This last installment of our 2018
Cunard World Cruise Blog, was a couple of weeks late in coming, and I
apologize.
When last we left David and Ricki, they
were on the last days of their “World Voyage” (as Cunard calls
it) on the Queen Elizabeth. It was a sad time...Saying so long to
our dear friends was very hard. We seem to live all over the world:
the UK, Japan, the Philippines, Romania, India, the US, etc.
Fortunately, there is FaceTime and Facebook, plus emailing to stay in
touch. There is nothing like a long ocean voyage to cement
friendships, and I would be remiss if I said there were no tears.
Fortunately, we have 2020 on the Queen
Victoria with so many of these friends!
Our task the last two days of the
cruise was to perform magic---getting everything into 10 suitcases, a
tote, a camera backpack and a tote. As I mentioned before, the small
suitcase I bought for $1.00 at the Queen Elizabeth Country Faire came
in very handy. The task was made doubly hard, because we had to pack
for a week on the Queen Mary 2 returning to the U.S. Although the
suitcases were packed much like the clown car in the circus, we did
it!
We had a priority departure with our
Diamond status, and we hoped to be on board the Queen Mary 2 in time
to drop our valuables in our cabin and go ashore. This was not to
be. Although we located our bags quickly enough and uneventfully
went through Customs and Immigration (truly a non-event), the
transfer to the QM2 was totally disorganized. We had been told we
could drop our luggage at a “cage” by the exit from Customs and
Immigration. Instead, we were forced to push trolleys with our
luggage teetering on top, more than a city block to the coach. Even
at the coach, we were told that 1. The luggage would be put on board
the coach. 2. The luggage would not be put on the coach, rather it
would be transported by van to the QM2. All of this was done in a
chaotic manner. One woman on the coach was positively apoplectic at
the thought of leaving her luggage and kept running of the coach and
back on again. Finally, we were dropped off at the QM2, and told to
wait. Nobody told anyone that they could embark first because they
were World Cruisers. I went to the information desk to ask about it
and the person manning the desk was totally flummoxed! Fortunately,
she ran off in search of a supervisor who personally escorted us on
board. We couldn't find our friends Bobby and Randell, who continued
their voyage on the Mary, and assumed they had already boarded.
Our cabin, 8096, on deck 8, was a
balcony, with an unobstructed view between two lifeboats. Although
one does not really need a balcony cabin on a crossing, it's nice to
be able to step outside. We found our cabin easily and deposited our
valuables in the safe. At this point, it became moot to try to go
ashore in Southampton. The whole transfer had taken so long, that we
just squelched the idea and went off in search of lunch.
The QM2 has gone through a major
renovation in the last few months, and there are some pluses and
minuses. Our cabin was in great shape, with new carpet and soft
goods. I was especially pleased to see the size of the shower was
much larger than the trash-can sized one on the Elizabeth. All in
all, the ship looks more modern, lighter and brighter. The Kings
Court, the Mary's answer to the Lido, has undergone some major
renovation. I want to say that it is much better, but it still is
difficult to navigate and very crowded. We were, however, really
impressed with the food selection—much more lavish than on the
Elizabeth. Our favorite was the cheese station, where a “chef”
was hand slicing cheese from a selection of at least 15 cheeses. The
cheese was served with a selection of nuts, chutneys, dried fruit,
etc. We thought it was so crowded because it was the only location
for lunch for Britannia passengers, but each time we visited it, it
was very crowded. The food stations are much more attractive, and
the furniture is light wood with chairs upholstered in a light blue
fabric.
Next to the Kings Court is the
Carinthia Lounge—this is room unsure of what it is supposed to be.
Is it a dining venue? Is it a lounge to have a drink and listen to
music? Either way, it doesn't quite work. The space is the entire
width of the ship, so it loses the intimacy of a lounge. We tried
to meet for drinks there, and it was like meeting in a hotel lobby.
This area used to be the Garden Lounge, which was also a confused
location. It serrved to hold a spillover from the Kings Court, so
tables often had dishes on them, and it was rather dark and dated
looking. At least it is much brighter and there are attractive
furniture arrangements. We were used to the Cafe Carinthia on the
Elizabeth, that was one of the most beautiful rooms on the ship. The
QM2 version is cold and unwelcoming compared to the Elizabeth one.
There is a nice touch. Where Cafe Carinthia on the Elizabeth served a
small, nicely presented light lunch plate, there are chefs on the
Mary preparing an assortment of sandwiches, salads, quiches,
desserts, etc., if you just wanted a light bite.
We explored the ship a bit to see the
changes. This is our 6th crossing (and one cruise) on the
Queen Mary 2, and it serves a variety of purposes. First of all, an
inside or ocean view cabin is less than business class and one gets
the enjoyment of a 7 or 8 day cruise. You find many people who need
to get to the UK (or Germany—some leave from Hamburg) or the US and
prefer not to fly—that's me! I will fly, but I don't enjoy it.
There are the traditionalists who love sailing on an iconic ocean
liner, the only one still plowing the seas. Plus there are wonderful
touches of history including the Quest, a self-guided tour with
photos and narratives about the Queens, photos of the famous who have
sailed her in one of her incarnations, and historical memorabilia on
display. There are passengers who do a crossing and turn around and
head back across the sea. We met some people who use it to commute
between the US and the UK for business. They have 7 uninterrupted
days to work. We've also met ex-pats returning home, or going abroad
to relocate or work.
There is something very special about
the sail away on the QM2, whether in New York or in Southampton, that
thrills! We joined about 200 others on the aft decks, quaffing
champagne and waving our UK flags. She sailed before 5 pm, so it was
light outside. It was all very exhilarating!
Our Captain was the illustrious
Christopher Wells, and there is some talk that he is in line to be
Cunard's next Commodore. We have sailed with him often and found him
approachable and eager to chat. He proved his worth as a Captain, as
he guided the Mary through storms in the Atlantic that even caused
her to shudder, buck and rock.
Of course, my first stop after food is
the library, which was located forward on deck 8. I chose 2 books
to read on the crossing, one of which I returned unread, and one I
devoured: “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi.
Our Muster Drill station was in Kings
Court, and the drill was mandatory, and held at 4:30 pm, before
sailing.
A westbound crossing is delightful,
because we turn our clocks back 6 times before arriving in New York.
How nice is that—an extra hour of sleep! Because Cunard is a
traditional cruise line, the seating is fixed in the Britannia
Restaurant, with two seatings: 6 pm and 8:30. There are 3 formal
nights and 4 informal nights on this crossing. The Daily Program
clearly states what is required in terms of dress:
Formal: Dinner jacket, tuxedo or dark
suit with tie for gentlemen. Evening or cocktail dress for ladies.
Informal: Jacket required, tie optional
for gentlemen. Cocktail dress, stylish separates or equivalent for
ladies.
The options for those not wishing to
dress for dinner is to dine in Kings Court or have room service. The
alternative restaurants require the same dress code.
Amanda Reid, the Entertainment
Director, was also on the Elizabeth and it was nice to see her again.
Cunard is noted for their enrichment series of lectures, and there
are at least 2 and sometimes 3 lectures per day. The notable
speakers were:
Sir Michael Parkinson, Celebrity
Speaker
Brian Hawley, Maritime Historian
Dennis Molnar, Historian
Robert Neal Marshall,
Actor/Filmaker/Writer
General Simon Mayall KBE CB,
Geo-Politics and Military History.
The Queen Mary 2 has the only
planetarium at sea—and it is a not miss experience. We were
fortunate that Bobby and Randell got up early and got us tickets,
because this is the first time we have gone to a show. Our first
attempt on this crossing was canceled due to rough seas. A dome
comes down over the audience, and they were unable to use it because
of the seas. Fortunately, on the 4th day, the seas had
calmed and we were able to go. It was extraordinary! Thank you
Randell and Bobby!!
We met Randall and Bobby for drinks in
the Commodore Club before dinner. Due to the rough conditions, we
didn't return to that location during the crossing. Even after the
seas improved on the 4th day, we had fallen into a pattern
of meeting them and other friends in the Champagne Bar, next to the
re-located Chart Room. Lovely friends of Randell and Bobby's, Perry
and Gordon, joined us every night and with them new friends, Liz,
Antony and Lee. Also, our friend, Barbara, from the QE stopped by
most nights.
We had elected for a table for 2 on
this crossing. We had a good location on the bottom level close to
the Captain's Table—perfect! Dinner was very good every night,
and, indeed, we think the food is better on the QM2 than on the QE.
Our Headwaiter, Abdul, could not have been more helpful and always
offered his arm and escorted me to our seats. He knew our favorite
Headwaiter, Ionel, from the QE.
We had a standing order for a fruit
plate and cappuccino every night for dessert, and it was always
remembered.
One of the very nice features for World
Cruisers transferring to the Queen Mary 2 at the end of the cruise,
is that we have access to the World Cruise Lounge on the QM2. We
found it nicer than the QE, albeit smaller. It was in the Atlantic
Room, very far forward, which precluded many from using it during the
rough seas, but we were fine with it. There was a World Cruise
Concierge with limited hours, but a dedicated waiter almost all the
time. There were food presentations: fruit, pastry, etc for
breakfast, and a very lavish tea presentation. Best of all were
tables for cards with green felt toppings. It was nice to meet some
of the cruisers who had “gone all the way” on the Mary. David
and I spent a lot of time here. We used it for breakfast, to read
and play cards.
Entertainment was a mixed bag, Many
guests attended the themed balls in the Queens Room. There was music
of all genres in multiple locations every evening. We saw comedian
John Joseph, who also appears on Crystal. Maybe because we've seen
him before, but his humor seemed dated.
We were invited to several cocktail
parties: A Captain's with Senior Officers for Platinum and Diamond
guests, and a World Cruise Cocktail Party that was small and quite
nice. It was for those guests who had done the full World Cruise.
We had an opportunity to chat with Captain Wells for quite a bit at
this party.
I keep mentioning the rough seas, and
we did have 25-30 foot waves and wild winds for the first 4 days. We
must have our sea legs by now, because it didn't bother us. There
was more movement than I have experienced on the Mary, but certainly
tolerable.
All too soon, our crossing was ending,
and our bags appeared along with luggage tags. Departure was easy,
and we found a helpful porter who pushed our luggage through Customs
and Immigration. He took us down to the sheltered Pick-Up location.
David took an Uber to pick up our rental SUV. I waited and chatted
with the wife of the man who shared David's ride. In about 45
minutes, David arrived with car, we loaded up and headed out.
We delayed our journey out of Brooklyn
to take a tour of David's old home and neighborhood. We were
surprised to see that the Sunset Park/Borough Park neighborhood is
all Asian, primarily Chinese. The shopping street was cheek to jowl
with Chinese restaurants, Chinese markets, Chinese travel agencies,
Chinese medicine/western medicine pharmacies. We drove past the
apartment building where he grew up, and then stopped in the Orthodox
area of 13th Avenue to pick up bagels for the ride.
We crossed over the Verrazano Narrows
Bridge, that we had sailed under only hours before and headed from
Brooklyn to Staten Island and then down the I95 toward Washington,
DC. Traffic in and around New York and D.C was so slow, due in part
to the rain and the overwhelming amount of cars! We had hoped to get
further the first night, but stayed just outside of Richmond, VA.
The next morning, we got on the road
early, picked up our Starbucks and took turns driving to Sarasota.
We made it home by midnight.
I want to write than I was happy to
sleep in my own bed that night, but I went to sleep thinking about
our next cruise...
