Congratulations Christmas Winners

ND JollyMon
Congratulations...again. It will be two weeks in "WARM COUNTRY"

Thanks...we are on the edge of a nasty blizzard right now. Warm thoughts, warm thoughts, warm thoughts....

I did not sleep good for an entire week! And like Michelle have been reading everything I can on QM2!

Congratulations and welcome to today's Time of Birth Winners!!!!

Welcome to our latest cruise winners!

Congrats to all of the new winnners! Welcome to the sleep deprived obsessive cunard researchers club.

Yea...I can imagine there are 3 more smilin' members today!

Congrats!~ Is this great or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOHOOOOO!

Thank you for the good wishes! I am so excited I can't work! The good news is that we had a great day at work today (our company successful won over $4MM in biz today) and we are all leaving at 3:00 to celebrate! Now I can celebrate the cruise too!

I hope you will all be patient with me... I have no clue about Cunard, or the QM2 or anything. It actually kind of scares me... but I think I can get over it!

Susan - not to fear! We're a very friendly bunch over here in the Cunard threads and, we're happy to answer questions!

Yes please don't be afraid to ask! I was a TA before I started this board, so, I will field questions until Nina's return to us

Welcome to our newest shipmates for the Holiday cruise in 2009!

Murphy wrote:

I hope you will all be patient with me... I have no clue about Cunard, or the QM2 or anything. It actually kind of scares me... but I think I can get over it!

I told you, we can do this together.

I have no experience with Cunard. If we are going to make some big glaring social faux pas, then at least we'll have company.

crusinmama06 wrote:

Murphy wrote:

I hope you will all be patient with me... I have no clue about Cunard, or the QM2 or anything. It actually kind of scares me... but I think I can get over it!

I told you, we can do this together.

I have no experience with Cunard. If we are going to make some big glaring social faux pas, then at least we'll have company.

I like your thinking! Team effort.

NDJollyMon wrote:

I like your thinking! Team effort.

That's right! All for one and one for all.

You will all do fine! I have sailed Cunard three times after having sailed Carnival and Royal Caribbean... as long as you don't mind dressing formally and won't miss belly flop contests you will fit right in.

Also, if you like trivia they have three contests per day in the Golden Lion Pub.. instead of the cheap-type prizes you get a voucher, and the more vouchers you win the bigger the prizes you can redeem.

What other types of activities does Cunard have?
Bingo? Slot tourneys? Karaoke? What?

NDJollyMon wrote:

What other types of activities does Cunard have?
Bingo? Slot tourneys? Karaoke? What?

Yes I believe they have Bingo every day... karaoke I think they had two times on a 6 day transatlantic, so probably twice as many or more on this cruise. I am not a casino person except for that time I tested my luck after winning this contest and failed so I am not sure about the casino events.

Sometime this weekend I will search for my QM2 daily programs and post them here. Granted they are from April but it will still give you a good idea of what there is to do.

crusinmama06 wrote:

cruiseforme wrote:

Congrats to the new winners!!

Michele......I know exactly how you feel....That Mon that I was notified, I didn't get ANYTHING accomplished at work...sshhhhhh don't tell the boss!!!

jul

Well since I am the boss, I should have been more productive.

Now I can't sleep. I am like that Disney commercial "I'm too excited to sleep"

Well.......the boss is technically myself too! LOL..and I'm still paying the price for not being productive!! Have to work extra trying to get caught up!!!...and I know the feeling about the commercial...I STILL have that problem....I've packed in my sleep more times than I can count!!!!

Congrats to the new winners!...YAYYYYY Susan!

Admin wrote:

Yes please don't be afraid to ask! I was a TA before I started this board, so, I will field questions until Nina's return to us

How far is the Hyatt from Grand Central Station? Walking distance? I read somewhere that I probably dont want to go there, too touristy. What do you think?

Are there places for breakfast within walking distance that would be less expensive than the hotel? What time is hotel check out? I read to meet at Noon, most check outs are before Noon? I dont suppose this kind of hotel has a coffee pot in the room? lol. I love my morning coffee first thing when I wake up, breakfast later.

flowers wrote:

Admin wrote:

Yes please don't be afraid to ask! I was a TA before I started this board, so, I will field questions until Nina's return to us

How far is the Hyatt from Grand Central Station? Walking distance? I read somewhere that I probably dont want to go there, too touristy. What do you think?

Are there places for breakfast within walking distance that would be less expensive than the hotel? What time is hotel check out? I read to meet at Noon, most check outs are before Noon? I dont suppose this kind of hotel has a coffee pot in the room? lol. I love my morning coffee first thing when I wake up, breakfast later.

The Grand Hyatt is actually adjacent to Grand Central Station. I have stayed there but it was about 15 years ago... I remember it being high quality, I would compare it to the Omni Parker House in Boston.... didn't find it touristy, more business people than tourists.

There are many places around to eat breakfast... diners and bakeries, both local and chain such as Au Bon Pain. Most hotels have check-out at 11 or 12 but if you need it to be an hour later there is usually no charge. I don't recall whether or not there is a coffee pot but most hotels have them now.

bluejay2fly wrote:

flowers wrote:

Admin wrote:

Yes please don't be afraid to ask! I was a TA before I started this board, so, I will field questions until Nina's return to us

How far is the Hyatt from Grand Central Station? Walking distance? I read somewhere that I probably dont want to go there, too touristy. What do you think?

Are there places for breakfast within walking distance that would be less expensive than the hotel? What time is hotel check out? I read to meet at Noon, most check outs are before Noon? I dont suppose this kind of hotel has a coffee pot in the room? lol. I love my morning coffee first thing when I wake up, breakfast later.

The Grand Hyatt is actually adjacent to Grand Central Station. I have stayed there but it was about 15 years ago... I remember it being high quality, I would compare it to the Omni Parker House in Boston.... didn't find it touristy, more business people than tourists.

There are many places around to eat breakfast... diners and bakeries, both local and chain such as Au Bon Pain. Most hotels have check-out at 11 or 12 but if you need it to be an hour later there is usually no charge. I don't recall whether or not there is a coffee pot but most hotels have them now.

The Grand Hyatt is located at East 42nd between Park and Lexington Avenues. While I've never stayed here, I did do a hotel inspection this past summer with Nina. (Nina flew in to go on QM2 and I live uptown so it was a quick subway ride for me) The hotel is very nice and extremely well sound proofed.

And, if you are one of our contest winners, you are being upgraded to Club Level. This is the concierge level and you have full access to the concierge lounge which offers snacks all day and continental breakfast - all included at no charge to you. (However, please do note if you order room service or have other room charges such as phone calls - that is at your expense.)

You can read more about Club Level rooms on the hotel website and here is the link:
http://www.grandnewyork.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/rooms/room-description.jsp?chooseLocale=&start=10

Grand Central Station is located right at the hotel. And, I will
stress it again, the hotel is extremely sound proof, so, no need to
worry if train noise will keep you awake. And, actually Grand Central
isn't touristy at all, it is a major transportation center for the
city. You can access all subway lines and it's home to Metro-North and
Long Island Railroad trains as well. There are shops and restaurants
located within Grand Central Station including upscale restaurants such
as The Oyster Bar and Metrazur (owner by Charlie Palmer.)

The location of the Hyatt is very good, especially for the needs of the group. You are away from Times Square which is extremely touristy and overpriced on all counts. The hotel's mid-town location also offers an easy walk to NYC landmarks such as The Chrysler Building, the New York Public Library and Bryant Park and, if you're feeling ambitious mid-town stores such as Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and other 5th Avenues shops are within an 8 to 10 block walk.

Hope this helps ease your mind about the hotel, it's location and what to expect. Actually, I do have a few photos of the hotel on the dedicated website I made for this trip, here's a link to the Photo Albums, just select Hyatt Grand Central (it's the last album on the list): http://www.cunardholiday2009.makeswebsites.com/3/gallery.htm

Gee Tina you sound like one of those wealthy Upper East Side ladies that spend their summers in very exclusive New Jersey shore towns where poor Irish lads like me take jobs while attending university

Yes, I didn't realize you had it so rough living on an estate!


I should tell everyone that Patrick and I go back to the stone ages of the early 1980s where we meet working in a hotel one summer in Spring Lake, NJ. I lived in the neighboring town of Sea Girt at the time and Patrick came over to work at the hotel - and we kept in touch ever since.

Admin wrote:

Yes, I didn't realize you had it so rough living on an estate!


I should tell everyone that Patrick and I go back to the stone ages of the early 1980s where we meet working in hotel one summer in Spring Lake, NJ. I lived in the neighboring town of Sea Girt at the time and Patrick came over to work at the hotel - and we kept in touch ever since.

And somehow I continue to age and Tina remains as young looking as she did then!

Congratulations to the winners - I now regret not entering the contests! NYC during the holidays looks fantastic and, I only wish I could afford to join you!