First Time on QM2

[MisseyMoo49]

We will be taking our first cruise to NY on 15th December on the QM2 & have a couple of questions.  Is it worth buying a drinks package?  Is it correct that whenever you order a drink on board, they always add on a service charge?  Also, do they have water fountains in the gym or drinking water stations anywhere on the boat?  We're mindful of the environment & don't want to keep buying bottled water.  Any other tips would be gratefully appreciated.  Thanks very much

[john watson]

Generally there is a service charge associated with buying drinks on board.  You are permitted to walk on the ship at Southampton with a bottle of wine each for in cabin consumption.  In the evening buying wine by the bottle is cheaper than by the glass and any wine left will be looked after until the following evening when it reappears at your table. Not sure about the cost of drinks packages but they do come in soft and alcoholic variants.  Typically to get value on cruise lines from packages you need to drink a lot and sometimes there is a restriction on what exactly you can order within the alcoholic package.

 

Typically when you purchased your cruise an element of OBC On Board Credit will be included in the deal which is then available to offset expenditure. I assume you know that you buy everything using your cruise card and at the end all the charges get settled by your credit card.

 

Regards John

[MarkBearSF]

Hi MisseyMoo49,

 

We'll be aboard with you. Have you checked the Roll Calls yet - there are a couple that include our crossing on either end (One is for a RT crossing including the eastbound preceding ours, the other includes the Caribbean cruise following ours)

Only you can answer the question on whether it makes sense for you. (Personally, we don't pay for it, but if it's a promotional perk, we'll happily take it). Most basic drinks with most major brands are covered, albeit in smaller sizes (UK measures). However special drinks, like the Commodore drinks in the Commodore Club are too pricey - and if the drink is over the limit, they will charge the listed price (less 20%, I believe). You order and sign for drinks as usual, but the charges are backed-out overnight.

All served drinks incur a service charge. (But if your drink is included in the package, you don't pay the charge) 

Last cruise we visited the gym for the first time in 6 voyages - because it was our muster station. So, I don't know about a drinking fountain there, but with the sauna, I'd assume that water would have to be available.

Besides that, water, coffee, iced tea, and juice are available at the Kings Court buffet and Connexions on Deck 2 (but no iced tea there). Also, if you're sitting in a bar, you can order a glass of water for no charge (preferably in conjunction with someone at the table ordering a drink).

FYI, I don't recall seeing one of those bottle refill stations, so you'd need to fill yours with glasses of water (not under the spigot).

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by MarkBearSF

[Lanky Lad]

Your question about water has been answered, but they usually have paper cups as well as classes so you can get a drink to take with you around the ship.  Although it might be easier to take a container with you and fill it from a glass or cup. 

 

I think you need need more than six drinks a day to cover the cost of the soft drinks package.  For me that would not be value for money.   

[Bigmike911]

2 hours ago, MarkBearSF said:

Hi MisseyMoo49,

 

We'll be aboard with you. Have you checked the Roll Calls yet - there are a couple that include our crossing on either end (One is for a RT crossing including the eastbound preceding ours, the other includes the Caribbean cruise following ours)

Only you can answer the question on whether it makes sense for you. (Personally, we don't pay for it, but if it's a promotional perk, we'll happily take it). Most basic drinks with most major brands are covered, albeit in smaller sizes (UK measures). However special drinks, like the Commodore drinks in the Commodore Club are too pricey - and if the drink is over the limit, they will charge the listed price (less 20%, I believe). You order and sign for drinks as usual, but the charges are backed-out overnight.

All served drinks incur a service charge. (But if your drink is included in the package, you don't pay the charge) 

Last cruise we visited the gym for the first time in 6 voyages - because it was our muster station. So, I don't know about a drinking fountain there, but with the sauna, I'd assume that water would have to be available.

Besides that, water, coffee, iced tea, and juice are available at the Kings Court buffet and Connexions on Deck 2 (but no iced tea there). Also, if you're sitting in a bar, you can order a glass of water for no charge (preferably in conjunction with someone at the table ordering a drink).

FYI, I don't recall seeing one of those bottle refill stations, so you'd need to fill yours with glasses of water (not under the spigot).

 

Mark, if you have an included drinks package it will cover cost up to $12. If the drink is more than that, you pay full price, with NO discounts. I presume if you buy a drinks package, which I would recommend strongly against, because the value is not there, and both travelers in the accommodation must buy the package, the cost includes the tip.

[MarkBearSF]

44 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

Mark, if you have an included drinks package it will cover cost up to $12. If the drink is more than that, you pay full price, with NO discounts. I presume if you buy a drinks package, which I would recommend strongly against, because the value is not there, and both travelers in the accommodation must buy the package, the cost includes the tip.

 

Thanks Mike. That's what I had thought, and then I recalled hearing about the discount. Perhaps it was after someone raised a ruckus. Or maybe I'm just misremembering! 

(Our first experience actually using the package will be in May, due to a promo)

 

[jimdee3636]

I've been on five cruise lines that offer alcoholic beverage packages (Cunard, HAL, Princess, Norwegian, Oceania). I never drink during the day, but almost always have a couple of martinis before dinner and wine with dinner. Occasionally an after-dinner drink, but at most one. In general, unless the package is included in the cost of the cruise, I avoid the packages. At my level of consumption, I would probably break even with most packages, possibly come out a little ahead, but I'd have to constantly be asking whether a particular brand of wine or hard liquor is included in the package.

 

Case in point: martinis. On our 21-night QM2 sailing this past summer I came to like "Three Queens" gin martinis (especially the QV variety). However, the cost of those martinis was exactly $12.05. Unless I'm mistaken, if I had the "$12.00 maximum" beverage package, I would have had to pay the full $12.05 for each such martini---NOT just the five cent difference. That's ridiculous! The alternative would have been to order martinis made with some no-name, godawful gin, which I won't do.

 

There are cruise lines where the beverage package is less restrictive and includes all sorts of other things I drink (espresso, bottled water, etc.), but Cunard isn't one of them. My advice is to drink whatever you want and don't think twice about it. You'll have a happier cruise.

[Underwatr]

3 hours ago, john watson said:

You are permitted to walk on the ship at Southampton with a bottle of wine each for in cabin consumption.

 

In practice you are permitted to walk on the ship with as much wine or spirits as you care to carry without any need to be the least bit secretive about it.

[BigMac1953]

The drinks package is $69 pp per day. It is limited to SMALL measures regardless of cost, so even if a large wine is less than the $12 limit, you still must accept the small measure.

 

A maximum of one drink per 15 minutes is allowed, so if you have a thirst on a particularly hot day and the first one goes down quick, you'll still have to wait for another.

 

We always take 6 bottles of fizz for our room for entertaining. You can also "top up" at any ports. This is a bit difficult on a TA.

[AspirationalFlyer]

I used the gym everyday during my recent transatlantic voyage. Yes - there is a water fountain with tepid and cold taps. 

[shipgeeks]

The water from the cabin taps, dispensers in the buffet, and in the dining room is all excellent quality for drinking.  Some think the cabin tap water is not cold enough; in that case, you can use the ice bucket ice.  A wide-mouth personal water bottle makes it easy if you like to carry water with you.

[Bigmike911]

On 11/27/2019 at 5:46 PM, MarkBearSF said:

Hi MisseyMoo49,

 

We'll be aboard with you. Have you checked the Roll Calls yet - there are a couple that include our crossing on either end (One is for a RT crossing including the eastbound preceding ours, the other includes the Caribbean cruise following ours)

Only you can answer the question on whether it makes sense for you. (Personally, we don't pay for it, but if it's a promotional perk, we'll happily take it). Most basic drinks with most major brands are covered, albeit in smaller sizes (UK measures). However special drinks, like the Commodore drinks in the Commodore Club are too pricey - and if the drink is over the limit, they will charge the listed price (less 20%, I believe). You order and sign for drinks as usual, but the charges are backed-out overnight.

All served drinks incur a service charge. (But if your drink is included in the package, you don't pay the charge) 

Last cruise we visited the gym for the first time in 6 voyages - because it was our muster station. So, I don't know about a drinking fountain there, but with the sauna, I'd assume that water would have to be available.

Besides that, water, coffee, iced tea, and juice are available at the Kings Court buffet and Connexions on Deck 2 (but no iced tea there). Also, if you're sitting in a bar, you can order a glass of water for no charge (preferably in conjunction with someone at the table ordering a drink).

FYI, I don't recall seeing one of those bottle refill stations, so you'd need to fill yours with glasses of water (not under the spigot).

 

My old mind is getting a bit spacey Mark, but I seem to remember stations in the Kings Court where people could refill their water bottles. Does anyone else have that kind of recollection. I was last on in September this year, long after the refit. 

[Underwatr]

I've seen water bottle fill stations but not on QM2 or any other cruise ship...

[ExArkie]

13 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

I've seen water bottle fill stations but not on QM2 or any other cruise ship...

I think I read earlier this year that Fred Olsen was adding water bottle refill stations to their ships and are the first cruise line to do so.

[hilcadon]

I have also been on several different lines with their drink packages but it seems that Cunard's is by far the worst.  I like a drink package so I don't have to worry about what I am ordering. There is usually a Premium package with most lines that include all premium alcohol, coffees and water. It would not make sense that I would not get any type of discount on a drink that was over the 12.00 price-line. I will pay by the drink on our upcoming B2B transatlantic. 

[ged1967]

We did this cruise about 4 years ago. First time on QM2. Had a great time. Buy passes for the spa as 6 consecutive sea days can be a bit “samey” 

 

Be aware it could be a rough crossing. Ours had force 10/11 gales and it was “lumpy” as the captain put it. We couldn’t use the outside decks apart from occasionally 1 trip round the promenade deck (gales in your face on one side then gales in your back as you headed round) we even had snow on deck at one point. 

 

It it didn’t bother me but OH did suffer the first morning but seasickness pills from pursers desk did the trick.

 

afternoon tea: I think we wore long trouser & polo shirt but I can’t really remember.

 

drinks package: when we sailed there was no alcohol drinks package only a soft drink package. We bought a soft drinks package, and bought alcohol sparingly as it was quite expensive. Had there been a drinks package we’d have bought one (like we have done on our previous cruises) We always find we get value for money. 

 

Have a great cruise. 

[IB2]

No, yes, and no respectively.

[Underwatr]

 

3 hours ago, IB2 said:

No, yes, and no respectively.

There are drinking water dispensers in Kings Court (buffet) but you need to fill your bottle from a provided drinking glass rather than fill the bottle directly. Or fill your bottle from the bathroom sink and chill it in the in-room fridge.

 

I seem to recall a water dispenser in the gym but I don't spend much time there so I could be remembering a different ship.

[MisseyMoo49]

Thanks everyone for your comments

 

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, MisseyMoo49 said:

Thanks everyone for your comments

 

MisseyMoo49,

 

You will certainly enjoy yourselves on the QM2 and see a lot to do from morning to bedtime.

 

We have been sailing on the Mary since 2006 and enjoy each time we cruise on her. 

 

We are looking forward to our 2020 voyage and once again seeing all on board we have come to call friends and family.

 

Also the CC'ers we keep in contact with after every sailing.

 

Counting the Days...

 

[rakkor]

There is a water dispenser in the gym, but like Kings Court refiling bottles is discouraged for hygene reasons - decanting from a paper cup seems to be a sensible option. There is a water fountain in the Pavillion Pool on deck 12 on QM2 - Just in the entrance to the golf centre, on the left, and this has a bottle filling outlet on it, it is marked as such,  this is the only one I've seen on the ship.

[tv24]

In the gym you will find a water cooler and cups and you can help yourself.  I always do after my workout.

[bobg529]

I’ve been on the Queen 3 times. I had the package back in May and then as a comparison we tried it out sans package in November. I’m a heavier drinker than my wife but still we found it to be cheaper to just pay as you go. This includes the added benefits to the drink package, which is bottled water (small bottles). And coffee drinks at Sir Samuels are also included. I purchased a water package from our room steward of 6 1 liter bottles which were delivered the same day to our cabin. My typical liquor intake on a cruise is that I’ll typically have a drink or beer at lunch in the Golden Lion , I’ll have a cocktail  before dinner at one of the bars,wine with dinner, and one or two after dinner drinks at a bar or in the Royal court theatre.. I find the drink prices on the Queen Mary 2 to be reasonable and the bartenders are fairly skilled. You get charged separately for your mixer, and can opt to have say tonic water from the fountain gun which is cheapest but in my opinion inferior.. I prefer to order Fever Tree, which is much tastier.  In this case they bring the tonic bottle to your table and will,pour it with your permission. You can get two drinks out if one bottle of mixer so when I order a refill, I’ll just request vodka and ice and add the tomnic myself. This saves a few dollars over the life of the cruise. As to gratuities, yes a charge is added to every drink, however the server does not get any of that gratuity directly. All the money collected has a portion removed that is added to some sort of general welfare fund and shared equally with the entire crew. I myself have a practice of carrying singles. When I get the bill I put a stroke in the line for additional gratuity, and will add a dollar bill or two to the check. This money the server can keep and they are most appreciative and treat you with special care. Final tip on cost savings. If you like wine with your dinner certainly order a bottle from the wine steward. They will mark and hold the bottle for you, and you will typically get four or five dinners out of a bottle, and that works out to be much cheaper than buying it by the glass. On a seven day cruise my wife and I will share 3 bottles; one Pinot Grigio or Cabernet, one Chablis, and a White Zinfandel. 

[Underwatr]

If you get four or five dinners out of a bottle of wine, I guarantee that the drink package isn't a good idea for you! 😄

[BklynBoy8]

16 hours ago, bobg529 said:

I’ve been on the Queen 3 times. I had the package back in May and then as a comparison we tried it out sans package in November. I’m a heavier drinker than my wife but still we found it to be cheaper to just pay as you go. This includes the added benefits to the drink package, which is bottled water (small bottles). And coffee drinks at Sir Samuels are also included. I purchased a water package from our room steward of 6 1 liter bottles which were delivered the same day to our cabin. My typical liquor intake on a cruise is that I’ll typically have a drink or beer at lunch in the Golden Lion , I’ll have a cocktail  before dinner at one of the bars,wine with dinner, and one or two after dinner drinks at a bar or in the Royal court theatre.. I find the drink prices on the Queen Mary 2 to be reasonable and the bartenders are fairly skilled. You get charged separately for your mixer, and can opt to have say tonic water from the fountain gun which is cheapest but in my opinion inferior.. I prefer to order Fever Tree, which is much tastier.  In this case they bring the tonic bottle to your table and will,pour it with your permission. You can get two drinks out if one bottle of mixer so when I order a refill, I’ll just request vodka and ice and add the tomnic myself. This saves a few dollars over the life of the cruise. As to gratuities, yes a charge is added to every drink, however the server does not get any of that gratuity directly. All the money collected has a portion removed that is added to some sort of general welfare fund and shared equally with the entire crew. I myself have a practice of carrying singles. When I get the bill I put a stroke in the line for additional gratuity, and will add a dollar bill or two to the check. This money the server can keep and they are most appreciative and treat you with special care. Final tip on cost savings. If you like wine with your dinner certainly order a bottle from the wine steward. They will mark and hold the bottle for you, and you will typically get four or five dinners out of a bottle, and that works out to be much cheaper than buying it by the glass. On a seven day cruise my wife and I will share 3 bottles; one Pinot Grigio or Cabernet, one Chablis, and a White Zinfandel. 

Thank you........