Anyone back from the 175th Anniversary crossing ?

It looked wonderful, I hope you enjoyed it.

Any particular highlights ? Things that could have been better ?

It was fantastic!

We didn't get the Red Arrows in Southampton because of weather issues, but all the other "extras" happened, including a quick unscheduled flyover in Liverpool.

The concert in Liverpool Cathedral was outstanding. They did a good job of organizing speakers to cover the history of Cunard, including the granddaughter of the captain of the Carpathia talking about the rescue of Titanic survivors. Great-great-great-grandson of Samuel Cunard talking about the family, Carol Thatcher talking about the Falklands, I forget the rest of them. And Ian McNaught spoke about QE2 leaving the fleet. It was a lovely speech, followed by video of her last departure from Southampton accompanied by "Time to Say Goodbye," I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

We had fireworks as a send-off from Liverpool. The speakers on the crossing were outstanding--Commodore Warwick, Stephen Payne, Bill Miller, Maureen Ryan. For those who didn't know, Maureen is retired but "always working, 24/7 on QM2" because she is the voice in the elevators.

The crossing was smooth but dreary. Rain and gray skies. I was too busy going to the lectures to notice! We were in Britannia and the food was excellent. Lost of commemorative menus to add to the paper I took home. And we were given a book about the history of Cunard.

It was hot in Halifax, but I made it an "official" trip to Canada by going to Tim Horton's for coffee and a donut. Got my lobster roll on the boardwalk, too. We had a nice send-off with a fireboat, naval escort, and 21-gun salute.

Boston. (Skip this paragraph if you want only the good stuff) Now we come to what could have been done better. Immigration inspection was done on board. Complete and utter MESS. I don't know why this happens. I've been through it on other lines/ships and it isn't an ordeal. Maybe everyone wants to be first so they all show up early? The queue stretched thorugh the art gallery, past the elevators, atrium, more elevators, and past the theatre. Nearly the length of the ship. My husband went at our "assigned/suggested" time (7:45). I took one look at the line, said something rude, and went to the Britannia for French toast. He stood for more than 2 hours, which is not good for him. I sat around in the cabin and waited until after 10:30, when the line was short. Hey, somebody has to be last, right? Americans have a shorter process, so periodically someone would pop out and grab 5-6 Americans and walk us ahead of the queue and take us to the tables where Americans were being processed. WHY didn't they have two lines the way airports do? Get us out of the way and open ALL the tables to non-US passengers? Instead, three officers sat there waiting for the next batch of Americans to be delivered. And when we got to the Queens Room, a woman from the Pursers staff was taking key cards to swipe them so they could keep track of who had been through and who hadn't. WHY didn't she have a scanner there? She walked off with our cards and we didn't know if we should move along the line or wait for her to come back. Just as she was returning our cards, someone else brought the next group of Americans and almost put them in the queue ahead of us, even though their cards hadn't been scanned yet. I'm glad we didn't have plans in Boston, because we'd certainly have been late.

The only other "needs improvement" was embarkation in Southampton. They told people to show up early, and then weren't ready to process us. But I never expect a good embarkation process with Cunard. Some days I wonder how they've managed to stay in business for 175 years when it seems they don't have the organizational skills to plan a Sunday School picnic!

Unfortunately, by now my "Cunard cough" was blooming, so we just stayed on board for the day. The sendoff at night included spectacular fireworks. Lots of red and gold, which against the black sky made Cunard's "175" colors.

One more sea day for depressing stuff like packing and checking onboard accounts.

We had a good greeting in NYC. I didn't feel up to the trudge to the top deck to see the stack clear the bridge (Sorry you couldn't have your tall stack, Dr. Payne, but the bridge WAS there first!). I stood on our balcony to see the fireboat greet us and take the usual photos of Statue of Liberty, Staten Island Ferry, lower Manhattan.

Because we'd already done Immigration inspection in Boston, disembarking in Brooklyn was easy. They had everyone cleared to leave earlier than the predicted times. It's always sad to go. I had a great time, but with 8 days in England before the crossing, I'd been away for about 3 weeks. I was starting to crave "Jersey girl" food. Those of you from NJ will know what I mean--Taylor ham, crumb buns, Jersey tomatoes, any favorite "local" foods.

I'm just back.

Highlights include:

Sailing the route the ocean liners of the past did, out of Liverpool, down the coast of Ireland and meeting the Atlantic at Fastnet Rock.

The magnificent concert at the Cathedral. I've never seen anything like it, when I have sorted my stuff, I shall post a list of music, readings etc. I think Capt Rostron's great granddaughter had everyone in tears.

It was assumed that the concert would be available on DVD and Cunard hoped so too and filmed it. But someone has put a stop to that. Cunard are being very cagey, citing "copyright issues." Hopefully it will turned up on Youtube?

Great lectures, with a Cunard theme/connection. Among them were: New York Harbour, skyscrapers of NY, art in the 1840s, Cunard ships, working on Cunard ships. How Queen Mary was designed and built. As someone said, we should have been given diplomas at the end.

Fab fireworks at Liverpool and Boston and the Band of The Irish Guards at Southampton.

A great send off at Halifax, with a naval escort.

Special dinner most nights.

Downside:

Cunard didn't get the immigration at Boston right.(Immigration was on the ship) They sent each deck down in half hour intervals, which caused huge two hour long queues. They also made the US citizens join this huge queue which they didn't have to do.

Thanks both.

I'm sure I've seen a reference to the Liverpool concert on YouTube. In the meantime here was the Red Arrows view of the Liverpool flypast.

I'm still onboard and having the time of my life . The whole trip has been outstanding !

The internet is slow ( as usual ) so I'll wait until I return home to share with you some of my highlights

:)

Good to hear from you, enjoy the return journey.

Olliesmum, where did you ask about the concert DVD? I asked in the photo gallery and they said they couldn't produce one because they didn't have the copyright to it.

I meant to ask in the bookshop, but forgot. Did you ask them? I wonder if Cunard might eventually produce their own "175" DVD with some of the concert included.

I have put a clip on YouTube but sadly not the whole concert. I really did not want to get off in Liverpool

Not quite home yet but certainly in the Atlantic now. As usual it was clear the Newfoundland Banks and the weather went grey, grey, grey.

Have to say it; had no problem with the immigration for Boston. Toddled down after 7 and was done, dusted and back in Britannia for breakfast before 8. A friend on another deck didn't get off though until 11.30.

My only "beef" was embarkation at Liverpool. So wanted it to be a success and it wasn't for many as they just couldn't handle the numbers. It's a long time since it's been over an hour for boarding but (like Boston) some that turned up at a different time had no bother.

It's certainly been a trip worth doing and Halifax was fabulous.

Not quite home yet but certainly in the Atlantic now. As usual it was clear the Newfoundland Banks and the weather went grey, grey, grey.

Have to say it; had no problem with the immigration for Boston. Toddled down after 7 and was done, dusted and back in Britannia for breakfast before 8. A friend on another deck didn't get off though until 11.30.

My only "beef" was embarkation at Liverpool. So wanted it to be a success and it wasn't for many as they just couldn't handle the numbers. It's a long time since it's been over an hour for boarding but (like Boston) some that turned up at a different time had no bother.

It's certainly been a trip worth doing and Halifax was fabulous.

Enjoy your return trip as well. What a shame about boarding at Liverpool, it won't help those who are pushing for a return to regular trips from Liverpool.

Thanks for taking the time to post.

Olliesmum, where did you ask about the concert DVD? I asked in the photo gallery and they said they couldn't produce one because they didn't have the copyright to it.

 

I meant to ask in the bookshop, but forgot. Did you ask them? I wonder if Cunard might eventually produce their own "175" DVD with some of the concert included.

Did you go to the speakers Q&A with Paul O'Loughlan? It was discussed there.

The crossing was perfection, but there was way too much going on to find any time to relax! The sea was too calm, and as said before, immigration in Boston was a disgrace, but that didn't detract from the whole experience :)

I was also told by the photo people that they couldn't include any of the footage from the Liverpool Concert in the voyage DVD due to copyright issues. I was hoping that this meant that someone (Cunard?) would produce a DVD of the concert. It was certainly being videotaped professionally. I took a video, but being quite short, just about all that can be seen is the back of the heads of the people in front of me. However, here is a great video of the concert!

Did you go to the speakers Q&A with Paul O'Loughlan? It was discussed there.

I wanted to, but I was nursing my Cunard Cough. I was so tired, all I did was pack, go to dinner, and go back to the cabin to crash. I forgot to watch it on my cabin TV that night.

I'm still onboard and having the time of my life . The whole trip has been outstanding !

 

The internet is slow ( as usual ) so I'll wait until I return home to share with you some of my highlights

 

:)

Have a great crossing, Paul! Were Sigfried and Roy on board, or maybe the Fruit Bat?

Re the immigration procedure at Boston !

Just to be fair to Cunard and the onboard staff, the Purser's department were expecting nine immigration officers to be available for the procedure, 'three tables and nine chairs' were already prepared, However only five officers boarded the ship.

The problem was with the immigration department according to the female officer, who cleared me .... "It a Sunday and on top of that there's ball game on today , Boston -New York "..."We've had a job calling staff in"

:confused:

Safarigal

Thank you so much for this link which I have started to watch - I will watch the rest of it later. I just wish I was in the cathedral for real.

The crossing was perfection, but there was way too much going on to find any time to relax! The sea was too calm, and as said before, immigration in Boston was a disgrace, but that didn't detract from the whole experience :)

 

I was also told by the photo people that they couldn't include any of the footage from the Liverpool Concert in the voyage DVD due to copyright issues. I was hoping that this meant that someone (Cunard?) would produce a DVD of the concert. It was certainly being videotaped professionally. I took a video, but being quite short, just about all that can be seen is the back of the heads of the people in front of me. However, here is a great video of the concert!

 

Watched your fantastic video safarigal, Brilliant! Well done, and well done to Cunard. I was so pleased to see this as I so wanted to do this crossing and the Cathedral but it was not to be for me this time so thank you for sharing.

The crossing was perfection, but there was way too much going on to find any time to relax! The sea was too calm, and as said before, immigration in Boston was a disgrace, but that didn't detract from the whole experience :)

 

I was also told by the photo people that they couldn't include any of the footage from the Liverpool Concert in the voyage DVD due to copyright issues. I was hoping that this meant that someone (Cunard?) would produce a DVD of the concert. It was certainly being videotaped professionally. I took a video, but being quite short, just about all that can be seen is the back of the heads of the people in front of me. However, here is a great video of the concert!

 

Thank you so much for posting this. I really appreciate it, an well done Cunard!

Watched your fantastic video safarigal, Brilliant! Well done, and well done to Cunard. I was so pleased to see this as I so wanted to do this crossing and the Cathedral but it was not to be for me this time so thank you for sharing.

I wish it was my video - it was done done by someone else, and I think she did a great job :). It was a fab crossing - I have severe post crossing blues at the moment!

We got back Saturday morning after a few days in New York. Absolutely fantastic trip and one we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Not actually knowing what the service in Liverpool would entail when we arrived at the cathedral added to the sheer jaw droppingness of the entire event, even my stiff upper lip started to quiver!

As some have mentioned immigration at Boston we queued for about half an hour and were actually greeted by a cheerful US Immigration Officer, which I'd heard rumours that they existed but never actually seen one before. The ridiculousness of the exercise was that we were given landing cards to prove we'd cleared immigration but there was no one to collect them when we got off the ship, therefore, if we'd wanted to, could have entered the U.S. without a stamp on the passport.

I'm going to do a proper review as our four year old son loved it and we feel that there isn't a lot of information about Cunard for children, he was made very welcome by all the crew and almost everyone he met. We have cruised with seven different cruise lines before and never felt an attachment to a particular line, that changed last week. Wonderful stuff!

Enjoy your return trip as well. What a shame about boarding at Liverpool, it won't help those who are pushing for a return to regular trips from Liverpool.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post.

There was a large amount of conflicting stories about those who wanted to depart from Liverpool and were told by Cunard that it was a sell out and wasn't possible, when in fact up until the day before you could book and board there, albeit it for an extra £700-800 per person. The numbers that Cunard quoted to passengers that Liverpool could handle ranged from 100-400. The amount of interest this cruise generated in Liverpool would have filled the ship from the North West alone, instead there seemed to be a few empty tables in the Brittania dining room which indicated the ship was not full. It seems that someone tried to keep the prices deliberately high by drip feeding cabin releases and it looks like they slipped up somewhat.

One more problem that those who wanted to board in Liverpool might have suffered is that we never knew when we left Southampton just when we'd be arriving there.

This is the link to my video of the Liverpool sailaway - it's about 30 minutes long, sorry about that, but I was loving every minute of it, and I got a bit carried away with filming it!

We are still on the ship and I can say that the crossing from Liverpool was way above the quality of the return one we are on now. This one has reverted to "normal" and just seems so flat by comparison.

Yes, immigration was a shambles. Cunard comment "out of. Our control". We waited 2 hrs plus in line and missed our trip!!

The empty chairs are because some passengers never use the MD rm. you find them each evening, jeans clad up in the KC.

Home tomorrow, first crossing brilliant, second so so.

David

Yes, immigration was a shambles. Cunard comment "out of. Our control". We waited 2 hrs plus in line and missed our trip!!

Was this a Cunard excursion and if so, were you refunded? Just asking as we are on a B2B next month and hoping to do an excursion in New York.

Re the immigration procedure at Boston !

 

Just to be fair to Cunard and the onboard staff, the Purser's department were expecting nine immigration officers to be available for the procedure, 'three tables and nine chairs' were already prepared, However only five officers boarded the ship.

 

The problem was with the immigration department according to the female officer, who cleared me .... "It a Sunday and on top of that there's ball game on today , Boston -New York "..."We've had a job calling staff in"

:confused:

Good afternoon Bell Boy.

I can add to that. As you know I had dinner with a very senior officer on the evening we left Boston.

The ship asked for 15 immigration officers.

The one's that did turn up were not from the port but from Logan Airport and your quite correct, there was no enthusiasm from them to work a Sunday.

Cunard also brought the ship in an hour early in order to speed the procedure.

Cunard were let down badly.