Jack E Dawson

Here are a couple of thoughts. 1. Make reservations for the major attractions. 2.Try and do a Saturday tour of Parliament which allows you on the floor or the House of Commons and the House of Lords 3. If you tour Westminster Abby include the Queens Jubilee exhibit in the attic, very impressive and well worth the extra $5. See if you can find the WWII bomb shrapnel hole in the Royal Air Force alcove. Look for Stephen Hawking marker next to Sir Isaac Newton's. 4. Reserve an early time at the Tower of London and hit the Crown Jewels exhibit first before the line gets long. 5. Take the water taxi to Greenwich, lots to see there. (google Cutty Sark). Go to the observatory and the Queens House (quite the she-shack, FREE) 6. Eat in Harrods food court and explore the store especially the basement liquor dept. 7. The Royal Mews (the King's Stables) is a really cool tour. It is down the left side of Buckingham Palace. I highly recommend!!!! 8. Use the Tube, it's the best way to get around. You can either get an Oyster Card or use a touchless credit card. The Oyster Card works on the Water Taxi and buses as well. There is a daily cap on how much you will be charged. 9. Since you are staying near the EYE (Marriott County Hall???) make sure you walk through the Graffiti Tunnel.Also, to get to Buckingham Palace from your hotel, walk across the Bridge by Big Ben then go through St. James Park. A beautiful walk. 10. Churchill's Underground War Room is very interesting but pricey (but worth it) and you REALLY need a reservation hear. Nobody does history like the British. Read about the places before you visit them to get the most out of your tour. We've been to London countless times and we are still discovering new amazing places. We love the markets and pubs. Mind the gap and look RIGHT!!!! Jack

Have you toured London before jrmende63? Jack

I am also watching the weather in the tropics as we leave tomorrow for a 10-day bareboat cruise in the BVI. Fortunately for us, that area of weather disturbance you are watching is already well west of there. While I'm not a meteorologist, I think you will be fine flying to Orlando on the 4th and out of Orlando on the 6th. While the waters in the Gulf are still very warm, wind shear conditions will make it difficult for a hurricane to form. But even if it does, it doesn't look like it would track towards the Orlando area. So, my money is on Plan A. We have flown Norse to London on 2 occasions (back when they were Norwegian and flying direct from Chicago) and really like that airline. Their premium class is only a few hundred dollars more and well worth it in my opinion. Jack

Thank you dthompsond1, I've been having difficulty getting an answer to that question. Jack

Thanks HH for taking the time to bring us all along through you wonderful live travel log. It was descriptive, informative and so enjoyable to follow. From your report, and the reports of others on CC, my impression of the QA is that Princess Grill may be the sweet spot for us. Thanks again, Jack

I believe that 7150 is a corner cabin at the stern of the ship. You should have plenty of afternoon sun (when not cloudy or overcast). Jack

Bon Voyage Meliador, Looking forward to more reports as you "discover" the QM2. Thanks for the above tips. Jack

Rome may be a busy place next year. 2025 will be a year long Vatican Jubilee and they are expecting 35 million pilgrims. With that said, we are on on the QV cruise next May that disembarks in Civitavecchia. We still are still planning to spend 3 days in Rome but, having been there twice before, will be staying and visiting in more off the beaten path areas.

GOOD PLAN. I'm sure you will enjoy your crossing and I would be willing to bet it won't be your only one on the QM2. You may be surprised just how much there is to do and how full your days will unexpectedly become. I have especially enjoyed the water color classes. They are offered in the morning or in the afternoon and you can alternate to fit your schedule but is every day and cumulative. My wife and I also enjoy the Insights lecture program and usually attend 2-3 each day. The food and service in the Grills is outstanding but be sure to have breakfast in bed at least once and the Golden Lion Pub is great fun for lunch (recommend the fish&chips). However, our favorite venue is the Promenade Deck. We try to walk at least 2 miles (6 laps) each day and will challenge the weather to do that (bring a hoodie). We especially enjoy just sitting in the deck chairs, if the sun is out, and watch the Atlantic Ocean go by. On our last crossing in June, we spotted 2 pods of wales. Quite exciting. Jack

Meliador, Sailing in the Grills is a wonderful experience. From my personal experience I would suggest arriving at the terminal at 12:15PM. Once onboard meet your butler, let him familiarize you with your cabin and the Grills experience. After that, enjoy a relaxing lunch in the Grills dining room. Following lunch, you can unpack, with your butler's assistance if you like, and then consider taking some time exploring the QM2 (including how to get to the Queen's Rm & G32). For departure, you may want to join the festivities on the aft decks but I highly recommend being on top of deck 13 forward as the ship approaches and passes under the Verrazano Bridge. After passing under the bridge you can leisurely make your way back to your cabin to dress for dinner and then head to the Grills lounge for a pre dinner beverage. After dinner there will be numerous venues offering all types of music and dancing. Can't wait to read your feedback. Jack

Here is the what Cunard says on their website about bringing dogs onboard. Note that it specifically says that "Emotional support dogs are not recognised as an assistance dog by the above organisations and are not permitted on board." Jack Assistance dogs Cunard accepts registered assistance dogs on board for the benefit of our guests, subject to compliance with international travel regulations. Please note: we can only accept assistance dogs on Southampton to Southampton cruises, or on Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossings between Southampton and New York. Cunard accepts registered assistance dogs on board that have been specifically trained to assist a person with a disability and has been certified by an organisation that is a full member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), the accrediting bodies for assistance dog organisations worldwide. All assistance dogs are carried free of charge. You can notify us that you will be bringing an assistance dog in the on board needs questionnaire, available on My Cunard for you to complete before you sail. Emotional support dogs are not recognised as an assistance dog by the above organisations and are not permitted on board. We can only accept assistance dogs that are fully trained. Assistance dogs may not be permitted ashore in certain ports of call, in line with current Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) regulations which apply in the UK. If you indicate within your questionnaire that you will be taking an assistance dog on board, we will forward on the relevant paperwork for you to complete and return to us with any supplementary information that is required. Please refer to the DEFRA website for the most up to date information. We would advise all owners to carry their dog's identification card, or similar, with them at all times in case local authorities require proof. Guests with an assistance dog are not required to travel with a companion provided they are able to undertake day to day tasks independently.

Have you tried a "Chocolate Affair"? Make sure they put the chocolate shavings on top. Also, wondering if there are any gin or vodka martinis available for $12 or less. We have the complimentary drinks package on an upcoming voyage and I saw a recent posting saying there were none. Thanks HH Jack

It was open during our May 2017 WB Crossing and we did use it once (hamburgers and fries). Not open on our WB Crossings in 9/2018, 5/2022 or 6/2024. I agree with Stephen, some sort of outside food service would be nice or at the least a beverage service. However, I don't blame Cunard for not wanting to get ketchup or red wine stains in the teak decking. Maybe just white wine, beer and clear sodas??? Jack

We absolutely love the Insights program. It is a VERY diverse program but typically 3/4 of the speakers will pique out interest. Some of our favorites have been: Jim Kennedy, former director of the Kennedy Space Center who had a 4-part program Michael Howard, former Leader of the British Conservative Party who spoke on Churchill Sandra Howard (wife), who spoke on being a super model in the 60's and now an author Concorde Pilot who had a 3-part program The Chairman of the Bank of England in 2008 who spoke on how close we came to a global financial meltdown during the Great Recession. There have been many many more. Some, if not most, of the speakers make themselves available for 1-on-1 conversations.

Foodsvcmgr, Your reporting and photography are excellent. Very much enjoying your postings. Thanks. Jack

Codakrome, Despite the commonality of the ship, the QM2, these really are two different experiences. I've always found that the toughest decisions are those where you have two GREAT choices. However, on a transatlantic you will meet many many passengers for whom this is their second, fifth, tenth plus Crossing. There is a reason for that. Of course I'm a bit biased as we are currently planning our fifth Crossing. Jack

resordanis, I may be missing something here but I believe that you will have to have a credit card on file and everything onboard will be charged to that. Your credit card company will convert it back to AU$. I'm not even sure cash is accepted onboard. Jack

erniebernie, When we were on the QE in September of last year, there was a scale in the gym. Jack

Congratulations judydoc, you are going to love this cruise. The QE is a beautiful ship and Alaska is such an amazing venue. With regards to casual nights in the Main Dining Room/Queens Room/Royal Court Theater, the Cunard website says, "Smart attire simply means a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress." On our 5 Cunard cruises we have always dressed for the Gala night theme and have enjoyed doing so, however, there really is no pressure to do so. Regular formal attire will be fine. Typically, for the Black & White and the Red & Gold balls almost everyone joins in. For the Roaring 20's and Masquerade balls, a sizable minority don't participate. At least that has been our experience. Enjoy your cruise and I would love to hear your impressions when you get back. Jack

On our very first Crossing on the QM2, back in 2017, we were in cabin 12022 and almost immediately noticed the vibrations which came and went. Since this was our very first cruise of any kind and didn't really know what to expect, so we thought this was "normal". The vibrations didn't bother us and we soon didn't even notice them. However, on the second night of the Crossing we were fortunate enough to be invited to dine with the Deputy Captain (now the QE Captain) and I asked him about the vibrations. He said he was aware of them and the cause was the large washing machines on the ship. That sometimes when two or more are in the spin cycle they can set up a harmonic vibration that is felt on the upper forward decks. At first I laughed because I thought he was kidding but he assured me this was actually the case. To this day I still don't know if he was pulling my leg or not but that would explain the randomness of the vibrations, even when the ship wasn't moving. It's just one more quirky thing about the QM2 that adds to our love for this great ship. Jack

Thank you everyone for your insights and suggestions. We have gone ahead and booked and paid for 2 excursions to the locations that are really important to us. Once we board, if there is still availability, we will cancel and rebook using OBC. The risk, about $20, is well worth the reward, saving about $180. But now I can check this off the list and enjoy peace of mind. Unfortunately the cruise is not till next May but I will report back on how it goes. Thanks Jack

Goos point about the 10% cancellation fee but on a $100 excursion, that will only be $10 which I will chalk up to Peace Of Mind and a chance to save $90. Thanks Jack

Good plan FSW2024. If you are able to move to deck 13, those cabins have glass shower doors while on deck 12 you have a shower curtain. Jack

We are booked on the QV for next May going from Istanbul to Rome with various stops in the Greek Isles. Normally, we would book our excursions in advance but on this voyage we will have considerable OBC. So the dilemma is that if we book excursions in advance of the cruise, we pay out of pocket. However, if we book onboard, we can use the free OBC but risk availability issues (we are on the 2nd leg of this 4 leg cruise). We were thinking of booking the excursions in advance, then checking on availability when we board. If the specific excursions are still available, we would cancel our precooked excursions and rebook on the ship. It's my understanding that excursions cancelled 48 hours in advance are fully refundable. The first of the excursions we are looking at is on day 3. Is this a do-able strategy or am I missing something? Thanks, Jack

FSW2024, We have done 4 Crossings on the QM2 in various cabin categories and for us, Britannia Club is the sweet spot. So I think you will really enjoy this cruise. We have stayed in 12022, which is on the port side of the ship but almost directly across from 12025. We had no problems with noise or vibrations. On all 4 of our Crossings we have found the beds to be incredibly comfortable but of course this is a subjective thing. We tend to like a firmer mattress. On our last QM2 cruise, just 2 months ago, we had a cabin with a connecting door. I was a bit annoyed with myself when I discovered this as I thought I had booked a cabin that did not connect. However, this turned out not to be a problem and by the second day had completely forgotten about it. However, I will still try to avoid connecting cabins in the future if possible. The QM2 is a very stable ship primarily because she is an ocean liner and not a cruise ship by design. So seasickness shouldn't be a problem. However, I highly recommend bringing a bag of candied ginger and chew one each morning. In my opinion, this is the best sea sickness prevention step you can take. No side effects and super effective. Hope this helps. Jack