"Classes"

Could someone please explain to me the "class" distinction on the QE2. I know that there are four restaurants in which to eat depending on what cabin that you have but does this extend to other areas or amenities on the ship? Is the food that different in the Brittania from the Mauritania and Caronia?

There is one cocktail lounge only for grill passengers. They serve before dinner cocktails and afternoon tea there. Again, only for grill passengers. Other than that, everyone has run of the ship.

The Mauretania Restaurant has two seatings and the other restaurants are all single seating. The waiters in the Caronia Restaurant and Grills are more experienced than the waiters in the Mauretania Restaurant. All of the restaurants seem to offer similar items on a given day. On one trip on the QE2, I compared the menus for each of the restaurants for the same meal and found them to be very similar. In the Queens Grill, additional items are also available. Essentially, the service and food presentation should be better in the Caronia Restaurant and in particular, the Grills. The Grills are definitely more formal than the larger restaurants.

Of course, the staterooms that are assigned to the higher restaurants are nicer. All of the passengers are able to attend the same daily activities or entertainment at night.

Personally, I don't think the "class" distinction on this ship is a big deal.

As we say, "you pays your money you takes your pick". There is no class divide. You may be driving a Roller and I a Mini - we are both on the same motorway.

David.

The only concern with 'classes' I have, which I've brought up previously in another topic, is whether the formal nights really apply in all restaurants, e.g. the Mauritania. I'm really looking forward to dressing formally for some meals but don't want to stand out if nobody else has i.e. the wearing of suits rather than Tux. Has anybody been on the QE2 cruises this year and eaten in the Mauritania restaurant who can comment?

The dress code operates in all restaurants and in all public areas of the ship for the full evening. I don't know if things have changed much now she is sailing from UK. There may be some change as well in the Med, but you will certainly not feel out of place, or be the only one in tux.

David.

I agree, no matter what your restaurant is, you will not feel out of place in a tux on formal nights. And of course after dinner, everyone is everywhere in formal clothing and, certainly on crossings, the vast majority of men will be in tuxes. Have a wonderful trip!!

I agree that the "class distinctions" are very subtle, if at all evident. For instance, at tea one afternoon, there were four of us at the table. Two dined in Caronia, one in Mauretania, and one in the Queens Grill. The only reason it came up was that we were discussing the final year of the transatlantic crossings, and one passenger said he purposely booked the same Mauretania cabin he'd had as a student twenty years ago. The QG passenger told us he preferred the ambiance of the Queens Room to the Queens Grill Lounge.

At night -- at least on our crossing -- there was also no way to tell who dined where.

I have dined in all five restaurants. As a frequent Queens Grill passenger (and as an occasional Mauretania passenger), I have seen/heard it all.

My worst encounters (by far) are the rabid verbal attacks I get from people who are not dining in the Queens Grill when they find out that I am:

"What?! That's such a waste of money!"

"Oh, that's throwing money away"

"Hey, smart people* book M and use the saved money to travel more".

"Oh, Queens Grill! Excuse me, Mister Chi-Chi!"

"You're in Queens Grill? I can't belive YOU are talking to us down here"

ETC, ETC.........

*how nice: to be called STUPID

So, if you're the type to be hurt by mean-spirited comments, then book a Maurentania cabin and you won't have to deal with jealous people throwing barbed comments at you.

If you can just laugh at jealous people and their stupid antics (I do it everyday here in New York) then book whatever you like!

I think the QE 2 is great in all catagories; but obviously the more you spend the better it is!

Michael

New York

Thanks for all the good info on the restaurants. It is what I had anticipated. One more question: is it true that on world cruises that the passengers change at the end in the UK to cross in the QM@?

Yes, QE2's world cruise passengers can return to New York on QM2's transatlantic crossing that departs Southampton on April 16, 2005. This is offered because the QE2 is not returning to New York at the end of the world cruise. It would be wonderful to sail on these two excellent ships back-to-back.