QE2 las voyage to Icekand and Norway |
| Reviewed By: Hawkins-Kennedy, Kibworth Beauchamp on 20th Aug 2008 |
| Cruise Line: Cunard Cruises |
Times cruised before: 6-10 |
| Cruise Ship: Queen Elizabeth 2 |
Sailed:
July,
2008 |
| Destination: Northern Europe |
Age: 56-65 |
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Queen Elizabeth II – Lands of Fire & Ice – 31st. July to 12th. August 2008
INTRODUCTION
As soon as we heard that QE2 was to go out of services, we immediately booked this cruise, largely because of the timing – school and college holidays. The itinerary was not so important, although we had not been to Iceland before. We just wanted to sail one last time on this, our favourite ship.
The itinerary was Southampton – Reykjavik – Grundarfjordur – Akureyri (Iceland) – Hellesylt/Geirangerfjord – Flåm – Stavanger – Oslo (Norway) – Southampton. The stop in Grundarfjordur was cancelled, we understand because of the lack of tugs to handle the ship, and Isafjordur was substituted. This was a bit disappointing because we had booked a whale watching expedition from there and nothing similar was offered in Isafjordur.
It’s probably a bit late to submit a full review as the ship only has a few weeks more of service and it’s unlikely that anyone is going to be swayed one way or another at this stage. However, I would like to add my say to all the excellent reviews of recent voyages that I have read.
EMBARKATION
My partner and I had a 2½ hour journey to Southampton where we drove into the Queen Elizabeth II terminal, had our luggage taken away and then handed the car over to Cruise & Passenger Services for parking. We were a little early for check in and had to wait about 30 minutes before it opened at midday. We had both become Platinum members of the Cunard World Club, so for the first time would be able to use the priority check-in. However, our cabin was a Queens Grill cabin, 8108, so we got the priority anyway.
We arrived in the departure lounge about 12.10 and had about 30 minutes to wait for boarding. This must one of the disadvantages of an older ship. We have boarded newer ships here – Queen Mary 2, Oceana and Arcadia – and have been on board an hour or an hour-and-a-half earlier. Notwithstanding, we were called for boarding shortly after 1pm and we were among the first on board and shown immediately to our suite, 8108 on Sun Deck.
CABIN
As this was our last cruise on QE2, this suite was very much a one-off experience. Although smaller than all other Queens Grill cabins at 355 square feet, the cabin has the advantage of a veranda, one of 30 on the ship, with an additional 150 square feet of space accommodating two teak loungers, two upright chairs and a large table. The Q2 cabins on Sun Deck have the disadvantage of views obscured by lifeboats, but 8108 is between two lifeboats with a good view even when using the loungers.
The cabin was extremely spacious, with a king-sized bed, bed-tables either side, a large wardrobe next to the window, a dresser with a glass-fronted cabinet above and a low drawer and cupboard unit along the bathroom wall. Additionally, opposite the bathroom door was a walk-in wardrobe with extensive hanging space and shelving above, refrigerator below. Oddly, this was curtained off rather than having doors, as was the case in our table companions’ cabin. The glass-fronted cabinet contained an atlas and some other books, an assortment of glasses and the spirits that we ordered for the duration of the voyage (replaced free of charge as we worked our way through them).
The bathroom was spacious, with a double marble-topped sink unit, full bath and the best shower I have had on any ship – good water pressure and constant temperature.
As a welcome back to the ship, there was a bottle of champagne on ice, a plate of canapés awaiting us in the cabin and two bottles of sparkling wine from the Cunard World Club. We immediately took the champagne and canapés on to the veranda and toasted our last voyage on this fantastic ship. It was at this point that our butlers, Andreas and Lourdes, introduced themselves. They must have wondered what they had been landed with!!
DINING AND FOOD
In the Queens Grill, as in the other grill restaurants and the Caronia Restaurant, you are allocated the same table for every meal, something we like very much as it enables you to get to know your table companions and stewards. We booked a table of six, although there were, in fact, seven of us and we all got on extremely well. Although, from time to time, people skipped breakfast or lunch, we all seemed to arrive for meals and finish them at the same time. Only the last night did we arrange to meet in the bar at a specific time before going in to eat.
The food in Queens Grill is superb and roughly the same menu at dinner as the other formal restaurants with the addition of a (fixed) à la carte menu from which you could choose if there was nothing to your liking on the main menu. You could also order off-menu or even from the room service menu! Service was superb, although with less preparation at table and silver service than I expected. Most dishes came fully plated, although some were silver service and usually one dish on the menu prepared at table. This was a lower level of service than we experienced in the Caronia Restaurant in 2001. However, full marks to our stewards, Warren and Biju, for their service and to our sommelier, Aleksandr.
I am not a particularly big eater, especially eating three large meals a day, so tended to have two starters and a dessert, or starter, main course and no dessert. At one lunch, opting for the latter, Warren asked me what I would like for dessert and I replied “Nothing, thank you”. A few minutes later, he returned with a plate with the word “nothing” beautifully inscribed on it in an apricot jus!
On the mornings that we sailed up Geirangefjord to Geiranger and Sognefjord to Flåm, we opted to have breakfast on our veranda. That was a very special experience. We also had a light lunch on the veranda one day, accompanied by the first of our bottles of sparkling wine. Although the verandas on Sun Deck are obscured by lifeboats, they are full enclosed by the veranda on the deck above. Hence, it was possible to sit out even when it is wet or windy.
SERVICE
On previous QE2 cruises, we have used a number of bars and lounges and found the service excellent. On this cruise, we only used the bar in the Queens Grill for pre-dinner drinks and the Crystal Bar for after dinner drinks. In both places, the stewards quickly learnt who we were and what we liked and were prompt and efficient. Peter in the Queens Grill bar is to be mentioned.
Our cabin was kept immaculate by our two butlers and their staff and they had an interesting way of determining when you left your cabin in the morning – the day’s menus were left outside and on going to breakfast we always took them into the cabin, thus indicating we had left the room. Hence, the cabin was always made up by the time we got back.
Additional benefits of our cabin include a vase of fresh flowers and the delivery of canapés every evening at 6pm.
ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT
I am not sure that John Maxtone-Graham would be happy to be classified as an activity or entertainment, but he was on board to give four lectures. Three of these, I had heard on previous cruises, but found them as enthralling as the first time. His final lecture was about the QE2 itself, and whilst interesting, wasn’t as gripping as his others.
We saw the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers on a number of occasions and found them excellent, but didn’t see any of the other entertainment except the pianists, Patrick and Frankie, in the Crystal Bar, also excellent. Table companions, though, told us they thoroughly enjoyed others that we had missed, especially the classical group Celestial Strings.
During the day, when not on an excursion, we generally found a quiet spot to sit and read and look out at the sea (or fjord) – Yacht Club, Crystal Bar, Queens Grill lounge, on deck, or on our veranda. One of the advantages/disadvantages of travelling in a penthouse suite (or the motel as John Maxtone-Graham calls them) is that you need never leave the area – down one floor into the lounge and bar and a few steps into the restaurant itself.
PORTS OF CALL
Reykjavik After two very rough days at sea, sailing to the west of Ireland and then north, the first port of call was Reykjavik. Here, there were several conflicting excursions we wanted to take – whale watching, Blue Lagoon, the city itself, but we opted for the all day Golden Circle tour. This took in villages heated by thermal springs, the Gullfoss Waterfall, and most importantly, the Strokkur Geyser. This blows every few minutes – sometimes just a burp, but other times 60 feet into the air. From there, we travelled to the Thingvellir National Park where the Icelandic Athling (parliament) first met in 930 A.D. The park is in the rift valley formed by the pulling apart of the Eurasian and American tectonic plates. In crossing the park, we passed from the Eurasian plate to the American plate.
Isafjordur The original second stop was to have been Grundarfjordur, but this was cancelled because there was insufficient space to turn the ship with only one tug. Instead, we called in at Isafjordur, further north and further east. Our half day excursion was along the fjord through a couple small villages to Bolungarvik where we were given a very nice accordion recital in the local church. From there, we stopped at an ancient fisherman’s cottage where a local in appropriate period dress talked about what it was like to be fisherman in these waters – in Icelandic!! Fortunately, our guide translated for us.
Next, it was back to Isafjordur to the Maritime Museum where we were given a display of traditional Icelandic dancing and then allowed to sample dried fish – like eating salty wood shavings – and shark – cured in the ground for three months before being hung to dry. Ugh!! Following that, our guide took us to a local park (as in national park) where she filled a jug with water from a stream, and offered to us in paper cups. She then pointed at the hillside and challenged everybody to find blueberries on the slope. Within minutes, all you could see were elderly bottoms in the air as everybody scavenged for berries!
Akureyri
Another long excursion day to the Lake Myvatn area an hour or two south of the town. This was the centre of volcanic activity between 1974 and 1984, and at previous times. We drove through and walked through various very different landscapes caused by the eruptions and lava flows and visited Namaskard where there are numerous fumaroles and bubbling mud pits. The smell of sulphur was revolting and the landscape an eerie yellow. Indeed, driving to the geyser from Reykjavik two days before, and today to here, there were fumaroles all over the countryside. From the distance, they looked just like bonfires.
We had time before lunch on the shores of Lake Myvatn to walk around a number of pseudo-craters. These are caused by hot lava flows meeting water and causing steam eruptions that build up the lava into what appear to be small volcanoes. Unfortunately, Lake Myvatn is not only renowned for its volcanic geography, but also for its midges! I have never seen such a concentration. Walking up and down these pseudo-craters, it was not possible but to breathe heavily and I’m sure each breath contained more meat than air!
After lunch, the coach headed back to Akureyri, calling at the inevitable waterfall, this time at Godafoss.
Geirangerfjord After a day at sea, the ship called in at Hellesylt to drop off passengers doing overland trips to Geiranger. We stayed with the ship and took our breakfast on the veranda whilst listening to the commentary given by Arne Sagmo as we sailed up the fjord. Although we could only see one side of the fjord from the veranda, we didn’t miss out because we were on board Queen Mary 2 on her first visit in 2004 and knew what he was referring to on the other side of the ship.
Our excursion in Geiranger was to be a nature trail. The pictures in the excursion brochure showed farm tracks and open, level countryside. The description of the excursion was something along the lines of: “your one hour hike will take you to the Storsæter Waterfall, across summer meadows and then on to a farm for refreshments before returning to the trail head”. This was totally misleading, because the one hour hike was to the waterfall only, rising several hundred metres in height in the process! By the time we got to the waterfall, we were completely exhausted! We had the option to walk under the waterfall, but this was along a narrow ledge on a cliff face – no way!
Our “then on to a farmhouse for refreshments” was also misleading as it entailed returning downhill by exactly the same route we had climbed, except for a short detour on an alternative path, then at the trail head turning right for 50 metres to the farmhouse instead of left to the coach. However, the waffles with jam, cream and tea or coffee we were served were excellent.
Flåm
The next day saw us sailing along Sognefjord and Aurlandsfjorden towards Flåm and again, we took breakfast on the veranda to make the most of the scenery. We had not booked an excursion here, having been in Flåm last year. Our intention was to take a fjord safari on a small, fast, inflatable boat. However, we went shore too late to book a morning safari and felt that the afternoon one would return too close to sailing time to be worth the risk. Instead, as it was a warm day, we sat on deck and watched the activity on shore.
Stavanger
Our excursion from Stavanger was to cruise Lysejord to the Pulpit Rock and back (there is also a Pulpit Rock in Geirangerfjord). It was a rather grey morning and the sail up the fjord was not terribly interesting. However, when the sun came out, it was much better – we saw a sea otter and some seals, and of course the Pulpit Rock, but it was a long way to go and a long time to do it to see very little.
The excursion boat departed from and returned to a dock near the bow of the ship, which meant we didn’t see (much to our disadvantage) anything of the rest of harbour. We had lunch and repaired to our veranda (facing the sun) for the afternoon. About 4pm, we heard a band playing on the dock below us so thought we would go on deck for the sail away. Imagine our surprise to find, getting on deck, that the harbour was full of steamships, some of them we later discovered, were over 100 years old and hundreds of people on the quayside. It transpired that our visit coincided with Stavanger’s annual steamship rally. Just before our scheduled departure time, all these ships moved out into the open water, and joined by hundreds of other small boats, followed us out to sea. A fantastic farewell that I’ve not experienced since Queen Mary 2’s maiden visit to Hamburg in 2004.
Oslo
Second time in Oslo and the second time on a Sunday and the second time grey and threatening rain. We decided to go ashore ourselves and just walk around the town on our own. The ship docked below Akerhus Fortress and just a few hundred metres from the City Hall and the centre of the town. We walked along Karl Johans Gate to the Royal Palace, and then around the outside of the palace. There were tours of the palace, but there wasn’t sufficient time to go on one. From there, we walked through the town back to the waterfront and through Aker Brygge, a modern, waterfront development. Most shops were closed, but there was still plenty of activity with many people from QE2 and Color Magic, which was also in dock at the time.
We returned to the ship for lunch, planning to go out again afterwards, but by this time it was raining heavily. However, we spent a pleasant hour on the veranda until the rain cleared and we were able to explore the Ackerhus Fortress, the grounds of the Army headquarters and more seafront. Shortly after our return to the ship, heavy rain again started and our sail out was very, very quiet, the city being barely visible through the murk.
Following Oslo, we hade one more day at sea before returning to Southampton.
GRATUITIES
Gratuities were automatically added to the onboard account, being charged at $13.00 (£7.00) per person per day. However, we felt that our butlers and our dining stewards deserved something more for all their efforts in making our cruise so enjoyable.
DISEMBARKATION
Another advantage of occupying one of the penthouse suites is the priority disembarkation. We were asked to gather in the Queens Grill lounge by 8.30am from where we would be escorted to the baggage claim area. We were called about 8.45 and by 9am we had collected our luggage, reclaimed the car keys, packed the car and were on our way home. Not as quickly as last year when we came off Arcadia, but I put this down to newer ships having more efficient methods of loading and unloading luggage. Notwithstanding, we were home by 11.30.
IN CONCLUSION
Were it possible, would I go on the ship again? With no hesitation whatsoever. I had worried that so near the end of her active service, standards would have slipped, attitudes would be shoddy and the ship itself showing signs of wear and tear and lack of maintenance. Absolutely not. Everything I saw was pristine and service was impeccable.
There were more, younger, people on this cruise than I have seen on many – our table ranged from early forties through to early sixties, with one person only at seventy. There were quite a lot of toddlers on board and many teenagers. All in all, a nice mix of passengers.
We chose this cruise to be on the ship one last time and the itinerary wasn’t the most important factor. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed both the ship and the places we visited. It’s sad to see the ship go, and sadder still to hear of what will be done to it once it reaches Dubai. Next year, it will back to a new-build, Queen Victoria, on a Baltic cruise and most definitely not in grill class this time. This has been a one-off experience and has to rank as the best of our eleven cruises so far.
Paul Hawkins-Kennedy
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| Quality of Food |  |
| We ate most of our meals in the Queens Grill - once in the Lido on embarkation and three times on our veranda. | | Entertainment | |
| Enjoyed the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers, and the two pianists who played in the Crystal Bar. We didn't attend any of the other performances/shows. | | Shore Excursions |  |
| The excursions from Reykjavik and Akureyri were the most interesting - geysers, fumaroles, boiling pools and mud pits. The least enjoyable was the nature hike from Geiranger. Walking around Oslo with a guide book was also good. | | Staff | |
| Warren and Biju in the Queens Grill restaurant and Peter in the Grill lounge for their service and attentiveness. | | Children's Facilities | n/a |
| | Onboard Activities | |
| One of the pleasures of cruising is not to feel you have to attend or take part in activities. There was plenty of choice, but we only attend the lectures by John Maxtone-Graham and Richard Martin. | | Cabins | |
| Penthouse suite 8108 - spacious, comfortable, beautifully finished - spoils us for any other cabin now. Of course, still had that notorious QE2 creak! | | Overall Rating | |
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