Queen Mary 2: Overall Wonderful Experience, But Starting to Fall Short on Details?

The article is now on my Tips For Travellers Blog: read more here

2014 Marks 10th Year of Queen Mary 2. My Time To Be Part of Her World Cruise Then!

Cunard Queen Mary 2

The Queen Mary 2 will celebrate 10 years in service and undertake her 8th world cruise / voyage season in 2014. And I am excited that I will be on the ship for a fairly sizeable 38 nights segment of it.

       The ship was christened by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 January 2004, and the maiden voyage left Southampton in a flurry of fireworks on 12 January bound for Fort Lauderdale. The maiden voyage lasted 2 weeks, and the ship called at Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Barbados, St Thomas and finally arrived at Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

The Queen Mary 2's first World Voyage was in 2006 when the ship departed on 10 January for a circumnavigation of South America. This first world voyage was a rocky debut as the ship damaged a pod propeller while leaving Fort Lauderdale. This meant that Commodore Warwick, who was captaining the ship, had to cancel some ports of call as the ship had to travel at reduced speed. This created much upset and reports of unhappy passengers. 

On 10 January 2014 the QM2 will leave Southampton for a 119 night world voyage that will take her down round the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, across the Indian Ocean to Perth Australia. She will then circumnavigate Australia before sailing through Asia and the Suez Canal back to Southampton.

I am booked to join the Queen Mary 2 for 38 nights of this 2014 adventure. I will be joining the ship in Sydney after the circumnavigation on Australia, and I will stay on the ship through to Dubai. Dubai being, of course, where the Queen Elizabeth 2 is now based. 

By the time I get to Dubai in April 2014, the Queen Elizabeth 2 should have been converted into the luxury floating hotel that was originally planned when the ship was sold to Dubai. You can read more about the latest plans for the QE2 in my posting: “Finally, Plans To Turn the QE2 Into A Luxury Floating Hotel Will Happen”. If it has been converted, and is operating as a hotel by April 2014, I will make sure I spend at least one night there to revisit this iconic ship. I am intrigued to see what the ship will be like post having been converted.

I have booked a Queens Grill Q5 suite number 10058. The bulk of the Q5 suites are on on deck 9, and the balconies are just above the top of the lifeboats. Although they do not restrict your view, I think being on deck 10 is just a bit better as you have a broader and wider view.

The trip is a major cost, but for me (and I assume most people who go on world cruises or major segments) is part of checking off a want list of travel things that I want to do. I look forward to documenting the build up, the trip, destinations and formulating tips and advice for future travellers.

Luckily though I still have another major Cunard adventure to look forward to. At the end of this year I will be on the Queen Mary 2 for 21 nights. This is a crossing on 15 December from Southampton to New York, followed immediately by a cruise down to the Caribbean. I will be spending both Christmas and New Year on board. Returning to New York on 3 January.

I am hoping the crossing is less rocky and turbulent than the one we did on the Queen Elizabeth in December 2004. Read the blog and see the videos of the sea crashing over the bow of the ship: click here


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Queen Mary 2 Goes Greta Garbo on 20 November Crossing.

Cunard is always trying new things to add interest and variety to their Queen Mary 2 Crossings. 

There always are lecturers on-board as part of the Insights Program. 

Many of the speakers are famous celebrities like Sir David Frost who was on the 27 July 2012 Crossing.

They have now announced something a bit different. On the 20 November 2012 Crossing they will focus on the famous actress Greta Garbo.

The partnership is between Julien’s Auctions, who specialise in celebrity memorabilia, and Cunard. They are promising a unique experience which will allow passengers on the Crossing to:

• View and purchase rare items that belonged to Greta Garbo.
• Hear from Garbo's great nephew, Derek Reisfield talking about her life and career in Hollywood. 

Who was Greta Garbo?

Cunard describes her as follows: Hailed as Hollywood's "First Modern Woman," Garbo's timeless appeal spans the eras of both silent and talking films. Regarded for her striking beauty and style, the four-time Academy Award(r) nominee is best known for her classic roles in "Anna Karenina," "The Temptress," "The Kiss" and "Grand Hotel." 

What will the Queen Mary 2 Great Garbo display and auction be?

It will be a preview of Julien's Auction of Garbo belongings that will take place in December 2012 in Beverly Hills. It will include:

• Garbo’s iconic cashmere turtleneck and vintage umbrella, used to shield herself from paparazzi. 
• Relics from Garbo's world travels, including her vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase, travel watch and luggage tag
  

What will her great nephew Derek Reisfield talk about?

He will give his personal recollections and stories from the actress' life, gained while he was part of weekly get togethers with her. He will cover things like: career highlights, her relationships with people like President John F. Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill and William Randolph Hearst, and even cover her involvement with USA and UK military intelligence in World War II.

Peter Shanks, President of Cunard, said of the event on the Queen Mary 2:
"We are pleased to partner with Julien's Auctions who, along with the Garbo Family, are graciously providing our guests exclusive access to some of Garbo's prized possessions. A highlight of any Cunard voyage is our Insights programme, and we are delighted to offer such a personal account of Garbo's legacy to Hollywood and to the rest of the world."

Darren Julien, President & CEO of Julien’s Auctions, said of the event: “As Garbo was one of the most celebrated actresses in Hollywood history, and Cunard has such a storied tradition of sailing Hollywood luminaries, it is an honour to work with both the Garbo Family and Cunard on this very special collection of notable pieces dating back to both the silent and talking film eras”. 

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Famous Passengers Can Be Real Dogs on the Queen Mary 2 Too

Much to Simon Cowell's delight, a Dog Show won his Britain's Got Talent show in 2012. Ashleigh and her dog Pudsey were a big hit on the show, with their clever and funny dance routines.

The two of them travelled on the Queen Mary 2 to and from the USA for a month long tour. While on board they also entertained the passengers in a series of shows. This video explains more, especially for non UK blog readers who had probably never heard of Ashleigh and Pudsey.

You do not have to be  a famous dog to go on the Queen Mary 2 as they have kennels at the top of the ship, and often there are canine passengers on a Crossing. Worth heading up there if you are on a Crossing if you are a dog fan. You may bump into a famous dog owner.

Dogs usually need to stay up on the kennel area, being exercised up there. Though I believe that Pudsey may have made it to the stateroom...

Read more about taking a dog on the Queen Mary 2:

• Informative blog posting by Pepper In Paris: Taking a Dog on Queen Mary 2. 
• To find out more about the policy and what is available read QM2 Pet Policy on Travelling with Pets
• FAQs and many photos about taking dog on QM2 on The Road Unleashed Blog
• We Are Cunard Blog Post About Kennels on QM2
• Costs of taking dogs on QM2 on MoiraCruises Blog

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Video: Time Lapse of Queen Mary 2 Entering Gothenburg Sweden Harbour

This speeded time lapse video of Cunard Queen Mary 2 entering Gothenburg Harbour in Sweden on 16 August 2012 illustrates just how impressive an operation it is for the Captain and Crew steer to guide the QM2 into a port to the final docking area.

The last minute or so showing the ship turning round and docking is especially worth watching.



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Cunard World Cruises 2014: due to be announced on 20 August?

Cunard usually announce the World Cruise routes for 2 years ahead by July. This year they are announcing them much later.


It seems they will announce the routes and prices on 20 August 2012 for 2014 World Cruises.


How do we know this?


The MD of Cunard (Peter Shanks) has been reported announcing in Australia the QM2 will do another circumnavigation of Sydney. This was a huge success in 2012.


He said: "When we announced Queen Mary 2s first circumnavigation back in 2010 we had a record number of bookings made within the first day,'' he said.

"Cunard bookings from Australia surged again when she undertook the historic voyage earlier this year.''

Adding that full details will be made public when the full routing is announced on 20 August.

Cruise Message Boards, like Cruise Critic, are seeing people saying the following has been told to them by travel agents about QM2:

Sailing roundtrip from Perth (Fremantle), 12 February 2014 (22 nights)
Sailing roundtrip from Melbourne, 17 February 2014 (23 nights)
Sailing roundtrip from Sydney, 19 February 2014 (23 nights)
Sailing roundtrip from Brisbane, 21 February 2014 (23 nights) 

This suggests that QM2 will get to Australia via South Africa or South America. In 2013 they get there via Asia. Cunard tends to alternate by year the routing route around the world.

Cannot wait - as we will be booking some of the World Cruise 2014..

Sir David Frost, Broadcasting Legend, and London Symphony Orchestra on board Queen Mary 2

The famous broadcaster, Sir David Frost, will be on-board the QM2 Crossing that departs from Southampton today (27 July).


The lucky guests on that Crossing will hear sessions from him that will include:

• Lecture full of memories and anecdotes called ‘Interviews I Shall Never Forget”. Frost is the only person to have interviewed the last seven Presidents of the United States and the last seven Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom as well as Nelson Mandela so guests onboard are in for a real treat.
• There will also be a Q&A with the onboard entertainment director Keith Maynard and he will also introduce the film ‘Frost/Nixon’. 

Travellers aboard the 14 October Transatlantic crossing (New York to Southampton) will have concerts from some of the London’s National Symphony Orchestra team. These include:

• A tribute to American music, 
• Traditional “Last Night of the Proms” style.  Which will include a full all-passenger chorus.

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Video: RNLI rescue passenger from Queen Mary 2

The dramatic video below shows the UK RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) heading out to the Cunard Queen Mary 2 to fetch and rescue a passenger that had fallen ill back to land and to hospital. The ship diverted close to the South Devon Coast so the Lifeguards could reach the ship.


The This is South Devon Site reports: "A cruise liner bound for Southampton was diverted to the South Devon coast after one of its passengers fell seriously ill. The Queen Mary 2 came close to the coastline at Start Bay, about a mile from the mouth of the River Dart, after a passenger suffered a suspected cardiac arrest."

 

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Andy Fitzsimmons: A passenger's view of Cunard's 3 Queens Diamond Jubilee Event

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

I have posted a number of articles about Cunard's Diamond Jubilee event in Southampton. I add to this series with a perspective by Andy Fitzsimmons who was on the Queen Victoria coming back from a cruise into Southampton on the day of the event.


In his Flickr Account he has shared a perspective and many amazing photos. Some of them are below, but also visit Andy Fitzsimmons 3 Queens Jubilee Celebration Photo Set for many more, and his full review and comment.


Some key points he talks about are:

• Not the first time that 3 Queens had been together in their home port, the first occasion being on 22 April 2008 when Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria met up with Queen Elizabeth 2 for the final time, this was the first time the current Cunard fleet had arrived together. 
• Queen Mary 2 arrived from New York, Queen Victoria from Bergen and Queen Elizabeth from Barcelona 
• He was up on deck from 3.30am! Even by 4am crowds were lining Town Quay and Mayflower Park, while helicopters hovered overhead filming the event. 
• On Queen Mary 2 a group was dressed in period costume waiving union flags, and atop the mast, the Royal Mail pennant could be spotted flying proudly alongside the red ensign and Cunard house flag, together with what appeared to be the ship’s callsign (ZCEF6), spelt out in signal flags while further aft, a giant banner in the style of a union flag and bearing the legend ‘Congratulations Ma’am’, could be seen covering the name board. 
• The celebrations were hampered by the weather: Red Arrows display was cancelled, and fireworks for the departure were very obscured by low cloud
• The 3 ships departed again later that evening. Queen Mary 2 for Rotterdam, Queen Victoria for La Corũna and Queen Elizabeth to Hamburg.  
• Despite all the fuss: He spoke to a guest at breakfast who asked wheat all the fuss had been about earlier. They seem to have missed all the announcements and materials put in the cabins... 

Thanks to Andy for posting the amazing photos and his review, which you should read in full on his Flickr Page


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Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Photo by: Andy Fitzsimmons

Cunard's Three Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebration, Southampton 5 June 2012

Cunard's Three Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebration, Southampton 5 June 2012


Cunard have made and posted a 6 minute video of the day to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It shows great shots of the ships arriving, aerial shots and interview.


 


Other blog postings I have done on the Diamond Jubilee:
http://allaboutcunard.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/cunard-3-ships-in-southampton-for.html




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Cunard's Three Queens Arrival Into Southampton: Video of the Jubilee Celebration

On 5 June 2012 Cunard's Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth met in Southampton for the first time ever to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. This is a video made by Cunard of the arrival of the ships 


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Discovery Channel Documentary: Building the Queen Mary 2

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RMS Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner. She was the first major ocean liner built since Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1969, the vessel she succeeded as flagship of the Cunard Line.

The ship was named by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004 after the first RMS Queen Mary, completed in 1936. Queen Mary was in turn named after Mary of Teck, consort of King George V. With the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 from active duty in 2008, Queen Mary 2 is currently the only transatlantic ocean liner in operation as a liner (in scheduled service between Southampton and New York ), although the ship is often used for cruising, including an annual world cruise.
At the time of her construction in 2003 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Queen Mary 2 was the longest, widest and tallest passenger ship ever built, and with her 151,400 gross register tons (GRT), was also the largest. She no longer holds this distinction after the construction of Royal Caribbean International's 154,407 GT Freedom of the Seas in April 2006, which was in turn superseded by the same company's 225,282 GT Oasis of the Seas in October 2009. However, Queen Mary 2 remains the largest ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship) ever built.

Queen Mary 2 was intended primarily to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and was therefore designed differently from many other passenger ships. The ship's final cost was approximately $300,000 US per berth, nearly double that of many contemporary cruise ships. This was due to the size of the ship, the high quality of materials, and that, having been designed as an ocean liner, she required 40% more steel than a standard cruise ship.[7] She has a maximum speed of just over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and a cruising speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph), much faster than contemporary cruise ships, such as Oasis of the Seas, which has a top speed of 22.6 knots (41.9 km/h; 26.0 mph). Instead of the diesel-electric configuration found on many ships, Queen Mary 2 uses a CODLAG configuration (Combined diesel-electric and gas) in order to achieve her maximum speed. This uses additional gas turbines to augment the power given by the diesel generators onboard, and allow the ship to reach a higher maximum speed.

Queen Mary 2's facilities include fifteen restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre, and the first planetarium at sea. There are also kennels onboard, as well as a nursery. Queen Mary 2 is one of the few ships afloat today to have remnants of a class system onboard, most prominently seen in her dining options.

All Tied Up.... Queen Mary 2 in Ocean Terminal

All Tied Up.... Queen Mary 2 in Ocean Terminal
Originally uploaded by Hythe Eye



Some amazing photos by Hythe Eye on Flickr of Queen Mary 2 in Southampton. Visit their Flickr QM2 set to see more great photos







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Cunard's First Wedding on board

EblackboardAsia reported online about the first Cunard wedding at sea since Cunard changed registration of the ships out of the UK which makes this possible;

They write: "Cunard ships have long been a backdrop to love stories across the globe and now, with the first marriage taking place on a crossing to New York, they have become wedding venues where couples can say "I do" at sea onboard the most famous ocean liners in the world.

On Sunday April 29, Denise Holding and Barry Maloney became the first Cunard couple to marry at sea during a mid-Atlantic ceremony aboard Queen Mary 2."

Read more at http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article/83916/cunards-first-wedding-couple-say 

Cunard News 10 May: Former USA President George Bush on QM2 Crossing

This past week there has been a lot of coverage about President Bush and his wife travelling on the Queen Mary 2 on a transatlantic crossing.


One of the most covered was President Bush saying “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks!’’ with his wife saying: “You’ve been talking about nothing else for months.’’ 


Here is how some of the online news sites covered the topic:

Former President George Bush in Southampton for QM2 cruise Daily Echo The 41st President of the United States, George HW Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush and other members of their family joined Cunard's flagship QM2 in Southampton for the seven-day Atlantic crossing to New York. It had always been President Bush's ...

President George HW Bush & Former First Lady Barbara Bush Sail First... Financial Post The 41 st President of the United States, George HW Bush, and former First Lady Barbara Bush, joined by their daughter, Dorothy, and granddaughter, Georgia, sailed their first Transatlantic Crossing aboard Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2this week.

George HW Bush sails the Atlantic on Queen Mary 2USA TODAY By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY Cunard's Queen Mary 2 has had a major VIP on board the past few days: George HW Bush. The former President and former First Lady Barbara Bush arrived in New York this morning after a seven-day crossing from Southampton.

Power problems are still affecting Cunard's Queen Mary 2

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 has been suffering from unexplained power cutouts again. It seems this is at least the 3rd time it has happened.

The ship lost power while travelling from Australia to Japan on the 2012 while on the world cruise. It is reported that the QM2 lost power twice. There were also some power issues while travelling to Australia.

Cunard said: "After experiencing brief power interruptions, when backup systems immediately kicked in, full power was swiftly restored to Queen Mary 2 on each occasion. Hotel services were restored to the ship within 15 minutes, there was virtually no impact on guests and the ship is continuing on her voyage as normal." 

Read more on Cruise Critic: click here

Big Cunard offer if book in March: Upgrade to next level at no extra cost

Cunard have announced a big sale offer where if you book before 31 March you pay for one level of cabin - but get the higher level. This offer is for 44 different cruises and well worth checking out.


Here are some key points about the deal from the Cunard Press release:

The month-long promotion offers big deals across all 3 ships: Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria

Destinations include:

Short Break
Join Queen Victoria on 5 May or Queen Mary 2 on 16 November 2012 for a four-night long weekend that’s the perfect introduction to Cunard’s legendary lifestyle. Sail from Southampton and call at Zeebrugge for Bruges and Le Havre for Paris before returning home. Outside fares – at inside prices – start from just £399 per person for Queen Victoria and £499 on Queen Mary 2.

The Mediterranean
Queen Victoria’s 3 October 16-night voyage from and back to Southampton features Mediterranean highlights including Cadiz, Malaga, Split, Corfu, Venice and Dubrovnik. Outside fares - at inside prices – from £1,499 per person and Princess Grill fares – at deluxe balcony prices - from £2,399 per person.

Norwegian Fjords
Queen Elizabeth sails from Southampton on 6 July and 7 August 2012 for a seven-night voyage along Norway’s scenic coastline, calling at Stavanger, Skjolden, Geiranger and Bergen.  A balcony stateroom is the perfect complement to this stunning landscape: balcony fares at outside stateroom prices start at £1,069 per person.

The Baltic 
Queen Mary 2 departs Southampton on 10 August for an 11-night voyage to the Baltic cities including Hamburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Stavanger. Outside stateroom fares for the cost of an inside room from £1,549 per person.

Canaries
Join Queen Victoria in Southampton on 11 November and sail for 11 nights to Funchal, Tenerife, Las Palmas, Lisbon, Vigo and back to the UK. Fares for an outside stateroom - at inside prices – start from £949 per person.

Around Britain
In 2012 Queen Elizabeth will sail to and from Southampton to make a maiden call in the Orkney Islands and visit Greenock, Liverpool and Cobh – ports with strong historic and emotional ties with Cunard.  11 nights 27 July- 7 August 2012:  an outside stateroom for the cost of an inside room start at £1,399 per person 

Reservations on 0843 374 0000 or www.cunard.co.uk/ultimate upgrade

Cunard posts pictures of Queen Mary 2 refit underway in Germany

Cunard has started posting pictures of the refit of the Queen Mary 2 on their Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/cunard


Here are some of them:

entering dry dock

Queen Mary 2 Commodore Lounge

Queen Mary 2Red Lion Pub

Queen Mary 2 Spa

Inside Cunard Queen Mary 2 (A series of videos that go behind the scenes of the ship)

This is part of a series of videos showing how the QM2 works and how it is run and managed. Fascinating!

Part One of the series; around 7 minutes long:


Part two of the series: about 9 minutes long, and shows how the ship navigates out of New York

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 in Sydney

Amazing footage of the 2 ships in Sydney.....