A positive short review on QM2

This review was posted on Yahoo linerslist group. A short review of the current short 4-day cruise out of Southampton.

"Hi All,

A senior Officer told me the delay of the QM2 reaching

Southampton (4 hours) for our embarkation was caused by

bow thruster doors not closing (hydrolic failure). The ship

can only achieve 7 knot with them open due to the

turbulence caused. When the problem was solved, a turbine

problem would not allow her to make up time by cruising at

a higher speed.

I understand that these problems were solved BEFORE her

arrival at Southampton on Monday - so no need to worry if

you are cruising on the maiden Trans to NY.

I really can only think of positive things to say about this

vessel and operation, apart from the fact that she is VERY

big and long corridors and lines for breakfast are always

going to be a fact of life. She is NOT the QE2, but her

decore, funnel and paint job do really give her the feel of

the QE2's 'Big Sister'.

The food in the Britannia is very good. In fact I have no

desire to go to the Todd English, even if it were free. A

senior dining room manager tells me that on the maiden

voyage he had a team of 'rookies' and expectations were

too high - after four months the team is now working well.

The QM2 is not unlike many big new ships internally,

although her decore is much more tasteful - there is hardly

an ounce of vegas glitz to be seen.

Many Cunard faithfuls will never regard the QM2 as better

than the QE2, but the range of facillities, public rooms and

comfortable cabins, many with verandas, meet

contemporary expectations where the QE2's

do not always. Of course the one thing

Cunardival cannot build into the ship is 'charm',

although they have done a good job of

incorporating some 'history' with lots of wall art

depicting the history of Cunard.

Cherbourg gave us a good send off - I think the whole town

had turned out at to see our sail away. They must have

declared a public holiday, as the quay was packed with

crowds ALL day.

I must say that it is a priviledge to be sailing on this

remarkable vessel, I would suggest that anyone that has

not done so, trys her out first hand, if you are in a position

to do so. You can only truely appreciate the scale and

achivement, first hand."

Sounds good to me Can't wait till the 25th

J.P.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>...apart from the fact that...lines for breakfast are always going to be a fact of life.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Did anyone experience breakfast lines on other QM2 trips so far?

What's breakfast in Britannia like?

Breakfast options are Kings Court, Room Service, and Britannia -- right? Any other options for the "common folk"?

Crouton

Thanks for the positive review. We certainly had a wonderful experience on our cruise in March.

Couton, to answer your questions about breakfast. We ate breakfast in the King's Court every morning except one.

We ate once in the Britannia. Of course, it is very nice to be seated at a beautifully set table and be served by a waiter. The menu offered many choices. As you would expect, it takes time to eat breakfast in the Britannia, so it would not be a good choice for someone who wants a quick breakfast.

There are four serving areas in the King's Court. The selections are somewhat different in each area. It sometimes takes a few days on ship to realize this. We did not experience any long lines for breakfast. At times, there might have been four or five people ahead of us. They do have stations where they make waffles and omlettes and these lines might be a little longer. I never noticed any long lines.

The King's Court covers a large area on Deck 7. My husband and I would usually try to find a desirable place to sit before we got our food. We liked the window seats. (I'm sure everyone does!!) We would walk through the different areas to find our table. Once we decided on a table, we would take turns getting our food. This solved the problem of trying to find a table after getting a tray of food.

We found the food very good in the King's Court. Enjoy your cruise.

Dear imacruizer,

Your tips are worth their weight in gold -- and the time it would have taken to figure all that out on my own.

I already know that six days will not be enough to experience everything on board in the depth that I would like, and your reconnaissance will save me both precious hours and frustration.

Thank you for adding real value to my trip.

Crouton

Just a quick note - if you plan on having tea in the Winter Garden try and get a seat before 3.15. Winter Garden fills quickly and it is the most popular place to have tea.

Arrive early for any Connexions lectures too. Standing room only for several of the art history lectures.

Hope you enjoy your trip as much as I enjoyed mine (even with the long wait for debarkation and the delayed flight home).

Couton,

You are most welcome. I learned so much from others on these boards before our cruise. I am happy to share any knowledge I have with future cruisers. If you have any additional questions, please ask. I wish I was going with you!!