QM2 26 Day Cruise

[Oldtimer 82]

My wife and I are booked on the QM-2 for the January 10th 26 day cruise around South America. I am wondering about the number of formal nights.

 

With the new airline limits on luggage,it seems as if we will have to make a lot of use of the cleaners, pressers and shirt laundry. If anyone knows the charges for these services, please let me know.

 

This is my first post and I hope that I have done it correctly. If I have made any errors, please advise. Thank you:)

[pb82]

With the new airline limits on luggage,it seems as if we will have to make a lot of use of the cleaners, pressers and shirt laundry. If anyone knows the charges for these services, please let me know.

Welcome to the CC boards; you're doing fine.

 

Back in June 2004 I was charged $33.50 on the QM2 to have two dress shirts laundered and a pair of trousers dry cleaned. This past May/June I took many more shirts and trousers for our back-to-back crossings so we only paid $9.00 for the one dress that my wife had pressed (only pressed, not dry cleaned). So, my advice is to take all the stuff the airlines allow and consider using the free washing machines, dryers, irons, and ironing boards that the QM2 provides.

 

Paul

[pb82]

My wife and I are booked on the QM-2 for the January 10th 26 day cruise around South America.

I'm sure that you will be informed and entertained by Richard Cowley's blog, http://ahoymehearties.blogspot.com/, wherein he descibes his adventures going around South America on the QM2 starting in January, 2006.

 

Here's an example of his good advice (especially should you or your wife need a haircut by the time you get to Ushuaia): "We got ashore pretty quickly, and had a haircut. It would have cost US$89 for Liz on the ship, but we were both done and dusted at Peluqueria Cesar in Ushuaia for US$10. And they did it very well, too."

 

Looking forward to your posts (and blog?),

Paul

[SeaFlint]

The dry cleaning and cleaning service on-board was - this June and July - not much more expensive than at home. So it is certainly an option. We were on-board for the same amount of time as you will be and the cost was negligible. Seems to me it was about 48-hour turn-around, pick-up and delivery to your stateroom.

 

ALSO, look into using Cunard's White Star luggage service. They'll pick-up your bags about a week before you sail and deliver them to your stateroom the day you arrive. They arrive back home a bit more quickly. About $150 per BIG bag, each way. We thought it was a good deal, since we didn't have to lift a single bag or worry about the airline losing it, etc. You do have to clear them through customs, but they take the bags to customs, you walk them through, and then drop them off at a conveniently-located White Star desk on your way out. Very nice, all-around.

 

We drooled over that voyage - sigh - but cannot get the kids out of school for that long without a small war (bloody short-sighted bureaucrats! :) ). So, PLEASE post from on-board to let us know how it goes.

 

And enjoy!

[pnhmrk]

The dry cleaning and cleaning service on-board was - this June and July - not much more expensive than at home.

 

More expensive? I wonder if that's because it's the QM2 or if they've put their prices up. We've always found the QE2 cheaper than home and a lot more convenient! I'm planning on having things cleaned whilst on board; in the past I've taken things just to have them cleaned!

[SeaFlint]

Malcolm, Good idea. Hey, if you're aboard again before I am (January for only four days, I thin, and again in June/July for another month - thank God), will you fly over here and pick up a bag of my stuff, too? Just give it to Demy and ask him to hold it until we get there.

 

:)

 

You live in the UK... Things are just more expensive there. Not by too much, I'd imagine. But the prices on most things are higher.

 

It did seem to me that the prices on-board are very reasonable. Most things were no more expensive than "home" or varied by not much. And, of course, all those FABULOUS deals on jewelry (go ahead, honey, you're WORTH it ;) ), Russian what-nots (including very pretty glass eggs that felt like plastic - damn!), etc. that almost give you the feeling that you're actually SAVING money by being on board.

 

I had expected to get fleeced. Captive audience ready willing and able to spend money... But that wasn't the case.

 

By the way, sometimes I go to Cunard's UK site and it seems like there are more deals... Maybe that's just because I can't figure the pounds in my head, but, are they giving you people something special?

[pnhmrk]

Malcolm, Good idea. Hey, if you're aboard again before I am (January for only four days, I thin, and again in June/July for another month - thank God), will you fly over here and pick up a bag of my stuff, too? Just give it to Demy and ask him to hold it until we get there.

 

We're on in December - the QE2, not the QM2.

 

You live in the UK... Things are just more expensive there. Not by too much, I'd imagine. But the prices on most things are higher.

 

My recollection of the States was how cheap things were. I could afford all sorts of things that I couldn't have looked at here.

 

By the way, sometimes I go to Cunard's UK site and it seems like there are more deals... Maybe that's just because I can't figure the pounds in my head, but, are they giving you people something special?

 

I often look at the US site and think how cheep it looks!

[SeaFlint]

Ah, I guess I could have seen that on whatever-that-thing-is-called that shows your next voyage.

 

Queen Elizabeth, huh? Sounds neat. We keep trying to find a short trip on her, but they all leave from the UK. Plus, we're told she isn't as "kid-oriented" at QM2. Which would be less fun for the kids. Still, I get the (sinking) feeling they're going to retire her in the near future and I would love to sail aboard her.

 

It was kind of fun on the way over to Southampton in June to catch a word here and there about the "high price of gas" trumpeted so loudly in the States. I KNEW that our gas was finally ALMOST as expensive as fuel had been in the UK and on the Continent back in 1978 and 80/81. In fact, some woman looked at a fuel sign on the way to Stonehenge and said "oh, look at their gas prices." "Yes," I said "12 dollars a gallon is a bit steep." She was very quiet after that. ;)

 

Anyway, what with fuel, taxes and the difference in economy of scale, I'd say it is pretty impressive that things aren't more expensive "over there".

 

By the way, I don't mind if you have my clothes washed on the QE2. Just have them tender my stuff over to the QM2 whenever she sails near. :D

[SeaFlint]

Ah, I guess I could have seen that on whatever-that-thing-is-called that shows your next voyage.

 

Queen Elizabeth, huh? Sounds neat. We keep trying to find a short trip on her, but they all leave from the UK. Plus, we're told she isn't as "kid-oriented" at QM2. Which would be less fun for the kids. Still, I get the (sinking) feeling they're going to retire her in the near future and I would love to sail aboard her.

 

It was kind of fun on the way over to Southampton in June to catch a word here and there about the "high price of gas" trumpeted so loudly in the States. I KNEW that our gas was finally ALMOST as expensive as fuel had been in the UK and on the Continent back in 1978 and 80/81. In fact, some woman looked at a fuel sign on the way to Stonehenge and said "oh, look at their gas prices." "Yes," I said "12 dollars a gallon is a bit steep." She was very quiet after that. ;)

 

Anyway, what with fuel, taxes and the difference in economy of scale, I'd say it is pretty impressive that things aren't more expensive "over there".

 

By the way, I don't mind if you have my clothes washed on the QE2. Just have them tender my stuff over to the QM2 whenever she sails near. :D

[Oldtimer 82]

pb82 Thank you very much for the info. I will connect with the blogspot as soon as I can.. I don't know if you will receive this as I am having a lot of trouble replying to all of you that have responded---Oldtimer80

[Oldtimer 82]

SeaFlint---Thanks for the info with regards to White Star. Do they also pick up luggage upon disembarktion for shipment home?

[SeaFlint]

Yes, they'll arrange all that at the same time. Or, if you want, they'll handle the return arrangments while you're onboard.

 

It worked VERY well, I think. And we'll certainly use it again.

[Oldtimer 82]

SeaFlint---

 

Thank you so very much for your information. Yoy have been most helpful.

 

Oldtimer80