Classic transatlantic voyage, with Force 12 winds and 35-foot seas handled by QM2 with easy aplomb. Even my 80's something in-laws had a great time without seasickness. She is a special ship - a true ocean liner. Even though I only wore a dark suit to the "gala nights", I didn't feel out of place, and overall there was an aura of tremendous luxury and elegance. Truly reminiscent of great times gone by, experienced today.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Minimal amount of waiting, with comfortable seating provided. Well-organized, without excess time standing in check-in line or at security
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food in the Britannia Restaurant was FAR better than last year - a noticeable improvement. Dinner at the Verandah Restaurant was exquisite and well worth the up-charge.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Insight Series lectures were plentiful and of very high quality. Bridge sessions, however, were a disaster and were terribly taught by a disorganized and minimally insightful instructor.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Considering it was their first voyage as the entertainers, the "Royal Court Theater Troupe" did extremely well with both dancing and singing. More entertaining than other "house entertainers" that I've seen on other ships. Singer (Jeri Sager) and comedian were superb. Other specialty entertainment also very good.
Children's Programs
No kids traveling with us.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Room was well-maintained by cabin stewardess, but with minimal interaction and minimal attention to "personal details." Our assigned waiter/assistant waiter for dinner were AWFUL, but the waiters/assistant waiters that worked during open seating breakfast and lunch were phenomenal. King's Court has great variety of food, and not overly crowded/frenetic. Bar staff excellent overall.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Elegant ship in all respects. Although 4 years s/p last "refresh" (and due for an overhaul in fall 2020), everything seemed to be in working order and lovely. Not "threadbare" in public places.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabins are well-designed, with plenty of room for relaxation. Sofa was looking a bit worn, but the rest of the soft goods were in good condition. There was an unusual "hole" in the floor (under the carpet) right between the bed and the bathroom, which felt like only the carpet was holding you up. Tended to step over it for fear of falling through.
Ship tip
Be prepared for elegance and a "step back in time" to a grander and more civil era in travel.
The port was relatively easy to navigate. Drop-off of my party from our rental car was easy and efficient, and it was easy to find transport back to the terminal from Hertz off-site offices via a short (and inexpensive) cab ride. Would love to see more of the port in the future on land.
Different from last year's voyage, which seemed better organized and faster debarkation previously. Wide spread of disembarkation from from 6:45 AM for "self carry" passengers to 11:15 for Deck 2/3/4 guests. We were Deck 8 - 10:30 disembarkation - but told to relinquish the cabin by 8:30 at the latest. First of all - upon arriving back from breakfast at 7:45, found that the hand baggage had been removed from the bed, the bed made already, and the bathroom already "cleaned" with a single towel left behind for our use. Felt very much "ejected" from the room, with stewardess hovering in the hall. End result - 2.5 hours sitting in the nearly empty Royal Court theater waiting to be called. Others must have snuck off out of order, because there was no way that only 10 people waiting with us comprised the whole of Deck 8. Resulted in very late arrival home.
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