Live From QM2 Tandem Crossing

[Crouton]

A warm hello to you from the Atlantic Ocean.

 

We had our Cruise Critic getogether as planned today -- red balloons and all -- and Caliope, JP Evans, Nathan, and me were present and accounted for. We sat in the port side wing of the Commodore Club overlooking the bow on a very windy grey day, getting darker, with whitecaps all around.

 

We raised our glasses to you.

 

All of us were stunned by the overwhelming sendoff we received from you in New York. It was just lovely and friendly and happy. One moment that became instantly etched in my mind was when QE2 came charging up after the fireworks and passed us very close on the starboard side. It was like she came floating out of a dream -- which in a way she did -- and we could hear the cheering from those on board.

 

It was hard to believe that all the police boats, helecopters and traffic jams were for us. I started out watching the fireworks from the 11 Deck forward observation platform, but it got so crowded that I headed inside and ended up watching them from the outside elevator going up and down with a mother and her daughter. It was surreal.

 

The biggest news I have to share is that the two ships are indeed travelling side by side --albeit perhaps 3/4 of a mile apart. We awoke for find QE2 on our port side this morning, and she switched to the starboard side around lunchtime. Right now it is pitch black outside, but QE2 remains all lit up to starboard -- maybe as much as mile off.

 

Today they announced there would be a sale of "Historic Tandem Crossing T Shirts" starting at 10am. When I got there about 10:15, there was a line ALL the way around the Grand Lobby atrium and more -- about a 1 1/2 hour wait! All I can say is that it just seems quite incongrous.

 

You would be happy to know that many of the passengers onboard are aware of and sensitive to the history of the ships and Cunard and are excited to be here. For me personally, the ship and this trip has met or exceeded all of my expections thus far. Basically, my mind is blown (but then again, I could spend the entire 6 days just fascinated with the variety of carpet designs!)

 

I am all but certain (since I have not seen her myself) that Pam Conover is on board. Nathan and I decided to start a rumor that Sean Connery is on board and see where it ends up by the end of the trip.

 

For the historical record, I was able to enlist some passengers to unfurl our red, white, and blue streamers as we got underway down the Hudson. The streamers promptly blew right back in our faces -- but for a moment there, it was cool. "A" for effort, but that's about all.

 

Also, Jeanne S, I was waving madly into the darkness at you from the very stern of the ship, next to some balloons, as we went under Verazano Bridge. I imagined at the time that all the police boats right there thought I was nuts and were going to put me out of my misery.

 

I can't promise, but will do my best to report further. If something significantly newsworthy happens, I do promise to report that.

 

(BTW, we have it pretty well confirmed that there was a small electrical fire in the crew quarters on the WESTBOUND transatlantic crossing before us. Someone left their razor plugged in and, in the storm, it fell of the counter and....into the toilet! The fire was put out right away, but there was some kind of coded anouncement over the PA system which had some passengers reporting to their emergency stations in life jackets!).

 

That's it for now.

 

I remain, slightly saltier,

 

Crouton

[cusyl]

So happy to hear from you...hope you have a terrific crossing. Sure wish we were sailing with you.

 

A bad day at sea is better than a good day at work

26 cruises since 1964 -Proud member of O.A.T.C.

 

Queen Mary 2 Maiden Caribbean Voyage 1/31/2004

HAL Zuiderdam 3/27/2004

 

Carnival Miracle from Tampa 11/7/04

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[cruiserking]

Hey Crouton,

 

So glad to read your post. I was hoping you would give us some news of the trip and was pleased to read about the adventure so far.

 

Have a wonderful time on the high seas!

 

Best,

 

Cruiserking

 

7/1 Queen Mary 2 Cruise

 

Till 12/21 QE2 Caribbean Holiday Cruise

 

[Linerguy]

So glad to hear from you while at sea. I had no doubt that you would find QM2 to be a remarkable ship.

 

Please tell Frank (Calliope) that Russ from Cincinnati sends his kindest regards.....he lives about 20 minutes from me.

 

Safe journey to all,

 

Russ

[dougnewmanatsea]

Glad all is going well... I am terribly envious of anyone on either of those ships right now!

 

Doug Newman

Cruise Critic Message Boards Host

e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com

[cunarder]

I echo Host Doug. I AM ENVIOUS of all the people on both ships. Have a great crossing.

 

Can't wait for my turn.

 

Thanks for the posting Crouton.

 

Ed

[sandramerle]

We were watching from Battery Park and it was so spectacular. Please could you tell me if I were to book sunchairs in advance which I am going to do today, where would you suggest is the best part to request placing them. Your comments will be appreciated. Have a wonderful trip.

[KenC]

Hi Crouton

 

So Pleased that it is meeting your expectations - have a fabulous time

 

So sorry not to be welcoming you all into Soton on Saturday, but enjoy your time in the UK!

 

Regards

 

Ken

[juneann]

I can't wait for my first crossing on July 5th. I am so glad to read your report..keep them coming. Also, I am very happy to hear that it is wonderful for all of you.

 

I was one of that crowd seeing you off on Sunday. It was magnificant. I also saw the QM2 as it came back in on Saturday AM..out of a fog as it approached the Verazano Bridge.

 

Regards

June

[Shipping Out]

(BTW, we have it pretty well confirmed that there was a small electrical fire in the crew quarters on the WESTBOUND transatlantic crossing before us. Someone left their razor plugged in and, in the storm, it fell of the counter and....into the toilet! The fire was put out right away, but there was some kind of coded anouncement over the PA system which had some passengers reporting to their emergency stations in life jackets!)

 

 

Hi Crouton. Glad to hear that you're having a great time. Why am I not surprised? Thanks for sharing your great adventure.

 

I was onboard during the Westbound crossing when the electrical fire took place. Commodore Warwick made a PA announcement, "Bravo, all group 2 crew to their stations" and a lot of the crew paled and went rushing off to find their life jackets. Later, he made another announcement, "the situation is now under control. Group 2 crew, you may step down". We heard that there had been a fire on 1 deck, and that they had had a bit of trouble putting it out. I also heard that we were within minutes of all of us being summoned to our stations - in the middle of the gale. What a story that would have been!

 

Sail on!

[Liz 130]

Crouton

 

Thank you so much for posting. We saw you off from Dinner Cruise on Sunday - what a send-off! Glad to hear all is well, enjoy every moment.

 

We all look forward to a full report. Our family can't wait for our trip in June.

 

Best regards,

 

Liz

[dougnewmanatsea]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Shipping Out:

I also heard that we were within minutes of all of us being summoned to our stations - in the middle of the gale. What a story that would have been!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well I for one am glad it didn't happen - imagine the headlines! I can just imagine some red top comparing it to TITANIC even if nobody got hurt.

 

Incidentally, on QM2, are muster stations indoors or out?

 

Doug Newman

Cruise Critic Message Boards Host

e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com

[Ken_W]

Indoors. Watch out for trailing lifebelt straps, as some people let them dangle on the floor despite instructions to the contrary. I have to admit I don't pay as strict attention during airline safety checks anymore, but I pay lots of attention to muster drills.

 

There was no muster call that I heard, but isn't Code Bravo exclusively for a fire on board? Or is it for an undesignated (but serious) situation?

 

It may be absolutely correct that we were within minutes of mustering, but I learned never to automatically believe anything that I hear from other passengers or even hotel staff; one gentleman was insisting we had hit a whale a half an hour previously, when in fact the stabilizers had been deployed!

 

Did anyone else book on Queen Victoria, whatever kind of ship she turns out to be?

[Shipping Out]

Doug - so am I. Imagine what a field day the media would have had with that! Funny - none of them have commented on the fact that the QM2 made up her lost time and arrived on schedule - the Today Show must go on.

 

Ken - Code Bravo is used for any emergency at sea. I was on the QE2 two years ago when she briefly ran aground, and the captain also made a Code Bravo PA announcement.

[Crouton]

(Aboard QM2, Mid Atlantic, Tandem Crossing)

 

Teatime Impressions...

 

JP Evans and I had tea together in the Winter Garden this afternoon. Promptly at 3:30pm, a single line of waiters (mostly filipino) in white jackets and white gloves filed out of the kitchen and the harpist began to play.

 

Within 30 seconds we had tea in our cups, followed by a platter of crustless tea sandwiches to chose from. I had ham, egg salad, and cucumber. JPE had ham, tunafish, and maybe salmon.

 

A few minutes later,the scones arrived with clotted cream and jam already spread (everyone thinks they're cream puffs at first). Along with the scones were strawberry tarts, raspberry mousse, and assorted other lemon, chocolate, and creamy things.

 

At around 3:35 I glanced up and noticed that the place was comfortably full and pretty much every seat was taken. (Tea was simultaneously being served in at least 3-5 other rooms on the ship.)

 

There was a self-appointed chic, trendy lady who looked like Andy Warhol would look if he were a grandmother who wore a dazzling green blouse the same color as the handpainted leaves on the ceiling.

 

There were couples, families, groups of friends, and travel tours all seated in different configurations around us. Quite a lot of grey hair, but a lot of life all the same.

 

I pulled out a photograph I had downloaded from the internet of artists putting the finishing touches on the room and a piano tuner tuning the piano -- months ago before the ship was finished. I thought JPE would be touched and impressed, but he had already seen it and was neither.

 

Two svelte and schmoozy looking Cunard British manager types in blue suits came and worked a table of what must have been VIP ladies of some sort very drippingly.

 

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 was not quite visible but a solid presence just ahead of us off to our port side.

 

JPE and I disagreed over which way was forward and which was aft from where we were sitting, and JPE won.

 

QM2 the ship, as she has been most of the day, was gently but perceptibly rocking fore to aft. Just enough to make you think you might have had too much to drink, even though you hadn't.

 

Cheers, as they say, to you all.

 

Crouton

 

[This message was edited by Crouton on 04-27-04 at 08:25 PM.]

[friedchickN]

Thanks for the posts, Crouton. Glad that the ship and experience are meeting your expectations. Continue to enjoy.

[seaventurer]

Wonderful - keep going - I am savoring the daily reports...

[Tika]

Hello and thank you Crouton.......Your posts here have been so wonderful for us wona be's! I am dreaming every breath of the crossing. What have you been doing during the day? Have there been any special gala parties? What is your most favorite place on the ship?

Wow what an awesome adventure.......aprreciate taking the time to share!!!!!!!!!!!

MJ

 

Tika

[2dream4]

Keep those updates coming! We are all living vicariously through you and your messages! Green with envy!

 

2dream4

[Colin_Cameron]

The "Code Bravo" annoncement is used to call the emergency teams to an announced location. In this case outside the crew office. I can't confirm the shaver in the toilet, but it was to do with the shaver outlet in one of the crew cabins.

 

The person to talk to is the sound and light guy in the Queens Room, it was his cabin. But be gentle, he lost most of his stuff.

[Crouton]

(Aboard QM2, North Atlantic Ocean, Tandem Crossing)

 

What a difference a day makes!

 

The sun came out today, the ocean turned blue, the deck chair cushions came out, and the promenade deck was filled with strolling passengers. In particular, the open deck aft on the promenade deck was filled with people crashed out, sunning, or reading in deckchairs -- and the air temperature was actually warm in places.

 

QE2 was off our starboard side perhaps as close as she has come -- maybe a half mile but it's hard to tell. She looked absolutely lovely in the dark blue ocean with the sun shining brightly on her white superstructure, cutting through the ocean with obvious grace and confidence -- a truly beautiful sight, and the more so with appreciation for her history. The railing was FILLED with people posing for pictures with QE2 in the background.

 

At one point an American man in full regailia (kilt, cap, flags etc) appeared with bagpipe led a parade of passengers down the starboard promenade deck. He paused amidships to "pipe QE2" in a small ritual that I didn't understand, before proceeding to the aft deck where everyone ran to grab his photo.

 

I went to a planetarium show this afternoon and was fairly blown away by many of the visuals -- which are only enhanced by the occassional movement of the ship. I don't want togive away any of it -- so I'll just say if you at all like that kind of thing, don't miss it. There are three different approx 20 minute shows that they offer in rotation.

 

I had dinner in Lotus tonight -- a very interesting "tasting menu" of a dozen or so unusual Asian specialities that were very well done. I was impressed that I could order a Tsing Tao (sp?) beer to drink with it!

 

I had a lunchtime conversation with a delightful woman from New York in her early 50's who revelled in the fact that she was changing her entire outfit at least four times a day. She could laugh at herself about it, and was really into the whole shipboard dancing scene. Her excitement, however different from mine, was contagious.

 

I am very pleased to say that I think the soft ice cream served on board from self serve machines will please discriminating ice cream lovers. There are always cones available, and it's not uncommon to see people walking around with one after lunch.

 

Last night Commodore Warwick held forth at his table in front of the tapestry in Britannia at the second seating. It was just as glamourous and perhaps "majestic" in its way as you could imagine. I had the chance to talk with him briefly and he was genuinely warm. When I mentioned the internet he said "My son has a wesbite...he's on board you know."

 

By around 7pm, a light white fog/haze was surounding us -- and there was still a lot of sunlight. The effect was to make QE2 look almost like a ghost ship -- though a happy ghost ship -- sailing along side us again as in a dream. Obviously, my imagination is at work, but so much of this experience and this ship itself very intentionally evoke the golden era of transatlantic crossings that it's honestly (and wonderfully) hard to tell the difference between illusion and reality sometimes.

 

A bit carried away, as always,

 

Crouton

[juneann]

Just one little question...are there irons in the cabins? Is there a dry cleaning service?

Thanks.

Keep your reports coming. I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying your trip.

[imacruizer]

There are no irons in the rooms but there are laundry rooms on each deck. In the laundry room on our deck, there were two ironing boards and irons, four washers and four dryers. The washers and dryers were complementary. There was a charge for the detergent which I believe was $1.00. There is dry cleaning also.

 

Crouton, thanks so much for your reports from the tandem crossing. So glad you are having a great time, but I had no doubt that you would. Your reports bring back many wonderful memories.

[Crouton]

(Aboard QM2, Tandem Crossing, North Atlantic)

 

I'm typing on the one of the ship's computer/internet terminals in the library on Deck 8. The keyboard is on a beautiful mahogany stained table right next to a 3wx5h foot window facing forward (on the curved front of the superstructure). The library is filled with people, but it's totally quiet except for the sticatto of keyboardists like myself tapping away.

 

I wanted to send a post from here just to mention that:

 

-- there's really no need to bring a single book with you unless you have your heart set on reading something specific. In particular, they have an excellent selection of books on ocean liners, Cundard history and European travel.

 

-- the bookshop, next to the library, has by far a better collection of postcards, posters, and certain select memorabilia than the Mayfair shops.

 

-- I have had alsmost no problems or complaints about the shipboard internet service. It is almost as fast as my DSL at home, and the package prices for time are reasonable IMHO, given that, incredibly, I am in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. (If you buy a four hour package for $79 (I think) -- you get the price down to 37 cents a minute -- less than the rate many major land hotels.

 

-- at least three of us have signed the Cruise Critic logbook in the library, cusyl -- and I will be reminding any others I see. I now think that we all must commit, as cusyl thoughtfully did, to incessantly reminding those who are about to embark to sign the logbook. It is somehow easy to let slip out of memory.

 

More generally, the water and sky are variations on a theme of grey again today. There are whitecaps and the wind can really blow you around on deck -- although very few are out there to be blown around.

 

In the interests of objectivity, I also want to mention that while, minimal, I have experienced and witnessed some pretty egregious service problems, isolated though most of them are. More than once, I've seen someone ask or report something to a waiter -- and in turn be ridiculed with a look like "do I look as if I give a sh*t?"

 

If you are someone who insists on impeccable service 100% of the time and becomes agitated each time it does not, then I think you should wait a while before booking on QM2 until things shake out a little more. If you can go with the flow and be delighted when it all works like it's supposed to, then you won't be disappointed.

 

I also think it's fair to say that many of the crew are under unusual stress of some sort -- most likely from being worked too hard, too long, and under too exacting scrutiny from managers and passengers alike. Some I have talked to are working 12-14 hour days non stop.

 

The QE2 remains off our port side today -- just an indescribably lovely sight and everyone seems to feel that it's like having a friend sailing with you. She's just one ship on one crossing, but all of her awesome achievements and adventures of 35 years are sailing along with her palpably (poingnantly?) -- and those aboard her are giving her the honor she deserves. It would be so fun to know what it's like over there, but so far, I don't have a clue -- except windy!

 

Odds and ends: regarding that fire, I now hear that the shaver fell into the sink, not the toilet, but the esssential story has been confirmed by every crew member I've spoken with.

 

My favorite places on the ship are my cabin, the 11 Deck forward observation area, and the little half-circle shaped cut outs (like a docking wing) on 8 deck aft (I think) where you can most "stand out over the side of the ship." I also like the glassed in rear viewing area on deck 11 where you can sit outside protected and also look forward along the length of the ship cutting through the water.

 

With greetings to all past and future QM2 passengers,

 

Crouton

 

[This message was edited by Crouton on 04-29-04 at 12:06 PM.]

[LouChamp]

Crouton,

Your reports are wonderful. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your vacation to report to us. We are sailing next week and I visited the ship when she was in NY. I have images of your various descriptions about the vessel flashing in my mind as you so eloquently describe your experiences.

Thanks again.

All The Best!

 

30+ Cruises and Counting

Queen Mary 2 - May 2004

Pride of Aloha - August 2004

Caribbean Princess - February 2005