Post Remaster QM2 Voyage July-August 2016

I am a fan and frequent sailor on the QM2, as some here know .

My last trip was interesting with the good and not so good .

The ship is stunning as when it was built .I like rugs

The main lobby without the 2 glass enclosed elevators is depressing .

There was a certain energy and livelyness that is gone.

I enjoyed the noon bell at sea.

The Bell is gone, which makes it worse.

The shops at the mall really are out of touch with the ship.

One shop is selling high end winter clothing in July.

Out Door Decks: Pool and hot tubs scolding hot.

No Crew to look after the decks. The bar staff on deck 7 is reduced to 2 bar tenders who never cleaned the ash trays on the deck below. (Smoking)

Many empty glasses from the bar where left around the deck , and caution needed to walk .

The deck was often covered in black embers from the Chimney.

The Kings Court looks clean and spacious, The Food is superb!

The Veranda , , Former Todd English , is bland.

The decor in shades of grey. The bar when one enters , serves no purpose .

I miss the different types of fresh hot baked breads with the olive oil dip.

Regular rolls are served and I had to ask for a second roll.

We did hit a force 12/13 storm and around 3 am , I woke up to a severe list.

Very strange

The remaster of the QM2 is a good thing , but some of QM2 unique trains are gone

Correction in my post ( to late for spellcheck )

I meant to write traits not train

Thanks

I'm sorry the refit was such a disappointment for you as the only positive thing you found was the revamp of Kings Court.

This is a problem that any business has in trying to stay relevant to their market. Fail to evolve and one becomes dated and the old clientele that adored it dies out. Evolve too quickly and that loyal clientele feels alienated and they go elsewhere.

I too miss the Noon bell but it appears that the table sales that take place where it once was make money or they would not to it. It's not going to change as long as this cheap tat is patronized.

What route were you on that allowed exhaust soot to accumulate on deck? If it was a TA it must have been pretty calm and obviously those newly installed scrubbers weren't operating as they should.

I'm sorry the refit was such a disappointment for you as the only positive thing you found was the revamp of Kings Court.

 

This is a problem that any business has in trying to stay relevant to their market. Fail to evolve and one becomes dated and the old clientele that adored it dies out. Evolve too quickly and that loyal clientele feels alienated and they go elsewhere.

 

I too miss the Noon bell but it appears that the table sales that take place where it once was make money or they would not to it. It's not going to change as long as this cheap tat is patronized.

 

What route were you on that allowed exhaust soot to accumulate on deck? If it was a TA it must have been pretty calm and obviously those newly installed scrubbers weren't operating as they should.

Hi. Thank you for your concern, but I never said I was disappointed .

I said there is good and bad

It was a Transatlantic , one going to Southampton , U.K.

The other from Southampton , to New York

I do like the Carpathia Lounge. !

Adding an extra deck with staterooms is interesting.

Reminds me of what Norwegan Line did to the France, when it became the

Norway .

Reminds me of what Norwegan Line did to the France, when it became the

Norway .

That's the most depressing thing you could have said!

You described your original post almost entirely in negative terms so it appeared that everything was a disappointment for you.

For sure Cunard was not going to make everybody happy. There were some who liked the quiet of the Winter Garden and those who actually preferred the old Kings Court. Two of my table mates on the first post-refit crossing were so disappointed with the changes that they claimed that was their last QM2 sailing.

I thought they did a good job of making the deck 13 staterooms look like they had always been there. They won't be able to extend them ever further back as a low hover area has to be maintained for medivacs. The new "deck 14" observation area was an immediate hit for sail away.

just my " two cents" - I sailed the Mary2 on the first EASTbound crossing after her refit. I sailed her two times before and saw- for example- the Chart Room in three different " liverys"! I like almost all things done in the regent refit- exept for one thing- I MISS THE NOON BELL! I saw this nice bell once during the whole crossing- and wanted to take a pictures of it the next- and it was gone- after asking I was told that they did hide it again...!

I don´t get why they did away with such a nice tradition!

So Cunard - I hope there are more out there who miss the NOON BELL and complain about it.

As for the Winter Garden- the new Carinthia Lounge is a big big big improvement and the use of it proves it is liked by most passengers!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts both.

Hi BlueRibbon

The voyage was great. I made more friends than ever before, eg from France

Switzerland , Wales. We became Facebook friends

I felt the passengers were more open and friendly.

On board going East was Francis Ford Coppola. Later on west bound

Herbie Handcock. Excellent !

About the changes , some are not good.

Outside the Pavillion Pool is. Nautical Chart that pointed where the QM2 was located at sea, Daily by a Crew Member. That's GONE. Now is a wide screen TV

And it's the same program that's shown in the stateroom . Tacky idea on an ocean liner.

The embers and smoke falling on decks was from a change in fuel.

The photograph shop is very proffesional . Big difference from before.

I ordered 2 photos that were put on canvas . In fact the last Canvas was ready

At 1 am the last night before arrival. DANE is the very talented British Photographer . We waited in the Chart Room having wine. We had so much fun waiting with 2 new friends we meet on board .

The Britannia is classic . I'm so happy they didn't touch that dinning room.

Oh , I like the HOT TUBE that was added at the stern. Large, Clean and what a view!

The Staff and Crew are very proud of the Remastering. They will ask me

if I like the way the ship is now.

Captain Wells is amazing . Funny, Warm,Knowledgable .

The QM2 for its immense size has a personable Yacht feeing with Big HEART.

The QM2 for its immense size has a personable Yacht feeing with Big HEART.

Lovely! Well said.

Lovely! Well said.

Thanks!

Turquoise I took your post in the way it was intended Positive with a good insight to the changes Thank you

Turquoise I took your post in the way it was intended Positive with a good insight to the changes Thank you

Hello Electra

Thank you for your kind words and support of my post. It can be challenging

To be critical of important issues and yet be positive , as not to turn people off

Or become hostile .

There are some many great changes from the remastering of QM2.

On the other hand it's important to point out the not so good.

Cunard needs our feedback , to make it better for us.

I will express my opinions and concerns later on.

Thank you!

Same voyage. The hot tubs were not too hot by my standard at all.

I didn't see smoke or embers or empty glasses...and only clean decks. I love the lobby! Even the carpet. I can't imagine that having an elevator in the middle would improve it ? I guess people get used to things and dislike change.

Thought the food and especially the service was very good in the Kings Court. Also very much enjoyed the Veranda.

Low point for me was the MDR. I would have a hard time sailing Britannia class again.

I was on another Cruise to Bermuda over Labor Day, but that's a different

Ship Line. So

This summer voyage / Cruise from Southampton , to NY was exceptionally long , 8 days. We had every type of weather you can imagine , fog, very calm seas, very rough , windy, very hot. This is not normal for August TransAtantic .

1.the decks were very crowed , facing stern). The waiter would ask if you like

Coffee or tea, but you must hand in your card. For a fee?

2.the ship unfortunately , had its share of bizarre passengers. , I guess being

Summer. There was one woman who was a smoker, liked to sit on the public stare cases or in the corridors all hours of the night. She was later escorted with Security on the ship .

There was another lady dressed in bathroom, and a towel or scarf around her

Head. She would look for the best situated deck chair and demand the people

Get up, since it was hers. All the time. When we arrived in Brooklyn, I noticed her , rude as ever. Think I heard her say. She was looking for a cab to New Jersey . There were a few more waking around .

3. The Former lobby of the Todd English , haa a beautiful entrance with the round sofa. Still there. , but the huge Urns (had history , Ancient Greece ? ), which I really admired as well as the fresh cut flowers.all GONE

4. The Pavillon pool was/is a day care center . Tons of children in the pool and hot tubs. The male attendant of the teenagers was very much in charge.

5. The Godiva shop is amazing .

6. Kings court at 3:30 pm is worth the visit. I love the baked potato ,

7. Casino , very small , lack luster. Wow even on the Titanic , there was gambling .

My obervations from my personal sailing on the Remastered QM2

7

Thanks turquoise and others for your observations of QM2 after the refit.

I was surprised and rather disappointed to see that the 6 July 2016 inspection score for QM2 is 87 (85 or below is failing). This is the lowest inspection score QM2 has received since she failed inspection in July, 2011. Reference: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/InspectionScoresAll.aspx?ColV=NzIwOA%3d%3d-cztPHHPwYEA%3d

Hi Salacia

Very interesting , I can understand why.

As I described , the decks looked not very tidy. The bar tenders refused to clean the ashtrays at deck 7 rear. They said it's the deck hand job. And there

Were a lot of smokers !!!

In my last post I described the deck area problems. It was summer , so we all go on the decks.

I will look over the inspection chart again !

I do want to be fair, an objective so I must

Say that that I when I arrived in Ny, I wasn't feeling well. I was put on antibiotics for a bacterial infection with fever

A travel companion on board was quite ill and develop Acute Gastrointestinalitus and is under 2 types of anti biotic

The report tells it all

Turquoise: Thanks for your review. I appreciate your opinion. I've also experienced the QM2 post re-fit and have a somewhat different opinion, liking different things than you, not enjoying some things that you like. One of the things I love about CC is to read others' opinions and reflect on them. You've given me some issues to think about. Bravo to you!

Turquoise: Thanks for your review. I appreciate your opinion. I've also experienced the QM2 post re-fit and have a somewhat different opinion, liking different things than you, not enjoying some things that you like. One of the things I love about CC is to read others' opinions and reflect on them. You've given me some issues to think about. Bravo to you!

Thank you Tv24. I agree , here on cc we can express our ideas or issues we see on the ship. This helps and hopefully makes it better.