Weather Sept. 24 Westbound Transatlantic?

[gbc]

Although I have taken many cruises, I am headed for my first transatlantic (and first Cunard) from Southhampton on 24 September. If anyone has done a transatlantic cruise at approximately the same time of year, would you kindly share your weather experience. Or if someone more clever than I knows how to research this information on weather.com or similar internet site, I would appreciate the guidance. I am so looking forward to this cruise but totally clueless about which season to pack for.

 

Many thanks in advance for your assistance.

[flandre58]

My wife and I were on the equivalent westbound crossing last year, so I can certainly tell you what we experienced. Noon weather conditions were: Day 1, Force 7, 64 degrees F., Day 2, Force 6, 64 F., Day 3 (when we were truly in mid-ocean) Force 9, 66 F., Day 4, Force 7, 64 F., Day 5, Force 3, 63 F. Now you could just as easily have a smooth crossing, which apparently occurred on the eastbound sailing prior to ours. We, on the other hand, were affected by one or another hurricane lurking about. As you may have read on various crossing threads, the North Atlantic is totally unpredictable and can throw you everything from glassy seas to extremely rough conditions any time of year. That said, however, I would add that for September we experienced heavier seas than would normally be expected. But remember, QM 2 was built for the North Atlantic (and at considerably higher cost than any comparable vessel) and thus rides through the ocean with considerable ease. The proof is my wife's experience. She is sensitive to a ship's motion, and felt perfectly comfortable throughout the journey. Enjoy your crossing!

[Haze]

This is my second attempt to respond to this posting. The first one did not take so I will try again. I believe we are booked on the same transatlantic crossing Sept 24th on QM2. It will be our 6 th transatlantic crossing. All the others were on QE2 but were in May , June or July. I was therefore interested in reading the report of a crossing at this time of year. We usually cruise in the fall and have been in the Atlantic doing Canada New England cruises.

We have never been in the mid atlantic or the north Atlantic during September. We have been fortunate enough on our other journeys into the New England area and Maritime provinces to have missed any hurricanes. We have preceeded them in all cases.

Let us know if you are intereted in meeting on board.

[gbc]

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you onboard. I noticed your roll call posting and haven't had the time to go back to that and add to it. I will do so soon and perhaps as the date gets closer, we will have more cc members join in.

 

I have also done some fall cruising without any significant interruptions from mother nature. The funny thing is that I wasn't even thinking hurricanes when I inquired about the weather; I was more interested in temperature and rough seas (I had a very rough North Sea experience many years ago and understand that the North Atlantic, like the North Sea, can be a little on the rough side).

 

We are planning a few days in London before the cruise and then simply disembarking virtually "at home".

[Haze]

Thank-you for your reply. WE will be in England for two weeks prior to the crossing. We are flying to London Heathrow on Sept 8th and will be visiting with family and friends there. It would be great to meet on board and plans can be made closer to the time to do that. I have been on another web site

called Cruisemates and there is someone on that website who is also on the crossing so there are 4 of us that I am aware of. As you say, hopefull more will sign on soon. there are two of us in our party .We will look forward to conncecting with you and making arrangements to do so as the time progresses.

[PatrickS]

Add one more, or should I say three. I will be on the Sept 24 crossing with my Mom & Dad.

[elaine61]

We left Southampton on the 20th Sept last year. Generally the weather wasn't THAT bad. We had one day where my daughter and I sat in the shelter from the cold wind on our balcony and sunbathed!! If you would like me to send you some pictures of the crossing I will!! E mail me at elaine61@fsmail.net

 

One thing I would point out though, QM2 does seem to handle the Atlantic very well. You will have no worries there.

 

Elaine

[lannp]

Yes, I'll be on also, so it was interesting to know about the weather to expect. I'm doing to the Med cruise and remaining on to make the trip home on the 24th.

[spewey]

Haze - if I read your first post correctly, does it mean that you have been on a crossing in May? I ask because my wife and I are booked on the QM2 April 29 Eastbound, and are also very curious about the weather in the North Atlantic that time of year. We have also poked aroung the 'net without any luck.

 

(I hope this doesn't constitute hijacking this thread - I wouldn't want to do that with my first post ...)

[jbailey]

Sorry but there is NO way of predicting North Atlantic weather any time of year. As a teen, I took a mid-June crossing and we had 25-30 ft waves and I was on a tiny ship. (10,000 tons) Late May one year, we had huge rollers that were about 200 ft between them coming from the side--the pool on QE2 dumped a lot of water on one of those. In one early October it was sunny and clear with fog as we approached Newfoundland.

 

So, it will be a surprise and an adventure, and you shouldn't worry!

[Haze]

To spewey.

Hello there, Yes we have been on in May. The last time we did a transatlantic in May was on May 26th of 2003. We were on QE2. From your posting you will be early May which we havenot been In lte May the crossing was so smooth we had to continually look at the wake of the ship in order to remind ourselves that we were moving. It was extremely smooth. I am sorry that I can';t comment on early May for you.

I do hope your crossing goes well. ON a ship the size of QM2 you should not feel the sea unless it is extremely rough.

[spewey]

Thanks guys - I'm not really concerned about the seas, or rough weather - in fact, as a weather junkie I would have loved to be on the maiden crossing through the gale - it was more of a packing question, related to temperature. I think, as we can reasonably be assured that it won't be 80 degrees and sunny every day on deck, we'll figure it out ...

[lannp]

I crossed early last May on the QM2. It was quite cold out on deck when walking and my friends on Deck 12 could only sit on their balcony if they sat up against the balcony door.

We had high seas one evening with noticeable movement and for several days it was too windy and cold to venture out on the Promenade deck for walking.

[pepperrn]

I too will be crossing westbound on September 24th. Hope to meet as many of you as possible.

 

Pepper.

[crewzrr]

Me and the wife will be there as well. We are spending a week in Germany. Can you say Oktoberfest. Woohoo. Sorry got a little excited. Will be in Southampton a day early. Would love to meet up with others.

[pepperrn]

Well it's early Saturday here and 92 days to go. I hope those going on this crossing have all paid up, cutting it fine if you've not!

 

I had to buy a new DJ this week, someone seems to have been in my house, stolen nothing, disturbed nothing, left no sign of a break in, but replaced my old DJ with an identical one, but several sizes smaller. I didn't notice until I went to try it on. Why would someone do that? In the shop the salesman took one look at me and said "you'll be wanting something from our Jabba the Hutt range". How clever of them to name things after film characters.

 

Getting excited now.

[Haze]

Peppern,

 

All paid up. Is everyone aware of the port change from Red Hook to Bayonne New Jersey? We were not pleased about it as we are spending a day in Manhatten . HOwever our TA has booked us on a shuttle that Cunard is providing from the ship to Manhatten. It makes three stops. Two of them are Grand Central Station.Penn Central and I can't remember the third one.

The price for the shuttle is good at $19.00 per person.

We will have to think of a meeting place on board and a date and time to meet for the Sept 24th crossing.