QM2 voyage M338 - 15 December 2023 - 7 nights - Westbound Transatlantic Crossing - reports onboard

[rog747]

 Really enjoyed reading your posts, seeing your meal and menu photos which on the whole looked like the food was pretty good.
Thanks for taking the time to share your voyage with us. 

I noted you're flying back to London this evening, so what did you do after your early AM self-disembark >?

I was going on this Voyage, but had to pull out and had planned a Virgin flight back home in the late evening at 11PM from JFK.
I was going to early self-disembark from the ship like you, having booked a day room at one of the good Manhattan Hotels and then enjoy some of the sights, with an early dinner at Tony D' Napolis near 42nd St. then grab a limo out to the airport for about 9pm.

 

[Pushpit]

Mini update for departure. My letter said I should leave the stateroom at 10:10. At 10:06 there was a PA saying "final call for disembarkation". I left my stateroom at 10:11, got to the passport queue at 10:20, and was out of the building at 10:34. And at the NYC ferry quay at 10:38. The baggage hall was nearly empty at this point.

 

So late to board, late to disembark seems best.

[Pushpit]

1 hour ago, rog747 said:

I noted you're flying back to London this evening, so what did you do after your early AM self-disembark >?

As you probably worked out, I did not put in for Speedy Disembarkation, in fact I was among the last to leave after 10am. My flight is a bit before 7 pm, I have lounge access. So what I have done is take the ferry in the other direction to Rockaway Beach, a seaside resort, and I will have lunch there. Then it's just a few subway stops from there to Howard Beach and the Airtrain to JFK.

[stan01]

15 hours ago, maggielou362 said:

I do have one concern regarding our upcoming voyage: how on earth do I NOT gain 20kg on our ten-night cruise? The food looks fabulous. Real hints appreciated, this is not a rhetorical question! Thank you once again, also to all the other contributors.

 

 

The photos posted by @pushpit were very nice!  It looked to me like some of the portion sizes were huge!  Ask for half portions when feasible, or share a plate with your partner.  Or reduce sauce or starches. I don't want to give up delicious foods I enjoy, I just want less of it.

 

Many of us have been inculcated from birth to clean our plates because children are starving in other places, but if the food is going to come out of the kitchen at a quantity I can't control (they can't or won't give me a half portion) the only choices left to me are to eat all of it or to leave some on my plate.  I've learned to leave some on the plate if they can't reduce the quantity for me in the kitchen.  

 

[57eric]

8 hours ago, Pushpit said:

Mini update for departure. My letter said I should leave the stateroom at 10:10. At 10:06 there was a PA saying "final call for disembarkation". I left my stateroom at 10:11, got to the passport queue at 10:20, and was out of the building at 10:34. And at the NYC ferry quay at 10:38. The baggage hall was nearly empty at this point.

 

So late to board, late to disembark seems best.

An excellent result, but do we know for a fact that earlier passengers fared worse?

[Pushpit]

7 hours ago, 57eric said:

An excellent result, but do we know for a fact that earlier passengers fared worse?

No, we don't know that. When I came down the ramp into the hall, there were very few of us coming down, and there was still a short 10-15 minute queue at passports from people who had left QM2 earlier on.  My past experiences are that around 08:30 it does get much slower, thanks in part to people manipulating lots of luggage, which is less of a factor at 10:00 hrs.  But clearly no-one who left at 08:30 was still there at 10:00.

 

I would also say that by now Cunard should have got the hang on this. No-one actually checks if you go according to your allocated time in their letter to the stateroom, so like many things on Cunard, their words say one thing, custom and practice is that you will be allowed off earlier or later, no-one will stop you. But at a certain point Cunard and the Port Authority want you off the premises! From yesterday's experience that seems around 10:00 to 10:30 hrs.

Edited December 23, 2023 by Pushpit

[Zeg]

On 12/22/2023 at 5:23 AM, sfred said:

 

My dilemma also!  The only things that work for me:

 

1.  I try to board a few kilos light, to have a chance to come out even at the end..

2.  I use stairs instead of lifts all the time, and roam the decks in the early mornings and before dinner when the ship is quiet.  I'm not much of a gym person, so these activities are my exercise.  In the mornings, I typically have the ship mostly to myself (Mrs sfred likes to sleep in) and it is very enjoyable  to watch the sunrise outside with a coffee. 

3.  I limit myself to only having desserts that catch fire.  Baked Alaska, Cherries Jubilee, Crepes Suzette, etc.  This cuts out dessert most nights, but then the occasion of the flambes, typically on formal nights, makes for a special treat.

4.  Both the Mrs and I love really long walks on port days, particularly at places we haven't been to before.  Although I admit we then offset the walks at lunch to sample the local cuisine and spirits.  But hey, we're on holiday!

 

We had 36 nights on QE recently, and I managed to disembark at my usual displacement.  Good luck - best wishes for your QM2 voyage!

 

[Zeg]

Why is it that the simple maths of weight control I.e., calories in, balancing calories out, causes us all so much anguish, especially on a cruise?

 

We all want to have a good time and get value for money.  Factor in those two additional variables and it sees, we begin to face a problem. 

Many of us have our pet system for controlling our weight on cruises, here (for what it’s worth) is mine. 

 

My first basic principle is to avoid (not necessarily eliminate) carbs and sugar. That should make a big contribution towards not adding extra pounds. 

 

Second, I avoid low fat, messed around foods and manufactured options. That means eating proper butter, full fat milk and unprocessed meats. Farm not pharmacy is my watchword. 

 

On cruises I have a reasonably early breakfast (before 9am) of say plain yogurt, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and maybe a slice of toast. 

During the day I will exercise for at least 30 mins usually in the form of a daily swim.  I also enjoy walking. 

 

If I feel hungry around lunchtime just a light lunch of salad or whatever takes my fancy as long it doesn’t contain carbs or sugar.  Fish again is a good option. I try to make lunch a would like, (depending on how I feel) rather than a must have. Lunch is best kept away from being a ritual. The ‘it’s 1pm and lunch time’ mindset is best avoided. 
 

Then for dinner, by then I’m up for a decent meal and I can eat or drink more or less whatever I like. 

 

Like I say, works for me weight stays stable, and I don’t feel I’m ‘missing out’. 

 

Bob appetit!  
 

[Liberal_Baggie]

We sloped off at around 8 just joined a line that was for pre booked tours or other or certain coloured tags couldn’t be sure . We checked with the concearge lady who said as soon as the gang plank is down just go. Got the 8.22 ferry with 10 minutes to spare so it took 12 minutes       . USA security is much speeded up. The last ferry back from Wall Street was 2.36 so we were back on board by 3.15 for a late lunch in the transport Cafe. From Wall st pier a simple walk around to the left past Governors island pier and the heliport pier to Line 1 uptown Subway . Off at Maceys and Broadway for skating at Rockefeller . Skating was fun Maceys was disappointing better shops in the UK. Had a vegan breakfast sandwich at a Bodega shop (local deli shop) all in all a fun day in New York

[maggielou362]

2 hours ago, Zeg said:

Why is it that the simple maths of weight control I.e., calories in, balancing calories out, causes us all so much anguish, especially on a cruise?...

 

 

Because I know I will put in more calories than I burn! I understand the maths, but life is more complex than balancing an equation 😁Thanks for your tips.

Edited December 23, 2023 by maggielou362
add

[Zeg]

3 hours ago, maggielou362 said:

Because I know I will put in more calories than I burn! I understand the maths, but life is more complex than balancing an equation 😁Thanks for your tips.

More calories with less being burnt? At least we know exactly what we’re doing and what the end result will be - nothing wrong with that - a simple choice. 

[Pushpit]

Disembarkation at Brooklyn

RMS Queen Mary 2 at Brooklyn Red Hook, Friday 22 December 2023.

 

There are often questions about disembarkation details at Brooklyn. Here are the letters I received, which explains the process. As with many photos on Cruise Critic, if you click on the photo then you should get a bigger view, but I have combined them into a PDF since that may be easier to read. The PDF has the same images as the photos below. You need to be signed into Cruise Critic to see PDFs.

 

Though I was able to self disembark, with only one bag and one shoulder bag, I deliberately did not request Fast Track Disembarkation, which would have been the first group of passengers allowed off the vessel. I had a late flight so no particular desire to rapidly leave the QM2.

 

Note that this is in reverse order, quite deliberately. The last image here, headed Important Information, came first, on Wednesday I think, and the other 2 leaflets came on Thursday. The Important Information has details in it which are contradicted by the Thursday leaflets, in true Cunard fashion. However it is the Thursday leaflets - the initial images - that you can rely upon. See upthread a little to see my precise timings.

 

This leaflet is personalised to my stateroom and booking.

 

 

This is a general and helpful leaflet that came with it.

 

 

 

Less useful information, but the first one to arrive.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to all those who have contributed to this thread, and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

QM2BrooklynDisembark.pdf

 

 

 

[rmsEtruria]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, @Pushpit, and many thanks for this wonderfully illuminating and entertaining commentary on your crossing. The details regarding food in Britannia were particularly helpful. (We are now contemplating the possibility of taking the ship both ways in 2025, but if so, eastbound would probably have to be in steerage.) I also see that you’ve acquired a proper picture icon here on CC—can’t help noticing that you chose White Star’s house flag over Cunard’s golden lion . . . .

[Jim_Iain]

Thank you for your wonderful Live Post.    Loved both your commentary as well as all of your beautiful photos of the food. 

 

It will be about 10 months before we take our first Cunard TA and really enjoyed getting a feel of the agenda and activities while at sea.