QM2 no longer a TransAtlantic LINER

The Qm2 has given up the what the QM2 was made to do, TransAtlantic Voyages. I was looking at the 2013/2014 schedules and I don't see any

roundtrip sailings from Brooklyn /New York. The Qm2 is now a cruise ship.

I am going to have to fly one way and sail the other. I miss the the roundtrip

and consistant transatlantic schedule. I am now reconsidering the benefit of flying!:)

The Qm2 has given up the what the QM2 was made to do, TransAtlantic Voyages. I was looking at the 2013/2014 schedules and I don't see any

roundtrip sailings from Brooklyn /New York. The Qm2 is now a cruise ship.

I am going to have to fly one way and sail the other. I miss the the roundtrip

and consistant transatlantic schedule. I am now reconsidering the benefit of flying!:)

I think that there's a roundtrip sailing to Hamburg on 13 June 2014.

:eek:

The Qm2 has given up the what the QM2 was made to do, TransAtlantic Voyages. I was looking at the 2013/2014 schedules and I don't see any

roundtrip sailings from Brooklyn /New York. The Qm2 is now a cruise ship.

I am going to have to fly one way and sail the other. I miss the the roundtrip

and consistant transatlantic schedule. I am now reconsidering the benefit of flying!:)

Hi turquoise. I think QM2 is a Liner no matter what routes she takes. I think it has to do with the way she was built. Because my vacation (holiday) time is limited, I haven't studied the r/t Crossing schedule, but I seem to remember reading there were a few, if you include the NY-Southampton-Hamburg-Southampon-NY routes?

BTW, because of time limitations, we fly US to Europe, and we're still alive to tell the tale :) But gawd, economy class is bloody miserable :eek: -S.

:eek:

 

Hi turquoise. I think QM2 is a Liner no matter what routes she takes. I think it has to do with the way she was built. Because my vacation (holiday) time is limited, I haven't studied the r/t Crossing schedule, but I seem to remember reading there were a few, if you include the NY-Southampton-Hamburg-Southampon-NY routes?

 

BTW, because of time limitations, we fly US to Europe, and we're still alive to tell the tale :) But gawd, economy class is bloody miserable :eek: -S.

Salacia, if I could only have cruised the crossings like you have, and some other "regular" members of the Cunard blog......I would be blessed, as I believe you are.

We will be taking our first crossing in a couple of months, and it is because of the price of airfare "first class" that we have decided, that this year, we will cross the Atlantic, both ways, by ship......be it cruise ship, or ocean liner.

We have been across the pond, so to speak, a few times, but this will be our first "crossing". We are wait listed for a grills cabin, but so far, we have only made it to a Britannia Club cabin.

If you take Virgin Atlantic upper class cabin, for the days that we want, we can have a P-1 for the same amount, with short notice, or if we gave it more time, such as next year, we can cruise in a Q class for the same price.

I look to you for so much advice, that I just lurk, picking up information that a few of you are so generous to give!:)

That will make our voyage, or "crossing" as a new passenger with Cunard, with over 80 voyages to our name on other lines.........so much easier.

Thanks!!;)

Rick

Salacia, if I could only have cruised the crossings like you have, and some other "regular" members of the Cunard blog......I would be blessed, as I believe you are.

 

We will be taking our first crossing in a couple of months, and it is because of the price of airfare "first class" that we have decided, that this year, we will cross the Atlantic, both ways, by ship......be it cruise ship, or ocean liner.

 

We have been across the pond, so to speak, a few times, but this will be our first "crossing". We are wait listed for a grills cabin, but so far, we have only made it to a Britannia Club cabin.

 

If you take Virgin Atlantic upper class cabin, for the days that we want, we can have a P-1 for the same amount, with short notice, or if we gave it more time, such as next year, we can cruise in a Q class for the same price.

 

I look to you for so much advice, that I just lurk, picking up information that a few of you are so generous to give!:)

 

That will make our voyage, or "crossing" as a new passenger with Cunard, with over 80 voyages to our name on other lines.........so much easier.

 

Thanks!!;)

 

Rick

Hi Rick. Wow, you are a far more experienced cruiser than I am; by comparison, I'm a newbie:o.

I'm looking forward to reading about your TA Cunard experience. I have yet to sail across "The Pond", but I've been reading posts for years from those who have done the Crossing. Perhaps when time and tide permits, I will also make that voyage.

I haven't been a Grills passenger, but from my experience (a one-off), the Britannia Club was excellent. Best wishes for your upcoming voyage, and please let us know about your voyage. Thanks & Best wishes, -S.

I am a passenger who has to travel inside D8/7 , and being of adanced years and travelling solo, the B2B NY/NY routes are those I not only want but also "need".

There was a time when I thought nothing of flying Economy for 2-3 days to get to "wherever" to join a ship, and went off at a port for hours, walking back streets and byeways.

Those days have gone , body wise and finance wise. ( I am lucky I can still cruise, just not Grill/First class flight style). Believe me you cannot compare travelling "in style" with doing it the way most passengers have to do it, not just myself

I regret that Cunard seem to have abandoned the true role of QM2, and also have become very greedy with respect to solo passengers. A greater number of people are finding themselves alone in their middle/senior years

We cannot benefit from two for one fares , no Getaway fares, pay 200% for a cabin but only get half the OBC to mention just a few "put downs".

Boarding QE next week, it should be interesting to evaluate the trip, compared to those made in the past,- before the "bean counters" ("how can we cut service and employ younger could not care less staff and yet make even more bucks") took over.

Yes Cunard is a business, but there comes a time when you have squeezed the lemon dry and can no longer get lemonade from what remains.

I am also disappointed by the lack of transatlantic sailings in 2014. I read somewhere that to mark some anniversary or other Cunard was focusing the Queen Mary 2 on World voyages in 2014 so maybe the transatlantics will return in the future. I was planning a transatlantic on the QM2 in the fall of 2014 and those schedules are not yet out so perhaps they will be back by then.

The back-to-back crossings have declined the past few years in favor of the crossings with a short break in the middle. You cross 7 days from England to NYC, the ship then goes off on a five day "New" England trip, and then crosses back to ("Old") England. It was my understanding that these are more popular than a straight BTB. Tour operators even sell this as a package complete with NY hotels, bus tours, theater tickets, etc. If you have the time for a 14 days BTB, you might as well take the 19 day trip with the stopover. One crew member told us that on the trip back to England it takes almost twice as long to deliver all the luggage as so many people go on shopping sprees in NYC.

We always fly to England and take the boat back as we don't have the time for a BTB. The one-way plane ticket costs to London about the same as the one-way passage home. 7 hours vs 7 days with food & entertainment. Doesn't seem fair.

I am also disappointed by the lack of transatlantic sailings in 2014. I read somewhere that to mark some anniversary or other Cunard was focusing the Queen Mary 2 on World voyages in 2014 so maybe the transatlantics will return in the future. I was planning a transatlantic on the QM2 in the fall of 2014 and those schedules are not yet out so perhaps they will be back by then.

Check out bluemarble's posts for preliminary 2014 sailings.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1798401

I suppose if we can believe what we read there will soon be a regular transatlantic service by sea.:(

They have had a big change in operations since QM2s first seasons..2005 had 25 crossings mostly bunched April-Oct and 5 sea days (fast crossing)

there were as many as 3-4 sailings a month out of NYC..now its 6 and a two 7 full days at sea(slow) with just one maby 2 sailings a month out of NY...all eastbound crossings become a "crusie" and very few are of short duration..mostly 10-14 days before she makes a westbound crossing...Yes they are marketing the cruise segments far more in the last 2years...She is a true liner..they dont use her that way..and with the answers given by Mr Shanks they will never ..at least as long as fuel is $80 a barrel A return to fast crossings is gone..I wish there were more TA sailings..it looks like 2014 has only 17 again..Im so gald I got to enjoy QM2 in her early seasons when she sailed down the Hudson and crossed the Atlantic at 27 knots..It really did match the marketing and Cunards long time history!!

In both September and October this year the Brits have the opportunity to do a round-trip crossing (S'ton to N.Y and back) with a cruise up to Boston, Halifax and Quebec etc in between. So we'll be on board for 27 nights and enjoy the best of both worlds (crossings and sight-seeing), and no need for any flying. Are we on a liner or a cruise ship? Who cares?

Looking forward to it.

The point of the post was QM2 and its now downgraded TA service..there are plenty of slow "cruise" liners around..ie QV/QE to enjoy ..The Transatlantics prior to 2010 were something no other passenger ship was capable of . NYC and the NorthAmerican market has lost a number of sailings with this new service operation..This ship was desgined and built by Cunard of the late 1990s/early 2000s for the Transatlantic market out of NYC with only 3 or 4 European cruises per summer..I dont know if the oil prices ruined the business model for that service..but todays sailings are not what the pre-Princess/PO.. Cunard mangement had in mind when this ship was planned as every broucher was almost all about Cunard and the Atlantic crossing...

Check out bluemarble's posts for preliminary 2014 sailings.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1798401

Only two sailings from NY for B2B. out of 52 weeks!

In both September and October this year the Brits have the opportunity to do a round-trip crossing (S'ton to N.Y and back) with a cruise up to Boston, Halifax and Quebec etc in between. So we'll be on board for 27 nights and enjoy the best of both worlds (crossings and sight-seeing), and no need for any flying. Are we on a liner or a cruise ship? Who cares?

Looking forward to it.

But no NY,turnaround Southampton back to NY, (B2B for short). Mr Shanks seems to be suffer from alzheimers as regards those passengers from NY, and his solo passengers .

But no NY,turnaround Southampton back to NY, (B2B for short). Mr Shanks seems to be suffer from alzheimers as regards those passengers from NY, and his solo passengers .

Hi Mrs. Jimsgirl. Sorry to go slightly off topic, but your parenthetical (B2B for short) reminded me of one night in the MDR on QM2: The maître d' approached our table for two and asked us how we were enjoying our voyage. Hubby responded "Very nice, thank you." I added "oh yes, and we're doing a back to back!" The look on the matire d's face as he took a step back was frozen as he asked quietly "A back to back is a what?"

He was new. Or maybe it's a term I shouldn't use?:eek::)

But more to the point regarding your post: a convenient memory is one thing not to be confused with Alzheimer; one us voluntary, the other is not. Regards, -S.

P.S. The voyage we were on was a round trip NY - Caribbean voyage, which we repeated - wondering if that would be called a back to back voyage???

The point of the post was QM2 and its now downgraded TA service..there are plenty of slow "cruise" liners around..ie QV/QE to enjoy ..The Transatlantics prior to 2010 were something no other passenger ship was capable of . NYC and the NorthAmerican market has lost a number of sailings with this new service operation..This ship was desgined and built by Cunard of the late 1990s/early 2000s for the Transatlantic market out of NYC with only 3 or 4 European cruises per summer..I dont know if the oil prices ruined the business model for that service..but todays sailings are not what the pre-Princess/PO.. Cunard mangement had in mind when this ship was planned as every broucher was almost all about Cunard and the Atlantic crossing...

Yes ,your comment is true about the downgrade service of TransAtlantic service. The QM2 will not have the same legacy of the Ocean Liner QE2.

This is the fault of Cunard

..The Transatlantics prior to 2010 were something no other passenger ship was capable of ...

Not at all sure what you mean by this statement - "prior to 2010" covers a very very wide range of time and encompasses ever transatlantic express passenger liner ever built. But is we assume that you intended to say something like "The Transatlantics [carried out by QM2] prior to 2010...", then the statement is still wrong - QE2 didn't go out of service until the end of the 2008 season while QM2 made her maiden voyage in January 2004, so Cunard had the use of both ships for nigh on four years. Although she wasn't used regularly on the Transatlantic route during that period, QE2 was still more than capable of fulfilling that role.

J

I know what you mean re using phrases only to have the other person look at you as though you have lost your mind. It happens to me a often, not only do I use phrases that are particular to R.A.F. but also those that are essentially English.

Certainly in the case of Cunard, Mr Shanks does seem to have something wrong in his thought process, and it also seems to affect other sections of the company.

I had a " heated discussion" with a Hotel Director on board one of my Cunard cruises, her thought process was distinctly strange (for a Hotel Director), then I saw her resume, before working for Cunard, she had been a First Grade teacher!

I have never been able to understand how she was employed by Cunard in the capacity of Hotel Director, the only position she was suited to fill would have been in the Child Care Department.

Will be boarding QE a week from now, for a cruise from LA to NY.

In a way this debate has a lot in common with an exact opposite form of transport.

Concorde

An aircraft that offered a service that was allegedly no longer required.

If there was a need for a scheduled transatlantic service then I would like to think that any business would quickly recognise the need and a Vista class vessel would be just as capable as the Queen Mary to supply that service. Speed can always be coupled with navigation where the ship just steams around a storm as opposed to steaming through it..

At present all three Cunard ships are on a supposed world cruise itinerary and looking at the speeds these ships are cruising at shows absolutely no diffedrence between the fastest vessel or the slowest. Queen Victoria 12knots, Queen Mary 14 and the Queen Elizabeth 18. Speed eats fuel, fuel eats into profit. High speeds across the Atlantic are a thing of the past and it looks like they will never return.

Folks that enjoy these crossings appear to demand or want high speed... The king is dead, long live the new king. Are we perhaps seeing the queen Mary 2 being used more and more as a cruise ship and less and less as a Transatlantic *ferry :eek::eek:? ;) (humour)

*Ferry = merchant ship designed to carry passengers or cargo across an expanse of water.

You say liner, I say ferry

You say tomatoe, I say tomato :)

The Qm2 is now a cruise ship.

I am going to have to fly one way and sail the other.

But will this affect your ability to "lug" on your 3 litre boxes of wine?

How did you see her resume?

I know what you mean re using phrases only to have the other person look at you as though you have lost your mind. It happens to me a often, not only do I use phrases that are particular to R.A.F. but also those that are essentially English.

 

Certainly in the case of Cunard, Mr Shanks does seem to have something wrong in his thought process, and it also seems to affect other sections of the company.

 

I had a " heated discussion" with a Hotel Director on board one of my Cunard cruises, her thought process was distinctly strange (for a Hotel Director), then I saw her resume, before working for Cunard, she had been a First Grade teacher!

 

I have never been able to understand how she was employed by Cunard in the capacity of Hotel Director, the only position she was suited to fill would have been in the Child Care Department.

 

Will be boarding QE a week from now, for a cruise from LA to NY.

One crew member told us that on the trip back to England it takes almost twice as long to deliver all the luggage as so many people go on shopping sprees in NYC.

 

This brings up a question that I have been wanting to ask for many years -- but only a person knowledgeable of both London and New York can really answer.

We have been to London many many times -- but only once to New York. Then we stayed in the New Yorker hotel in Manhatten. I had always heard about the great shopping in New York - and this from Londoners. So we looked forward to our visit. However we were GREATLY disappointed in the shopping opportunities in New York. (compared to that available in London - eg even just considering Regent & Oxford Streets area). I guess there are "unique" places in NY, such as Tiffany's (however this isn't what we were looking for).

So-- did we miss the shops in New York City??-- if so, where were they??? It is not possible to miss the shops in London - they are everywhere. eg a multi story toyshop in Regent Street alone, more menswear shops than I have seen anywhere in one place :)

Barry

Check out bluemarble's posts for preliminary 2014 sailings.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1798401

Thank you for posting this. There are a couple of transatlantics that meet my needs so this is encouraging (even though the total number is pretty low).

This brings up a question that I have been wanting to ask for many years -- but only a person knowledgeable of both London and New York can really answer.

 

We have been to London many many times -- but only once to New York. Then we stayed in the New Yorker hotel in Manhatten. I had always heard about the great shopping in New York - and this from Londoners. So we looked forward to our visit. However we were GREATLY disappointed in the shopping opportunities in New York. (compared to that available in London - eg even just considering Regent & Oxford Streets area). I guess there are "unique" places in NY, such as Tiffany's (however this isn't what we were looking for).

 

So-- did we miss the shops in New York City??-- if so, where were they??? It is not possible to miss the shops in London - they are everywhere. eg a multi story toyshop in Regent Street alone, more menswear shops than I have seen anywhere in one place :)

 

Barry

Hi Barry. Are you looking at shops in Manhattan only? The rents in Manhattan are HUGE, so it is hard to find a good bargain. But if you want to shop like a local, please let us know when you will be in NY again. I'd be happy to share what I know about shopping. Museums and shopping are my forte. Cheers, -S

Edited to add: Opps, sorry, I just realized you wrote that "only a person knowledgeable of both London and New York can really answer". That disqualifies me - my purchases in London were limited to Portobello Road shops.