Transatlantic Crossing
Nov 29, 2015, 4:57 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 55
New York to Southampton on QM2 is a fantastic experience. I can vouch for what others have said about the Cunard liners being built to smooth the effect of rough seas. Back in the 1970s I sailed that route on the old Queen Elizabeth II, and have a distinct memory of eating breakfast in the main dining room and watching waves climb high onto the big windows of the room.
It took me more than three decades after that to make another crossing on the QM2, and even in Standard class instead of the higher Grill booking classes, it's a premium quality experience. Hope you get a chance to enjoy. A fair number of my musings about travel when I retire always circle back to that kind of sailing.
It took me more than three decades after that to make another crossing on the QM2, and even in Standard class instead of the higher Grill booking classes, it's a premium quality experience. Hope you get a chance to enjoy. A fair number of my musings about travel when I retire always circle back to that kind of sailing.
Nov 30, 2015, 9:36 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,796
Crossing longitudes by ship, cruise or otherwise, is a great way to minimize the effects of jet lag.
As for the QM2; from what I've read, the basic hull design of the QM2 and the Queen Victoria is shared with various Carnival Corp ships including HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam, Carnival Spirit class and various Costa ships. Not sure I buy the fact it is an ocean liner. Maybe more power than a cruise ship of the same size (HAL did that with 4 ships which are near identical: 2 of which are designated for global voyages and thus have 4 20 cylinder diesels while the other two not designated for such have 16 cylinder engines instead (and thus lowered max cruise speed by 2-3 knots).
As for the QM2; from what I've read, the basic hull design of the QM2 and the Queen Victoria is shared with various Carnival Corp ships including HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam, Carnival Spirit class and various Costa ships. Not sure I buy the fact it is an ocean liner. Maybe more power than a cruise ship of the same size (HAL did that with 4 ships which are near identical: 2 of which are designated for global voyages and thus have 4 20 cylinder diesels while the other two not designated for such have 16 cylinder engines instead (and thus lowered max cruise speed by 2-3 knots).
Nov 30, 2015, 9:38 am
#18
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,728
QM2 has a different hull than Queen Victoria. QM2 was truly designed as an ocean liner.
Queen Victoria is the exact same hull as the HAL Vista class ships, Carnival Spirit Class, etc and isn't really an ocean liner.
Queen Victoria is the exact same hull as the HAL Vista class ships, Carnival Spirit Class, etc and isn't really an ocean liner.
Dec 7, 2015, 5:56 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA DL WN
Posts: 29
by all means, yes. Go.
We did a westbound crossing in 2012 and loved every minute of it. A crossing on QM2 is not a cruise. Cunard excels at keeping your days filled with intellectual and entertaining events. If you wish to skip the black tie, you may do so-just eat in the Kings Court (which switches over to specialty restaurants in the p.m.) We loved our daily visit to the dog kennels on board (only ship to transport pets). It is a very 'British' ship , in the best sense . Fellow pax will be middle age to older, well traveled , not remotely stuffy or snobby, evenly split between Americans and Europeans-
Go ! You will have quite an adventure.
Go ! You will have quite an adventure.
Dec 11, 2015, 4:51 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: BAEC Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 465
Transatlantic Crossing
I did a transatlantic repositioning cruise from Miami to Barcelona - cruise ships tend to move fleets in April from US and they return usually in November from Europe - I didn't go fancy at all but the rates are generally low! Pick a ship low end to high end. I paid $550 pp for balcony 11days on NCL Epic (first time big ship and NCL def not fancy) but smooth sailing entire time. Flew home BA J from London on points
Dec 12, 2015, 6:27 am
#22
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,963
Dec 12, 2015, 8:36 am
#23
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,797
I did a TR a decade ago that included a brief description of a crossing on the QM2 - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...-o-donors.html
Jan 25, 2016, 2:56 pm
#24
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Escondido CA USA
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Posts: 3,207
We are going Holland America in April FLL to CHP. Our first TA, but 10 or so long cruises. This time issue seems to be a pain in the watch stem!
Our cruise is 17 days with 6 in a row at sea, before the first port.
Our cruise is 17 days with 6 in a row at sea, before the first port.
Jul 5, 2016, 8:18 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
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Again - thanks - good to know. ^
Jul 27, 2016, 10:14 pm
#27
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: T82
Programs: AA Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 2,845
Just my 2 cents' worth...we did an eastbound crossing in April and I will never do that again. I was so exhausted with setting my clock ahead one hour six or seven times that my meal times got discombobulated. I prefer westbound as I'm coming home and it doesn't matter how tired I am.
Jul 27, 2016, 10:25 pm
#28
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
on that crossing, there were many cunard pax. of QE2 i think it was. regulars. one of them had been on a crossing on it, went through a serious wave, which tore all the hatches off one side of the ship.
had a rogue wave on seabourn crossing, tipped maybe as much as 45 degrees. not really a big deal to me. couple older fell, no injuries. reportedly only damage was (of course) a bottle of louis xiii.
luckily i think no serious problems on transoceanics (vs others) in many years
Jul 28, 2016, 8:26 am
#29
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: Earned status with AA, DL, SPG, HH, Hyatt, Marriott, Seabourn, NCL, National, Hertz...I miss my bed!
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Just my 2 cents' worth...we did an eastbound crossing in April and I will never do that again. I was so exhausted with setting my clock ahead one hour six or seven times that my meal times got discombobulated. I prefer westbound as I'm coming home and it doesn't matter how tired I am.
I'm doing the same crossing in 2017 and hope they keep that method.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:34 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 394
Just my 2 cents' worth...we did an eastbound crossing in April and I will never do that again. I was so exhausted with setting my clock ahead one hour six or seven times that my meal times got discombobulated. I prefer westbound as I'm coming home and it doesn't matter how tired I am.
Different strokes.......