Live from the RCOA - on QM2

[capnpugwash]

I'm not sure that is correct as far as food goes, Cap'n. I have seen them load perishables on in other ports - specifically Cape Town and, while I didn't see it come on, we were certainly consuming Japanese diary products on the WC 2010 long after Japan.

 

I thought that it was bizarre to say the least but my source was the F & B Manager on QM2 and he went so far as to say that the produce loaded in Singapore is shipped by refrigerated container to that port from New York. I queried it after he told me and he was adamant that this is the best way for them to ensure that the quality is maintained. It made no sense but also made perfect sense.

[missfrankiecat]

I thought that it was bizarre to say the least but my source was the F & B Manager on QM2 and he went so far as to say that the produce loaded in Singapore is shipped by refrigerated container to that port from New York. I queried it after he told me and he was adamant that this is the best way for them to ensure that the quality is maintained. It made no sense but also made perfect sense.

 

Interesting. It could be true so far as items I have seen being loaded in different ports 'could' have been shipped there to be loaded, although it would make little economic sense. However, I find it hard to believe that cartons of milk etc clearly marked in Japanese (which we were drinking in South Africa and South America) had come from anywhere but there. I suppose they may have had a 'milk emergency' and had to buy in extras!

[Whitemarsh]

Well it's been a very contrasting day. In my last post we were having breakfast in our room as the tour to the Great Barrier Reef commenced at 7:45am and the Princess Grill opened for breakfast this morning at 7:30am. Breakfast was nice, I had some All-Bran and Robin ordered some danish pastries and toast. The pastries and toast are wrapped in napkins so they stay hot. The room service attendant brings a tablecloth with them and places it over our little coffee table before putting the breakfast tray down. It's a very picturesque breakfast as we look out at the view of Arlie beach and the surrounding blue waters and forest filled mountains. It's very tropical and it's very pretty. There are little boats coming up alongside for a view of QM2. I believe this is the first time she's been to Airlie Beach so no wonder the locals are coming out to have a look.

 

For each tour we booked we received our tour tickets on the second day at sea (from memory). In addition to that we seem to get letters from the tour desk about the upcoming tours that we're on, they are usually about last minute changes. For example our Kakadu Scenic Flight tour from Darwin is now leaving at an earlier time due to the QM2 needing to leave Darwin at 4pm. We've received a letter from the tour desk reminding us to be outside the Royal Court theatre, starboard side on deck 3 at 7:45am. So we make our way there at about 7:40 am. On the way I run through the casino looking for the ATM I remember being there on my last voyage. This time however I cannot find it so perhaps it is gone. The Royal Court Theatre is quickly filling up and we sit at the front and then stand at the back. William (the Scottish gentleman from the FOD meetings) arrives in his custom made outfit. It's very similar to the big coats that Saudi Arabian men wear. It's certainly going to keep the sun off, and keep William cool, although William reports he's already received a few looks.

 

Soon enough the tour starts and we make our way down to the catamaran that is taking us to the pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef. We go the same way (but in reverse) that we did when we embarked in Sydney. Our cards are swiped as we leave this ship and we step into the catamaran and make our way to the top deck. It's amazing looking at the QM2 from such a comparatively small boat. QM2 is huge, and so elegant, but she nonetheless seems to fit right in to her tropical surroundings. Looking up I can see passengers on deck, and on their balconies, watching the proceedings below. It's rather a long wait until we get away. I see Kathy from the RCOA roll-call and we chat about cruises and Cruise Critic. Robin and I are seated next to William and a woman from his previous allocated table. William and the lady (Sharon) are talking about William's recent decision to get moved from the table. They both agree that the correct etiquette is to let your old table mates know that you have moved to another table - even if your old table mates are the cause - just make something up. William has a good excuse he shares with the rest of us, "Just tell them that you've discovered you have friends onboard from a previous cruise and that you simply must dine with them". He reminds me of 'Dear Mary' from 'The Spectator' .

 

Eventually we get underway and there is much waving to the people on decks. I don't know why, I have no idea who they are, it's just something we do. There is also plenty of opportunities for some great shots of the ship. It looks like it's going to be a pleasant two hours out to the reef, the water is a bright blue and the surrounding islands appear pristine & untouched by man. One of the tour staff comes up to us and does a safety explanation and layout of the catamaran. He asks if anyone has any illnesses and one man volunteers one. After this the man is asked a series of questions and he is advised to stay near the boat when snorkelling and he will also receive a special snorkel tour.

 

Everything goes swimmingly until we reach open water. Suddenly this pleasant catamaran ride out to the pontoon has taken a turn for the worse. The sea is rough and the waves cause the catamaran to toss and turn like you wouldn't believe. I start to feel sick, as do plenty of others from the looks on everyone's faces. I try to stare at the horizon but it's no good, I can feel the sickness coming on. Robin is feeling unwell and Sharon next to me is not a happy camper and even Kathy looks slightly unwell. William however is fine, which makes me rather envious. How do these people not get sick? All of a sudden there is a commotion at the front of the ship on the top deck, staff are moving towards a lady who's been taken ill. One staff member instructs another to go and get sick bags and pass them around. As the staff assist this lady one of them comes and places the clear plastic sick bag into the bin. Oh great, that's just what I didn't need to see. Robin announces he is sick and heads downstairs. I remain for another ten minutes but eventually I know I have to find a bathroom. I go down to the next deck and then the next looking for a bathroom. I eventually find one and well, you can guess the rest. When I eventually exit the bathroom and go inside the main deck of the catamaran I encounter scenes of despair. Robin is sitting on the floor under the cafeteria counter looking like he's going to die. Catamaran staff are rushing around handing out sick bags and cold compresses to the passengers. One man is being fanned by a staff member with a brochure. I sit/fall onto the ground next to Robin and am sick again. A staff member gives me a new sick bag and a cold compress. Meanwhile the boat is still being tossed around like a toy. "How much longer?" Robin asks a staff member. "40 minutes" they reply. It's almost too much to bear. Eventually I fall asleep on Robin and wake up as we enter calm waters near the reef. I cannot believe that this has been the start to the day. Why were we not told to expect this? I have travel sickness tablets in our suite - we would have happily taken them if we'd been advised. Anyway, it's done now - at least until we have to go home. Please don't think I'm exaggerating when I tell you that at least a quarter of the boat at least was unwell in some form and a large number were sick like we were. The staff were rushing around like they were in an E.R handing out sickbays and what not. Not a good start to the day.

 

We crawl (not literally, but nearly) off the boat and onto the pontoon. Drinking water makes me feel better and we go down to the end of the pontoon to collect our snorkelling gear. We are given an all over body suit to wear (even the hands and feet) as well as flippers, a mask and a breather. As you can imagine everyone looks so fetching in the blue and pink body suits (blue for boys and pink for girls). We walk down the stairs onto a diving platform that is a little submerged. I ease myself into the water and put my head under. Underneath the water are all these tropical fish with colouring that is electric and almost supernatural. It's amazing. Robin gets in and we make our way out to the reef area which is roped off by a ring of ropes. It's a large area with plenty of room for everyone to snorkel. I look around and can't see Robin, he's making his way back to the pontoon that's why. For some reason the whole breathing through a tube freaks him out and he decides not to snorkel after all. Leaving him to get changed I snorkel out to the reef. The reef is amazing and the fish are too. The colours of both are so vivid and I am startled when a large turtle swims my way. I watch him for a while then snorkel off to find other things to look at. I see a huge clam-like thing that is vividly coloured in purple & black with highlights of gold. It's stunning. Some young guys are swimming underwater and through a hole in the reef and coming out of another opening. I watch them for a while thinking that they are very foolhardy. Oh well, I probably would have done the same when I was their age.

 

Tiring of the snorkelling I make my way back to the diving platform and get out. After drying off we discuss whether we should have lunch. I think I will have some, as breakfast disappeared as well you know. We make our way back to the catamaran to have lunch. I am amazed to see people that were sick on the trip over helping themselves to huge plates of food from the buffet. Simply amazing. All I feel like is some fried onions and a sausage. Whilst eating we listen to some American ladies who are seated next to us. They have very interesting accents and I am particularly fascinated by the way this one lady pronounces the word 'air'. One woman looks a little bit like Lilly Tomlin.

 

Lunch finished we head back to the pontoon but not before we have purchased travel sickness medication from the shop on the catamaran. We wait in line to ride on the glass bottom boat. It's about a 30 minute wait but the ride is worth it. I can't figure out how the driver manages to avoid hitting the reef as we are so close. Later I find out that it's because the glass is magnified.

 

Glass-bottom boat ride over, we make our way back to the ship. This time we seat on bean-bag like chairs on the outside rear deck. The catamaran staff start to count the number of passengers and ask us to remain where we are so they don't double count. One man ignores them and makes his way back to his seat. The count is done twice, I don't know if that's normal process or was due to the man. Whilst the second count is underway a woman enters the outside deck, where we are, and upon seeing a particular woman goes up to her and shouts "What are you doing?". Everyone on the back deck stops talking and stares. "What are you doing?" the woman screams. "We were trying to find you". The other lady (an older lady) says something inaudible and the woman causing a ruckus realises she has an audience and starts to play it up. It's all very dramatic, and embarrassing. Who does that to someone they know? I feel sorry for the older lady.

 

Eventually we are underway. As we've taken seasickness tablets we're pretty confident we will be okay. A rather large man comes and sit's down opposite us. Well actually, he nearly sits on the woman next to him. She (it was the Lily Tomlin lookalike) and the younger (much) man next to her shuffle down. The rather large man appears to be in his thirties (and is traveling with his parents I am informed - but by whom I can't remember). As the waves start to get rough again, as we are back in open sea, the rather large man starts to look unwell. He goes a shade of white and starts to cough. Not wanting to be covered in projectile vomit, Robin and I move indoors. The rather large man follows us. For a brief moment we thought he was going to sit opposite us again but he makes his way to the middle of this ship and sits down. Sure enough, he starts to be sick. The staff run over and provide him with sick bags and a cold compress. Soon after others start to be sick too. Here we go again I think. Happily our tablets are working and we are simply observers to the carnage. A lot of these people I saw helping themselves to oversized servings of practically everything for lunch. I'm surprised they didn't think ahead that this might be the consequence. The large man eventually feels well enough to sit by himself.

 

Lunch is served. I am not hungry and I know you know why. However the rather large man is; I am astonished to see him standing in line at the buffet, he was being sick not fifteen minutes ago. Incredible.

 

I sleep for the rest of the trip back to the ship. Eventually QM2 is alongside and we make our way past the various checkpoints (which include having your room key swiped as well as walking through an x-ray and having your bags x-rayed) to our suite. Never have we felt so relieved to be back onboard. What a day, the snorkelling was great but the boat trip leaves a lot to be desired. I am exhausted. Robin orders some tea and I have a quick shower. I decide to use my Cunard bathrobe which is the right combination of soft & substance and has Cunard and the Cunard logo embossed in gold on the left chest area. Sitting out on the balcony looking at Arlie Beach is very relaxing.

 

We promised to meet William up at the FOD meeting in the Commodore Club so we head down there at 5pm. There is a fun crowd there today and the laughter is very infectious. The Commodore comes over the loudspeaker and announces that we're leaving and what distance we have to travel to reach Carins (Yorkeys Knob). I can hear these loud crashing noises - must be the anchor being raised. At the FOD we hear that the laundries are closed for the next three days whilst we in are protected water or something. You can still use the laundries to iron, but no washing. We are also relayed a story about a woman in Britannia who is doing the World Cruise. Apparently her opening remark when new table mates joined her in Sydney, and they asked her how the voyage had been so far, was "I hate this ship". It turns out that even though she hates this ship she booked the world cruise and has cruised three previous times on QM2. Apparently she's moaning about everything. According to one report, when the photographers came around she screamed "No photography here. No flash cameras. Go away, go away". How extraordinary. Her table mates asked to be moved and when she realised they were not coming back she apparently located their new table and made a point of standing near it and looking at them, so they would know that she knew what they had done. Talk about drama in the Britannia Restaurant.

 

Armed with the latest gossip we head back to our suite to get changed for dinner. It's elegant casual tonight so I elegantly dress casually. :) We are a little early for dinner so decide to have a drink in the Queens Grill lounge. Our preferred table is there and as we sit the couple in the next table nod and smile. It's nice when people do this. Our waitress in the Queens Grill lounge tonight is Katerina. She's lovely, such a contrast to 'attitude' man the day before. She discusses our day with us and recommends ginger beer which I order. It's very relaxing sitting there looking at the water. We discuss the Lily Tomlin lookalike lady and try to figure out the connection with the much younger man. He's not her son (we think) as he has an Australian accent and she is an American. Oh well, whatever, we're not going to figure it out unless we ask them. Which we don't plan to do.

 

We make our way into the Princess Grill at 7pm. The head waiter in our section chats with us on the runway about our respective days. He's had a lovely day in Airlie Beach catching up with friends. It sounds wonderful compared to ours. We are the first to arrive and are surprised to see that our table for six has been converted into a table for four. Robin and I discuss it and agree we'll give it a go. It turns out that I prefer it as it's easier to hear everyone. Jane prefers the table for six arrangement and Louise doesn't care either way. Jane arrives first and we tell her about our day. She's very sympathetic. We learn that she too has booked one of the spa packages and has multiple treatments lined up over the coming days. One of which is an Organic Seaweed Leaf wrap. I haven't had one of those and the table discuses the various pros & cons of the treatment. Louise arrives and we swap stories about our respective days. Both Louise & Jane have had a lovely day onboard relaxing. I'm slightly jealous. They inform us that whilst we were on tour the Commodore came over the loud speak and gave an address to the crew thanking them for their excellent response to the emergency drill the other day. He also acknowledged that the change in schedule (missing Mauritius) had impacted on having days off and some people had apparently worked through. The Commodore thanked them for this and advised that the Maritime authorities had given the ship the highest possible score in the recent emergency drill. This score is based on an American system apparently, it's very reassuring to hear that we are on a very safe ship.

 

Dinner is wonderful and the service excellent. I choose the 'Cornish crab meat and crayfish cocktail, tomato and avocado foam' for a starter and follow that with the 'Oven baked rack of Dartmoor lamb with anna potato, creamed spinach and rosemary lamb jus - both are from the Princess Grill a la carte menu. This lamb is presented to me at the table and then carved in the dining room by the head waiter. A waiter brings around a selection of cooked vegetables and places my selection on the plate; it's nice to be able to choose exactly what you want. The lamb is delicious. For dessert I choose the ice-cream from the standard menu as I'm feeling a little too delicate for a heavy dessert. Although not delicate enough to not to order a second helping :).

 

Jane leaves early to go and see a show. It's a singer by the name of Lorraine Brown. According to the daily programme, Lorraine used to be the lead singer of a band called "Romany Way' before it disbanded. I wonder if there is a Diana Ross and the Supremes thing going on. According to the daily programme this is not the case, it states "Having performed extensively around the world, the group disbanded allowing Lorraine the freedom to blossom into a highly polished solo performer destined for a dazzling career in stage." So there, no bad blood between Lorraine and her former bandmates then.

 

Louise, Robin and I remain and chat over tea and coffee. When you order tea or coffee the waiter puts the sugar on the table and some petits-fours. I point out the vast array of choice when it comes to sugar and sweeteners . On our table is a bowl of white sugar and a bowl with various other sugars and sweeteners. There is raw sugar, two different types of Equal (classic and non-classic), two different kinds of Splenda (of which the only difference is the packaging), one bag of Sweet' n Low and one bag of Canderel. I guess some people are very particular when it comes to their sugar/sweeteners. Robin leaves to do some shopping and Louise and I continue chatting until about 9:30 when we leave the restaurant and make our way back to our suites. Before we do we check out the staircase leading from deck 7 to deck 8. It's right next to the Princess Gill and there was cruise critic conversation about it a while back. We both agree it's quite well hidden and possibly that's why it's existence was called into question.

 

Tomorrow we arrive at Cairns. Our tours include a bus tour around Cairns and whitewater rafting. As I finish writing this, the sea conditions are slight and the ship is travelling at a speed of 21.2 kts. We are just south of Hinchinbrook Island and we will arrive in Cairns at 8:30am after having travelled the 144 nautical miles from our current position.

[Oahucruiser]

That was the best report yet - - so detailed. Not very comfortable at times for you but hilarious reading about others on the catamaran. I wish you were taking the whole world cruise so we would have over three months of this "blog." You should be a writer or perhaps you already are!!

[eratog2]

Three years ago I visited Australia and spent about four days in Cairns - we took a catamaran sail to the reef, and just the same as you, the journey was extremely rough! I couldn't believe it, I was expecting something much more sedate, but it really was worth it just to snorkel on one of the wonders of the world. One excursion we did, which I would thoroughly recommend to anybody is the skyrail rainforest cableway to Kuranda - this is a cable car ride that takes you over the rainforest canopy to a town called Kuranda, and then you can either cable ride back, return by coach, or, as we did, the steam train back down to Cairns - fabulous day out. We upgraded on the steam train to Gold class which reminded me very much of the Orient Express, and you were served drinks and a snack in wood panelled cars with luxurious seating. A fantastic day out, which I suppose is do-able in the day. :)

 

Thank you so much for your "blog", like others I am looking forward to each days update.

[Bell Boy]

Wow ! ...and my friends will always say to me, whenever I go away on cruises, ..... "What do you find to do, don't you ever get bored"

 

Bell Boy;)

Can't wait for the next instalment

[capnpugwash]

Three years ago I visited Australia and spent about four days in Cairns - we took a catamaran sail to the reef, and just the same as you, the journey was extremely rough! I couldn't believe it, I was expecting something much more sedate, but it really was worth it just to snorkel on one of the wonders of the world. One excursion we did, which I would thoroughly recommend to anybody is the skyrail rainforest cableway to Kuranda - this is a cable car ride that takes you over the rainforest canopy to a town called Kuranda, and then you can either cable ride back, return by coach, or, as we did, the steam train back down to Cairns - fabulous day out. We upgraded on the steam train to Gold class which reminded me very much of the Orient Express, and you were served drinks and a snack in wood panelled cars with luxurious seating. A fantastic day out, which I suppose is do-able in the day. :)

 

Thank you so much for your "blog", like others I am looking forward to each days update.

Quite an aptly named excursion then... :):eek::)

[eratog2]

Yup, sure is, and they have a facebook page under that name too :)

[bazzaw]

My recommendation to International visitors wanting to snorkel on the outer reef - is to do it from Cairns -- NOT the Whitsundays . The outer reef is closer in around Cairns - whereas it is a LONG way out from the Whitsundays .

 

The Whitsunday Islands area is famous for it's charter boat sailing . Why? -- because it is nearly always windy there !! :) The prevailing winds from the SE (onshore) are often/always strong - making for excellent sailing -- but not for excellent conditions to go out to the outer reef. What happened to Whitemarsh also happened to us on P&O Oriana in 2010. Indeed, on that day, I could plainly see what was going to happen and the tours should have been cancelled. There were a LOT of unhappy little vegemites when they returned to the ship. :D

 

Barry

[shinyshoes]

My recommendation to International visitors wanting to snorkel on the outer reef - is to do it from Cairns -- NOT the Whitsundays . The outer reef is closer in around Cairns - whereas it is a LONG way out from the Whitsundays .

Barry

 

 

Yes, we visited it from Cairns and had a super trip both ways. But we weren't on a cruise.

SS

[bazzaw]

Another "problem" with taking a ship's tour to the reef from the Whitsundays is that you are committed - regardless of how you find the weather to be. And the commitment is quite large financially. There are of course days in the Whitsundays when there is no wind - indeed we did a trip out to the outer reef on one of those days and it was wonderful. But, if you are doing a longer land tour of the area, you can pick your days and do that. When you arrive on a cruiseship just for one day , you have no choice and it is too late to cancel the ship's shore tour on the day.

 

Barry

[sanne]

We are having a wonderful time living through your report every day, Whitemarsh and look forward to meeting up with you and Robin in Fremantle. We thank you for taking the time to write about your day and sharing it with us.

[Pushka]

Thanks again Peter for your time in writing this.

 

It is unfortunate that the crew did not warn you to take seasickness medication. They should have. We experienced a similar situation from Hamilton Island but the crew made a message over the pa system but in English. The English speaking people on board took advantage of the proffered ginger tablets but the Japanese on board didn't. You know the rest. It is just like a domino effect. And yes, they too piled their plates at lunchtime while we, as always, ate sparingly. And two hours later, off they went again.

 

I do feel sorry for people who suffer seasickness even though I am lucky in that department. But I am claustrophobic so I do get other 'issues'.

 

It sounds like you have rebounded beautifully though!:D

 

Oh dear, I hope we don't get the trouble people in the Britannia. I think I would get a little upset if someone felt the need to move away from us on the table. And not sure if I could believe their reasoning if I was given one. But on a long trip your table mates could really give you the irrits if they weren't compatible so I understand. But I hope we will be tolerable to most people. :)

[Westaussie]

Sorry to read about the catamaran ride. We went to the reef from Cairns which was a bit rough but sadly it was a very cloudy day which does not help show the reef in all it's glory.

[jcruizer]

Thanks for your wonderful report. I am also living through your cruise while I wait for my next one...

 

"I believe this is the first time she's been to Airlie Beach so no wonder the locals are coming out to have a look".

I was on Queen Mary 2 in the Whitsundays (Airlie Beach) in 2010, so it has sailed there already. People are always keen and curious to see her...

 

What a interesting day you both had there. The highs and lows all in one day...:)

[jcruizer]

http://www.cairnscam.info/

 

Is this QM2???

[bazzaw]

Hmmm - that webcam seems to be at Palm Cove - which is about 7-8 klms north of Yorkeys Knob (where the ships usually anchor and tender ashore to the Yorkeys Knob yacht club)

 

When we landed at Yorkeys Knob on P&O Oriana , I was surprised at the number of Brits who did not avail themselves of the hospitality of the Yacht Club (right at the tender/Cairns shuttle drop off point) . A VERY pleasant outlook overlooking the yacht harbour - good food and very cold beeer!! I think that they were not aware of how private clubs work here in Australia - as long as you are not a local (in which case you have to join the club), you can go in as a visitor (just sign yourself in) :) .

 

Barry

[Leucothea]

Thanks again Peter for your time in writing this.

 

It is unfortunate that the crew did not warn you to take seasickness medication. They should have. We experienced a similar situation from Hamilton Island but the crew made a message over the pa system but in English. The English speaking people on board took advantage of the proffered ginger tablets but the Japanese on board didn't. You know the rest. It is just like a domino effect. And yes, they too piled their plates at lunchtime while we, as always, ate sparingly. And two hours later, off they went again.

 

I do feel sorry for people who suffer seasickness even though I am lucky in that department. But I am claustrophobic so I do get other 'issues'.

 

It sounds like you have rebounded beautifully though!:D

 

 

Could it be that passengers are not warned to take seasickness pills because they don't want people on these meds while snorkeling? They do make you drowsey, which could possibly be dangerous for some under those conditions.

[Pushka]

Could it be that passengers are not warned to take seasickness pills because they don't want people on these meds while snorkeling? They do make you drowsey, which could possibly be dangerous for some under those conditions.

The crew on the big catamarans only offer ginger tablets which other than making your stomach curiously warm, don't make you drowsy. So they are perfectly safe. But yes, the drowsy ones would be quite dangerous.

[Leucothea]

The crew on the big catamarans only offer ginger tablets which other than making your stomach curiously warm, don't make you drowsy. So they are perfectly safe. But yes, the drowsy ones would be quite dangerous.

 

Ginger never works for me. Does it actually work for some people? If I were to take that catamaran trip, I would need the real deal or not go at all. Otherwise, there must be a better way to get there. They must know people are going to be sick; unless it's not usually that rough.

[Pushka]

Ginger never works for me. Does it actually work for some people? If I were to take that catamaran trip, I would need the real deal or not go at all. Otherwise, there must be a better way to get there. They must know people are going to be sick; unless it's not usually that rough.

 

Unfortunately the times I have been, it isn't exactly rough but the combo of the catamaran and slightly choppy seas invariably causes seasickness in those prone to it. I think there are non drowsy items out there, but the crew perhaps wouldnt be allowed to dispense them as they need to come from a pharmacy. We have pretty strict laws in Australia. And there is no other way out into the middle of the reef. Maybe helicopter?:D

 

I take ginger but on the other hand I don't get seasick.

[Whitemarsh]

Thanks to those people I know are enjoying the blog. :)

 

Well today we arrived at Yorkeys Knob and woke up at 8:30. Our first tour today was 'Leisurely Cairns' and we had to meet at the Royal Court Theatre at 8:45. As you can imagine there was a mad rush to get ready. Packing for two tours made it a little difficult (the second one booked today was whitewater rafting) but we managed it in twenty minutes and were down at the theatre at 8:50. Because we were late were given a sticker for the last tender for the Cunard shore tours in the morning. Apparently there was some holdup with the tendering process and we didn't leave the theatre until 9:30. We took the stairs down to one of the tendering rooms - this one was at the front of the ship unlike yesterdays which was at the back. There were quarantine people walking around and a lady with a sniffer dog was also present. The sniffer dog walked up and down the line but made no reaction until he passed a lady in a wheelchair with a backpack attached to her chair. He sniffed the backpack and put his paw on it. This is apparently the signal to search the bag which the quarantine lady did. We didn't get to see if there was any 'contraband' in the bag as the line progressed forward and we boarded the tender.

 

Sitting up on the top we had a great view of the ship and the surrounding waters. Soon enough the tender was underway and we were bouncing along to the waves to the shore. The tender took about 30 minutes to reach the shore but already I was starting to feel a little sunburnt on my face. Even though I was wearing a hat I pretty sure the sun was reflecting off the orange top of the tender boat. In any case we reached the shore and disembarked. At Yorkeys Knob there is a yacht club (or similar) with lots of sailing boats tied up at the docks. People were milling around the foreshore taking pictures of QM2 out in the bay. We boarded the bus for our first tour 'Leisurely Cairns'. The bus driver was nice and kept a constant flow of information going about Cairns. We drove first to some bayside area which is apparently quite popular, even though they have to have an enclosed swimming area for crocodiles as they are present in waters off the beach. We are told that even with the enclosure present they still need to check it for crocodiles first before opening it up for swimming. It's nice but not terribly exciting. Next on our journey is a botanical garden. At this point we realise we are driving back the same way we came and so take the opportunity to have a sleep. We're woken when we arrive at the botanical gardens. I am quite sure these gardens would place quite well in a contest of the world's most boring botanical gardens. Truly, there is nothing to see or do here but have a 'comfort break'. Did you all know that that's the new terminology for having a toilet break. It's what they're starting to call them at work.

 

Bored out of our minds we stand next to the bus hoping the driver will take the hint and let us back onboard to sleep. Thankfully he does and we're soon snoozing away. The next destination is the industrial area of Cairns. We look at a sugar holding pen and a boat yard. It's was so exciting that I used up all the space on my digital camera - not. Then it was off to the town centre. As I looked down at the ground for a second I unfortunately missed it and so can't provide you with the detailed description that I'm sure it deserves. The bus driver stopped at some esplanade and we were given the opportunity to get off and look at a swimming pool. Having seen a swimming pool before, we choose to stay on the bus.

 

At long last this boring tour came to an end. It certainly was leisurely I'll give it that. If you ever visit Cairns you'll take my advice and avoid the town centre tours and do something else.

 

When we arrived back at the docks we had 45 minutes to burn whilst we waited for the next tour. We sat in the yacht club(or similar) and waited. I noticed that all the waitresses were very young and very pretty. The one male staff member I saw wasn't very young or very pretty. Have you ever been to a pub etc that has one of these unofficial hiring policies? After a while you do notice it.

 

Finally 13:45 arrives and we board our new bus for our whitewater rafting expedition. We're told it will only take 15 minutes to reach the Tully river. On the bus we're given forms to fill out to indemnify the tour company should anything happen. Our two tour guides remind me of the main characters from 'Bill & Ted's excellent adventure'. They are totally narly dude. When we reach the river we're told to change into our 'wet' clothes and put on our helmets and lifejackets. We are divided into groups and our group is the first to make it's way down the hill to the riverbed. When we arrive we are each given an oar and asked to help the guide for the raft (Johnny) get the raft into the water. We're asked to take a seat which we do. The raft pushes out onto the little lake and we're given some short lessons on 'forward paddling' and 'backwards paddling'. Robin and I are seated at the front and we are told to synchronise our rowing strokes and for everyone else to follow us.

 

After a few practice runs we head off. As you sit on the side of the raft and lean forward to paddle it quickly becomes obvious that this is very uncomfortable. My back is starting to hurt and I'm getting a headache. As a group we try to paddle but it's quickly evident that things aren't working out. Johnny gets us to swap and demotes Robin and I back to the middle row. He's right in doing this as all of a sudden we do seem to be able to paddle as a team and get it together. Behind us are about 5 other boats. We keep paddling our way down the river and for the most part the rapids are not too difficult to navigate. This stretch of the river is a 2 & 3 in terms of difficulty. 1 is the easiest and 6 is the hardest. We come up to a rapid that is difficult, difficult enough to have a name. It's called chicken neck for some reason. We manage to traverse it with relative ease but the next raft through tips over and dumps the people into the river. This is pretty serious as someone could get hurt on rock or something. The guides quickly launch into action and secure the upturned raft. They also throw ropes to those people that are floating down the river. Shortly the raft and it's passengers are all secured. I'm glad it didn't happen to us.

 

Once everyone is settled we continue on our journey down the river. There are moments when we are not paddling and the sound of the rainforest becomes omnipresent. It truly is beautiful. At one section of the river we're invited by our guide to jump in for a swim. Everyone else on the boat jumps in but I decline indicating I'll stay on the boat. Undeterred the guide upends the boat and tips me into the water. At first I'm annoyed but then I realise he's done me a favour. The water is lovely and warm and it's very refreshing. It seems to make my headache and back pain go away. Back in the raft we continue onto the final leg which is paddling a rather long distance into winds going the other way. This tour sure is a workout. It's pretty hard. Eventually we reach our destination and jump out of the raft. I expected that we would leave the raft there but we are informed by Johnny that we need to help him carry it up to the car park. This raft is not light. With three of us on each side we make it half way up the hill before taking a break and then swapping sides so we can use our other arms. When we reach the top of hill there is a pole in the middle of the footpath blocking our way. Johnny tells us we have to carry the raft on our heads. I think he's joking but it turned out that he was deadly serious. So the 7 of us picked this raft up and put it on our heads, got it past the pole and place it on the back of the van. Talk about hard labour, I wasn't expecting that.

 

We get changed in the change rooms and view the photos that were taken of our whitewater rafting. As I'm pretty sure I won't be doing this again I purchase the pictures as a memento. After waiting for what seemed like forever we're back on the bus and heading back to the dock. At this point we are exhausted. I will never book two tours in one day again, it's too much.

 

We reach the dock and after having our room key card swiped are directed to a catamaran instead of the vendors. Memories from yesterday flash across my mind but as we're not heading into open water I don't give it any further thought. Whilst waiting for the boat to leave I check out Cruise Critic on my mobile. I am surprised, and yet not surprised (considering the individuals involved) at the carry-on regarding the style and content of this blog. Apparently I'm breaching a confidence when I reveal that Louise had mussels and said that they were "delicious". Supposedly, Jane would be horrified to learn that I had described her outfit for the cocktail ball as 'fab'. And if I record that the ladies tell me about the Commodore's announcement whilst I was on a tour, this too is a breach of their confidence - according to some. Truly bizarre.

 

Upon arriving at the boat we make our way back to our suite and collapse on the bed. It's about 17:45 and our agreed dinner time is at seven. We had discussed on the catamaran over whether we would go to dinner or not and decided to have it in our suite. But, after having a shower (and remembering that we'd requested crepes suzette tonight) we decide to dress elegantly casual and rock up to the Princess Grill.

 

Jane is the first to arrive and she is eager to hear about our day. I let her know that it was nowhere near as interesting as yesterday. She asks if we had a rough tender ride back to the ship. We reply no and say we came back on a catamaran. Jane tells us that apparently the tender rides around midday were very rough and quite a number of people got seasick. That would explain the catamaran rides in the afternoon then. Louise arrives and is disappointed to hear that our day wasn't as interesting as yesterday. Louise & Jane both had a relaxing day onboard today.

 

It seems that five days of rich food is catching up with us all. I've noticed the ladies start to restrict their ordering to salads and fish and decide to follow in their footsteps. For starter I have the beef consume with herbed pancake strips followed by a fish dish which I momentarily forget. Louise orders the dover sole and Jane has a salad. Jane makes a particular request for the next couple of days and is told this is no problem by the waiter. He says "you can have anything you want as long as it's not an elephant sandwich." This is what being in the Grills is all about. As I haven't eaten all day I'm not that hungry and only finish half of my main. After the mains are cleared the head waiter arrives to start preparing the crepes suzette. It's great fun to watch him at work and the table goes silent whilst he prepares the dish. It really is delicious (if a little too much alcohol for my liking) and I'm glad I requested it for the table. Jane makes a comment about everyone looking so nice and we both agree that each and every night the vast majority of people really make an effort. It's nice to see and we both agree that we like this about Cunard. Once again the food and service is wonderful. It will be very hard to come back to reality after this voyage.

 

Remember I told you about walking through G32 to find Vibz playing to an audience of four people sitting down. Well at dinner I'm informed that the entertainment director also noticed this and urged the crowd in the theatre on the following night to visit G32. Apparently this plea had no effect and the following night there were only two people in G32 listening to Vibz. I don't know whether they were seated or dancing. The things you hear at dinner.

 

Dinner finishes at around 21:00 and we make our way back to our suites. Robin decides to look at the photos we've had taken and we end up purchasing a photo package of 10 photos for $150 and a Cunard photo album for $99. I don't recall seeing the album on our previous voyage, it's very nice looking. On the way back to our suite we stop into the shops to have a look at the merchandise. Whilst walking through Sir Samuel's I see a lady wearing sunglasses - inside, at night. I remember seeing her during a walk on the promenade deck and she was wearing the sunglasses then as well (but that's perfectly normal as it's during the day). I wonder if she's a celebrity. I dimly remember someone saying something to me about her but I can't remember what.

 

In the shop we purchase a number of memorabilia. The guy behind the counter is very polite and professional and reminds me of the personalised service in department stores that went out of fashion years ago. It's quite strange having a shop assistant take care with your purchases and ensure that all the merchandise isn't faulty. I ask him if they are running out of merchandise and he replies that they have run out of some things (and some sizes) but the amount of interest since the world cruise has begun has been staggering. He tells me they went through 10000 shopping bags before they got to Fremantle. He also advises that they are being restocked in Sydney.

 

Pleased with my purchases I head up to deck 10. I'm looking forward to having a relaxing sea day tomorrow and the next.

 

As I write this we are just north of Hopevale on the Queensland coast. The ship is doing 19.6 kts and the seas are slight.

[capnpugwash]

Very nice blog, keep it up and the personal comments :)

Who is the Entertainment Director at the moment.?

[capnpugwash]

I see that the Ent Director is Keith Maynard, he is a nice young man who tries very hard and is more current than some of the older ones who are often on QM2

[figgy1978]

We mentioned Lorraine Brown to Keith Maynard in November after we had seen her a few years ago on QV. He said he was going to look her up. Seems like he might have.