First transatlantic on QE2 (and first cruise!) - any advice?

[newtom]

HI everyone

 

After lurking for a few weeks and enjoying all the knowledge the board regulars have, I've joined up and want to say hi!

 

My wife and I (at 28 and 26 we seem quite young for the QE2 transatlantic based on what I'm reading! :D) are doing Southamption to NY in January. It's our first time on a liner and we've wanted to do it for as long as we can remember - the romance of sailing into NY on a Cunarder is just mind-blowing.

 

Have you any advice for the best way to make the most of our trip? We'll be in Mauretania class, late seating.

 

Mrs is a little worried about what to wear in the day. Have any of you got any advice for her, please?

 

Advice from the gents on attire would be most gratefully received too. I wear formal suits to work and as we both trained as classical musicians we're well equipped with formal evening wear, but the daytime dress code is a bit vague.

 

 

Finally, she's a bit worried about seasickness. What should I say to reassure her? :rolleyes:

[stowaway2k]

Hello, and welcome!

 

Please join the discussion on the Jan. crossing thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=435344

There are several of us on the Jan. crossing, and in the thread you can meet all of us on-line before you meet us on board.

 

Let the Mrs. know that as for sea sickness, if she believes she needs help, there are a few ways around it.

At any drug store she can find wrist bands that put a bit of pressure on the underside of the wrist. Many people swear by these, including pregnant women. These can be found with the usual pill remedies such as dramamine and bonine.

Pills are also available at the pursers office for a small fee. (they used to be complementary) A pill at bed time should be enough to get through the next day.

A step up would be the scopolomine transdermal patch, which would require a prescription. This is a patch about the size of a nickel which is worn behind the ear. You will see many people on board with these. They are effective only when applied before symptoms are felt. So, maybe, one can wear the patch for the first couple of days before finding one's sea legs.

And, if worse comes to worse (but let's not put this in her mind) she can join the dozens who will drag themselves down to the medical clinic (stairway C, deck 6...C6) for an injection that will put her to sleep for a few hours, wake up hungry, and then feel fine. There is a charge of around $70 give or take a few, I'm not sure exactly what it is.

Mostly, let's just get her to forget about mal de mer. Don't even think about it. forgetaboutit

 

Maybe some ladies can give some advise about daytime wear, but mostly it will come under the vague description of "resort casual" or "countryclub casual".... But don't forget the warm jacket, scarves and gloves for strolling the decks.

 

Once again, welcome, and see you over on the Jan. crossing thread :)

[pnhmrk]

My wife and I (at 28 and 26 we seem quite young for the QE2 transatlantic based on what I'm reading! :D)

 

I'd have been mid twenties when I crossed. I was one of the younger people on board, but not in a small minority.

 

Have you any advice for the best way to make the most of our trip?

 

Don't try to fit everything in - it's exhausting and you won't manage it. It's annoying to be asked "Didn't you do ....?" so spend some time last thing at night looking at your daily programme and planning your next day.

 

Advice from the gents on attire would be most gratefully received too.

 

It's January on the Atlantic - you won't want to wander around the ship in shorts or swimming trunks (a no no) but almost anything else is fine. I've heard the dress describes as country club casual and that is a title that fits. Think about wearing the kind of clothes you might wear for a casual Sunday lunch with the family.

 

Finally, she's a bit worried about seasickness. What should I say to reassure her? :rolleyes:

 

Tell her that rough weather is fun? It's great fun watching how they serve food in the dining room:) Tell her that if she does feel seasick she can get an injection that will work within a couple of hours. She then won't feel seasick for the rest of your voyage.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

I always find it more difficult to know what to wear during the day. The evenings are simpler as there are dress codes. I am a man in my thirties. This is what I wear during the day on QE2.

 

Beige trousers (Dockers or Austin Reed)

Smart Casual Shirt without a tie

Lambs wool sweater (if cold)

Black shoes

 

Possibly a littler boring but seems to fit in. If you want to go out on deck I would take some very warm clothes. Fleeces, waterproof jacket, scarf and gloves might be needed.

 

Hope this helps. Have a great time on QE2. I will never forget my first crossing on QE2.

 

Best wishes, Setphen.

[juliecat]

 

My wife and I (at 28 and 26 we seem quite young for the QE2 transatlantic based on what I'm reading! :D) are doing Southamption to NY in January.

 

I did my first transtlantic crossing when I was 32. As it was also my first time on a ship, it caused my standards for all future travel to be quite high. This will be my 7th time aboard QE2, and 9th on Cunard since 2000. It is rather fun being one of the youngest Platinum level members at the World Club parties. You will find some of the younger folks at the yacht club until quite late (they seem to keep it open as late as people want to stay)

 

It's our first time on a liner and we've wanted to do it for as long as we can remember - the romance of sailing into NY on a Cunarder is just mind-blowing.

 

There's nothing like sailing into Manhattan as the sun comes up. You'll never forget the experience.

 

 

Mrs is a little worried about what to wear in the day. Have any of you got any advice for her, please?

 

I tend to dress as I do for work: cashmere sweaters and trousers. No jeans or tennis shoes, sweat clothes are for the gym only. Sounds like you're set for formal evenings. Semiformal (or informal as it is sometimes called) can be confusing; I stick to cocktail dresses. Be sure to pack a wrap for evening as the dining room will either be a bit warm or quite chilly and you'll want options. Be sure to pack shoes you can dance in; ballroom dancing in the middle of the Atlantic is not to be missed.

 

 

Finally, she's a bit worried about seasickness. What should I say to reassure her? :rolleyes:

 

Last year's winter crossing was the first time I ever had seasickness. I purchased the pills from the Purser's office (open 24 hours) and was better the next morning. If you live in the UK or have a chance to stop at Boots on the way to the ship, you could probably get the pills (Stugeron) prior to embarkation and take them as a preventative.

 

There will be so many things going on and you're going to be tempted to overschedule yourself. Take some time out to sit in one of the comfy chairs outside the library reading a good book (and being distracted by the view of the sea). One of the best things about a crossing is that you have time to do nothing; your cell phone won't work, you can't check in with the office and your only responsibility is to make it to dinner ontime and properly dressed. I know I've had a good trip when the furrow between my brows disappears! You can linger over that second glass of champagne in the Chart Room and not worry about how you're going to get home. You will meet so many interesting people (including the infamous Winter Crossing Club) whom you will keep in touch with for years to come.

 

Hope to see you onboard,

Julia

[dougnewmanatsea]

My wife and I (at 28 and 26 we seem quite young for the QE2 transatlantic based on what I'm reading!

Last year's January crossing had a pretty even age spread from 16 to 90 or thereabouts. That actually rather surprised me. Very, very few children (only one that I recall) but aside from that there was no shortage of people in any age range.

 

I found this rather surprising, actually, as I thought the group would be much older. Of course there were plenty of people of, ahem, "mature years" but there were more than enough younger people to take them on ;) !

 

Have you any advice for the best way to make the most of our trip?

Go to the lectures! Go to the Captain's Cocktail Party and to any other parties you're invited to. At the Captain's Cocktail Party it is perfectly acceptable to walk around and mix and mingle and basically just start a conversation with anyone who looks interesting. Take advantage of this, it is a great way to meet people!

 

Of course when there is a Cruise Critic meeting set up (don't know if there is one yet) make sure you go to that and meet everyone. They will introduce you to other people, too. Before you know it you will have a large shipboard circle of friends, mostly experienced QE2 people who can show you what to do.

 

If you want to meet other liner enthusiasts, hang around the Bookstore! "Ship people" are bound to wander in to look at the latest ship books and so this is fertile ground for meeting new ship enthusiast friends.

 

Mrs is a little worried about what to wear in the day. Have any of you got any advice for her, please?

I will defer to our female members here but as a general rule,

"smart casual" is the order of the day (no pun intended). I think dressing in layers might be a good idea as it is liable to be chilly outdoors so she will want to have some warm clothing.

 

Advice from the gents on attire would be most gratefully received too.

I tend to go pretty casual - a nice shirt, some pants, brown shoes. Like I said, "smart casual".

 

If I want to dress it up a little I will put on a jacket - remember, it is cold anyway!

 

Some do wear a tie during the day. I don't but you certainly can if you want. I must admit that I really am not very fond of ties and I tend not to wear them unless it is really necessary.

 

At night... The first and last nights will be informal. Jacket and tie. You want a dinner jacket or at the very least a dark business suit (with tie of course) for the other four. That is, unless you want to be creative - you will often see Scotsmen wearing their kilts and military personnel (active or retired) wearing uniforms. But the vast majority, probably 90% plus, will wear a dinner jacket.

 

Finally, she's a bit worried about seasickness. What should I say to reassure her? :rolleyes:

Er... She's worried about seasickness and you chose a winter crossing ;) ?

 

Seriously, the suggestions above are all good ones. My mother is rather prone to mal de mer and she has always thought the pressure bands very effective. The next step, I think, would be meclizine which is a very effective oral medication that works very nicely for the vast majority of people. As a last resort you can go to the surgery and be administered "the shot" which has always been represented to me as an almost certain cure. Apparently it will knock you out for a few hours but you will be completely cured thereafter for at least several days. I should stress that it is quite unusual for it to be necessary to administer "the shot" but it is certainly good that it is available.

 

Last year's winter crossing was the first time I ever had seasickness.

Really? You did a very good job hiding it!

 

I purchased the pills from the Purser's office

They charge for them?

 

On HAL you can get them in the shops but at the Purser's Office they are free. In bad weather they will sometimes put out a nice crystal bowl of them, like candy ;) .

 

you could probably get the pills (Stugeron) prior to embarkation and take them as a preventative.

For a moment I thought that said sturgeon!

 

It seems Stugeron is cinnarizine, which I'd never heard of before, but it sounds very similar to meclizine which seems more widely known (and is the stuff dispensed on HAL, and well-known in the US as Bonine).

[guernseyguy]

Welcome aboard! As Kyle mentioned, don't forget to introduce yourselves to the other crossers on the January Crossing thread.

 

You've had plenty of excellent advice so far, so I'll only make a few suggestions of things that may not have been covered.

 

On boarding, check your cabin for a card that has your Dining assignment, then go to the Restaurant to make sure its what you asked for (Cunard often get mine wrong) and if its not, talk to the Maitre 'D at the front of the Restaurant to ask for a change. Similarly, if your Dining companions turn out to be a complete nightmare, ask for a change for the second night.

 

Because of her original 3 class design the ship can be a bit of a maze - good tip 'E' staircase goes 'Everywhere' you'll want to get to (more or less). Go exploring - get lost! In particular compare and contrast the original 3 class staircases A (Third), D (First) and G (Second).

 

Afternoon tea in the Queen's Room is a must - but get there by 3.30 (for 4.00) or all the tables will be gone - or go along at 4.30 as people leave.

 

I think the original First/Tourist feel still resonates - Upper Deck (for the 'lower classes' ;-) ) has the lively (aka noisy, smokey) Golden Lion Pub while Quarter Deck has the more sedate (aka quieter, and/or duller, depending on your p.o.v) Chart Room. Find the Princess Grill Bar (Champagne Bar) One Deck, Port, Forward - a little known bolt hole.

 

Don't be fooled by people's chronological age - some of the most interesting people I've met on Crossings have been in their 80s!

 

On Seasickness cabin location can help - you want to be low down and near the middle - so you may wish to mention this, depending on where you are!

 

Come along to one of the Winter Crossing Club get togethers - looking like Chart Room 10ish on Sailing Day - check the January thread for info.

 

See you onboard!

 

Peter

[juliecat]

They charge for them?

 

On HAL you can get them in the shops but at the Purser's Office they are free. In bad weather they will sometimes put out a nice crystal bowl of them, like candy ;) .

 

For a moment I thought that said sturgeon!

 

They used to give them out free outside the doctor's office or you could get them from your cabin steward. Now you have to sign an informed consent form about allergies and drug interactions. Looks like the lawyers ruined another perk.

 

I think I referred to them Sturgeon myself while I was taking them; strange side effect?

 

Julia

[planetcadillac]

HI everyone

 

After lurking for a few weeks and enjoying all the knowledge the board regulars have, I've joined up and want to say hi!

 

My wife and I (at 28 and 26 we seem quite young for the QE2 transatlantic based on what I'm reading! :D) are doing Southamption to NY in January. It's our first time on a liner and we've wanted to do it for as long as we can remember - the romance of sailing into NY on a Cunarder is just mind-blowing.

 

Have you any advice for the best way to make the most of our trip? We'll be in Mauretania class, late seating.

 

Mrs is a little worried about what to wear in the day. Have any of you got any advice for her, please?

 

Advice from the gents on attire would be most gratefully received too. I wear formal suits to work and as we both trained as classical musicians we're well equipped with formal evening wear, but the daytime dress code is a bit vague.

 

 

Finally, she's a bit worried about seasickness. What should I say to reassure her? :rolleyes:

 

Well I will be travelling with my grandparents but otherwise I will be solo most of the voyage. I am the ripe old age of 30 so feel free to look me up onboard if you want age appropriate activities lol. This is my third transatlantic on the QE2 but the first for the Winter crossing and first since I joined Cruise Critic. I have done other Cruise Critic voyages and everyone was interesting. Cunard is different than the other lines in so far as the people tend to be very bonding like a fraternity. Cruise lines in general promote socialization among passengers so unless you specifically request a table for two in the dining room or go out of your way to be out of the way be prepared for a lot of interaction. You can share outdoor tables, people will talk to you spontaneously and the like. Thats the best part of the experience, aside from the ship itself in the case of QE2.

[bobby1119]

Welcome to the boards!

 

Dress is casual during the day. I imagine on the winter crossing anything from khakis or cords to jeans would be OK. I tend to roam around in jeans or shorts (warmer weather). If I decide to go to the formal dining room for lunch, then I change into khaki's and a nice shirt. If I eat in the Lido, I remain in shorts or jeans. Outside, think layers. I always take a fleece polartec, a hooded windbreaker (anorak), a sweatshirt, etc. and it works well. Evening is a snap because there is a dress code. The ship in the evening is very dressy and restrained. There are many remedies for seasickness as noted in the messages of iur fellow members. I enjoy watching the ship pitch and roll while beholding the magnificence of the seas. QE2 was built for the worst weather and she performs solidly, even in the most trecherous seas.

 

Most importantly, enjoy one of the last experiences to cross the Atlantic on the last remaining true bloodblooded liner, the most famous ship in the world!