Where to dine on the QM2:
The dining room you select for your voyage will directly correspond with
your accommodations, and cost. Most cabins onboard, from inside staterooms
to basic balcony cabins, dine in the Britannia Dining Room, with either an early
or late seating. Grill passengers dine in either the Princess Grill, or the Queen’s
Grill. These passenger’s cabins range from spacious 440-square foot suites with
balconies and walk-in closets to even more absurdly spacious suites that ex-
ceed over 2,000 square feet. Grill passengers have their own table throughout
their voyage, and may choose to dine at any time during dining hours.
Having dined in both the Princess Grill and the Britannia Dining Room, I can
tell you the difference in quality is not particularly noticeable. The service in the
Grills is known to be more spot on, although that was not my personal experi-
ence. Because the Grills have their own restaurant and serve a much smaller au-
dience, you are able to special order in advance and guide the chefs according
to your palate; something that is simply not possible when serving 800 hungry
diners. Depending upon your personal tastes, you may find the Britannia class
dining experience to be more lively and entertaining.
Elsewhere onboard, snacks and meals can be found at virtually any time.
The 24-hour room service delivered the best turkey burger I’d ever had, at a
rather shameful hour. A traditional pub lunch of fish & chips and cottage pie
was served daily in the Golden Lion Pub. The absolute best meals on the QM2
were to be found at the Todd English restaurant for an additional charge of $30
for dinner and $20 for lunch. The delectable Mediterranean cuisine, attentive
service and dramatic interiors showcased what’s possible at sea, for a price.
Where to drink on the QM2:
Like on any ship, it’s not hard to find a drink on the QM2. The Casino Bar was
surprisingly quite boring, and oddly placed in a corner. Hardly the high roller,
smoke-filled den of inequity I was hoping for. The Veuve Cliequot Champagne
Bar was sublimely delicious for a romantic respite from the arduous demands
of relaxing all week. The Golden Lion Pub is where I found plentiful lagers and
ales in a traditional British pub setting.
The de facto gay bar onboard is the Commodore Club, where regular “Friends
of Dorothy” gatherings take place in the afternoon, and groups of gay travelers
often meet for pre and post-dinner cocktails. It was here I fell in love again with a
cocktail from my childhood in Europe that had vanished from my memory, like
car keys and a wallet on an early Sunday morning. The delicious reconnection
with a Pims Cup (a dry gin liqueur with ginger ale and garnished with lemon
and cucumber) was a highlight of my cruise.
What to do on the QM2:
What’s there to do for seven days at sea, without a port on which to call? That
seems to be the question hanging from everyone’s lips (mine included) who
have never before sailed trans-Atlantic with Cunard. To be honest, I too expect
to find myself occasionally bored, or least reading voraciously over the week.
Between afternoon tea, readying for formal nights, leisurely lunches and lavish
dinners, I found there was barely enough time to take up craps in the casino. I
squeezed in some workouts, caught a show and tried my best to stump the DJ
at the disco, and by then it seemed, Lady Liberty was giving me my last wake-
up call in New York.
I could find it almost easier to list the things I didn’t have time to experience,
rather than list all my accomplishments. But with the limited space remaining, I
must make mention of the Canyon Ranch spa facilities onboard. The full-service
salon and spa menu rival even the most exclusive ones on land. The highlight here
is the Aqua Therapy Center, included with any spa service. A water wonderland of
saunas, hydro jets, hot tubs, a Finnish steam room and sheer bliss at sea. If doing
little more than relaxing, dining and drinking, arriving refreshed and pampered,
was my end result, then I can say I traveled well and accomplished much.
August 2009 | RAGE monthly 53
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