Westbound Transatlantic

[Judith Chalmers 48]

Hi we are thinking of booking a Westbound transatlantic fly cruise on QM2, this may seem a silly question but, we are booking a balcony cabin and don’t know whether to have a port side or Starboard side cabin as we do like to spend some time on our balcony and would prefer to have the sun on our balcony. We have cruised a few times to the Caribbean and have seldom had a sunny balcony, although we have always gone in the winter, this time to New York we are going in the summer 😃🛳🗽any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you

[Bigmike911]

If you are going west bound and want sun book Port. As you are in the northern hemisphere the sun will be over the equator south of the ship. Room numbers on the port side are even numbers.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Bigmike911

[Judith Chalmers 48]

Thanks Mike, Port side it is then 👍

[Jack E Dawson]

There is an additional benefit of booking on the port side besides the sun, it is also the side of the ship that passes by the Statue of Liberty.

[Judith Chalmers 48]

Thank you Jack, we have been on Liberty Island, but would love to see SOL on a cruise ship, so it would be an added bonus to be on Port side. 😃🛳🗽

[rog747]

Yes port side -- even numbered cabins for a WB TA
- the deck 8 OBS view cabins are great value - glass fronted balconies and you will get all the sun as they are open...

Many cabins have some views through gaps between the lifeboats and derricks and where there is a smaller rescue tender 

here is a deck 8 OBS view with some view !

[Judith Chalmers 48]

Thank you so much Rob, your help has been invaluable. The information I am getting on this forum is just brilliant.👍

[john watson]

Starting from the UK, I always think the Eastbound fly cruise is better.  Ok the days are only 23 hours long instead of 25 hours but to me the luggage restrictions work better.  It gets the tedious bit over with, up front and it only ever gets better thereafter.  You fly out stay in New York doing sightseeing and picking up loads of shopping the weight of which is not included in you baggage allowance.  This is not the situation if you sail out and fly home.  Either way you can stay in New York for a number of days and I have done three to five in the past.

 

Queen Elizabeth is also sailing home in July 2019, end of world cruise with a few stops en route.  The prices of all the transatlantics vary enormously but so does the weather.  On QM2 I would favour a basic Sheltered Balcony and Britannia to keep the budget down.  The time of year is the biggest fare influence.

 

Regards John

[Underwatr]

On 2/18/2019 at 9:08 AM, rog747 said:

Many cabins have some views through gaps between the lifeboats and derricks and where there is a smaller rescue tender 

The lifeboats (outside of cabins more forward than the tenders) aren't as high as the tenders. I can just see the horizon over the top of a lifeboat except where the little cab from where they're driven.

 

These are lifeboats; you can see the tenders further back.

 

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 2/19/2019 at 4:23 PM, john watson said:

Starting from the UK, I always think the Eastbound fly cruise is better.  Ok the days are only 23 hours long instead of 25 hours but to me the luggage restrictions work better.  It gets the tedious bit over with, up front and it only ever gets better thereafter.  You fly out stay in New York doing sightseeing and picking up loads of shopping the weight of which is not included in you baggage allowance.  This is not the situation if you sail out and fly home.  Either way you can stay in New York for a number of days and I have done three to five in the past.

 

Queen Elizabeth is also sailing home in July 2019, end of world cruise with a few stops en route.  The prices of all the transatlantics vary enormously but so does the weather.  On QM2 I would favour a basic Sheltered Balcony and Britannia to keep the budget down.  The time of year is the biggest fare influence.

 

Regards John

 

I almost always do a westbound, using the same logic. Being from the US, I fly to England and sail home. I love that you can take extra stuff home. Many years ago, before anyone in the US knew what they are, I bought a bunch of trugs and took them home on QE2. This fall, I brought home a painting I had inherited. OK, more expensive than having it shipped, but I knew I could take better care of it.