just got my QM2 brochure and price list - talk about sticker shock!!!

[disneyholic family]

well...
as some of you know, i'm terrified of flying...unfortunately we live on the wrong side of the atlantic so we can't possibly drive to WDW......
so i was thinking that the next time we go to WDW and on a DCL cruise that it would be nice to try a transatlantic cruise to get us to the US of A....
and well...
since the QM2 has its maiden voyage in january 2004, it works out well for us..
(and since the first ship i ever sailed on was the first Queen Mary, there was a nice nostalgic aspect to it...taking my kids across the atlantic the way i went as a 7 year old)...
well...
oh..i said that already...
i just opened the price list and YIKES....
for any of you who think that DCL is expensive i suggest you take a gander at the QM2 prices......i mean, i think i could buy a yacht for less....
so i guess i'll have to get on a plane after all.....hmmmmm...

 

[llachance]

My mother and I are sailing the QM2 in April 2004 (one of the inaugural voyages). If you actually compare the prices they aren't that much different depending on the time of the year that you sail. My daughter and I are sailing on DCL for Christmas 2003 with a Porthole and spending a little over 3500.00. The same room for one of the inaugural cruises is $5400.00 for my mother and I. For the class of service you get (and I am certainly not saying Disney's is bad because I love it) I think the price is comparable. Because I got an early booking discount I am actually paying about $5000 (our verandah room on Disney, because of when we travel was in the high 3s or low 4s as I recall) for a room with a balcony on our QM2 cruise and can't wait to compare it to my QE2 sailing 10 years 12 years ago. Unfortunately when I travel with my teenager I have to pay the adult fare as there are only two of us in the cabin so no discounts there.....looking forward to DCL in December 2003 and the QM2 in April 2004!

 

[disneyholic family]

that doesn't sound too bad...
on the other hand, for the equivalent stateroom to what we had on the Wonder we would have to pay $26,000 (for just the 2 of us)....
i don't know about you, but that's a bit much for me...(i can assure you we didn't pay that on the wonder)...
and that's just for my husband and me...
if we took the cheapest balcony room, it would cost over $11,000 for the 4 of us...(if they can fit in the room with us, which i tend to doubt, it would cost a mere, $8,000.....)
the cheapest porthole room would be over $10,000 for the 4 of us....(or $7,000 if they're in the room with us)..

and that's one way...we would have to fly the other way....another several thousand dollars...plus we'd have to get to or from southhampton....

so i have two choices...either never visit WDW again, or get on the darn plane..........after this last trip around the US (and the most unpleasant flying experience of my entire life) i'm not sure whether i'm not willing to live with the first option)...

oh...there's a third option..
DCL can build that third boat and place it in europe for part of the year...
then at least i can have my disney cruise....

in any case, i'm sure you and your mom are going to have a spectacular trip....i'm totally jealous...

 

[llachance]

OK - get on the plane.....I know from the US there are air options and I do remember, when we lived in Europe and booked our QE2 trip that it was more expensive (probably the exchange rates at the time)...but since I am usually in a party of two I pay the highest rate all around whatever I want to do since it is usually two adults and then a child rate! Would love to have you along - my mother and I are browsing the brochure regularly already and it is still 18 months away!

 

[disneyholic family]

based on the brochure, the ship looks absolutely gorgeous and GIGANTIC...
tonnage 150,000
length 1,132 ft
width 131 ft
draft 32 ft

let's see...the magic/wonder are also gorgeous though not quite so big....
tonnage 83,000
length 964 ft
width 106 ft
Draft 25.3 ft

 

[Señor Ferrari]

Originally posted by disneyholic family
based on the brochure, the ship looks absolutely gorgeous and GIGANTIC...

Cunard is billing it as the biggest passenger vessel ever built. It will be just that at the time it is put into service. The next largest are the Voyager-class ships from Royal Caribbean. They weigh in at 142,000 GRT, 1020' length, 157.5' beam, 29' draft.

 

[BeanoC]

Senor Ferrari - Isn't The S.S. Norway bigger than the RCL ships?
Maybe not... but I remember when she was the biggest thing in the water when I sailed on her about 15 years ago!

Ah, the memories!




'Beano'

 

[llachance]

I just can't imagine......but you can rent one of the penthouse suites if you want.....the brochure says it has 1624 feet and is two stories! Unfortunately (not really) my mom and I have a verandah....however sailing the northern atlantic in April will probably not lend itself to balcony time like on a disney cruise.....anybody that wants to see amazing should order the brochure!

 

[nuke]

Here are the ship specs for the S.S. Norway.

SHIP FACTS
ENTERED SERVICE: 1962
FORMER NAME: S.S. FRANCE
MAIDEN NCL VOYAGE: 1-Jun-80
LENGTH: 1,035 feet (World’s longest cruise ship)
BREADTH: 110 feet
DRAFT: 35 feet
SPEED: 20 knots
TONNAGE: 76,049
PROPULSION: Four boilers, two steam turbines
AUXILIARY POWER: Six steam turbo generators; five diesel generators
GUEST DECKS: 12
GUEST CAPACITY: 2,032 double occupancy
CREW: 920
AIR-CONDITIONING: Fully air-conditioned; individual thermostat controls in all staterooms.
GUEST ELEVATORS: Eleven
TV/RADIO/TELEPHONE: All staterooms
CURRENT: Outlets for 110V 60-cycle U.S. current in all staterooms; 220V A.C. 60-cycle for lighting.