Yuletide 12.20.05

[amms]

My wife and 11 year old son are booked for the holiday cruise..If you are traveling with kids in the same age range it might be nice to introduce our son, We want him to feel comfortable and make new friends so he has an enjoyable time.. We are from New York

[amms]

ammsMy wife and 11 year old son are booked for the holiday cruise..If you are traveling with kids in the same age range it might be nice to introduce our son, We want him to feel comfortable and make new friends so he has an enjoyable time.. We are from New York

[travelgals]

Amms,

You son will make many friends. My daughter made friends within a few hours of boarding on ywo prior trips. If I'm not mistaken on the first day or evening there are organized meetings broken down by age groups in the kids club. Even if your son does not want to spend time in the kids club, he should go the first time because that is where they all meet one another. Then he can decide if he wants to join in any of the activities offered. When we boarded last March ( Spring break) we ran into another family from my daughter's school in NYC. It is not that unusual- big ship, sailing right out of NY.

[amms]

Thank you for the information.. My son is 11 and attends St. Davids in NYC. Maybe we will meet during the criuse..

[travelgals]

Amms,

Small world, my daughter is at Sacred Heart. I'm sure we'll meet on board.

Carol

[amms]

Thank you Carol... We are looking forward to this holiday cruise, We have been on several Celebrity cruises to Bermuda and seaborne...We generally go to a hotel / resort during the Winter break, but I thought this cruise would be interesting, My wife is somewhat skeptical, I hope she enjoys it, there seems to be plenty to do...Our very close friends have their daughers at SH...

 

 

Best

 

Adam

[travelgals]

Adam,

I think your wife (actually the whole family) will have a great time. There really is alot to do and the ship is quite large. We went to Bermuda in August on Celebriy Zenith and while we like Bermuda, we did not like the ship at all. There are many options (and moods) on the QM2- we found we could not fit in several things we wanted to do. Then of course when I am on vacation, sometimes I like to do nothing at all. The number of Island stops planned will serve to offer a myriad of choices. We met alot of really nice and interesting people on this ship too.

Carol

[amms]

Carol, We are looking forward to a great time, We too sailed on Celebrity NY to Bermuda summer 2003. I belive the Horizen...It was one of the older Celebrity ships... We enjoyed it, but the ship was clearly dated..and they claimed it had just been refitted... We are currently booked in the main dining room and waitlisted for Princess Grill... I have been given mixed reviews, since you have sailed on the QM2, do you have an opinion??We prefer to eat at the late seating ...and my son is perfectly fine with that...Did your daughter attend the friday night on 76th CPW????

[travelgals]

Adam,

There is a world of difference between Horizon and QM2, in every way. QM2 is spanking clean- new, pristine with more high end finishes. Higher end clientelle; QM2 is larger with more choices-many pools, several evening dancing choices- we tried them all-no matter what you like you will find it. Quiet places to read, play family games, cards, outstanding library, private cigar smoking room. Lounges for every mood. Excellent spa (Canyon Ranch) and much better shops on board if you are so inclined. It is like a small city but never seems crowded. We were spoiled; we booked Princess grill and were upgraded to Queens grill- wonderful suites with outstanding service. For the coming trip we are booked in Britannia (main dining) are are a little nervous, but I believe the ship is wonderful at any level. I will tell you what I know of the differences.

In the dining rooms the food is the same menu (the grills also have a standard basic menu (steaks and such )to choose from. I think the difference it that Britannia serves over a thousand at each seating vs the 200-300 the grills serve; the ratio of wait staff to guest is higher in the grills and the great benefit is you go to dinner whenever you choose between 7 and 9 each evening (it can be different every night, you just show up to the same table. You can have pretty much anything you want and they are very attentive. Other than the dining arrangements and a private sun deck there are no other class distintions. After the Zenith this summer we have figured out though that if you let the dining staff know your preferences early on, they are very helpful, for instance we like to have a drink or glass of wine before dinner and if you just leave it to the system you can end up with your cocktail with dessert. As far as seating times we like late seating, but our children end up wanting to be with their friends, who invariably are at the early seating- so we have switched to the early seating and find there is more to do after dinner before we get too tired. My true preference would be right in the middle of the two. I think there is a childrens program that includes dinner, but we like to have dinner together. You can always make a reservation at the alternative resturant (Todd English) for a small additional charge.

There is a difference in cabin size and location between princess and the main dining room accomodations, but all the cabins are nicer than any on Horizon. I would book Princess or Queens grill again in a heartbeat- but we need two rooms (two kids) and on this trip it is too over the top.

No, my daughter was not there Friday. The dances are limited to each grade (thank goodness, they are mobbed as it is) and she is in 7th grade. I look forward to meeting you all on board. Carol

[amms]

Carol, Thank you for the very detailed description, My wife is very excited about Canyon Ranch, I am certain she will book many treatments during the cruise... My son is very excited about the golf simulator and the basketball court... All I want to do is realx in the sun and see some of the islands, its been a logn time since we have been...I think we will book Todd English (If we can get a reservation) and also the sushi restaurant...We prefer the late seating, as we generally eat later fairly often..Are you friendly with the Condes???they have a daughter at SH

[ninabk]

Thanks Adam and Carol. My husband, daughter and I will also be sailing. Alicia will be turning 9 on Christmas Eve. She attends Friends Seminary (16th Street, close to 3rd Avenue) We are getting a cake for the Children's Program and I hope your kids will stop by. We have done lots of cruises (small, big and medium-size ships), as well, and when there is a good children's program, Alicia definitely prefers that to us. I have also booked the late seating, because I can eat earlier with Alicia (or get room service) if she wants and then she can go off to the program. We are booked into a B-3 room (second to last triple room available) and pretty deep down on the P level wait list. But it sounds like fun and I can't wait to see the Planetarium. If there are any interesting shore trips you are thinking of doing, please let me know. I'm sure I'll see you at the KidZone - actually, our cabin is not too far from the area. We went to Olives recently (Tod English's 17th Street/Park Avenue South restaurant) and it was really, really good. I'm hoping I can get into his place at least once on board.

[travelgals]

Welcome Nina, I hope to meet you on board, I was confident...hoping... there would be a number of NYC families on this trip and it looks like that is the case. Very few are on these boards. We will cheer your son on his bday. Our son (will be 18) was born the 28th- great time of year.

 

Adam, we do not know the Condes (the girls are younger) but there is a stream of families between the two schools- in our grade, brothers include the Sippel's, Dougherty's, McCarthy's, Bardwill, Gamble's and maybe Flannery. Perhaps when we meet, I will tell your wife about our hysterical experience at Canyon Ranch on board last trip. If your son likes to golf, you will certainly find a course on every island, although the simulator is great fun.

Generally, I like to do what I don't do at home or just do nothing --but my husband likes to see as much as posible and of course check out the real estate market everywhere.

Carol

[amms]

Nina and Carol.. Sounds great... We are currently booked B5 and on deck 4 (waitlisted for P1 or P2..) We hope that we will be able to meet while on board..Do you know of any semi-organized pre cruise gatherings, where some fellow NYrs meet...?? We have been on several cruises .. My son and I have always enjoyed them, he likes the independance and making new friends, he still speaks to a brother and sister he met on a Celebrity cruise to Bermuda in 03.. my wife is a bit more skeptical, but I think she will really like this ship... She is a Four Seasons Girl LOL...I will make certain to book her several treatments in the Canyon Ranch Spa.. We have been to Olives and enjoyed it.. We live on the upper east side and generally eat local....

 

Adam Monique and Matthew

[Mariner05]

This is our second time on the QM2 with our family. We thought it would be nice to travel from NYC again with our grand daughter who is 8. She had a great time the last time on the QM2 .She enjoyed the activities provided. At the end of the cruise they all presented a performance for the parents and grand parents. Our son and his wife will be on with their daughter. They live on the upper west side near the park. I am sure all the children will have a great time. We just disembarked from our cruise on the Veendam from the Amazon for five weeks. We are from New York City as well.It will be nice not to have a plane ride to the ship this time. Hope to meet you on board. LOU

[travelgals]

Adam, I am not aware of any pre cruise gatherings, but had great success at the sail-a-way party on another line (HAL) and would suggest this as a festive and easy time to meet all the cc'ers. On our last QM2 the organized meeting was the next day around 2PM and only one family showed up. That was a tough time to get people together (my daughter was already in the spa!) and I think many would like to be at the sail-a-way because sailing down the Hudson is so terrific. BTW, your wife, the Four Seasons affecionado is my kindred spirit- she won't be dissappointed (other than the size of the cabin).

Carol

[travelgals]

Adam, I am not aware of any pre cruise gatherings, but had great success meeting the CC people at the sail-a-way party on another line (HAL) and would suggest this as a festive and easy time to meet all the cc'ers. On our last QM2 the organized meeting was the next day around 2PM and only one family showed up. That was a tough time to get people together (my daughter was already in the spa!) and I think many would like to be at the sail-a-way because sailing down the Hudson is so terrific. BTW, your wife, the Four Seasons affecionado, is my kindred spirit- she won't be dissappointed (other than the size of the cabin).

Carol

[Caistor6]

Hi All, My Wife, 2 children (well not children really, 2 girls, age 13 & 17) will be travelling over from the UK for this holiday. My wife and I are really looking forward to the trip but also the girls do not yet know that they are going, we have kept it a secret and will only tell them the night before we fly, alot of coded discussions and planning has taken place.

[amms]

Caistor...We are looking forward to the trip, Hopefully we will meet onboard..

[capegirl]

Hi All, My Wife, 2 children (well not children really, 2 girls, age 13 & 17) will be travelling over from the UK for this holiday. My wife and I are really looking forward to the trip but also the girls do not yet know that they are going, we have kept it a secret and will only tell them the night before we fly, alot of coded discussions and planning has taken place.

 

We are also from UK and travelling on this cruise. Have you received your tickets yet????:confused:

[Caistor6]

We are also from UK and travelling on this cruise. Have you received your tickets yet????:confused:

 

No tickets yet, only received the usual pre-cruise registration/trip information. I would not expect the tickets to arrive until 1st/2nd week of December !!!!!!! I will know when they are on there way when TA contacts us, so that I can intercept them in the post before the girls can see them !!!!

[travelgals]

Caistor6,

Wow, what a great surprise it will be for your girls. Cunard tells me the tickets are expected to be sent around the 20th Nov, right about now. Good thing for you that you are keeping the trip quiet until the night before--huge savings on shopping, LOL (I have a 13 yr old girl!). Hope to meet you on board.

Carol

[soblue]

Hi everyone, all getting excited, because we are. Two weeks off from work, ‘stress free’

 

We actually travelled earlier in the year on the QM2 to New York from Southampton, we enjoyed it that much I booked us onto this Christmas Cruise.

 

It was on the July 11th Transatlantic Cruise and it was my (Andrew) birthday on the 12th of July and Jayne’s birthday on the 15th of July so it was a memorable cruise for us.

 

We are from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands any one else from the West Midlands, or from the UK?

 

We are flying from Heathrow on the 18th Dec to New York and staying in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for one night pre cruise. Any one staying there, before cruise?

 

I thought I would post a photo of us from earlier in the year, so if you recognise us please do come and say hello, we are approachable.

 

Best Wishes, hope to meet you on board!

 

Andrew & Jayne

 

PS We still are awaiting our tickets. And will then get another posh Cunard ticket wallet!

 

Forgot this is us:cool: :D

 

 

 

One more thing, don't forget to take your laptops (wireless ones), earlier in the year, we took many photos which were e-mailed back home so the family could see what we were doing. They thought is was great way of keeping in touch with them!!

[Billym1507]

I have just received my tickets this morning in a nice little Cunard wallet so I take it they are all on their way. See you all soon.

Billy & Linda

[travel-to-go]

Hi everyone, all getting excited, because we are. Two weeks off from work, ‘stress free’

 

We actually travelled earlier in the year on the QM2 to New York from Southampton, we enjoyed it that much I booked us onto this Christmas Cruise.

 

 

I thought I would post a photo of us from earlier in the year, so if you recognise us please do come and say hello, we are approachable.

 

Best Wishes, hope to meet you on board!

 

Andrew & Jayne

 

One more thing, don't forget to take your laptops (wireless ones), earlier in the year, we took many photos which were e-mailed back home so the family could see what we were doing. They thought is was great way of keeping in touch with them!!

 

Andrew.

Please tell your wife that is a gorgeous (and different!) gown

 

And I wonder if you remember the cost of using the wireless internet.

We are going on the Jan 3 Panama trip. One of us is addicted- would go into withdrawal if he couldn't log on evey day. The other of us (that would be me) logs in daily, but can certainly go a week without!

 

On HAL ships, he takes the unlimited, or they've recently changed so there is no unlimited. He takes whatever the highest number of minutes is. I need to know if I should apply for another mortgage before we go! <G>?

 

Thanks and enjoy your cruise.

P.S. It is never stress-free. There is alwas that inevitable moment when you realize that it has to end, eventually. <G>

[travelgals]

Travel to go

Don't know if this helps, but the package I took last March for an 8 day trip on QM2 was 4 hours for 89.95. I don't recall an unlimited package.

Carol