she did not set sail until after 10:00 p.m.

 

You can see now from this image how the Beken of Cowes generations were able to take all those great historical photographs of famous liners over the last century.

 

Paul

[Paul NH]

I am hoping to do something similar late next spring. Do you have a recommendation for port side vs. starboard side cabin selection on both crossings? Which side is best for a west bound? For an east bound?

Pincus,

 

I would recommend the starboard side for eastbounds, and the port side for westbounds. The eastbound starboard is the more important of the two recommendations if you have a balcony because you can watch the Statue of Liberty from it during the sailaway. That was really nice - a glass of sparkling wine, leaning against our own railing and watching everything in a relaxed environment.

 

Of course, I did not realize until we watched the pier-side activities during the Southampton departure, that seeing the men release the ropes and then the ship gliding away from the pier is also good viewing - we were oblivous to all that in our starboard balcony leaving Brooklyn. A port side balcony on the westbound would look down on all that if the QM2 is at the Queen Elizabeth terminal.

 

The above recommended locations also carry the advantage of being on the sunnier side of the ship both ways.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Paul

[Pincus]

Indeed, Paul, your answer helps.

 

Thank you so much, once again!

 

Pincus

[Seachase20]

This makes great reading- thanks Paul.

I feel like a real innocent abroad when I read the sea reports. We travel in August and although I know we will be in the Atlantic (I'm not that green) I am beginning to realise that I have no real concept of the ocean and possible sickness.

I think we had better pack some medication just in case. Can any English reader recommend a good over the counter product please?

thanks

Heywood

 

 

If you're prone to seasickness (thank goodness, I'm not!) I believe the only sure thing is to get a jab at the ship's hospital. I understand that the medication they use now does not make one drowsy, so needn't be taken right before bedtime any more. Just go, see if the ship moves (it may be flat calm!) and if the motion affects you, and if so, then get the jab. You may not need it, who knows!! Good luck!