QM2 Westbound Transatlantic 3rd May review

I’ve just read Toffeegirl68´s great blog from the same crossing and can only add some points to that.

Travelling with my DP, my colleague and her husband, we spent the day before embarkation exploring Southampton and meeting friends we’d made during our previous crossing two years ago. With our heads still in Finnish time zone (that is UK +2 hours) we woke up early and after breakfast took a walk down to the waterfront to see if the destination had arrived. And there she was, looking every bit as gracious as I remembered, docked stern in at the Ocean Cruise Terminal. After the noon check-out we squeezed into a Skoda estate taxi, with four adults plus cruise luggage it really was a tight fit but just a short drive from the Dolphin hotel to the terminal. There we were given blue letter J card and waited for about hour and a half before being called to check in. In the end it seems we were lucky because after that there were some problems with the embarkation of the last passengers, delaying our drill and departure for an hour. Being in the early seating we missed the sailaway-party which was a bit of a disappointment.

We were in stateroom 8013, with our friends in 8014 on the port side, the two being mirror images of each other. I like the location of these cabins, as they are higher up on the ship than the sheltered balconies, close to the gym, book shop, Commodore Club and access to the deck 7 promenade. And when leaving for dinner all dressed up you get to walk the whole length of the ship and see people in festive mood, which adds to the sense of occasion. The half of a life boat in front of our balcony didn’t bother us at all, as when in bed or on the couch you can’t see it at all. And who comes on the QM2 to spend time in the cabin!

On the second sea day we experienced some rough seas, waves of 8-9 meters in the early hours and the ship bouncing around a bit. I later learned that they still had only three stabilisers out, wonder how bad it has to be before they take out all four. The weather made the ship seem quite empty, although she was booked to capacity. The rest of the crossing the weather stayed normal North Atlantic, with what looked like big swells but didn’t manage to upset the ship’s progress. One day we had beautiful sunshine and a brisk tailwind, so walking on deck felt like being in still air on a summer’s day. Towards New York the air and sea temperatures rose to around +17°C and the sea was dead calm, which was a blessing as on the second to last day they needed to do a helicopter evacuation of a passenger who had taken ill. After watching that operation I appreciate the skills of those helicopter pilots really high, as everyone who has been on the QM2 knows the hovering area is a really tight space.

As a birthday present to myself I invested in the Behind the scenes-tour. The price was USD120, a bit steep but in the end well worth it. We started at 2pm from the mooring deck and after 3,5 hours finished on the bridge. Very informative, interesting and exciting. We were encouraged to ask questions and so we did, learning for example that the next refit is indeed in May 2016 in Hamburg and during that she will get exhaust scrubbers. The amount of books left behind by passengers was stunning, a big cardboard box filled with them in the waste room. We were served some snacks and bubbly in the Britannia and given nice Cunard aprons. On the bridge we had a chat with the captain Chris Wells, a charming man with a witty sense of humour. I asked him what he would change about the ship if he had the chance. He said that they should have built more crew lifts, as during the turnaround days the current two offer insufficient capacity. He also mentioned that the layout of KC is a problem but not much can be done about it as it serves as muster stations and so has to divided into sections. They would also like to develop the Winter Garden into a more functional space, so we’ll see what happens during the drydock.

Then a few words about the most important thing on a ship, food. We took six of our seven dinners in the Britannia, where the quality of the food was from good to excellent, especially the fish. All warm courses were served hot and pepper was offered every time:rolleyes:. The portions were of good size, maybe too small for Americans but as I later learned they have been downsized to minimise waste. The real stars of the dinners were our waiter Ferdie, his assistant Keneth and sommelier Slivin, all great characters worth extra praise. On my birthday we dined in Todd English, which was a slight disappointment foodwise but still recommendable. With the coffee machine being broken in the Commodore Club our daytime lounging activity was this time more focused on the Chart Room and Champagne Bar. There we were served by three wonderful members of staff, Nil, Kalman and “Miss Poland” whose name we failed to catch. Evening entertaintement in the CR was provided by a charming lady, a fellow passenger singing a couple of numbers with the band. We went to the planetarium once and it was nice, except for the broken red seats all around. Evening shows in the Royal Court Theatre were mostly the same as two years ago, Apassionata by Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers shining above others. In the end there was again too little time to take part in all that was interesting, even with 25 hour days. The lure of watching the sea with a cup of tea (glass of Pinot Grigio) is just too strong to resist…

In the end we had a fabulous time and most definitely will be sailing on the QM2 again. What really made this trip was the staff on the ship, they work very hard for not a very good pay and still manage to give friendly, courteous and personal service. The ship is very much shipshape, after reading some reviews I was fearing for a lot more wear and tear but apart for some sink-holes there was nothing wrong. During the Behind the scenes-tour we saw some carpenters refurbishing the cabing tables so work is done constantly to keep up the appearance.

But after two crossing I still can’t figure out the KC layout:D

Feel free to ask me questions, I tried to keep my eyes open on the ship.

Thank your for your short review. I MUST go again! I hope to do a westbound TA next year after I had to delay it twice due to family issues - the old generation needed close attention. I talked of May 2016 with my travel companion the other week but now that a refit is due that month we have to see what to do so it doesn´t collide with the summer vacations.

Plenty of seats in the Planetarium still broken? Hmm, that was the case 3 years ago already. Thats really poor if they didn´t address that since.

I just got an email from Cunard today announcing the 2016 catalogue so that should be in my letterbox in the next days to explore and start planning.

Thanks for your review! Can't wait to get back on board.

Last year I wrote of an infection frequently contracted on board the ship: Regina Nervosa. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Section G32, the cause is unknown and it is a unique affliction observed only in people who have sailed on Queen Mary 2. Symptoms typically include obsession with the ship’s whereabouts and preoccupation with the dress code.

Mild cases of Regina Nervosa cause some degree of financial debilitation. More severe cases can make the patient intolerable to other passengers through their constant complaints of “cutbacks”. Those who attempt to obtain relief by sailing on another ship will often express constant verbal dissatisfaction with the alternative vessel. Such examples include, but are not limited to, the “it’s not like QM2”and “it’s not QE2”.

Regina Nervosa can rapidly progress to a terminal stage. This is marked by visual fantasies of future vessel refits and episodes of anger over rumors of unwelcome changes.

There is no cure but it's possible to achieve prolonged periods of remission by experiencing another voyage on QM2. Booking a future voyage on board is one way to avoid relapse immediately upon disembarkation.;)

Thanks so much for your beautifully written report, which makes me feel homesick ...

I’ve just read Toffeegirl68´s great blog from the same crossing and can only add some points to that.

 

 

Travelling with my DP, my colleague and her husband, we spent the day before embarkation exploring Southampton and meeting friends we’d made during our previous crossing two years ago. With our heads still in Finnish time zone (that is UK +2 hours) we woke up early and after breakfast took a walk down to the waterfront to see if the destination had arrived. And there she was, looking every bit as gracious as I remembered, docked stern in at the Ocean Cruise Terminal. After the noon check-out we squeezed into a Skoda estate taxi, with four adults plus cruise luggage it really was a tight fit but just a short drive from the Dolphin hotel to the terminal. There we were given blue letter J card and waited for about hour and a half before being called to check in. In the end it seems we were lucky because after that there were some problems with the embarkation of the last passengers, delaying our drill and departure for an hour. Being in the early seating we missed the sailaway-party which was a bit of a disappointment.

We were in stateroom 8013, with our friends in 8014 on the port side, the two being mirror images of each other. I like the location of these cabins, as they are higher up on the ship than the sheltered balconies, close to the gym, book shop, Commodore Club and access to the deck 7 promenade. And when leaving for dinner all dressed up you get to walk the whole length of the ship and see people in festive mood, which adds to the sense of occasion. The half of a life boat in front of our balcony didn’t bother us at all, as when in bed or on the couch you can’t see it at all. And who comes on the QM2 to spend time in the cabin!

 

 

On the second sea day we experienced some rough seas, waves of 8-9 meters in the early hours and the ship bouncing around a bit. I later learned that they still had only three stabilisers out, wonder how bad it has to be before they take out all four. The weather made the ship seem quite empty, although she was booked to capacity. The rest of the crossing the weather stayed normal North Atlantic, with what looked like big swells but didn’t manage to upset the ship’s progress. One day we had beautiful sunshine and a brisk tailwind, so walking on deck felt like being in still air on a summer’s day. Towards New York the air and sea temperatures rose to around +17°C and the sea was dead calm, which was a blessing as on the second to last day they needed to do a helicopter evacuation of a passenger who had taken ill. After watching that operation I appreciate the skills of those helicopter pilots really high, as everyone who has been on the QM2 knows the hovering area is a really tight space.

 

 

As a birthday present to myself I invested in the Behind the scenes-tour. The price was USD120, a bit steep but in the end well worth it. We started at 2pm from the mooring deck and after 3,5 hours finished on the bridge. Very informative, interesting and exciting. We were encouraged to ask questions and so we did, learning for example that the next refit is indeed in May 2016 in Hamburg and during that she will get exhaust scrubbers. The amount of books left behind by passengers was stunning, a big cardboard box filled with them in the waste room. We were served some snacks and bubbly in the Britannia and given nice Cunard aprons. On the bridge we had a chat with the captain Chris Wells, a charming man with a witty sense of humour. I asked him what he would change about the ship if he had the chance. He said that they should have built more crew lifts, as during the turnaround days the current two offer insufficient capacity. He also mentioned that the layout of KC is a problem but not much can be done about it as it serves as muster stations and so has to divided into sections. They would also like to develop the Winter Garden into a more functional space, so we’ll see what happens during the drydock.

 

 

Then a few words about the most important thing on a ship, food. We took six of our seven dinners in the Britannia, where the quality of the food was from good to excellent, especially the fish. All warm courses were served hot and pepper was offered every time:rolleyes:. The portions were of good size, maybe too small for Americans but as I later learned they have been downsized to minimise waste. The real stars of the dinners were our waiter Ferdie, his assistant Keneth and sommelier Slivin, all great characters worth extra praise. On my birthday we dined in Todd English, which was a slight disappointment foodwise but still recommendable. With the coffee machine being broken in the Commodore Club our daytime lounging activity was this time more focused on the Chart Room and Champagne Bar. There we were served by three wonderful members of staff, Nil, Kalman and “Miss Poland” whose name we failed to catch. Evening entertaintement in the CR was provided by a charming lady, a fellow passenger singing a couple of numbers with the band. We went to the planetarium once and it was nice, except for the broken red seats all around. Evening shows in the Royal Court Theatre were mostly the same as two years ago, Apassionata by Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers shining above others. In the end there was again too little time to take part in all that was interesting, even with 25 hour days. The lure of watching the sea with a cup of tea (glass of Pinot Grigio) is just too strong to resist…

 

 

In the end we had a fabulous time and most definitely will be sailing on the QM2 again. What really made this trip was the staff on the ship, they work very hard for not a very good pay and still manage to give friendly, courteous and personal service. The ship is very much shipshape, after reading some reviews I was fearing for a lot more wear and tear but apart for some sink-holes there was nothing wrong. During the Behind the scenes-tour we saw some carpenters refurbishing the cabing tables so work is done constantly to keep up the appearance.

 

 

But after two crossing I still can’t figure out the KC layout:D

 

 

Feel free to ask me questions, I tried to keep my eyes open on the ship.

Thank you so much for your review! :)

GREAT REVIEW!!! I was on that crossing AND I understand Regina Nervosa-it is only cured in my case by embarkation on Boat Day. One reason I have no money is that Cunard gets it - it's almost as if they have and automatic debit to my checking account:eek:

The ship looked great and the constant round of maintenance went on; because I booked so late I was in a hull balcony on 4 Deck with a connecting door, which I do not like; aft of D stairway-I always prefer to be far forward on 5 deck. I was very pleasantly surprised that it was quiet, as were the folks next door.Very nice folks at the table in Britannia. Excellent waiters and cabin steward. Missed the CC gathering.:o

One complaint-no more trays in KC - well OK, BUT no trays and HOT PLATES do not go together! There will be pain and accidents. Foolish decision!

Every time I try to sign up for Behind the Scenes it's already fully booked:(

I'll keep trying.

Looking forward to the ENTIRE World Cruise next year NY - NY :QM2-QE-QM2. Whoo Hoo!!! Shekels have been saved and stashed. :D

Fenno - We will be taking the May 10th westbound next May and wonder if it would be worthwhile to spend one night in Southampton as opposed to spending all four, pre-cruise nights in London. We have been to London many times and it never loses its attraction. Also do you recommend the hotel in Southampton where you stayed?

Sorry, this is a little off topic.

Thanks for your delightful review. Our next treatment for regina nervosa will be in less than two months. If only I could persuade my health insurance company to cover the costs!

I think I am suffering from the malady described by BlueRiband (as detailed in the DSM #?).

It's only been a year, but a year has been too long!

Your review was enjoyable to read! Thank you! So, happy to hear your experience was positive, FennoExpress.

Fenno - We will be taking the May 10th westbound next May and wonder if it would be worthwhile to spend one night in Southampton as opposed to spending all four, pre-cruise nights in London. We have been to London many times and it never loses its attraction. Also do you recommend the hotel in Southampton where you stayed?

 

Sorry, this is a little off topic.

If you haven't been to S'ton I would recommend it. It is smaller than I thought but easily explored on foot. The Mercure Dolphin hotel is centrally located, clean and well run, but the building is very old and there are a lot of stairs which is a bit challenging when dragging cruise luggage behind you. If I got a good deal I would book it again.

We took a Smiths car from Heathrow and that I do recommend. Very good service and good price.

Thank you, Fenno.

Thank you for posting your review. The longest I have ever been parted from the QM2 is 16 months! At times it seemed like 16 years.