QM2 post-refit TA log

I've had only one good experience with "2PM, first sea day" while the others have been no-shows. Their was one that I skipped as "Madam Superorganizer" got Cunard involved. She wanted a signup with names and locations. It was also at 11AM in Conexxions - right opposite Stephen Payne's lecture. (11AM tends to be the time slot for a featured speaker.) Given a chance to hear the ship's designer or Christine Roussel versus a hit or miss gathering, I'll bail on the hit or miss gathering.

I don't see combined FB and CC gatherings as having much success. Unless the vast majority has cross-membership in both groups some won't know who the others are. The FB gathering will have different dynamics and feel more private. Anybody can sign up for CC while one must meet the admission criteria for a FB group as determined by that group. Because the FB group will fell more intimate and private, those members will want a get together with "just us".

And there are those who won't come if an online presence that they don't like is there. Here, one has to do something that repeatedly violates community standards to get locked out. On FB one can be locked out of a group for any or no reason.

As I read Solent Richard's one post, it is "join Facebook or accept that you will miss out on any and all future M&Gs". I've been on FB, didn't like its intrusiveness, so be it.

Thank you PepperN for your kind words and also to Janix whom I have had the pleasure to meet along with his lovely wife when they attended my meetings on world cruises. Also they were there in November 2015 when I combine three different groups and it was a great fun and nice to meet new people.

I had to smile when Janix mentioned people coming to the meeting and listing their complaints. I have known this happen so many times, but in the end I tell them pull up a chair and enjoy the banter and meet someone new.

Many a tour has been arranged at these meetings and many solo travellers have made new friends to share time with. Not to mention I had a love match at on of my meeting and it ended up with a wedding the next year. In fact the wedding couple came to our meeting last November even though they are not members of any forum at all.

I find 12-0 noon is the best time to meet up but that is my idea as it is a time when nothing much happens apart from meals.

Food for thought there though from Janix about naming the meeting . Must rethink this one. Thanks for your input and lovely to have met you on board Cunard ships. Happy cruising.

The Cunard meetings have always been passenger organised and as such roll call members are free to make their own arrangements and bring along whoever they like.

I agree with you totally Hattie.

John

... One of the problems as I see it, is the fact that when the M&G is posted in the ships newspaper as a Cruise CRITIC get together, people imagine that it is a meeting for the disenchanted who wish to criticise everything. ...

Funny you should write this, at one truly awful "M&G" I attended in the Winter Garden on a QM2 TA, two officers had been invited to come along by the "superorganiser" who was VERY much in charge...

As one of them sat down in the large circle of chairs (long story, another time) he turned to the lady next to him and said (I heard),

"So, what do you do then? Are you a club that get together on different ships and criticise everything?"

(actually I left very shortly after this... never been so pleased to get away).

Best wishes to you and happy sailings :)

Hi Janix,

 

Funny you should write this, at one truly awful "M&G" I attended in the Winter Garden on a QM2 TA, two officers had been invited to come along by the "superorganiser" who was VERY much in charge...

 

As one of them sat down in the large circle of chairs (long story, another time) he turned to the lady next to him and said (I heard),

"So, what do you do then? Are you a club that get together on different ships and criticise everything?"

 

(actually I left very shortly after this... never been so pleased to get away).

It was interesting on the 2015 WC that one of the 'most travelled' gentleman popped in to the meeting to find out what everyone was complaining about, as he was having a great time and couldn't find anything to criticise. I think he was a little disappointed when it was explained to him that it was a group from an internet forum that just happened to be called Cruise Critic ? At least he is in the know now :)

Best wishes to you and happy sailings :)

And the same to you, with hopefully many more Cunard passages on the list ;)

John

I guess I have been very fortunate. All of the Cruise Critic M&Gs (approximately 15) I have attended have worked out well. Most of them have been at 2 PM on the first sea day and have been very informal. Some have been more organized with name tags and ships officers who attended. Some have had a small group. I believe 10 is about the smallest group. Others have had much larger groups. Some of these meetings have resulted in wonderful friendships that continue to this day.

I also sailed with Maggie on the QE in 2014. She really is a lot of fun and organized a great meeting. Her meeting time at noon worked out well. Hi Maggiemou and greetings to Mr. MM!!

I am not a member of Facebook and until I read this thread, I was unaware that Facebook gatherings were being organized. However, I see no problem with this. I will continue to participate in the Cruise Critic M&Gs and look forward to meeting more delightful Cunard passengers at each one.

I attended a Cruise Critic meeting on QM2 in 2010 or it may have been 2012 world cruise. I was stood next to a lady who was seated. Suddenly she stood up and grabbed the phone on the wall where I was standing. I heard her say " you had better come there are lots here" Next thing Commodore Rynd appeared stood there never said a word, just stood with his hat under his arm until someone spotted him.

He was very gracious and spent ages talking and answering questions. One question I asked was when was.

When would Cunard next be going around The Horn and South America.

Answer was not again in the near future.

He explained why.

So on this info we booked a world voyage on another line. It was a disaster apart from the fact I met Janix and his lovely wife. I converted them into Cunard addicts and they are now true Cunarders.😄

A few years later South America was back on the itineraries but not in 2013 when we went.

BTW the lady who made the phone call was Julie the Commodores wife. She was attending the meeting alone till she saw the numbers in the group.

 

I also sailed with Maggie on the QE in 2014. She really is a lot of fun and organized a great meeting. Her meeting time at noon worked out well. Hi Maggiemou and greetings to Mr. MM!!

 

I am not a member of Facebook and until I read this thread, I was unaware that Facebook gatherings were being organized. However, I see no problem with this. I will continue to participate in the Cruise Critic M&Gs and look forward to meeting more delightful Cunard passengers at each one.

Hello Beth, how nice to hear from you. There you see we do make good friends and relationships at our meeting.😄

We had such fun on the 2014 cruise and it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you are still enjoying your cruises.

Mr MM is fine thank you. Suffering the heat here at present but it is a tough life being retired I guess.:rolleyes:

I shall pass on your comments and we both wish you well. Regards Maggie and happy cruising. X

I haven't attended the CC Meet and Greets the last number of crossings, as I've been aboard with other people and just couldn't break away from all that eating and relaxing... That said, I did attend a number of them back in 2006 and 2007 and met new friends whom I consider good friends now and we see each other at sea and on land. So there's certainly a real value to them.

Partial Quote...

....

One of the problems as I see it, is the fact that when the M&G is posted in the ships newspaper as a Cruise CRITIC get together, people imagine that it is a meeting for the disenchanted who wish to criticise everything.

 

We have had, in the past, people pop in to see what we are all moaning about, and are quite surprised when we say the meeting is not in fact a moaning session and that we are not a bunch of troublemakers. So then the next question always is - why call it a Cruise Critic meeting then ?

 

Would it not be better to list it as a Cruise Forums Get-Together or something similar ? I'm sure someone can up with a catchy name ?

 

We have made many long lasting friendships from these meetings and find them very useful. Keep up the good work Maggie.

 

John & Andrea

I have not seen a Cruise Critic meet published in the Daily Programme, but then I've only been on board QM2 for 12 voyages.

I noticed you wrote that "M&G is posted in the ships newspaper as a Cruise CRITIC get together, people imagine that it is a meeting for the disenchanted who wish to criticise everything."

Well, I'm not surprised that if CRITIC is put in all caps, that is what would draw emphasis. Most people are aware that there are book critics, movie critics, theater critics, etc - even cruise critics, at least that is what I have found. Some critics I agree with, some not so much. But I would not call someone who criticized everything a critic - I'd call that person a malcontent (or a word to that effect).

No doubt curiosity about a meeting published in the Daily Programme described as "a meet & greet for "forums" would draw newcomers. Forums? What forums?

Frankly, I would have no interest in attending such an event, but that is likely anyway to be due my being other wise occupied. But cheers to all that embrace fora meetings. :)

Happy sails,

Salacia

Partial Quote...

 

Well, I'm not surprised that if CRITIC is put in all caps, that is what would draw emphasis. Most people are aware that there are book critics, movie critics, theater critics, etc - even cruise critics, at least that is what I have found. Some critics I agree with, some not so much. But I would not call someone who criticized everything a critic - I'd call that person a malcontent (or a word to that effect).

 

Happy sails,

Salacia

I was not implying that Critic was printed in capitals, the use of capital letters was for effect to highlight the actual word and to try to convey a situation that has regularly occurred over the last three World Cruises on both QE and QV.

Apologies if I misled anyone there.

John

I haven't attended the CC Meet and Greets the last number of crossings, as I've been aboard with other people and just couldn't break away from all that eating and relaxing... That said, I did attend a number of them back in 2006 and 2007 and met new friends whom I consider good friends now and we see each other at sea and on land. So there's certainly a real value to them.

Thanks for the input John. We find it more difficult to attend the meetings if we are actually travelling in company with friends, as they are not interested in the meetings at all.

However as you say, we find there is normally a real value when travelling solo, so to speak, as long as there isn't conflict with something more interesting on the program ?

John

I've just uploaded my blog from 13-17 July on QM2 which was the Hamburg Round Trip. It's available at https://cruisewithgary.wordpress.com/

Please click the follow button at the bottom of the blog page if you like it. There will be plenty more to come in the future. There are also other voyage blogs to read to if you haven't seen them before. Thank you and happy voyages.

Back again so soon, how nice. Thanks for posting.

I've just uploaded my blog from 13-17 July on QM2 which was the Hamburg Round Trip. It's available at https://cruisewithgary.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

Please click the follow button at the bottom of the blog page if you like it. There will be plenty more to come in the future. There are also other voyage blogs to read to if you haven't seen them before. Thank you and happy voyages.

Its a great read. Thankyou.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks Garry999 for the detailed blog. it was great to read of the changes and the photos were fantastic. Just can't wait till April when I get to see for myself.

Thanks Garry999 for the detailed blog. it was great to read of the changes and the photos were fantastic. Just can't wait till April when I get to see for myself.

I'm a sucker when it comes to photos of drinks :D

And I just love thunderstorms when at sea.

Its a great read. Thankyou.

Thanks Garry999 for the detailed blog. it was great to read of the changes and the photos were fantastic. Just can't wait till April when I get to see for myself.

I'm a sucker when it comes to photos of drinks :D

And I just love thunderstorms when at sea.

Thank you all for your comments :)