QM2 Southampton-New York, 15th Dec, 2014 - Live Blog

Yes Salacia....I agree about good security, it's vital. I also don't believe security on Cunard would deny a passenger access to his own cabin once he produced the proper keycard. Tom had tried to call but it was late and the phone apparently had a very light ringer. If there is a bolt on the door, I use it. It never occurred to me that the door couldn't be unlocked. I felt terrible. :D

Unless they amend the current procedures, perhaps by delaying boarding, by preventing immediate access to the cabins or redeploying crew then I cannot see how the current cleaning regime could change. I suppose at the moment it starts and ends with where you lay your trust in whether things have been done properly or not and your own risk assessment of whether you believe facilities have been used since they were regarded as "cleaned" by the crew.

 

My only observation is there is a fairly stringent examination by the housekeeping officer of a sample of cabins so that should be incentive for the job to be done well by the crew. I realise they couldn't easily detect a used toilet seat, bed linen that has been touched and etc but I have in the past placed my trust in them doing the job properly. On balance I will continue to do so, acknowledging that others may not.

 

As I have stated previously I am only interested in going home once the cruise is over, I am not really up for devising schemes and plans to allow me maximum time in my cabin under the current system, sorry if that sounds harsh but we all have our idiosycracies and ways of working. Conversely when I board at 12 noon or thereafter I wish instant access to my cabin, so I must trust what has been done to prepare my cabin. Clearly we have different priorities and I accept your viewpoint.

 

M-AR

If I understand correctly, there has been a recent attempt to regulate boarding times which are clearly stated in each passenger's boarding pass.

Have I missed something? - I haven't read any comments about "devising schemes and plans to allow me maximum time in my cabin under the current system" on the morning of disembarkation, but I have read many comments regarding the desire to board prior to the appointed time.

It's fairly simple to me: leave your cabin at or before your assigned time, knowing that your cabin and your possessions will be untouched until you vacate your cabin on the morning of disembarkation. Embarking passengers should not expect to occupy their cabin until the assigned boarding time. Like it or lump it, those are the rules - and they work both ways, for passengers and crew members alike.

M-AR, it is neither a question of my priorities or your priorities - it is a matter of the rules of the ship. For better or worse, such is life at sea :)

-S

Yes Salacia....I agree about good security, it's vital. I also don't believe security on Cunard would deny a passenger access to his own cabin once he produced the proper keycard. Tom had tried to call but it was late and the phone apparently had a very light ringer. If there is a bolt on the door, I use it. It never occurred to me that the door couldn't be unlocked. I felt terrible. :D

Terrible. Yes, I understand :D

Our experience is, our carry on luggage is mostly packed apart from a couple of personal items before we go to breakfast. The room steward asks if he/she can make up the bed whilst we are out of the cabin. The answer is, of course, yes. As the bed cover is over the whole bed, and the luggage 'mat' is on the bed to receive the next cabin occupants, the actual bed linen can't be touched by present occupants. The bathroom and the rest of the cabin is cleaned once we have vacated the cabin.

Our experience is, our carry on luggage is mostly packed apart from a couple of personal items before we go to breakfast. The room steward asks if he/she can make up the bed whilst we are out of the cabin. The answer is, of course, yes. As the bed cover is over the whole bed, and the luggage 'mat' is on the bed to receive the next cabin occupants, the actual bed linen can't be touched by present occupants. The bathroom and the rest of the cabin is cleaned once we have vacated the cabin.

There are just duvets on the bed these days with no bed cover (see photo on post number 23 on this thread). Last month on the QE our luggage mat was folded up and not covering half the bed as in that photo.

We've never been asked if our bed can be made up. They just do it.

There are just duvets on the bed these days with no bed cover (see photo on post number 23 on this thread). Last month on the QE our luggage mat was folded up and not covering half the bed as in that photo.

 

We've never been asked if our bed can be made up. They just do it.

We have a bed cover/top quilt over the bed linen during the day. It's folded away at night.

 

We've never been asked if our bed can be made up. They just do it.

Same here and like you I'm not really bothered. There is obviously a reason why the stewards want to start the changeover of cabins early as they do and it would be nice to think that passengers were considerate enough to realise this.

Rather than worrying if the bathroom has had a full sanitation why not consider the dust mites in the bed. Don't here much about them!!

David.

Here's an anecdote to add regarding the Steward doing some early prep:

We had put all our bags out before dinner with the exception of the hanging suit bag. After dinner we went to put our jackets into the hanging bag and the steward had removed all of the hangers from the closet aside from the captive type. We happened to have a couple of thin wire hangers in the bag so we got by.

As mentioned, the Do Not Disturb sign disappeared during the dinner turndown service and reappeared when the room was made up while we were at breakfast.

steward had removed all of the hangers from the closet aside from the captive type.

Well that was over the top, never known that on the last evening though the info folder always seems to disappear a few days before the cruise end.

Do Cunard have removeable hangers in the wardrobes as standard? We bring some of our own but always take them home. Matching hangers is a must in any high class hotel. As for wire type hangers these would always be taken out if they are left by leaving passengers.

David.

Do Cunard have removeable hangers in the wardrobes as standard? We bring some of our own but always take them home. Matching hangers is a must in any high class hotel. As for wire type hangers these would always be taken out if they are left by leaving passengers.

 

David.

In June on the QM2 there were no hangers in the narrow wardrobe where the clothes are hung facing you from front to back. When we asked the steward for some, he brought us a bunch of wire hangers.

Brilliant, White Star Service lives on.

David.

:D

In June on the QM2 there were no hangers in the narrow wardrobe where the clothes are hung facing you from front to back. When we asked the steward for some, he brought us a bunch of wire hangers.

Yikes! Good thing Joan Crawford wasn't with you! :eek::D

We only had skirt hangers in our closet, we asked for pant hangers but there are no longer any available.

We had the right mix of hangers, in both closets as well. :)

Same here and like you I'm not really bothered. There is obviously a reason why the stewards want to start the changeover of cabins early as they do and it would be nice to think that passengers were considerate enough to realise this.

 

Rather than worrying if the bathroom has had a full sanitation why not consider the dust mites in the bed. Don't here much about them!!

 

David.

Hi Balf. what is the obvious reason, please? - Just for the record ;)

P.S. Regarding dust mites: they are neither here nor there :D

If I understand correctly, there has been a recent attempt to regulate boarding times which are clearly stated in each passenger's boarding pass.

 

Have I missed something? - I haven't read any comments about "devising schemes and plans to allow me maximum time in my cabin under the current system" on the morning of disembarkation, but I have read many comments regarding the desire to board prior to the appointed time.

 

It's fairly simple to me: leave your cabin at or before your assigned time, knowing that your cabin and your possessions will be untouched until you vacate your cabin on the morning of disembarkation. Embarking passengers should not expect to occupy their cabin until the assigned boarding time. Like it or lump it, those are the rules - and they work both ways, for passengers and crew members alike.

 

M-AR, it is neither a question of my priorities or your priorities - it is a matter of the rules of the ship. For better or worse, such is life at sea :)

 

-S

I quite agree, I am no flouter of rules and nor would I encourage any flouting either.

M-AR

Hi Balf. what is the obvious reason, please? - Just for the record ;)

 

 

P.S. Regarding dust mites: they are neither here nor there :D

The reason is that the room stewards have a lot of cabins to prepare to the standard most would expect on a top line ship. And it's nice to board a little early and find the cabin ready.

Of course you can stick strictly to the deadline and virtually ensure this by the tipping route, but I think most passengers are happy to give the stewards a little leeway.

The dust mites may not be here but they are very likely there. Pack a microscope next time you cruise.

Regards David.

Note duly sent. I do not expect it to make any difference unless what happened is totally against company policy. Then it may be looked into.

I finally received a reply from Cunard Customer Service UK. They say that that unless the 'Do Not Disturb' sign is on the door the steward will enter as normal and as it was disembarkation day the cabin will be made up for the next guests even though we had not yet departed. However, the steward should not move personal effects and so this issue has been raised with the ship in order that feedback reaches the appropriate staff.