Would Anyone Be Interested Going Aboard QE2 In 2008 Her Final Year of Service

[Jerry Nuovo]

I'm wondering if anyone reading this message if you have any interest going aboard the QE2 in her final year of service? In her final 2 months of service the QE2 will be doing 4 cruises and 2 transatlantic crossings.Sept.30,2008 QE2 will be doing a 10 day Farewell to British Isles Cruise. Oct.10,2008 QE2 will be doing a Westbound Tandem Transatlantic Crossing with the QM2 to New York. Oct.16,2008 QE2 will be doing the Eastbound Tandem Transatlantic Crossing with the QM2 to Southampton. Oct.22,2008 QE2 will do a 5 day cruise to France and Spain. Oct.27,2008 QE2 will do a 15 day cruise to the Mediterranean.And on Nov.11,2008 QE2 will do her final cruise which is a 16 day Liner voyage from Southampton,England to Dubai,U.A.E. I have absolutely no interest in going aboard the QE2 for the final voyage because I think that a lot of the passengers and crew will probably be very depressed that the last great superliner built in Great Britain and in the 20th Century is ending her sailing days to become a floating hotel in Dubai and that the feeling aboard the QE2 for that final voyage will be one that feels like being aboard a floating funeral home.I will try to see I can get aboard for one of the 2 transatlantic crossings but I will not be disappointed if I am not able to get a booking.That is because these final QE2 sailings from Sept.30,2008 to Nov.11,2008 will not be put on sale until Wednesday June 27,2007 9:00AM New York Time which would also be 2:00PM London Time.I think when that time arrives there will be a mad rush to the telephones to try to get bookings for those final QE2 voyages and the Cunard phonelines will be swamped with many people calling at the same time.If I can't get a QE2 booking for one of the transatlantic crossings then I'll try to see if I can get aboard the QM2.If I am able to get aboard the QM2 it would be great standing on the deck of the first Cunard Queen built in the 21st Century looking across the water at the last Cunard Queen built in the 20th Century.

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

I am on her final winter crossing in January and on for her final departure from New York in October.
Will be very bittersweet.

 

[Jim Kalafus]

I'm going on the October England to New York crossing. Kyle, Jerry- if each of us puts up $75,000.00 we can afford to cross in a far better suite than if we travel separately.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Jim, If I'm lucky enough to win the lottery,I'll take you up on your offer LOL.But seriously I have already booked to be aboard the QM2 on the October 16,2008 tandem crossing with the QE2 yesterday.I booked to be aboard the QM2 on October 16,2008 because I think that it will be difficult to call Cunard on Wednesday morning at 9:00AM New York time which is 2:00PM London time because I think that a lot of people in the U.S.A.,U.K. and Canada will be calling Cunard to try to get a QE2 booking for those last QE2 sailings in 2008 and good luck trying to get a phone call through to Cunard.If I'm lucky to get the phone call through to Cunard at 9:00AM on Wednesday then that will be great and I'll get the QE2 booking.If not the QM2 booking for October 16,2008 will be the back-up plan.Just beware of busy signals and being put on hold when calling Cunard at 9:00AM New York time,2:00PM London time on Wednesday.

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

I'm not going to be on the phone with anybody.
That's what travel agents are for.
One email saying "book me" and it's done.

 

[Jim Kalafus]

Likewise. I left my travel agent my credit card info, told her the price range I wanted to fall within, and it will be done. Hopefully.

CAN one book directly with Cunard?

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Jim, Yes anyone can book directly with Cunard.Jim or Kyle if you are not lucky to get the QE2 booking and I don't get the QE2 booking either would either of you then consider my back-up plan which is going aboard the QM2 either the Westbound tandem crossing with the QE2 on October 10,2008 or the Eastbound tandem crossing with the QE2 on October 16,2008 which I am doing? And Kyle in case you noticed my posts on Cruise Critic,I am Cedric 1902.Also Kyle I have read your posts on Cruise Critic and your contributions to Cruise Critic are interesting.

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

"Interesting"? Oh yeah?, like how?

 

[Jim Kalafus]

I booked on to QE2 Eastbound this morning. Cabin 4096. As of noon today there was still a fair range of acceptable inexpensive cabins available. Should be an interesting crossing.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Well Kyle and Jim, I guess I will be waving to you 2 guys--from the deck of the QM2.By the time I got through to Cunard at around 2PM Eastern Standard Time all the inexpensive cabins were already sold out for the October 16,2008 QE2 crossing and the only cabin left costed about $4,000 too expensive for me.From 9AM Eastern Standard Time to around 2PM Eastern Standard Time every time I called Cunard all I got was a busy signal.So I hope you Kyle and Jim enjoy your last time aboard the QE2.All I can say now is that I probably already have done my last voyage aboard the QE2 which was in January of 2006 the N.Y. TO L.A. segment of the QE2's 2006 World Cruise.

 

[Jim Kalafus]

Jerry, before you give up entirely- October 2008 is still a while off. Friends of Mike and mine booked on to the QM2's much vaunted 'sold out for two years' maiden voyage three days before the ship sailed. Lots of things can happen, and a percentage of those who booked today will doubtlessly have to cancel, so put yourself on the wait list for the price range you wish to pay, and if someone cancels before you hit the cash penaltly period for switching your QM2 reservation, do so.

>Jim enjoy your last time aboard the QE2

I've not been aboard her since 1977. At that point, I felt that she looked like a very large floating medical center and lacked the elan of the France, and the indescribably nice atmosphere of the Michelangelo and Leonardo daVinci. But, like Ted Kennedy, she soldiered on while more appealing choices fell by the wayside until greatness was achieved through attrition. Will be interesting to see what 31 years have wrought. And, I will be able to say that I was aboard QM2 for her first entry to the U.S. and QE2 for her last departure which in 50 or so years should make for a good article.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Jim, Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Jim, Also when you go aboard the QE2 one of the interesting things you will see aboard her is right outside the entrance of the QE2's Caronia Restaurant.It is a model of the Mauretania/Lusitania that seems to be about 15 feet long.I do hope that same model of the Mauretania/Lusitania is brought aboard the QM2 but the bad rumor is the model is part of the sale and it will stay aboard the QE2 when she becomes the floating hotel in Dubai.I hope that does not happen.Earlier this month at a ocean liner bazaar in New York I did see a beautiful model of the Italian Line Ship Leonardo DaVinci.The model was about 4 feet long and the owner told me that I can have it for $4,000.Maybe if I'm lucky to win the lottery.Anyway if this model of the Leonardo DaVinci is worth $4,000 how much can the Mauretania/Lusitania model aboard the QE2 be worth? It must be at least $100,000.

 

[Joe Russo]

Jim I'm tempted to get a single cabin on that crossing.

 

[Jim Kalafus]

Joe: Sent you a lead on a possible available cabin! Talk with you soon,
Jim

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

Jim, see you in NYC!

Jerry, it's good that you're on QM2.
I must say though, that with a good agent, you'd be on QE2...

But you're crossing on what will soon be the only liner crossing the Atlantic. Not so bad!

And, you'll have the best view, because you'll be looking at QE2!

 

[Jim Kalafus]

>Jim, see you in NYC!

Hope to meet you at the the Glen Campbell/Charo Hot and Cool show at the Andy Williams Theater in Branson prior to a trip to the exhibit, afore we meet in New York!

Or maybe the Red Skelton impersonator show for which I sent you the brochure.

If not, I'll definitely see you in NYC.

Jerry- Still not too late! Check with the various online tour companies that buy massive blocks of cabins to see if anything remotely close to your price range is available.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Jim,If I never get aboard the QE2 again I guess I'll be seeing views like this from the QM2 www.qm2.org.uk/images/tandem/28apr2004_observation.jpg

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I should have wrote that these similar views could only be seen from aboard the QM2 looking across the water at the QE2 on either the Westbound Transatlantic Crossing of the QE2 and QE2 on October 10,2008 or the Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing on October 16,2008 of the QE2 and QM2 which is the one I will be aboard the QM2.These are pictures from the Eastbound April,2004 tandem transatlantic crossings of the QE2 and QM2.Here is another picture www.qm2.org.uk/images/26apr2004_ring.jpg

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I am sorry typing error.Try this website address www.qm2.org.uk/images/26apr2004_qe2_ring.jpg