QM2 November 18th 2006

[legospice]

Sue,

 

Its really annoying as on the return flight from Miami to London im allowed 2 23kg bags but on my domestic to Southampton only 1, really not fair, and creative packing is not the word, miracle packing would be more like it as i have a 8 night caribbean cruise after my 7 night crossing. I had previously enquired about Cunard shipping and they told me it would be £120 per 20kgs. one way. Way too much for me.

 

What's a girl to do

 

Donna

[legospice]

Calling Spike,

 

Welcome Spike, hope you find us ok.

 

Donna

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hullo - Lego (& others) and thanks for staring the thread!

 

As some may have seen on other posts of mine, the wife and I will be along for the trip on November 18 ... it is a surprise (or as Count Olaf sez ... "surpreeze") for our twentieth wedding anniversary, but I don't know how long I can hold out! :-)

 

(I have pulled-off some amazing surprises over the years and am typically the master of secrecy ... but this trip is going to be *SO GOOD* I am ready to give-in already and it is still four months away!)

 

Anyway, I can't wait for the experience of a crossing on the QM2 ... I know we will both have the time of our lives. Meeting any others from CC will be a treat as well. (We love making new friends and having folks with whom we can share the experience.)

 

If it's true about the crew lurking on these boards, then hopefully someone will hear my cry about cabin selection and HELP ME OUT! LOL

 

Am still in a quandary about whether to get a true balcony (A1 - A3), a hull balcony, or no balcony! (I think we do want to be able to see the ocean, this being our first time & all.)

 

Feel free to post or contact me directly ... send to admin AT thewantedplanetdotnet.

 

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

 

- Spike

[legospice]

Spike- Thats so cool that its a surprise, i hope you can keep the secret, although i cant help thinking about how on earth you are going to pack without her knowing. If she is anything like me she will want loads of nice new stuff to go with. I would love someone to surprise me with a cruise or any vacation come to that.

 

I say go with whatever cabin you are most comfortable paying, but remember the difference in $$ between a outside and a balcony can sometimes be quite a lot and think what the extra dollars could buy you and your wife. The first time we had a balcony on Celebrity it was a huge one on the back of the ship but we were in Alaska in September and weather wise we only used it twice, we said never again what a waste of money. But you know what they say, never say never, as i have just booked the cabin next door for our Hawaii trip in April. Its about $1100 each more expensive than an inside (thats equal to another cruise for me), so i hope we get our moneys worth this time.

 

So you are having another cruise just after the QM2, me too, we sail the same day we get in FT Lauderdale, i think its the case of prolonging the agony of going home and going back to work that makes me extend my vacations. im just not happy with 1 cruise, i have to have 2.

 

Speak to you soon

 

Donna

[Spike_Spiegel]

Donna -

 

Thanks so much for the additional thoughts.

 

As far as the surprise, I can't keep it a secret forever, I want her to have adequate time to prep ... but I want to play it out as long as I can ... perhaps I will dole out clues bit-by-bit as the Summer wanes.

 

I have managed a few impressive ones over the years ... for our third anniversary (we stayed at a heavenly bed & breakfast in a beautiful wintery Vermont) she never knew where we were headed until the train arrived!

 

I had a devil of a time picking the follow-on cruise ... thought about staying aboard QM2, but it was too many days, much pricier, and for a leisurely Caribbean "glide" it seemed like perhaps another ship might provide more "bang for the buck".

 

Wanted to book on one of Celebrity's M-class ships, but those trips are all longer, and the combination would have meant almost three full weeks away from kids and jobs ... as they say in the states: "ain't gonna happen."

 

Will be speaking withthe Cunard TA soon about all of the "cabin questions" ... so we'll see how illuminating is the experience. I'll keep you all posted!

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Just spoke with Dianne at Cunard (she is my "personal Cruise Vacation Planner"!).

 

:-)

 

She was very friendly and helpful, and I must admit to being very impressed thus far with the speed and level of service I have received from Cunard. If everyone aboard-ship is as eager to please, I know we are going to have a wonderful experience!

 

At this stage, I think we are going to stick with our "A3 Guarantee" booking and see where it goes ... we have until August to make changes without penalty ... but I am still soliciting opinions! LOL

 

- Spike

[legospice]

Hi Spike,

 

Cunards customer service certainly is the best we have come across over the years, they really do seem to care and giving us the options of making changes without penalty certainly helps a lot. We have had our return flight from Miami to London changed 3 times at no extra charge, we were expecting a fee for doing so and were fully prepared to pay for the changes, but Cunard wouldnt charge. Go Cunard.

 

I would be happy with the A3 guarantee, our TA said we couldnt book a guarantee and booked us a specific cabin number, i like guarantees and have been really lucky with them in the past with other cruiselines getting upgrades before final payment and then again at the pier. I always try and book one when i get the chance.

 

I would love to see your wifes face when you tell, her she will be over the moon. You are going to have a hard job topping this surprise if you do another surprise in the future. Although any surprise is better than no surprise at all.

 

Well i better go and do some work instead of daydreaming about cruises. Oh what the hell, i will do some work AND daydream about cruises.

 

Donna

[Spike_Spiegel]

Donna -

 

Here's to daydreaming!

 

:-)

 

I'm certain that the next four months will both 'fly by' as well as 'drag along at a snails pace' ... but at least we can all come here to the boards and comisserate!

 

So who is planning the onboard soiree' ?

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Lunch here today .... bell peppers & beef ...

 

Here's to something FAR more intoxicating aboard QM2 in just over four months!

[twalker]

I'm pleased to tell you that my wife and I will be joining you all on the QM2 on the 18th Nov. We live in Shrivenham which is located between Swindon and Oxford in the UK

 

We are doing the transatlantic and then transfering to the Zuiderdam for a week of caribbean sunshine :) We've sailed with Cunard before, but never with Holland America, so will be interesting to compare the two.

 

I am with legospice on the inside cabin front, always go for the cheapest cabins on the better ships, and go for two weeks instead of one!

 

Glad to see there are few youngsters onboard, (we are 38 & 40 and I'm sure we've been the youngest peaple on a couple of cruises we've been on!)

 

Anyway, thats all for now

 

Talk to you soon

 

Lee & Terri

[legospice]

Welcome aboard Lee and Terri,

 

I think it great we have younger ones onboard this cruise, my QE2 cruise there were only 3 people under 50 on it, and i was one of them, but it was still one of the liveliest cruises ive been on, you had to fight for a seat in the yacht club every night.

 

I think HAL compares well to Cunard with the classic design of the interiors, the age group and the service. I would say it is right between Cunard and Celebrity. I have never sailed on HAL, but have had a sneeky look onboard a couple of their ships. You will have a brilliant time.

 

I see from your past cruises "the carousel", thats a blast from the past, i sailed on her a couple of times just as a last minute round the Med, i knew the saftey officer so it was free so i cant knock it at all, i had a great time.

 

Spike- the beef and bell peppers sounds good, im sitting here with mac and cheese and dreaming its a nice fillet steak, roll on November....

 

Donna

[Spike_Spiegel]

Donna -

 

Box mac & cheese, or homemade?

 

(My wife makes it from scratch and it is quite delicious!)

 

BTW - the 'bell peppers & beef' was okay, but it is sort of an 'inside-inside' joke in reference to my screen name ...

 

I agree - November, wherefore art thou?

 

- Spike

[legospice]

Hi All,

 

Just checking in to see whats new.

 

Spike-it was boxed mac and cheese, i never seem to have any time to make the real stuff.

 

I upgraded my cabin on the second part of my trip (the RCCI one) got a good deal on a balcony guarantee but still no good deals to be had on the QM2, so its still steerage for me for the first part of the trip.

 

Been really busy at work, day of tommorow though so i can get some stuff done.

 

Donna

[Shellie1964]

Hi Legospice

I don't know if this will help or not but as a 'transfering' World Traveller passenger from a domestic flight to an international flight, won't the airline honour the higher 2 x 23kg luggage allowance that is permitted between UK and Miami? Just a thought......

Best Regards

Shellie

[legospice]

Hi Shellie,

 

Thanks for the advice,I was hoping i could get away with it that way, but as the domestic tickets were bought independantly and cunard supplies the international portion its not really considered a continuous journey. I will just have to wait it out and see as ive had 3 different answers from BA so far. The scariest one being that i would have to claim my bags at heathrow and recheck us and the bags back in for the next flight. Now i really dont fancy that at 6am in the morning.

 

Donna

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hey, all!

 

Is anyone familiar with the seeming "collection" of Crown Plaza hotel properties along Buckingham Gate?

 

I found (what appears to be) a very nice room rate for our night in London, and it is at one of those properties, but I can't seem to decipher how many different buildings and/or room types they operate in that area.

 

It is clear that they have some converted apartments they run as high-end suites, but I'm not clear on whether or not they also have a building there that is more of a traditional "hotel" ...

 

Also, while I'm on the subject, how long of a walk from there to Victoria Station ... and would I want to take a cab or can we just roll the bags there ourselves?

 

See ya!

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

By the way, for those of you interested in "ship stuff" ... I spent an hour or so at the book shop yesterday browsing through the coffee-table book: "Queen Mary 2: Birth of a Legend".

 

Although it is mostly a book about the construction of the QM2, it is beautifully photographed (and in great detail) ... and has some very interesting stories. If you'd like to learn more about the ship herself, it is a good place to start!

 

Does anyone know of any other reading material I might use to "whet the appetite" for our crossing?

[sirdavid]

Greetings to all,

I have just made up my mind to book this QM2 southern crossing. I live in Syracuse, New York and will fly over a couple of days early and visit friends in West Sussex prior to sailing. I am booked to sail out of Ft Lauderdale on Nov 26 on the Holland America "Westerdam" 7 day caribbean cruise. This is Dixeland Jazzfest at sea! I have not sailed on the QM2 but did do a crossing on the original QM (now in Long Beach)...giving my age away! I was born in the UK, in York and have lived in the States since 1962. I am a retired College Lecturer and a very "young" 70 years old (celebrated my birthday this March on a caribbean cruise.) My wife died last year so I will be travelling as a single passenger. I look forward to some traditional English food in the pub on the QM2. I hope a cruise critic get together is planned, it will be fun to meet you all.

[legospice]

Welcome sirdavid,

 

Nice to have you onboard for this transatlantic crossing with us. It must have been wonderful to sail on the original Queen Mary, i have only taken the tour while at long beach and loved it. This is why we wanted to sail the QM2, we have been on QE2, visited QM, so we just had to do this crossing, and with her sailing into Ft Lauderdale it opened up the chance to jump of her and jump on another ship (a few of us have had the same idea).

 

I dont know how close to the QE2 we will be in the Atlantic, but she sails from Southhampton the day before we sail and stops of at the Azores then continues to Ft Lauderdale getting in the same day as us. What do you think the chances are of the two Queens sailing tandem for part of the journey? How cool would that be.

 

Spike- Did you get your hotel in London sorted out? Sorry i couldnt help, didnt see your message. That book sounds great, i watched a programme on the making of the QM2 it was very interesting.

 

We will all have to decide on a meeting time and place so as we can get aquainted. Any suggestions anyone?

 

Donna

[pepperrn]

 

Also, while I'm on the subject, how long of a walk from there to Victoria Station ... and would I want to take a cab or can we just roll the bags there ourselves?

 

See ya!

 

- Spike

 

Hi Spike

 

I think I would walk to Victoria Station. Buckingham Gate is not a long road (goes from Buckingham Palace to the North to Victoria Street to the South). Go to Multimap.com enter "Great Britain & NI" in the top box and "Buckingham Gate London" in the lower box. Press "find". then zoom out (contols at the top) one step and there is Buckingham Gate and Victoria Station. Hope this works for you. Let me know.

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hullo, and thanks Donna & Pepper for the thoughts on the hotel!

 

I think we are all set for our day (and night) in London before the Queen sets sail on 18 November. I am looking forward to our trip with 'bated breath! (I dearly wish we could spend some more time in the UK, but that will have to wait for next time ... if we are fortunate, after the crossing we'll have some friends to visit!)

 

So very interesting to hear of the possible "rendezvous" with the QE2 ... that would be something!

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hear, hear to the hearty welcome for Sir David!

 

I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible onboard ... I do hope we can arrange for a gathering.

 

I hope this won't appear disrespectful (or too naive!) but is it truly Sir David, M.B.E. (or other)? If you are willing, I would love to hear you share some of your experiences with us while onboard. I'm sure you have some fascinating stories!

 

Take care, all!

 

- Spike

[sirdavid]

Sorry....no title! Just my late wife's sense of humor! But we could still swap stories over a pint in the pub!

David

[Spike_Spiegel]

Well, then pints it is!

 

What's your favorite beer or bitters, David? I'll buy the first round!

And does anyone know how broad the draft menu is at the Golden Lion?

 

- Spike

[Patch Nelson]

And does anyone know how broad the draft menu is at the Golden Lion?

 

I don't think it's that great ... but I have to confess to being a lager drinking philistine so I didn't pay the greatest of attention to it!