OMG, we really ARE in steerage!

[CruiseFever]

Ok so today I get my documents for our 5/23/06 crossing.

 

Very nice supple leather case; quite classy. But inside I see that since we're on deck 4, we don't get on the ship until "at or after" our scheduled time of 3:00. Not a problem as we're planning on a tour of the city anyway but geeze, do they have to rub our nose in it?

 

"Platinum-level Cunard World Club mambers and Guest traveling in Grill Suites will have priority check-in status" ....shouldn't they already know that or have a nice hand-written epistle from the Comodore to that effect?

 

Oh my this is going to be such fun to write about!

[HeelMD]

Uh-oh...meltdown in 5-4-3-2-1....

[mufi]

You really are trying to provoke her aren't you. Shame on you.

 

David.

[guernseyguy]

Actually, no. In the old days of the Atlantic Ferry Third Class were asked to board first, followed by Second, with First being the last to board - being such busy, important people n'all.......

 

Peter

[berry22192]

Uh-oh...meltdown in 5-4-3-2-1....

 

This is better than Seinfeld. I'm laughing so much I wet my pants.

[Bollinge]

It's so quiet.......

 

Is this the calm before the storm?

 

Who dares mention the s-word?

[pepperrn]

s word, s word, s word....

 

Seriously, I have to say that the "s" word joke has had it's day. At first it was, of course, ironic. No-one ever meant that you could equate crossing "s" on a turn of the last century's liners with travelling A-D class on QM2 today. I took it as a term of affection with regard to the 3 class atlantic service on those pre 1st world war liners and the present 3 class service on QM2. But really there is no comparison at all, as we all know. Therefore the "s" word comments were being ironic. However the joke has passed, it is an ex joke, it has passed away, it has met it's maker, let it rest in peace, never to rise again.

 

Please?

 

Pepper.

[imacruizer]

Chris, since you are new to Cunard, I am going to answer the question about boarding times. Just go to the ship when you are ready and more than likely you can board at that time. At check-in they do not seem to pay any attention to the assigned boarding times.

[travel-to-go]

s word, s word, s word....

 

Seriously, I have to say that the "s" word joke has had it's day. At first it was, of course, ironic. No-one ever meant that you could equate crossing "s" on a turn of the last century's liners with travelling A-D class on QM2 today. I took it as a term of affection with regard to the 3 class atlantic service on those pre 1st world war liners and the present 3 class service on QM2. But really there is no comparison at all, as we all know. Therefore the "s" word comments were being ironic. However the joke has passed, it is an ex joke, it has passed away, it has met it's maker, let it rest in peace, never to rise again.

 

Please?

 

Pepper.

Uhoh! Berry has wet their (his?her? I forget) pants!

Can't be hanging around with that one! People will think... Oh gives a twit what people think! The problem is, people usualy DON'T think (as a rule!)

 

As for the "S word- There ia a replica of the slave (and revolt) ship Amistad which was built near where I live, in Mystic) or Mystick seaport, a living colonial era seaport village, I visited it while it was being built by hand- With purple heartwood being laid in the keel. It really makes you think. And I have seen a working sailing ship from the 17th century (I think- Maybe 18th) It's hard to think about how even the Captain travelled in those days. It was not an easy life. There's a lot of lore that comes from the early sailing days- Grog and why it was drunk (it is romanitcized today, but it was because the water got bad, smelly and slimey- the grog was to keep people from getting sick from the drinking water) the term limeys -from British sailors who ate limes to keep from getting scurvy from lack of vitamin C.

But the one time I was mildly put-off by seeming classism was to see Cunard selling "Sets" of Tshirts and towels marked 1st 2nd and 3rd or Tourist and first class. I thought that was really tacky! This was in their very overpriced "gift" shop: I thought, now, who would buy someone such a gift! now THAT, I thought was in poor taste!

Taste is subjective though. After all, I didn't go gaga over the excellent stilton. I don't care for sharp bleu cheeses. Too pungent for me.

YMMV.

 

Karie,

who does not consider herself particularly "better" than anyone else. Fortunate, at times, but not intriniscally better

[MollyBrown]

This is better than Seinfeld. I'm laughing so much I wet my pants.

 

 

Such class!

[MollyBrown]

Uh-oh...meltdown in 5-4-3-2-1....

 

 

Also very mature and classy.

[MollyBrown]

It's so quiet.......

 

Is this the calm before the storm?

 

Who dares mention the s-word?

 

 

 

Are you people bored or something?

[2moose]

Ok so today I get my documents for our 5/23/06 crossing.

 

Very nice supple leather case; quite classy. But inside I see that since we're on deck 4, we don't get on the ship until "at or after" our scheduled time of 3:00. Not a problem as we're planning on a tour of the city anyway but geeze, do they have to rub our nose in it?

 

"Platinum-level Cunard World Club mambers and Guest traveling in Grill Suites will have priority check-in status" ....shouldn't they already know that or have a nice hand-written epistle from the Comodore to that effect?

 

Oh my this is going to be such fun to write about!

You may board at any time that you choose to arrive!!!!!

[MollyBrown]

How much fun it is to find someone to demonize, especially when we're all so bored waiting around to get on QM2 (I can almost understand, since I still have to wait another 6 months for my QM2 crossing).

 

Sorry folks, won't bite this time.

 

Yesterday's paper had a piece about Spike Lee. Apparently he travels not on a private jet, not even in first class, but in coach. Now that's class. The guy's got character.

[CruiseFever]

You may board at any time that you choose to arrive!!!!!

 

I think you're trying to trick me.

 

I think if I come before my assigned time ("LAST") that I will have to either be pelted by coins tossed my way by the elite passengers or a source of great humor for them. I envision them pointing and laughing (tittering?) from high up in their quiet solitude as we walk up the wooden ramp from our school bus. :rolleyes:

[HeelMD]

"Sorry folks, won't bite this time."

 

This was her fourth post on the thread. Relax, Molly...I think they're just having some fun. One of the most often forgotten joys is the ability to laugh at one's self.

 

Spike Lee - Knight of the New Chivalry

[Norfolk Brit]

I think you're trying to trick me. I think if I come before my assigned time ("LAST") that I will have to either be pelted by coins tossed my way by the elite passengers or a source of great humor for them.

 

 

Spot on, Cruise Fever, but we usually boil them up for a while first just to add to the entertainment value.

 

Toodlepip, Mary

[spongerob]

Oh dear, reading all this makes me wonder if I should just toss out the lovel world cruise brochure I received from Cunard. I'm not sure if I could suffer the indignities of being in steerage and a dreaded "segmenter" at the same time. Most especially since I was on the list to get the brochure through my long association with (take a deep breath...wait for it...Princess!) :D

 

You guys are a riot...:)

[stowaway2k]

Actually, no. In the old days of the Atlantic Ferry Third Class were asked to board first, followed by Second, with First being the last to board - being such busy, important people n'all.......

 

Peter

 

Some Third Class would even be on board the night before sailing.

 

Very accomodating of the Line to get the hoi polloi done with and out of the way before the arrival of the important passengers.

 

Back when Liverpool was the main port of departure, before Southampton came into the picture, the larger ships would remain at anchor in the Mersey while the lower classes were tendered out to the ship.

When the Second and Third Classes were aboard, the ship would then move to the dockside for embarkation of the First Class passengers.

 

Talk about separation of the classes!

[mufi]

I have a picture of the memorial in Liverpool to "The huddled masses" taken when QE2 last visited the city.

 

http://ImageEvent.com/mufi/qe2inliverpool

 

David

[travel-to-go]

Some Third Class would even be on board the night before sailing.

 

Very accomodating of the Line to get the hoi polloi done with and out of the way before the arrival of the important passengers.

 

Back when Liverpool was the main port of departure, before Southampton came into the picture, the larger ships would remain at anchor in the Mersey while the lower classes were tendered out to the ship.

When the Second and Third Classes were aboard, the ship would then move to the dockside for embarkation of the First Class passengers.

 

Talk about separation of the classes!

 

Wow!

I'/d like to see them tender out with all of that luggage in rough weather! Or were the lower classes known for only carrying a carpet bag (that's a real question, not being funny. I really don't know if imigrants carried everything they oned in rucksack or what?) And seeing one of the historical sites- I think it was some of the stuff the gent gets from Alang- where he explained some things- I cannot imagine sleeping in a room with three strangers! Were they all same sex, or might two couples share a room? Then, too, when you consider the horrors of slave ships, it is downright luxury.

 

And Chris? usually before the elite throw coins, you have to bob in the water and holler out in patois "Trow a Quartah, Mon!" Although tht was when my parents visitied the Bahamas in around '66 or '67. You may have to "trow a dollah" these days!

 

Karie,

who is MOST ashamed of herself!

[CruiseFever]

"And Chris? usually before the elite throw coins, you have to bob in the water and holler out in patois "Trow a Quartah, Mon!" Although tht was when my parents visitied the Bahamas in around '66 or '67. You may have to "trow a dollah" these days!"

 

Wow, I knew the rewards would be rich but not THAT rich! I may not get on the ship until quarter till five!

 

Ok off topic:

 

"Dataport in cabin"

 

....any more details than that?

 

I'm sure that those "living the Grill life" as my Insiders Guide: Queen Mary 2 says probably have a direct link to the Cunard Privy Satellite for their Internet connection and that Bill Gates drops by each evening to check the connection but it really doesn't say how much the common folk must pay or how good our connection will be.

 

I can kinda guess...we've got dial-up don't we?

 

Oh boy, $8.00 a minute Internet access!

 

The rich get rich and the poor get poorer

[jackatsea]

 

Ok off topic:

 

"Dataport in cabin"

 

....any more details than that?

 

I can kinda guess...we've got dial-up don't we?

 

Oh boy, $8.00 a minute Internet access!

 

The rich get rich and the poor get poorer

 

Hello

 

Off topic answer:

 

You'll find a very good thread on this board regarding QM2 internet connections, minimum equipment and software, charges and loads of other stuff. You should be able to find the thread using the topic search box.

 

But quickly:

 

It costs around 50 cents per minute depending on which connection package you sign up for.

 

The data connection requires a special lead, which the ship provides "free".

 

Wireless connections are available from most public areas and set-up really easy on a PC running Windows XP. I found the Chartroom (anywhere around the bar area) to be OK on most days. You can also try some iced tea from Long Island (where DO they get the teabags from) while waiting for pages top load.

 

I could only get my VOIP Internet telephone to work either very early in the morning 3 to 5 am ship time or between 7:30 - 8:30 pm. This was probably because at those times very few people are using the shared connection and upload/download speeds are much faster.

 

FTP works OK

 

You'll need to have an email account that allows remote SMTP or you'll only be able to receive and not send.

 

Webmail accounts work OK

 

VNC didn't work probably a port 80 issue. Complained, but just got blank stares.

 

My very BEST tip... don't forget to log off using the correct screen or your charges will keep running. I did get a $10 refund when the connection went down without allowing me to log off, but I had to press hard.

 

Finally

 

>>The rich get rich and the poor get poorer<<

 

Yes, maybe, but on the ship, nearly EVERYBODY gets poorer!

 

I hope that helps

 

Jack

[patwell]

Hi Karie....to answer one of your questions about immigrants luggage. Both of my parents came via the "S" word. They were allowed to bring only one suitcase each with all their worldly possessions. Everything else had to be left behind. (except a set of eating utensils) My Dad came with his family of 4 and they shared a teeeeny cabin. I still cherish a small metal holder with a glass insert meant for coffee...my Swedish grandmother brought it in her one suitcase so it must have been very special to her. They came right after WWI and my Mom came in the early 20's as a very young lady. Thankfully they decided in their 40's to surprise my much older sister with me and I'm proud to have that rich heritage behind me...and also to be able to sail on QM2 in Britannia!!! So I'd guess that rowing out with luggage wasn't a huge problem!! Cheers, Penny

[travel-to-go]

Hi Karie....to answer one of your questions about immigrants luggage. Both of my parents came via the "S" word. They were allowed to bring only one suitcase each with all their worldly possessions. Everything else had to be left behind. (except a set of eating utensils) My Dad came with his family of 4 and they shared a teeeeny cabin. I still cherish a small metal holder with a glass insert meant for coffee...my Swedish grandmother brought it in her one suitcase so it must have been very special to her. They came right after WWI and my Mom came in the early 20's as a very young lady. Thankfully they decided in their 40's to surprise my much older sister with me and I'm proud to have that rich heritage behind me...and also to be able to sail on QM2 in Britannia!!! So I'd guess that rowing out with luggage wasn't a huge problem!! Cheers, Penny

Wow!

You must be really blessed. It makes one think- First about wht your most prized posessions are! I can't pack just one suitcase for a week's cruise! But then, I suppose immigrants weren't going to ascot balls. They probably wore the same clothes (or nearly) for the whole grueling trip. Then, too, back then, most people did not own a lot of clothes. How marvelous that you are the proud owner of the coffee (pot?) Those are posessions we truly do cherish. Life seems to take on a different hue when something such as this is passed on, and you realize how truly dear it was. My sister graced her classroom (in a poor part of Georgia- I believe every child in her class was on some sort of subsidized lunch) with a rug that someone gave our Grnadfather during the depression to pay their rent. My Grandfather owned the Flatiron building, I believe in Chattanooga. We were not rich, by any stretch. He had just managed to make some solid real estate investments during better times. But he would rather die than turn anyone out. It went against his Christian ethics. But he would take sometiems "worthless" things, so that people could have their dignity, and not be seen as taking charity. He mostly ran a working farm And all of the kids had to work it, too. My father's career came about because they had exactly TWO electical appliances once they got electricity (and my other Grandfather was an IBEW electrician working for the REA- Rural Electrification Act) A Philco-Ford refrigerator and a GE radio, Dad figured this was the big time. If he could go to work for one of those companies, he'd really have it made! He went to college nights (University of Chattanooga) and worked days for the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) When the opportunity to go to work for GE came up, we moved to New York State. He retired from GE a while back.

 

Karie,

Who is always awed at the struggles some really magnificent people have weathered just for the chance to better themselves. Sometimes I feel like I have had it so easy.

 

Thanks for sharing that Penny. And I hope your sister realizes now how lucky she was! and is!