Queen Mary2 Tranatlantic and Caribbean

[branston boy]

Hello.As a slightly belated fortieth wedding anniversary celebration we are seriously thinking about cruise M627B,19 November to 15 December 2016.

This will be,for us,a big one.Our thirteen previous cruises have all been port intensive and the longest 16 nights.

I would appreciate your comments.

1:- I have read all the reports about sailing into and out of New York,and this is high on my list of things to do.On this cruise we will of course do each twice,but I suspect they will all be in the dark and will lose a lot.Discuss.

2:-16 days are sea days.I do tend to get a little fidgity.

3:- We like the idea of some winter sunshine in the Caribbean without long flights,which does not appeal.Discuss.

Our intention is to travel in a BV grade sheltered balcony.

Thank you for your time.

Rodger.

[milamber]

Can't help with everything, but we sailed into New York in the dark. Still incredibly impressive with the Statue of Liberty lit up from a long way out and all the lights in Manhattan. Can't see how it would be more impressive in the daylight, just different.

 

I usually get bored witless on sea days, but on the QM2 the days just shot by and we rarely managed to fit everything in we wanted. Not sure how that will work on a longer voyage (will find out in the New Year!), but on a TA the sea days weren't a problem at all.

 

Any day in the Caribbean is a good day :)

[jburton59]

I have not been on the transatlantic portion of the trip but can report on the Caribbean part. The departure from NYC is at night, but all the more beautiful with the lights of the city and the Statue of Liberty. The first full sea day out of New York is cool, but still comfortable enough to be on deck. By day two it's warm and comfortable. So I think you'll find that there's a contrast between the TA and the sea days to the Caribbean that will not make it all seem the same.

[robbie_3]

Hi Rodger, we are on the M527B 28 day QM2 Caribbean 5th Nov cruise so like you we are looking forward to a bit of sun and heat, that is once we get a couple of days past NY. If we sail in to NY around 6am like a normal TA, the statue is still impressive against the breaking dawn and we have got some great pictures. For us the TA part of the crossing is heaven as we love the routine of ship days with the lectures, films and activities. I guess NY will be 6 degrees so some winter wear for us up until then. Once we get a couple of days past NY I can break out the sandals and polo. Your sheltered balcony will afford you a lot of privacy. I find cruising the only option now for me for long haul trips. The prospect of being made to sit still for so long on a plane fills me with dread. Hope you have a lovely cruise as I'm sure you will :)

[Underwatr]

Re: entering New York in the dark:

 

Here is video I shot of the ship passing under the Verrazano Bridge during last year's Caribbean Holiday cruise:

 

 

I think the ship typically enters beftween 5:30 and 6 AM so set your alarm. The outgoing passage under the bridge is usually close to or during first-seating dinner depending on whether the ship gets underway on schedule. We've watched a few but we no longer let it interfere with dinner. :)

[tartanexile81]

Some of my best photos of the NY / Manhattan skyline were taken at night. It will really take your breath away.

[mariposa777]

We sailed into NY in pea soup fog - the bridge was invisible until it was literally over the bow, we saw the feet of the statue of liberty vaguely through the murk ...

 

It was totally amazing.

[BobBranst]

We sailed into NY in pea soup fog - the bridge was invisible until it was literally over the bow, we saw the feet of the statue of liberty vaguely through the murk ...

 

It was totally amazing.

That was our experience on all three of our west bound crossings. On one occasion we could hear the traffic on the bridge quite a while before we could make out the lights on the bridge from our viewpoint on the top deck. Spooky, but something we will always remember.

 

Bob

[3rdGenCunarder]

Can't help with everything, but we sailed into New York in the dark. Still incredibly impressive with the Statue of Liberty lit up from a long way out and all the lights in Manhattan. Can't see how it would be more impressive in the daylight, just different.

 

I usually get bored witless on sea days, but on the QM2 the days just shot by and we rarely managed to fit everything in we wanted. Not sure how that will work on a longer voyage (will find out in the New Year!), but on a TA the sea days weren't a problem at all.

 

Any day in the Caribbean is a good day :)

 

Ditto to everything in this post.

 

Also, I think the choice of sheltered balcony is excellent for a transatlantic. It isn't unusual for only the passengers with the sheltered balconies to get much time on them. It's often too cold and windy in the more open balconies.