Any QM2 30 June2023 / 4th of July 2023 cruise reviews???

[RICHARD@SEA]

Many years ago I did a similar cruise on QE2 & really enjoyed an easy getaway... I was wondering if anyone sailed on 30 Jun this year.

 

thanks

[CruiseCriticAaron]

I wrote about my family's vacation on Queen Mary 2 during that cruise. I hadn't intended to write about it, as it was strictly a holiday, but the experience we had was overwhelmingly positive with our daughter.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/a-kid-friendly-cruise-aboard-cunard-line-s-queen-mary-2

 

Much has been written about embarkation; it was challenging, to say the least, taking us 4.5 hours to get onboard. The weather was mostly foggy and rainy all week, and we missed our call in Newport, RI because of it. Communication about the delays, at embarkation and for our missed port, definitely leave room for improvement.

 

However, QM2 was looking better than my last crossing in November, and service had improved. Dining room service in Britannia was still a bit spotty but it's getting there.

 

We enjoyed ourselves despite the challenges. It is nice to experience QM2 without the need to cross the pond.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for your report Aaron, we are often asked about facilities for children so this will be useful.

[CruiseCriticAaron]

You're most welcome. It was a seriously wonderful surprise to find the children's facilities and staff so welcoming aboard QM2. I've loved my experiences as a solo traveller on the ship; it was great to find it so well-suited for families, too.

[resistk]

I was PG on that cruise.  The atrocious and chaotic 4 hour wait to embark set the tone though I really felt bad for the disabled folks on walkers and canes who had to stand in line all that time.  The weather was ghastly fog exacerbated by smoke from Canadian fires.  Halifax is a nice port; the weather was overcast with some drizzle.  Ate a lobster at Saltys on the pier. Boston was overcast, foggy and hazy, the ship berthed and did not afford any view of the promised fireworks July 4, even from the top top deck, mainly due to fog and haze and the fireworks being nowhere near.  Additionally, the so called overnight in Boston was actually arriving at midnight the night before and then leaving at 2AM the next night. Newport was skipped due to supposed fog interfering with the tenders. Last sea day was good weather.  Food just so-so, did not seem to have properly provisioned the ship in New York. Princess Grill menu missing many prepandemic items.  Though we did make use of the flambé and cheese trolley frequently. Problem with the Grills drink package being credited, took a visit to the purser and twice to the concierge to get it right.  QM2 looking good for its age and holding up. 

[NE John]

8 hours ago, resistk said:

I was PG on that cruise.  The atrocious and chaotic 4 hour wait to embark set the tone though I really felt bad for the disabled folks on walkers and canes who had to stand in line all that time.  The weather was ghastly fog exacerbated by smoke from Canadian fires.  Halifax is a nice port; the weather was overcast with some drizzle.  Ate a lobster at Saltys on the pier. Boston was overcast, foggy and hazy, the ship berthed and did not afford any view of the promised fireworks July 4, even from the top top deck, mainly due to fog and haze and the fireworks being nowhere near.  Additionally, the so called overnight in Boston was actually arriving at midnight the night before and then leaving at 2AM the next night. Newport was skipped due to supposed fog interfering with the tenders. Last sea day was good weather.  Food just so-so, did not seem to have properly provisioned the ship in New York. Princess Grill menu missing many prepandemic items.  Though we did make use of the flambé and cheese trolley frequently. Problem with the Grills drink package being credited, took a visit to the purser and twice to the concierge to get it right.  QM2 looking good for its age and holding up. 

I debarked before you embarked.
@RICHARD@SEA Check the Roll Call of the June 30 voyage for the raw emotions of the embarkation, weather, etc. Whew!
 

The American Drinks package for Grills is maddening. The system charges drinks off OBC first then credits it back 24 hours later. The problem is that you really never know how much OBC you have available as that number changes everyday between drinks, using OBC on the spa, buying something at a shop etc. 
The Concierge had the patience of a saint to deal with these numerous issues stemming from us and other pax regarding this confusing system. 
All was properly straightened out however. 
Agree that QM2 looked very good and we enjoyed PG too. 

[godfreyb]

We had the same problem with the American Grills drinks package on the QE earlier this year.  Attempts to sort it out failed, resulting in a purser's letter denying that we had a complimentary drinks package.  Outraged visit to the Grills concierge to whom I provided written documentation, was offered a call to our travel agent who confirmed with Cunard in the US and provided further information, after which the package was readded.  Concierge arranged for a bottle of champagne to compensate us for the hassled, but really, this is not a way to treat passengers.  I asked why they put a credit charge on my Amex account for everything as it happened but presented me with a final statement and charge at the end of the voyage.  She told me that the charges to the credit card are made as they happen but fall off the account as they are not completed.  They do this, apparently, to ensure that the credit card is valid/not expired (i.e. the charge is not refused), so that they don't get left 'holding the baby' when the voyage ends and the full charge for all the extras made on the voyage.

[resistk]

I see for 2024, that cruise skips Newport and is just Halifax and Boston.  I think the overnights do not imply you will be able to get off the ship the next morning. Still assuming fair weather in 2024, could be a nice cruise.

[david,Mississauga]

13 hours ago, godfreyb said:

We had the same problem with the American Grills drinks package on the QE earlier this year.  Attempts to sort it out failed, resulting in a purser's letter denying that we had a complimentary drinks package.  Outraged visit to the Grills concierge to whom I provided written documentation, was offered a call to our travel agent who confirmed with Cunard in the US and provided further information, after which the package was readded. 

...

It appears the billing situation on the QE has improved. We were on the 20th June Alaska cruise. There was a covering letter in our suite telling us how the Grills  drink package works. It said we had to sign for the drinks in the normal fashion but the amount would be credited back every night. I had a statement print-out every few days and the free drinks never appeared on the statement. I suppose they were "credited back" without being added to the statement.