Queen Mary - "The" original

[NomDePlume]

The Hallmark Channel is showing the 1989 Murder-She-Wrote episode entitled "The Grand Old Lady", at 11:00 pm (EST) tonight. Can't say anything about the plot as I turned off the sound to simply enjoy the views...FYI

 

M-L

With thanks to Penny...

[534]

There's nothing better than the "original" :D

[patwell]

Once again...a HUGE welcome to my friend M-L....what a treat you will be to have join our merry little band of misfits. So glad to have you join us...isn't this going to be fun!!! Isn't 11PM past my bedtime??? :rolleyes:

 

Cheers M-L...Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[NomDePlume]

...can you say "recorder"????

[patwell]

...can you say "recorder"????

 

LOL....;)

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

 

[bcscot]

We will be in San Diego in october for a week prior to boarding the HAL Oosterdam. We would like to go up to Long Beach to spend a night on the Queen Mary, if she is still in business. The website information that we found was a couple of years old. Can any of you QM enthusiasts give us any more recent info. on staying onboard?

We are booked on QE2 & QM2 next year, so if we manage to stay on THE Queen Mary this year, we will have stayed on three generations of Cunard Queens in a year. That tickles my old historical bones!

 

Thanks.

[534]

We will be in San Diego in october for a week prior to boarding the HAL Oosterdam. We would like to go up to Long Beach to spend a night on the Queen Mary, if she is still in business. The website information that we found was a couple of years old. Can any of you QM enthusiasts give us any more recent info. on staying onboard?

We are booked on QE2 & QM2 next year, so if we manage to stay on THE Queen Mary this year, we will have stayed on three generations of Cunard Queens in a year. That tickles my old historical bones!

 

Thanks.

 

Here ya go http://www.queenmary.com/index.php?page=hotel ask for a room on her starboard side. Make sure and go to the The Observation Bar they have just remodeled it to look as it did when she sailed.

Enjoy, she's an amazing lady :D

Betsy

[NomDePlume]

I have extensively reviewed the Tripadvisor reviews as I had originally planned on staying onboard the "original" QM prior to sailing on QE2 on March 30, and decided against it: all the negative reviews about loud parties and other assorted noises pinpoint the worst nights as those on weekends--and QE2 sails on the weekend. Several reviewers suggested staying elsewhere if one wanted a good night's rest, but having lunch or brunch there instead.

 

Just thought I'd pass this one along.

 

M-L

 

PS She's a lovely lady--I visited a few years ago, but not sure I'd stay there even on week nights

[534]

I have extensively reviewed the Tripadvisor reviews as I had originally planned on staying onboard the "original" QM prior to sailing on QE2 on March 30, and decided against it: all the negative reviews about loud parties and other assorted noises pinpoint the worst nights as those on weekends--and QE2 sails on the weekend. Several reviewers suggested staying elsewhere if one wanted a good night's rest, but having lunch or brunch there instead.

 

Just thought I'd pass this one along.

 

M-L

 

PS She's a lovely lady--I visited a few years ago, but not sure I'd stay there even on week nights

 

Hi M-L,

 

I have to agree the staterooms are in need of much improvement and repairs. I have stayed in some beautiful rooms and some not so beautiful rooms & the walls are very thin! The main reason to stay onboard Mary is for her grand history and to just enjoy her. Any fan of the GRAND liners of yesteryear probably won't care that the rooms are not the best. It all depends on what you're looking for I guess.

Betsy

[534]

The Hallmark Channel is showing the 1989 Murder-She-Wrote episode entitled "The Grand Old Lady", at 11:00 pm (EST) tonight. Can't say anything about the plot as I turned off the sound to simply enjoy the views...FYI

 

M-L

With thanks to Penny...

 

Thank you so much for letting us know this would be on tonight.

It just came on here in CA. I'm looking forward to watching it.

Betsy

[bcscot]

Thank you for all the information. Let me see now; we want to book the best cabin we can afford (depending on the deals) on the starboard side on a week night & not expect a good night's sleep.

I have heard that by staying, you get access to parts of the ship that day visitors do not. Are the restaurants worth the price or is it better to go for the more basic cafeteria?

Thank you.

 

By the way, did anyone ever experience the old Queen Elizabeth during her short stay in Fort Lauderdale, before her final voyage to Hong Kong? Not a lot of people seem to know that she was ever there.

 

QE2 will be a little harder to visit in Dubai, but at least she will still exist for people to experience.

 

Enjoy your TV programme.

[lexxity]

We've stayed on the Queen Mary a couple of times, the rooms are ok. No great shakes, but it's the history you are staying for.

 

Back in 2001 we stayed on the Queen Mary on our first night in the US and several weeks later we left on the QE2 from Boston. (That wasn't planned, just how it worked out and now we have a love of Cunard.)

[534]

There are three main restaurants onboard, Sir Winston's, Chelsea & The Promenade Cafe. Sir Winston's is very elegant and the food is fabulous, it is pricey but I think it's well worth it. Chelsea is also nice with very good food. The Promenade Cafe is good and reasonably priced. The Sunday brunch is amazing! I've attached a link to the restaurants, they even have menus posted. If you stay onboard you get to go on decks reserved for guest only.

Betsy

 

 

http://www.queenmary.com/index.php?page=dining

[bcscot]

There are three main restaurants onboard, Sir Winston's, Chelsea & The Promenade Cafe. Sir Winston's is very elegant and the food is fabulous, it is pricey but I think it's well worth it. Chelsea is also nice with very good food. The Promenade Cafe is good and reasonably priced. The Sunday brunch is amazing! I've attached a link to the restaurants, they even have menus posted. If you stay onboard you get to go on decks reserved for guest only.

 

Betsy

 

 

 

http://www.queenmary.com/index.php?page=dining

 

 

Thank you.:)

[Jim Avery]

We second the noise issue but staying aboard does give you extra privileges as well as there is not many places you can stay that have such a sense of history. You can hear everything (and I do mean everything) if the room next door is occupied. Cant imagine they were that way during her sailing career, especially as you are staying in first class cabins but maybe there was some unapproved old insulation removed, I dont know the reason. Having cocktails in the Observation lounge is time travel and we too enjoyed the food. We stayed aboard prior to QM2 Maiden Voyage and loved having done so. Will stay there again next time in the area.

Jim.

[imacruizer]

The Hallmark Channel is showing the 1989 Murder-She-Wrote episode entitled "The Grand Old Lady", at 11:00 pm (EST) tonight. Can't say anything about the plot as I turned off the sound to simply enjoy the views...FYI

 

M-L

With thanks to Penny...

 

NomDePlume, welcome to the Cunard board. Sounds like you are not new to sailing with Cunard and that you have some exciting sailings in your future. Thanks for the information about this television show. Unfortunately, we don't get the Hallmark channel. Would love to see this show!

 

Beth

[NomDePlume]

If I remember correctly, it is part of the sixth season of the Murder She Wrote series and can be ordered on DVD--you will find Google very helpful in locating it.

Good luck!

[534]

If I remember correctly, it is part of the sixth season of the Murder She Wrote series and can be ordered on DVD--you will find Google very helpful in locating it.

Good luck!

 

I'll have to look for it. It was great seeing Mary last night but it's ALWAYS great seeing her :p

Thanks again for letting us know it was going to be on.

Betsy

[travel-to-go]

We second the noise issue but staying aboard does give you extra privileges as well as there is not many places you can stay that have such a sense of history. You can hear everything (and I do mean everything) if the room next door is occupied. Cant imagine they were that way during her sailing career, especially as you are staying in first class cabins but maybe there was some unapproved old insulation removed, I dont know the reason. Having cocktails in the Observation lounge is time travel and we too enjoyed the food. We stayed aboard prior to QM2 Maiden Voyage and loved having done so. Will stay there again next time in the area.

Jim.

 

I would imagine there was a lot of ambient noise while asea, with the old ventilation system and the movement through the water (not to mention the air!) that probably his some of the next door neighbor's noise. OTOH, when we sailed on the Cunard Countess, we know minute details of the sex life of the couple next door without even trying! I must say, at times it was comical, and we tried not to laugh out loud, other times it proved...shall we say, inspirational!

 

And that wasn't that long ago!

 

Maybe people were simply more discreet and spent most of their time out of their cabins in the bygone era.

 

Karie,

who wishes she had the stamina of our next door neighbors on that cruise!

[patwell]

Karie,

who wishes she had the stamina of our next door neighbors on that cruise!

 

Ahhh Karie...how modest you always are...;)

 

Cheers, ANON

 

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[NomDePlume]

Karie's actually pretty close: I distinctly remember reading that the noise of the engines would cover all the ...other...you know...sounds ?????

[southwestie]

we syaed on this beautiful ship twice, and while the rooms (1st time the original rooms) (2nd time the refurbished rooms) are not that of a 4 star hotel, the feel of the history and ambiance was wonderful.

 

if you do stay on her be sure to do 1 of the tours like the ghost tour and to walk the deck at night was amazing, like being at sea, also we never once hear any noise , saw any parties.

 

the resturants and the bars are wonderful as well, and as your staying on her and you have the badge you go any place youu wish and that means all off limits that day trippers cant go to.

 

you have to try her once

[bcscot]

Thank you for your input. I visited her many years ago & now definitely want to stay a night onboard. I will look forward to the tours & walking the decks at night (as well as the Observation Bar).

[Paul NH]

I was in Long Beach last week on business and made it a point to get down to the Queen Mary.

 

I used to live in Southern California in the 1980s and visited the ship many times then, and in the 1990s the Titanic Historical Society had our conventions on the ship a couple of times (once, a large amount of water from a broken pipe came seeping across the carpeting to the foot of the stairs forward of the First Class Dining Room just as we were all heading in for the Grand Banquet in formal attire - talk about appropriate for a THS convention!).

 

It was obvious on this past trip how much less the ship is being kept up. There was seagull droppings all over the lifeboat covers, and one cover was off with that lifeboat in very bad condition. Looking down along the starboard side of the ship showed a hull badly in need of washing and/or painting. And the smokestacks are so faded from the sun that the paint almost looked yellow. I know what a struggle it has been for the various operators to "stay afloat" financially, but it was a surprise to see the outside appearance as it was. Some things, like simply keeping the lifeboat covers clean would seem to be an inexpensive way of keeping up her appearance (even if those covers are bright blue). It seemed like the current proprietors were tired of keeping the ship up.

 

On a positive note, I had dinner for the first time in Sir Winston's and it was excellent. The service, ambience, and the food were great. And they made a good martini there too!

 

Despite my observations of her condition, it is always nice to walk the Boat Deck and Promenade Deck on the Queen Mary. It was even more interesting now that I have been on the QM2, for comparison. I think the QM2 is a fantastic ship, but still wish that Carnival had designed a Promenade Deck into her like the one her predecessor had (has).

 

Paul

[southwestie]

we atayed on the Queen mary twice, a wonderful experience, and as we lived near to the home port of the queen mary it was was an honour to stay on her.

 

also you go any place you liked as long as you were a hotel guest,its great now that the ship has been restored rather than left to rot as was happening a few years ago.

 

lets hope the in Dubai the QE2 has a better chance

 

anyone thinking of a night or 2 onboard is in for a great time, so much history etc.

 

rob