QM2 - Third Time and She's Still a Charm

[Linerguy]

QM2 10.20.05 Eastbound Crossing

 

For those not wanting to read the details, I'll just say that I had a wonderful time. Yes, there were a few gliches but, nothing that would cause me to take pen in hand and write Cunard. On second thought, a letter to Cunard is a great idea; it's just as important to tell when they have a satisfied customer as it is to let them know when folks are disappointed. The ship is lovely, service was near perfect, food was fantastic and, best of all, a majority of my fellow passengers seemed to be having a great time. And now the details...

 

Embarkation and NY Departure

 

Just like my last two trips on QM2, embarkation was a breeze. From the time I walked into the pier to the time I boarded, I'd say that maybe twenty minutes went by. When I walked on board, I was asked if I needed help finding my cabin (this was a first,...I was carrying all of my luggage; perhaps I looked like I was going to flatline any second). I knew exactly where I was going so I declined the offer. Having already sailed on the ship twice, I didn't have that typical 'wow!' feeling. Instead, I simply felt very comfortable and at ease with everything around me,...a sort of 'home away from home' feeling, if you will.

 

As previously reported, the ship's departure was delayed. We were suppose to leave at 5:30 but they had to wait until the fuel barges were removed; QM2 left about an hour late.

 

Cabin

 

In the past, I've only been in an inside cabin on QM2. This time, however, I was in an in-hull balcony cabin on deck five; cabin 5052 to be exact. Lovely room as always, plenty of room and storage space. There were a few drawbacks with the room. First and foremost, and I hate to say this but, it smelled like smoke. I was sharing a room with another gentleman and at first I thought that perhaps they had put me in a room with a smoker. Luckily that was not the case. We decided to simply leave the balcony door open all the time and it seemed to do the trick. About the balcony: an in-hull balcony does have an advantage during a crossing; if nothing else, one is protected from the weather. Yes, it is a shame that it's impossible to use the provided deck chairs and see out to the sea but, it does allow the use of the balcony when it's raining or very windy.

 

The hot water in the shower was a bit of an issue. To put it bluntly, it was almost impossible to set it cooler than lava; there was no cold water at all. We reported the problem over the interactive tv system and it was taken care of.

 

I know I've said this in the past but, the high quality of the bed linen and mattress is incredible...and to someone with back issues, like me, they are most appreciated. I slept great every night of the crossing (of course having the sound of the ocean coming in the balcony door didn't hurt).

 

I was a bit disappointed to see a few cigarette stains in the bottom of the bathroom sink. No fault of Cunard,...it's just amazing how some people can be so disrespectful (and lazy; there's an ashtray mounted to the wall for God's sake).

 

The Ship

 

I have concluded that, even with a few shortcomings, QM2 is the greatest ship in the world...and she's only going to get better. King's Court will be getting a major re-vamp. The open glass flooring that allows passengers to look down into the atrium is going to be covered up and more seating will be introduced in the area. The entire facility will be re-designed to make it more 'user-friendly'. The Winter Garden is going to be converted into an area for, yuk, art auctions (the room is really only used by passengers during art auctions anyway). I'm on the fence with regards to the Winter Garden's makeover; perhaps I'm just on the fence when it comes to art auctions....I can't stand them. Big money maker however. It's a shame that Cunard can't come up with a better way to use the space. The kennel is also going to get a sprucing up. On our trip, there were two huge white sheep dogs and a little black pug looking thing (obviously I'm not a dog expert). Also, additional wind breakers will be added to the top decks.

 

Much has been written about QM2's interiors; there's really no need for me to go into the details. I will say that they are in very good shape and have been kept up. I still think the Britannia Dining Room is one of the most beautiful rooms ever to be placed on a liner.

 

The ship's exterior is also in good shape. Crews were constantly sanding, varnishing, painting and hosing down the outer decks. The only noticeable area of concern is the ceiling above the forward observation deck. Many of the inter-locking strips of plastic strips were missing or broken and the caulking/adhesive is exposed. During a bridge tour, I asked an officer what the deal was and he said he thinks it happened during extremely heavy winds,....not sure I buy that as it looked like some of the ceiling had been cut away. I could look up into the floor above and see wiring. I'm sure it will be taken care of during the ship's upcoming refit.

 

Overall, QM2 looked spectacular and, as far as how well she cuts through the north Atlantic, she is the most stable ship I've ever been on. A few times we had something like 20ft. seas and she sailed through it without the slightest problem.

 

Service

 

While I know that service, especially in the Britannia Dining room, can be sketchy, we had nothing less than impeccible service throughout the trip. Wherever we went, the staff were friendly, willing to help, and, with the exception of the sour-puss gentleman in the book shop, I encounter no one with the wrong attitude.

 

Our room stewardess, Beth, was fantastic. The day I boarded, I sent out all of my evening clothes to be pressed, marking the ticket for next day service. When the clothes weren't there by 615pm the next day, asked her when they would be delivered and she said the next day. Yikes! This meant that I had nothing to wear to the first formal night. I told her that I really needed to have them asap and she went straight away to the laundry and brought them to me (she had them press everything in about 45 minutes). She apologized because the laundry charged me the 50% surcharge for same day service; I told her not to worry that I would take it up with the Purser's Office (I did, they took it off my bill, no problem). Nothing was too much to ask from her; she always had a smile on her face and every time she asked how I was doing, I'd say "dandy". Finally, when she'd ask, she'd answer herself by saying, "I know, I know, dandy, right?".

 

Service in the Britannia was the best I've had out of my three trips on the ship. The head waiter, Simon, was fantastic. One of the ladies at our table loved the steamed mussels and, when she told Simon, he made sure she knew that she could have them anytime she wanted as long as she let him know the night before. She did and a few nights later, he brought out four orders so everyone could try them. He also talked us out of going to Todd English on the last formal night. When we told him that our group of 13 already had reservations, he said no problem, he would have it switched to the last night. And he did. Personally, I thought the service in Britannia was better than the service in Todd English.

 

I also appreciate the fact that bar staff do not hound people over drinks.

 

Food

 

I really have nothing to complain about. In the Britannia, dishes that were suppose to be hot were hot and cold dishes were, well, cold. Soups were, as usual, outstanding. The quality of the beef was also very good. Other than one bummer dessert, flambe strawberries, there wasn't anything I didn't like.

 

The food in King's Court was pretty good. The curried rice and chicken were wonderful. I'm still not elated with the pizza; I'm sure many folks liked it...it was just a little too bland for my tastes.

 

We ate lunch in the pub two days and the fish & chips were as good as I had remembered them. The best time to go to the pub is either right when they start serving lunch or at about 130pm. Otherwise, it's very crowded and difficult to get a table, especially in the small non-smoking section.

 

I was thrilled to see a few changes in afternoon tea. Service was much better than before and, best of all, they have started serving the scones without the clotted creme and jam already on them. Now, they give them to you in a dish on the side. The other desserts, as well as the sandwiches, were also very good. I did find it very amusing when the musicians played the theme from "The Godfather".

 

The highlight (for me anyway) was Todd English. I had the gnoochi, pea ravioli, the tenderloin, and the chocolate cake. Outstanding. I actually prefer the atmosphere and service in the Britannia (it's just so much more ocean liner like); but I kept telling myself that I was dining in QM2's version of the old Verandah Grill on the first QM or QE.

 

I didn't order room service nor did I visit the Boardwalk Cafe so I really can't comment on the food.

 

Entertainment

 

I passed on the evening shows; I'm just not into Vegas-style productions. I did enjoy the jazz trio in the Chart Room; and pianist Campbell Simpson, in the Commodore Club, was as incredible as ever. The Black and White and Ascot Balls were a lot of fun as well. A group of us ended up in G32 every night and, to be honest, after a while it got old very quick. The band, who were excellent musicians, played the same set list night after night....just in a different order.

 

A few of us attended the performance by members of RADA and it was very funny. Too bad they were upstaged by a couple sitting in front of us.....this man's wife decided to fold his underwear at the beginning of the performance. We couldn't stop laughing. She would hold them up, give 'em a shake or two, fold 'em and then put them in a laundry bag she brought with her. PRICELESS.

 

The best entertainment for me was hanging out with new friends, exploring the ship and people watching.

 

Conclusion

 

It was very interesting to finally understand the difference in a crossing verses cruising. First of all, I had not rested like that in a long time. One morning, I didn't get out of bed until about 11:30. It was great to not have to go ashore, get all hot and sweaty, and return to the ship exhausted. I also enjoyed the atmosphere,...in many ways, very formal; in other ways, more laid back. QM2 is a wonderful ship and sailing on her on the itinerary she was built for was a wonderful experience. Best of all, I'm thrilled to report that I encountered none of the unfortunate experiences that a few other CC members have had. Quite the contrary. I met up with fellow member Jacques O several times and had a wonderful time looking at photos, chatting about ships, and exploring the ship . He agreed that QM2 is remarkable.

 

I can't wait to go back on her again.

 

Russ

[cruiseskeptic]

We were also on the Oct. 20, crossing, and largely agree with the points made by Linerguy. We were fortunate enough to travel in Queens Grill, and thought we would offer some additional thoughts.

 

The Queens Grill cabin itself is spectacular. Don't know how we will return to the smaller balcony cabins we normally book on cruises.

 

Queens Grill dining was truly wonderful. We had a variety of special requests during the week -- all of which were overfulfilled by wonderfully attentive staff.

 

The concierges for Queens Grill passengers were a total loss. My wife had a variety of requests regarding reservations and menus for the dining in Chef's Galley, etc, and no one ever had the information -- or ever got back to us. Inexcusable.

 

Room service breakfasts were lousy (the egg dishes long since had died, and were brought to us ready for burial at sea) until we directly involved our butler, who personally took charge both of the ordering and delivery to the room.

 

Entertainment on this crossing was far better than generally encountered on ships. The singer Jeri Sager was by far the best talent we have ever seen on a cruise.

 

The three performances by RADA (particularly the Chekhov) were as good as anything to be found either in the West End or on Broadway.

 

The ship's casino is a very pleasant room in which to gamble.

 

The overall decor of the ship is extraordinarily tasteful and attractive, in an understated way.

 

The cigarette smoke in the lounges was bad enough to keep us from settling down to listen to the pianists, but perhaps that was okay -- since the one we did stay to hear was less than great.

 

But overall, this was certainly the best six days we have spent at sea -- and ranks up there among the best six-day-periods of our lives. We unhesitatingly would sail the QM2 again -- anywhere.

 

If any of you have questions you would like to pose directly, feel free to email me at milt@savvy-cruiser.com.

[lk4xits]

Thank you both for a well balanced review of the QM2. This will be my third cruise with Cunard but first on any of the Queens. So I will become a gold member without much experience. We have in May done a Eastbound TransAtlantic from Miami to Funchal ultimately stopping at Barcelona. Our January 3rd QM2 cruise will be from New York, my hometown,to Panama, a 12 nighter with 8 sea days. We love our days at sea and QM2 sounds like a great fit for us.

 

As far as smoking. Is it possible that more Europeans doing the crossing smoke more then Americans?.NYC is a tough town for smokers. Has anyone sailed the QM2 to the Carribbean and what likely will the difference be? Will it be less formal during the day. Will the entertainment be different? In short will we experience through our fellow passengers the true feeling of being a "Cunarder" cause I admit I am not, except for my love of stilton and port for dessert aquired from my other two Cunard sails. Will being in warm,tropical climate make the atmosphere at the pool and other outer decks different as well. Will we be a "Cruise ship" instead of an "ocean liner". How will the staff adapt? Will it be different for them as well?

 

With the price of the trip so heavily discounted, I suspect many non "Cunarders" will be joining me. I think this is a healthy development for the Cruise line, no offense to either of you.

 

Thanks for allowing me to ramble a bit.

 

Marty

[guernseyguy]

Russ,

 

Delighted you enjoyed your crossing - and that the 'crossing club' has a new fan! Did you arrange to travel with the other gent yourself or did Cunard do this for you? I know P&O have a system for selling 'half' of a two berth cabin for those who don't want to pony up for a single supplement, but was not aware that Cunard did this.

 

Peter

[elaine61]

Embarkation and NY Departure

 

Just like my last two trips on QM2, embarkation was a breeze. From the time I walked into the pier to the time I boarded, I'd say that maybe twenty minutes went by. When I walked on board, I was asked if I needed help finding my cabin (this was a first,...I was carrying all of my luggage; perhaps I looked like I was going to flatline any second). I knew exactly where I was going so I declined the offer. Having already sailed on the ship twice, I didn't have that typical 'wow!' feeling. Instead, I simply felt very comfortable and at ease with everything around me,...a sort of 'home away from home' feeling, if you will.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the speed of the embarkation in Southampton too. I am used to having to sit and wait to be called, but we didn't get his with Cunard. Like you say it was a breeze!!

an in-hull balcony does have an advantage during a crossing; if nothing else, one is protected from the weather. Yes, it is a shame that it's impossible to use the provided deck chairs and see out to the sea but, it does allow the use of the balcony when it's raining or very windy.

 

I thought that the in hull balcony was the ideal room for a crossing. Not sure how I'd feel if I was cruising around the carribean though in one of these cabins. We were in 5142 and even managed to get a bit of a sun tan on our 20th Sept crossing.

 

I know I've said this in the past but, the high quality of the bed linen and mattress is incredible...and to someone with back issues, like me, they are most appreciated. I slept great every night of the crossing (of course having the sound of the ocean coming in the balcony door didn't hurt).

 

I just loved the duvets!!!!!! Beats sheets and blankets any day!!

 

I was a bit disappointed to see a few cigarette stains in the bottom of the bathroom sink. No fault of Cunard,...it's just amazing how some people can be so disrespectful (and lazy; there's an ashtray mounted to the wall for God's sake).

 

Some people are just ignorant and show no respect for other people's property. There is as you say no excuse for this and it most certainly isn't any fault of Cunard!!!!!

 

Overall, QM2 looked spectacular and, as far as how well she cuts through the north Atlantic, she is the most stable ship I've ever been on. A few times we had something like 20ft. seas and she sailed through it without the slightest problem.

 

Couldn't agree more. I don't think that there is a ship out there that can do this job as well as QM2

 

Service

 

While I know that service, especially in the Britannia Dining room, can be sketchy, we had nothing less than impeccible service throughout the trip. Wherever we went, the staff were friendly, willing to help, and, with the exception of the sour-puss gentleman in the book shop, I encounter no one with the wrong attitude.

 

We found our room steward and waiters in the dining room excellent!! Although we did have some other issues with other areas of the ships staff!!

 

I also appreciate the fact that bar staff do not hound people over drinks.

 

We had to sit one night for approx 20 minutes in the commodore club and we just got ignored. In the end my husband got up and went to the bar and asked to be served. This was on the last night of the splendours trip and we still had the crossing back. We didn't have any problems after that!! I think that the bar staff were on their last night in the commodore club before being moved around!! They seem to do this frequently on Cunard with the cabin staff and the waiters. We only found this out because we were on three seperate trips back to back!!

 

Food

 

I really have nothing to complain about. In the Britannia, dishes that were suppose to be hot were hot and cold dishes were, well, cold. Soups were, as usual, outstanding. The quality of the beef was also very good. Other than one bummer dessert, flambe strawberries, there wasn't anything I didn't like.

 

We found the food to be good quality. Now then liner guy you know you shouldn't have been eating them desserts anyway!!!!!!

 

We ate lunch in the pub two days and the fish & chips were as good as I had remembered them. The best time to go to the pub is either right when they start serving lunch or at about 130pm. Otherwise, it's very crowded and difficult to get a table, especially in the small non-smoking section.

 

Do you know in all the days we were on board we never ever went for lunch in the golden lion. We always went for the bun fight in Kings court because we only wanted a sandwich or something light. I regret not going at least once!!

 

I was thrilled to see a few changes in afternoon tea. Service was much better than before and, best of all, they have started serving the scones without the clotted creme and jam already on them. Now, they give them to you in a dish on the side. The other desserts, as well as the sandwiches, were also very good. I did find it very amusing when the musicians played the theme from "The Godfather".

 

Another thing I regret not getting around to do!! But hey I must have put on 1/2 a stone anyway, so I'm glad I didn't!!!!!

 

The highlight (for me anyway) was Todd English. I had the gnoochi, pea ravioli, the tenderloin, and the chocolate cake. Outstanding. I actually prefer the atmosphere and service in the Britannia (it's just so much more ocean liner like); but I kept telling myself that I was dining in QM2's version of the old Verandah Grill on the first QM or QE.

 

I had the tenderloin and the chocolate cake. I really enjoyed the chocolate cake but found it a bit on the large side for me!! I couldn't finish it and I don't like wasting food!! I was brought up to eat everything on my plate and I just couldn't. Well I probably could have done, but I didn't want to make myself ill and waste the $30 surcharge!! We enjoyed eating in there on the both occasions that we did!!

 

Entertainment

 

I passed on the evening shows; I'm just not into Vegas-style productions. I did enjoy the jazz trio in the Chart Room; and pianist Campbell Simpson, in the Commodore Club, was as incredible as ever. The Black and White and Ascot Balls were a lot of fun as well. A group of us ended up in G32 every night and, to be honest, after a while it got old very quick. The band, who were excellent musicians, played the same set list night after night....just in a different order.

 

My husband liked the jazz trio in the chart room and my daughter and I liked going to the commodore club to listen to Campbell Simpson. He is very good. Loved the band in G32 but as you say they play the same old thing night after night. Such a waste of good talent!! Of course you were on for 6 nights. We were on for 24 so by the end the routine just got a bit monotonous!! Such a shame!!

 

A few of us attended the performance by members of RADA and it was very funny. Too bad they were upstaged by a couple sitting in front of us.....this man's wife decided to fold his underwear at the beginning of the performance. We couldn't stop laughing. She would hold them up, give 'em a shake or two, fold 'em and then put them in a laundry bag she brought with her. PRICELESS.

 

A woman's work is never done!!!!!! I wonder if she sits at home in front of the TV folding hubbies undies??? :-)

 

Russ

 

Russ

 

Glad you had a wonderful time. See my comments above!!

 

Elaine

[Linerguy]

Peter:

 

This was a special group arrangement and probably not typical of Cunard's policies.

 

lk4xits:

 

Although I'm not so sure QM2 is the ideal Caribbean ship, there's no reason to believe that you won't experience her ocean liner atmosphere. Yes, there will be differences while you cruise verses a crossing but, she's still a magnificant ship and there's no hiding the fact that she is a Cunard Queen. Let's face it, the original QM and QE were not the most ideal ships for cruising; and yet there are thousands of folks who have fond memories of their cruising experiences on them.

 

I suspect the only difference for the crew may be that, on a cruise, they may get a few more breaks than usual. Just a guess.

 

Thanks Elaine for the comments.

 

Russ