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Cunard Line

Queen Elizabeth 2

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Robert S.
# previous cruises: 0
Date of Trip: July 5, 2000
Itinerary: Transatlantic

Arriving at 12.30pm, our tickets had said 3pm, but we had read on-line they DO embark early, we found that porters were at lunch until 1pm, but what crappy welcome, be we early or not, I would expect Cunard would know that with 2000 due, some would come early, surely they could afford to have SOMEONE kerbside, but no, you get dumped by taxi at the kerb, others like us milling about, not knowing where to go, what to do, with loads of baggage...

I left Carole stranded with the bags and went upstairs in this awful building, to find a single Cunard rep, getting crosser my the minute with people [not me] blaming him for the lack of services - no food, nothing to drink, or the wait they were due to endure [this was our fault] but not the lack of meet/greet. Apparently embarkation at Southampton is NOT like this, as Cunard we understand, own the terminal building, not hired for the day as in NY, so they have it set out with proper 5 Star facilities.

Cunard - GET SOME STAFF AT THE KERB FROM 11 AM TO AFTER BOARDING to greet your guests and direct them !!!!! & discount NY embarkation or match Southampton offer.

At 1pm they started check-in, to be seated in the ugly hall for an hour until 2pm when ship opened an hour early. The greeting at the ship was nice, escort offered, and entry easy. No real wait at check-in either, but is ‘pot luck’ sometimes queues [lines] were up to 20-30, other times less than 5 or even nil. It is worth pre registering your credit card - saves a queue at Pursers desk on last day.

Entry to QE2 was fine, the ship is beautiful, the crew professional, the food a delight, and yes, you can eat constantly - an on board joke - you never have to wait for more than 30 minutes for the next meal, and you can have two or three of each if you so wish - in different restaurants!!!

Boat Drill on first day, in port, was a shambles, not what I expected from Cunard. Tannoyed and tannoyed for a set time. Then this pathetic ‘’alarm clock type’’ ringing over room tannoy 45 minutes after announced time - we had all but given up. If this bell is the actual noise to wake you up to abandon ship, I would be swimming - my watch alarm is louder. No alarms in hallways etc. Was told the ships whistle sounds too in ‘real emergency.

Anyway trooped up to Muster Station, was NOT checked off, we sought out the Uninformed crew and were ticked off sheet - all very sloppy. Hope better if they really had a problem. Lots of crew training visible during crossing - so maybe OK??

All public rooms elegant and beautifully clean. Lots to do, many shows, lectures etc.

Dressing for dinner was fun, but not as dressy as we had worried.

Received personal invites to Hotel Managers party in Y club, above Lido, Officers party in Wardroom, Bridge tour and Galley tour - all very nice. Pursers office manned by ‘hassled’ crew, while polite, many were untrained "I’m new", or had poor English, so you just new your request was not being met and you would have to repeat it all again. I quickly learnt just to ask for an English crew member.

Though the ship was 85% full we never encountered crowds or queues, except in Lido, reason we only used it twice. Grill was soo much nicer anyway.

Our galley tour was taken by the Caronia [we were the only Princess Grill guests] Assist. Maitre’D, she was excellent. Well done.

Ooops - apparently we struck two ships leaving NY, but we just needed a paint job, and never knew it had happened. Due to the tall ships the berths were busy and we did not have enough room, even though we were 3 ½ hours late out. Thank goodness, what a sight - the NY skyline. We leant of the ships kissing only on return and read it in the UK press.

Had read ship was difficult to find ones way around - you have to remember this ship is 30 years old, and was BUILT for two classes, so most lifts do only go to either lower or upper decks - for obvious reasons - but we found E stairs/lifts went to almost all decks so we used these mostly. This ship is not difficult to navigate, it just needs a little appreciation and effort.

Photo shop was $6.95 for small, more for larger. Be ready for the routine snap at embarkation, having sat for an hour in the terminal you may not look your best, and regret it when you see your snap - make the effort to tidy up prior to boarding, drop the hand baggage unless you want it in the snap, and tell the photographer WHEN you are ready - this snap may be important to you later. We found one male crew member in this dept quite rude/unhelpful.

It is all-but impossible to get a photograph yourself of the ship, she is sooo big and you only see her from the portside, with gangways, buildings in the way, so do get postcards sold on board. Someone asked during the Concorde/Pilot lecture where she could get a copy of a slide he showed of the UK Red Arrows / Concorde / QE2 - he gave these details; tel + 44 [0] 20 8759 2233 negative # 860183, however, this slide is sold as a 8x10 postcard on board.

Caution; The loo [bathroom] after check-in, before security check/photo, is a disgrace. It is worse than your local bus depot w.c - NY port authority should be ashamed at this offering, I expect they charge Cunard and others huge sums for the building hire, and the w.c’s should represent this.

QE2 is beautiful, she is an elegant lady whom has been well cared for and helped into her latter years. Yes if you are the type that WANTS to find fault to complain, you will find minor items, very minor, should this be important to you - [:o) get a life].

Lido was manic, far too a short service period for numbers, so too few tables. All other rooms beautiful, as was Lido, but never busy or full. Library could do with a bigger reading area to sit and read the MANY MANY reference only books, i.e books you couldn't take out.

Just wow!!! the food was 110%, service was same in Princess Grill, but could be slow in room service/food cool, but well presented etc.

Afternoon tea great 4-5pm, but here only crew seemed all to be annoyed and "offish" service could be slow and with bad will. Cakes arriving before the sandwiches, drinks sometimes not at all. The Queens Room quickly filled up so had to go to Lido, plenty of room, and service better, but room did not have the ambience for this ritual. Sandwiches are made at 10am, so corners could be stale. Learnt this on galley tour.

While all drinks are meant to be charged, incl sodas, you can be served with coffee, tea, juices, hot/cold chocolate milk etc from the Lido bar, without charge any time, or from room service 24 hours a day.

No room service on last morning, and rising is EARLY, having lost an hour with time change each day, had ‘gotton used to sleeping to 10am, so 7am was a shock!!! On first night room service limited to hot sandwiches etc, but otherwise room service menu extensive, but food could get luke warm due to distance from kitchens. We used 4 times.

Q3 on 1 deck was best for money, worth saving up and waiting rather than take a P2. The M3 were just a box, very basic and a bathroom anyone over 15 stone simply would not get into.

Lectures were excellent but I did not think much of the "shows".

We just loved to sit on the Boat Deck chairs watching the ocean pass by and read a good book.

The shops were OK, a little pricy, but no more than WDW or similar ‘captive’ places. However, they carried no children's toys, games or clothes AT ALL, so we could not buy the expected gifts to take home - Cunard - what about the kids ?? Some shop staff really need the Cunard dust - they have washed it off long ago.!!!

The $10 a use Spa on 6 deck was very drab, not sparkling like brochure, so did not use, shame as we had budgeted to use 3 times.

The Gym/pool on 7 deck was great, low ceiling, but very good facilities.

The Cunard Heritage Trail was VERY IMPRESSIVE, I took it twice, specifically with different guides to see how they differed, pleased I did. This was no Disney Spiel, each presented differently so I learnt a great deal more taking it twice - excellent, hope it is even better on QM2.

Computer Centre - "NOW HEAR THIS" - the e-mail service is NOT on-line, you CAN NOT check your own e-mail. I sent an e-mail to thank The Waldorf for the surprise upgrade, the charge is $5, and what you key, with others is stored, and rekeyed later by crew and sent off. Incoming text e-mail is not charged. Good equipment and helpful staff, very busy at times.

Kids - must have been about 60 on board, only time you saw them was running wild on the stairwells during evening or in the Jacuzzis on 1 deck.

DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED People were in jeans, T shirts etc in daytime. Evenings were not as dressy as we had worried - class system does NOT show, unless you look for it - i.e going to another restaurant -

Disembarkation in Southampton was a breeze - well done Cunard, called by 9.30, off by 9.35, baggage EASY to find and collect, loads of porters, direct to taxi rank. Was ticketed for a 1700 flight home, managed to catch the 10.30.

We loved the whole experience and would recommend saving up for Concorde and a Q3 1 deck cabin if it is a one off trip. Always obtain the sq ft before booking and compare with a hotel room you know.

If you have never sailed before, as we hadn’t, beware the ship does have ‘’ sea movement’’ even in calm weather, force 4 or below. This ‘movement’ may upset your balance/inner ear and may cause severe discomfort - like a motion ride. The $20 jab in the rear will sort this but it is so strong you will sleep for 4 hours after it - best spent $20 if you are prone to motion sickness.