Christmas crossing to new york

Hello!

Just a tentative enquiry as thinking of booking an 11 night trip on 15/12/16 Southampton to new York.

We have 2 children 18yo and 13....are we likely to find similar age groups on board?

Is the age range of passengers a good mix?

Is the disco any good?

I am aware that the inside swimming pool incurs an additional charge but is this still payable on a winter cruise when the outdoor ones are unusable?

Excited but a little worried about the unpredictable storms!

Thankyou

... I am aware that the inside swimming pool incurs an additional charge but is this still payable on a winter cruise when the outdoor ones are unusable?

The inside Pavilion Pool on Deck 12, and two hot tubs alongside, are free to use.

The Canyon Ranch Spa Pool on Deck 7 (which is not a "swimming pool" as such) does attract a charge.

Excited but a little worried about the unpredictable storms!

Here is the Deck 12 Pavilion Pool:

And here is the Deck 7 Canyon Ranch Spa Pool:

Hope this helps. Bon Voyage! :)

The 15 Dec 2016 crossing is a seven night itinerary. 11 nights out of Soton would place you at Sint Maarten.

thank you for your quick replies.

Pool looks good....I assume it's heated!

Your photos are great pepperrrm but the aftermath of the storm looks ominous. I have crossed the bay of biscay in a force 10 many years ago (1984) on the old Canberra and that was scary enough! Dear husband is worried about sea sickness.

We have a 4 night post cruise stay in New York any tips greatly appreciated.

Ah, that makes more sense. :)

Accommodations in New York get very reasonable a few days before Christmas since the business travel drops to a negligible level. Hopefully you've been able to find some good bargains.

I'd offer a suggestion that you resist the temptation to book a room very close to Times Square. There isn't a lot of personality in the hotels in that area.

Here's an overview of NYC neighborhoods and their advantages and disadvantages:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-york-city/663739

Thanks underwatr .

Great link by the way!

Our accommodation choices are either hilton fashion district or millenium broadway. These are booked as part of a cruise and stay. Looking on trip advisor The Hilton sounds the best of the two??

Logistical plans need sorting tho as transfers are not included!

thank you for your quick replies.

Pool looks good....I assume it's heated!

Yes the free Pavillion pool on Deck 12 is indoors and heated. (Actually has a sliding roof so can be outdoor in warmer climates), but I've never seen it open.

We will be traveling with our 8 and 11 year old children on the Dec 15th crossing to New York (my 11 year old's 8th crossing! so we know the ship well from all the young ages). There is usually a pretty good mix of ages, but I'm expecting the total number of children on the Dec 15th crossing to be quite low.

The G32 disco you asked about is decent. Live band in the evening, and the small dance floor will get going after 10pm. My wife has a good time.

--

whyohwhyoh

we have booked! Excited now!

Thanks whyohwhyoh.

Good to know that my daughter will have someone her age on board.

How exciting! We did the December 15th crossing in 2014; there were many children on board; your children will no doubt enjoy seeing the beautiful decorations especially the gingerbread village that had new additions everyday. I am sure they have something similar every year. Have fun!

Hello!

Just a tentative enquiry as thinking of booking an 11 night trip on 15/12/16 Southampton to new York.

We have 2 children 18yo and 13....are we likely to find similar age groups on board?

Is the age range of passengers a good mix?

Is the disco any good?

I am aware that the inside swimming pool incurs an additional charge but is this still payable on a winter cruise when the outdoor ones are unusable?

Excited but a little worried about the unpredictable storms!

Thankyou

We will be onboard with 18 yr old, 15 yr old and 11 yr old. we are on for 26 nights, Southampton to Southampton :) Can't wait :)

Ah we did this cruise last year and the stay in NY with our 16 and 19 year old they loved it ! We did find the 5 day stay in NY at Xmas not like a U.K. Christmas though. The decorations where fab and the build up amazing however Xmas day it self was nothing like home. We hunted everywhere for Xmas dinner and to no avail they seem to do Xmas at Thanksgiving so do your research although we ended up in freedom tower on Xmas day which was very memorable . And a burger for dinner !!! However it was a fab fab experience and the 30ft waves made it.... none of us where ill the ship is just made for the job. You will have a fab time we may do it again this year just seeing if the prices will drop. Have fun [emoji1][emoji1]

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We hunted everywhere for Xmas dinner and to no avail they seem to do Xmas... And a burger for dinner !!!

There's a now semi-official Jewish tradition of eating at Chinese restaurants on Christmas. This goes back to the 60s and earlier, when Jews would look for something to eat or do on Christmas and would wind up at the only restaurants that were open - Chinese. It is now enshrined as a tradition in many cities including NY.

Yes, although people will go out to movies on Christmas, most restaurants are closed to allow their employees to spend it with their families. But the city is wonderful during the holidays. (Try to catch the one of the performances of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular).

Also no Boxing Day here.

Re: your hotels, personally, I'm a HUGE Broadway fan, so as close to the theatres is best for us (which unfortunately means Times Square). Of the two, the Millennium Broadway is closer to theatres, 5th Ave shopping and many other sights. The Hilton is closer to the Empire State Building, Macys, Madison Square Garden, and Chelsea. However, they're still just a subway stop or 20 minute walk from each other. The Times Square subway station (Millennium) has slightly more connections than the major stop at Penn Station (Hilton - although there are a couple of local stops closer than Penn) We often stay at the Millennium and enjoy it. However, it's getting a bit worn and tatty. Quality-wise, I'd expect the Hilton to be a bit superior.

After re-reading your posts and my reply - a couple of other thoughts.

Re: Rough seas. You should expect at least one day of rough seas. If you're particularly susceptible, it won't be great - but I believe they still have a shot that will put you out for a day and thereafter you're cured for the voyage.

However, most people on these days will notice the motion and perhaps be a bit disconcerted and it may cause a few unanticipated deviations in their walking but are fine; the ship handles it with aplomb. Although the motion is different, I find it less noticeable in 30 ft seas than on normal cruise ships with seas one third that height. She was specifically designed for those exact conditions and the specific size and configurations of swells in the North Atlantic. Also, Room Service. And 1 day down out of 7 when you have no place else to be ...it could be worse.

Re: transfer to/from Manhattan and JFK (I assume). Read the main Cunard board (and sites like TripAdvisor, of course) for tips. With the size of your party, you may want to use a service like Dial7, Carmel, or Arecibo to book a SUV.

Re: NY Stuff. Following Darcie2's advice on Christmas dinner, this is something that you may want to pre-plan and pre-book. Neither the Millennium nor the Hilton Fashion District have an old-school restaurant that might offer a special holiday dinner, so you'll likely need to go elsewhere if you are looking for a special meal.

Also, my recommendation on the RCMH Christmas Spectacular - realize that it's kitschy as hell. The general joy and spirit saves some filler segments from being downright embarrassing. However, the Rockettes are justifiably lauded - and some numbers are crowd-pleasing delights that are unchanged for decades (notably the tin soldiers). There's also a famous tableau of the nativity, complete with camels, livestock and crowds at the climax that has been performed for well over 60 years. However, thinking of the ages of your children - there's a LOT to invite eye-rolling and snarky comments. (...and not necessarily off-target) I suspect it might be something like Panto. I've never been to one, and have been told that, as a Yank, I might not get it. However, if one surrenders judgement and goes with the spirit of the moment, it can be a great time! Plus - Radio City Music Hall is magnificent and it's a fast paced experience filled with special effects and lots of glitz!

By the way, if you want more specific info on Broadway shows and getting tickets send me an email. (no, I have no inside connections but know the shows and the various approaches to getting tickets and discounts.) Except for Hamilton. When it comes to Hamilton, wait for the West End. ...and we'll wait for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to come here.

Mark

markbearsf@mac.com

We too are on this crossing after a couple of months touring Europe. Alas, we are 2 retired gents with no children, but are very happy that families are on board. Should make things lively, and that's a good thing. There's a lot to see and do on board the QM2, so hopefully the kids will have a good time. And then NYC...what a great town! You will get a lot of suggestions, etc.

Wow thanks markbears for such comprehensive replies. Great info and thankyou for your email. ..I will take you up on that nearer the time.

We are having a slight problem regarding the hotel which has been booked (millenium )

Travel agent had assured us that she had contacted the hotel to request 1 double and 2 single beds in the room (we are foster carers to one of the children and due to obvious reasons cannot bed share) We booked on this proviso. It has now become apparent that thus is not possible. Will need to wait until Monday to talk to the agent and meanwhile worry that I will be spending the remainder of our holiday sleeping on the floor 😈

Will be great to see you both tv24!

The kids are very well behaved so hopefully you won't see too much of them!

We are having a slight problem regarding the hotel which has been booked (millenium )...Will need to wait until Monday to talk to the agent and meanwhile worry that I will be spending the remainder of our holiday sleeping on the floor 😈

Good luck! If you still wind up at the Millennium, I think that WiFi is free if you join their Millennium Copthorne loyalty club.

Mark

There's a now semi-official Jewish tradition of eating at Chinese restaurants on Christmas. This goes back to the 60s and earlier, when Jews would look for something to eat or do on Christmas and would wind up at the only restaurants that were open - Chinese. It is now enshrined as a tradition in many cities including NY.

So true. Great day to go to Chinatown. I also suggest the Hilton.

For relevant (to you) NY tips, what do you and yours enjoy doing?

So true. Great day to go to Chinatown. I also suggest the Hilton.

 

For relevant (to you) NY tips, what do you and yours enjoy doing?

One issue - I think the best Chinese restaurants these days that are open are booked for special Jewish Kung Pao Chanukah events. ...so even that refuge may be no more?

In any event, something to investigate and plan. It will forever be a story of that Christmas in NY.

Mark