QM2 November 18th 2006

[Spike_Spiegel]

Welcome Clive!

 

By the way, for anyone who may be interested, there is a very useful thread where a fellow CC member has posted a sample of the entire "Daily Programme" from their recent crossing on the QM2 ...

 

This is *just* the sort of thing we had been hoping to find ... gives you a good feel for the daily goings-on ... and just a cursory review has the wife more excited than ever! (She is positively giddy over the cooking demonstrations with the onboard chefs!)

 

Thread is here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=400657

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hey, all!

 

Since the VSOE transfer from London to Southampton has now been cancelled, I am considering options for the transfer. Anyone have an estimate for how much the private car services (such as Woodford) cost?

 

Anyone else traveling that way on Saturday the 18th and perhaps interested in sharing a car service? Other suggestions?

 

- Spike

[legospice]

Hi Spike,

 

Sorry i cant help on the prices of a private transfer but i would imagine it would be quite a bit, Cunard were offering Sedan and Deluxe Sedan transfers from London city centre for £235/£328 per car and motorcoach for £49 per person. Cant see it being much cheaper elsewhere, i would reckon around the £200 mark.

 

Im quite annoyed about the VSOE transfer as when we booked the crossing (june 2005) we enquired about the transfer and they said it was not running that day, when the ships date was changed i called again and they said the same- not running. I have heard the same stories about differnet dates and sailings as well, i wish they would advertise is better then they might get some people interested. I would love to have taken the trip.

 

Gonna go and get some work done now as ive let things slide a bit as ive been dead busy at work.

 

Donna

[spinnaker]

Firstly, this is my first post, so hello and apologies if I make any mistakes!

 

I was intrigued to read people saying how cheaply they got their cruises (legospice, you said that the food you eat on a cruise would probably cost around £100+ a day anywhere else (completely agree) and that cruising costs around half of that a day. I can't seem to get any deals anywhere near that! What am I doing wrong?! Any thoughts appreciated. I am hoping to join this cruise if I can find a TA with a really good offer...

 

Many thanks,

spinnaker

 

P.S. I am a past passenger but not since '93! Cunard says that I am still eligible for all past passenger deals though

[Mike Colley]

Firstly, this is my first post, so hello and apologies if I make any mistakes!

 

I was intrigued to read people saying how cheaply they got their cruises (legospice, you said that the food you eat on a cruise would probably cost around £100+ a day anywhere else (completely agree) and that cruising costs around half of that a day. I can't seem to get any deals anywhere near that! What am I doing wrong?! Any thoughts appreciated. I am hoping to join this cruise if I can find a TA with a really good offer...

 

Many thanks,

spinnaker

 

If your in uk try http://www.cruiseclassified.com they had this cruise at £999 last week i wanted to go on it but wifes sick of transatlantic and won,t come lol hope this helps

mike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Spin -

 

Well, I am new to this (and only have the current experience as a guide) but I presumed it to be normal:

 

I did see other prices around the Internet lower than the stated prices at Cunard's website ... however, I felt more comfortable going "straight to the source" as it were, so I decided to at least ask for a quote.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the price they (Cunard) quoted me was actually significantly LOWER than the "early booking" rates quoted on their website. (I have also been very pleased with the Cunard customer service representatives.)

 

So before you try anything else, you may want to give Cunard a call, and see what they quote you for a trip.

 

Good luck!

 

- Spike

[legospice]

I agree with Spike, get a price from Cunard, you will get a 5% past passenger discount, then call a few TA's (online ones and high street ones) and get a price of the first one, then phone the next one, and the next one, always quoting the lowest price you have been given, and they all reckon they will beat anyone elses quote but if they cant, ask then what incentives they have to make you book with them rather than the cheapest one. It worked for this trip for me my online TA i normally use was the cheapest but an independant TA in town was £10 more but gave us on board credit of $500, now after the change of dates in the sailing we have another $100 OBC, so $600 for the sake of £10 extra sounded to good to turn down.

 

Hope you have some joy, i know that the average for this crossing including flight back to the uk for us uk passengers in an inside cabin was around the £650 mark. Go to cunard website and subscribe for special offers.

 

Donna

[spinnaker]

Thank you all for your very helpful (and swift!) replies.

 

I shall get trawling and see what joy I have!

 

Spinnaker

[Mike Colley]

Thank you all for your very helpful (and swift!) replies.

 

I shall get trawling and see what joy I have!

 

Spinnaker

 

 

spin 1 last thing i know its dangerous to discuss wot yu paid but today 31st yu can get b4 balcony ffor the transatlantic and the following cruise for 1199

good luck

mike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hey, again!

 

Got a *very* nice email from Cheryl at Woodford car service. (Seems a wonderful person, by the way!)

 

QUOTE:

- - - - - - -

Central London to: Southampton

£140 GBP (about $270 USD)

... this journey will take 2 hours and you will be dropped right at the terminal door.

 

The above prices are PER VEHICLE and not per person.

This is for a personal meet and greet service in high quality MPVs (multi-passenger vehicles) or Mercedes saloon cars.

- - - - - - - -

 

So if you ride share with another couple, that works out to about $35 pounds each, or less than $70 (US) per person. Pretty good for private service, if you ask me! (And I have seen very positive reviews of Woodford around the CC site.)

 

So - anyone want to share a ride on Saturday the 18th?

 

:-)

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Where did everybody go??

 

:-)

 

Just thought I'd touch base with all of you and remind you that we are rapidly approaching the "two months away" mark!

 

(Sorry, just a bit excited.)

 

- Spike

[legospice]

Hi spike,

 

Ive been work, work, working and to make things work when i got paid today, the boss forgot to pay me for my extra shifts that i worked, never mind i will get them next week.

 

Good price on the transfers spike, id jump at that price.

 

Maybe Maria will be able to help me out with a dilema i have, is the no white after Labour day fashion rule still going as i was going to take a white pair of linen trousers to lounge about in during the day, or would it be a big fashion faux-pas, dont want the whole US contingent on the ship laughing at the unfashionable stupid brit in white. Also i was going to wear them on my second part of the trip round the caribbean on a casual night. Yes or no.

 

Ten weeks on Saturday and counting every minute, and penny, (gotta have all the cash for the casino).

 

Speak to you soon

 

Donna

[surprisedwifey]

Donna,

I'm not exactly the fashion police but I'm having trouble deciding what to pack too with the first part of our trip being cold and the last week being hot. Anything that can be worn more than once and in both climates in ok by me. Go for the white linen pants and wear them all you like.

I finally found shoes to go with all my formals( I got a new red sparkly dress last week) . Now I have to practice walking in heels HA! What are you planning on wearing during the day? I still have some shopping to do.

Can't wait for this trip!

Maria

[mlleach]

Andrea and I may be joining you. Will know next week. It will be our 1st transatlantic.

Mary Lynn (ML)

[Spike_Spiegel]

Donna -

 

Yes - UGH! - I had my horribly busy week last week ... to be followed by another horribly busy week starting tomorrow!

 

But knowing that our crossing is just a shade over two months away makes it all bearable ...

 

BTW - whether you're just waking up (across the pond) or will be starting your Monday in 8 hours or so ... no matter your politics, you might want to take a moment today and murmur a prayer or simply loft a reverent thought ... hard to believe 5 years have passed since 9/11.

 

- Spike

[Spike_Spiegel]

Almost forgot - -

 

We have booked a car from London to Southampton on the 18th with Woodford. I presume we would be leaving sometime in the late-morning ... 11-ish?

 

Would love to have some folks along for conversation - if anyone decides they would be interested in sharing the trip, either post here or email me at:

admin-at-thewantedplanet-dot-net

 

Ciao!

 

- Spike

[mlleach]

Just found out yesterday, we are confirmed for this sailing. This will be our first on Cunard and first transatlantic. Looking forward to this different experience.

ML

[legospice]

Welcome aboard Mary Lynn,

 

Glad you decided to join us all on this fantastic crossing. It is also our first time on the QM2 but we have been on 2 transatlantics in the past one being on the QE2 and on on the Splendour of the seas and both crossings were brilliant, plenty on time to relax and enjoy the ship. Im sure you will have a wonderful time with all us cruise critic folks.

 

Maria- during the day im going to be wearing linen pants (black, pink, white and probably my red ones as well) and mix and match them with a few black or white tops, im trying so hard to keep the luggage down on during the day stuff so as i can bring all my favourite shoes and night time outfits.

 

As the ship is coming out of dry dock and wont have any passengers on board do you think that they will let us board early as BA has changed the time of our flight to Southampton, we now arrive at 9am and its only 15 mins from the airport to the ship.

 

Gotta go to work now, Speak soon

 

Donna

[mlleach]

Hi Donna

We love sea days so we are really looking forward to this sailing.

ML

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hello, all!

 

Two months and counting!

 

Donna - are you pre-booking any of your spa visits? Is it advisable to do so?

 

Also, is anyone planning on a Todd English reservation ... as I understand that cannot be pre-booked, can it? (The big question for me will be what night to plan that ... decisions, decisions ...)

 

Talk to you all soon, I hope!

 

- Spike

[sirdavid]

Greetings to all,

We have now confirmed our plans and are confirmed in an A2 Deluxe Balcony 11069. We also got our confirmation to see "The Mousetrap" in London!

There was a period in history when Cunard Line was merged with BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) - one of the very early associations between privately and state owned companies. At that time, I was a young Buffalo-based Sales Manager for BOAC. My wife and I were privileged to have been able to sail in First Class accommodations on the original Queen Mary from Southampton to New York. This was back in April of 1966.

Therefore this crossing will bring back many memories and many new ones will be formed.

I am attaching a digital picture of Baiba and me, taken this past March on the HAL MS Volendam. Perhaps this will help put a face with a name when we board!

Keep counting those days!

David

[Spike_Spiegel]

Lovely photo, Sir D!

 

I'm sure that you will have a wonderful time reliving old memories and creating new ones. Although you'll undoubtedly be more busy now that you have a traveling companion, my offer still stands to buy you a pint in the Golden Lion sometime while we're aboard!

 

Any other news out there? We are currently trying to choose a place to dine in London Friday evening (the 17th). We love eating out, and enjoy variety ... we are trying to find someplace nice, fun, tasty, yet not terribly pricey. (The rest of the trip more than makes up for the "splurging" portion of the anniversary!).

 

Suggestions are welcomed!

 

- Spike

[sirdavid]

Hi Spike,

We can always find time for a beer or two!

We are going to eat at a Reataurant called " Porters English Restaurant" in Covent Garden....I cannot recomend from my own experience, but friends like it. Check out the web page with menu's etc. www.porters.uk.co

We have bought a dinner and show package. We will be down on the south coast at Lancing in Sussex for the 17th.

David

[travel-to-go]

 

We are currently trying to choose a place to dine in London Friday evening (the 17th). We love eating out, and enjoy variety ... we are trying to find someplace nice, fun, tasty, yet not terribly pricey.

- Spike

 

In ENGLAND? home of culinary boredom (if you're lucky, disasters if you're not!) (She said, ducking <G>)

 

England isn't know for its DRINKING pubs for their food, you know!

 

XXXXX,

who shall remain anonymous <G>

[pnhmrk]

In ENGLAND? home of culinary boredom (if you're lucky, disasters if you're not!) (She said, ducking <G>)

 

I Missed! So it's just as well you were ducking:D

 

The Savoy used to do some very good pre/post theatre dining packages. Very good food and not that expensive (for the Savoy).