Queen Elizabeth 2 Atlantic Crossing - NY to Southampton 5th July 2000
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 curbside, but no, you get dumped by taxi at the curb, 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, owns 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 curb from 11 am to after boarding to greet your guests and direct them; consider discounting 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 onboard 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!!!
While all drinks are meant to be charged, including 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 'gotten 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 lukewarm due to distance from kitchens. We used 4 times.
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. 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 ambiance for this ritual. Sandwiches are made at 10am, so corners could be stale. Learned this on galley tour. 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.
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 pricey, but no more than Walt Disney World 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.!!!
Page 4 > > More on Transatlantic Crossing on the QE2 > >
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 curbside, but no, you get dumped by taxi at the curb, 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, owns 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 curb from 11 am to after boarding to greet your guests and direct them; consider discounting 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 onboard 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!!!
While all drinks are meant to be charged, including 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 'gotten 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 lukewarm due to distance from kitchens. We used 4 times.
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. 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 ambiance for this ritual. Sandwiches are made at 10am, so corners could be stale. Learned this on galley tour. 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.
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 pricey, but no more than Walt Disney World 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.!!!
Page 4 > > More on Transatlantic Crossing on the QE2 > >
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