Queen Elizabeth Review
How the Titanic Would Have Returned to the UK If Things Had Worked Out Better
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Would we go again on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth ? Absolutely. This was a late July east-bound transatlantic cruise with stops in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Iceland, Scotland, Dublin and finally Southampton. We were generally blessed with fine weather and calm seas; there was some movement on the north Atlantic but not enough to bother most people. Try to get your stateroom as close to the middle of the ship and as low as possible; it will minimize the rock-and-roll if there is any. Embarkation from Manhattan Terminal was perfect. From street to stateroom in 30 minutes.
The ship is very elegant as others have said. it is sparkling in its art-deco appearance and it is very well-maintained, inside and out. Painting and maintenance are ongoing when we were at port. It is the very model of an elegant luxury cruise ship.
We had 4 formal nights on the 15 day cruise; men in dark suits or tuxedos; women in gowns or smart cocktail dresses. Casual during the day but formal at night; it was not mandatory but for those not dressed up they had special dining locations those evenings. After the 3rd night I could get into my tux in 10 minutes, much faster than the first night. It was a chore the first night but it was special to dress up on this elegant ship.
Cabin Review
Penthouse
Very well organized. It is almost 'circular'. You come in the door and the couch and desk are on your left. Walking straight ahead you find the large balcony, which during our cruise was a pleasure to sit and read. Across from the couch is the king-sized bed which was very comfortable indeed. Ask for the pillow concierge for the type of pillow you need. The one provided was much too soft, so I got a firmer one. The 'bedroom' can be separated from the couch by a drawn curtain. The couch is a fold-out bed if you need it. From the bed is the bathroom with a separate tub and free-standing wonderful glass-sided shower. The toilet and sink (only one sink unfortunately) are in an adjoining powder room to the shower and bath. The powder room has two doors--one from the shower/bath and one to the small foyer, completing the circle. The service was fine; lots of storage and closet space; two televisions and the remotes were cross-talking; turning one tv on turned on the other! Space was not a problem. Of course, the luggage was stored under the bed. There is a second desk with drawers next to the bed. We loved the suite and were spoiled. The butler and steward were very attentive and friendly. We had a full dinner in our room served one course at a time..
Port Reviews
Isafjord
We toured a small fishing village. The whole of Iceland is very stark of course, but it was interesting to have a guided tour of this small village, its fishery, and to taste some local fare. We also relaxed at a coffee shop at the end. Very mild walking in the village.
Dublin
As with Greenock, not much time. We enjoyed our tour of Trinity College and the Irish National Gallery of Ireland.
Greenock (Glasgow)
Greenock is about 30 min by train from Glasgow and the train station is about one mile from the dock. Since the stay was only 8:30-4:30 we had to be pretty quick to get on the train, to Glasgow, to see the city, and get back by train.
Not enough time even to enjoy Hop-On-Hop Off very much so we just went to the Kelvingrove Museum; don't miss the Dali, Christ of St. John of the Cross. We just had enough time for lunch, a walk downtown, some souvenirs, and then back on the train.