Current QM2 TA Blog

[cruiser101101]

Thanks :)

[Underwatr]

The main point of this posting is to point out that if you asked 99% of passengers if it was possible to eat in the MDR on that day they would say "NO" ,- yet I did,- and it was a great menu!.

 

Oh dear does that count as a "little extra"?

Absolutely! :)

[lannp]

Thank you Norine,

 

You are so right in saying we each have different experiences depending on the cruise, and the staff at that time.

 

For instance in Aug/Sept this year I was on QM2, doing 24 days (B2B2B), after Eastbound TA in Southampton (with a big change over of passengers) I read that the MDR was no open for lunch. I went to the buffet, after another 10 days the ship was back in Southampton, and I learned that although the MDR was closed to passengers lunch would be served to a very large contingent of Travel Agents.

 

Not being a fan of the buffet, I asked the Maitre D' if I could eat in the MDR that day. He charmingly said "of course". So at 12.30 I went to the MDR. I went up the steps with a group of very young TA's,all wearing badges.

 

One "bright" person seeing I had no badge asked me "Where is your badge , which group are you with" , I replied I was not an agent but a passenger on an exended voyage.

 

This "bright"person who was a visitor to the ship (apparently the leader of her group) then informed me that -"You are not allowed in here today, GO TO THE BUFFET"!

 

This from someone NOT on the staff of Cunard!!!

 

I ignored her rudeness and simply went ahead, the Maitre D' smiled at me, and called over a waiter and said "Escort Mrs Richardson to her special table" and off we went. As I went I heard the "bright " person exclaim "Well I guess she has the penthouse suite"!

 

It was very amusing (if I had the penthouse suite I would not be dining in the MDR of course)

 

The main point of this posting is to point out that if you asked 99% of passengers if it was possible to eat in the MDR on that day they would say "NO" ,- yet I did,- and it was a great menu!.

 

Oh dear does that count as a "little extra"?

 

To me it doesn't matter how big or little the extra is. It was a gesture made specifically to you. So in my opinion that was definitely an extra.

[Olliesmum]

Thank you Norine,

 

You are so right in saying we each have different experiences depending on the cruise, and the staff at that time.

 

For instance in Aug/Sept this year I was on QM2, doing 24 days (B2B2B), after Eastbound TA in Southampton (with a big change over of passengers) I read that the MDR was no open for lunch. I went to the buffet, after another 10 days the ship was back in Southampton, and I learned that although the MDR was closed to passengers lunch would be served to a very large contingent of Travel Agents.

 

Not being a fan of the buffet, I asked the Maitre D' if I could eat in the MDR that day. He charmingly said "of course". So at 12.30 I went to the MDR. I went up the steps with a group of very young TA's,all wearing badges.

 

One "bright" person seeing I had no badge asked me "Where is your badge , which group are you with" , I replied I was not an agent but a passenger on an exended voyage.

 

This "bright"person who was a visitor to the ship (apparently the leader of her group) then informed me that -"You are not allowed in here today, GO TO THE BUFFET"!

 

This from someone NOT on the staff of Cunard!!!

 

I ignored her rudeness and simply went ahead, the Maitre D' smiled at me, and called over a waiter and said "Escort Mrs Richardson to her special table" and off we went. As I went I heard the "bright " person exclaim "Well I guess she has the penthouse suite"!

 

It was very amusing (if I had the penthouse suite I would not be dining in the MDR of course)

 

The main point of this posting is to point out that if you asked 99% of passengers if it was possible to eat in the MDR on that day they would say "NO" ,- yet I did,- and it was a great menu!.

 

Oh dear does that count as a "little extra"?

 

So you are saying that during high season Cunard had about 300 travel agents getting a transatlanic freebie. on the QM2?

[Olliesmum]

Please read the posting.

 

Each afternoon (around 2.45p.m) the staff clear the QM2 Queens Room of passengers, LOCK the doors and lay the tables for tea.

They UNLOCK the doors around 3.25p.m and admit the "waiting in line" passengers.

 

This does not happen on QV or QE becaus their Queens Room does not have doors,

 

I stand by that statement, in common with many other passengers I have been kept waiting in line until the doors are unlocked .

 

It would not be possible to simply enter, find the room EMPTY and take the picture as shown in the blog unless the whole thing was staged as a publicity shot by Cunard.

 

Tea is NOT served on embakation day.

 

A public room with people inside it would not be locked while at sea, it's illegal under maritime law.

[Underwatr]

So you are saying that during high season Cunard had about 300 travel agents getting a transatlanic freebie. on the QM2?

I wasn't there but I believe this was on a "turnaround" day when lunches in Britannia for travel agents are common. Jimsgirl was on a back-to-back so she was (ordinarily) entitled to lunch in Britannia.

[maz48]

A lot of cruise lines entertain travel agents on turnaround day. My friend loves it when she gets to go. They also can get very cheap deals too in the hope they can encourage customers and also know what it is like too for their clients.

 

Celebrity was also entertaining TA's on port days when we were in Le Havre and a couple of other ports on our recent cruise. Fortunately there weren't too many at a time but somehow it felt they were invading our space and I didn't really like it. I understand why they do it however.

[balf]

[quote=lannp;35992529 They also can get very cheap deals too in the hope they can encourage customers and also know what it is like too for their clients.

 

.

 

We have sailed a few times when a representative from the TA we booked through was aboard. You will often see them sitting near the reception desk.

 

We have never found them much use as they always sent us to the desk with any problem. I think it is likely that Cunard give them the trip as a freeby. Same with when customs officers are aboard. Nice little perk of the job.

 

David.

[Olliesmum]

We have sailed a few times when a representative from the TA we booked through was aboard. You will often see them sitting near the reception desk.

 

We have never found them much use as they always sent us to the desk with any problem. I think it is likely that Cunard give them the trip as a freeby. Same with when customs officers are aboard. Nice little perk of the job.

 

David.

 

All costs regarding Immigration/ customs officals onboard are paid by Cunard, they wouldn't get the service otherwise.

 

A friend of mine who works in immgration says it is a mystery to the foot soldiers in the department how the lucky officers that get to work on cruise ships are actually chosen!!

[Jimsgirl]

A public room with people inside it would not be locked while at sea, it's illegal under maritime law.

 

The posting clearly states that there were NO passengers in the room.

 

That those wishing to go to tea had to line up outside.

 

On QM2 (and only on QM2- NOT QV or QE) the staff clear the room , "shut" lock" or close" the doors, lay the tables, then reopen the doors and let the waiting in line passengers in.

 

Just in case this is too hard, please let me make it quite clear, QM2 Queens Room has doors.

 

QV and QE Queens Rooms do NOT have doors, there is a public walk through to one side of their rooms. Their staff lay the tables whilst passengers sit, read, talk as normal.

 

I do not know why QM2 do things differently, I only know that they do.

[capnpugwash]

There is of course a world of difference between shutting or closing and locking which is where this tedium started.

[Jimsgirl]

So you are saying that during high season Cunard had about 300 travel agents getting a transatlanic freebie. on the QM2?

 

No that is not what I said!

 

I made it quite clear that I was referring to "turnaround" day viz I referred to the Eastbound TA, being in Southampton with a change of passengers, going to the buffet, then after the next section of my B2B2B 10 days later after hearing that a lunch would be given to Travel agents in the MDR, I asked if I could eat there.

 

As a Britannia passenger I would normally eat in there anyway, that it was "closed" to passengers for that day was due to the fact that Cunard entertained Travel agents, with a special menu lunch. Yes it was special, far better than the lunch menu normally served, because of course it was a "publicity" event.