QE2 MAINTEANCE DISCUSSION CONTINUES
The debate continues about the state of the QE2. Here was a long review by
“Just before the Christmas holidays I got off the QE2. For those who have nothing better to do but keep track, YES, it was 2 cruises in 2 months.
QE2 is still a fine ship to sail on. While a lot of the faces have changed, some important ones stayed the same. All are doing their best to give the passenger the best time onboard.
Well the next LAST transatlantic provided all the sea states I’ve been told about for a December crossing. I’ve been bounced before, but she did a bit of moving for several days followed by a calming and even warming, before cooling off to come into port.
Carnival/Cunard is letting the onboard maintenance go. There’s a big spot on the deck above the lido where the wood has all puffed up. Spot like you could put 3-6 deck chairs on it. The rugs on some of the inside decks is worn down. In spots it’s pulling away from the walls. Chairs in the Chart Room have the covering pulling away from the sides. There are spots where the wood veneer in the stairwells and elevators has holes in it, or is missing altogether. She is an old ship, and things like the elevators needing to be repaired occasionally are understandable, but several were having problems getting the doors to stay closed, and move on to the next stop.
The public toilets smelled bad and odd. They were not a pleasant place to visit.
Logo Shop had a limited variety of things on sale. There used to be much more variety. And I asked what they had seen for the world cruise and was told they hadn’t seen much else!
In the cabin the closet doors need more help to stay closed in the bouncy conditions we experienced. The bath door needed extra help to latch or it too would swing back and forth & there was no magnet to allow me to keep it open if I was going in and out while dressing etc... I used a bungee cord I carry and attached it to a spot on the TV!!!
The inside temperature on this cool weather crossing was unpredictable. My cabin could be warm one hour and cool another. Same in the public rooms where, on several occasions I had to remove my jacket in the evening to survive the temperature. I wonder how the AC is on the Xmas/New Years trip to the islands.
Unlike the QM2, I did not see or hear of much about Princess People looking over the Cunard staff’s shoulders or mucking things up. Crew drills occurred regularly as I had seen on previous trips.
AND it was entertaining to hear QE2 staff talking about “the OTHER ship” as the one with the stubby funnel and the funny stern. I have placed another Cunard booking, next July on QE2, not the overpriced and single passenger unfriendly QM2”
