QE2 22May2004

[Vic The Parrot]

Anyone going on this cruise?

I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks of the changes, if any, after the refit.

Get back to us here after you come back.
We'd all love to hear if there's anything 'new'
on board! Enjoy! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

16 - HAL
10 - Cunard
4 - Home Lines
2 - NCL
2 - Royal Viking Line


"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"

[nancy2406]

Just back from the 22May2004 QE2 sailing. First time on QE2 and on Cunard, so I am unable to comment on changes. Ship was completely full, over 1700 passengers. We were in M1 cabin - old and dated looking furniture. It took 1-1/2 days and 4 phone calls to get a bathroom light replaced over the shower. The 5 deck carpet was tired and worn, and there was often a smell of diesel fuel. Plumbing problems were abundant - many without hot water for several days and leaks all around. The indoor swimming pool and gym were not open - renovations not completed. Food in M dining room was not the best and waiters were overworked - ours had 3 tables of 6 each for a total of 18 passengers. Service was slow. We generally ate b'fast and lunch at the Lido, food was hot and the selection better. Onboard currency was the USD. Only one "broadway" show, with about 12 performers (singers & dancers with songs from 60s to 90s) which was fairly basic - not elaborate like on RCI, Celebrity and Princess cruises we had taken previously. Other entertainment included piano performer, comedian, guitarist. Afternoon tea was crowded and slow - the pax were mostly British. Port service was slow - tendered to Copenhagen and waited 2 hours for a tender to leave the ship and the tender ride was another 30 minutes. Docked in Amsterdam, but still a 20-30 minute bus ride (complementary) to town. We waited 1 hour for a return bus from town to the ship. Decided Cunard is not our style.

[guernseyguy]

Nancy,

Did you make it to the Sun deck - the topmost open deck, immediately behind the funnel? From the description of the refurb, thats the biggest change in public space. I appreciate you won't be able to do a 'before & after' - but what you saw would be interesting.

Peter

[nancy2406]

Afraid we never went to the Sun Deck. The weather was on the colder side and we did not spend much of our ship time outside.

[2dream4]

I am interested to hear from any that have been on the QE2 after being refurbished to get a report on the changes in teh sun deck. Can one still rent chairs on the sun deck for the entire cruise?

[bill4r]

I was also on the May 22 Sailing.

We were more fortunate that we had no plumbing problem in our cabin, but I notice that water was leaking or flooding in the First Deck area.

There were long line up on many occasions, as lenghtly as one hour; for example, when people return to the ship, they have to clear security and there was only one X-ray machine trying to process 1700 passengers and crews.

I notice the new exterior paint job and since this was my first time on QE2, I would not be able to comment on any other changes.
[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[bill4r]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 2dream4:
I am interested to hear from any that have been on the QE2 after being refurbished to get a report on the changes in teh sun deck. Can one still rent chairs on the sun deck for the entire cruise?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It was not sunbathing weather at this time of the year during the Northen Europe Cruise, therefore there not no need to rent any chair. There was only one warm and sunny day during the entire journey while the ship was at Amsterdam.

[hmv]

I just returned from the May 29 cruise on QE2. I hadn't heard that the Sun Deck had these renovations prior to my cruise.

One day I decided to walk up to the Sun Deck and see whether anyone was sitting in their reserved deck chairs. I enjoyed seeing the people spend all day in this sheltered area last October on a crossing.

So I was quite surprised to see that this area is now a bar. All those reserved deck chairs are gone. I didn't ask whether they still reserve chairs. I could never find many stewards/waiters around this area. It seemed basically unused. Perhaps they used it for "sailaway parties", such as the Beatles party when we left Liverpool. But most people seemed to be on the lower decks listening to the music.

I also noticed dripping water throughout the hallways. My cabin (2130, MI) had bed bugs and no hot water in the shower after the second day. And their was no washer in the bathroom faucet! I complained several times and they finally moved me to another cabin (3160), even though they had a sign up saying they were completely booked and no cabin changes were possible.

My new cabin had hot water (which is a must for me), but the bed was terrible (you really felt the springs) and the floor under the bed smelled like dirty shoes).

But the rest of the ship seemed in good shape. It was a wonderful cruise with excellent weather and great itinerary. The food in Mauritania was delicious (for all three meals) and my one dinner in the Lido couldn't have been better. I'm ready to go on the QE2 again!

[mufi]

Think that sign in the purser's office is a permanent fixture, makes life easier for them.
David.

[mtbny7]

Bed bugs? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Michael
NYC

[Vic The Parrot]

When I was on the 4/25 crossing on QE2, there where a few plumbing problems on board.

Was wondering if that was corrected during the refit.

16 - HAL
10 - Cunard
4 - Home Lines
2 - NCL
2 - Royal Viking Line


"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"