Predominant power outlet type on QV?

[frankp01]

My experience, so far, has only been with Queen Mary. In the cabin there's a mix of UK and North American power outlets, with the UK in the majority. And outside of the cabin, virtually every power outlet around the ship is a UK format.

 

On the QV, I see that there is one UK and one EU outlet by the desk. That makes me wonder if, outside of the cabin, EU outlets might actually be the 'outlet of choice'. For example, are the bedside lights using a UK outlet or EU?  I ask because the UK adapters I carry are so bulky. I tend to work on a laptop around the ship, and always search for power outlets I can use. If I can use EU adapters, rather than UK, I'll save some packing space and weight.

 

Lastly, on the QM2 the shaver outlet is part of the light over the mirror. That means, when the light is off, the outlet switches off. I'd like to bring a night light for the bathroom. It looks like there is a separate North American/EU shaver outlet. Does that mean it retains power, even when the light is off?

 

Hopefully someone has observed and taken notice of this sort of detail around the ship!

[Host Hattie]

When are you sailing on Queen Victoria?

[frankp01]

In January, 2023, NYC to San Francisco via the Panama Canal.

[Host Hattie]

I'm due to sail before so if you don't get an answer I'll check.

[frankp01]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[lissie]

I assume the QE is the same as QV for cabin design?   There was definitely one UK plug - but the others were US and EU - as none of them natively fit my NZ /AU plugs I'm carrying a EU and US adaptor but leaving the bulky UK one at home.  

 

Around the ship I never noticed - I'll have a look 

Edited July 12, 2022 by lissie

[D&N]

I have a small but robust UK->EU adapter, but I also have 2 standard UK shaver adapters, like these:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Fwczhv-9L._AC_SL1098_.jpg

They come with a 1 amp fuse as standard that are smaller than most UK capsule fuses. But I have obtained 3 amp fuses of the same size. Provided you are using 2 pin EU or US plugs, and of course that the article is suitable for 230v, they work quite well.

 

Having said that, you may find US sockets in public areas. Here's a photo of the Golden Lion Bar. There appears to be a pair of US outlets to the left of the wall phone.

https://widgety-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/10/14/06/30/50/84134930-bb05-41fd-a6ac-b734c8a5cc27/Cunard Line QV Golden Lion Pub.jpg

[sfred]

On QV/QE, Britannia cabins have two US, one Europe, and one UK power points along the back of the desk.  Photo shown below.  There are two more US power points at the corner stand, used by the kettle for coffee/tea.  You can unplug the kettle if you need additional power beyond the desk outlets.  As @lissieindicated, we Aussies and Kiwis need adaptors for everything - no AU/NZ power. 

 

Apologies, I don't know whether the shaver socket in the bath switches off with the light.

 

Around the QVQE ships in the public rooms, I've only ever seen US power points, unlike QM2 where I've only ever seen UK.

[frankp01]

38 minutes ago, D&N said:

you may find US sockets in public areas. Here's a photo of the Golden Lion Bar.

Interesting. I would have expected European sockets there.

[frankp01]

24 minutes ago, sfred said:

cabins have two US, one Europe, and one UK power points along the back of the desk

Yeah, I've seen some pretty detailed videos of the desk outlets. That a European plug showed up made me think the standard, outside of the cabin, might be the EU format.

 

Now, here's the reason I'm asking. I'm trying to deduce what outlets are powering the bedside lamps. For the QM2 I have a UK "tri-tap". It adapts a single outlet to let you plug in 3 items. That lets me plug in my UK-plugged laptop. If it's an EU socket there, my comfortable solution won't work. And I didn't want to ask folks to drag the bed out to check! If it's North American, I could bring a common US tri-tap.

 

I'd like to be able to work in a lounge or the library. Unlike the massive UK to US adapters, it's trivial to carry an EU adapter. So it's just curiosity if I'll even need the EU adapter.

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by frankp01
Add sentence

[sfred]

25 minutes ago, frankp01 said:

Now, here's the reason I'm asking. I'm trying to deduce what outlets are powering the bedside lamps.

 

I'd like to be able to work in a lounge or the library. Unlike the massive UK to US adapters, it's trivial to carry an EU adapter. So it's just curiosity if I'll even need the EU adapter.

 

Unfortunately I don't think there are bedside power points available.  The bedside lamps are hardwired into the ships electrical system.  In other Cunard discussions on this topic, people needing bedside power for medical devices used an extension lead to bring power across the cabin from the desk. 

 

When I've needed power elsewhere on QV/QE (like the library) for my Australia devices, a US adaptor got me connected.  If there are Europe plugs in the public rooms, I've not seen them.

[BklynBoy8]

33 minutes ago, sfred said:

 

Unfortunately I don't think there are bedside power points available.  The bedside lamps are hardwired into the ships electrical system.  In other Cunard discussions on this topic, people needing bedside power for medical devices used an extension lead to bring power across the cabin from the desk. 

 

When I've needed power elsewhere on QV/QE (like the library) for my Australia devices, a US adaptor got me connected.  If there are Europe plugs in the public rooms, I've not seen them.

 

I only use outlets on the desk and bathroom. Wish there was one bedside if I take a wired alarm clock.

Edited July 12, 2022 by BklynBoy8

[frankp01]

34 minutes ago, sfred said:

a US adaptor got me connected

Thanks. Around the ship it sounds like it will be easier than on the QM2.

[lissie]

1 hour ago, sfred said:

 

Unfortunately I don't think there are bedside power points available.  The bedside lamps are hardwired into the ships electrical system.  In other Cunard discussions on this topic, people needing bedside power for medical devices used an extension lead to bring power across the cabin from the desk. 

 

When I've needed power elsewhere on QV/QE (like the library) for my Australia devices, a US adaptor got me connected.  If there are Europe plugs in the public rooms, I've not seen them.

I looked long and hard for a power point near the bed in an inside deluxe on QE - I wanted to plug a device in. Now we maybe faced with having a cpap in tow I assume that cunard will provide the extension cord  as I'm 99% sure there is no way to plug in next to the bed (which is nuts) 

[sfred]

9 minutes ago, lissie said:

I looked long and hard for a power point near the bed in an inside deluxe on QE - I wanted to plug a device in. Now we maybe faced with having a cpap in tow I assume that cunard will provide the extension cord  as I'm 99% sure there is no way to plug in next to the bed (which is nuts) 

 

I've not needed this myself, but from other discussions on this board, my understanding is that you have to bring your own extension lead for medical devices (a lead only, not one with a surge-protected power strip which is incompatible with the ship electricial system).  On embarkation, you get the equipment and lead checked out by Cunard enginnering staff.   @bluemarblehas indicated that a 14foot (4.3meter) lead is adequate to reach the bed from the desk.  (see post number 8 on this thread:

 

 

 

[techteach]

@lissie Sounds like @frankp01 may have added an item to our packing list ——- a night light! 🙂

 

[bluemarble]

Just a note to clarify my previous comments in the thread @sfred has quoted concerning the total cord length needed for a CPAP machine. Those comments are for a Britannia Sheltered Balcony on QM2. I can't speak for the requirements on QV/QE since we haven't sailed either of those ships since I've needed to bring a CPAP. Note that I corrected the total length to 15.5 feet (about 4.7 meters) after remeasuring everything including the cords to and from my power brick and the length of the power brick itself.

 

@lissie, just to let you know if you weren't already aware, you are technically supposed to let Cunard know beforehand that you are bringing a CPAP on board as personal medical equipment. The reason they request that information is so that a member of the crew can check your device's power brick/power supply to make sure it meets the ship's power requirements. A crew member has always stopped by our cabin soon after embarkation to make that quick check. In my case, they just take a quick look at the writing on my power brick. I imagine a lot of users aren't aware of this procedure and probably don't have any issues once on board concerning their CPAP machines. Just wanted to mention how it's supposed to work though.

 

When you (or your travel agent) call Cunard to let them know you are bringing a CPAP, my experience is that they will automatically ask if you also require distilled water and an extension cord. I've always brought my own extension cord but I do request distilled water. It's been high-or-miss as to whether there actually is a bottle of distilled water waiting for me in the cabin when we embark, but it is a simple matter to request that from your cabin steward. My cabin stewards have also always asked if I need an extension cord, so I figure that is a common request from CPAP users. I should emphasize these experiences are all pre-Covid, so I can't say for sure what the current situation is.

Edited July 13, 2022 by bluemarble

[frankp01]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

Just a note to clarify my previous comments in the thread @sfred has quoted concerning the total cord length needed for a CPAP machine. Those comments are for a Britannia Sheltered Balcony on QM2.

I am surprised that the QM2 engineering staff doesn't keep a tri-tap on hand. They'd then be able to plug in a CPAP machine bedside, the same way I do my laptop, without having to run an extension cable over to the desk (assuming the machine can run on 220. If 110V, then it would have to run over to the desk). There is an outlet next to the bed. It's just that the bedside light is plugged into it. Without a three-way adapter, you'd be able to plug in the CPAP there, if you were willing to go without the bedside light.

Edited July 13, 2022 by frankp01

[frankp01]

1 hour ago, techteach said:

a night light

As long as you're not trying to use it in the QM2 bathroom. As I've discovered, there is only one outlet in the QM2 bathroom. It's part of the over-the-mirror light. And the outlet goes off when the light is off. If you wanted it in the cabin itself, you could plug it into the outlet behind the kettle. That would be out of the way.

[lissie]

2 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Just a note to clarify my previous comments in the thread @sfred has quoted concerning the total cord length needed for a CPAP machine. Those comments are for a Britannia Sheltered Balcony on QM2. I can't speak for the requirements on QV/QE since we haven't sailed either of those ships since I've needed to bring a CPAP. Note that I corrected the total length to 15.5 feet (about 4.7 meters) after remeasuring everything including the cords to and from my power brick and the length of the power brick itself.

 

@lissie, just to let you know if you weren't already aware, you are technically supposed to let Cunard know beforehand that you are bringing a CPAP on board as personal medical equipment. The reason they request that information is so that a member of the crew can check your device's power brick/power supply to make sure it meets the ship's power requirements. A crew member has always stopped by our cabin soon after embarkation to make that quick check. In my case, they just take a quick look at the writing on my power brick. I imagine a lot of users aren't aware of this procedure and probably don't have any issues once on board concerning their CPAP machines. Just wanted to mention how it's supposed to work though.

 

When you (or your travel agent) call Cunard to let them know you are bringing a CPAP, my experience is that they will automatically ask if you also require distilled water and an extension cord. I've always brought my own extension cord but I do request distilled water. It's been high-or-miss as to whether there actually is a bottle of distilled water waiting for me in the cabin when we embark, but it is a simple matter to request that from your cabin steward. My cabin stewards have also always asked if I need an extension cord, so I figure that is a common request from CPAP users. I should emphasize these experiences are all pre-Covid, so I can't say for sure what the current situation is.

I'll tell Cunard we only got the cpap the day before leaving home - so I'm not adding that to the list of things to do! I'm also not carrying a 5m extension cord either -the cpap is bad enough!  I can't believe the Cunard are happy to run an extension the width of the cabin - talk about a trip hazard!   

 

We don't however need distilled water -no mention of that - tap water is apparently fine - and the ship's water is probably less mineralized that our home tap supply anyways. 

 

The machine is a current model dual voltage machine which although NZ designed is sold into the USA market too - so I doubt its anything special. 

[lissie]

1 hour ago, frankp01 said:

I am surprised that the QM2 engineering staff doesn't keep a tri-tap on hand. They'd then be able to plug in a CPAP machine bedside, the same way I do my laptop, without having to run an extension cable over to the desk (assuming the machine can run on 220. If 110V, then it would have to run over to the desk). There is an outlet next to the bed. It's just that the bedside light is plugged into it. Without a three-way adapter, you'd be able to plug in the CPAP there, if you were willing to go without the bedside light.

I will investigate further - the machine is dual voltage it can handle 110V  We could buy one of these a few days into the cruise in LA if needed. 

[techteach]

@frankp01 A night light over the kettle might not help me get to where I need to “go” at night. 🙂

[techteach]

CPAPs are so common that I would think any cruise ship, especially one that caters to people over 30, yes my son needs one, should have what is needed for what is now basic devices. There need to be outlets by the bed.