Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Review
A newbie’s review of the QM2, very nice but a little overpriced
Rating by category
Additional details
First, this review is my personal opinion. This is my first time on the QM2 and second cruise ever. My first cruise ever was an inside cabin on the Crown Princess cruise in the Caribbean. For background while I enjoy cruising I would not consider myself a diehard cruiser. Also, if something is really subpar I will say so. I do not think the QM2 is subpar in any way for a mass market cruise ship.
A Note on the Weather: We encountered fog on the way up and back. You might want to check to see if this is normal this time of year for this itinerary and decide for yourself if this would affect your enjoyment. The seas were generally calm.
A bit of excitement: On the way north a passenger got sick and a US coast guard helicopter landed on the top deck to pick them up. I didn’t think there was room up there for a helicopter but apparently there was.
Cabin Review
Balcony, obstructed view
Cabin 8044. This is an obstructed view cabin. However, with this specific cabin and probably a handful of others the view is not completely blocked by a big orange life boat. I would roughly estimate that about 60% - 70% of the view is blocked. There is a gap between the rescue equipment where you can see straight down to the promenade deck and out to sea (saw a couple of dolphins one day). To the left there is a smaller boat that you can get a peek at the sea below and the sky above. Personally I thought the view from the cabin was reasonable for an obstructed view cabin. I was able to get a picture of the view from Cunard before I booked the cabin. I think views from obstructed view cabins are available from the UK Cunard website.
On the whole we enjoyed the cabin. There was enough room in the cabin and on the balcony. The bed was comfortable. Decorations were OK. The service from the steward good. Enough room in the shower. Generally quiet although you could hear the passengers in the adjoining cabins if they were loud. I do wish they would put less items in the mini fridge so there was more room my own beverages. Note: On the last night I heard clacking sounds which turned out to be the hangers banging against each other in the closet due to the motion of the ship. Easily corrected.
Port Reviews
Boston
I liked that Cunard provided a free shuttle to and from Quincy Market.
I and my wife have been to Boston before. It is about a 5 hour drive from our house. While we did not get to do everything we wanted to on this trip (I think Boston needs an absolute minimum of 2 days) it was very nice to be there on July 4. If you are going to Boston I would suggest one or two of the free US National Park talks. Also we liked the Old Town Boston Trolly tour for a quick and easy way to see the main attractions on the freedom trail.
I would stronly reccomend getting a tour book from a group like Lonely Planet or Blue Moon to do some research before coming here if you will be here long enough.
Personally the only reason I see to use the ship's excursions in Boston is because you need to use up OBC.
New York (Manhattan)
We live near NYC so just drove to the port and left the car since it was a 5 day vacation returning to the port of embarkation. Driving to the port leaving the car and getting it on return went very smoothly.
Personally I think Manhattan is currently one of the world's great walking cities to visit (NYC goes in cycles, at the moment it is still a good place for a visit, it is a large city and there is some crime so you do need to be a little careful). I would strongly reccomend that anyone leaving from or returning to the New York area leave at least 2 to 3 full days to see the city. If you have never been here and do not plan to return I would suggest 4 full days. There are enough excellent tour books written about NYC that I would suggest reading one or two of those before coming here. Personally I like the books from Lonely Planet and Blue Moon.
If you are staying in Manhattan I think the best way to get to the port is by limo or possibly water ferry (could see where the water ferry docks from our cabin, it is a short walk to the port). If the cruise line offers a transfer that is also an option.