Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Review

Great live music and dancing

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Queen Mary 2 (QM2)
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relaxguy
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Dec 2016
Cabin: Standard Inside

I primarily chose this cruise because of its reputation for ballroom dancing. It was also a great convenience to sail from Brooklyn.

I enjoyed the interior of the ship. It was a pleasure to walk through. I enjoyed hearing the variety of music performed (well) throughout the ship. The people on the ship dressed more formally than on most other ships. Daytime, passengers were casual, but proper. (There were fewer baseball caps and t-shirts than you might see on other ships.) At night, especially formal nights, passengers were dressed with sophistication and elegance. I enjoyed the more formal atmosphere, but it might not be for everyone.

The real highlight was that there was ballroom and Latin dancing in the Queens Room for several hours every night. A good portion of this was with a live orchestra and an excellent vocalist named Brad Reynolds. The dance floor is very large, and there were many other dancers taking advantage of this excellent venue.

Cabin Review

Standard Inside

Cabin IF

This cabin was small, but adequate. It might be a bit small for two people, but as a solo traveler, it was perfectly fine. I would have liked a bit more storage space, especially drawers. I experienced Deck 13 as rather inconvenient. It is at the forward end of the ship, and only one bank of elevators goes there. If you forget something and need to return to your cabin, it is a good 5-7 minute walk from the Brittania Restaurant or the Queens Room.

Port Reviews

New York (Manhattan)

This was the port of departure, where I live. Not too difficult to reach the port by taxi.

St. Maarten

This is an island that is very easy to explore independently. Taxis and group vans abound. The dispatchers are very organized.

Tortola

This was only my second visit to Tortola. I went independently, sharing a taxi to the beach at Brewers Bay. The driver dropped us near a small bar/restaurant at one end of the beach. It turned out to be much prettier just a few hundred meters away. At the restaurant, there was a restroom that I would consider to be rather primitive for a tourist destination with hundreds of visitors. The urinal did not flush. There were instructions scrawled on the wall about not disposing of toilet tissue in the toilet. There was not running water or soap to wash up in the restroom. I will try another beach next time.

Dominica

Nobody seems to know what to do in Dominica, and the island has not really developed a good sense of how to welcome visitors. Nevertheless, there are attractions here. A hike in the forest, a few of waterfalls, snorkeling, swimming...all can be enjoyed. In past visits, I have learned that there is always an abundance of taxis available. Unfortunately, the process of connecting with one and going someplace is often chaotic and disorganized. This visit, I arranged in advance for a driver, and everything went more smoothly. For the first time, I went snorkeling at Champagne Reef. A lot of people go there, and my first reaction was that it reminded me of Times Square. However, the snorkeling was extraordinary, both for the abundance of fish and for the warm bubbles rising from the geothermic vents. Highly recommended. I also revisited Mero Beach, where there is good swimming and several restaurants and bars.

St. Kitts (Port Zante)

This island is well worth looking around, and a tour at least once is recommended. For a beach, I like Cockleshell Beach, with its superb views of Nevis. There are a couple of places where you can buy lunch. On this particular visit, the beach was quite crowded. Finding a taxi for independent transportation is no problem.

St. Thomas

Something for everyone on St. Thomas: shopping, beaches, attractions, scenery, etc. I often go independently to St. John, where I enjoy several hours at the beach at Solomon Bay. You do have to plan carefully: taxi to Red Hook, ferry to Cruz Bay, walk in the forest on a trail to the beach (sturdy shoes needed)...and then back.

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