QM2 4 day Labor Day cruise questions

[Brklynguy]

This is our first Cunard cruise, 4 day get away out of NY to Halifax in a B3 Balcony room 4163, amidships.

1. What is the dress code for dinner for such a short cruise? Are there formal nights? (We like to dress up).

2. What kind of weather should we expect? Are shorts at a waste of time? Sweaters and rain gear? I have sailed in small craft that far north in August and I remember it being pretty cold.

3. We typically dine in the upgrade restaurants one night on each of our previous cruises, is this recommended?

4. We are leaving out of NY - what shoud we expect as far as disembarkation lines/time?

5. Any recommendation in Halifax. We don't take organized tours and just crab a car for the day - is this a good plan?

6. Do they allow any alocohol to be brought on board (Champ/wine)?

7. WIFI access (probably not necessary, just curious - on Carnival we had it in our room).

[travel-to-go]

This is our first Cunard cruise, 4 day get away out of NY to Halifax in a B3 Balcony room 4163, amidships.

1. What is the dress code for dinner for such a short cruise? Are there formal nights? (We like to dress up).

2. What kind of weather should we expect? Are shorts at a waste of time? Sweaters and rain gear? I have sailed in small craft that far north in August and I remember it being pretty cold.

3. We typically dine in the upgrade restaurants one night on each of our previous cruises, is this recommended?

4. We are leaving out of NY - what shoud we expect as far as disembarkation lines/time?

5. Any recommendation in Halifax. We don't take organized tours and just crab a car for the day - is this a good plan?

6. Do they allow any alocohol to be brought on board (Champ/wine)?

7. WIFI access (probably not necessary, just curious - on Carnival we had it in our room).

Yes, you will have a formal night. I think I dressed for dinner each evening. (Some fancier than others)

2 Could be hot, could be cool. Mostly definitely while moving through the North Atlantic, unsheltered places will be breezy and probably cool. We sailed out last year in a Nor'easter. cold and rainy. things cleared on our way back from Halifax and people were out on deck chairs soaking up the sun. Shorts don't take up much room in the suitcase!

3- Can't really say! Never done it

4- We got there in rain running late, and there was a long line. Earlier is probably better, and they don't penalize you for arriving early despite the times on your card.

5- We spent the entire time at the Maritime Museum and loved it. If the weather is nice, there is plenty within a pleasant walking distance. There is also the FRED, which is a free bus paid for by the downtown merchants. If you are lucky, you will get the driver we had last year whose name escapes me at the moment I keep thinking Murray but that isn't it- He normally drives the college kids, but being a holiday was driving this route. There are also other transportation right at the port. No need to rent a car. The Maritime museum is wonderful. Look on the roll call thread for this cruise. I think I posted a couple of pictures and a review there. (including a pic of the FRED bus and driver) There are interactive exhibits, Titanic items, fabulous ship models, including a cutaway of a few Cunard ships. fab information about the many wrecks and salvage operations, and an exhibit about the explosion in the harbor when a ship broke her lines and when crashing into another ship. She was full of explosives, or munitions of some sort. (Also escapes me at the moment. I am getting old!) I was talking to my boss about this this afternoon. He was telling me how his grandfather always used to tell him about it! "I was there!" The museums motto is stay an hour, stay a day, there's something for everyone! don't miss the 3D Titanic movie and the Macaw on the first floor. He likes it if you now how to talk parrot (as I do.) I got it! The bus driver's name was Melvin!

6 Alcohol not a problem

7 Wi-Fi- not in the rooms unless you are very lucky or very near a hot spot. Most bars, library, are good. I also used my Cingular EDGE Aircard for quite a ways on my balcony coming out of Halifax, Enjoy, I was going to go on this, but dropped it in favor of the B2B crossings in April.

 

Karie,

who would love to go back to Halifax!

(Stilll thinking I'd like to just run off and go in two weeks! <G>)

[smoothdancer]

If you are going to dine one evening at Todd English make sure to make a beeline to the reservations when you get on board. We did the 4 day Memorial Day cruise and could not get a reservation because we waited to bit too long. I think they fill up fast on the short cruises.

 

Have a great trip!

[smeyer418]

the explosion in the harbor was not caused as stated above. It was however the largest man-made explosion prior to the dropping of the Atomic Bomb(the Galveston ship explosions matched it). I rent a car drive to Peggy's cove to beat the ships tours. Drive back, went to the Cemetery where the dead from the Titanic are buried including a J Dawson and then to the Museum. One of the curators mothers was present when the explosion took place. caused by the collision between a ammo ship coming in and another leaving the harbor. That should be enough for a day. We rented from Avis about a 10 minute walk from the pier. Hertz is located close to the pier but Avis was less expensive and drove me back after I had already dropped off my wife.We did this cruise last year. and this was my second time in Halifax---the last time was on a ship that detoured from Bermuda. Halifax is interesting....

 

downtown Brooklyn here.

 

http://www.halifax.ca/community/explode.html

[smeyer418]

Halifax pictures

 

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbsWrRu1ctGYN&emid=sharshar&linkid=link3

 

By the way if the dock looks familiar its the dock the Russian sub in the movie with Harrison Ford sails from....K something the widow maker....