QM2 newbies

Vitor

Don't put a pineapple sticker on your cabin door. Top tip there. 

Mands

Vitor said:

Don't put a pineapple sticker on your cabin door. Top tip there. 

Unless you want to? Plenty of people do. 

And, technically, it's an upside pineapple (in any form). Some of my favourite people on my last cruise had pineapples on their door. It's an invitation, nothing more. If it's not your thing just walk on by.

RetSol

Rosa_Damascena said:

The QM2 is great (albeit small) for the British cruise experience, if only for the afternoon tea, which is infinitely superior to anything the US cruise firms offer. I also loved the library. Definitely look at Cruise Critic!

One down side of cruising is poor on board connectivity: always expensive and not particularly reliable. There are lots of on board food and basic soft drink options included in the base price, and there is a daily entertainment programme. Prices start to mount as soon as you start drinking (hefty gratuities are added), participating in any additional "enrichment" activity and not tipping as recommended at the end of the cruise is considered very poor form indeed. Avoid cruise excursions if you can and opt to DIY - this is where the Cruise Critic forum really comes into its own.

ETA: prepare for more formal nights than the average cruise. I hate them, its dressing up for the sake of it in my opinion and doesn't enhance anything apart from the weight of your luggage.

Thank you, @Rosa_Damascena.

We will be DIY-ing in the ports of call for the most part.

And I am really looking forward to using the library!

RetSol

daveyjp said:

3 weeks on a liner not a cruise ship for a first timer is steep learning  curve territory, but you do have three weeks to have what should be an amazing experience.

Not a ship I've been on, but those I know who have say its a real labyrinth compared to a cruise ship layout,  but as you have no expereice of a typical cruise ship layout this won't be a problem.

Odd number cabins are on the port (left), even numbered on starboard (right),  useful to know as you will get lost!

To get some bearings avoid the buffet when you first board, it will be rammed.  Use the time to have a wander around to try and understand the general layout.  Find the theatre, the bars and most importantly your evening restaurant.

Youtube has plenty of videos, but don't research too much, you will be overwhelmed!  

Last time I saw QM2.  Somewhere in the Irish sea in early Autumn 2024.

A steep learning curve indeed.

With my poor sense of direction, it will take me a week to learn my way around the ship.

RetSol

RAS said:

Three weeks? How many sea days?

We have only 5 days in port and therefore we have a lot of sea days.

Fortunately, I enjoy people-watching and watching the world (and the sea) go by so I don't see this as a problem.

I also intend to join the passenger choir which rehearses on sea days and looks like a lot of fun.

RetSol

Mands said:

Vitor said:

Don't put a pineapple sticker on your cabin door. Top tip there. 

Unless you want to? Plenty of people do. 

And, technically, it's an upside pineapple (in any form). Some of my favourite people on my last cruise had pineapples on their door. It's an invitation, nothing more. If it's not your thing just walk on by.

Thank you for the advice, @Mands and @Vitor.

strawb_shortcake

RetSol said:

daveyjp said:

3 weeks on a liner not a cruise ship for a first timer is steep learning  curve territory, but you do have three weeks to have what should be an amazing experience.

Not a ship I've been on, but those I know who have say its a real labyrinth compared to a cruise ship layout,  but as you have no expereice of a typical cruise ship layout this won't be a problem.

Odd number cabins are on the port (left), even numbered on starboard (right),  useful to know as you will get lost!

To get some bearings avoid the buffet when you first board, it will be rammed.  Use the time to have a wander around to try and understand the general layout.  Find the theatre, the bars and most importantly your evening restaurant.

Youtube has plenty of videos, but don't research too much, you will be overwhelmed!  

Last time I saw QM2.  Somewhere in the Irish sea in early Autumn 2024.

A steep learning curve indeed.

With my poor sense of direction, it will take me a week to learn my way around the ship.

Some ships, the pattern of the carpet points to the front of the ship. But otherwise they can get confusing. I think it was Britannia where the stairs just stop and you need to find another set to get down further.

badger09

OP
You haven’t said where you are going but a 3 week cruise with only 5 ports could be challenging, in terms of weather & rough seas at this time of year. Been there. done that several times and it hasn’t put us off. I would recommend Stugeron, which you can buy over the counter. Hopefully you won’t need any. 

Formal nights don’t suit everyone but there will be alternative dining if you really don’t want to take part. Husband looks very good in his Tuxedo, and as someone who lives in jeans I enjoy dressing up & ‘getting my legs out’ occasionally😉 
We’re off on a 32 night Caribbean cruise early Feb and I can’t wait. 
Enjoy and please report back. 

RetSol

badger09 said:

OP
You haven’t said where you are going but a 3 week cruise with only 5 ports could be challenging, in terms of weather & rough seas at this time of year. Been there. done that several times and it hasn’t put us off. I would recommend Stugeron, which you can buy over the counter. Hopefully you won’t need any. 

Formal nights don’t suit everyone but there will be alternative dining if you really don’t want to take part. Husband looks very good in his Tuxedo, and as someone who lives in jeans I enjoy dressing up & ‘getting my legs out’ occasionally😉 
We’re off on a 32 night Caribbean cruise early Feb and I can’t wait. 
Enjoy and please report back. 

Thank you for your suggestions and good wishes.

We will be in the South Pacific.

My partner and I both have some clothes shopping to do as we want to participate in the Gala nights.  Fortunately, it seems that the dress code is not particularly rigid these days.

I will report back!

Rob5342

Gratuities are something to be very wary of. They try and sneak them on to everything and hope you'll be too embarassed to ask for them to be taken off. Why they can't just be upfront and advertise the total price is beyond me.

As mentioned above look at arranging any excursions yourself. When our shipped stopped at Guensey we wanted to go to the underground hospital, the cruise company had a coach you could book for £32 a person but we found a local bus that was £1.50.

For connectivity you might be able to add a roaming add on to your existing sim plan. 

The worst thing for me was the pointless dressing up. I couldn't be bothered with all that hassle so I just went to the buffet on the posh nights. From what I saw a lot of of people got away without meeting the full dress code, but other ships might be fussier.