Thanks for any comments people might have.

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Originally posted by NAL:
My only complaint with two back to back crossings is the number of dressy nights.

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Has anyone here done such a mammoth undertaking? I've never done a crossing before, let alone two in the same cruise... is this a big mistake?

[ 12-30-2009: Message edited by: Lubber ]

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Originally posted by PC:
1. Has anyone done back to back transatlantic, ie NY/South/NY and if so, any comments regarding boredom, overly long sea days, etc. I'll be travelling alone.

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I've only done one crossing at a time and I wouldn't likely do what you're looking at, but only because it's a lot of money to spend to just spend time on the ship.

I can't imagine being bored, but I can't tell you whether or not you would be.

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Originally posted by PC:
2. Where might I find good deals for this journey? Either just straight discounts on QM2 sailings, or combined cruise/fly deals?

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Originally posted by PC:
3. Any way to reduce the single person in room supplement? QM2 doesn't have any single rooms.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lubber:
Has anyone here done such a mammoth undertaking? I've never done a crossing before, let alone two in the same cruise... is this a big mistake?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lubber:
...It actually comes out cheaper than flying, which I'm not too excited about anyway.

Has anyone here done such a mammoth undertaking? ...

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Don't know if you've been to the med. before but the one thing its not is a relaxing holiday. There's just too much to see and do. Could you not explore Venice? The following day could you resist Dubrovnik? Next day, could you say no to Athens? Could you pass-up Rome? Monte Carlo? Cairo? Ephesis? Olympia?

I'm not trying to put you off. I'm suggesting that your itinerary of r e l a x busy-busy-busy r e l a x souds like the ideal way to do it.

I'm not saying it isn't doable (I'm sure you're doing it because of the flights-- very understandable); I'm just making sure you've thought it through. Bon voyage!

Edit: and now for my own question. Are there any viable long-term parking options in/around the Brooklyn Terminal?

[ 01-08-2010: Message edited by: Lubber ]

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Originally posted by Lubber:

Has anyone here done such a mammoth undertaking? I've never done a crossing before, let alone two in the same cruise... is this a big mistake?

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Mistake? No way! If you and the missus can arrange it and you can afford it...DO IT!

I did several trips of that type on QE2: NY-Sou, cruise, Sou-NY. All of the crossings were 5 days and the cruises sandwiched in between ranged from 6 to 14 days. I enjoyed them all tremendously.

I had to stay 1 night in a Southampton hotel between the NY-Sou crossing and the cruise each time, but that wasn't too bad. I don't think this is required any more.

Since I travelled to NY from Montreal by train on which I could check bags, I almost always packed enough clothes (both daytime clothes and evening clothes) for the whole trip plus an extra two days. My 4 bags fit easily under the bed in the cabin.

Of course, if you need to fly to and from New York you'll have to take less baggage and rely on the ship's laundt/dry cleaning service.

Brian

[ 01-09-2010: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

In 2008, we sailed around the British Isles on QE2, then crossed to NY on her, in tandem with QM2, changed ships & crossed back to SOTON on QM2 in tandem with QE2: 22 days.

In 2007 we sailed on Prinsendam from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome: 22 days.

Are two crossings too much? Not for me!! I suppose that many people would hate it though. Like everything else, it depends on your tastes. We found a six night crossing on QM2 was WAY too short with too much to do & not enough time to just relax.

My opinion? Cancel the flight & book the return crossing; better still with the cruise in between. After all, 'it IS the only way to cross'!!

I certainly hope your decision to fly back was not influenced by anything anyone has said here. There was nothing wrong with your original idea of doing back to backs.

I decided not to do a back to back mostly because (1) I thought 13 days at sea, boredom would catch up with me, and (2) if I were to do the additional six days, by then I would have been away from my home in Hong Kong for nearly 4 weeks, which is a bit long; whereas 3 weeks away is OK.

Your daily routine on QE2 sounds absolutely perfect...

Thanks for the reply; have wonderful crossing!