QM2 Outside Deck Spaces...Question About Deck 5

[debjo]

Greetings,

I hope some savy QM2 past passenger can clarify what I'm seeing on the ship's deck plans. To me, there appears to be both Forward (bow) and Aft (stern) open deck spaces on Deck 5. The area immediately behind the Forward deck area isn't labeled, so I wonder what "room" is in that space. The open Aft deck space on Deck 5 has cabins immediately forward of that area. In looking at outside pictures of the ship, this Aft Deck Space doesn't appear to be open to the sky, but looks more like a covered area or protected deck space, but still an outside area where one could get some fresh air. Is this Aft deck space available to the passengers or is it a deck area set aside for crew only???

 

Thanks in advance for your help on this one. I'm hoping that this Aft space on Deck 5 is an outside, but covered, observation area that passengers can access, as our cabin is on this particular deck.

 

Debjo

[pmb1]

... I'm hoping that this Aft space on Deck 5 is an outside, but covered, observation area that passengers can access, as our cabin is on this particular deck.

 

Debjo

Sorry, that is a crew only area.

[cunardaddict]

Lowest outside area accessible for passengers is the childrens pool deck on deck 6 aft and the promenade on deck 7.

[pepperrn]

Greetings, I hope some savy QM2 past passenger can clarify what I'm seeing on the ship's deck plans. To me, there appears to be both Forward (bow) and Aft (stern) open deck spaces on Deck 5. The area immediately behind the Forward deck area isn't labeled, so I wonder what "room" is in that space.

Hi debjo, if I'm looking at the same large white unmarked space on the deck plans at the forward end of deck 5, then that is an area on the ship with crew cabins, and normally not open to passengers.

The open Aft deck space on Deck 5 has cabins immediately forward of that area. In looking at outside pictures of the ship, this Aft Deck Space doesn't appear to be open to the sky, but looks more like a covered area or protected deck space, but still an outside area where one could get some fresh air. Is this Aft deck space available to the passengers or is it a deck area set aside for crew only???

As pmb1 correctly points out :) , this area at the stern end of deck 5 is again a "crew only" area. It is not an wide open space as the deck plan incorrectly suggests, but merely a gallery or passageway that runs around the stern of the ship in a "C" shape with crew/working spaces inboard.

Thanks in advance for your help on this one. I'm hoping that this Aft space on Deck 5 is an outside, but covered, observation area that passengers can access, as our cabin is on this particular deck.Debjo

Sadly the deck plans shown in the brochures are inaccurate in a few places when compared to the layout of the actual ship! I mentioned the "mistake" at the aft end of deck 5 above, but there are several others. Most obviously on Deck 7 midships in the Kings Court where a "Glass Floor" is still shown on deck plans in 2014 despite this feature being removed approx. 2005! There are many other (minor) slips and mistakes. And the plans do not make certain things clear, esp. when it comes to access between decks, these little tricks are only spotted once on board.

Some examples (there are others).

There is a stairway on Deck 7 next to the entrance to the Princess Grill Restaurant that takes you straight up to the main outside Terrace Pool and Bar on Deck 8 where sailaway parties are often held. But many passengers miss this useful stairway and use the outside steps at the stern.

On Deck 11 "C" lifts and stairs there is a separate flight of steps up to the outside area of Deck 12 next to the Broadwalk Cafe, again many passengers miss this stairway because it is badly marked on the deck plans.

And there are passengers who leave the ship after a week at sea who didn't know about (or find if they knew they were there) the two outside "scenic" lifts at the forward end of the superstructure that link decks 7, 8, 9 and 11. The lift doors are "tucked away" somewhat (except on Deck 9) and many passengers miss them altogether.

So please, do lots of exploring (esp. using the passageways (or more grandly "Indoor Promenades") to get to Illuminations or ConneXions (forward) and the Queens Room & G32 (aft)), and don't rely on the deck plans except as a general guide as to where certain rooms are located on which decks.

I hope this helps :).

Have a great time, Bon Voyage! :)

Edited February 25, 2014 by pepperrn

[Pushka]

Yes peppern. I didn't know about those scenic lifts until I saw a YouTube tour months after my trip.

 

I plan on spending a lot of time this time just exploring the ship.

[pepperrn]

Yes peppern. I didn't know about those scenic lifts until I saw a YouTube tour months after my trip. I plan on spending a lot of time this time just exploring the ship.

And only twelve days to go... :) :) :) . Have THE MOST wonderful time :) . Edited February 25, 2014 by pepperrn

[Pushka]

And only twelve days to go... :) :) :) . Have THE MOST wonderful time :) .

 

 

I am so excited. Sweet of you to know my countdown! :D. Thankyou!

Edited February 25, 2014 by Pushka

[cunardaddict]

Ah, you are publishing all the little secrets that make i.e. the way to the staeroom on embarkation smother...

[Underwatr]

And there are passengers who leave the ship after a week at sea who didn't know about (or find if they knew they were there) the two outside "scenic" lifts at the forward end of the superstructure that link decks 7, 8, 9 and 11. The lift doors are "tucked away" somewhat (except on Deck 9) and many passengers miss them altogether.

Our stateroom for the Transatlantic was forward on Deck 11 (11031) and we used to call the scenic elevator our private elevator when we were going to/from the library or Deck 7. They get much less traffic than the others.

[cunardaddict]

Our stateroom for the Transatlantic was forward on Deck 11 (11031) and we used to call the scenic elevator our private elevator when we were going to/from the library or Deck 7. They get much less traffic than the others.

 

How could you dare to use _our_private_elevator_?:D

[debjo]

GREETINGS EVERYONE!

I knew I could count on the Cruise Critic Members to give me the "correct" answers to my questions! You guys are the best!

 

As far as the two Forward "Outside" Elevators, we didn't realize those were "outside" elevators in looking at the Deck Plans...and just discovered that was the case while watching a 1 hour YouTube video by cruiseocean, along with a couple other "discoveries" seen in that presentation. As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words".

 

We thoroughly enjoyed a deck by deck exploration of the QE2 when we sailed on that ship, and are looking forward to trekking all over the QM2 in a couple months. Still, we're of the preconceived notion that the QE2 was more of an adventurous exploration because of her original "class" design that, at times, made us feel like rats in a maze, which made it quite fun! It took us most of that cruise to learn that all the lifts/stairways DID NOT go to all the decks and it was sometimes hard to get from an Aft location to a Forward location when we had to span several decks. With all of the LONG corridors on the passenger cabin decks of the QM2, I don't think we'll feel too "lost" as we traverse those long deck hallways.

 

For pepperrn...thanks again for all your "insider" tips...especially pertaining to the inaccuracies of the Deck Plans in the brochure. I guess it goes along with the other inconsistencies I've found within Cunard's online website.

 

For pmb1 and cruiseaddict...I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed in learning that the Aft Deck Space on Level 5 is for "Crew Only", as one of the reasons we booked our cabin on that deck was for that "covered open space". It would have been nice to be able to pop out there and get a full 180 degree view of the sea rather than just the one we'll have from our starboard sheltered balcony. I guess we'll just have to head up one more level to the Aft Children's Pool Area...maybe there won't be too many children using it on our early May sailing. (I hope we don't have to have children with us in order to enjoy that deck space.) Oh well, it is best to know these things before we get on the ship. Still, we'll appreciate our aft cabin when it comes to getting to the Britannia Dining Room and the Queen's Room quickly.

 

If anyone has more QM2 "secrets" they'd like to share...we'd love to hear from you, so we can check them out while we're onboard!

 

As always,

Debjo

Edited February 25, 2014 by debjo

[cunardaddict]

Pls realize that a crew of 1.000 persons lives on the ship for 6 months. They do need some fresh air and space for recreation.

 

8 decks of open space should do for 2.400 passengers.

[pmb1]

Yes peppern. I didn't know about those scenic lifts until I saw a YouTube tour months after my trip.

 

I plan on spending a lot of time this time just exploring the ship.

Pushka, until you can explore them yourself, hop aboard my rides on the port and starboard scenic elevators. Bon voyage!

[debjo]

For cruiseaddict...

I'm sorry you may have misinterpreted my disappointment in learning that the Deck 5 Aft area is for "Crew Only".

 

I am in total agreement with you...that the wonderful people who make our cruises so special, serving aboard the ship, truly deserve their "own" spaces to relax and regenerate during their long work days/weeks/months. I just wish that the deck plans indicated that much...i.e. that those spaces dedicated as "Crew Only" were labeled as such, and that they didn't "appear" to be available for passenger use. If the brochure's deck plans were properly labeled "Crew Only" for this aft Deck 5 area (or even shown as a blank, white unlabeled area), I'd never have thought that this was a passenger accessible "observation" deck at the rear of the ship...and that would have impacted my cabin selection differently.

 

Again, I'm sorry you misunderstood my disappointment. But, as I've said before...it is better to know these things in advance, rather than discovering them once we've boarded. We have only one week of vacation a year and I have to admit, we use the anticipation of it to get us through our long, cold winters...and that anticipation is half the fun of the journey!

 

As always,

Debjo

[JWB.ESQ]

Pls realize that a crew of 1.000 persons lives on the ship for 6 months. They do need some fresh air and space for recreation.

 

8 decks of open space should do for 2.400 passengers.

 

For what it's worth, I believe that the aft area on Deck 5 is a working (i.e. docking) area.

 

The crew have an open-air recreation deck atop the after house that houses the kennels, Boardwalk Cafe kitchen, and Stairway D. Their own "Deck 13."

[Pushka]

Pushka, until you can explore them yourself, hop aboard my rides on the port and starboard scenic elevators. Bon voyage!

 

 

Thankyou - maybe it was yours I saw before.

[cunardaddict]

For what it's worth, I believe that the aft area on Deck 5 is a working (i.e. docking) area.

 

The crew have an open-air recreation deck atop the after house that houses the kennels, Boardwalk Cafe kitchen, and Stairway D. Their own "Deck 13."

 

Crew permanently working on lower decks (chefs and waiters, laundry) use this space for short breaks on sea. They have no time to go to the top decks.