Visiting the QM2

[James Doyle]

On Thursday, I plan on going into New York City to view the QM2 while she is berthed for the day. I have a few questions though. How close can you actually get to the ship? What is the best viewing areas? Also, when the ship begins to pull away from the dock, is there any kind of celebration of the passengers on board? Will she blow her whistle at all? Hopefully I will get good pictures and will be able to post some here. Thanks guys!

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Hi James, The QM2 will blow her whistle when she starts to back out of the pier.According to the website of the New York Passenger Ship Terminal, the QM2 will dock at Pier 92 which is located at 12th Avenue and 52nd Street.Before 9-11-01 visitors were allowed to stand on the parking lot of the pier which is located on the pier's roof and watch the ships leave the piers and in January of 2000 me and about several other people stood on the roof of Pier 90 and did watch the QE2 leave Pier 90 on at the start of the QE2's World Cruise,The New York Passenger Ship Terminal is Piers 88,90 and 92.But since 9-11-01 this is not allowed anymore for security reasons.There is a sidewalk on the waterfront between Piers 90 and 92 so you may go there to see the QM2.

 

[David F. Smith]

quote:

But since 9-11-01 this is not allowed anymore

Sigh , And yet another freedom we have lost due to terrorists. Saddened, but I understand the need for security.

 

[James Doyle]

Thanks guys. 9/11 certainly caused ripples all around the world in so many industries, and this is certainly one of them. Is the sidewalk view a decent up close view, or is it obstructed in anyway by anything? Hey, take the best you can get right?

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

Would this be the same pier as the one that I had a bit of a mishap at last year? Has it got a ramp/roadway above with a chain link fence underneath? As you're walking south towards the Intrepid you accidentally walk behind the fence until you reach a dead end and then a) either have to walk all the way back or b) try to climb the chain link fence in the freezing cold without gloves and the roadway 15 feet below you with your laughing mates taking pictures of your predicament with one leg over and the other one firmly stuck because you have never done the splits before? Or would that be another pier?

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Iain, You are right about the piers.These are the piers that you had your mishap last year which are Piers 88,90 and 92. James,the sidewalk view is a great view of the ship's bow because you will be standing right in front of the ship.At the edge of the sidewalk is a 3 or 4 foot wall with a railing on it.If you try to go beyond this wall you will fall into the Hudson River.This sidewalk is located under the elevated roadway that Iain mentioned in his post.

 

[Inger Sheil]

In Sydney there are new laws enforcing exclusion zones around docked cruise ships. This has proved unpopular with some small boat owners - Sydneysiders regard the waterway as our personal playground. I don't see how bringing in the new restrictions could be avoided in the current world climate, however - and the Harbour is a fairly vulnerable target.

 

[Mikael Jonsson]

Does Cunard ever let tourists go onboard the QM2 between the voyages? I am planning to go and see her in Souhtampton and I also would like to go on her decks and see her from inside. Is there any way to do this if you can't afford a cruisetitcket?

best regards, Mikael

 

[Jim Kalafus]

Hi, Mikael: Cunard does not allow visitors aboard, and unless security has loosened up since I was aboard last January, it is difficult to get a close up land view of QM2 in Southampton. Your best bet is to take one of the ferries, which allow a nice view from the water. If you can't take one of the ferries there is a restaurant built out over the water by the name of La Marguerita which offers excellent views of QM2 from most of the dining room- particularly at night.
~Jim

 

[Philip Bowler]

Best bet in Southampton, as Jim said ages ago, is to either use the Hythe Ferry or a Red Funnel Ferry.
The Hythe Ferry takes you past and dumps you on the opposite shore, the Red Funnel Ferries are expensive and take you on a nice trip to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, a nice place to visit but 11 miles away!
For NY, how about trying to get the right time on a Statten (sorry spelling!) Island Ferry, or hiring a helo?
Is La Marguerita the one by the Brooklyn Bridge? That has always appealed to me!!

 

[Jim Kalafus]

La Marguerita was a restaurant at which we ate in Southhampton. Excellent food, and the best view of the ship we got until we disembarked in Madeira.

Best view of QM2 in Manhattan is likely from aboard the Intrepid if one can time one's visit close to sailing. Battery Park affords an excellent view. Would not be adverse to faking car trouble on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to photograph her as she passed under, outbound, but the probabilty of being shot in a road rage incident after doing so is such that it is a dream I know I will never fulfill

Cunard is now offering rock bottom, giveaway prices on select winter voyages via their 'Sail Mail' email service, so a good bet for any previous Cunard customers who want a close up of QM2 is to register for that program and bid quickly on the voyage of one's choice.

~Jim

"Rock Bottom, Giveaway Prices?" Suddenly I am taking on the verbal characteristics of a local TV station used car commercial pitchman, ca 1978.

 

[Philip Bowler]

I have to say, La Marguerita.

On the two occasions that I have eaten there I suffered. May be a one off twice but .....

Verrazano Narrows Bridge? Now that would be a view!

The thing with QM is you either get close to appreciate the size, or get a distance away to see the ship. With QM, they really are extremes!

 

[Jim Kalafus]

Suffered? Really?

Funny thing is, we found ourselves waxing nostalgic over it as the horror of QM2 cuisine mounted. By the time the fish tacos and caramelised leek appeared as menu choices, LaM. had taken on the rosy glow of a dream remembered

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Sorry to hear your experiences at La Marguerita didn't go well, Phillip. When John Clifford and I were in Southampton in April before boarding the QM2, we ate there during our first night there and both agreed that the food was very enjoyable. Thanks to Jim for recommending the restaurant.

Unfortunately, we did not get a table by a window to view the ship. Instead, we saved the excellent viewing for the Hythe ferry trip on the last day in Soton!

 

[Philip Bowler]

Verrazano Narrows Bridge? With all of the 9/11 stuff still going on, I'm surprised that they don't close it!

Maybe you guys have tougher stomachs than us Brits!?!?
We normally only do Fish and Chips after all!

 

[Jack Devine]

You can also get an excellent elevated view of the passenger ship terminal area of NY from a park in Weehawken NJ, very near the Lincoln Tunnel entrance. There's a small park on top of the cliffs at the site of the Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton duel, directly opposite the passenger piers. It would give an excellent view of the docking maneuvers.

 

[John Clifford]

Hi Phil.

Verrazano Narrows Bridge? With all of the 9/11 stuff still going on, I'm surprised that they don't close it!

The main reason the bridge was not closed is that it is a major thoroughfare for the New York area.

On April 22nd, I was on the Queen Mary 2's 10th Deck Observation area, as the ship entered in to New York Harbor.
When we passed the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, I could see the traffic above us, which seemed to slow to a crawl (granted it could also be part of the morning rush hour), especially one commuter bus (it's passengers must have got the best view). However, I did notice police vehicles there, as well; obviously, they were there to prevent a terrorist incident, as well as to keep an eye on anyone faking a vehicle breakdown, so as to watch the ship. We also noticed many people along the shores watching us come in.

RE: La Marguerita, I second Jason's comments; we had a wonderful dinner there, on April 14th, and I would recommend it to anyone who comes down to Southampton.

I also enjoyed taking the Hythe Ferry, in both directions; that afforded us great views of the ship (especially as I was thinking about how Jason and I were going to be getting aboard in a few hours). Then after the ship started out, I noticed the people who stood watching us at the Hythe Pier (one of the many places in the Southampton area where people gathered to watch the ship's April 16th voyage commence).

 

[Jim Kalafus]

If they closed it, the end result would be probably 100,000 more people trying to squeeze across the GW and through the tunnels during both rush hours, mostly in single occupant vehicles. In the morning, traffic on the Brooklyn bound side does frequently slow to a crawl and I imagine that the arrival of QM2 lead to quite a back up. The "in house" magazine for the NYPD had a great shot of QM2 passing under Verrazano a month or so after you arrived in NYC.

I'm glad to hear that the two of you liked the restaurant. We arrived in Southhampton late enough to miss dinner in the hotel dining rooms, and ended up in LaM because it was the first place we found still serving. We, like you, got the sole table in the place with no QM2 view.

We ended up watching QM2 and QE2 depart NYC from atop our hotel, but got so engrossed in conversation with some people we met that both ships departed unnoticed.