Sail aways

[silver service]

On p&o ships, they wave their little flags. Are there sail aways on cunard ships?

[BlueRiband]

I saw passengers with them on my last two voyages but I wasn't around whenever and wherever they were given out.

[wilson2579]

I love the P and O sailaways and I am sailing for the first time with Cunard in October, so hoping there will be something similar although not really expecting it.

[Scrapnana]

We were not given any flags on the World Voyage. I have heard from a few people that the sail-aways on P&O are better than Cunard's. We have had music and dancing on the open deck on some of the sail-aways but not that many people take part. It may be different on shorter voyages.

[pepperrn]

Friends and I have been on QM2 a few times at the QEII Terminal in Southampton when a P&O vessel has left the Ocean Terminal shortly before QM2's departure, and has therefore passed alongside.

 

Each time the ship-wide overly-amplified musical "row" that carried across the water from the ugly white hull as it passed was deafening, even at a distance. However, each time shouting could be heard, even above this "wall of noise"; a screaming voice commanding passengers to "wave and shout at the Cunard ship WooHoo, come on, WooHoo".

As I said on one occasion "..Butlins-on-Sea. Sorry, P&O's Azura. Her passengers are being TOLD to wave and cheer QM2 as they pass, the guy is shouting in his microphone over the loud, pounding "disco" music... ...I prefer a line that treats its passengers as adults... "

 

If that is a P&O sailaway... I prefer the restrained and understated Cunard version.

 

It was also notable that most passengers on the P&O ships were several levels "down" around around the (sunken) pools and had no view of any other ship (in fact no view of anything other than the pool and the sky). At least on the stern of QM2 the terraces allow a view of other vessels. We looked down on one ship (we were on Deck 12 and 13) as it passed

(see here:

& here:

).

Edited April 29, 2014 by pepperrn

[bananavan]

There were people with flags at the stern for the sailaway the weekend of the Queens Jubilee. That was after the three queen meetup in 2012.

"Land of Hope and Glory" was a delight to hear as well as many other patriotic songs from the UK.

I will be on the 10th Anniversary Part 2 from NYC this time and I hope that there will be something special.

[caber]

I am not looking for "Butlins" but does anything exciting happen on a Cunard cruise, or is it God`s waiting room?

[electra2008]

I am not looking for "Butlins" but does anything exciting happen on a Cunard cruise, or is it God`s waiting room?

That's on SAGA, apparently

[david,Mississauga]

Now that sailaways have been reduced to over-amplified disco/pop "music" I avoid them. When the QE2 sailed from New York or Southampton (except in the most recent years) the strains of Land of Hope and Glory streamed from the tannoy. In our days of cruising with P&O - in the pre-Carnival days - a brass band was hired for the send-off in Southampton. On one cruise in 1989 the weather was miserable in So'ton, so the band was cancelled. But we were treated to a military band send-off in Gibraltar to make up for it.

 

For the arrival of the QM2 in Southampton in June 2012 as part of the three "Queens" arrival to mark our sovereign's Diamond Jubilee, we were treated to over-amplified rock music on the tannoy at the early hour. We were also commanded to cheer the passengers on the other two Queens and to give a final cheer for HM. I tolerated this racket only because of the cheers for our Queen, otherwise I would have retreated below decks.

[Dajo5601]

I'm somewhat amused at how this thread has evolved into a bit of a slanging match over which line has the "best" sailaway. I have experienced Princess, Celebrity and Cunard on many occasions. I prefer Cunard - plain and simple. I have witnessed P & O sailaways which seem loud and plenty of music, good luck to them, not what I'd want - so I stick to Cunard.

 

Children in the playground have conversations over what is best and start criticising each others preferences, so you can get on with it, I'll exclude myself......

[Midsomer Madness]

We love Cunard sailaways, the reggae band play live music and you drink champagne, or the drink of your choice..not as cheesey as p&o but we always have a good time!

[wilson2579]

I shall look forward to my first Cunard sailaway in October:cool:

[laktex]

We were not given any flags on the World Voyage. I have heard from a few people that the sail-aways on P&O are better than Cunard's. We have had music and dancing on the open deck on some of the sail-aways but not that many people take part. It may be different on shorter voyages.

 

But it was throwing it down with rain when we left Southampton in January!! I was waving my umbrella!!

[caber]

In our days of cruising with P&O - in the pre-Carnival days - a brass band was hired for the send-off in Southampton.

 

As recently as 2011 we still had a brass band playing us out on our Ventura cruise from Southampton.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caber

[Pushka]

Our sailaway out of Sydney Harbour in March was stunning. Fantastic weather and scenery and we loved the loud music played through the decks of the ship. No flags other than the Australian Flag flying from Sydney Harbour Bridge.

 

Our sailout from Shanghai was extremely quiet, being at 11pm. No music - in fact, there was just three people on the port side promenade deck - myself, and two others. I found it quite beautiful actually - just me, the harbour slipping away and the Ship herself.

 

And I am running away from Gods waiting place at the speed of knots.:rolleyes:

[Calliope]

Ahh...the QE2, now those were the days! As she sailed scratchy recordings of "Rule Britannia", "Land of Hope and Glory", and oft times "Jerusalem" stirred across her teak wood decks. There truly was nothing quite like it. Now the spell is broken and the ship sits mouldering in a foreign land. Such a pity that is.

[Scrapnana]

But it was throwing it down with rain when we left Southampton in January!! I was waving my umbrella!!

That it was! I think there was a band playing on the quay and there were fireworks.