Late to the game - QM2 Crossing - March 20, 2022 - Southampton to Fort Lauderdale

[eroller]

I've been meaning to share my thoughts and pictures/videos of this crossing for some time, but just never got around to it.  I have another cruise coming up in a couple weeks on Regent and figure I better get this out there now or it will never happen. 

 

For those that only care about the pictures here is the link.  They are pretty much all of the ship, along with some videos and all the daily programs at the end.  Some 300+ photos along with 7 videos. 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eroller/albums/72177720299542583

 

This crossing was a long time coming.  I think it was rescheduled four times in the course of three years before it finally happened.  The crossing was 10 days, from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale with a stop in NY.  I live it Fort Lauderdale so it was a nice treat not having to fly home.  I flew into London a day prior via Virgin Atlantic from Miami and stayed at Bailey's Hotel which was lovely.  The flight over on Virgin was also quite pleasant, and we arrived the very day the UK lifted mask restrictions.  When we landed the flight attendant gave the usual welcome speech, followed by "and now for some fantastic news, you are free to remove your masks should you desire".  Lots of cheering.  My night in London was spent dining at a fantastic little hole in the wall with two great friends called Ffiona's.  I highly recommend it.   

 

On embarkation day I made my way down to the Southampton the usual way, by train from Waterloo.  It's a pleasant way to start the journey and I can only imagine how it was back in the days of the Boat Train.  What a treat.  Embarkation was relatively easy and Cunard provided mandatory COVID testing for all passengers in an adjacent tent prior to boarding.  I received my negative test results in about 35 minutes and only then was I able to check-in and board the ship.  Little did I know at the time, that test would be the first of many over the course of the following ten days.  Pretty much one a day in a fact.  QM2 always looks so grand, regal, and powerful and this day was no exception, but upon closer inspection from the gangway her exterior looked worse for wear.  Lots of rust, streaks, etc.  In fact I've never seen her look worse, on the exterior. 

 

Thankfully the inside looked splendid and well cared for.  She was up to snuff in that regard, but step outside even on the balcony and it was a different story.  I was in 8048, obstructed view balcony but probably the most minimal obstruction of all the cabins in this category.  QM2's rescue speed boat was our obstruction, and it's a profile that is far less than a regular lifeboat or tender.  The cabin had all new carpet and I'm happy to say the shower floors had a brand new coating on them.  Much needed.  As it turns out I would not be in this cabin for long.  

 

I was traveling with five friends on the crossing and we all met up for a lovely dinner that night.  We had the new "anytime" late dining and getting a table right away was not a problem.  The passenger load was light this crossing, I believe 1292.  Only 180 Americans which is a low number indeed.  QM2 is quite spacious even when full, so being only just over half full meant she felt practically empty at times.  Dare I say this wasn't a good thing in my opinion.  She was missing that spark, that feeling of being alive, active, and vibrant.  The ship was essentially dead by 10pm with very few people around and this would continue the entire crossing,  

 

We had our first formal night and I suppose most people dressed for the occasion, but not everyone.  The new dress code on Cunard is alive and well on QM2, and the ship just didn't feel as formal.  In part that could be attributed to the low passengers numbers and open dining.  Again dinner was missing that spark of everyone arriving at once and dressed to the nines.  It was another enjoyable evening albeit an early one.  I'm glad I was sailing with my friends because this crossing would not be a typical one from a social perspective.  Everyone was required to wear masks and social distance, and there was no sitting at bars.  Those restrictions along with the lower passenger count certainly curtailed the social experience. 

 

Day three brought the news that one person in our party had tested positive for COVID.  Mind you she tested negative at embarkation but started to feel unwell so she had the medical center test her again.  She was transported to to an isolation cabin on Deck 5 by the "hit squad", and the poor thing would remain in isolation all the way to Fort Lauderdale.  The rest of us were required to test everyday, and provided the tests continued to come back negative, we were free to roam the ship but masks were required at all times both inside and outside.  All meals and even drinks were to be taken in the cabin.  No removing of the mask in public.  This was requested for the remainder of the voyage, even while testing negative each day.  Out of an abundance of caution I was moved to my own cabin just down the hall, cabin 8062.  Needless to say this really put a damper on the rest of the trip.  It the ship wasn't very social before, it was nonexistent now.  We all made the best of it but this was no ordinary QM2 crossing, that was quite clear.  

 

For me at least, the entire crossing was COVID related.  There was just no escaping it.  Would we get it?  Would we not?  The daily testing.  Waiting to see if we got a phone call (they only called if positive).  Taking meals in the cabin on plastic wrapped paper dishes that had to be disposed of in a bio-hazard bag and placed outside the cabin.  There were also many contradictory things like the cabin still got cleaned and turned down daily.  Lots of conflicts with the COVID protocols.    Communication could have been better, no doubt about that. There was also mandatory testing a couple times for the entire ship before arrival in NY and again before Fort Lauderdale, and on those days there would be a series of announcements for Mr & Mrs so and so to return to their cabin immediately and call the Purser's Office.  Either they were positive or contact traced to someone that was.  Just a couple months prior to the QM2 crossing I sailed on CELEBRITY APEX.  What a difference in how COVID was handled.  I'm sure there were occurrences onboard,  and Deck 6 was the quarantine deck,  but it wasn't in your face 24/7 and frankly I had no clue if there were positive cases or not.  It was much more discreet and felt like a regular cruise with everything operating as normal.   

 

Normally on such a review I would focus on the food, service, and entertainment.  They were all secondary on this trip.  Food and service were fine for the meals we were able to take in the dining room and buffet.  No complaints but nothing like what I had experienced on CELEBRITY APEX just prior to QM2.  Mind you having meals in your cabin on paper plates is not an ideal situation for a cruise.  The luster is lost completely.  Ship historian Bill Miller was onboard giving lectures so that was a treat.  He has been a major influence in my life since I was a child and became interested in ships.  Back in those days, his books were one of the few sources of passenger ship information and history I could obtain, and I acquired every one of them that I would come across.  It was great chatting with him in person and showing my gratitude for what a positive influence he had on my life.  

 

We stopped in NY for a day and it was a bitter cold and windy day.  I stayed on the ship except to clear US CBP.  I had just been in NY for a few days prior to the crossing, so nothing I really needed to see.  I'm there fairly often anyway.  Then it was onboard to Fort Lauderdale and warmer weather and sunshine.  It was nice to see the outer decks of QM2 come alive.  Being out in the fresh air was great, getting a little tan, and even going for a swim.  QM2 works great as a transatlantic liner, but she is equally great as a cruise ship in warm waters.  Her outer decks are second to none and she boasts a variety of pools.  Unfortunately the pools and outer decks could use some TLC, at least at the time of this crossing.  I've heard since that they have, and that is good news.  I did not enjoy seeing this fine lady and my favorite ship in such condition.  She deserves better!  

 

Three of our friends disembarked in NY, and one was still in isolation, so it was down to the two of us for the passage down to Fort Lauderdale.  The days passed quickly and the ship remained very quiet.  There was talk of a lifting of mask restrictions, and to that end we saw barstools return, but they were still off limits and the mask restrictions remained.  Yet another mandatory COVID test (I think this was #9 for me) before Fort Lauderdale, followed by the usual calling of names over the PA system.  Apparently the struggle of keeping COVID under control on QM2 continued.  I was up early for our arrival into Fort Lauderdale, and it was a beautiful warm day.  So great to be home!  I was actually happy to get off the ship and head home, back to my husband and kitty Cleo.  

 

For me this crossing was a bit of a disappointment.  Unique in many aspects but not in a positive way.  Many things were out of Cunard's control, but there was opportunity for improvement no doubt about that.  So perhaps it's time to give Cunard and QM2 a break for a couple years.  I will always adore QM2 but I definitely have no desire to sail on Cunard so long as COVID is prevalent, as I know other cruise lines handle it better from personal experience.  Next it's Regent's SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER on a Mediterranean cruise in just a couple weeks.  Lets see how that stacks up.  Happy cruising!

Edited June 5, 2022 by eroller

[mcloaked]

Great review and album.

[exlondoner]

Miserable for you to be semi-quarantined for so much of the trip. Why exactly did they make you change cabin? It seems a bit pointless when you were still allowed around the ship.  Did you get any compensation for the days affected?

[eroller]

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Miserable for you to be semi-quarantined for so much of the trip. Why exactly did they make you change cabin? It seems a bit pointless when you were still allowed around the ship.  Did you get any compensation for the days affected?

I actually requested the cabin change out of an abundance of caution.  My friend that I was sharing the cabin with had just spent a few days in London sharing a hotel room with the girl that tested positive.  We thought he might be next but thankfully he remained negative.  With the restriction of taking all meals in the cabin in such close quarters, it seemed prudent.  Cunard raised no objections and quickly transferred me to another cabin.  
 

Zero compensation thus far.  Cunard has been contacted and a case opened, but not even a courtesy reply from them.  About two months now.  

Edited June 5, 2022 by eroller

[Host Hattie]

Great photographs, thank you very much for sharing them.

I'm sorry that your cruise was so affected by Covid and the CDC regulations for close contacts.

 

 

[exlondoner]

Ah, that makes more sense.

I expect they'll get round to the issue of compensation...eventually. When we were getting refunds for cancelled cruises, despite having booked through a TA, the first I knew about one tranche was when a cheque appeared in the post, without any explanation.

[eroller]

3 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Great photographs, thank you very much for sharing them.

I'm sorry that your cruise was so affected by Covid and the CDC regulations for close contacts.

 

 

Funny those CDC regulations didn’t seem to apply on a Celebrity cruise shortly before this one. Night and day in the way things were handled and the atmosphere on the ship.  Mind you I wasn’t contact traced on that cruise, but just in general things were very different.  Regardless of CDC regulations, not all cruise are created equal in how the handle COVID protocols.  

Edited June 5, 2022 by eroller

[eroller]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Ah, that makes more sense.

I expect they'll get round to the issue of compensation...eventually. When we were getting refunds for cancelled cruises, despite having booked through a TA, the first I knew about one tranche was when a cheque appeared in the post, without any explanation.

We shall see.  I’m not stressed about it. While not a typical cruise by any standard, I still enjoyed myself … somewhat.  

[Host Hattie]

6 minutes ago, eroller said:

Funny those CDC regulations didn’t seem to apply on a Celebrity cruise shortly before this one. Night and day in the way things were handled and the atmosphere on the ship.  Mind you I wasn’t contact traced on that cruise, but just in general things were very different.  Regardless of CDC regulations, not all cruise are created equal in how the handle COVID protocols.  

I'm sure that's true but it's been widely discussed on this board that the protocols on Cunard for European sailings are very different for US sailings.

You just need to read the Celebrity board to see how they deal with Covid positive cases - they were moving people from balconies to outside cabins.

[eroller]

6 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I'm sure that's true but it's been widely discussed on this board that the protocols on Cunard for European sailings are very different for US sailings.

You just need to read the Celebrity board to see how they deal with Covid positive cases - they were moving people from balconies to outside cabins.

I only speak from my own personal experience.  I do agree that it being a crossing from the UK to the US played a role compared to just a Caribbean cruise from the US, but there is zero doubt there was room for improvement.  
 

I’ll add on Celebrity I actually benefited from COVID. My deck 6 cabin was allocated as a quarantine cabin and I received a nice upgrade.  Absolutely loved Apex. What a great ship.  

Edited June 5, 2022 by eroller

[carlmm]

Thanks a lot, especially for all the Daily Programmes.

[mcloaked]

It is also the case that since this cruise protocols have changed significantly and in very recent weeks life on board Cunard ships has been largely with Covid very much absent and not in the forefront of operations except for those unfortunate enough to become infected and thankfully very small numbers compared to what happened a few months ago.

[eroller]

12 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

It is also the case that since this cruise protocols have changed significantly and in very recent weeks life on board Cunard ships has been largely with Covid very much absent and not in the forefront of operations except for those unfortunate enough to become infected and thankfully very small numbers compared to what happened a few months ago.

 

I’m glad to hear.  Even during my March cruise many other lines had been operating more normally.  I’ve sailed several during Covid and Cunard was by far the most in your face so to speak.  During my crossing it seemed somewhat out of control.  Not sure if this was because it was a crossing, Cunard’s protocols, a freak outbreak, precautions not working, or a combination of all the above.  The PA’s almost everyday announcing names was very off-putting.  I had not heard that on other cruise lines. Although they did not specifically announce what it was about, everyone knew.  Seemed a bit of an invasion of privacy.  In any case it’s good to hear things are more normal onboard now.  I also hope they have addressed the deferred exterior maintenance on QM2. She looked somewhat shameful outside. Word is that has been addressed too so good news all around.  

Edited June 5, 2022 by eroller

[mcloaked]

A week ago on the Norway cruise unfortunately the outside of QM2 was looking a bit on the shabby side with rusty dribble lines down the side of the hull, from the window edges, the areas where the tie ropes emerge and other sections of the ship which looks shabby. Looking at window edges in the Britannia dining room was again marred by rusty edges. The maintenance crew do what they can, and teams do paint the deck rails which is often happening when walking round the promenade deck but it doesn't get the ship looking spick and span unfortunately. It would seem that there are genuinely a lot less cases of Covid around, possibly as more people are both fully vaccinated (they have to be to get on board), but also a lot of people have already had Covid despite the jabs, so they are extra boosted and unlikely to get it again within some months.  On the other hand there was a long Saga cruise thread where passengers were constantly bombarded by Covid case news, and many passengers (hundreds!) were quarantined on board, as well as large numbers of crew, and passengers on back to backs had to quarantine on board irrespective of Covid test status before they could continue in the public areas of the ship on the second leg. So by comparison Cunard are doing very well at the moment, and the past several voyages seems to have had really pretty low case numbers. So on the Covid front at least Cunard are managing things pretty well.

[eroller]

24 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

A week ago on the Norway cruise unfortunately the outside of QM2 was looking a bit on the shabby side with rusty dribble lines down the side of the hull, from the window edges, the areas where the tie ropes emerge and other sections of the ship which looks shabby. Looking at window edges in the Britannia dining room was again marred by rusty edges. The maintenance crew do what they can, and teams do paint the deck rails which is often happening when walking round the promenade deck but it doesn't get the ship looking spick and span unfortunately. It would seem that there are genuinely a lot less cases of Covid around, possibly as more people are both fully vaccinated (they have to be to get on board), but also a lot of people have already had Covid despite the jabs, so they are extra boosted and unlikely to get it again within some months.  On the other hand there was a long Saga cruise thread where passengers were constantly bombarded by Covid case news, and many passengers (hundreds!) were quarantined on board, as well as large numbers of crew, and passengers on back to backs had to quarantine on board irrespective of Covid test status before they could continue in the public areas of the ship on the second leg. So by comparison Cunard are doing very well at the moment, and the past several voyages seems to have had really pretty low case numbers. So on the Covid front at least Cunard are managing things pretty well.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  Sounds like a mixed bag based on your comments.  I'm not sure a comparison to Saga is saying much to be honest.  Would be interesting to see how Cunard compares to lines like Viking, Oceania, and even larger lines like Princess and HAL.  I think COVID is just going to be a fact of life moving forward like the flu.  Manage it best you can and take some precautions, but it's not going away.  Balance is key.  Provide some level of precaution without impacting the cruise experience too greatly.  On my particular crossing in March, I think that balance was off and the entire crossing seemed to revolve around COVID whether you had it or not.  At least from my perspective.  The cruise experience will evolve with the virus, and as I mentioned earlier I think some lines do handle it better than others.  

 

I'm sorry to hear that the exterior maintenance is still somewhat lacking.  I do give QM2 some slack as she is a true working ship, making transatlantic voyages one after the other with little down time in port for painting, etc.  Unfortunately what I saw in March wasn't just some paint needed here and there.  It was fairly extensive and went beyond a coat of paint.  In fact in the 18 years I've been sailing on her, at least 10 times, it is the worst she has looked.  So something has changed in that regard ... maybe budget cuts, staffing problems, who knows?  I do hope it gets corrected and we were surprised as she did have a bit of a refit prior to re-entering service.   

[mcloaked]

That is true - though having said that, the experience of dining, shipboard life in general (apart from some major quibbles we had with using the Queens room as a concert hall on 4 days out of 7 at prime times in the evening), good food quality, and excellent waiters, lovely food in The Verandah, nice ports of call, and generally calm seas, all made for an enjoyable voyage (pursers desk was not so good though, and they had some trainees on the staff who could not perform some basic functions such as exchanging currency for example.)

Edited June 5, 2022 by mcloaked
Add parenthesis

[eroller]

4 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

That is true - though having said that, the experience of dining, shipboard life in general (apart from some major quibbles we had with using the Queens room as a concert hall on 4 days out of 7 at prime times in the evening), good food quality, and excellent waiters, lovely food in The Verandah, nice ports of call, and generally calm seas, all made for an enjoyable voyage (pursers desk was not so good though, and they had some trainees on the staff who could not perform some basic functions such as exchanging currency for example.)

 

 

I love to hear this!  All that was sort of overshadowed by COVID on my crossing, and of course eating in your cabin off paper plates is no fun, I don't care how good the food is.  Presentation plays a big part of the appeal.  We were able to enjoy a splendid lunch in the Verandah which was by far my best meal onboard and a very enjoyable experience. 

 

I look forward to returning to my favorite ship, but I think I'll give it some time.  Thanks for sharing your experience, the good and not so good. 

[mcloaked]

Yes our lunch in the Verandah was also a highlight of our voyage - especially as it was a day when looking out on deck from the lunch table was a view of a blue sky, people enjoying the sun on sunbeds, and a few in the hot tub! The food was superb and waiters did a fabulous job so we took our time and enjoyed every aspect of that meal. Yes, it would not have been the same having the same food off a paper plate in your room!   Hopefully regarding Covid things will continue to improve, especially as we go through the summer months when case rates should generally be low.

Edited June 5, 2022 by mcloaked
typo

[moses0]

7 hours ago, eroller said:

I've been meaning to share my thoughts and pictures/videos of this crossing for some time, but just never got around to it.  I have another cruise coming up in a couple weeks on Regent and figure I better get this out there now or it will never happen. 

 

For those that only care about the pictures here is the link.  They are pretty much all of the ship, along with some videos and all the daily programs at the end.  Some 300+ photos along with 7 videos. 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eroller/albums/72177720299542583

 

This crossing was a long time coming.  I think it was rescheduled four times in the course of three years before it finally happened.  The crossing was 10 days, from Southampton to Ft Lauderdale with a stop in NY.  I live it Fort Lauderdale so it was a nice treat not having to fly home.  I flew into London a day prior via Virgin Atlantic from Miami and stayed at Bailey's Hotel which was lovely.  The flight over on Virgin was also quite pleasant, and we arrived the very day the UK lifted mask restrictions.  When we landed the flight attendant gave the usual welcome speech, followed by "and now for some fantastic news, you are free to remove your masks should you desire".  Lots of cheering.  My night in London was spent dining at a fantastic little hole in the wall with two great friends called Ffiona's.  I highly recommend it.   

 

On embarkation day I made my way down to the Southampton the usual way, by train from Waterloo.  It's a pleasant way to start the journey and I can only imagine how it was back in the days of the Boat Train.  What a treat.  Embarkation was relatively easy and Cunard provided mandatory COVID testing for all passengers in an adjacent tent prior to boarding.  I received my negative test results in about 35 minutes and only then was I able to check-in and board the ship.  Little did I know at the time, that test would be the first of many over the course of the following ten days.  Pretty much one a day in a fact.  QM2 always looks so grand, regal, and powerful and this day was no exception, but upon closer inspection from the gangway her exterior looked worse for wear.  Lots of rust, streaks, etc.  In fact I've never seen her look worse, on the exterior. 

 

Thankfully the inside looked splendid and well cared for.  She was up to snuff in that regard, but step outside even on the balcony and it was a different story.  I was in 8048, obstructed view balcony but probably the most minimal obstruction of all the cabins in this category.  QM2's rescue speed boat was our obstruction, and it's a profile that is far less than a regular lifeboat or tender.  The cabin had all new carpet and I'm happy to say the shower floors had a brand new coating on them.  Much needed.  As it turns out I would not be in this cabin for long.  

 

I was traveling with five friends on the crossing and we all met up for a lovely dinner that night.  We had the new "anytime" late dining and getting a table right away was not a problem.  The passenger load was light this crossing, I believe 1292.  Only 180 Americans which is a low number indeed.  QM2 is quite spacious even when full, so being only just over half full meant she felt practically empty at times.  Dare I say this wasn't a good thing in my opinion.  She was missing that spark, that feeling of being alive, active, and vibrant.  The ship was essentially dead by 10pm with very few people around and this would continue the entire crossing,  

 

We had our first formal night and I suppose most people dressed for the occasion, but not everyone.  The new dress code on Cunard is alive and well on QM2, and the ship just didn't feel as formal.  In part that could be attributed to the low passengers numbers and open dining.  Again dinner was missing that spark of everyone arriving at once and dressed to the nines.  It was another enjoyable evening albeit an early one.  I'm glad I was sailing with my friends because this crossing would not be a typical one from a social perspective.  Everyone was required to wear masks and social distance, and there was no sitting at bars.  Those restrictions along with the lower passenger count certainly curtailed the social experience. 

 

Day three brought the news that one person in our party had tested positive for COVID.  Mind you she tested negative at embarkation but started to feel unwell so she had the medical center test her again.  She was transported to to an isolation cabin on Deck 5 by the "hit squad", and the poor thing would remain in isolation all the way to Fort Lauderdale.  The rest of us were required to test everyday, and provided the tests continued to come back negative, we were free to roam the ship but masks were required at all times both inside and outside.  All meals and even drinks were to be taken in the cabin.  No removing of the mask in public.  This was requested for the remainder of the voyage, even while testing negative each day.  Out of an abundance of caution I was moved to my own cabin just down the hall, cabin 8062.  Needless to say this really put a damper on the rest of the trip.  It the ship wasn't very social before, it was nonexistent now.  We all made the best of it but this was no ordinary QM2 crossing, that was quite clear.  

 

For me at least, the entire crossing was COVID related.  There was just no escaping it.  Would we get it?  Would we not?  The daily testing.  Waiting to see if we got a phone call (they only called if positive).  Taking meals in the cabin on plastic wrapped paper dishes that had to be disposed of in a bio-hazard bag and placed outside the cabin.  There were also many contradictory things like the cabin still got cleaned and turned down daily.  Lots of conflicts with the COVID protocols.    Communication could have been better, no doubt about that. There was also mandatory testing a couple times for the entire ship before arrival in NY and again before Fort Lauderdale, and on those days there would be a series of announcements for Mr & Mrs so and so to return to their cabin immediately and call the Purser's Office.  Either they were positive or contact traced to someone that was.  Just a couple months prior to the QM2 crossing I sailed on CELEBRITY APEX.  What a difference in how COVID was handled.  I'm sure there were occurrences onboard,  and Deck 6 was the quarantine deck,  but it wasn't in your face 24/7 and frankly I had no clue if there were positive cases or not.  It was much more discreet and felt like a regular cruise with everything operating as normal.   

 

Normally on such a review I would focus on the food, service, and entertainment.  They were all secondary on this trip.  Food and service were fine for the meals we were able to take in the dining room and buffet.  No complaints but nothing like what I had experienced on CELEBRITY APEX just prior to QM2.  Mind you having meals in your cabin on paper plates is not an ideal situation for a cruise.  The luster is lost completely.  Ship historian Bill Miller was onboard giving lectures so that was a treat.  He has been a major influence in my life since I was a child and became interested in ships.  Back in those days, his books were one of the few sources of passenger ship information and history I could obtain, and I acquired every one of them that I would come across.  It was great chatting with him in person and showing my gratitude for what a positive influence he had on my life.  

 

We stopped in NY for a day and it was a bitter cold and windy day.  I stayed on the ship except to clear US CBP.  I had just been in NY for a few days prior to the crossing, so nothing I really needed to see.  I'm there fairly often anyway.  Then it was onboard to Fort Lauderdale and warmer weather and sunshine.  It was nice to see the outer decks of QM2 come alive.  Being out in the fresh air was great, getting a little tan, and even going for a swim.  QM2 works great as a transatlantic liner, but she is equally great as a cruise ship in warm waters.  Her outer decks are second to none and she boasts a variety of pools.  Unfortunately the pools and outer decks could use some TLC, at least at the time of this crossing.  I've heard since that they have, and that is good news.  I did not enjoy seeing this fine lady and my favorite ship in such condition.  She deserves better!  

 

Three of our friends disembarked in NY, and one was still in isolation, so it was down to the two of us for the passage down to Fort Lauderdale.  The days passed quickly and the ship remained very quiet.  There was talk of a lifting of mask restrictions, and to that end we saw barstools return, but they were still off limits and the mask restrictions remained.  Yet another mandatory COVID test (I think this was #9 for me) before Fort Lauderdale, followed by the usual calling of names over the PA system.  Apparently the struggle of keeping COVID under control on QM2 continued.  I was up early for our arrival into Fort Lauderdale, and it was a beautiful warm day.  So great to be home!  I was actually happy to get off the ship and head home, back to my husband and kitty Cleo.  

 

For me this crossing was a bit of a disappointment.  Unique in many aspects but not in a positive way.  Many things were out of Cunard's control, but there was opportunity for improvement no doubt about that.  So perhaps it's time to give Cunard and QM2 a break for a couple years.  I will always adore QM2 but I definitely have no desire to sail on Cunard so long as COVID is prevalent, as I know other cruise lines handle it better from personal experience.  Next it's Regent's SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER on a Mediterranean cruise in just a couple weeks.  Lets see how that stacks up.  Happy cruising!

Thank you for that report. We got on as you got off. Your conclusions were ours too. We have a cruise booked for July. I have mixed feelings about it since the experience of our last cruise. I think we would have cancelled had it been possible. I have always enjoyed Cunard immensely prior to our last trip. Hoping things are better come July

[eroller]

21 minutes ago, moses0 said:

Thank you for that report. We got on as you got off. Your conclusions were ours too. We have a cruise booked for July. I have mixed feelings about it since the experience of our last cruise. I think we would have cancelled had it been possible. I have always enjoyed Cunard immensely prior to our last trip. Hoping things are better come July

 

 

You're welcome.  I was hoping that things would improve as we disembarked but apparently not.  COVID seemed to have a stronghold on the ship and they couldn't shake it.  COVID aside, I thought the warmer weather and more ports would at least give the crew an opportunity to work on the exterior.  It was needed so desperately. 

 

As I mentioned in my review, I'm giving Cunard a break for a while.  I'm in no rush to return.  I love Cunard and especially QM2, but I'm not willing to risk another bad experience so soon.  I would rather wait until this is well behind us and Cunard seems better prepared to manage it all.  Meanwhile I'll sail on lines that I feel do manage COVID better based on personal experience. 

 

Fingers crossed all is well for your sailing in July.  I think it will be, or at least I truly hope so. 

[eroller]

On 6/5/2022 at 4:50 PM, mcloaked said:

That is true - though having said that, the experience of dining, shipboard life in general (apart from some major quibbles we had with using the Queens room as a concert hall on 4 days out of 7 

 

For me it was quite interesting to see the Queens Room transformed into a COVID testing site several afternoons during the voyage.  I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Downton Abbey season where Downton was transformed into a military WWI hospital.  One must do what they can!  😉