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Queen's Troubles in L.A.


Kenn

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Queen Mary 2's maiden call to Los Angeles Feb 22 was full of Cunard publicity. What was missing was Cunard elbow grease. The on-shore registration people were overwhelmed--the few who were there. Grill-room passengers [the ones paying first-class rates] had to wait two hours and more "on queue" [this is a "British" ship remember--OK, British with a little Las Vegas thrown in] before getting the opportunity to sign in. Steerage passengers waited almost twice as long. There wasn't enough help, enough registration stations, enough of anything good. Departure was delayed for hours. Story goes that on the return trip to LA, Feb 25, after a 3-night "cruise to nowhere" [actually, Ensenada, Baja California North, which might as well be "nowhere"] the ship found she had 500 or so more passengers than beds for the westbound sailing to Hawaii. Again, the ship's departure was delayed for hours as they tried to sort out the mess, get those who were denied boarding hotels or plane tickets, etc.

The ship's staff, not to blame, took the brunt of the passenger's ire. Is it any wonder that the assistant purser, winner of this months' "White Star Service Employee of the Month" award is quitting the ship and heading for Iceland? He'd better get to the gangway early, because the experienced hotel staff is quitting in droves and there is a crush in the corridor.

Travel professionals discussing all this blame Carnival [Cunard's owners] for shifiting management of the venerable British Line to Bottom Line Princess, now another Carnival sub-division once known for its excellence in service and cuisine, but now famous for making a buck.

I will write more about the "Princessification" of Cunard in future postings. So long as the Princess bean counters are in control [and the whole corporate structure from Southern California HQ was crawling over the ship while she was in San Pedro {your correspondent has never seen so many persons who thought they were important}--not to mention their spouses and kids who were running around disrupting both the staff and the paying passengers] does not look good for passengers [now vulgarly called "guests," as has become the mantra in the cruise biz] who want the suave, understated, elegant, yet comfortable service that Cunard has been offering for over a century and a half.

While it may be true that Cunard didn't know what to do with QM2 when she came online [it was the company's first new liner in over 30 years], and the experience of another Carnival division could be helpful, it seems the "help" has taken over, and mid-range Princess is dictating to should-be upscale Cunard.

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QM2's departures for Ensenada and for Hawaii were pretty much on schedule.

The invited guests, TA's and others, were shown around the ship in a very orderly manner and I saw no evidence of their presence being disruptive to anyone. :rolleyes:

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Queen Mary 2's maiden call to Los Angeles Feb 22 was full of Cunard publicity. What was missing was Cunard elbow grease. The on-shore registration people were overwhelmed--the few who were there. Grill-room passengers [the ones paying first-class rates] had to wait two hours and more "on queue" [this is a "British" ship remember--OK, British with a little Las Vegas thrown in] before getting the opportunity to sign in. Steerage passengers waited almost twice as long. There wasn't enough help, enough registration stations, enough of anything good. Departure was delayed for hours. .

 

Just FYI -

The Los Angeles shoreside staff (aka "shore registration people") that worked the QM2 on February 22 was at full staffing, all day. In fact, additional staff had been brought in from San Diego to assist, and arrived at 8:00 am.

 

Check-in began at 1:00 pm, as scheduled. However, many passengers chose to arrive very early at 9:30 am. With 2,800 passengers to check-in, lines and waiting were to be expected. The shoreside staff processed passengers so efficiently that all lines were completely clear by 3:30 pm. That's just 2 1/2 hours for 2800 people. The ship sailed as scheduled at 7:30 pm.

 

For a maiden call of a ship that size, and with ship's staff and shoreside staff who had never worked together before that day, check-in went very well. Cunard and Shorelink should be congratulated for a job well done.

 

If you prefer less waiting at check-in, may I recommend a ship with fewer passengers.

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I had a 1:30 check in and did not board that ship until 4:45. I waited in that room with the 1,000 other people. It was chaos! My girlfriend did not get on until 5:15. You are misinformed if you think if it was clear at 3:30!!!!! I was in there!

 

We were told the computer went down for 1 1/2 hours...but I am not sure of that...because one would have thought there would be a general announcement if that were true.

 

If you did not view Cunards web site you would not have known that they changed the time to 7:30. You would have thought they were late.

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the ship found she had 500 or so more passengers than beds for the westbound sailing to Hawaii. Again, the ship's departure was delayed for hours as they tried to sort out the mess, get those who were denied boarding hotels or plane tickets, etc.

The ship's staff, not to blame, took the brunt of the passenger's ire. Is it any wonder that the assistant purser, winner of this months' "White Star Service Employee of the Month" award is quitting the ship and heading for Iceland? He'd better get to the gangway early, because the experienced hotel staff is quitting in droves and there is a crush in the corridor.

 

OMG!

Did anyone read this part?

 

500 people????

How can you overbook a 2610 passenger (excuse me guest) ship by 500 people? Sleeping bags on the deck charis? Communal showers? Oh I forgot- those are extra in the spa.

 

Methinks someone at Cunard had better get their head on straight vis a vis CUSTOMER SERVICE! I dont care what kind of company or business you are, without customer service, you might as well not bother coming in,

 

Karie,

who, though a technician, knows how to give customers good service

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sorry to disagree... but I find the comment about 500 extra passengers lacking in facts. No, I was not there. But I also know how fast rumors and stories can spread through a crown, especially if they are in "que" and not happy.

 

I would not doubt a possible overbooking, but I REALLY doubt they were trying to find hotel rooms for 500 people.

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Just FYI -

The Los Angeles shoreside staff (aka "shore registration people") that worked the QM2 on February 22 was at full staffing, all day. In fact, additional staff had been brought in from San Diego to assist, and arrived at 8:00 am.

 

Check-in began at 1:00 pm, as scheduled. However, many passengers chose to arrive very early at 9:30 am. With 2,800 passengers to check-in, lines and waiting were to be expected. The shoreside staff processed passengers so efficiently that all lines were completely clear by 3:30 pm. That's just 2 1/2 hours for 2800 people. The ship sailed as scheduled at 7:30 pm.

 

For a maiden call of a ship that size, and with ship's staff and shoreside staff who had never worked together before that day, check-in went very well. Cunard and Shorelink should be congratulated for a job well done.

 

If you prefer less waiting at check-in, may I recommend a ship with fewer passengers.

 

 

 

I was also there. Arrived at the port at 12:45 pm, after a brief wait to unload luggage and park, we proceeded to the terminal, walked in at 1:00 pm, then waited until 3:00 to stand in line. Then we waited in the rather short line for another 30 minutes to be processed. We boarded the ship at approximately 3:45 pm, dropped our things and went to the chaotic buffet. No refreshments of any kind were being offered to the crowd in the terminal.

 

We were on the top deck at 5:00 pm and witnessed people still being shuttled from the terminal to the ship. Quite a few people told us they waited more than 4 hours to board. We were the lucky ones, the ones who only had to wait 3 hours.

 

Where did you get your information? From Cunard? I was there, I saw the people sitting on the floor of the terminal, waiting for hours for the check in process to begin. We gave up our seats to some elderly passengers and stood for more than two hours (I refuse to sit on the floor).

 

I have no idea whose fault it was, they said it was a technical difficulty, the staff at the check in counters stood idle for as long as we did. There were cheers throughout the terminal as numbers were called.

 

We put it behind us and had a wonderful time, but we will not forget it, it was the most unorganized, chaotic boarding we've ever been through in 9 cruises.

 

BTW, we talked to several people who arrived early, between 10-11 am and they were not allowed to drive into the lot, turned away at the gates and told to go somewhere else to wait until after 1pm to return.

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OMG!

Did anyone read this part?

 

500 people????

How can you overbook a 2610 passenger (excuse me guest) ship by 500 people? Sleeping bags on the deck charis? Communal showers? Oh I forgot- those are extra in the spa.

 

Karie,

 

Yes, read it. But as it's a silly rumor...

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BTW, we talked to several people who arrived early, between 10-11 am and they were not allowed to drive into the lot, turned away at the gates and told to go somewhere else to wait until after 1pm to return.

 

This is true.

I arrived at noon and was turned away at the gate. This has nothing to due with Cunard or QM2, rather port operations.

I drove to the next parking lot which was open to the public for QM2 viewing, at the suggestion of the security person at the gate, took a few photos, turned around and went back. I went through a different lane the second time and got through. I was in the terminal by 12:30, (along with hundreds of others), and on the ship within an hour. I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

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OMG!

Did anyone read this part?

 

500 people????

How can you overbook a 2610 passenger (excuse me guest) ship by 500 people? Sleeping bags on the deck charis? Communal showers? Oh I forgot- those are extra in the spa.

 

Methinks someone at Cunard had better get their head on straight vis a vis CUSTOMER SERVICE! I dont care what kind of company or business you are, without customer service, you might as well not bother coming in,

 

Karie,

who, though a technician, knows how to give customers good service

 

I can tell you this:

Of the 27 rooms we booked 12 boarding passes came back with the names spelled wrong. After we corrected it with them...5 came back wrong again..on the third try 1 came back wrong...and then they said they were going to charge us $50.00 to fix it because it was so close to sailing date..after an arguement...they let the charge go. This was all their fault...along with 1/3 of us given the wrong seating time for dinner as well. We all had guaranteed rooms when booked and yet one came back with no room number and said they would give one on boarding. Knowing the ship was booked up we insisted they find one before we boarded and they did. All of these problems were no big deal to us because it was all corrected befor sailing...but now I think it is relevant with everything else being said.

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I had a 1:30 check in and did not board that ship until 4:45. I waited in that room with the 1,000 other people. It was chaos! My girlfriend did not get on until 5:15. You are misinformed if you think if it was clear at 3:30!!!!! I was in there!

 

We were told the computer went down for 1 1/2 hours...but I am not sure of that...because one would have thought there would be a general announcement if that were true.

 

If you did not view Cunards web site you would not have known that they changed the time to 7:30. You would have thought they were late.

 

My apologies if you felt it was chaos. There were many first time cruisers boarding and perhaps they were not aware of what check-in for any cruise ship, let alone one with 2800 passengers getting on, was going to be like. Perhaps their impatience set the tone for others who were waiting.

 

The computers used at check-in were not down for 1 1/2 hours. Rather it was 20-30 minutes maximum. When they did go down, an announcement was made. The system (as are most cruiseship check-in systems) is set up to relay information from check-in to the ship in real time. That link was lost, and when it was determined that it could not be reestablished without quite a bit of time, the computers were brought back up and info stored in the memory of each unit, to be downloaded later onboard. Tech staff from the ship were behind the check-in counters all day to help and to keep things up and running. They did a great job.

 

Any passenger who inquired about the sailing time was told 7:30 pm.

 

I was in that terminal all day. Check-in staff was reduced beginning at 3:30 because the lines were clear and only a small percentage of passengers had not checked in. By 4 pm, there were very few, if any, waiting in any line (Grill or Gold) and at that time, there were more staff than passengers.

 

It must be said that for "normal" multi-day cruises (of which this was not) passengers generally arrive to check-in in staggered amounts. A few busses from the airport during the day, and others at varying times by their own personal transportation. However, because of the type of cruise the QM2 was doing, the bulk of the passengers were local, arrived early and in one big heap. With in check-in starting at 1:00, yes there were going to be crowded conditions and a wait.

 

That's the nature of the sport.

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Hi All,

 

I was not there so I don't know but there seems to be mixed opinions about what went on.

 

Not saying what is truth and what isn't but the 2 complaining the loudest only have 6 posts between them. I've seen this story before.

 

Ed

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We were getting off the ship that day and didn't get off until 11 am. The terminal was really too small for the ship and they had to wait for everyone to clear out before they could even begin the process of having people check in. There was no room for the luggage to be put out all at once so they had a delay of over an hour just getting everyone off. Getting to a ship before your stated check in time is just crazy anyway. This 3 day cruise was supposed to be a a party cruise for corporate office anyway, many crew members told me, so they really had no way of knowing everyone would show up at the same time. Also since the ship doesn't normally cruise out of this port I would naturally assume it would be difficult. Unlike other ships who have permanent areas for checking in, the QM2 has to unload everything from the ship before beginning the process.

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I was not there in LA either, but I did embark the QM2 in Fort Lauderdale last year for a Caribbean cruise, and it was absolute and total chaos.

 

My wife and I waited at least four hours in an endless line. No one from Cunard was anywhere to be seen until we actually got on the ship. No announcements were made, no information was given, and certainly no refreshments of any kind. Unlike in New York, there was no expedited line for Grill passengers. Many of the people were elderly and it was a hot, humid day. Part of the aggravation of the long boardingprocess was never really knowing if you were in the right place, how long would it take, would you lose your place in line if you went to the restroom, etc. And finally, when we actually boarded, we had to wait in a mob at the elevators another 20 minutes and then find out cabin ourselves!

 

By contrast, a 2004 QM2 boarding in New York was very smooth, and a Caronia boarding a few years back in Southampton was also very quick. The descriptions of the chaos in LA could easily be used to describe my experience in Fort Lauderdale more than a year ago.

 

Why don't they just communicate? And why haven't they yet learned the basics of crowd control? Yes, it takes a long time to get 2,800 people on a ship, but by now, they should have a clue about how to do it rapidly. And why aren't crew members out working the crowd??? It takes so little to make people happy, and people going on a cruise want to be happy.

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I have cruised many times on other lines but this was the first time I have had a negative experience like this. I also have never had a long chaotic wait to embark like I did here.

 

Even though I have read this board for years for advice, I only joined last week because I wanted to warn others that Cunard was not all that great for us and not to have huge expectations for this ship.

 

I also wanted to back up another posters equally negative response after someone insinuated that they must be "lying" . I was there and I know what went on...at least for us and our experience was similiar to theirs. After reading, it seems it was either really good or really bad for you.

 

EVERY THING I WROTE IS GODS TRUTH! What would I gain by lying?

 

 

But you know what?....I wont involve myself with a tit for a tat spat because you were not with me, did not experience MY trip or my problems such as our flooded floor, broken safe, "hidden" steward, bad and rude service, horrid food, insulting blackjack dealer, lost bottle of wine, long lines, lack of activities, given wrong dinner times, misspelled names, key wouldnt open up door and twin beds instead of queen. It was one thing after another like a snowball effect. Absolutely not what I had anticipated for an Oceanliner...especially Cunard.

 

If you were to experience ALL this on one 3 day trip...I believe you would have something negative to say too.

 

It is a good thing that we are easy going joyful people because we will go on and Enjoy Life..this was just a "hiccup" for our travels. But- I do regret that my truthful negative posts have made rudness rear its ugly head.

 

Your comment which insinuates that my few posts (and those of others) is representitive of half-truths, is deplorable and insulting to me.

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Only been on QM2 once...last fall with the Splendor of the Fall cruise...here's what we found 1) my "key" did not work 6 times during the 12 days on board...they always gave me a new one but ??? 2) They do need SERIOUS help with "crowd control"...the day to have your imigration papers checked was a night-mare...cris-cross lines with no staff to help control the flow, anger etc..it was like they knew it was bad and stayed away! 3) Tendering was difficult..I would think because they hadn't really done this going back and forth across the Atlantic? BUT...it is a beautiful ship, and the rest of the experience was wonderful..I felt like I was re-living the golden days of ocean liner traffic...or and by the way...we were in "steerage"...WHAT is up with using THAT term? LuAnn

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But you know what?....I wont involve myself with a tit for a tat spat because you were not with me, did not experience MY trip or my problems such as our flooded floor, broken safe, "hidden" steward, bad and rude service, horrid food, insulting blackjack dealer, lost bottle of wine, long lines, lack of activities, given wrong dinner times, misspelled names, key wouldnt open up door and twin beds instead of queen. It was one thing after another like a snowball effect. Absolutely not what I had anticipated for an Oceanliner...especially Cunard.

 

So then, you really do just have an axe to grind? Usually in cases like this, once a person, in this case you, get a bad attitude, nothing can change it. I will take everything you say with a grain of salt, or several...:rolleyes:

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Funny you should mention your room key not working, because I had a similar issue at a hotel recently, and after the 3rd time, the person at the front desk recommended that I not store my room key anywhere near (a) my cell phone and (b) my credit cards, because it causes the room card data to be comprised so it won't work! Unfortunately, as a female, I carry everything in my handbag, so finding a place to put the room key separate from everything else did prove a challenge. However, when I did this, I no longer had issues with the card not working to open the door! Go figure....

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<<<

Steerage passengers waited almost twice as long>>>

 

Why on earth do you call Briattania passengers "steerage"?! Are they cattle? Is QM2 some kind of mass transit cargo ship? It just seems an unneccesarily insulting term.

 

We really are getting over-over sensitive if we object to this term. Of course we know that "steerage" is not a modern term and passage on modern cruise ships cannot in any way be comared with the crossings endured by the ancesters of many Americans.

 

But, hey, chill out, it's just a very useful way of describing the accommodation of those who do not choose to travel in the higher grades. How anyone could be offended by it's use is really beyond me.

 

David.

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The problem is, Crispy, that your description as I quoted above, lacks credibility with me. It's so general and so all pervasive that it is hard to believe. Also, I have read so many good reviews of the QM2. Your description makes it sound like a nightmare-cruise, cruise of the living dead, or something.... this is unrealistic because if your description was accurate, it would be common knowledge. Or maybe you are just unlucky and I am being unfair... maybe.

 

I am going on the QM2 in Dec. and I am hoping and praying that reviews such as yours are not true. I focus on the ones that are balanced. Sure, some bads things happen on cruises, but in large part, they are fairly minor and do not spoil the over-all cruise. But like I said earlier, when some people have a bad or series of bad experiences during a cruise, it's all downhill from there for those people. So, for you, it was really a horrible cruise.... ok, I will see for myself.

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;)

Only been on QM2 once...last fall with the Splendor of the Fall cruise...here's what we found 1) my "key" did not work 6 times during the 12 days on board...they always gave me a new one but ??? 2) They do need SERIOUS help with "crowd control"...the day to have your imigration papers checked was a night-mare...cris-cross lines with no staff to help control the flow, anger etc..it was like they knew it was bad and stayed away! 3) Tendering was difficult..I would think because they hadn't really done this going back and forth across the Atlantic? BUT...it is a beautiful ship, and the rest of the experience was wonderful..I felt like I was re-living the golden days of ocean liner traffic...or and by the way...we were in "steerage"...WHAT is up with using THAT term? LuAnn

 

We had the same trouble with the "key". It seems that they are very susceptible to any magnetism. Far more so than say a credit card. I was even told not to keep it with other cards, even though they have all survived no problem in my wallet!

 

On the immigration day on the Falls trip, we looked at the queue and went away for an hour. The queue was a bit smaller then, but moving quite quickly. Earlier two queues had formed, meeting ion the middle, which caused all sorts of problems. It would have haleped greatly if staff / signs had been posted at stategic points. Why they weren't, I do not know.

 

Re the tendering, we never had any real problems. Sometimes we had a short wait, other times we were on immediately. The only slight negative was that sometimes it took a bit of finding where to get off the ship, both when tendering and when at the quayside. For us, tendering all added to the fun, and of course enabled us to get a few superb photos of the QM2 from angles we probably would not have been able to achieve unless we had hired a boat especially!

 

Hopefully for you, the rest of the trip made up for the problems, as it certainly did for us.

 

Phileas

Who being British, is used to queues!

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