Jack E Dawson

Thanks NE John. We do have a 50th wedding anniversary coming up in 2026 and will likely to a Crossing. Will keep your advice in mind. Jack

PREFACE In the process of posting these trip notes I did a quick reread. Boy, am I long winded. Sorry about that. Having previously sailed on only the QM2 and only on west bound Crossings (3), this voyage, a transit of the Panama Canal on the QE (Los Angele - Ft Lauderdale), was a very different experience. While I plan to post a cruise review, I thought it might be interesting to do a compare and contrast of the two experiences. In addition to it being our first time on the QE and the first time on a multi-port itinerary, it was also our first time in the Grills (Princess), having previously sailed in Britannia (sheltered & unobstructed) and Britannia Club. So I will break this compare & contrast into 3 sections, Ship, Grills and Itinerary. SHIP We loved sailing on the QE. While from the outside it has little distinction from other cruise ships it is beautiful inside with its Art Deco styling and is distinctly British-Cunard in its atmosphere. I often read comments here on CC about the difficulty in getting around on the QM2, specificity to the Queens Room and G32. However I find this no more of an issue than the Veranda Steakhouse and kitchen blocking passage down the port side of Deck 2 to the MDR or having to go through the Clarendon Art Gallery to get from stairway B and C to the Royal Court Theater on deck 3 on the QE. Really just quaint design aspects on the 2 ships. However, we did very much miss the Chart Room on the QE. It’s one of our favorite venues on the QM2. On the QE the Corinthian lounge seemed somewhat dull compared to the QM2. I’ve seen a number of postings here on CC that the teak deck on QE and QV is slippery when wet compared to the natural teak deck on the QM2. In my opinion, the artificial teak deck on the QE has just as good traction as the real teak deck on the QM2. I tested this out with both my walking shoes and my Sperry Topsider boat shoes, in wet conditions and dry conditions. However, the artificial teak deck in the QE can get blistering hot on sunny days. Dee and I try to walk each day when onboard. We very much enjoyed the promenade deck on the QE as much as we do the promenade deck on the QM2 although they are very different. The QM2’s promenade deck is much wider than the QE’s but both are still very easy to walk even at crowded times. We do like that the promenade deck on the QE is closer to the water and the view when transiting the stern is spectacular. I like that the deck chairs on the QM2 are right at the railing. That way the walkers are not constantly passing in front of you, instead they are passing behind you where they can still have a clear view of the water over the deck chairs. On the QE, as on the QM2, there is always that very small majority (3-5) walkers who insist on walking in the opposite direction as the overwhelming majority. This is even more noticeable on the QE promenade deck where some sections are very narrow. I found this all quite odd because everywhere else on the ship everyone seemed to go out of their way to be thoughtful and considerate. The QE was in Bristol condition and it was easy to see why. There was constant maintenance going on all over the ship. We frequently saw the Deputy Captain and sometimes the Captain consulting with and inspecting the work of the maintenance crews. All very impressive. On our crossing on the QM2 in May of 2022 we found her to be in overall very good condition but I think the QE may have the edge here. Our go-to venue each evening on the QM2 for a final-final is the Commodore Club. Atmosphere, music, service and mixology, they just seem to get all of it right in the Commodore Club. Here again, I have to give the edge to QE. We like the layout of the room a little bit better and no need to lower the window shades after sunset. The evening of the day that we passed through the Panama Canal we watched a spectacular full moon rise from the Commodore Club. What an ending to a very special day. But, and this is a big “but”, they do make a better Manhattan on the QM2. So maybe we call it a draw. The Royal Court Theater on the QE, with its private boxes, wins hands down. We absolutely loved them. The boxes not only make for excellent viewing of the show but the perfect perch for people watching. Here is a little hint. The boxes on the starboard side tend to fill up first. Our favorite box was lower level, second back from the stage (box 3 on the starboard side and box 4 on the port side). Port side boxes are best for viewing shows and starboard side for lectures. We also like the larger Golden Lion pub on the QE, did not have to wait once for a table. Is it just me or does anyone else think the pub’s carpet design look more like Arizona Native American art work??? Since our first time eating at the Golden Lion (2017), there have been a few changes. It used to be that the chips were served in a cute little wire basket, that’s gone. The size of the fish portion has gotten smaller (maybe not a bad thing) but the quality of the fish and the preparation of the fish and chips is still amazing and when accompanied by a pint of London Pride (on tap), it was a most satisfying lunch…..on all 4 occasions! During the whole 14 day cruise we had only one day of somewhat rough weather. Even though the QE is not an ocean liner like the QM2, we were very impressed with how stable she was. There was very little pitch or roll. Bottom line, the QE and QM2 are two distinctly different ships and differently purposed. We look forward to sailing on both in the future. PRINCESS GRILL As mentioned, this was our first Grills experience. It totally exceeded all expectations. The jump from BC to PG is much greater than from Britannia to BC. Let me start with our journey to PG. Our initial plan was to wait until after final payment date, April 24th, 2022, before booking this cruise and hope for a fare drop in order to snag a deal. As it started to get closer to that date we got a fare promotion from Cunard and, as we very much wanted to do the Panama Canal, we grabbed an unobstructed Britannia balcony cabin. Then a few weeks later, right after final payment date, there was a big fare drop. I should have stayed with the initial strategy. I spoke to our TA and she called Cunard. As expected, they wouldn’t give me a refund on the difference but, much to my surprise, they moved me up to Britannia Club as it was now the same price as I had paid for Britannia. I thought this was extremely nice of Cunard and also reflected well on our TA. Then about 3 weeks before departure I got the email from Cunard with the offer to bid on an upgrade to PG. I bid the minimum plus $50 and a few days later got an acknowledgement that the bid was accepted. Oh boy…we are in The Grills!!! We arrived at the LA terminal around noon, we checked in and were shown to a PRIORITY lounge by 12:15PM. Boarding started shortly after that. When we walked into our cabin our bags we’re waiting on the bed and a bottle of sparkling wine was on the coffee table in a champagne bucket. No, it wasn’t my beloved Pol Acker but I wasn’t going to let that get me down (a bottle of Pol Acker did arrive mid voyage, thank goodness). Wanting to make a good first impression we had chosen to wear our “Smart Attire” that morning to board, so we headed off to the PG restaurant for lunch. The PG restaurant is spectacular. We had expected it to be nice but we were very much blown away. It is a fairly long and narrow room with a wall of glass going the entire length of the outside wall. While very formal in decor, it is bright and open. Our table was in the middle of the room, about 8’ from the wall of glass. We initially liked this location but as time went by we came to realize that this was a really great spot. We had a spectacular view but just far enough from the surrounding tables that gave us some privacy but still easy enough to carry on conversations with any of the 4 tables near us. We got to know everyone around us pretty well and socialized outside the restaurant. As we were the only ones in the restaurant when we arrived that first day we were quickly introduced to the Maître d’, Assistant Maître d’, Sommelier, Waiter and Assistant Waiter. In our 3 previous Cunard voyages in Britannia and Club, I don’t think I ever even met the Maître d’. In PG we had a pleasant conversation with him on a daily basis. On the first night, I asked our waiter if it might be possible to have Rum Raisin ice cream every night. He said he would make it happen and he did (just try the Cunard rum raisin once and you will understand). Let me talk a little bit about dress code here. We had 3 Gala nights and 11 casual nights. On the casual nights at least 3/4 of the men wore jackets and way more than half wore ties. The women all wore cocktail dresses or fancier. On Gala nights I saw only one gentleman not wearing a tuxedo, he wore a dark suit. For the Roaring 20’s night almost all of the women dressed to that occasion and about 1/2 of the men did as well. Throughout the ship over the entire 14 days we saw very few exceptions to the dress code. This surprised me, because of the itinerary, I thought there might be a relaxation of the dress code efforts. The food in the Grills was DELICIOUS. We never had a bad meal or even a bad course. The daily amuse bouche was fun. The a la carte menu, which included appetizers and entrees, was extensive and changed half way through the voyage. The Chateaubriand, with final cooking and carving table side, was to die for. The flamed duck a l’orange was quite impressive. On one night when I was torn between 2 entrees, our waiter suggested a half portion of each and that was perfect. I can go on and on but the bottom line is that dining in the Princess Grills restaurant was a tour of great cuisine. However I do have to report one oddity. In the entire 14 days , lobster was not on the menu once. When I asked the maître d’ about this he said there was actually no lobster at all on the ship. I found that surprising. Our Princess Grills cabin on QE was basically a longer version of a Britannia balcony cabin unlike the more L-shaped PG cabins on QM2 with their longer balconies. However, the walk-in closet area and the full tub shower were game changers over the standard Britannia cabin. The PG cabin also had a larger seating area with a full size sofa rather than a loveseat and an extra chair. One hint, the PG cabins on Deck 4 have larger balconies than the PG cabins on the other decks. Because of the ships design, Deck 4 balconies are almost 18” (45cm) deeper. While this may not sound like much, it really makes it much roomier when the lounge chairs are in their full lay-back position. Our cabin, 4102, port side, was quiet and in very good condition. One other tip, if you are on Deck-4, try to avoid the starboard side (odd number cabins). Deck-4 is directly above the promenade deck and the starboard side is the smoking area. The Grills Terrace and Lounge are wonderful sanctuaries to relax in with specular views. Since we didn’t have the Chart Room for our predinner drinks, the Grills Lounge more than filled the bill. It is so comfortable. I honestly feel that the staff there is the best on the ship both in service and in their ability to make a great drink. We enjoyed Manhattans, Old Fashions, Cosmos and Mojitos there, all prepared perfectly. The Grills Terraces on the QE alone almost justifies the cost of Grills. We spent most of our sea day afternoons there. On one occasion, we spent almost the entire day there. There were ice cold fresh fruit kabobs mid-morning, finger sandwiches at noon, ice cream early afternoon and tea service midafternoon, all brought right to your lounger. Ice cold neck towels were offered throughout the day. Hint, the premier loungers are the ones on the upper level (DECK 12) under the shade tents but they generally fill up by 1:00PM. However, the drawback to these loungers is that you definitely hear the engine noise and vibrations coming from the smokestack. It is much quitter on the lower Grills Terrace (DECK 11) but no relief from the sun. I do wonder why there is no pool or hot tub on the Grills Terrace. It appears that there once was one there as there are abandoned showers on Deck 12. If I were to sail on QE again or on QV, I would definitely consider Princess Grills. I think the value is there. However, I don’t feel that way for QM2. The restaurants and lounge lack the views and the Grills Terrace doesn’t begin to compare to the QE’s. ITINERARY Our first stop was Cabo San Lucas. It was an extremely hot day and it didn’t help that we had to be tendered. Fortunately we had chosen the Sail & Snorkel as our excursion. The excursion was professionally run and the crew extremely friendly and helpful. We were constantly being offered cups of ice water. The voyage started out with some sightseeing of the rock formations followed by a half hour sail to the snorkeling cove. The snorkeling equipment, which was included, was in good condition and there were sizes to fit everyone. Each person received personal attention in getting their equipment on. The water was slightly cool, thank goodness, and clear. There were loads of beautiful fish that came right up to you. We snorkeled for about 45 minutes but it passed all to quickly. Once back on board there was a giant fresh fruit salad with the most beautiful and delicious fruit. It was exactly the right thing to eat at that time. There was also a selection of individually packaged cookies. The bar opened up at that time making delicious rum and tequila drinks. All of this was included in the price. A couple of hints, you do want to bring a towel from the ship and it isn’t very practical to change into dry clothes on the sailboat. But by the time we got back to the port everyone had dried out. I would highly recommend this excursion. It is not recommended that you carry your passport with you in Cobo. Your room key is all you need. Our second stop was Costa Rica. We chose the Cloud Rain Forest Hike. The hike was great but definitely strenuous. There are also a number of suspension bridges that offer specular views but the longer ones do sway quite a bit when crossing. The local people that led the hike (we were broken up into small groups) were very knowledgeable and had great passion for this beautiful place. One of the pleasant surprises was the large number of humming birds. They were absolutely beautiful. Another surprise was that Costa Rica as LOTS of snakes, many poisonous. We did see some snakes (in the trees!!!) but none of the poisonous verity. There was a delicious lunch provided after the hike in a cool open air cafeteria looking out over the rain forest. The only down side of the tour was that it was a 2+ hour bus ride each way to the Cloud Rain Forest on an EXTREAMLY windy back road. So 4 ½ hours of the almost 7 hour excursion were spent on the bus. Our guide did speak for almost all of the bus ride about the culture and history of Costa Rica. He was very knowledgeable. However, I think it was unprofessional for Cunard not to mention the long bus ride in the excursion’s description. There was a port presentation in the in the Royal Court theater prior to arrival but the speaker said the ride was only 90 minutes each way. Our third adventure was the Panama Canal. It takes pretty much all day to make the transit but we never lost interest for a minute. While the passage through the locks is definitely interesting to watch, Lake Gatoon, and its natural beauty, was a wonderful surprise. We were fortunate to have had Mr. Richard Wainio onboard as one of the Insights speakers. He grew up in Panama and later served on the US Panama Canal Commission for 18 years including as Executive Director. Besides his 4 lectures on Panama, he provided almost nonstop narration for the entire transit of the canal. It was a tremendous education and included many personal stories of his interaction, starting as a child, with most of the leaders of Panama over the last 60 or so years. His father and grandfather had also been very influential in Panama. The Captain opened the forward crew decks to all passengers ensuring a great view of the passage through the locks. The Panama Canal was definitely the highlight of the voyage. Our 4th stop was Oranjestad Aruba. Our plan was to shop in the morning and then hit the beach in the afternoon. However, it was just so hot that when we got back to the QE at lunch time, we decided to hit the ship’s pool rather than the beach in the afternoon. We were far from the only ones. In hindsight, we should have booked into the all-inclusive private island resort excursion that would have offered us some relief from the sun and heat. Leaving Aruba the QE departed through a very narrow channel that required a tight 90 degree turn that left no margin for error. Watching from the Grills Terrace deck we could see the QE churning up quite a bit of sand from the floor of the channel. Well done Captain Mazzella. There were 9 sea days on this cruise and we wondered how the speakers and entertainment would stack up to our 3 QM2 Crossings. The Insights speakers were all interesting and spoke on a wide range of subjects. Our favorite speaker was Jim Kennedy, who held many important positions with NASA including Director of the Kennedy Space Center (Cape Canaveral). His lectures were amazing. He offered 1 on 1 sessions which Dee and I took him up on. He was very gracious and generous with his time. His knowledge about all things NASA was most impressive. But ALL of the speakers were impressive and Interesting. It was a very rich Insights program, perhaps the best I’ve ever experienced. The entertainment, both in the Royal Court Theater and in the various venues around the ship was first class. We attended 12 of the 14 shows in the Royal Court Theater and enjoyed every one of them. The performers in the various lounges were all very talented. Our evenings were long (always past midnight) and music filled. We actually only had one evening in the Queens Room dancing. There was also a terrific Cunard World Club party for those with Gold or higher status. The Captain made a wonderful speech. I think almost every officer on the ship attended the party and went out of their way to mix with the passengers. There were so many officers there that at one point Dee asked me who was driving the ship. The party lasted close to an hour and was well attended by CWC members. The Captain also made himself available for pictures. Back in 2017 we had dinner with the Captain when he was Deputy Captain on the QM2. So of course we had to have our picture taken with him again. We had a short but nice chat. IN SUMMERY We are now considering the Alaskan cruise on the QE. We also leaned a few things about cruising for us. First of all, 14 days is probably our limit for a single cruise. While we weren’t looking forward to arriving in Ft. Lauderdale we were ready to get home. We were also pretty tired by the last day. We probably need to do a better job pacing ourselves. Second, we know that we will probably never do an east bound Crossing. Losing that one hour at noon, on 3 days, was most irritating. Having that experience for 5 out of 7 days on a Crossing would be very hard. Our first sailing on Cunard (QM2 Crossing) will likely always be out favorite. But this voyage on the QE takes 2ndplace. The ship, Grills and the itinerary all came together to prove that the sum can be greater than the individual parts. Thanks to the staff of the Queen Elizabeth for all you do and to Cunard for making it possible for us to enjoy the Grills experience. Jack

Unfortunately we were never able to catch up with your friends for a drink but were able to let them know you weee thinking about them. Jack

We did self disembarkation and exited deck 2 mid ship. We had 2 carry-on bags and 2 very large bags. Upon exiting the ship we were directed on to a waiting elevator that brought us down to the ground floor. They were just bringing in the first load of bags as we approached Customs. While Customs thoroughly checked our passports, the process still only took a minute. We were greeted with smiles and welcomed home. Got to love self checkout. Jack

Well, they made us get off the ship this morning. Evidently to continue onto the next leg to Barcelona you actually had to have paid for it. We queued up at 7:05AM and disembarkation started at 7:15AM with performers and speakers exiting first. We stepped off the ship at 7:25AM. Customs took 5 minutes and we were at the airport and through security a few minutes before 8:00AM. So it’s back to reality. As an interim first step we are sipping mimosas in the Club Room at the Fort Lauderdale airport. It seemed an appropriate way to start the transition. Jack

The WiFi has been excellent. Works beautifully everywhere on the ship including our cabin. Jack

Well, today is packing day and tomorrow we disembark in Ft Lauderdale. I hope to post a review and other comments by weeks end. It has been a marvelous cruise in so many aspects. In the mean time, if I can answer any questions or check on anything specific while still onboard, pkease let me know. We have saved our bottle of Pol Acker that appeared mid cruise and will pop the cork around 3:00PM as we begin packing. Jack

We had a beautiful and wonderful transit of the Panama Canal today. There were no delays and we both entered and exited the Canal right on time. We had overcast skies and a good breeze all day. This was very nice as we spent the entire day on the Terrace deck. Didn’t want to miss anything. We had one short shower but the awnings provided perfect protection. Fruit kabobs in the morning and Tee on the Terrace in the afternoon allowed us to literally stay out all day. I must say the experience exceeded all expectations. A real bonus was having Canal expert Richard Wainio provide expert narration throughout most of the day. The old locks are operating without any backlog or delays. There are delays for the very large ships that can only fit through the new locks. Upon exiting the Canal I counted 37 ships waiting to enter. Some were the super large container ships and some tanker ships. I spotted no other cruise ships either in the Canal or waiting to enter. All in all, almost memorable day. Jack

We are scheduled to pass through the Panama Canal on Thursday. I will post on our progress. Jack

We have not yet settled on the time/place but very much looking forward to meeting them. So far the cruise has been fantastic. Love the ship, Princess Grills and snorkeling in Cabo. Could probably due without tendering in 93 degree heat. Jack

Would be happy to say hello. We are onboard and in Princess. In Cabo today. Did the Sail and Snorkeling excursion. So much fun. Jack

On Tuesday August 22nd we will be boarding the QE to sail from Los Angles to Fort Lauderdale via the Panama Canal, 14 nights. This will be our first time on the QE and our first time on any cruise other than QM2 crossings (3). Through an accepted upgrade bid we will be sailing PG, also a first. I will probably do little or no posting while on the cruise but will submit a review afterwards. I will be more than happy to try and answer any questions, take any pictures or do any research while onboard. Just let me know how I can help. Thanks Jack

Thanks stan01, i had not been following that thread. Jack

I noticed that next year's June and July crossings for the QM2 are 6 nights for westbound and 8 nights for eastbound. Is this something new? Thanks Jack

Gail, We made a crossings (SH-NYC) in September and the weather was varied but generally nice. We enjoyed lounging and walking on the Promenade deck most days and using the outside hot tubes on Deck 8 every day but one when it was cold and rainy. However the wind outside is constant due to the speed of the ship and the west to east moving weather. Would highly recommend bringing a hooded sweatshirt but shorts as well. Here is a link to a North Atlantic weather site that you may find helpful. Hope this helps Jack

moses0, This came up on the Cunard Board a few years ago and if I remember correctly, they actually had to pay more. Of course, a lot has changed in the past few years but rather getting well meaning advice here, you would be better off contacting Cunard/TA sooner rather than later. I would be very interested as to what you find out. Jack

If final payment has already been made I think there may actually be an issue and would recommend that your friends contact Cunard or their TA as soon as possible. Even if it is out side of the final payment date they should still make contact.

The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper, a Motorola engineer, on April 3, 1973, so they are a little over half a century old. By 1990 there were 11,000,000 users. Although I can't say for sure "for what" Mr. Cooper invented the cell phone, my wife feels the primary purpose is to prove to me that I'm not nearly as smart as I think I am, as in "oh really, let's just goggle that".

Steve4031, In 4 short paragraphs and without even completing your first crossing I think you have provided a ton of valuable and thoughtful information for anyone considering their first Crossing on the QM2. Thanks Jack

I completely agree with you about the fish and chips but EVERYTHING in the Golden Lion Pub is excellent. Try them all. Also agree with you about the ice cream in the MDR. If they have it, the Rum Raisin is over the top good. Jack

Thank you BigMac1953. Was totally unaware of this even though we have traveled in Club previously. We will be boarding the QE in LA on August 22nd and are booked in Club. Curious to see what happens. For sure I will take a screen shot of that page of the Cunard web site and have it on my phone. At the end of the day we are at the mercy of the terminal staff who may or may not know the finer details. Though we have only made 3 voyages on Cunard, I have yet to see any rhyme or reason to the assignment of boarding times. On a Crossing last year we were assigned a 3:00PM boarding time. We are Gold status and traveling in an unobstructed Britannia cabin. Our friends, making their first Cunard voyage and traveling in a Sheltered Cabin were assigned a 1:30PM boarding. Jack

Thanks dides, I do so enjoy the lectures. Jack

Thanks for the excellent reporting steve4031. A couple of questions please: How have the outside temperatures been? Have you had a chance to relax in one of the Promenade deck chairs. In 3 crossings we have seen many pods of porpoise and one whale. What time are the moving the clocks forward, or have they done that yet? Have any of the insight speakers sparked your interest? It was cool here in Chicago today with temps in the 60's. Thanks Jack

As of May of last year they were Chicken Breast, Salmon, Steak and a Cesar Salad with the option of adding any of those 3 items.

You may want to head up to the top of the ship (on top of Deck 13, use stairway A) to see the Statue of Liberty as you sail by then stay there until you pass under the Verrazzano Bridge. Quite specular. The ship just barely squeezes under it with about 15-20 feet to spare. Jack