My first Crossing. A first timer’s perspective.

[steve4031]

This is getting real folks.  We have successfully arrived in NYC.  We live in Chicago and flew into LaGuardia.  We started it spending Wednesday night in the Hyatt Regency Ohare.  This is an excellent hotel for pre-trip stays.  I booked a park and fly rate for 10 days for one night.  We would be gone 14 nights. When we checked in the agent comped the additional 4 nights.  Wow!   
 

The Rideshare system at LaGuardia was perfect.  You have to walk to the parking garage near terminal 2  Which is about a 5-minute walk.  Once there we requested an Uber.  The app directed us to 2j. There are several letters in the area.  J was the closest.  We walked over and our Uber was there.  No wait.   
 

 

We are staying at the Andaz 5th Avenue on points.  This is an NYC efficient elegant hotel. The room is smaller but there is enough room. A complimentary minibar for snacks and nonalcoholic beverages.  
 

We are in a Britannia class balcony on the port side near the rear of the ship.  
 

This ongoing review will be a test of the new Wi-Fi onboard QM2.  
 

We have a 2:30 boarding time. We will leave our hotel at 1 pm.  

[Host Hattie]

Have a great time, I'm looking forward to reading your reports. 

[sfred]

Best wishes for your voyage - look forward to hearing your experiences!  Beware - QM2 (and Cunard in general) is addictive.  Like many others here, we stepped aboard in Southampton in 2013 intending it to be a one-time thing, and have been entranced ever since. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by sfred

[Chart Room Princess]

From one Chicagoan to another, bon voyage!

[Jack E Dawson]

From a second Chicagoan to another, bon voyage. 

We have followed your postings on this voyage from the beginning. Now looking forward to hearing all about the adventure. 

 

Jack

[D&N]

58 minutes ago, steve4031 said:

This ongoing review will be a test of the new Wi-Fi onboard QM2.

Have a great voyage!

 

Best to run an Ookla speed test early in the voyage and check it mentions "Starlink" under detailed result. If it says "Equinix" it's probably not been changed although the hardware was seen being installed. A test run on the recent Med cruise after the installation was still showing Equinix.

[NE John]

I’m not sure if you’ve been on cruises and cruise ships in the past, but try to get into the mindset that you’re taking a Crossing and not a cruise. There aren’t too many ocean experiences where you’ll have seven nights at sea without port stops (hopefully!!). 
Onboard, you’ll find that QM2 is the main destination. Also, Don’t forget to get a highlighter to mark the events you want to attend on the Daily Programme. 
Enjoy!

[steve4031]

15 minutes ago, NE John said:

I’m not sure if you’ve been on cruises and cruise ships in the past, but try to get into the mindset that you’re taking a Crossing and not a cruise. There aren’t too many ocean experiences where you’ll have seven nights at sea without port stops (hopefully!!). 
Onboard, you’ll find that QM2 is the main destination. Also, Don’t forget to get a highlighter to mark the events you want to attend on the Daily Programme. 
Enjoy!

My title says it all.  My first Crossing. 

[NE John]

16 minutes ago, steve4031 said:

My title says it all.  My first Crossing. 

Even your first cruise?

[steve4031]

I’ve been on several cruises on Carnival, NCL,HAL, and this is my first crossing on Cunard.  I understand this is different.  I even bought a tuxedo.  And I promise not to do the percolator dance in the queens ballroom. 

[tony s]

2 hours ago, steve4031 said:

This is getting real folks.  We have successfully arrived in NYC.  We live in Chicago and flew into LaGuardia.  We started it spending Wednesday night in the Hyatt Regency Ohare.  This is an excellent hotel for pre-trip stays.  I booked a park and fly rate for 10 days for one night.  We would be gone 14 nights. When we checked in the agent comped the additional 4 nights.  Wow!   
 

The Rideshare system at LaGuardia was perfect.  You have to walk to the parking garage near terminal 2  Which is about a 5-minute walk.  Once there we requested an Uber.  The app directed us to 2j. There are several letters in the area.  J was the closest.  We walked over and our Uber was there.  No wait.   
 

 

We are staying at the Andaz 5th Avenue on points.  This is an NYC efficient elegant hotel. The room is smaller but there is enough room. A complimentary minibar for snacks and nonalcoholic beverages.  
 

We are in a Britannia class balcony on the port side near the rear of the ship.  
 

This ongoing review will be a test of the new Wi-Fi onboard QM2.  
 

We have a 2:30 boarding time. We will leave our hotel at 1 pm.  

Do! New Yorker suggestion. Go to Stella 34 on the 6th floor at Macys . Great viewing and best pizza

[techteach]

@steve4031 Have a wonderful cruise. We’re getting off and leaving her in your hands. Important names to know: Commodore club: Herbert, Renzo, and Benedict. Sit at the bar, seats 3 and 4 and tell them Susan sent you. They will take care of you.

[steve4031]

Cool.  I’ll do that.  I’ll be easy because I don’t drink alcohol.  It doesn’t go well with my medication.  But it will still be fun.  
 

I am sitting in my hotel room enjoying relaxing and not having to rush.  
 

We had a great meal at Tribeca grill.  

[techteach]

@steve4031 Believe me they make many great drinks without alcohol. I tasted lots this week.

[shippmates]

Enjoy your first crossing.  We did our first crossing back in 2008 and did not do another until 2022.  I am hooked and have my third roundtrip crossing booked.  Looking forward to hearing about your sailing.  Good job on the tux.  The piano player is the commodore club is very good.  I would listen to him most nights after the shows.

 

[steve4031]

I’ll have to check that out.  I have 7 days to explore the ship.  And I know I won’t get to a lot because just relaxing will be fun.  And listening to British accents.  My first time in England years ago when I was in my 20s I was on a bus tour with my college group.  The tour lady said Wiltshire and I was in love.  

[nybumpkin]

6 hours ago, steve4031 said:

 

This ongoing review will be a test of the new Wi-Fi onboard QM2.  
 

Unless something substantial has changed in the last week, I hope you're not disappointed. We didn't plan to get Wi-Fi, but DH had a work emergency. The service was spotty at best.

 

Aside from computer issues, have a wonderful crossing! We just completed our third crossing, and there's nothing like it!

[steve4031]

A I’ll have to check that out.  I have 7 days to explore the ship.  And I know I won’t get to a lot because just relaxing will be fun.  And listening to British accents.  My first time in England years ago when I was in my 20s I was on a bus tour with my college group.  The tour lady said Wiltshire and I was in love.  

[steve4031]

Another rookie moment.   I’m wondering how our iPhones will work with the time changes at sea.  I’m thinking worst case is we manually adjust each day when the ship changes the time.  

[Host Hattie]

That's probably the best, do you wear a watch?

[techteach]

@steve4031  Oh my…you need to put your phone into airplane mode as you walk onto the ship. Your phone will connect to the ships Wi-Fi which connects to your provider and can cause outrageous phone charges. Call your phone provider this morning and tell them you’re going on a cruise so they advise you. Gotta put on my shoes and close the last suitcase. We disembark in 15 minutes.

[steve4031]

I wear an Apple Watch. My understanding is that best practices for cruising with a smart phone is to use airplane mode and then WiFi to reach the ship’s internet.   Iirc the daily schedules are not printed anymore.  So at the minimum we would use the phone for that.  

[Host Hattie]

Actually it's the other way round, there is always a printed copy, sometimes it's not available on My Voyage. 

[steve4031]

1 minute ago, Host Hattie said:

Actually it's the other way round, there is always a printed copy, sometimes it's not available on My Voyage. 

Your uploads of those schedules from your recent cruise were helpful.  We prefer paper for this.  

[david,Mississauga]

1 minute ago, steve4031 said:

Your uploads of those schedules from your recent cruise were helpful.  We prefer paper for this.  

 

I have read of a cruise line (one of many that I wouldn't go on even if it was free) that has done away with printed daily programmes. The purser's office was no help to passengers who didn't have the "mobile device" required. As one who has  resisted joining the smart-phone club  I hope Cunard doesn't go this way.  Even those with these devices know they can fail or be lost or stolen and it would be aggravating to know there is no alternative.