How is it that QM2 takes 3 days to reach Funchal while QE gets there in two?

[matdark]

Hi,

QM2 is leaving for an 11-nights Canaries Islands cruise on December 4th: Southampton - 3 days at sea - Funchal - Las Palmas - Tenerife - day at sea - Lisbon - 2 days at sea - Southampton

On December 9th, QE leaves for a 10-nights also Canaries Islands cruise: Southampton - 2 days at sea - Funchal - Las Palmas - Tenerife - Arecife - day at sea - Vigo - day at sea - Southampton

That is, a shorter cruise, on a slower ship, one less night, one more port of call.

Any ideas why it is so? Doesn't seem to make much sense to me!

[Peter Mugridge]

Might be what in railway terms would be called a regulated move, ie arranged like that because QM2 could only be fitted into the ports on those specific dates whereas QE had a slot available sooner?  Just run QM2 slower to fit the berth availabilities?

It certainly looks odd on the face of it.

[cunardqueen]

   Any ideas why it is so? Doesn't seem to make much sense to me! 

Does anything Cunard do these days make sense?

[QE2 Canuck]

Hi all..... makes sense to me....... The port of Funchal on Madiera gets very busy in the winter months (you can see their schedule through www.krooozcams.com in the port cam section(Europe)  and i think it's a matter of port availability.  Funchal's harbour isn't that  big and when you get 3 big ships in , it's a bit crowded. So when Mighty Mary comes in, she takes up more than her fair share of dock space.  That's my theory anyway.

QE2 Canuck     Linda C

[Twynkle]

Isn't the answer something like - RMS Queen Mary 2 is the more stately, spacious and dignified of the two - she also has more bars, a bigger casino, and provides more passengers with more time to eat drink and be merry?!
It's not unknown for her to spend 12 hrs going round in quite big circles across a course that would be 22 miles as the crow flies.
Goodness knows what the Nav was up to...

[CAP]

Just returned from Queen Victoria's Iberian Serenade, she too took three days from Southampton to Funchal.

[cunardqueen]

Might it all come down to the little subject of cost.

[CAP]

Might it all come down to the little subject of cost.

The overall experience on my voyage suggests cost is not a "little" subject!

[tdickson]

Whilst at sea for those extra days or @ anchor and not being able to get off, you all eventually get a little bored off staring out to sea, line dancing,pub trivia,bingo,board games, etc..and wander passed the shops get dragged in by our better halves and end up spending money on another "teddy bear/keyring/polo shirt or whatever, there goes another $40 then " Shall we have a drink which ends up being 2/3 because we do another pub quiz and so it goes on, so the more sea days the more $$$$ we spend.
I read only this morning "Deal of the Decade" 10 days QE £399 inc flight ,Cunard need to get us all on their ships and SPEND/SPEND/SPEND
However it does encourage the wrong clientelle I"m afraid & I"m no snob,just a true CUNARDER