sfo-john

8 minutes ago, Alslc said:

What grade were you booked on, if I may ask ?

Brittania Balcony.  

Yes, we had our San Francisco to Vancouver 4 day segment for June 1st canceled this morning, which we had purchased using FCC from a previous crossing that had been canceled in Nov. 2021.  Oh well, third time a charm?  I won't try another booking till 2023 at this point.  The COVID numbers are so unstable and I'm tired of the cancelations. At least we live in San Francisco, so we can fly up to Vancouver easily enough and add a night or two to our hotel reservations in Vancouver.  Not what we were planning but could be worse.

Thanks for the detailed review of a lovely crossing. We also enjoyed it!

Here’s my somewhat scattered review of the October 18th – 25th westbound crossing. My tenth crossing but first review…

After a three year gap I was quite excited to check out the newly spiffied up Queen Mary 2. I was travelling with my husband and some old friends, who were both newbies to Cunard.

Boarding at Southampton went smoothly, though we got the priority boarding to due our World Club level. I think we were on the ship by about 1pm or so. The luggage arrived soon after that, though the White Star shipped bag didn’t show up till about 4pm. After unpacking we went up to the newly reconfigured King’s Court, chose some snacks and then found a seat in the lovely new Carinthia Lounge. They also had some nicely plated snacks to choose from and the new incarnation is very comfortable. It is a little meandering in form and looks like quite a bit of furniture, but it’s so much better than the Winter Garden was and seems to be quite a success. It was heavily used throughout the crossing at all times of day and was my favorite place for breakfast. The redesign of the King’s Court is a huge improvement and the flow of people around the buffet area is much smoother now.

We lucked out with a sunny sail away, though being mid October the sun didn’t stay out too long and it got chilly soon after that. I like to stay out on deck as long as possible, as there’s not land to be seen again till New York, though that proved a bit different this crossing.

Cabin:

We had an in hull balcony, #6157, and it was very comfortable and looked smart with the new carpet, bedding, etc. The new flat screen TV was great, though it being fastened to the wall now we did hear our neighbor’s late night TV watching coming through. It didn’t keep me awake but could be annoying to some. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever slept so well on board as I did this time. Oddly, the new drawer and cabinet pulls are kind of awkward and sharp. They’d be great for opening a bottle of beer… The steward, Butch, was super sweet (and not terribly butch) and seemed to always be out in the companionway hard at work. He did an excellent job and was a pleasure to interact with.

As a side note, our travel companions had an inside cabin, #6222, and while overall very satisfied, they did comment on the noises heard overhead (King’s Court) that sounded like prep work being done that woke them up every morning at 6am or so. Luckily, they’re early risers, but it’s something to consider about what part of 6 Deck you book. I think most of the outside cabins would be safe from the overhead kitchen noise.

Britannia Dining Room (late seating):

We had a table for four (#88) on the main floor of the dining room on the port side. Our servers were professional, friendly and accommodating. I found the food to be improved from three years ago. The portions are sensibly sized yet satisfying and pretty much all of our meals were delicious. Standouts were duck breast and the lobster tail/chateaubriand combo. There were lots of excellent fish and seafood choices as well. The big improvement was the presentation of the sides and the plate overall. I felt in the past the vegetables (usually broccoli and carrots, previously) were just sort of thrown on the plate, but now they are a little more artfully plated along with whatever the starch for the evening is. Trendy without being pretentious. The only clunker was the Salmon Wellington, which was overcooked and quite dry. I couldn’t finish it. I did miss a few of the classics that they’ve taken off the menu that I think really belong there for a crossing: Beef Wellington and Baked Alaska. That said, all of our desserts were great. The cheese plate in Britannia is sort of a joke and it would be nice if they offered something a with a bit more variety or they brought around at least a small tray to choose from. I’m so glad they still offer petit fours, no matter how full I am. It’s a nice touch. The sommelier was very helpful and patient and seemed to handle his busy area very well.

We had all of our lunches in the dining room and mostly stuck to lighter fare with reserve saved for dessert. Breakfast was in the King’s Court or Carinthia and that was just fine. I feel like they’ve changed the croissant recipe in the last number of years and they’re dangerously good. Luckily they’re slightly smaller than full size. My husband is Asian background and he’d really love it if there were a few more Asian option there, especially at breakfast.

Random:

-Tea in the Queen’s Room was just as I’d remembered, though we only did it twice. Just lovely. Otherwise we did self service in the King’s Court, which got the job done so that we could move on to play bingo or do whatever. Cheesy as it is, we love bingo on board!

-We didn’t get a massage this time (they’ve gotten very expensive) but we did do a three day spa pass, which was a real bargain and we loved spending time there.

-The captain’s reception/cocktail party was enjoyable as ever. I do think they should have some sort of representative of the hardworking Filipino cabin staff when they introduce the various people on stage. I think they’d get a huge round of applause. Just a thought.

-The snacks brought around in the bars before dinner still exist, though less and less of the warm ones.

-Even with the new cabins on 13 Deck it feels like there are just acres and acres of deck space to roam around, most of it teak clad. I hope it stays that way, as it’s really one of the finer points of this gorgeous ship.

-The Grand Lobby is all the better since the elevators are gone and seemed to be more of a place for passengers to spend time.

-As others have pointed out, the bookshop is not what it was. There were some liner related titles but much less than before. The library is still the best at sea, though.

-Disembarkation was quite slow, though it mostly wasn’t the fault of Cunard. Even without the delay we weren’t scheduled to get off the ship till 11:15, which seems a little much. At 11:45 we finally just told a fib and said we had an appointment and needed to get off the ship. Once in the shed there was a line that took about 20 minutes.

-Music on board was just fantastic from classical to Dixie Land Jazz and the entertainment in the theater was something new anyway.

-The internet was painfully slow and painfully expensive. I had to do some work while onboard and it was very frustrating, though I had been warned by Ernie R.

-That medical emergency the first morning out was a first for me. How surprised I was to wake up and see land followed by the captain’s announcement and the helicopter making its way toward us.

It was a pleasure to sail on board this great ship again and my newbie friends were entirely impressed and ready to book again. I’d give it a 9 out of 10, though I’m certainly a friendly critic.

Well, my friends received their cabin assignment the other day. No upgrade but at least they know where they'll be now and won't have to worry about luggage tags and all that stuff that doesn't really turn out to be much of a problem once you're sailing away with a glass of champagne in hand! Counting the days and thanks for the replies. I guess we will print out an e-ticket, just to be safe.

Okay and thanks!

Thanks for the replies. So, can you receive an e-ticket without a cabin assignment?

I'm not a newbie to Cunard but I was wondering just how long you can go a before sailing date to receive a cabin assignment when you've booked "guarantee". My husband and I have already received ours (weeks ago) but friends that we're traveling with haven't received their assignment yet. We depart on October 18th. I know it'll all work out, but they're first timers and feel strange to be this close and have no cabin or e-ticket nor the ability to print out luggage tags, etc. Plus they're leaving a week ahead of time to go to Spain. Is this a usual situation? Thanks!

What "Calliope" said!

My first crossing was December 15, 2004 on the QE2 and we had all sorts of weather (though not much sun!). We had very rough weather the second and third days but rather smooth after that. I've done a few winter crossings since then and as others have said on this thread, you can have sunny weather and placid seas or sleet and rain with a lot of pitching and everything in between. Personally, I love it. That said, if you're with anyone who's prone to seasickness you wouldn't want there to be too many rough days, as it's not much fun being in your cabin and not being able to enjoy all the ship has to offer. I'm about to go on my ninth crossing, so obviously that first rough one wasn't a deterrent!

Ernie,

Yes, I also saw Amish and Mennonite's on board during my summer crossing and even on some others.

I'm a little worried about the spotty internet service, as this time I'll need to work one day (for just a few hours) while I'm on board. Hopefully I can get done what I need to without too much trouble.

Take care and see you around.

Ernie,

Thanks for all of those gorgeous photos. If I weren’t already booked for 10/18 I think your shots would’ve pushed me over the edge to make a reservation. I think Cunard could use a few of your pictures as promo! I always appreciate your insight and generally agree with your opinions on all that Cunard does and doesn’t do right. I’m glad to see that you had an overall positive crossing. Yes, let’s keep it traditional Cunard. That’s the whole point! I love summer crossings because of the chance of good weather with bad and the more diverse population on board due to summer breaks, etc. The last summer crossing I did had 100 kids on board, though we rarely saw them. Anyway, you’ve whetted my appetite for my October crossing all the more.

Thanks Pepper! Hope to meet you onboard QM2 one of these days!

If you're into pubs then the Duke of Wellington is a classic British pub with lots of atmosphere and plenty of liner connections also. A great place to go before or after dinner. And in November they'd most likely have the fireplace lit. It's part of my Southampton "routine". An easy walk to most hotels, the shopping malls, Oxford Street, the waterfront, etc.

I haven't attended the CC Meet and Greets the last number of crossings, as I've been aboard with other people and just couldn't break away from all that eating and relaxing... That said, I did attend a number of them back in 2006 and 2007 and met new friends whom I consider good friends now and we see each other at sea and on land. So there's certainly a real value to them.

Ernie,

Sorry to hear this news about the bookshop. One of my favorite "tasks" was to go there on the first full day at sea to check out what new books I'd be treating myself to by the end of the crossing. Sad.

Hope to see you on the high seas again soon. I''ll be on the 10/18 crossing.

John

The cruises that stop in SF probably use the Panama Canal, something that QM2 cannot do. Perhaps after the new canal opens.

 

Roy

Oh yes, good point! She'd have to go round the Horn.

Well Cunard does send the QE and QV here to SF every year, so I don't think it's environmental concerns stopping the QM2. I think it's more a case of the various itineraries of the World Cruise, which is the only time they seem to come here anymore anyway. I watched the QM2 sail through the Golden Gate that day in 2007 and it was so impressive. Impressive enough for my father to finally relent and agree to do a crossing with my mom (with me along) for their 50th the following year. So my plan worked. A few times over, actually. To answer the initial question, yes, that was the only time she's been here. I wish they'd send her back, as she made quite a splash.

As much as I love the crossings and will continue to do them ( I've managed ten since 2004...) whenever I can, I also wish they'd go back to six days. I like to be able to combine the crossing with time somewhere in Europe. Also, it was easier to convince newbies to join the crossing with me when it was shorter. I think they've chosen a number of days that all three ships can accomplish. Hopefully that doesn't make the QM2 obsolete in Cunard's eyes.

I hope you get underway this evening! I have about six friends on board and I'd hate for there to be any further delay in their crossing. By the way Skipper Tim, I was on the January 2006 QE2 crossing also and your picture from the deck really brought back memories of that somewhat frigid and damp sailaway!

According to a friend on board she has still not left the dock due to "technical difficulties" that were announced during the safety drill. That was per my friend as of 7pm Southampton time. Now it's almost 8pm and via the bridgecam it looks like she's still there...

One thing I can tell you for sure, it’s better to have the three people in the inside cabin as opposed to one of the balcony cabins. It seems that only the inside cabins have upper beds that fold down and don’t take away from floor space. Last summer three of my friends booked an obstructed view cabin and the third bed was by way of the fold out sofa and once that was opened up it was impossible to walk around the cabin. So, I would request an inside that has upper fold down bunks, which you may have to specify.

Fun to read these posts. I'm a veteran of a few Winter Crossings, official and unofficial ones. That January 2006 on the QE2 remains one of my favorites. A few of us on here had a rough and rocky one on QM2 in December 2011 that won't be forgotten. I did a summer crossing last year in July and the lack of movement was sorely missed (at least by me!). Hope to partake in December 2015......

Didn't the Carmania/Saxonia/Ivernia/Sylvania quartet offer fares from NY to Canada in the 50's and 60's? I thought I read that once and remember thinking it would've been a nice way to do it!

Yes, I do realize that, but then why decide to do it at all, if you can't do it for all of your paying passengers. Obviously on-board marriages weren't the deciding factor in switching registries. Anyway, not trying to hijack this thread and I've loved all of my crossings on QM2.