Recent US / Canada QE2 Cruise / Crossing

[rjms74]

I would be very interested to hear about how the recent cruise / crossing on QE2 was, back in Southampton earlier today.

 

It would be good to hear how the weather was for the duration of the cruise & also crossing, the entertainment & guest lecturers on board - were there any Classical Concerts i.e. Denise Patton playing in the Cinema?, the service & quality of food in general, etc& also any further info on excursions offered and taken & the ports of call visited.

 

I am very interested in hearing about the above as I am doing next year's US / Canada cruise on Sep'13.

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[thames_side]

Back today so my thoughts may be clearer in a day or two. But for a start:

Weather. It was hot to very hot for virtually the whole cruise. A bit of rain on the outward one day and a couple of choppy nights on the return and that's all. I am sure this is not typical however. Canada can be cold, but it wasn't for us.

Entertainment. I don't think it was up to much but I only looked in occasionally. The ventriloquist on the last night was outstanding but the singers and dancers were average or below.

Classical concerts. A pianist occasionally in the theatre. He was quite young and very good. Concerts were quite short - 45 mins - and not frquent. I think perhaps 3 or 4 in the whole cruise. Otherwise recorded classical music in the Yacht Club. Didn't go.

Lectures. V variable. Mostly there to flog their books. Ronnie Sampson read his lectures - Bryan Hoey name dropping about the royal family - Leslie Thomas rambling and name dropping about the royal family - Murray Walker - again - Nigel West on intelligence and security issues - excellent. There were others - maybe they were good, I was on deck with a book enjoying the sunshine!

Food. I was in Caronia and the food - particularly the beef - I thought excellent. Service was fine. My cabin was 3131, quite large, new, modern bathroom. Cabin steward excellent until we got a trainee on the White Star programme who was not up to much and wouldn't be told!

Ports: St Johns - interesting to see Newfoundland. Not a very exciting town although the cathedral was nice. Didn't take a tour.

Sydney. Pleasant small town. Took a tour to the Bell (Aexander Graham) museum. Very interesting. Stopped in a small town for souvenirs.

Quebec. Two days. Excellent cruise destination. Walkable town with lots to see and good restaurants. Took a tour on the second day to Sugar Shack (maple syrup), water falls and inland lake. Pleasant tour but, like all of them, expensive.

Halifax. Quite big. Bustling water front, nice cafes, easily walkable.

Boston. Great place. Shuttle in to town then walked round. Good restaurants, shops, park. Subway easy and convenient when tired of walking. Busy market area.

Newport. V hot day. easily walkable or some took local buses. Lovely clap-board church and houses. Busy waterfront area for tourists.

New York. VV hot day. Also traffic chaos because of UN meeting and fashion event. Took a Grey Line open top bus tour. Forst time in NY so good for quick orientation and half the price of Cunard tour. Had to be back on board by 4pm so a bit of a rush but nice to get back to cabin aircon!

Doubtless others will have other views, but happy to answer any further questions.

[thames_side]

Hi RJMS74

 

Hope that was useful. Anything else I can tell You?