Impressions of QUEEN MARY 2 and Photos

Gayle A Kortright wrote:

In a little over an hour I'm gonna shut down my computer and tomorrow
morning we head for Seattle and the Diamond Princess. Whooo Hooo!!!

Have a wonderful time on the Diamond Princess!

Becca -----bon voyage...

Sleazy3 http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
MOAGC http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com/

E.k.R. wrote:

So many superlatives have already been expressed regarding QM2 that it's not
easy adding anything new to what has already been said. For this reason I
am not writing a full review of QM2 but rather some personal impressions of
my experience onboard.

First off let me just state that QM2 is all she is cracked up to be and then
some. Having sailed on over 50 cruises on almost as many different ships I
can say without question that QM2 stands out in a sea of ship design
mediocrity. She embodies all that a true ocean liner should, such as speed,
stability, graceful lines, elegance, glamour, and of course an imposing
figure on the horizon.

As you can tell QM2 has made a believer out of me. Frankly I was a bit
QM2'd out considering all the hype and publicity over the past months.
Having personally experienced her I can now understand the excitement.
There is simply no other ship that can offer the same experience. I have a
feeling I will return to QM2 as many times as possible. She is a ship I
don't think I could ever get tired or bored of. May she sail for a long,
long time!


Ernie,

Thank you. Thanks, Karen. You are voicing what I've been trying to say
for years. For years people have been saying Ben it is about the
experience, the times you spend on the ship, the food, the service, the
company that's with you, etc. I've steadfastly held that while these
things are definitely part of the hospitality equation and social
settings and times can produce precious memories, that isn't to me what
makes a vacation on a ship something unique. Warren's perspective always
included the ships relationship with the sea and the elements, and
that's a part of it. I think all of the cruise aspects including the
food, service, crew training are all variable and when poor can be made
better. But the ship itself is a part of the experience in how she can
make you feel, by what is in her and how you relate to it, in how she
respects ships of the past and pays homage to them if she does, in how
she operates including her seakeeping and standing up to nature's
challenges.

There is a magic sometimes that some of us feel on a ship some of the
time that goes beyond the cruise aspects and goes straight to the ship.
And some ships have that magic over many of us than others. And QM2, it
seems, may be just one of those ships that just may have "it".

Ben




All the best,
Ernie

Gayle A Kortright wrote:

In a little over an hour I'm gonna shut down my computer and tomorrow
morning we head for Seattle and the Diamond Princess. Whooo Hooo!!!


Have a blast.

Howie

"CupCaked" wrote in message
...

Next time I see you, I'll tell you more about the "history" of this
area of the ship and how it came to be. I think you'll understand why
it is what it is. Same goes for those deluxe bi-level aft suites.
They have a tale to tell, too.

Karen


Karen,
I would love to hear all about it sometime. I had a feeling there was a
story behind the quirkiness of some of the areas. While I think they add to
the distinctness of the ship, they just seem too random to have been planned
from day one. It will be interesting to hear how they evolved into what
they are today.

I hope we find ourselves on QM2 at the same time one of these days, and we
can really catch up.

Best,
Ernie

"Linsifer" wrote in message
...
Great review, Ernie! Nice photos, too. I will say, though, that the pools
on
the Star Princess are far prettier than the main pool on the QM2. This one
seemed so bland and rectangle. At least on the Star there was some gentle
curving around the pool itself and some nice mosaic designs. But, that
would
stop me from sailing on the QM2. Money would.

Lindsay


Hi Lindsay,
You are correct, pool areas on Princess and even Carnival's Spirit Class
ships are nicer than those on QM2. Of course QM2's vast decks are hard to
beat, and I think the pools take second fiddle on a transatlantic liner.
Their importance is not as paramount as a Caribbean/Mexico cruise ship. I
will mention they are fresh water and heated.

Ernie

"Benjamin Smith" wrote in message
hlink.net...
E.k.R. wrote:

So many superlatives have already been expressed regarding QM2 that it's
not
easy adding anything new to what has already been said. For this reason
I
am not writing a full review of QM2 but rather some personal impressions
of
my experience onboard.

First off let me just state that QM2 is all she is cracked up to be and
then
some. Having sailed on over 50 cruises on almost as many different
ships I
can say without question that QM2 stands out in a sea of ship design
mediocrity. She embodies all that a true ocean liner should, such as
speed,
stability, graceful lines, elegance, glamour, and of course an imposing
figure on the horizon.

As you can tell QM2 has made a believer out of me. Frankly I was a bit
QM2'd out considering all the hype and publicity over the past months.
Having personally experienced her I can now understand the excitement.
There is simply no other ship that can offer the same experience. I
have a
feeling I will return to QM2 as many times as possible. She is a ship I
don't think I could ever get tired or bored of. May she sail for a
long,
long time!


Ernie,

Thank you. Thanks, Karen. You are voicing what I've been trying to say
for years. For years people have been saying Ben it is about the
experience, the times you spend on the ship, the food, the service, the
company that's with you, etc. I've steadfastly held that while these
things are definitely part of the hospitality equation and social
settings and times can produce precious memories, that isn't to me what
makes a vacation on a ship something unique. Warren's perspective always
included the ships relationship with the sea and the elements, and
that's a part of it. I think all of the cruise aspects including the
food, service, crew training are all variable and when poor can be made
better. But the ship itself is a part of the experience in how she can
make you feel, by what is in her and how you relate to it, in how she
respects ships of the past and pays homage to them if she does, in how
she operates including her seakeeping and standing up to nature's
challenges.

There is a magic sometimes that some of us feel on a ship some of the
time that goes beyond the cruise aspects and goes straight to the ship.
And some ships have that magic over many of us than others. And QM2, it
seems, may be just one of those ships that just may have "it".

Ben


From the "ship" perspective... I can buy into that. She sounds like a ship
that we would love.

--Tom

"Benjamin Smith" wrote in message news:S1crc.16578
There is a magic sometimes that some of us feel on a ship some of the
time that goes beyond the cruise aspects and goes straight to the ship.
And some ships have that magic over many of us than others. And QM2, it
seems, may be just one of those ships that just may have "it".

Ben



Well said Ben. I can have a great time on other ships, whether it be
Carnival, Celebrity, or whatever, but I can't think of too many other ships
that offer the overall ambiance and experience that QM2 does. Maybe QE2,
SAGA ROSE, and CARONIA? There are just not many out there that give you
that "feeling". QM2 feels like an older ocean liner even though she is
brand new. The only ships where I encountered the same type of feeling as
QM2 have been older Liners, such as STATENDAM V, REMBRANDT, and LEONARDO DA
VINCI. It's a certainly magic that is hard to describe, pinpoint, and
express in words.... but QM2 has it! Not bad for a brand new ship.

Ernie