Anyone Recently Returned from the QE2

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone has recently returned from the QE2.

We're sailing on the Christmas cruise and would like to know

how things are on board.

Thanks,

David

as i was supposed to be on board her now until they cancelled it due to overbooking i will be interested to hear from anyone getting off this sunday including anybody in my cabin 2003. iam tottaly disgusted with cunard. yet to receive an apology from them. hope you have better luck on u=your cruise. supposed to be someone from chicago on my cruise in 8209 only one whio i kniow is on her. not a word fromhim since . solosailaway was his name?

I have recently returned from the QE2 Iberian Shores Cruise 21.10 and will post a short review shortly. Despite an embarkation fiasco from hell & a seven hour delay & poor weather with force 10 conditions the ship I had a great cruise with food & service in the Queens Grill 2nd to none! Cannot wait to return next year.

Will try and post a review within the next week.

Kind Regs,

RJMS74

Hi All

l returned from QE2 on the 21st Oct after her 19 night Med cruise, but not sure if l will do a review, but in general after 9 trips and in Mauretania (steerage) the whole ship was looking great, personally it was the best cruise yet, great service all over and a great choice of food, breakfast seems to be a very busy in the lido each day, but the mauretania really excelled herself, no complaints at all, Baked alaska parade was the most stunning yet, the desserts were too much ended up my table having 2 most nights and the midnight buffet as well.

Couple of minor points, Afternoon tea in the Queens Room at sea was always packed, you need to be there before 4pm other wise forget it, We docked at all the ports inspite of brochure saying otherwise, rule of thumb re dress was at sea Formal and inport informal, which is how it should be i think. The photos are still a rip off, but l guess nobody is forcing you to buy them. They also now seemingly do a video of each cruise showing the port highlights and onboard footage, nice souvenir.

My one real bug bear is the upgrade system and world club benefits, as a platinum member l was assured upteen times as on previous cruises my badge would be ready waiting on embarkation,well it wasnt, it arrived after much arguing 30 mins before the world club party (and that was gold / platinum combined and it was busy, would have thought like many other members that with the numbers it should have been a separate party for the gold and plat members) and im not a snob either!!!! the exclusive officers party for plat members wasnt quite that exclusive, l met a few newcomers with invites to that party, and they have no idea how they got them and there was 8 of them! still a nice party all the same in the funnel bar.

Having spent a lot of money to get the platinum badge you would think cunard would look after us, well lm afraid they dont!!!! look what p&o and the rest of them give their loyal pax and what do cunard give out?????

As for upgrades, well..... did an earlier posting along with Richard (above poster) convinced lm was the only one paying the sailaway fare, everybody else was paying much less, a couple l met from the USA were told of an offer in Queen Grill reduced from $55k to $7k total and included airfare!!!! how was that a deal !!!!

l had to fight tooth and nail to get my 1st upgrade and others were paying a £1000 less and upgraded effortlessly, one person from Mauretania to QG, my travel agent summed it up......tough luck!!! hardly the answer from the cunard inner circle member that i had expected. Rather feel from now on if l book again it will be a lastminute thing and no more of this booking 10 months in advance.

RJMS74 l guess its no help, but l did think of you at 6am when the captain informed us that we might not be able to dock for 12-24 hours due to the weather and also during our extra lunch and afternoon tea and again as l finally disembarked at 5pm, did hear that embarkation was a bit cahotic!!! Its not often QE2 is late but this was an added bonus for us!!! as well as passing QM2 in the bay, now that was a sight,even with the swell, did get some digital camera sound of both horns !!!

Did have a couple of events, a passenger regreatably passed away after falling of a tour bus, and a crew member was airlifted off enroute to Marmaris (we arrived there 10hrs early !!) got ripped of in a taxi in alexandria (not a nice place) Egypt left her mark if only because the pryamids were just soooo close, the sales men in Turkey, just what part of no didnt they understand!! and Naples,the highlight for me was the chance to see Capri and fall in love..except the weather proved too rough and capri was cancelled, but the Captain Bates did take us right in close past as we left Naples, was he rubbing salt in our wounds????, the sailaways parties were memorable as were the sunsets, and NOBODY on the quay to watch us leave malaga, we just slipped away from the berth and headed for home.. even in the heart of the med there was one day of weather when there was nobody on deck sun bathing!!

In spite of the minor complaints, shes still a grand lady and can still shift when she needs to 26kts one day , bit worn at the edges, but still an incredable experience, Going back next year for cruise no 10.

if anybody wants to ask any questions please feel free and l will try and answer them.... Didnt mean to write just soo much......

cheers

Myles aka cunardqueen@aol.com

Myles - thanks for this extensive and entertaining report. It was great to read it and hear of your expereinces (good and bad!).

I had just been reading a review on cruisecritic that had made me a bit worried where the person on the same trip as you wrote things like " I know QE2 is old but that is no reason for shabby furnishings, worn rugs, filthy deck chairs, worn towels and lack of service in most public areas. Our Q3 cabin was large but not a luxury cabin as stated. Very worn furniture, peeling walls and dirty furniture. Equal to a low price motel room. Food in Queens Grill room very "run of the mill'. Nothing fresh or innovative. ... I will never travel on the Cunard line again ".

So your report was a nice alternative view! Cheered me up no end for our December crossing..... the materials have arrived at hoem today... and I can't wait to get home to see them... Gary

QE2 is a unique ship. When people decide to travel on her, they need to know that they cannot compare this grand old lady to a modern shiny-chrome "apartment block" cruise ship.

If you are looking for perfection, you won't find it on this ship full of idiosynchronies and quirks. You will find excellent serviice and gracious living and a different collection of passengers than on other ships.

So, go and enjoy, and make the experience your own. There won't be too many more years to enjoy this one-of-a kind true liner.

Gary B - where did you see the 'bad review of Q. Grill Rest & Cabin'? Was it on this forum?

I can assure you having now travelled in a QG single cabin on 3 QE2 cruises - the last one only a few weeks ago, it is nothing like the post of above. The food in the QG Restaurant is excellent & there is a very wide choice - I have eaten in some v. good restauarants onland & worldwide & the QG Rest is still one of my all time favourites - they will literally cook anything for you off menu - I particularly enjoyed the flambeed cherries jubilee most evenings & also escargots. Yes as jbailey says she is not a modern / appart. block style cruise ship but is more so a classic grande dame ocean liner & I saw a Q3 cabin no. 1042 and it was very well maintained and I would say luxurious with lots of wood & marble bathroom and separate closet. Even every grand hotel onland, such as the Waldorf Astoria in NYC has its faults and is showing signs of age, but it's the ambience that counts and just being on QE2 is always special! I will admit that my cabin 2063 was a little tired,but still very comfortable & very spacious (237 sq feet) for one person!

Gary, I look forward to hearing your thoughts when you return from your Transatlantic crossing & can assure you that you will have a great time onboard -I am already planning on returning in 2005!I will try and post a review very shortly (I can also scan some of the QG menus - when I get my scanner to work again - if this would help/ pls advise your email address).

Kind Regs,

RJMS74

Gary B

I was on the same cruise as RJMS also in Queens Grill and agree that the service and quality of the Queens Grill is superb. Great selection and service! We were in a Q2 cabin (8106), pure luxury, which had an obstructed view but we made full use of it in the ports. QE2 is like nothing else on the seas. Will be very sad when she is finally retired.

Hope to post some pictures in the next week or so and a review.

Enjoy your trip. You will love her!

Regards

Morgana

Thanks to the two of you for your postings!

The review that I had read was not on the boards but on the cruisecritic members reviews: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=7150

I guess everyone can't be pleased, so was great to get the posting and wishes above. The tickets have arrived, and on Monday just one month....

Does anyone know if they've fixed some of the airconditioning problems on board? On last years Christmas cruise, it was hit or miss.

Is Dennis still in charge in the Queens Grill?

I was on board during Med cruise in August - air conditioning was working more effectively that ever before in all parts of the ship I used.

That's good news.

Rack of Lamb is not very appetizing when you're sweating

in your tuxedo.

I too would agree that there aircon is working a lot better now on the QE2 especially in the cabins. Having said this I did not find it overly 'cool' in the QG Restaurant! The Maitre D' in the Restaurant was a Mr James - it was on my previous cruises onboard Mr Chambers (he was not onboard and I had heard that he was retiring - his photo was not on the entrance to the QG Rest. where the other Managers / Chef's Photos were)- & Mr James was excellent and was very courteous and professional & managed the Rest. brilliantly. There was also one of his assistants who was previously in the Caronia Restaurant.

There was another assistant MD who wore glasses who I have seen before in the QG Restaurant but I don't recall his name.

Kind Rgs

RJMS74

Just back from QE2 myself and she was the best I've experienced her.

The poor old lady had a couple of problems with her waterworks though : one afternoon they lost the hot water supply through most of the ship and sanitisation of the cold water system which meant it was undrinkable.

Food and service was excellent. Lectures were great. The shows in the grand lounge were as good as ever (you know what I mean!).

Overall : fantastic.

Jon - hopefully they got that sorted! Not long b4 the december crossing now. Will you be posting pics of your Nov trip? gary

was it 2nd nov from soton to funchal,tenerife,malaga,lisbon,soton.

this was the cruise i was supposed to be on cabin 2003

1 day before i was gonna leavew was told by t/a it was overbooked and it was cancelled. not asked told??? what a waybto treat customers, i booked it over 4 months before had paid and had my cabin. nearly 3 weeks later i am still to get my refund.

ok i get a free cruise in 2005 but i've been so sad everytime i see a picture of the ship

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON HER??

t/a did not ever offer to book me on amnotyher cryuise

i booked on costa victoria on24th nov with myt own money. all the t/a ewas gonna do was send the cheque 1st class when it arrives. now she says a bank transfer is possible if i pay 30 pounds for it. otherwise i will not have any money to go with. anyone also bumped off i'd love to hear f5rom. likewise a review of my cruise

I too hope they get the water situation under control.

What a disaster it would be on a formal night! LOL...

Dave

When we're on the ship, remind me to tell you the story of the 'waterfall' on 3 deck.

Have emailed you both the pictures of 8106 (and the obstructed view).

Regards Morgana (Sharon)

Thanks again for the pics! They were great!!!! gary