Capnpugwash is back on the high seas, BTB on QM2

[rosler28]

I won't tolerate bad manners. What if that person had decided to set elsewhere? You woul be waiting all night.

 

Unfortunately, I can guess what nationality they are.

 

10 mins max and then order. I would also tell that person in quite clear language as to what they had done wrong.

 

I wouldmnever, ever be late.

 

On one cruise we went on a "lady" was always up to an hour late which was bad enough (we didnt wait after the first few days) but she also arrived drunk and was one of those people that know absolutely everything about anything. We used to be glad when she was very

late so we minimised contact time but then she complained that we were rude

leaving the table while she was still eating!!

 

Lucky lady. I wouldn't be so polite

[rolfecms]

... he had ordered a special Austrian dessert for the table which comprised sliced pancakes, stewed plum sauce and ice cream, it was certainly the best dessert that I have ever had on board a ship, and perhaps the best ever anywhere. I even had a second bowl which is unheard of. It was truly special and he is such a nice fellow.

Hi Capn, I may add a small correction to the spelling of the special dessert you mentioned. It is called correctly "Kaiserschmarrn". The name stands for a very popular Austrian dessert and means "Emperor rubbish (or mishmash)" There" are quite a few explanations why it is called that way. See Wikipedia. You can find the recipe for it via GOOGLE under: kaiserschmarrn recipe" in English. You even find videos showing how to prepare this dessert via GOOGLE under: "videos für kaiserschmarrn" (in German)

 

Thanks to the Cap'n for providing the desert's name and Kilotango for the clarification and background. The

video was the icing on the cake, so to speak! I look forward to making it and treating the family to it.

[Coolgran]

Keep your posts coming. I have family aboard and

for some reason can't access the Webcam (it is just

black) and I do want to know what the weather is like.

In any case I am enjoying your post.

 

Coolgran

[Classiccruiser777]

Hi Captain,

 

I really enjoy your posts and I'm looking forward to meeting you on the Juy 27 TA from NY.

 

When your are chatting with John Duffy would you please ask him if Stanley Williams is still on board? Mr. Williams was (I think) a head waiter in the Caronia Restaurant on QE2 and, for a bit, the Maitre d' of the Britannia Club. Thanks very much.

[Underwatr]

I have family aboard and

for some reason can't access the Webcam (it is just

black) and I do want to know what the weather is like.

Hi, coolgran:

 

Cunard recently changed the web address where they host the webcams for the QM2 and the QV. Your best bet is to go to this webpage:

 

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Mary-2/Bridge-Web-Cam/

 

As this will give you both the QM2 webcam image and the ship's location on a map.

[Mister Chicken]

Keep your posts coming. I have family aboard and

for some reason can't access the Webcam (it is just

black) and I do want to know what the weather is like.

In any case I am enjoying your post.

 

Coolgran

 

Coolgran,

The weather can be found here: www (dot) (sea) (scanner) (dot) com (slash) schiffsposition.php?schiff=Queen+Mary+2

 

Boy, it is not easy to paste a web link here, is it? BTW sea scanner should be one word.

[capnpugwash]

Update No 25

 

I went to the 2nd Maxtone-Graham lecture this afternoon and it was concentrated on the night that the Titanic foundered. He had spoken to 3 of the survivors and he regaled another full house with an hours worth of really great stories.

 

It is now 6.15pm the temperature is 55/13 degrees. The wind has strengthened to a force 6 and the sea is slightly rougher, so the ship is rocking and rolling a bit which is I prefer. Our speed has reduced to 20 knots so I think we have lost the Gulf Stream and have sailed 1019 nautical miles and are past Newfoundland so we will start our great circle route later this evening. I believe that we have already passed the resting place of the Titanic, phew!

 

Tonight is our second formal evening and there is no Ball scheduled.

 

More later.

[Maryandi]

Just catching up on all your updates and wish we were still onboard. Talking about the pigeons reminds me of the officer on the loudspeaker who could not get thru a report without laughing !! He must have been new and was being 'razzed' by the staff.

 

I see the cool, weather has continued - we are down home in Florida now and the AC is not working !! Now we are remembering the heat which we never saw on our UK trip and the transatlantic on the QM2.

 

Very nice to have met you at the Cruise Critic Meet, hope we bump into each other again - glad to read your updates.

 

All the best, MaryAnn

[RJChatsworth]

Not wishing to hog the Cap'n's thread but merely to add to his experiences. Over a splendid dinner this evening aboard QM2 I couldn't help overhearing a conversation on an adjoining table.

 

It was a conversation between an English couple and an American couple. Bearing in mind Americans generally give the impression that everything they own is big - and they are usually right - the Americans said they came from Florida and had a boat. The English couple skirted around the question of the boat for a long time and then plucked up the courage to ask the question, "What kind of boat is it"? The Americans said it was big but now it is radio-controlled!

 

The recession must be biting in Florida!!

[sfbearcat]

Hello Capt.... I love the transatlantics also and have done nine of them and one back to back out of New York .. though with this new slower schedule and fewer transatlantic there's only one choice now per year for North Americans to do one from New York.. I see that you keep mentioning the slower speeds as you are happy they were actually doing 23 kn!!. I'm booked on the October 23 Crossing out of New York and have not experienced the seven day so I'm a little worried a lot of the exhilarating experiences of traveling at 28 kn are now gone.. I like to sit down on deck 2 and 3 forward and watch the waves splash against the window at 28 kn I suppose that's all gone and replaced with a flat cruiseship calm ..Though I had better get used to because looks like is the new standard as next year schedules are also 7 day crossings... I doubt they're much worried about the smaller group of passengers that want a faster crossing if the ships are still full and they're saving fuel expenses and charging more!!

[Salacia]

I won't tolerate bad manners. What if that person had decided to set elsewhere? You woul be waiting all night.

 

Unfortunately, I can guess what nationality they are.

 

10 mins max and then order. I would also tell that person in quite clear language as to what they had done wrong.

 

I wouldmnever, ever be late.

 

Rosler, I appreciate your feelings regarding proper manners. But I don't understand how you can guess what nationality the latecomer/s were based on the information given.

 

Personally, I would not presume to tell anyone arriving 10 minutes late for dinner "what they had done wrong".

 

From my personal experience on QM2, there is a long line waiting for the doors to open for the MDR in late seating (I've never experienced the first seating, so I don't know if the same situation exists.) Having no fondest for waiting on long lines, I usually arrive 10 minutes after the doors to the MDR (exceptions noted for Captain's table or Hosted Tables). I hope that practice is acceptable: if not for staggered arrival, the long chow lines will completely strangle the elevator (lift) area which is a hazzard.

 

I'm happy for you that you are quite certain that you would never be late, but sometimes for us mere mortals, the fates interviene. If I were seated at a table for six (unhosted table) I would not consider it rude for my fellow passengers to be seated within 10 to 15 minutes after the doors of the MDR opened. Perhaps I am mistaken on this, and if so, I would appreciate correction. Thank you.

 

Regards,

Salacia

[AussieVoyager]

It should also be borne in mind that sometimes lateness, or even non-appearance, at dinner is unavoidable. On our last voyage my wife was taken ill in the afternoon one day, necessitating a visit to the medical centre and consequently we were not at dinner. Our companions saw that we were not there (without knowing why) and simply went ahead and ordered. I would not have been happy if they had taken this as "rudeness" on our part and castigated us for our "bad manners"!

[capnpugwash]

It should also be borne in mind that sometimes lateness, or even non-appearance, at dinner is unavoidable. On our last voyage my wife was taken ill in the afternoon one day, necessitating a visit to the medical centre and consequently we were not at dinner. Our companions saw that we were not there (without knowing why) and simply went ahead and ordered. I would not have been happy if they had taken this as "rudeness" on our part and castigated us for our "bad manners"!

 

I think that perhaps both you and Salacia may be reading my position wrongly, if a table member was ill then obviously that would never be construed as rudeness. Regarding late arrivals, everyone including hosted tables are subject to the doors in Britannia being opened late. I agree that a ten minute window is fine but double that is not, or it should be accompanied by an apology and perhaps an explanation.

[AussieVoyager]

My apologies capn - I wasn't referring to your position. You come across in your posts as a most gracious table companion. I had been reading other posters' comments which I thought revealed a rather harsh and inflexible attitute, and it was those I was responding to.

 

I'm getting some vicarious enjoyment by reading your posts - I have to wait until next February to be on QM2 and the accounts of your journeys keep me going in the meantime. Bon voyage!

[rosler28]

My apologies capn - I wasn't referring to your position. You come across in your posts as a most gracious table companion. I had been reading other posters' comments which I thought revealed a rather harsh and inflexible attitute, and it was those I was responding to.

 

I'm getting some vicarious enjoyment by reading your posts - I have to wait until next February to be on QM2 and the accounts of your journeys keep me going in the meantime. Bon voyage!

 

Probably my comments. I totally agree with you and the Capt does appear to be an excellent table companion and hopefully so am I.

 

My impression here is that the Capt is on a hosted table and one of the guests has been late on 2 different occasions, the 2nd occasion extremely late. Both times no apology or excuse was offered.

 

I am only a novice cruiser with only 2 trips under my belt, that will change next week when I'm on the QM2 :)

[Salacia]

My apologies capn - I wasn't referring to your position. You come across in your posts as a most gracious table companion. I had been reading other posters' comments which I thought revealed a rather harsh and inflexible attitute, and it was those I was responding to.

 

I'm getting some vicarious enjoyment by reading your posts - I have to wait until next February to be on QM2 and the accounts of your journeys keep me going in the meantime. Bon voyage!

 

Cap, I echo Aussie Voyager's response. I believe we were both responding to others posts regarding arrival time in the MDR.

 

Just as an aside, I made a distinction regarding delayed arrival at the Captian's table or Hosted table vs other tables in the MDR.

 

Anyone accepting an invitation to the Captains's table has about 5 minutes grace - Any later than 5 minutes is inconsiderate because the Captain will not take his/her seat at the table until all the guests are seated at the table. But that is only from my limited experience, please correct me if I am mistaken. Regards, -S.

[cunardqueen]

Anyone accepting an invitation to the Captains's table has about 5 minutes grace - Any later than 5 minutes is inconsiderate because the Captain will not take his/her seat at the table until all the guests are seated at the table. But that is only from my limited experience, please correct me if I am mistaken. Regards, -S.

 

It was normal practice on the hosted tables for the guests to arrive and be seated at the table and when all were present the MTD would then advise the host by whatever means that his guests were seated and ready, and the host would arrive to find his table ready and waiting.

Is was manners for the guests to arrive when the doors opened and usually by 8.40pm all was well. If by chance they are waiting on one person to arrive the menus will have been handed out and the taking of orders slowed down till the last guest arrives. But they will only wait so long.

 

Manners would dictate that any guest arriving later would have offered some explanation.

 

Of course that was in the days of QE2......

[Coolgran]

Hi, coolgran:

 

Cunard recently changed the web address where they host the webcams for the QM2 and the QV. Your best bet is to go to this webpage:

 

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Mary-2/Bridge-Web-Cam/

 

As this will give you both the QM2 webcam image and the ship's location on a map.

 

Thank you. I tried this but still only got June 10th

picture in the dark off New York.

 

Coolgran

[capnpugwash]

Update No 26

 

It is ironic really because everyone was late to dinner this evening, the man from last night was there by 8.40 and 4 of the others were there by 8.45, that left the American couple who by around 8.55 we were about to give up on. They arrived running; they had neglected to advance their clocks last night so they were operating an hour behind the ship’s time all day. They were so embarrassed by the events that you have to make allowances.

 

The dinner was very nice and I took the Americans up to the Commodore Club where they had never been. We had a couple of cocktails and called it a night. I walked back along the deck but the moon was totally obscured tonight so I didn’t get my award winning picture as I would have last night. I always have my camera with me on board and this only shows the value of doing so.

 

I almost got back to my cabin but decided that I should go and visit G32, I spent just over half an hour there, the DJ was playing some reasonable music but there were not many customers there. This seems to be endemic on this crossing as the bars are very quiet except for the 20 minutes before second sitting dinner. The ship is quite full I believe, with over 2500 passengers on board so I don’t pretend to understand why. It may be connected to the loss of an hour each night, the age of the passengers doesn’t seem any greater than normal, but whatever the reason is, it results in very quiet bars. I got to bed at about 2am but then I had to adjust the clocks forward by an hour so it became 3am!

 

Today is Monday June 13th and it is 7.30am. We have a strong force 6 breeze blowing from the North West. The barometer is falling and it is a quite chilly 48/9 degrees, the sea remains moderate and we are progressing at 22 knots.

 

It is ironic really because everyone was late to dinner this evening, the man from last night was there by 8.40 and 4 of the others were there by 8.45, that left the American couple who by around 8.55 we were about to give up on. They arrived running; they had neglected to advance their clocks last night so they were operating an hour behind the ship’s time all day. They were so embarrassed by the events that you have to make allowances.

 

The dinner was very nice and I took the Americans up to the Commodore Club where they had never been. We had a couple of cocktails and called it a night. I walked back along the deck but the moon was totally obscured tonight so I didn’t get my award winning picture as I would have last night. I always have my camera with me on board and this only shows the value of doing so.

 

I almost got back to my cabin but decided that I should go and visit G32, I spent just over half an hour there, the DJ was playing some reasonable music but there were not many customers there. This seems to be endemic on this crossing as the bars are very quiet except for the 20 minutes before second sitting dinner. The ship is quite full I believe, with over 2500 passengers on board so I don’t pretend to understand why. It may be connected to the loss of an hour each night, the age of the passengers doesn’t seem any greater than normal, but whatever the reason is, it results in very quiet bars. I got to bed at about 2am but then I had to adjust the clocks forward by an hour so it became 3am!

 

Today is Monday June 13th and it is 7.30am. We have a strong force 6 breeze blowing from the North West. The barometer is falling and it is a quite chilly 48/9 degrees, the sea remains moderate and we are progressing at 22 knots.

 

Maxtone-Graham part 3 takes place this morning at 10am so I am heading to the Britannia restaurant for some eggs Benedict as a treat. I am also going to Todd English again for lunch today with lady with whom I had breakfast yesterday, so that should be fun. What these two events do however is to totally throw my usual routine into disorder, I will have to go to the spa this afternoon following lunch. That might prove to be a good thing though.

 

More later.

[Underwatr]

Thank you. I tried this but still only got June 10th

picture in the dark off New York.

 

Coolgran

Looks like I had a similar problem as I just had Sunday evening's photo - clear your cache (shift+reload or shift+F5 might work with your browser) and see if that helps.

[Lady Hudson]

Jim - love reading your reports -- brings back many memories! I am starting the last week of school and then just two weeks until I board. Look forward to seeing you on the 6th or 7th of July. Katherine

[philayl]

Thank you. I tried this but still only got June 10th

picture in the dark off New York.

 

Coolgran

Try using the page refresh at the top of the screen.;)

[moniquet]

Beggars belief that a couple could be running an hour behind ships time all day:confused: Are they old? Perhaps they don't go to any events lectures etc.

[capnpugwash]

Beggars belief that a couple could be running an hour behind ships time all day:confused: Are they old? Perhaps they don't go to any events lectures etc.

 

I must agree but they are only mid 60s

 

Update No 27

 

The lecture was excellent this morning and contained a wealth of information and pictures of a large number of old liners; it did become apparent that Mr M-G has a long held dislike of walkers and joggers on the promenade decks, a view which I am able to fully support.

Last night I was talking to a couple and a solo man in the Chart Room, from their conversation it was clear that they all have dogs on board in the kennels, the couple have a 50 lb retriever for which they have a double kennel, whereas the man has two miniature greyhounds in a single kennel. The cost of a kennel for the 7 day crossing is $500 each which compared to the costs associated with boarding kennels is quite attractive. The hidden costs and hassle is the documentation required to ship a pet. They need to be chipped, examined, inoculated and have their own passports issued to verify their identity and health. This takes over 6 months to arrange and apparently costs well in excess of $1500 per animal and it is only valid for a few months after which it has to be done again.

The couple went to walk their dog and the man stayed to chat, he blithely told me that he lives in New York and his wife has a dog wardrobe which contains more clothes than he possesses. Apparently these dogs are so skinny and hairless that they have to be wrapped up less they catch some nasty chill. It doesn’t necessarily surprise me that ladies pamper their pooches but it certainly amazed me that he would admit to doing so without any hint of embarrassment.

Walking back from Illuminations after the lecture, I heard the unmistakeable dulcet tones of Dr Ruth Westheimer emanating from the Theatre; she is a psychosexual therapist, which is not exactly a title that rolls off the tongue. Strangely enough she is pushing her latest book and will gladly sign one for all purchasers in the library after the show. Isn’t that nice of her!

The weather is unchanged but the sea is now classified as rough, which meant that walking back along deck 3 was spectacular with the deep troughs of the dark grey Atlantic rolling past the windows. The sea is covered with white horses charging gallantly in front of the wind and the waves are about 12 feet. Our speed is 21 knots.

More later.

[ColumbiaSC]

Capnpugwash,

 

In all seriousness, do you think it is at all possible to have myself registered and passported as a dog? I am not talking about a gender change, as I do not wish to be a bitch. But to have someone pay my fare and to buy my costumes and to put me up in an Inside cabin and to inquire about my welfare on a daily basis sounds like the chance of a lifetime on a Cunard ship. Please make inquiries of your new acquaintances. Put me down as a Chinese Pug.

 

Lord Kay of Shandon.