Some stupid QM2 questions....

[CruiseVirginfromBrooklyn]

After years of trying, my wife and I FINALLY talked my parents into joining us on a cruise and we agreed that we would take a cruise out of New York, reasoning being that we all live in NYC and my Dad really hates to fly. We are going to book a holiday cruise for 2005 - the only problem is that our choices will be limited to NCL or Cunard. I have no problem spending the extra money to take the QM2 but, after reading some less than great reviews about it...I am a bit worried. Would those of you who have actually sailed upon the QM2 please answer the following questions:

 

1) From what I'm reading, the class system seems to be very much alive on Cunard. For those who have sailed upon the QM2 - is there oblivious differences in the level of service? We always book balcony cabins at minimum but, we do book suites too. The main question - if we book mere balcony cabins are we going to receive the same treatment as if we book a Princess Grill or even Queen's Grill suite?

 

2) We are "foodies" - meaning part of the enjoyment of taking a cruise is enjoying good quality food. We are unimpressed by quantity if the quality isn't there. Reviews of the food are all over the place - some reviews rave about it others say it leaves much to be desired. While food is subjective to personal opinion - I would like honest, straight forward answers. Should we expect the food to be equal to that of Denny's or some other chain restaurant or can we expect the food to be more like a good to excellent local restaurant with good quality food for the price?

 

3) Lastly, can you honestly recommend the QM2 without hesitation? If not, why would not particularly recommend this ship?

 

- A bit about us (just to give you an idea if we'll blend) - I am a professional photographer, my wife is a surgeon, my dad is a retired executive from a major Wall Street firm, and my mom was a school teacher prior to marrying my dad. We all enjoy top NYC restaurants such as the Water Club, the River Cafe (Brooklyn), and other similar restuarants. We all occassionally eat fast food and have no problem occassionally eating at a diner or coffee shop. My wife and I have never set foot into a Wal-mart, nor do we intend to do so - Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman are my wife's favorite stores but, also shops at Sears or JC Penney for certain items. We are not party animals but, we certainly don't go to bed at pm while on a cruise ship.

 

Sooooooo.....that's a bit about us - your honest feedback will be deeply appreciated and don't be afraid to recommend NCL over Cunard, it's very much still in the running....

 

THANKS!

[Jane Pond]

OK, at the risk of being shot; and I did try and email you, have you considered Seabourn?

 

Jane in PHL (booked on the QM2 for February)

[CruiseVirginfromBrooklyn]

Well, I know my wife and I are planning to try Seabourn however, my Mom is the type that gets seasick fairly easily and, I know she'll be better off on a larger ship. But thanks for the suggestion!!

[transat_jon]

I was on QM2 earlier this year and do recommend her. She is the perfect choice for a first cruise and gives a good starting point to choosing your next one!

 

I do not think that there is such difference between quality of service in the different grades, more in how much you get....what I mean is that in the Brittania restaurant you will have two waiters between say six tables, in Princess Grill you will possible get one per table and in Queens Grill it is getting on for one per person according to what I have heard. Service will be swifter and more attentive in the higher grades because of this.

 

It will be the same in the kitchens. Hence the Brittania food is very good but each plate is not lovingly prepared by a single chef individually : they probably do 30 servings at a time. In Queens Grill your chef will be ensuring that your plate is a good as it can possibly be. Also the higher the "class" the wider menu options you get.

 

Size and quality of cabins varies of course. Again the same story, there is nothing wrong with the "cheap seats" but the higher grades and suites start to offer something very different and special.

 

When we were on board the age range of other passengers ranged from about 40 to about 100+. We are in our thirties and did notice this. Most Cunard passengers tend to be well educated and travelled which means you will meet many different and interesting people.

 

However, QM2 cannot fail to impress you. It is a perfect choice for a first cruise as there are so many ammenities on board and quality is good. I would go for Princess Grill in your case to ensure the added attention to the food preparation.

 

NCL would be a disapointment in comaprison.

 

She still does not have the magic QE2 though : there is someting really special about QE2. In comparison QM2 is just another big, very compitent, modern ship. QE2 is not for everyone though, she is old and sometimes a bit jaded at the edges.

[Jane Pond]

It really is dependent on the construction of the ship, not the size, that determines its stability. That at the 'motion of the ocean'. I don't think that the smaller vessels are more prone to being more wobbly. And of course, the placement of a scopalomine patch 4 hours before setting foot on the ship can alleviate most fears <G>.

 

Jane in PHL

[BorderLady]

If you're not willing to leave NYC to board a ship...

 

And your priorities are fine food, excellent service and interesting fellow travelers, then I second Jon's recommendation --- consider QE2.

 

But, if you're inclined toward the new glitzy ship that everyone talks about, book the QM2 -- but only in Queen class and plan to dine several times in the Todd English restaurant. (That way, you'll at least have good things to eat.)

[wripro]

i did a round trip transatlantic in october and november sailing in princess grill. no matter what anyone says there is a huge difference between the grills and brittania. just ask any waiter who's worked in both and he or she will tell you. yes, some of the menu items are the same but they are prepared differently, served differently. in addition, the atmosphere is much more intimate. in either grill you;ll have three waiters, plus the attentions of the maitre d; and assistant maitre d'. you can also order anything you want off the menu so if you're foodies it's a pleasant chore to come up with things you'd like to eat. on our first day aboard we told the maitre d' we wanted dover sole for lunch the next day and his response was of course, but that's no challenge for me. having said all this i would also recommend the princess grill over the queens grill. we had friends sailing in queens grill and the service in both was identical as was the layout of the restaurant. the main difference is in QG the lamps are gold and in PG they are silver. in fact, PG has fewer passengers (180 to 230 i think). also you can use the QG lounge as a PG passenger which is nice for drinks and tea. it's a small intimate lounge. and in both grill you have use of the concierge lounge. (of course the suites in QG are larger, but the junior suites in PG were lovely and i'm not easy top please.) does all this make it sound like there's a class system aboard? not really, because other than the areas i mentioned above everyone can go all over the ship. but make no mistake about it, you will have a differrent experience in either of the grill rooms than you will in brittania. for some people that makes no difference. only you can judge what is right for you.

[rkacruiser]

I agree with BorderLady, if you have a Britannia Restaurant stateroom, be certain to dine at Todd English at least once. While I was pleased with the service in Britannia, the service received at Todd English was more personal, a menu that was(for me) more appealing and more gourmet than most of the dinner menus in Britannia, and the entire dinner was delicious and delightful.

[imacruizer]

CruiseVirginFromBrooklyn, I, too would recommend you give the QM2 a try. However, you do not mention the age or mobility of your parents. The QM2 is a huge ship which requires quite a bit of walking. We loved the walking and the oportunity to explore such a beautiful and interesting ship. But the sheer size of the QM2 could be a challenge for some people.

 

From your comments, I feel you might enjoy one of the Grills more than the Britannia.

 

The spa is amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed the guest lecturers, the Rada productions, and the evening entertainment. If you enjoy ballroom dancing, the Queens Room is lovely in the evening. Afternoon tea was also very pleasant each afternoon.

[toras]

Just got back from the QM2. Outside of the cabins and restaurents, (and 1 small lounge and 1 small sundeck), it does not matter whether you are a Grill passenger or not. You use the same pool, same theatre seats, same observation deck etc.

 

As for the food, I found it to be better than what I've had on Princess and RCL cruises. I will be writing a review with lots of notes on the food, look for it in the review section in a couple of days.

[CruiseVirginfromBrooklyn]

Thanks for all the input folks, looks like we're going to give Cunard a try!

[carnivaljunkie]

We were on the November 16-26 carribean cruise out of New York. We were in an inside cabin and ate in the Bratania dining room. The food for the most part was equivalent to a good restraunt. Not five star but upscale. Deffinitely much better than Denny's. I talked with people who were in a suite and dined in the queen's grill and it definitely sounded five star. I saw their suote and it was definitely much better than my inside. However, mine was $1500 per person and theirs was $7500 per person. I think I got my money's worth but would have been disapointed with theirs at five times the price. As for the stability of the ship, we had 40 to 45 knot winds coming from the stern and then shifting to the side. The swells from the side were ranging to 20 feet plus and there was practically no roll to the ship. On calm days you only knew you were moving if you could see out a window or were on deck. If you decide on a cabin with Britania dining you can always go to Todd English if you are not satisfied with the Britania food. There are also several options at King's Court. Dean

[Rotterdam]

As a fellow New Yorker - I love Bergdorf & Saks & Grammercy Tavern is my favorite restaurant. That being said I've sailed on QE2 & QM2 Princess Grill - I usually prefer the Princess rather than Queen's Grill due to value of cost.....I was very happy with the quality of service, food & accomodations.

 

The Brittania is a fine restaurant but think of a very large catering hall serving many hundreds of meals in assigned times. The Grills you walk in & enjoy a leisurely well presented meal.

 

Saying that - I am sailing on the Norwegian Dawn for New Years....& at this point I wish I hadn't. The timing is good for us & not flying was the deciding factor. The casual dress code is different - I just hope the service & food is passible.

 

Cunard (either way is the better choice).

[CharlotteVale]

Hello Rotty!!!!

 

Where have you been? I saw a post somewhere about Champagne...... Just so you know the last bottle of one of the most famous Champagnes in the world was finished on a Cunard ship last month.... Will not tell you who drank it of course! Ah... you, me, M.B., some British friends, some German friends... "A Night To Remember"

 

As to the NCL Dawn. I was on it last year and found it fine. Being in the Garden Villa helped a bit.... Even made it to the Engine Room. If you want to post an Email address I can send a few messages to the ship and Miami and let them know you are coming. But if you do you must state something so I know it is you.... Like... what is restaurant week? Who is the Bartender in the Queen's Grill Lounge? Stuff like that...

 

The spectators are in fine order!

 

Miss Vale

[Rotterdam]

I too hope all is well with you....I will forward an email to you.......also- did you see the NYC - Rio cruise on QM2 January 2006?????? Sounds like destiny to me............

 

The Dawn will be a respite & rest...I will be in surgery shortly after our return & pre op stuff prior to sailing...so it will work out fine...believe it or not I'm not up to shopping!!!!!!!

 

So I'll deck the halls & stare at the tree...(Dr. gave permission to have wine ..so.......cha cha cha). The champagne is chilling(did you see today's Wall street Journal wine column for the holidays?)

 

One day I'll do the holiday cruise, but family takes priority now.

 

My email is Northfork58@yahoo.com

[Rotterdam]

That bottle of champagne was very fortunate to meet its end in such wonderful company aboard such a fine ship!