Capnpugwash is on the QM2 to New York, May 10 2011

[Lake Barcroft Sailor]

Update No 7

 

I think that some people must be born stupid, having finished in the spa this morning I was getting dressed in the changing room and two American guys came in. Let me explain how the lockers operate, the instructions are printed on each door. Having put you valuables in the locker you shut the door and insert a four digit code and then press a lock button. The lockers are initially unlocked until you need to lock them. This pair tried to do it the other way round; they locked a door by inserting the code and then tried to pull it open. This was repeated 3 times by each of them until someone explained to them that the doors are already open and by putting the codes in they had rendered the lockers unusable. It really isn’t rocket science but maybe men don’t read instructions well after all.

 

I think it is probably because they were Americans (which I can say because I am one).

[SeaMatesNYC]

I think it is probably because they were Americans (which I can say because I am one).

 

It was likely because often when you first program your safe onboard, you do so with the door closed, or at least I do. Close door, enter code, press lock. That sets the code. Then you enter code again, and it opens.

[capnpugwash]

Still watching, still noticing. Wondering if you're testing me? :D

 

WD

 

Damn, you caught me out again QV, ok :)

 

@SeaMatesNYC, perhaps but the code can change each time you input it, so nothing is gained by putting it into an empty locker.:eek:

[x-press]

Update No 6

 

. . . we are doing 18 knots . . .

 

 

<bleh!>

 

I wonder if they're tempted to steam backwards to make it more interesting at such low speeds?

[capnpugwash]

<bleh!>

 

I wonder if they're tempted to steam backwards to make it more interesting at such low speeds?

 

I know what you mean, it is a little uninspiring but the foghorn is making up for it.

 

Update No 8

 

I forgot to mention a first for me today, there were two American ladies on a table next to me in TE, I don’t know what they ate but after their entrée, when the waiter came to clear, the older lady asked him to put the uneaten food on her plate in a doggy bag to take back to her cabin to eat later. Please bear in mind that this is on a ship where there is more food available than you can shake a stick at.

When I got back to the cabin, full of 5 different types of champagne and still recovering from the richness overload from lunch, I found a beautiful tray of 16 canapés from TE courtesy of a Maitre D’ who I know on board. It was a marvellous gesture but I am still so full after lunch and all the fizz that I really can’t contemplate another morsel of food. I think that I will have to be very circumspect with my dinner choice tonight, perhaps I will try the Canyon Ranch no calorie options or maybe I may just skip the whole thing. If I do that, I know that I will have to go to King’s Court during the night for something to eat so maybe it is better to have something light now. Decisions, decisions.

More later

[DKNYC]

I have a Dog stretched across my feet who would love that Doggie Bag. I hope it was because the Lady had something that was really good that is not served anywhere else on board and She was too full to finish it.:)

One can only hope.

 

Denise

[The Real PM]

I know what you mean, it is a little uninspiring but the foghorn is making up for it.

 

Update No 8

 

I forgot to mention a first for me today, there were two American ladies on a table next to me in TE, I don’t know what they ate but after their entrée, when the waiter came to clear, the older lady asked him to put the uneaten food on her plate in a doggy bag to take back to her cabin to eat later. Please bear in mind that this is on a ship where there is more food available than you can shake a stick at.

 

When I got back to the cabin, full of 5 different types of champagne and still recovering from the richness overload from lunch, I found a beautiful tray of 16 canapés from TE courtesy of a Maitre D’ who I know on board. It was a marvellous gesture but I am still so full after lunch and all the fizz that I really can’t contemplate another morsel of food. I think that I will have to be very circumspect with my dinner choice tonight, perhaps I will try the Canyon Ranch no calorie options or maybe I may just skip the whole thing. If I do that, I know that I will have to go to King’s Court during the night for something to eat so maybe it is better to have something light now. Decisions, decisions.

 

More later

The one time we ate at Todd English it was wonderful, but like you, we thought it was very much too rich. All I could do was sleep afterwards. You did well going to a two hour champagne tasing afterward.

 

Gee, Cap'n, I wasn't aware that Canyon Ranch had no calorie options. I wonder if they are tasty?:)

 

Once I had some chili, I think it was chili con carne, and I ordered it through room service late at night. It was not very good, so don't do that around midnight.

 

I just want you to know how very much you make the journey across the pond come alive. Both my husband and I look forward to your every entry.

 

Thanks Cap'n! :)

 

Gail

[phoebecat]

I forgot to mention a first for me today, there were two American ladies on a table next to me in TE, I don’t know what they ate but after their entrée, when the waiter came to clear, the older lady asked him to put the uneaten food on her plate in a doggy bag to take back to her cabin to eat later. Please bear in mind that this is on a ship where there is more food available than you can shake a stick at.

Thrift perhaps? Maybe that's why she can afford a cruise - frequent use of 'doggy bags' to save on food. Im all for not wasting food, but like you, I do wonder when there is so much to eat on board why someone might do this. Fascinating insight though into how others operate!!

[capnpugwash]

Update No 9

 

I had a lovely bowl of pea and ham soup followed by a small rack of lamb and it really sorted me out and made me feel far more human. I went up to the Commodore Club after dinner, there was a nice crowd there and we all had a very nice evening, tonight is the third night of clock adjustment so we are now 3 hours behind the UK. After today I have decided not to go to the martini mixology class tomorrow so I hope to have a relatively alcohol free day, at least until the CWC cocktail party in the evening.

 

The fog has returned with a vengeance overnight as we are approaching the Grand Banks, so the marvellous foghorn continues its plaintive call to anyone who can hear it. Despite these foggy conditions we have force 5 south easterly winds and a very slight sea. We have covered 1870 nautical miles since Tuesday and there are only 1321 remaining. The barometer continues to fall. The air temperature is 57/14 degrees.

 

Today is both the FA cup final back in the UK, but on board it is the Tanzanite day where the hype starts to have passengers part with their hard earned cash to possess items made of this gem stone, apparently the stones are quite scarce and threaten to run out some time in the next 1000 years, perhaps. Still, they must be valuable as on every trip someone keeps telling me that they are. They wouldn’t lie about it, would they? :)

 

It is almost 7am on day 4 of our crossing, later today we will be somewhere near the final resting place of RMS Titanic and I sincerely hope that we don’t get too close to it, if you get my drift.

 

More later.

[north east girl]

Hi Capn, Still enjoying all of your posts. Wish I had thought of the doggie bag when we tried The Verandah on QE. We were so full we could not try the sweets, now if I had thought about taking it to our cabin. I'm sure I could have squeezed it in some how LOL.

 

Shame you missed out on Roger Daltrey hope you get another chance to see him.

 

Catherine

[Jimsgirl]

I think it likely tht the two ladies were on their first cruise, and normally lived in a very small rural town, where asking for a "doggy bag" is standard when you eat out.

 

Perhaps it also was becuse they had to pay for their meal at TE.

[lord of the seas]

I think it likely tht the two ladies were on their first cruise, and normally lived in a very small rural town, where asking for a "doggy bag" is standard when you eat out.

 

Perhaps it also was becuse they had to pay for their meal at TE.

 

And perhaps it was that they were from America.

[The Real PM]

And perhaps it was that they were from America.

Or maybe they were going to save it for their dog. I often have thouught about it when I am on a cruise. I always wonder if the kitchen would freeze the meat for me so that the day I disembark I can take it home to Jean Luc. But I have always thought better of it, or perhaps my husband has straightened my thinking out for me!:)

[3rdGenCunarder]

Or maybe they were going to save it for their dog. I often have thouught about it when I am on a cruise. I always wonder if the kitchen would freeze the meat for me so that the day I disembark I can take it home to Jean Luc. But I have always thought better of it, or perhaps my husband has straightened my thinking out for me!:)

 

Even if the meat is frozen, I think taking it off the ship is against the rules. (like the rules against taking flowers, fruits, and veggies into the US)

[The Real PM]

Even if the meat is frozen, I think taking it off the ship is against the rules. (like the rules against taking flowers, fruits, and veggies into the US)

Yes, I believe you are correct. Is it the same for bringing food onto the ship as well?

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thank Capn for mentioning me in your last report....

 

the marvellous foghorn

:D:D:D

[3rdGenCunarder]

Yes, I believe you are correct. Is it the same for bringing food onto the ship as well?

 

No. The rules about taking food off the ship have to do with local port rules. In the US, I believe it's the dept of Agriculture.

 

You can take food onto a cruise ship, although the idea of doing that sounds as crazy as taking a doggie bag to your cabin. That said, I have done it twice. Once, in Bar Harbor, I brought a lobster roll back to the ship for lunch. And in France, I bought some REAL croissants for breakfast the next morning on QE2. The alleged croissants on board were not to my taste.

[Venator Caudicum]

Even if the meat is frozen, I think taking it off the ship is against the rules. (like the rules against taking flowers, fruits, and veggies into the US)

 

If you can't take vegetables in to the US, does that mean that Jerry must never leave the US? I mean, he'd not be allowed back in, would he?

[capnpugwash]

I think that it is highly unlikely that the doggy bag was for consumption by anyone other than her. The bag was produced on a Friday and we debark on Tuesday so I believe that in 4 days time the contents would not be as choice as they were yesterday. Anyway no food is allowed to be landed in the USA.

 

Update No 10

 

Breakfast was a pleasant and welcome meal as I was quite hungry, and certainly ready for the meal. The fog seems to be set to stay with us for at least the next couple of days and the visibility is only about 15 to 20 yards which is fine for me looking over the side but probably not to good if you are in charge of a 150,000 ton ship. They have radar and all that sort of thing so I am quite comfortable leaving the officers to run the ship.

 

I had a very pleasant couple of hours in the spa and then went out on deck to the Terrace Bar at the stern of deck 8. It was quite cold out there but I persevered for about 45 minutes and then gave up and returned to the warmth of the inside of the ship.

 

There are guests from 37 countries travelling on this voyage; the highest number is 902 from the UK, 616 from Germany and 611 from the USA. There are single passengers from 13 countries including Greece, Israel, Lithuania and Turkmenistan. The Germans are lying out on the open decks wrapped up in blankets and overcoats whilst hundreds of others constantly pound their way around deck 7, some running but most walking. The effort required probably makes the cold air a welcome relief.

 

More later.

[capnpugwash]

If you can't take vegetables in to the US, does that mean that Jerry must never leave the US? I mean, he'd not be allowed back in, would he?

 

Not a very nice thing to say!

[cunard candy]

Hi hollihedge, I nearly booked this one, decided on QE instead. How was it going into Hamburg, have been told everyone comes to greet the ship.

 

Catherine

 

 

I have just come off that cruise and the reception coming out from Hamburg the 2nd time was amazing!!

It was the 822nd year anniversary of the port and the Captain informed us that there were about 1.6 million lining the route down the Elbe.

At one point about an hour out there was a hotel that had all windows with someone waving sheets at the ship and "Royal Brittania" being played by loudspeaker and futher along another group playing "God save our Queen" I spent over 2 hours on the balcony just waving with a glass of champers - it really was a great expereience.

[north east girl]

I have just come off that cruise and the reception coming out from Hamburg the 2nd time was amazing!!

It was the 822nd year anniversary of the port and the Captain informed us that there were about 1.6 million lining the route down the Elbe.

At one point about an hour out there was a hotel that had all windows with someone waving sheets at the ship and "Royal Brittania" being played by loudspeaker and futher along another group playing "God save our Queen" I spent over 2 hours on the balcony just waving with a glass of champers - it really was a great expereience.

Hi cunard candy, It sounds like a wonderful time to be aboard. Would have loved to have been there. A memory you will never forget. Thanks for sharing.

 

Catherine

[Cruise Liner Fan]

If you can't take vegetables in to the US, does that mean that Jerry must never leave the US? I mean, he'd not be allowed back in, would he?

Which Jerry are you refering to? That is my first name

[Venator Caudicum]

Which Jerry are you refering to? That is my first name

 

Take a wild guess........

 

(Is he playing at this, or is he serious?)

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Take a wild guess........

 

(Is he playing at this, or is he serious?)

Take a wild guess at what?