QM2 Interactive TV System

One thing I forgot to mention in my QM2 review is how fantastic the
interactive TV system is. Up to now, VOYAGER OF THE SEAS had the best TV
system on any ship I have sailed. Well, she has been outdone by QM2.

The TV system on QM2 lets you order wine, order shore excursions, view the
dinner menu, look at the ship's exact position, check the speed and heading
of the ship, view forward and aft webcams, check the weather for the next
day or even the next port day, view the daily activities, check the dress
code, check email, check stocks and news, input a cabin maintenance request,
view your shipboard account, etc, etc.

For the ship lover, various programs such as "Floating Castles" and
"Building the QM2" are shown throughout the voyage. There are also many
more obscure programs which you would never see on land. One was
exclusively on the original QUEEN ELIZABETH which I thoroughly enjoyed.
There were also some documentaries on QE2, QUEEN MARY, and other ships. You
could spend hours just watching these programs. Luckily, the gym has flat
screens in front of every piece of aerobic equipment and I could watch them
while working out. Kill two birds with one stone.

Finally, there is a huge selection of music and movies on demand. The
movies I am talking about are at no extra charge (they have pay-per view
movies as well) and are categorized by theme.

My favorite part was the music. Great for afternoon naps or while getting
ready for dinner. Under the music menu there were many categories of music
such as pop, classical, show tunes (yes, show tunes!), jazz, soul, etc. You
could then opt to listen to the entire album, or pick specific songs you
wanted and add them to your playlist. You could pick a couple show tunes,
maybe a classical melody, a pop tune, etc. Basically you could tailor your
own music playlist. The great thing is your playlist was saved for the
entire cruise so you could always listen to your favorites tunes over and
over again via a click on the remote.

It's a great system (and no doubt many never figured out how to properly
work it) and I rarely read any mention of it.

Ernie

Just imagine!

You could spend your entire voyage learning/using/playing with this
over-designed gadget; and, you never need to get dressed and leave your
cabin: You can watch the outside vista, order room service food, see
documentaries on the ports, enjoy the on-board shows, see movies,
request an in-room massage, call for repair help or even assistance with
the interactive TV system, etc.

So, get the least expensive inside cabin ... and enjoy your casual
cruising experience [and remember, you will only need, at most, one
small piece of luggage and never have to even fight for a deck chair]!

P.S. The system is fun ... but way to sophisticated for many traditional
Cunard travelers!

You do need to get dressed, channel 25 and then enter the cabin number lets
you see into the other person's cabin.

Kidding.



wrote in message
...
Just imagine!

You could spend your entire voyage learning/using/playing with this
over-designed gadget; and, you never need to get dressed and leave your
cabin: You can watch the outside vista, order room service food, see
documentaries on the ports, enjoy the on-board shows, see movies,
request an in-room massage, call for repair help or even assistance with
the interactive TV system, etc.

So, get the least expensive inside cabin ... and enjoy your casual
cruising experience [and remember, you will only need, at most, one
small piece of luggage and never have to even fight for a deck chair]!

P.S. The system is fun ... but way to sophisticated for many traditional
Cunard travelers!

Actually, learning the entire system takes about five minutes max (less if
you have any computer skills), providing you have the motor skills to press
a button on the remote control. The interface is very simple to use, and
the user menu straightforward.

Ernie


wrote in message
...
Just imagine!

You could spend your entire voyage learning/using/playing with this
over-designed gadget; and, you never need to get dressed and leave your
cabin: You can watch the outside vista, order room service food, see
documentaries on the ports, enjoy the on-board shows, see movies,
request an in-room massage, call for repair help or even assistance with
the interactive TV system, etc.

So, get the least expensive inside cabin ... and enjoy your casual
cruising experience [and remember, you will only need, at most, one
small piece of luggage and never have to even fight for a deck chair]!

P.S. The system is fun ... but way to sophisticated for many traditional
Cunard travelers!

"CupCaked" wrote in message
...

Ernie, I agree and I mentioned the interactive cabin TV in my own
review. David F. Carr, a writer for Baseline Magazine
www.baselinemag.com e-mailed me recently and asked to do a phone
interview regarding this system. We talked last Thursday, and I'm
anxious to see what he writes. I don't know if it will appear online
or in the magazine edition, but I'll let everyone know about it when I
find out.


Great Karen! Give us a link when the interview gets published.

Ernie

Karen, Ernie, anybody else--Question: Can you make dining
reservations on the interactive TV system?

I know I sound like a broken record on that issue, but I
think it is such a no brainer, and would solve so many
problems for restaurant mgt & pax alike, that I don't know
why ships don't go to an interactive res sys.

TIA. I've enjoyed Karen's and Ernie's reviews & discussions
of the QM2 so much. Thanks for sharing your experiences and
observations.


Diana Ball
near Houston, TX

next up:
Celeb Millie=96Med=96June 04, followed by a Nile cruise

"CupCaked" wrote in message
...
Maybe I missed this function, but we looked at the menus then picked
up the phone right next to the TV to make reservations. Perhaps Ernie
had a different experience.


I think that is correct Karen. I don't recall being able to book Todd
English or any of the King's Court venues through the TV. I guess that is
the one feature the interactive TV did not offer.

Ernie