QM2 booked....again!

Old Oct 20th 2014, 12:57 pm
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Thumbs up Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by britwhore
Hi Englishmum,

Does it cost extra to have breakfast in bed?!?!?
No, it doesn't!

The housekeeper assigned to your cabin collects your order the evening before; you can even choose the time you want your breakfast to be delivered to you and it always arrived on time

I was a bit naughty and stayed in bed, leaving my husband to answer the door when the delicious breakfast arrived lol! There is an extensive selection of items to choose from too. I found it to be much more civilised and relaxing than going to the buffet breakfast area and trying to find a spare place to sit down and eat (a mistake I experienced on our first morning at sea, I found it a bit of a zoo).

A couple of days though I did go into one of the formal restaurants for breakfast as I fancied kedgeree, kippers and salmon etc. (all waiter service, unlike the buffet). This is where I had a very interesting conversation with a couple of charming guys (one gay Brit, one married Aussie with his wife back in Oz) who were the 'gentlemen dancers' - they were volunteers, hired to dance in the evenings with the (mostly widowed and elderly) ladies in the ballroom. They had both done multiple trips with Cunard, free of charge!

PS: thank you for the reply about the dog kennels and cost. My husband's employer is always sending Americans from NYC, Minnesota, CA etc. to go on expat postings to London (oh, and some returning expat Brits too). Many of them have dogs and they often overlook the possibility of sailing on the QM2 instead of flying their pets.

Last edited by Englishmum; Oct 20th 2014 at 1:04 pm.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 1:45 pm
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Smile Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by not2old
for those that have chosen or traveled the QM2, which is the best cabin choice as the 'best bang for your buck' - is it the 'outside balcony' or the 'ocean view'?

Or simply go with an inside cabin?
Hi not2old;

In the Summer of 2012 there was a late promotion with Cunard to celebrate HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee on all their ships. They were not only offering super-inexpensive prices on the QM2 on their crossings between New York & Southampton, but also a free double upgrade from an inside cabin to a premium balcony, plus a $150 shipboard credit.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin...h-june-760400/

http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin...motion-767131/

After I posted the first link, three couples/families who post on BE could not resist the promotion and they all relocated to the UK in early August 2012! (If1, Pombat and Britwhore). Britwhore - the O/P of this thread - amazingly managed to get a last minute booking to take her four dogs in the kennels too!

Also after posting the first link, my spouse had a lovely surprise for me; our wedding anniversary is July the 4th. He had been posted to Switzerland with his job and I was still resident in New Jersey (then shortly due to get my US citizenship in August 2012). He flew out to NJ for our 25th anniversary and I woke up on July 4th to be given an envelope with the details of the trip he had booked for us to sail two days later to Southampton! He'd also arranged for us to reconfirm our vows with the ship's captain. (He is so romantic )
He used the shipboard credit to rent a formal suit onboard lol!)

Anyway....to get back to your question: personally I get claustrophobia and I wouldn't feel comfortable being in an inside cabin with no windows and only artificial light. Obviously it doesn't bother many people at all, and tbh some people spend very little time in their cabins and just use them as a 'crash pad' to sleep or freshen up. We were in an outside cabin with a balcony (with a very slightly restricted view due to a lifeboat hoisted up on the side) so the natural light was nice. The room was quite spacious too, with a sofa at the side of the bed - we didn't feel squashed in or cramped at all.

It was a bit windy to spend much time on the balcony when at sea, so I wouldn't have minded a cabin with a porthole window (we had one with a cruise on Royal Caribbean when we made a late booking during the Summer school holidays a few years ago).

I certainly seem to get the impression that Cunard is quite generous with various promotions and returning customers do seem to be offered free upgrades; I guess it depends on how full the ship is at the time of sailing. As mentioned before, do sign up directly with Cunard for online promotions and perhaps give them (not a travel agency) a call from time to time, asking if they have any promotions coming up....you never know, you may get lucky and get upgraded!

Btw; they have a laundry on most decks - our cabin was quite close to one - and it has the US style top loader and tumble dryers, with free detergent. There is also an iron and ironing board in the laundry area.

Some reviews here:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...hip&ShipID=294

Last edited by Englishmum; Oct 20th 2014 at 2:09 pm. Reason: Added a link
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 2:59 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Englishmum @post#17... thanks for the super response with details & linked info

I have more questions on sailing the QM2, but shall wait see if others responses first with their experiences

Thanks all

Last edited by not2old; Oct 20th 2014 at 3:02 pm.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 8:15 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Britwhore, well, surprise, surprise! I only pop in occasionally and this is what i find!
I'm well jealous of your QM2 voyage, and hope that the UK works out for you next time round.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 9:05 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by Englishmum
No, it doesn't!

The housekeeper assigned to your cabin collects your order the evening before; you can even choose the time you want your breakfast to be delivered to you and it always arrived on time

I was a bit naughty and stayed in bed, leaving my husband to answer the door when the delicious breakfast arrived lol! There is an extensive selection of items to choose from too. I found it to be much more civilised and relaxing than going to the buffet breakfast area and trying to find a spare place to sit down and eat (a mistake I experienced on our first morning at sea, I found it a bit of a zoo).

A couple of days though I did go into one of the formal restaurants for breakfast as I fancied kedgeree, kippers and salmon etc. (all waiter service, unlike the buffet). This is where I had a very interesting conversation with a couple of charming guys (one gay Brit, one married Aussie with his wife back in Oz) who were the 'gentlemen dancers' - they were volunteers, hired to dance in the evenings with the (mostly widowed and elderly) ladies in the ballroom. They had both done multiple trips with Cunard, free of charge!

PS: thank you for the reply about the dog kennels and cost. My husband's employer is always sending Americans from NYC, Minnesota, CA etc. to go on expat postings to London (oh, and some returning expat Brits too). Many of them have dogs and they often overlook the possibility of sailing on the QM2 instead of flying their pets.
Are the formal restaurants included? I was never sure.

I should sign my husband up to be a "gentleman dancer" HAHAHAHA!!!

Who is your husband's employer if you don't mind me asking?
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 9:07 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by jemima55
Britwhore, well, surprise, surprise! I only pop in occasionally and this is what i find!
I'm well jealous of your QM2 voyage, and hope that the UK works out for you next time round.
HAHAHAHA!!! Hi jemima55

Thanks. I hope so too. I feel much more at ease about the move back mostly because I now know what is in store.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 9:32 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Hi Britwhore!
I've now been back two and a half years. Mostly I've been very happy to be back nearer family. Currently looking after my teenage nephew in deepest Norfolk while his Dad gets a well earned break.
I have to say my allegiance has gone from British Expats to Mumsnet. You don't have to be a mum or even female to post on there. It's quite entertaining!
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 10:14 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by not2old
Englishmum @post#17... thanks for the super response with details & linked info

I have more questions on sailing the QM2, but shall wait see if others responses first with their experiences

Thanks all
I wouldn't go with an inside room personally. I believe a window or balcony room is only about $100 more and IMHO definitely worth it.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 10:15 pm
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by jemima55
Hi Britwhore!
I've now been back two and a half years. Mostly I've been very happy to be back nearer family. Currently looking after my teenage nephew in deepest Norfolk while his Dad gets a well earned break.
I have to say my allegiance has gone from British Expats to Mumsnet. You don't have to be a mum or even female to post on there. It's quite entertaining!
Deepest Norfolk!!! Glad to hear things are going well. Two and a half years already!! Time goes so quickly.

I've checked out mumsnet before but it can get really bitchy on there!
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 12:38 am
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

spent an hour or so looking at the QM2 website at the different suites/rooms & it seems too me - excluding the pet travel & amount of extra baggage on board - as a comparison to say a seat on a plane,

Inside room = economy isle seat

Ocean view - economy window seat

Balcony = economy with the extra leg room widow seat

Princess = Business class

Queen = First class

as priced accordingly ...

As far as the 'sign up for email alerts' - I think that is great & hopefully a bargain can be had. According to traveler reviews found on several websites, Cunard never sails across the pond with empty state rooms/suites, so maybe, that is why (similar to airlines) booking last minute could get you a bargain or not?

I'd be interested to know more about the value for money (two traveling) comparing the Balcony room versus the Princess rooms & whether the extra value in the having your own dining table & food quality variety is worth the extra $1000 or so per person?

Balcony or Princess?

Last edited by not2old; Oct 21st 2014 at 12:49 am.
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 6:29 am
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by not2old
spent an hour or so looking at the QM2 website at the different suites/rooms & it seems too me - excluding the pet travel & amount of extra baggage on board - as a comparison to say a seat on a plane,

Inside room = economy isle seat

Ocean view - economy window seat

Balcony = economy with the extra leg room widow seat

Princess = Business class

Queen = First class

as priced accordingly ...

That seems a reasonable assessment to me. My husband's employer had budgeted to provide business class flights for the 3 of us which we converted to our QM2 crossing.

Originally Posted by not2old

I'd be interested to know more about the value for money (two traveling) comparing the Balcony room versus the Princess rooms & whether the extra value in the having your own dining table & food quality variety is worth the extra $1000 or so per person?

Balcony or Princess?
I think that would be an individual judgement call.
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 7:12 am
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

So jealous to hear that you are doing the QM2 again, Britwhore! We loved our crossing and would happily do it again, if it didn't mean having to go to the US first

For the people interested in costings, we came back as a family of 4 in August 2012 on the Diamond Jubilee promotion previously mentioned. We booked 2 adjacent cabins and got a free upgrade from inside to balcony - unobstructed view. Hubby and I shared one cabin and our kids had the twin- bedded cabin next door. It worked out the same price as one way economy airfares!!!

Breakfast in bed was good, although I did quite like the buffet as well. The laundry facilities were a big plus for us. Happy to answer any other questions.
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 8:13 am
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

+1 on the laundry facilities

I hadn't twigged that the laundry would be free - we had been travelling for a week before we got on the ship so I had been saving up quarters to use in the driers. I ended up with a huge bag of coins - the only thing to do was to blow them all in the casino
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 10:02 am
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Default Re: QM2 booked....again!

Hi Britwhore,

Isn't it great when you can finally find peace with your decision!? I am really happy for you and hopefully it will all work out this time.

I am so glad we travelled back on the QM2 last year too. I hate flying and everything that goes with it so the QM2 was the better, and cheaper option for us.

not2old - we were 3 adults and 1 child staying in an inside cabin. I do prefer a balcony but due to not being able to sell our house in canada yet and having limited finances, an inside it was. It was cheaper than flying!
We find the inside OK as we literally only sleep, shower and dress in the cabin. Cunard are quite generous with their cabin size and so it worked for us. I have booked many cruises for customers and sailed on a few myself to know that there is smaller!
There is good lighting, air con and mirrors placed to make the appearence larger and the light bounce. I understand a lot of people don't like it though as there is no natural light.

The formal dining is included, as is room service, buffet breakfast, lunch, soft drinks and entertainment.
The specialty dining restaurants, spa, casino and alcohol is additional.

We did originally book a year in advance to return late in the July and we booked a dogs kennel at that time too. Again, it was a lot cheaper than him flying. Hubby got offered a job and left Canada in the June and at that point I just wanted to leave so rescheduled for the early July sailing and lost our kennel so unfortunately the dog had to fly - he cost more than all of us sailing!

Good luck!
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 2:19 pm
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Smile Re: QM2 booked....again!

Originally Posted by britwhore
Are the formal restaurants included? I was never sure.

I should sign my husband up to be a "gentleman dancer" HAHAHAHA!!!

Who is your husband's employer if you don't mind me asking?
Will send you a PM

Certainly in the evening the formal restaurant is included (we changed the time we were allocated, there was quite a queue on the first day with other passengers doing the same).

I just trotted along to (I think it was?) the same formal restaurant for breakfast, the Maitre'D just takes you along to any suitable table - I did go along once on my own and ended up sharing a larger table with the 'gentlemen' and a few others, but I didn't mind at all.
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