lannp

If it is a 4-hr. trip and you spend almost 2 hrs. on the coach you know how much time you'll get to visit each museum.

A similar trip was offered years ago when I was in Boston on the Grand Princess. I really wanted to see the Kennedy Library. I opted instead to take a taxi from the Black Falcon Terminal there, toured it at my leisure which took a whole morning, had lunch in their café and then took a taxi back to the ship. It cost me about $10.00 more than the shore excursion. To me it was worth it because I had always wanted to see exactly what a Presidential Library is all about.

A lot of us were very unhappy with the dress code on board the QM2 last October for the Bluenote cruise and lodged complaints at the purser's desk. The World Club Hostess was advising us to do that. Obviously it worked since they made a change to the dress code for later that week.

I could be forgiving for no jacket required on embarkation day since luggage can take a while to arrive, plus the fact a lot of people skip the dining room that evening to be out for sail-away. But I absolutely do no forgive dumbing it down like they tried to on the Bluenote.

Yes, sadly a few people think the rules don't apply to them. My room steward had trouble with a couple down the hall from me last year who thought he wouldn't notice they were smoking in the cabin. He reported them and they were spoken to but they did it again. Since it was a transatlantic they couldn't be put ashore.

I've never seen anyone remove laundry from a machine in action but it does amaze me that anyone can put theirs in and think they can come back hours later. I've almost always been just down the hall from the laundry room and will nip back to the cabin for a few minutes but I am always back well before my machine stops.

I've only witnessed one episode:eek: but there have been postings over the years of laundry room fights.

Cunard can announce a performer or speaker and things change. Last year a lot of people booked for the Blue Note Cruise because Natalie Cole was the featured performer. Ms. Cole cancelled and although it remained Blue Note it was different from what was originally listed.

I've checked the speakers for bookings I have had and thought it would be interesting to hear that person. Then about a month or so before the trip several of the speakers have been changed.

I would definitely explore all options before you commit. It also depends on where you live.

I compared Cunard to some others and found Cunard was expensive for what they offered.

Super photos Pepper. What time did you take them? I've never seen the ship empty. It looks completely different.

That's because he roams around the ship at the crack of dawn before people are around to clutter up his pictures.

Usually there is a bonus of approx. 20 minutes when you purchase a package within the first day. This will be announced in your Daily Programme. e.g. you purchase 120 minutes and receive 140 minutes. Be warned, this is not fast connectivity and you can use up your minutes quickly. Your unused minutes are available until you disembark the ship for the last time.

If you are booked on multiple segments and they are booked in individual blocks then voyage 1 ends and on voyage 2 you will have to start over. You can only carry over unused time is your multiple segment voyage is booked as one trip.

And the nice thing - you can do as little or as much as you choose. I enjoy going to the movies in the evening because as a repeat customer some of the evening entertainment has been seen many times and it is a chance to see a movie on a large screen, something which I do not do at home.

Absolutely! I have done 17 voyages on the QM2, 15 as a solo. Most of them were transatlantics. I generally dine at a table for 6 and at brk. and lunch in the Britannia dining room ask for a table to share.

Tuxes were never required. I am at *Diamond* level for many years now, usually do at least two, sometimes four, trans Atlantics every year, and have NEVER worn a tux...just don't like them! Of course, I abide by the dress code and wear a dark suit.

I've seen Cornus on formal night and he looks very dressed up in his dark suit! Passengers spoke up last year on the Blue Note cruise and made it known that we did NOT want the dress code dumbed down. If you do not wish to dress up you have two choices. Sail with another line or be prepared to have your evening choices limited.

A couple of years ago while on board the Grand Princess they wanted to replace the carpet in my mini suite while I was ashore (Caribbean). I'm not one of those who disembarks in the morning and spends the whole day at the beach so I declined because they would need the cabin for a minimum of several hours. I could return and find they were not finished but I was more concerned about the odors from new carpeting and any glues used.

The train ride to Winchester is only about 15 min. with a delightful day touring the Cathedral and walking around. Osborne House on the Isle of Wight requires generous time and you can also take the ferry over to Hythe, have lunch in the pub and also get some great views across the water to Southampton.

Many a time I've been lunching in Britannia and had people at our table pull out their tickets and notice they had missed their time slot or weren't going to make it. I just wonder how many others do the same depriving others the chance.

I would be more concerned about the location - higher deck versus lower deck. If motion sickness is a possibility then you definitely want a cabin on a lower deck (the lower the better). The QM2 does a superb job of handling high seas but up top you definitely notice the roll.

Yes, it sounds like Phillip Browne. Very friendly man and always willing to chat when you run into him.

Is this a British thing?:D I don't recall seeing anything like this in Canada.

QM2 went through horrendous weather in mid-October and proved why she is an ocean liner built to handle this.

Yes, on that optional formal night people did dress up which to me signalled their feelings about the dress code.

When I've been ashore in Southampton and left the city to explore I made sure to be back a minimum of 1 hour prior to departure. Last November the weather was awful (heavy rain) and we ended our visit sitting in the terminal so I didn't worry about time because the staff would have reminded me.

I was on the Blue Note trip last year and a lot of us made our views known that the dress down code was not acceptable so presumably Cunard learned that the TAs are formal and not to be messed with.

I watched the departure, I had been monitoring the port webcams for several hours. And yes, I heard the horn blow and as she passed out of sight, shed a tear because I couldn't be aboard.

I've never had this booklet so I'm assuming it is a British thing. But then I've never received the Yearbook and my Cunarder arrives long after comments are made about it.

On this side of the pond I've never received the Year book but I did receive an e-card last week.

Merry Christmas!