jimmybean

My pleasure.

Only six full days to go... :) :) :)

Pepper! You lucky devil!!!!! Have ANOTHER wonderful crossing! Keep us all apprised of the merits of your next sailing. Bon voyage...

Thanks for the coffee advice, have read all the advice about what comprises semi formal and I'm well prepared for those evenings! Yes, no ties or coats packed!

Just so there will be no confusion (or less confusion), Desert Mary, gentlemen are still required to wear a jacket to dinner. Ties are now optional on non-formal nights, but if you mean "coat" for "jacket" and have a gentleman with you…. maybe better put the coat back in the suitcase. Also, although ties are now optional on non-formal nights, many gentlemen still choose to wear one.

It is my understanding that the coffee in Sir Samuel's has an extra charge, while the coffee in Britannia, or in the King's Court, incurs no extra charge. So, I would hope Sir Samuel's coffee would be better! Coffee in the King's Court is self-serve and available at any time. There are paper cups available, so you can take a cup "to go" if you like. (I don't actually drink coffee myself, but my DH does)

Have a wonderful time on your crossing!

Firstly, thank you to pepperrn for replying to my earlier questions and great photos by the way! I've heard that on the upper deck in the Britannia you can feel quite a bit of vibration from the ship to the extent that some people have asked to move to the lower deck. Have you not found this?

I've never noticed any unusual vibrations on either deck of the Britannia.

I think sitting downstairs gives more of a sense of "grandness" making it preferable to some people.

Also, there are a few steps in the upper deck Britannia (depending where one is seated), which would be a problem for someone in a wheelchair. But, because the upper Britannia is tiered, there can be less of a claustrophobic feeling in that location.

lots of good replies.

 

 

There is shipboard DIY laundry but competition is hot for the machines on sea days. My solution was 0500 wake-up laundry before the touring began. People are not shy about emptying machines when they stop, so I'd recommend several mesh laundry bags if you're touchy about who's pawing through your "small clothes." I remember an elderly Japanese woman on the QE Med Cruise who was quite angry at me when I emptied out her abandoned clothes.

 

Oddly, it seemed to be the men who did a lot of the laundry aboard ship. Mostly, in our case, retired Navy men from around the world. We had several good gams in the laundry room.

I have never seen a laundry room open on a Cunard ship at 5 a.m.!!! The posted sign on the laundry room door says 7:30, doesn't it???, and once on the QM2 (a segment voyage) the laundry remained locked until 9 because nearby cabins complained about early morning conversations, since the laundry queue extended well into the hallway.

Did someone open the laundry early at your request? Or, did they forget to lock the laundry in the evening? Or, did they give you your own key?

Our table number from May 2014 sailing (lower deck) is also consistent with the table-seating map.

It can feel very congested in Britannia on the QM2. We have often requested the upper deck and found this less so.

Have a wonderful sailing!

My experience is that Americans prefer early seating (in general) and Europeans/British/non-Americans often prefer later dining in the Britannia.

Of course, this is NOT all Americans nor all Europeans/British strictly fitting into one category or the other (just a generalized observation).

We have been on Cunard ships where the early-seating was waitlisted and we have been on a Cunard ship where the late-seating was the time waitlisted.

Really, I think popularity of a particular mealtime depends on the mix of passengers. The mix of passengers depends on where the ship is sailing...

I understand the captain has dinner in the Britannia during the second-seating. We typically request first-seating, so we have never observed this ourselves.

I don't think all the "fun and interesting people" dine during one mealtime vs the other.

I agree with Pepper about personal preference. When do you prefer to eat when you are at home?

DH and I have had late-seating on non-Cunard ships a couple of times, once because that was all that was available and once because it was what our traveling companions wished. It worked out fine for us. Shipboard dinners are always relaxed and a pleasant point of ship-life for us.

Have a wonderful time, David. You will be happy with the Queen Elizabeth.

Communication, in general, is not Cunard's long suit. It should be--such a key ingredient of good customer service--but it isn't.

It's a shame. Gives a negative impression, which really isn't necessary.

Thoughtfulness implies someone thinking about a matter before taking action as well as having a concern for those affected.

Unfortunately, Cunard often isn't thoughtful in the way communication is handled in many situations---both on land and aboard ships.

DH and I tend to overlook this flaw by maintaining low expectations and often asking the same question multiple times.

thanks for the comments! We can share a bottle of PA next time on board!

 

Rob

You're on, Rob. A "PA" party : )

The only potential argument is whose PA we should deplete.

My DH (a thoroughly delightful man in every way) doesn't drink. I'm always reluctant to open the PA unless I find others with whom I can share the bottle. On past crossings, I have had to resort to giving our bottle to nice folks I met onboard…

In any case, I believe PA tastes better when shared with agreeable people : )

I thought news of single cabins sounded so promising.

There are MANY people who travel solo and would appreciate cabins designed for their needs. There are, no doubt, MANY MANY MANY more people, who might try ship travel, if a solo cabin was offered…. at a fair price.

Cunard seems to be missing the mark. A shame.

During our May '14 voyage, I felt like the internet speed on the QM2 had improved significantly--compared to our last voyage in '12. Faster all around.

Still, I tried to use the computer during hours when usage was not so great. That always makes a different, too.

We never travel with our own devises (too much already in the suitcases). There are a number of computers available in the computer room on deck 2. Also, a Cunard employee was in the room, much of the time, who to answer questions for newbies.

My advice is to remember to log out each time you use the internet. Otherwise, your internet minutes will continue to diminish (even though you have moved on and gone to dinner : )

Have a great sailing!

I honestly didn't notice the change… It didn't affect me.

Hi Steffisews. Welcome to CruiseCritic!

I have seen scooters on many occasions on the QM2. Most lifts are not huge, but accommodate a single scooter (with a couple people) nicely. The lifts between the Queens room and the Britannia restaurant are the most generous in size. You should be able to enjoy the entire ship (save a few locations) with ease. (And, exploring this ship is one of the greatest joys of sailing on her)

We have visited Perthshire ourselves and found it lovely. Have a wonderful time!

Indeed, you will take the trip of a lifetime---in the grandest style. So fortunate your mother can enjoy this experience with you!

Cruise critic is a great place to learn all sorts of advantageous information. Check out the specific roll call for your voyage.

Happy Sailing!

Thank you for sharing, Rob!

I dub you our official video-maker for all future voyages DH and I take on the QM2. You did an excellent job! Just excellent.

The arrival view of the ships from the park were fabulous, despite the fact you seemed to be hitting some Pol Acker a bit early that morning. No matter. What you captured was magnificent (and something we ourselves were not witness to--thank you for catching us up)…

Ditto with checking for rust under the Verrazano Narrows Bridges, coming into NY. We missed that this sailing, but you took the most wonderful footage, capturing it perfectly.

We are still unbooked for our next voyage. Your video makes me want to sit down with the brochure, again, and plan something out. Cunard should give you a commission (or a second bottle of the PA, at least).

Again, thank you for sharing your video (all our joint memories) and for all your posts on the CC boards.

Congratulations on becoming diamond!

Enjoy your crossings!

Let us know what is going on----Who are your speakers? How is the evening entertainment?

I am looking forward to your next installment.

Happy Sailing!

Way-to-go Lurker1!!!!!! ; )

I think (?????)

Jimmy, I just got to 1,000 posts (after 9 years on the board), simply by replying to yours. :D

Way-to-go Lurker1!!!!!! ; )

Quebec is lovely! What a great itinerary!

Welcome red919,

We always pack earplugs, just in case, for any voyage on any ship of any cruise line. Only had to use them once, but it's a comfort to know we will have them if necessary.

You will love the QM2. She is a great ship.

Go to the top-top deck (a small observation deck a flight above the main upper deck--walk around the top deck and it's easy to find)--great for viewing the bottom of Verrazano Narrows bridge as you sail away from Brooklyn.

Have a great voyage!

sssssoooooo the answers to the question are......yes,no and sort of. :eek::D

…which takes you back to "never hurts to call and ask"…

Please let us know what you find out : )

Never hurts to call and ask…

Good luck, Jane.

I could do without HD, but I would love to see them be interactive, the way they were when QM2 was new. Does anyone else remember that?

I sure do, Kathy, and it was a pleasure. We could check all sorts of things from our stateroom on the interactive TV (including, but not limited to, the nightly menu in the MDR)… DH thought it was removed because people could track their onboard spending and might budget more wisely. Just his conjecture, nothing fact based…

I also remember the choice of reprinted daily newspapers in the library---as well as some computer terminals in there--which was handy.

Little changes, but loss of things that I believe brought pleasure to the Cunard experience...

I thought is was "Dame" as in "there ain't nothing like a dame, nothing in the world" as in Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific… Totally different connotation. Nobody's majesty involved… Americans fully welcome to participate.

But, then, I could be wrong. I was wrong about how many breakfasts I thought people thought I had on the QM2...

BlueRiband, no question you are the voice of reason. I'm bowing out of this discussion, while still hoping the Dame will contribute more than the post which started this thread.

Megatrain don't actually operate the trains - they simply sell an allocation of seats on certain South West trains at a reduced price. South West trains and Megatrain (and Megabus) are, I believe, both owned by Stagecoach

Megatrain was a googling discovery of my clever DH...

You have to buy the Megatrain ticket online, in advance, and you have no flexibility to take a different train. You have an assigned train departure time.

You print your own "ticket" which doesn't look much like a ticket (not very official looking, but obviously recognized by the conductor).

You save a consideration amount of money, compared to the price paid by other passengers who purchased conventional tickets. Same train. Less cost.

We typically see at least "some" --if not many--people on the train who also have Cunard identification on their suitcases. So, I thought it worth sharing this information.

I'm sure we can keep the discussion going for months! Just started working on my video!

 

"Alumni" is a good word. Means we need a reunion at some point!

 

Rob

Let's see…. where could we hold such a reunion ; ) ???

 

I understand Dame Delilah posting on three separate boards---she did take three separate cruises with three different cruise lines (if you will forgive my inferring QM2 is a cruise ship).

 

Maybe, three ships in a row were too many ship days without a break and too much of strangers' company, night after night? I find I can get burned-out, by the end of a long time on a ship--if not by tablemates, by people coughing or sneezing around a ship, without covering their mouths… (But, that is another story : )

 

I think it would be very interesting if Dame Delilah wrote more of a review, comparing the three sailing. I would be interested in her thoughts on how each experience compared beyond the dinner tables…