"Live from" Queen Elizabeth to the Mediterannean! My First Cunard Experience

[lovely_serenity]

Dear Sarah,

 

Thank you so much for your fabulous trip report, well written, interesting and we loved it.

 

It kept our memories going of our awesome trip aboard QE last September to this September when we board again on the 5th. Roll on :-)

 

Thank you again.... Best wishes to you and your family. X

 

Hi!

 

You're welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read it! :)

 

I'm glad to hear that ^^ && Have a wonderful time on your trip!!

 

It was my pleasure (: & Likewise.

[lovely_serenity]

Guys, if you're interested, please go take a look at my newest trip report! It's the Disney Wonder to Alaska! Go check it out HERE!

[skiladyldp]

Going for it now and thank you.

[lovely_serenity]

Going for it now and thank you.

 

Thank YOU! ;)

[travelplus]

I just started reading your report. I may have an upcoming business trip cruise on the QE or another ship depending on the outcome of the survey. I work in Travel and Tourism and just completed the Cunard Training.

 

Your review will greatly help me with my planning. I'm sort of on a last minute plan myself especially if I get the Athens-Rome Med cruise(14 nights) or the 12 night New York-Quebec Fall Colors cruise.

 

The main thing that I need to do is once I find out which cruise I get is to get the airline tickets and hotels. I travel with my Father and we have done three Trans Atlantic Cruises together.

 

This past April I was on Royal Caribbean from Santos(Brazil)-Barcelona an dhad so much fun.

 

Looking forward to reading the report.

[travelplus]

We had heard that it was very close to the station “Castro Pretorio”, and so we went up and down stairs everywhere to take the metro, one station away from Termini. Of course, not before buying our 3-day pass! The tickets are purchasable from those Tobacco & Lottery ticket stores. Just ask for the 3 day metro pass and gesture how many.

 

The work from going up and down stairs, and carrying all of our suitcases into a crowded train would’ve been a much longer trip than the 8 minute walk to the hotel.

 

Once arriving at Castro Pretorio, we got lost for a bit, asking random strangers how to get to the hotel, and eventually found it:

 

 

We went inside to this area:

 

 

And proceeded up the stairs from which I took that picture.

 

We initially got confused as to where to check in, because the drink station room was the first thing we saw:

 

 

We turned left one more time and found the check-in area. We then proceeded up another flight of stairs:

 

 

And got to our room:

 

 

The building’s weird, apparently it used to have multiple hotels in it, so the rooms on each floor look really different.

 

Here’s what our room looked like (exactly like on the website for Hotel Romae):

 

 

There’s another bed to the left that’s all bad and springy, as well as another to the left of the picture that Sis & I ended sharing because we didn’t like the feeling of the spring bed. We fought over who should sleep in the bad bed, but ultimately wound up refusing to.

 

We unpacked a bit and settled in. The room was clean, pretty good, well priced, so no complaints here. It did its job just fine. ^^

 

If you had gone on Hotwire I can 99 percent assure you would have gotten a better hotel with an elevator and better beds. I will be in Rome after our Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise in November and got a 4 star hotel for $100 a night with breakfast and an elevator.

 

The last time we were in Rome we paid $100 as well for April with Breakfast in a 4 star Hotel with comfortable beds. An elevator really helps with luggage as carrying up and down stairs really makes it hard. The #1 Amenity I can't live without is an elevator. Hence this is why I don't like taking the Metro with suitcases and take a shuttle instead. The few extra Euros go a long way as you don't have to get into the mess of the rush hour commute.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[cunardaddict]

If you had gone on Hotwire I can 99 percent assure you would have gotten a better hotel with an elevator and better beds. I will be in Rome after our Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise in November and got a 4 star hotel for $100 a night with breakfast and an elevator.

 

The last time we were in Rome we paid $100 as well for April with Breakfast in a 4 star Hotel with comfortable beds. An elevator really helps with luggage as carrying up and down stairs really makes it hard. The #1 Amenity I can't live without is an elevator. Hence this is why I don't like taking the Metro with suitcases and take a shuttle instead. The few extra Euros go a long way as you don't have to get into the mess of the rush hour commute.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Please, please realize that you are talking about Rome, a town with a history of 3.000 years and not of Seattle or wathever.

 

Airconditioning, lifts and queen size beds do not represent the Italian culture of living. If you need these stay at a Holiday Inn or Ramada or stay home and watch other cultures only on TV.

[travelplus]

Please, please realize that you are talking about Rome, a town with a history of 3.000 years and not of Seattle or wathever.

 

Airconditioning, lifts and queen size beds do not represent the Italian culture of living. If you need these stay at a Holiday Inn or Ramada or stay home and watch other cultures only on TV.

 

Cunard Addict you have taken this way out of proportion. There are travelers who cannot carry bags up and down the stairs. You need to think about individuals with limited mobility.

 

And no I never said that I stay at Holiday Inns or need them. Having a lift is a necessity for a lot of people.

 

Just wait until you get into a car accident or other accident and you need a lift to carry your suitcases. You would be grateful for having a lift.

 

I am fully aware of Rome's culture and I love experiencing other cultures however my opinion and your opinion are different.

 

C'est la vie.

Edited September 25, 2014 by travelplus

[lovely_serenity]

Cunard Addict you have taken this way out of proportion. There are travelers who cannot carry bags up and down the stairs. You need to think about individuals with limited mobility.

 

And no I never said that I stay at Holiday Inns or need them. Having a lift is a necessity for a lot of people.

 

Just wait until you get into a car accident or other accident and you need a lift to carry your suitcases. You would be grateful for having a lift.

 

I am fully aware of Rome's culture and I love experiencing other cultures however my opinion and your opinion are different.

 

C'est la vie.

Not to worry! There was indeed an elevator, albeit a very small one, it was there! We just opted against using it because it was small and our room was just one floor up :)

 

(the black door stuck to that grate looking thing)

 

 

(my parents in it, scrubbed out their faces :D)

 

[lovely_serenity]

I just started reading your report. I may have an upcoming business trip cruise on the QE or another ship depending on the outcome of the survey. I work in Travel and Tourism and just completed the Cunard Training.

 

Your review will greatly help me with my planning. I'm sort of on a last minute plan myself especially if I get the Athens-Rome Med cruise(14 nights) or the 12 night New York-Quebec Fall Colors cruise.

 

The main thing that I need to do is once I find out which cruise I get is to get the airline tickets and hotels. I travel with my Father and we have done three Trans Atlantic Cruises together.

 

This past April I was on Royal Caribbean from Santos(Brazil)-Barcelona an dhad so much fun.

 

Looking forward to reading the report.

 

That is great to hear! I hope it proves to be helpful in your planning! ^^ && Thanks for taking the time to read my trip report!

[sail2sea]

Very cool report! Good job, Sarah!

[lovely_serenity]

Very cool report! Good job, Sarah!

 

Thank you! :) I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[travelplus]

That is great to hear! I hope it proves to be helpful in your planning! ^^ && Thanks for taking the time to read my trip report!

 

I'm reading bits and pieces for the second time just to reaffirm what I want to do on the cruise.

 

#1 is definitely attending as many High Teas as possible

#2 Trying out as much of the food as humanly possible

#3 Attending shows in the theater in the balcony if they are not reserved. Perhaps book the Reserved seating package with Champagne.

#4 Enjoy a good book and cup of coffee in the library or Garden Court.

 

BTW I'm a foodie and love wine,beer and champagne. I look forward to some good beer in the Golden Lion Pub.

And lots more.

Edited September 27, 2014 by travelplus

[cunardaddict]

Cunard Addict you have taken this way out of proportion. There are travelers who cannot carry bags up and down the stairs. You need to think about individuals with limited mobility.

 

Oh yes. But I didn't realize that it was a limit in this case. I understood it as a general complaint like "no air conditioning in a north pole bus".

 

Please forgive me.

[rhodanien]

Sarah,

 

Many thanks for your time and effort in putting this thread together. It's been exceedingly informative, especially the details like the daily menus and the bar prices! :)

 

Cheers,

 

G.

[Presto2]

Thank you so much for all of your hard work. It has taken me an hour to look through it all, so can't imagine how long this has taken you to put it all together and reply to all of the posts.

 

:):D

[snowbell55]

Thanks so much for writing this and taking the time and effort to post so many helpful pics and photos. I've never cruised before (would really like to) and would like to sail on the QM2 so this really gives an idea of what to expect. Not just that but the food aspect is very important to me, as well as daily activities, so your posting the daily program, as well as the menus and the pictures of the meals was very helpful as well. This was a GREAT review, IMO.

 

Apologies for the silly questions but I'd like to know a couple of things:

 

1 - What if, for example, you don't wish to eat in the Britannia Room for dinner, for example, and have the meal elsewhere: do you just not go to the dinner seating? What would happen the next night if you did decide to go to the Britannia Room?

 

2 - Do they allow you to eat multiple entrees like some other cruise lines do?

 

3 - On formal nights, supposedly you're allowed to be mostly informal if you stay in certain places - did you see very much of that?

 

4 - Supposedly on the QM2 there's a map that's sold in the bookstore, on which you can plot your course: they give you the coordinates later on in the journey, and you keep the map as a memento of your journey. Do you know if that was on sale on your journey?

 

Thanks again for your time and effort. It really is appreciated :).

[lovely_serenity]

I'm reading bits and pieces for the second time just to reaffirm what I want to do on the cruise.

 

#1 is definitely attending as many High Teas as possible

#2 Trying out as much of the food as humanly possible

#3 Attending shows in the theater in the balcony if they are not reserved. Perhaps book the Reserved seating package with Champagne.

#4 Enjoy a good book and cup of coffee in the library or Garden Court.

 

BTW I'm a foodie and love wine,beer and champagne. I look forward to some good beer in the Golden Lion Pub.

And lots more.

 

#1 most definitely!

#2 absolutely :)

#3 very good idea.

#4 sounds good :D

 

Sounds like you've really done your studying! ^^ I hope you have a wonderful time on your trip if you do actually get to go on the QE!!

[lovely_serenity]

Sarah,

 

Many thanks for your time and effort in putting this thread together. It's been exceedingly informative, especially the details like the daily menus and the bar prices! :)

 

Cheers,

 

G.

 

Hi G,

 

You are very welcome! :) I'm glad that you enjoyed it and found it informative!

[lovely_serenity]

Thank you so much for all of your hard work. It has taken me an hour to look through it all, so can't imagine how long this has taken you to put it all together and reply to all of the posts.

 

:):D

 

You're welcome! Wow LOL you actually got through it pretty quickly! ^^ && haha yeah it took quite a while, but I feel like it was worth it! (:

[lovely_serenity]

Thanks so much for writing this and taking the time and effort to post so many helpful pics and photos. I've never cruised before (would really like to) and would like to sail on the QM2 so this really gives an idea of what to expect. Not just that but the food aspect is very important to me, as well as daily activities, so your posting the daily program, as well as the menus and the pictures of the meals was very helpful as well. This was a GREAT review, IMO.

 

Apologies for the silly questions but I'd like to know a couple of things:

 

1 - What if, for example, you don't wish to eat in the Britannia Room for dinner, for example, and have the meal elsewhere: do you just not go to the dinner seating? What would happen the next night if you did decide to go to the Britannia Room?

 

2 - Do they allow you to eat multiple entrees like some other cruise lines do?

 

3 - On formal nights, supposedly you're allowed to be mostly informal if you stay in certain places - did you see very much of that?

 

4 - Supposedly on the QM2 there's a map that's sold in the bookstore, on which you can plot your course: they give you the coordinates later on in the journey, and you keep the map as a memento of your journey. Do you know if that was on sale on your journey?

 

Thanks again for your time and effort. It really is appreciated :).

You're welcome! :) You've never cruised before? Well get ready, my friend, for you are going to soon open yourself up to a whole new world, one which you will never be able to escape once you enter ;) && Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

Don't apologize! I love to answer questions!

 

1.) If you don't wish to eat in the main dining room one night, simply just tell your serving team out of courtesy, that you will not be showing up to dinner the next night. Basically, you could just totally not show up, but it's just manners to inform them! The next night, you just show up again and eat! ^^ You are expected to show up anyways, so if you want to eat there the next night, just show up! Your table will always be there, reserved solely for you the entire trip (during that meal hour).

 

2.) Typically, I think this rule applies to all cruise lines and cruise ships everywhere: You can absolutely order whatever you want to eat. If you don't like any entrées, order just appetizers! If you want a few appetizers or entrées because you have a bigger appetite, order it! Nobody's going to stop you! Just make sure you can finish eating what you eat because it's bad to waste food :)

 

3.) On formal night, I didn't see too many people dressed casually (since Cunard is quite well known for their crazy fancy atmospheres on formal nights), but there were a few. I saw a handful of people dressed cruise casual, but they were of course restricted to the designated casual areas of the ship (ie. buffet, Garden Lounge, their room ... and that's like ... it o_o'). Not a super small amount, but for the most part, people dressed up.

 

4.) I unfortunately do not know anything about that, because we actually never were the types to shop very much on board (didn't see too many things that particularly appealed to us), so I can't help you with this question, sorry! ^^"

 

It has been my pleasure! (: Thanks for reading!

[lovely_serenity]

Merry Belated Christmas and Happy New Years!! (Hehe I was in Japan during Christmas week, sorry it's late ^^ Happy belated holidays!) :)

[melody hounddog]

Merry Christmas Sarah!

[happygran]

I've just finished reading through this very lengthy thread.............

 

We are looking to go on Cunard for the very first time, after cruising with many other lines. But we were a little 'put out' by some of the responses. We loved the cruise report, along with the food porn!

 

Loved this report and the others that you've done............it gives us a taste of the line etc.... I was a little upset by some of the earlier responses.......I hope that's not representative of the Cunard cruisers.......... they were were very rude/inconsiderate...

[lovely_serenity]

Merry Christmas Sarah!

 

hehe thank you ^^ <3