Your first Cunard experience

When was your first Cunard and was there something about it you will never forget?

 

My first was 10 years ago today! I boarded the QM2 for the eastbound TA from NY (Manhattan) to Southampton. When I arrived at the pier all I could see of the ship was her bow. It was also my first time in NYC. I did not actually "see" the ship until I disembarked at the QEII terminal in Southampton and I was headed for the Holiday Inn to meet family.

In the six days I was overwhelmed and didn't completely see all areas of the ship until I returned the following year.

A lot of people complain about the Brooklyn cruise terminal but the beauty of arriving there is "my ship" is dead ahead as we come up the drive. I've been using the same driver for years and he always hears as we make the turn into the gates, "Isn't she gorgeous".

Trip #17 is later this year.

Mine was a 2 night cruise to nowhere on QE2 in November 1991.

 

From what I remember we wizzed around like mad things and really did not see anything. We loved the old yacht club with the glass piano :)

10 day Caribbean in 2004. I'd wanted to see what a cruise was like and with all the publicity over QM2 entering service she looked like a good choice. She docked in Manhattan then and what a sight she was as the car approached down the West Side Highway. I was impressed with the elegance of the ship but never having sailed before there was no personal basis for comparison.

 

Didn't really get hooked until my second voyage in 2010 and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Ours was quite recent, only 2009. It was a 7 day cruise to the fjords. Like Iannp we could only see a tiny section of Queen Victoria from the Ocean terminal windows as we boarded. When we got off at Stavanger, our first port, and looked back at this enormous ship towering over the town, we were stunned! We hadn't realised just how big she is.

I too have that feeling of pride and excitement still when I see 'my Vicky'. More so than the other two, though any Cunarder is a fantastic sight. She is still our 'first love'.

We went and watched the three queens departing Southampton yesterday. They looked so much nicer sailing out than the great hulk that is the new Anthem of the Seas and tiny, elderly Balmoral that both proceeded the three queens out.

When was your first Cunard and was there something about it you will never forget?

 

My first was 10 years ago today! I boarded the QM2 for the eastbound TA from NY (Manhattan) to Southampton. When I arrived at the pier all I could see of the ship was her bow. It was also my first time in NYC. I did not actually "see" the ship until I disembarked at the QEII terminal in Southampton and I was headed for the Holiday Inn to meet family.

In the six days I was overwhelmed and didn't completely see all areas of the ship until I returned the following year.

A lot of people complain about the Brooklyn cruise terminal but the beauty of arriving there is "my ship" is dead ahead as we come up the drive. I've been using the same driver for years and he always hears as we make the turn into the gates, "Isn't she gorgeous".

Trip #17 is later this year.

 

1996 on the Cunard Countess - On boarding a staff member with white gloves invited us to take a glass of real Champagne, another offered to carry my DW vanity case (they were fashionable then), then escorted us to our stateroom, and opened the door. A gratuity was politely declined.

:)

My one time on Cunard (hoping it wasn't the last) was on QV in Nov 13 on board for my first holiday in 7 years and celebrating my 48th birthday. I met so many lovely people, treated like a princess. I was invited to dine with the Captain (Inge) also to dine with the food and beverage manager David Lea and also invited to the senior crew cocktail party. I have no idea why I was chosen to attend but wow, an amazing experience and several things ticked off the bucket list!! The ship is beautiful and very comfortable, seemed to be lots of space and well, just absolutely wonderful!!!

Eight night "Romantic Caribbean" NYC-St Maarten-Martinique-St Thomas-NYC cruise on the almost brand new QM2 June 11-18, 2004. We had a grand time which encouraged us to travel on QM2 another dozen times since then. Highlights of the first cruise included an upgrade to a QG cabin, a suicide (most of a night spent backtracking and searching, unsuccessfully), a med evac rendezvous with a Coast Guard helicopter from Puerto Rico (patient OK, but more time lost), returning at 29 knots until it became clear that we could never make up all the time lost (we arrived back about six hours late).

RMS Queen Mary. 1950. NYC to Southampton via Cherbourg......in 5 days. A trip that now takes 8 days. Progress.:D

Our first trip was August/September 2008 Southampton to Athens and back in QE2's final season.

I loved the first sight of the ship in Southampton -and still love the first sight of a ship on any cruise.

Queen Mary 2 2004 Inaugural Caribbean was my first Cunard Voyage. I had only one other cruise on Royal Carib. before this voyage. I call it a voyage because traveling on Cunard was far more than a cruise. It was day after day of discovery as to how a ship works, how service can be so appreciated by myself, and eating. I don't think I ever ate so much great food in my life. I had the best time meeting people from all over the world. The staff I encountered on this voyage I still remember by name. I remember an assistant Maitre D that got off the ship in port to get me something I requested at dinner and served it to me the next dinner! I remember my balcony and the view of sun rises with coffee and sunsets with a glass of wine at sea. The fantastic shows, great bars to drink at with friends to meet no matter where you go. I remember dressing in a Tux and almost cursing because I could not get my bow tie tied until my room steward saved the day. Then we both had a great laugh about it. I remember a Sommelier who did not realize I spoke fluent French. The argument was epic, and now looked back on a great fun. I remember trying to figure out how many squares of toilet paper can be sucked into the toilet from the wall mounted roll on one flush. I can go on.

Needless to say, I got hooked and started planning more Cunard Voyages.

October 1962 on Queen Elizabeth with my parents. They had taken the year off to travel around the world, and we had got off the P&O Iberia in Longbeach, and had spent 3 months traveling around the US on Greyhound buses. We had almost run out of money, and were sleeping on the bus or in sleazy motels. Finally we got to New York, and I had my first glimpse of the Queen Elizabeth from the top of the Empire State Building, berthed next to the France.

 

I still remember that instead of climbing up a rickety gang plank, the gangway was not from the dock, but a horizontal one from the building. I knew this was going to be a classy trip! I have fond memories of Mum and Dad getting all dressed up in their formal clothes every night, I thought they were quite the best looking couple on the whole ship. Thanks to my mother's handiwork I won the fancy dress competion first prize which included a Queen Elizabeth sailor doll, a small model of the ship, and best of all, a trip to the bridge where the captian allowed me to "steer" the ship.

 

In October of 2012 I did a westbound crossing on QM2 to celebrate 50 years of Cunard travel. That trip was every bit as magical as my first :)

Ours was towards the end of QE2's life and was disasterous.

 

Our cabin carpet was constantly soaking wet from the torrent of water pouring through the ceiling from above - yet nobody would do anything about it. We had to use our towels so we didn't ruin our shoes. Our toilet leaked all over the bathroom floor and we were told it was an old ship and given more towels!

 

Our Sommelier in the Caronia restaurant, was Blatantly rude to our friends and refused to serve us the wine we had ordered and were charged for. She tookit to an ice buck RUGHT over the other side of the room, out if sight to us! Eventually, after an hour, of asking, we had to insist the Head Waiter brought it to the table so we could serve ourselves. Our breakfast took over 90 minutes to arrive on the last day.

 

On the other hand we enjoyed Afternoon Tea in the Queen's Room and the Yacht Club.

 

I was glad to see QE2 go, and delighted with QM2 when we tried her the first time.

Edited May 4, 2015 by cruiseluvva

Roundtrip transatlantic on QE2 in the Fall of 1979.

The thrill of a high speed 5 night voyage despite storms with 60' waves that took out a window in Tables of the World.

Westbound TA on QM2 June 2014

 

It was a birthday present from me to the Mr for his birthday in 2013, a crossing which included his birthday in 2014 .. and turned out to be part of our honeymoon trip - somewhat spontaneous wedding in May 2014.

 

The attraction was the QM2 herself and the 'voyage' as a way to travel from UK to NYC.

 

The big memory is seeing the Narrows Bridge loom briefly out of the thick fog before disappearing again. Also sunset molecular cocktails in the Commodore Club looking out over the bow before the blinds were lowered in the evening.

 

Getting a spot on the behind the scenes tour was the icing on the cake - While not a ship nerd, the Mr has a wide interest in things of an engineering nature so it was a highlight for him (and me).

 

Given that port intensive cruising does not appeal to us - that TA may be the only voyage we take. If we lived in Europe or the US I'd take a TA every year ….

 

Now to wean myself off this dammed forum…..

Thank you Safarigal for your lovely, evocative memories.

Gwenn.

Our introduction to Cunard was a crossing from Southampton to New York in October 1973. (We had gone to Britain on the SS France.) We were expected to sail at mid-day, but because of some problem on the eastbound crossing, our departure was delayed by 12 hours. It was shortly after midnight when we left the beautiful Ocean Terminal for this short crossing. We arrived in New York on time, so it was just four and a half days. Speeding along at 31 knots with a 30-knot head-wind was exhilarating. We would never experience anything like that again.

 

Our last crossing on QE2 was just a few months before its last in 2008. Unlike "Cruiseluvva" we had a very pleasant wine steward and a dry cabin:).

When was your first Cunard ...

September 2006, Queen Mary 2 West-Bound Crossing.

 

Supposed to be a "one-off"/"never-to-be-repeated"/"once-in-a-lifetime" voyage, as I'd wanted to take a Cunard Liner across the Atlantic since I was a child (when I saw the great liners in Southampton).

 

I was totally hooked by QM2 the moment I stepped into the Grand Lobby for the first time. If I could sail only on QM2 for the rest of my days, and no other ship, I'd die a happy man :) .

 

By time I had walked to my cabin, I was already planning my next trip (2007 QM2 Caribbean Cruise).

I've added trips on QE2, QE & QV to the crossings and cruises on QM2 since that wonderful day in 2006.

... and was there something about it you will never forget? ...

Meeting a gracious lady for the first time :) (that would be you, lannp ;) ).

 

Thank you for the trip down memory lane.

Edited May 5, 2015 by pepperrn

I've mentioned this experience here before, but I don't mind repeating it as it was such a lovely experience.

 

We did the Autumn Getaway in 2012 on Queen Mary 2. Obviously, the first experience was meeting the magnificent ship for the first time. She's breath-taking in the metal!

 

But our first "Cunard" Experience was the first formal night - the Black & White Ball.

 

We were determined to do it properly. I'd hired a Tuxedo and my wife had hired a ball-gown from a Bridal Store (the logo on the dress bag got us priority boarding too!) I'd even got a proper bow tie and spent ages trying to learn to tie the thing because we wanted to do this properly.

 

We were on the late sitting, so we started getting ready at about 6 and went up to The Commodore Club for 7. It was stunning. Those views over the bow, along with everyone in their best was quite something. A Couple of martinis later, we headed down the A lifts and through the museum, looking at all the pictures of the celebrities going to dinner on the original Queens

 

As we walked into the Grand Lobby. Again, everyone in their finery. The comments began.

 

"Ohh Look at that dress!"

 

"Doesn't she look beautiful"

 

Etc.

 

It genuinely was like the scene in Titanic where Jack & Rose meet before dinner on the Grand Staircase.

 

We've both been hooked since then. How can I refuse when my Wife tells me that it makes her feel like a Princess?

 

Budgetary constraints meant that we'd only planned a week in Newquay Cornwall (Dinner on the Terrace at the Atlantic Hotel so we can pretend!) for this year's summer holiday. However, when we realised that there was a cheeky little 3 nighter to Guernsey & Back on Queen Elizabeth departing Southampton on the last day of our holiday, we couldn't resist!

Edited May 5, 2015 by JollyJackTar52

My husband had always said he never wanted to cruise. However, I persuaded him to book the Maiden voyage from S'ton to NY on QM2, as we would celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary onboard. We managed to get a cancellation in a balcony cabin about 3 months prior to departure.

The voyage was memorable for the storms! Some external damage to the ship was visible when we were at last given the opportunity to go outside. I think photos from this voyage are still being used when the officers give a "Bridge Talk". Nevertheless, we did not suffer from "mal de mer", delighted in all the splendid food on offer, often amid crashing crockery and empty tables.

We both now enjoy the Cunard ambience very much, and long may it remain.

My first Cunard experience will be next month on the 21st, so I'll have to update you after the cruise! :)

My first Cunard experience was on RMS Queen Mary in 1962. My mother and I were returning from a month in Europe. We were very surprised to find that our inside cabin class stateroom was shared with two strangers. My mother tried to get a different stateroom but the one available was in first class and it would cost $200 more (that was a fair amount of money in 1962) so we stayed where we were. To this day I could not stay in an inside stateroom.

 

Even though I didn't like the stateroom, I loved wandering around the ship. Being a child I did not really understand the class system and remember straying into first class a few times!

My first Cunard experience was on the QE2 in 2000. I now realise that this was a trip with a difference. The ship had been chartered by a Scottish Travel Agent to operate as a floating hotel at the Millennium Open Golf Championship at St. Andrews. I am a golfer and a native of St. Andrews and always tried to return for the Championship, if at all possible. On this occasion, we had been unable to sort ourselves out and so the QE2 was a perfect solution for us.

 

The ship spent a week going up and back from Southampton and we were amongst a very select group - perhaps 200 in all - who did the whole trip. As an introduction to the QE2, it was wonderful. We had the run of the ship and so could see everything at leisure. We were in the Princess Grill, where the Maitre D' was the legendary Andrew Nelder, with whom we travelled many more times.

 

We had a great time, but I am fairly sure that the travel company lost their corporate shirt on the venture. No matter, we were hooked on the QE2 and travelled on her almost to the end. These days we like the QE and seem to have been spending more and more time on her - much to the detriment of the holiday budget!

I hope someone from the social media/communication dept is reading these. What a great little book of memories this would be. Fascinating!!

There are some lovely stories, thank you so much for sharing them.

Thank you all for replying to my thread. I get tired of the negativity at times. As to Pepperrn's kind comments, he is a very, very nice and thoughtful person and I was extremely lucky to make his acquaintance on that voyage.