Queen Mary 2 by Richard Cross

I recently experienced 2 nights on board Queen Mary 2 with four colleagues and seven friends sampling the delights that this magnificent ocean liner had to offer.

We left Southampton from the Queen Elizabeth 2 Terminal and set sail for Cherbourg in France. We enjoyed a cocktail party on board before going to the main Britannia Restaurant for our evening meal, which was truly fantastic and can be cooked to your individual tastes and needs, we also enjoyed a bottle of house red wine which complimented the meal. After our evening meal we retired to the Royal Court Theatre to enjoy the comedian and impressionist who kept us laughing throughout the night. We moved on to sample the delights of the ballroom dancing in the Queens Room before partying into the small hours in G32 nightclub. After all the dancing we returned to the Kings Court to enjoy midnight snacks before bed.

On day 2, we decided to enjoy a traditional cruise breakfast in bed which was delivered by a friendly and helpful waitress direct to our room, the breakfast has plenty of choice and was freshly cooked to order. Breakfast was also available in all of the main restaurants on board.

We enjoyed a leisurely morning on board and took a tour of the ship from top to bottom. Whilst on the top deck we took part in some of the leisure activities including a 2 hour game of tennis and also shuffle board.

There was an array of food selection at lunchtime including hot, cold, carvery, burgers and home made ice cream! We filled up before taking a further walk around the ship to take in the panoramic scenery around Cherbourg.

In the afternoon we visited the on board facilities including the Spar, Gym, Table Tennis, Shops, Casino, Library, Internet Room, Art Gallery and even played some Monopoly on board in the games room! In the evening we again sampled the entertainment on board and partied into the small hours in G32!!

The staterooms were clean, spacious and to a high standard. We had opted for a balcony on this occasion which gave excellent views across the ocean. The facilities in the stateroom were top class, Cunard had provided a complimentary bottle of Champagne for consumption in the stateroom and the bathroom was again clean and full of shower gels/creams which were complimentary for all to use.

The staff on board were helpful, pleasant and couldn’t do enough to go out of their way and assist with any queries or questions. The cabin stewardess was also friendly and took time to talk to us each day asking what we had been up to and if we had a good time.

Disembarkation was quick and easy in Southampton at the new Ocean Terminal.

We are certainly all looking forward to our next trip on board this ocean liner.!

Derek Marks Blog - 3rd November 2010

Derek Marks Blog - 3rd November 2010

Hi Everyone, I thought as I'm off on my first cruise in June 2011 that it might be a good idea to write a blog in the run-up to the cruise, to share my experiences - and hopefully to hear from you along the way too.

You may know by now that it was a complete surprise to find out that I'll be taking to Fred Olsen's Braemar on June 11th 2011 for an eight night Norweigan Fjords Cruise. When I found out back in September, a number of questions came to my mind straight away.

A lot of people I believe have an outdated view on a cruise holiday. People do make certain assumptions - and to be honest, I had one or two pre-conceptions in my mind before finding out more. John Cooper and myself were lucky enough to go and visit the Boudicca while it was in at the Port of Newcastle. I must admit, my heart jumped when we drove in towards the Quay and saw the ship. Walking on board, I was taken by the sheer amount of space that there is on the ship. You somehow think that things will feel quite claustrophobic. Well, I have to tell you - it's far from it. From the Boudicca, I saw plenty of different spaces on board. Whether you just want to relax in one of the lounges, enjoy the variety of dining spaces or take up the opportunity of enjoying entertainment on tap - you'll always have a sense of space. Without having sailed as yet, I have to say that both times I've been on board that I have completely forgotten that it was even a vessel on water. Remember, in the UK in the last year - around 1.6 million people took a cruise holiday, and the number is on the increase. To be honest, I'm not surprised. All of those different destinations that you can enjoy - everything taken care of and you only have to unpack once.

The thing that I can't impress upon you enough is the feeling of belonging on board with Fred Olsen. The staff are attentive and plentiful. My parents have taken two cruises with Fred Olsen before, and had told me that they were very impressed by the level of service. I have now seen for myself why. I had to say that every member of staff that I saw (and remember, most of them had no idea who I was) was willing to help with a smile. From the crew in the cabins, to the check-in and security staff - everyone had time for you, and you are treated individually and made to feel special. Looking into Fred Olsens' history as a company I see that they have been sailing for around 150 years. It shows when you look at the attention to detail in what they have to offer, and the dedication of the team. After speaking and interviewing some of the key figures on board Boudicca, it was clear that a number of the team have been with Fred Olsen for a good, long time. That tells you something about them as an employer.

The more I learn, the more I want to know. It's nearly Christmas and I'm looking forward so much to my first cruise experience coming up in June 2011. Listen, if you are a potential first-timer to cruise holidays - what would you want to know. Are there any unanswered questions that you have? Why not drop me an e-mail and I'll find the answer for you derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk

Don't forget that we have an incredible discount for you on the cruise that I'll be taking. It sets sail on the 11th June 2011 from Dover and is an eight night cruise taking in Amsterdam and the Norweigan Fjords. We'll also be having an exclusive Liverpool Cruise Club Cocktail Party on board for this sailing - so call the team on 0800 655 6449 to get this amazing discount.

I'll talk to you soon

Derek Presenter - Liverpool Cruise Club

derek@liverpoolcruiseclub.co.uk