Preliminary Information: Sailing on the Queen Mary 2 for a 10 day Caribbean adventure leaving from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on 10 November 2007. This was our (wife and I) 12th cruise, with this being the first on Cunard. We booked a Princess Grill cabin and were upgraded to a Q5 Queen's Grill Suite. Our stops included Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, and Tortola and 4 sea days.
Embarkation and Getting There: One of the reasons that we booked this cruise was because of the opportunity to leave from New York. Since we are from eastern Pennsylvania, the trip to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal was a 1 ½ to 2 hour car ride. This meant no airlines and getting caught up in that mess. We used a car service to drive us to the pier, which made the trip even more enjoyable. We arrived at the terminal at approximately 11:15 AM and it was a bit hectic as it appeared that the previous cruise was still disembarking. Traffic was heavy but we did pull up in front of the terminal building, gave our baggage to a porter, and then entered the terminal without too much delay. In speaking with other passengers they stated that on-site parking was a very convenient also. We had a 12:00 PM scheduled boarding time so we headed directly to the check-in desk. There was no line at security and we waited in the check-in line for only about 5 minutes. It was only another 5 minutes until we were completely checked-in included getting our picture taken for the cruise card and then receiving our cruise card. The only slight snag was that we had to fill out a form stating that we have not been sick in the past week. We had to fill this form out prior to entering the check-in line. It would have been nice to have this form prior to arriving at the terminal. We then proceeded to the private boarding area reserved for Cunard Platinum members and those who were booked in the Princess and Queens Grills. Boarding was supposed to start at 12:00 PM, but it did not commence until approximately 1:00 PM. By this time the waiting area was quite full and it was a bit cattle-like once the boarding doors were opened. Upon entry to the ship we were met by Cunard personnel who directed us to the elevators so we could access our rooms. Again it was a bit cattle-like, but not really that bad. There is nothing like the feeling you get once you finally get onto the ship and you know in your mind that your vacation is just beginning.
The Cabin: Upon entering our deck 9 cabin we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the suite and its layout. We especially liked the way the bath, dressing area and walk-in closet were separate from the main cabin. Everything about the cabin was a positive. The balcony was large with two cushioned deck chairs and a small table. The cabin itself contained a sofa, desk, vanity, and full bar with refrigerator. Lots of room and nicely furnished. While we were enjoying our cabin and drinking the bon voyage champagne we were greeted by our cabin steward/butler, who was very personable and accommodating. He and his assistant did an excellent job during the entire cruise. The Ship: As for the ship, I think that after 10 days I came to the overall conclusion that it was one of the top two ships that I have been on. In my opinion it was not overly elegant, but simple and clean. There were some areas that I felt were quite elegant, but there we other areas that felt casual and homey. There was a good mix for everyone. My two favorite areas were the Golden Lion Pub, which was a great place for an afternoon lunch and a ale, and the Commodore Club, which was very comfortable. This is a big ship. Even after 10 days there were plenty of public areas that we did not have the opportunity to spend any time at except for stopping by to look abound. I think that the ship was in good shape cosmetically and in general good repair. The shops were ok at best. Nothing special here. The pools were all nice and I was happy that fresh water was used. We have been on other cruises where salt water is used and I do not believe a "dip" is as refreshing.