QE2 2nd July - Some information please

[katzoe]

This will be our first Cunard Cruise and we would be grateful for any advice or information, particularly regarding the following.

What time does boarding usually commence at Southampton?

How many formal nights can we expect on a 15 night cruise to the Mediterranean with 7 sea days included?

Where does the early morning serious walking take place?

What are the favourite lounges and decks for reading, snoozing & people

watching?

We have cruised on many lines including HAL, Celebrity, Princess, Crystal & Silversea and we have booked a Q3 stateroom for this cruise.

Many thanks in advance.

[carlmm]

Congratulation for sailing the Queen Elizabeth 2.

What time does boarding usually commence at Southampton?

 

The boarding for the QE2 usually commences between 13:00 and 14:00. As Queens Grill guest you will enjoy priority boarding and thus be one of the first passengers.

 

How many formal nights can we expect on a 15 night cruise to the Mediterranean with 7 sea days included?

 

Six or seven. Usually all sea days are formal, only the last night is always informal (= semiformal). Maybe the night in Lisbon will also be formal to allow for one of the captain's receptions.

The night in Gibraltar is probably elegant casual because the QE2 departs late. All other nights are either formal or informal.

 

Where does the early morning serious walking take place?

 

Walk-a-mile starts on the Boat Deck aft.

 

What are the favourite lounges and decks for reading, snoozing & people watching?

 

Everybody might have a different favourite spot.

Ouside the chairs on promenade deck are nice for reading and snoozing. People watching is easier from one of the aft decks.

 

Inside there are plenty of seats at the windows suitable for reading and watching the sea, for example in the Queens Room but in every other lounge, too.

[exlondoner]

There is a very nice row of chairs just outside the library, overlooking the sea, where I have spent many happy hours pretending to read, while looking for dolphins (in the sea) and passing acquaintances (aboard). But on a Med. cruise, you will probably want to be outside. The promenade decks, under the shade of the lifeboats are nice, but do get crowded.

 

Hope you have a lovely time.

 

Jane

[katzoe]

Thank you carlmm and Jane for providing the information we required.

We are looking forward with much anticipation to our QE2 cruise in July.

 

Lorraine

[katzoe]

We received our pre-voyage documentation today and I was surprised to read that embarkation is 3.00pm which is only 2 hours prior to departure. On other cruise lines we have usually boarded around midday for a 5.00pm departure. We have booked a car & driver from Central London with a pick up at 10.30am. Should we change the pick up time? How strict is Cunard with regard to timing of embarkation?

Lorraine

[Host Sharon]

We received our pre-voyage documentation today and I was surprised to read that embarkation is 3.00pm which is only 2 hours prior to departure. On other cruise lines we have usually boarded around midday for a 5.00pm departure. We have booked a car & driver from Central London with a pick up at 10.30am. Should we change the pick up time? How strict is Cunard with regard to timing of embarkation?

Lorraine

 

They do try to stagger embarkation to cut the queues. It won't matter if you arrive a bit earlier - you just have to wait a bit longer to board.

[Guest Anorak33]

We received our pre-voyage documentation today and I was surprised to read that embarkation is 3.00pm which is only 2 hours prior to departure. On other cruise lines we have usually boarded around midday for a 5.00pm departure. We have booked a car & driver from Central London with a pick up at 10.30am. Should we change the pick up time? How strict is Cunard with regard to timing of embarkation?

Lorraine

 

 

If you look at the earlier answer you received from carlmm he told you:

 

"As Queens Grill guest you will enjoy priority boarding and thus be one of the first passengers."

 

So where is the problem?

[katzoe]

Thanks for your speedy replies ships cat & Anorak 33.

I am sorry but it doesn't make sense to me. If Queen's Grill guests enjoy priority boarding why were we allocated a 3.00pm embarkation?

 

Lorraine

[Guest Anorak33]

A lot of things don't make sense, I was recently told I needed a full British passport to sail to Norway on QE2, as I am not British that could be a problem.

 

That didn't make sense either and was not really the case.

 

 

 

From my experience as a QG passenger you may turn up as early as you wish, and as long as boarding has commenced you will be on the ship straightaway.

[QM1]

Having just left QE2, also a first-(and sadly last-) timer, I would give the following answer:

 

. As a Queens Grill guest you can board basically when you want during the whole embarkation time starting at 12, no one will bother you. The time given is only that not everyone comes like he wants and it gets crowdy. I was "only" a Mauretania passenger, and due to some bad luck I arrived two hours late, boarding with the Queens Grill passengers. No one even asked me why.

Boarding and deboarding went very smoothly in my case, and the ship was full.

 

- We had 3 formal nights out of 8. That would make 6 or 7 on your cruise. For men: Take your tuxedo with you, with a dark suit you might feel a bit underdressed. More than 80% wear a tux, some are even in tails.

 

- As for favourite spots I agree that this is to everyones personal preferences. When the weather was fine, I spend much time on a wooden deckchair reading outside below the boats. I also enjoyed sitting at the windows in the Yacht Club. The (ugly and less practical) blue and white deckchairs on the beautifully staggered terraces at the stern where not for me, I just don´t like to lie flat in the daytime. The chartroom is a nice and easy spot. The promenade deck window tables are more for older people.

The library is very nice and the bookshop worth more than just one visit.

Peoplewatching is best on the aft decks or promenade deck, though QE2 absorbs the high numbers of passengers exceptionally well. I never felt the ship to be crowdy with the notable exception of the Chrystal bar before dinner or the bookshop after lectures.

 

One thing you should know though is that the emergency number given in the final letter from Cunard does not work on saturdays and sundays (now that makes sense!), something that really p***** me off when I was running late and tried to inform Cunard. Thats really a no-go, and something that I would have expected from a cheap Greek line, but not Cunard!

[GAV BOY]

This will be our first Cunard Cruise and we would be grateful for any advice or information, particularly regarding the following.

What time does boarding usually commence at Southampton?

How many formal nights can we expect on a 15 night cruise to the Mediterranean with 7 sea days included?

Where does the early morning serious walking take place?

What are the favourite lounges and decks for reading, snoozing & people

watching?

We have cruised on many lines including HAL, Celebrity, Princess, Crystal & Silversea and we have booked a Q3 stateroom for this cruise.

Many thanks in advance.

 

Hi,

 

I have now booked this Cruise :D

 

Gav :cool:

[Cruiser765]

Hi,

 

I have now booked this Cruise :D

 

Gav :cool:

 

Gav! You little tinker! :p Another QE2 adventure so soon hey! Hope you have enjoyed this last voyage, not long to wait now for the next one! :D

 

Jackie :)

[katzoe]

Thanks for the useful information. I would be grateful if QM1 or Gav Boy who have recently returned from QE2 could tell me what people wear on the Masquerade & Nautical formal nights. I notice that Anorak 33 has a thread running on formal attire but so far no anwers to this question.On my other cruises on other ships, formal nights are usually not themed with the exception of the Black & White Ball which is self explanatory.

[QM1]

Thanks for the useful information. I would be grateful if QM1 or Gav Boy who have recently returned from QE2 could tell me what people wear on the Masquerade & Nautical formal nights. I notice that Anorak 33 has a thread running on formal attire but so far no anwers to this question.On my other cruises on other ships, formal nights are usually not themed with the exception of the Black & White Ball which is self explanatory.

 

I´m here to help as much as I can, which is not too much in this case I´m afraid. We had no nautical night on our journey but I´d say dark blue and white, and golden jewelry for the Ladies can´t be too wrong as a starting point, with some freedom for the ladies of cause. For the Masquerade ball I saw all kinds of elegant dressing for woman, with long gowns dominating, and all colours. Think about what you would be wearing at your daughters wedding, or a grand opera premiere. For men a tux I´d say is best (approx. 75% wear them on formal nights, I felt a bit underdressed in my dark suit that night, though its of cause ok), there were even some in dress coats (tails) with white bow ties.

[GAV BOY]

I´m here to help as much as I can, which is not too much in this case I´m afraid. We had no nautical night on our journey but I´d say dark blue and white, and golden jewelry for the Ladies can´t be too wrong as a starting point, with some freedom for the ladies of cause. For the Masquerade ball I saw all kinds of elegant dressing for woman, with long gowns dominating, and all colours. Think about what you would be wearing at your daughters wedding, or a grand opera premiere. For men a tux I´d say is best (approx. 75% wear them on formal nights, I felt a bit underdressed in my dark suit that night, though its of cause ok), there were even some in dress coats (tails) with white bow ties.

 

Hi,

 

I agree with the above for the Nautical ball blue and white is good but anything associated i.e Pirates will be fine.

 

You can purchase masks for the Masquerade Ball at a Sale the night before near the Cruise Staff Office which is also near the Yacht Club.

 

Gavin

[GAV BOY]

I have started a Roll Call in the Cunard Roll Call section :D any one on this trip please register there :)

 

Thanks,

 

Gavin :cool:

[GAV BOY]

Gav! You little tinker! :p Another QE2 adventure so soon hey! Hope you have enjoyed this last voyage, not long to wait now for the next one! :D

 

Jackie :)

 

Hi Jackie,

 

Who Me ? :)

 

I had a good time thanks, Captain McNaught will be in charge of this one :D

 

Gav :cool:

[katzoe]

Many thanks QM1 & Gav Boy for the information on formal evening attire.

I will now search my wardrobe for suitable outfits.

I have registered on the Roll Call Gav. Lets hope some of the other CC's join us on this cruise.

 

Lorraine

[GAV BOY]

Many thanks QM1 & Gav Boy for the information on formal evening attire.

I will now search my wardrobe for suitable outfits.

I have registered on the Roll Call Gav. Lets hope some of the other CC's join us on this cruise.

 

Lorraine

 

Hi Lorraine,

 

Your welcome, i have added you to the Roll Call, i have just checked the Cunard Website and this Cruise has Sold out apart from a couple of Single Inside Staterooms :D which normally sell out first :confused: maybe a couple of people had to cancel :(

 

Gav :cool: