QM2 -Twenty Years On

[London-Calling]

I first cruised on the wonderful Queen Mary Ii in 2004, during her maiden season. I always wanted to cruise her again, but time slipped through my fingers like sand. However I did again in June 2024. 

 

So how has she changed after 20 years of service? Is she still wonderful? Below is my very long  review:

 

https://malcolmoliver.wordpress.com/cunards-queen-mary-2-twenty-years-on-review/

[BigMac1953]

Very interesting and comprehensive review.

 

However, it  does annoy me when people talk/write about Cunard's "class" system. There isn't one.

 

Who comments about trains with 1st Class, or aeroplanes with !st Class, Business Class and Economy, or hotels with Concierge Level?

 

Most cruise companies also have different levels, so why pick on Cunard?

[exlondoner]

10 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Very interesting and comprehensive review.

 

However, it  does annoy me when people talk/write about Cunard's "class" system. There isn't one.

 

Who comments about trains with 1st Class, or aeroplanes with !st Class, Business Class and Economy, or hotels with Concierge Level?

 

Most cruise companies also have different levels, so why pick on Cunard?

And, from what I read, the delineation between the classes is much more marked on some other lines.

[RalphWiggum]

2 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

However, it  does annoy me when people talk/write about Cunard's "class" system. There isn't one.

 

 

I could be wrong but when I read that section of the review, it read as if the OP used passages from their prior review from twenty years ago into the most recent review.  Twenty years ago, all the other American lines, and certainly all

of the other Carnival mainstream brands, didn’t have that class system and Cunard looked like a holdout from a bygone era. When you booked the best room on Celebrity twenty years ago, you just got a bigger room and the maitre’d would seat you at a better table in the same main dining room that everyone else ate at.  
 

But that has changed and the American lines now have some version of a class system too. 
 

Edited August 27 by RalphWiggum

[London-Calling]

2 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Very interesting and comprehensive review.

 

However, it  does annoy me when people talk/write about Cunard's "class" system. There isn't one.

 

Who comments about trains with 1st Class, or aeroplanes with !st Class, Business Class and Economy, or hotels with Concierge Level?

 

Most cruise companies also have different levels, so why pick on Cunard?

Hi BigMac, "class system" is probably the wrong term. Many big ships now have ship-within-a-ship accommodation. However, only Cunard have four grades of dining linked to cabin grades. That is what I was trying to explain.

[D&N]

22 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

Hi BigMac, "class system" is probably the wrong term. Many big ships now have ship-within-a-ship accommodation. However, only Cunard have four grades of dining linked to cabin grades. That is what I was trying to explain.

That was the main thing I noted in your review as well.

What I think should be pointed out though is that it must be unique in that the lowest fare paying group get to dine in by far the best dinning room!

We choose Britannia Club for other reasons, but would be happy if the Britannia Club section was that bit right in the middle with the huge mural, and we could descend our grand staircase each night directly into our dinning room rather than slinking off to port and aft.

But then the grills folk would probably want in on it as well! 😀

 

Edit: Forgot to say, an interesting read. Thank You.

Edited August 27 by D&N

[s.s.France]

Very nice review. Two observations: the glass elevators in the lobby you mentioned where removed during the 2016 refit, if you havent noticed. And I am always in a suite snd never has anybody carried my handluggage after boarding....so the nice bellboys do really serve no purpose other than giving directions. Maybe they assist you if you ask specifically. 

[LadyL1]

1 hour ago, London-Calling said:

Hi BigMac, "class system" is probably the wrong term. Many big ships now have ship-within-a-ship accommodation. However, only Cunard have four grades of dining linked to cabin grades. That is what I was trying to explain.

Celebrity have 3 grades of dining restaurant, plus a few premium ones that are quite expensive!

[London-Calling]

Do they LadyL1. Thanks, Pls tell me more!

 

(I last cruised Celebrity in 1998).

[London-Calling]

1 hour ago, s.s.France said:

Very nice review. Two observations: the glass elevators in the lobby you mentioned where removed during the 2016 refit, if you havent noticed. And I am always in a suite snd never has anybody carried my handluggage after boarding....so the nice bellboys do really serve no purpose other than giving directions. Maybe they assist you if you ask specifically. 

Thank you ss France. I stand corrected and will amend my review.

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, London-Calling said:

Thank you ss France. I stand corrected and will amend my review.

I used to hate it on QE2 when they escorted you to your cabin. Firstly, I hated the fight to be allowed to hang on to my hand luggage, which I wanted in my grasp, then it was so tedious when they sometimes had no clue where the cabin they were supposed to be taking you to actually was. Much calmer letting you find it yourself.

[NE John]

5 hours ago, London-Calling said:

I first cruised on the wonderful Queen Mary Ii in 2004, during her maiden season. I always wanted to cruise her again, but time slipped through my fingers like sand. However I did again in June 2024. 

 

So how has she changed after 20 years of service? Is she still wonderful? Below is my very long  review:

 

https://malcolmoliver.wordpress.com/cunards-queen-mary-2-twenty-years-on-review/

You handled the Dress Code changes and behaviors over the past 20 years very diplomatically. I never thought we’d have to spot vulgar tattoos on Cunard pax though. I guess wearing a “dress” shirt instead of a “collared” polo/golf shirt can cover those tats up. I really don’t need to see that when I’m onboard. 

Also - Word is the Planetarium is running again. Most of the parts are made to order and there seems to be a long turnaround time for servicing. 
Well done review!

[D&N]

I forgot to mention earlier that on Tallink Silja Line and Color Line ferries your cabin grade dictates which restaurant you take breakfast in and what range of food and drink is offered, including prosecco.

The corridors to some categories of cabin are key controlled access, and there can be a separate lounge and sauna for the top grades.

[London-Calling]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

I forgot to mention earlier that on Tallink Silja Line and Color Line ferries your cabin grade dictates which restaurant you take breakfast in and what range of food and drink is offered, including prosecco.

The corridors to some categories of cabin are key controlled access, and there can be a separate lounge and sauna for the top grades.

 

Interesting, thank you.

[Covepointcruiser]

We have only been escorted to a  cabin once when we were upgraded to a Q4.    We had to wait in a separate area on Brooklyn and had to wait for a Bellhop.   He escorted us and explained the cabin and the electric drapes.

[London-Calling]

29 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

We have only been escorted to a  cabin once when we were upgraded to a Q4.    We had to wait in a separate area on Brooklyn and had to wait for a Bellhop.   He escorted us and explained the cabin and the electric drapes.

 

I saw four bellboys escorting Rod Stewart to his Duplex in 2004!😉

[ExArkie]

23 hours ago, D&N said:

I forgot to mention earlier that on Tallink Silja Line and Color Line ferries your cabin grade dictates which restaurant you take breakfast in and what range of food and drink is offered, including prosecco.

The corridors to some categories of cabin are key controlled access, and there can be a separate lounge and sauna for the top grades.

We did Tallinn Silja from Stockholm to Tallinn last year. Due to schedule changes and a change in the ferry being used, we ended up in suite accommodations. Dinner was with everyone else, but we definitely got a separate venue for breakfast. Other special amenities ( wine, chocolate, etc.) were in the cabin. 
 

Really nice experience, by the way.

[tv24]

On 8/27/2024 at 4:34 AM, BigMac1953 said:

Very interesting and comprehensive review.

 

However, it  does annoy me when people talk/write about Cunard's "class" system. There isn't one.

 

Who comments about trains with 1st Class, or aeroplanes with !st Class, Business Class and Economy, or hotels with Concierge Level?

 

Most cruise companies also have different levels, so why pick on Cunard?

Many mass market lines offer special exclusive areas for those who spend more money.  Unfortunately the word "class" has been imprinted on Cunard for a long time and it will take a long time for it to be erased from consumers' impressions.

[exlondoner]

51 minutes ago, tv24 said:

Many mass market lines offer special exclusive areas for those who spend more money.  Unfortunately the word "class" has been imprinted on Cunard for a long time and it will take a long time for it to be erased from consumers' impressions.

Unless they actually travel on the ship, of course, when they won’t notice it, unless they look very hard, though a few undoubtedly do. There was someone who thought because he had paid to be on the cruise he should be entitled to go everywhere. 

[sogne]

"Well, we had storm force 6 (out of 10) on our crossing."

 

to what wind scale does this refer?

[rog747]

Storm force 6 is a classification on the 'newer' Beaufort Wind Scale, which is used by international weather forecasters to measure wind speed and power.

On the Beaufort scale, force 6 is classified as a strong breeze with winds between 22–27 knots. Other characteristics of force 6 winds include: 
Larger waves, 8–13 ft seas, Whitecaps.

A Storm or whole Gale is Beaufort 10

A Strong severe gale is 9
A near Gale is 7 and a fresh Gale is 8


Happy sailing!

[Clewgarnet]

5 minutes ago, rog747 said:

Storm force 6 is a classification on the 'newer' Beaufort Wind Scale, which is used by international weather forecasters to measure wind speed and power.

On the Beaufort scale, force 6 is classified as a strong breeze with winds between 22–27 knots. Other characteristics of force 6 winds include: 
Larger waves, 8–13 ft seas, Whitecaps.

A Storm or whole Gale is Beaufort 10

A Strong severe gale is 9
A near Gale is 7 and a fresh Gale is 8


Happy sailing!

 

That's interesting - I hadn't heard of a new Beaufort scale, and the Met Office still uses the 0-12 scale. Which forecasters use the 0-10 version?

[TheOldBear]

2 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

 

That's interesting - I hadn't heard of a new Beaufort scale, and the Met Office still uses the 0-12 scale. Which forecasters use the 0-10 version?

The 0-12 version is in use - force 11 & 12 are usually the result of a 'tropical rotating storm' [e.g. Hurricane] but can also be encountered in cooler conditions [the 'Perfect Storm']

[rog747]

 

6 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

 

That's interesting - I hadn't heard of a new Beaufort scale, and the Met Office still uses the 0-12 scale. Which forecasters use the 0-10 version?

Sorry,
yes that was sort of what I meant re using the word 'newer' -  many thanks for Clarifying !

[London-Calling]

4 hours ago, tv24 said:

 Unfortunately the word "class" has been imprinted on Cunard for a long time and it will take a long time for it to be erased from consumers' impressions.

I'm guilty of this, but when I (we) say "class" in relation to travel, we of course don't mean "social class" anymore. Uk trins still have "First Class" as do some aircraft. "Grades of dining" would be a better description of the Cunard system.