This was our fourth TransAtlantic crossing on the QM2. The first time we crossed in October, the next in December. We then planned to take the 28th April crossing, remaining in Europe for three weeks and the return crossing on May 17th. We thought the weather would be nice enough to sit on deck. Hah! On the first crossing, the 28th April one, we had two days of high winds and rain, and the rest of the time it was just cold and grey. Several people complained of seasickness but we had a midships cabin on the 8th deck and only felt gentle rocking. No problems moving about during the day. But the crossing on May 17th was worse. We had I think 3 days of Force 7-10 winds and the promenade deck was actually closed. I did go out on deck but was about blown away. Again I met several people who were downing seasick pills like candy.
The entertainment on both ships--lectures, fitness classes--was very good although I preferred the May 17th crossing because they had the RADA actors on board and they held fun acting workshops. The lectures on that crossing were also more interesting.
We are quiet people so we didn't participate in any of the gala evenings. And this, for us, is one of the kind of downsides to Cunard. We don't really want to do a formal thing as we usually travel elsewhere after docking and hauling fancy clothes around Europe is a pain. On the April cruise our waiters in the Britannia (formal) dining room insisted we come even on the gala nights because my husband did have a jacket and tie and nice trousers and I had a nice trouser suit with a couple of pretty blouses. But we felt awkward among the dinner jackets and sequins. There is no middle ground restaurant on those nights--somewhere where you can sit and be served and not have to jockey with 2000-odd people for the buffet food in the Kingscourt Cafe. It would be good if Cunard could provide that kind of alternative dining without having to pay an additional fee. We've already paid for the fancy dining room anyway.
Still, the Queen Mary 2 is a lovely way to cross the Atlantic, storms and all. There are lots of quiet nooks and lounges that provide music from string trios, harpist, Dixieland jazz, at various times of the day and night. As we said, we are not party people, we don't travel with small children, so that's exactly the experience we are looking for.
My final quibble though was that Queen Mary did not provide any information about the bus company they use to transfer people from New York to Kennedy Airport. My fault completely, I left my carry-on bag on the bus in the confusion of getting off and, after the bus had driven away, there was nothing in the Cunard literature on whom to contact about it. I called Cunard and the first rep transferred me to a company that services Princess Lines (?) and then when I called back the next rep also didn't know anything but took it upon herself to find out. She said that she would contact the bus company but didn't tell me what that company's name was. Thankfully, we kept watch and a second bus arrived and we recognized its color, realized that was the company and got the phone number off the bus. Am still waiting for my carry on to arrive four days later but I can't fault the bus company (once I had figured out how to contact them.) Make sure that you don't rush off any transport before you count your bags!!
The entertainment on both ships--lectures, fitness classes--was very good although I preferred the May 17th crossing because they had the RADA actors on board and they held fun acting workshops. The lectures on that crossing were also more interesting.
We are quiet people so we didn't participate in any of the gala evenings. And this, for us, is one of the kind of downsides to Cunard. We don't really want to do a formal thing as we usually travel elsewhere after docking and hauling fancy clothes around Europe is a pain. On the April cruise our waiters in the Britannia (formal) dining room insisted we come even on the gala nights because my husband did have a jacket and tie and nice trousers and I had a nice trouser suit with a couple of pretty blouses. But we felt awkward among the dinner jackets and sequins. There is no middle ground restaurant on those nights--somewhere where you can sit and be served and not have to jockey with 2000-odd people for the buffet food in the Kingscourt Cafe. It would be good if Cunard could provide that kind of alternative dining without having to pay an additional fee. We've already paid for the fancy dining room anyway.
Still, the Queen Mary 2 is a lovely way to cross the Atlantic, storms and all. There are lots of quiet nooks and lounges that provide music from string trios, harpist, Dixieland jazz, at various times of the day and night. As we said, we are not party people, we don't travel with small children, so that's exactly the experience we are looking for.
My final quibble though was that Queen Mary did not provide any information about the bus company they use to transfer people from New York to Kennedy Airport. My fault completely, I left my carry-on bag on the bus in the confusion of getting off and, after the bus had driven away, there was nothing in the Cunard literature on whom to contact about it. I called Cunard and the first rep transferred me to a company that services Princess Lines (?) and then when I called back the next rep also didn't know anything but took it upon herself to find out. She said that she would contact the bus company but didn't tell me what that company's name was. Thankfully, we kept watch and a second bus arrived and we recognized its color, realized that was the company and got the phone number off the bus. Am still waiting for my carry on to arrive four days later but I can't fault the bus company (once I had figured out how to contact them.) Make sure that you don't rush off any transport before you count your bags!!
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