Queen Mary 2, Hamburg to New York, June 2019

Dance wherever and whenever you care to. In the ballroom, or in G32. Cunard is most welcoming of every persuasion. I have been on two crossings and have seen plenty of gay men and lesbian women enjoying themselves and fitting in well. You won't have any concerns in that regard. Most crossings have well-attended "Friends of Dorothy" gatherings every early evening in the Commodore Club. Make sure to join in at least once.

 

They offer ballroom dancing classes most days on the crossing, so you can learn a few steps and take a turn around the dance floor. But be warned - there are some serious ballroom dancers on these crossings. While I wouldn't be concerned about being a same sex couple on the dance floor, I would be concerned if you can't make way for the more accomplished dancers. (I am not a good dancer, but I got out there a few times and had great fun.)

 

I recommend the lecture series. It varies with every crossing, but always there are one or two speakers who are more than worth your time. The planetarium? IMHO, Meh, but some folks really enjoy it. The offerings are not new or innovative, but it is a planetarium at sea, and how often does that happen?

 

You said one of you is a big "foodie." I recommend splurging on one meal in the Verandah restaurant. If you are traveling Brittania class, you will not be able to dine in the Grill restaurants (unless invited by a Grills guest VIP). But Verandah food is preferred to the Grills by some. Verandah cuisine is nouvelle, while the Brittania and Grills offerings tend to be quite traditional.

 

There will be passengers your age on board. You are most likely to find your contemporaries in the gym, at the pool and in G32. My 33-year-old daughter did a crossing with me last Autumn and had a really wonderful time. She did not want for companionship with other passengers her age. But you also will enjoy getting to know some of the more "seasoned" passengers (says this 61 year old). A crossing is an opportunity to socialize with a vast array of people. Some of your fellow passengers will have dozens of Cunard cruises/crossings under their belts. They will have some great stories to share.

 

I envy you this first crossing at such a young age. You will have a fabulous time.

And try the fencing classes! Great fun!

I've just spotted your thread, congratulations on your upcoming honeymoon.

 

My husband and I honeymooned on the QV this time 7 years ago when we were around the same age as you and we had a fabulous time. We joined the cruise group on here and went along to the meet up and the lovely people had brought along a wedding card and some magnets for our cabin. I will never forget how lovely that was - particularly as I was suffering awful sea sickness at that point (I got better).

 

You will have a fantastic time on board, the age gap never bothered us at all and we found the entertainment crew and musicians seemed delighted to see us.

 

We are no dancers but thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the Queens room watching everyone else. We kept our own bopping to the G32 area.

 

I'd second the recommendation for the Verandah and the specialty restaurants in the Lido, we loved these. We had a good few breakfasts and lunches in the Britannia so it was nice to eat elsewhere for a change.

 

Once our children are a bit older the first thing on our list is a crossing. Have a wondeful time.

I might as well add that we're on Deck 6 in 6084. Is anyone familiar with that part of the ship? I turned down a next-category upgrade from a recent promotion because my husband prefers the safe feeling of having a sheltered balcony (plus being able to use it no matter the weather in most instances). It seems like a quiet part of the ship, but I see Carinthia Lounge looming overhead on the Deck 7 layout and it's starting to seem a little too close for comfort (though admittedly, the stage seems to be at the aft end). Still, I can't see it getting noisy at night after midnight or so - hopefully I'm correct. Any input is greatly appreciated - hopefully I don't have to change rooms, as we love the one we've locked in!

 

I've also adjusted the table assignment to one for 6 in Britannia, first sitting. Specifically asked them to make a note to see if they can get us in the "well" area with the dome above us. Crossing my fingers! We had a table for 2, but I think it'll be a great deal more fun to get to know some of our fellow passengers. Plus it'll be my birthday on board, so maybe they'll have the chance to embarrass me with a cake and a singalong.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about your cabin location. It looks to me like cabin 6084 is below the corridor between the Canyon Ranch Spa and the Carinthia Lounge, not so much below the lounge proper itself. Plus, the nightly entertainment in the Carinthia Lounge does typically wrap up by 11:00-11:30 pm. On the other hand, as with all the balcony cabins on deck 6, your cabin is below the promenade. Some posters have reported here that they occasionally hear noise in their deck 6 balcony cabins from joggers running on the promenade deck early in the morning before they are supposed to be out there (prior to 8:00 am). Others in deck 6 balcony cabins have reported no issues in that regard.

 

I think you have made a good choice is selecting a table for 6. We actually prefer larger tables for 8 to meet even more of our fellow passengers at dinner.

 

All the best,

John

Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions!

..... Then, we'll jet over to Hamburg for 3 or 4 nights (we've never been but I'm fascinated by the liner history and culture of Germany).

 

Well here is your starter for ten...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/07/08/hamburg-in-a-day/

 

 

 

And just for something different, I can recommend a train ride out to Luneburg...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2013/11/05/one-way-to-do-luneburg/

 

 

Again, we did it on a Cunard day visit to Hamburg.

Oh, and if you get that upgrade this is how it will be crossing westbound, here's my last trans-Atlantic review onboard Queen Mary 2...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/01/02/queen-mary-2-remastered-trans-atlantic/

 

 

 

I might as well add that we're on Deck 6 in 6084. Is anyone familiar with that part of the ship?

 

We took a four day cruise with friends whom we also wanted to dine with so on that occasion we opted for a Britannia Stateroom with a sheltered balcony.

 

It also gave me the opportunity to add something different to my cruise blog.

 

We were pleasantly surprised, particularly at the size of the balcony. The only real drawback is that its difficult to admire the view without standing up.

 

 

 

 

Oh, and correct side for entering New York to see The Statue of Liberty and for leaving Southampton for your view of Solent Towers.

;);)

Thanks everyone for your input! Needless to say, I'm ecstatic about the trip. We'll stick with the stateroom we booked (I got a rather curt customer rep on the phone saying major upgrades "just don't happen" but you never know) - thanks for the advice on our choice of cabin! Frankly I'm fine with what we have either way and couldn't care less about upgrades. Going to book a tasting lunch at the Verandah one day as well! So exciting.

Fair enough on the dancing - mind, neither of us can dance to save our lives, lol! We're not the kind of couple that likes to put on a show to force agendas and draw attention, and we respect that the passengers mostly consist of an older demographic, but I daresay we'll brave the dance floor together once or twice. G32 seems like the more suitable spot in my opinion, but we'll play it by ear! Will definitely look into the backstage tour as well. Thanks!

The Queens Room Ballroom is a great place for people watching on formal "Ball" nights even if you never go on the dance floor. If you do decide to dance there (on any night), it is best for you to stay in the middle of the floor so that you do not impede more experienced dancers moving around the outside dance lanes. However, be aware that ballroom dancing can be quite addictive. DW and I did not get on the dance floor on our first QM2 crossing even though we had taken a few private ballroom dance lessions prior to boarding as we were intimidated by the "real" dancers on the floor. Now, years later, we continue to take lessons and go dancing every week. It's great exercise for both young and for the not so young like us.

Hey Nick, Congratulations, late honeymooners. How exciting. Looks like you've gotten some wonderful advice here. I just noticed your thread, as I just joined. Let me know if you'd like more ideas, and I'd be happy to share. I also booked quite early, but for the November 2019 TA Hamburg>NY. And, I've also been a huge ocean liner fan since childhood. Cheers, Steve

Fair enough on the dancing - mind, neither of us can dance to save our lives, lol! We're not the kind of couple that likes to put on a show to force agendas and draw attention, and we respect that the passengers mostly consist of an older demographic, but I daresay we'll brave the dance floor together once or twice. G32 seems like the more suitable spot in my opinion, but we'll play it by ear! Will definitely look into the backstage tour as well. Thanks!

 

We started taking ballroom dancing lessons specifically so we can dance on our crossing (in August!). Go try some lessons together. They are not very expensive, they’re fun, and we feel like we can get on the floor and move together now. And congrats on your upcoming nuptials. :hearteyes:

Hi Nicksfix!

My sister and I will be joining you on this crossing. We’ve been on QM2 several times, but not from Hamburg. Solent Richard’s blog mentioned that he departed from Altona Cruise Terminal. I also saw it mentioned that the departure was from Steinwerder Terminal.

Do you (or anyone else) know which terminal we will be departing from?

Btw- arriving into NY is one of the most memorable moments.....it’s definitely worth waking up early for! Order room service and enjoy your view from the balcony!

I was wondering about the terminal because I want to find a hotel close by.

Any info is appreciated!

The following suggestions are relatively close to both. There’s a beautiful hotel in the stunning Elbphiharmonie building across the river. You could even follow the QM2 arrival via a ship tracking app like MarineTraffic and then watch her arrive from the viewing level on the building. Fantastic vantage point. Also, the CAP San Diego is a beautifully restored freighter which mostly stays docked on the Elbe just West of the Elbphilharmonie building. Most people don’t realize that the CAP San Diego also rents out 8 cabins, kind of like a hotel. The cabins are very basic, but they’re positively immaculate. And you could watch the QM2 arrive from anywhere on the deck, or even from the bridge. At night you have free reign of the deck and most of the superstructure. Seriously. And during the day you can explore the ship, including the holds and the engine room. Great fun, and for anyone who enjoys ships...it’s a pretty awesome alternative to a standard hotel. Plus, it would absolutely be the most amazing vantage point to watch the QM2 arrive.

Edited June 20, 2018 by steve1young
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Hello Steve1Young - Thanks for the hotel ideas.....especially the CAP San Diego! WOW!!

I googled it and saw all the pics. Unbelievable! I won’t be able to get to do it this time, but it certainly is on The List!