*Miss G*

DAY THREE - STILL AT SEA Wednesday, June 12th Today is EXPEDITION DAY - PART DEUX. Part Deux, part deux, part deux. I begin my day outside the Royal Court Theatre where I find some handy statistics outside on the wall. We are now over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Since I am on Deck 2, it seems like a good a time as any to visit the Purser’s Office. I need envelopes and I have a question. Is there somewhere I can purchase Cunard memorabilia? Yes, he says. Upstairs in the shop to the left. Hmm. I have been there before, but just a peek through the window. Maybe there is a hidden nook like the library? I guess I have to go inside. But, first, I take some pictures while I’m here: Very pretty. At night the colour changes to blue. I did not get a picture of that. This hallway is amazing. Kudos to the designer. A job well done. I make my way upstairs and towards said shop. The view from the window is women’s clothing and bags, so I hadn’t gone inside. This time, I did as I was directed. I turn the corner and… Lo and Behold!! Here is exactly what I am looking for! This section is filled with logo memorabilia! I am excited. As @Ray66 says, the souvenir shop is accessible from Sir Samuel’s coffee lounge. I guess I had missed it because I hadn’t sat near the windows. This is good to know! I choose a black baseball cap for my husband and a white one for my father. Cunard gave him his first job, at Liverpool Headquarters, and this will be perfect for his summer golfing! And look! I found myself a Cunard sweater! Well, it’s actually a zip-up hoodie. It is warm and fuzzy and covers my butt. (Butts need warmth too.) I am happy with my choices and now I can go out on deck without freezing my butt off! Yay! I see a dress but there is nowhere to try it on. Like an idiot, I decide that I can probably get a good idea if I try it on over my clothing. What a dumb idea…. But I do it anyway. My school report cards are full of my dumb ideas. Apparently they were never able to unteach me. I take look at the result in the mirror and I see my Grandmother staring back. While my Grandmother was a snazzy dresser, that was from another era. I pull the dress up over my shoulders to put it back on its hanger. Oh oh. Well, this is a situation I hadn’t foreseen. I am now standing in the shop with my hands in the air and the dress stuck around my shoulders. Thankfully, it is covering my face so I don’t have to see the looks on everyone’s faces. I ponder my next move. I could ask for someone to help me or I could pretend it’s part of my layout and move on. Option One is out of the question, as I would have to make my way to the Cashier’s Desk whilst blinded by dress. Option Two would be stealing. I gather up the hem and try one more time. Success! I had somehow managed to squish myself small enough to get it off. What a relief! I return the dress to its hanger and make like nothing ever happened, and that this was a normal everyday occurrence. It is not. Okay, well it is for me, but probably not for others. I make my escape.

Your taxi will, indeed, bring you underground directly to the baggage drops. Make sure you have your boarding passes available to continue inside. It gets somewhat more complicated from there, and the US CBP creates a huge backlog. I have heard they’ve installed facial recognition so I hope this speeds up the process for you. Have a great trip and I am looking forward to reading all about it!

A yacht is a good way to describe her. She has a huge ornate pipe organ clock in the atrium. It plays every day at noon, complete with moving statues! This is her library, in three massive rooms: And this is the women’s washroom across from the library!

It didn’t have a region of origin so I am guessing that there wasn’t enough of a predominant region in order to label it as such. I actually love (some) CA wines. Sterling had a 2016 Cab which was amazingly underpriced for the quality. My daughter and I bought up as much as we could before they ran out. 😂 Which rye did you choose?

The Zaandam is a beautiful small ship, and somewhat quirky. (Part of her charm.) She was built in 2000 so is nearing end-of-life. There have been ongoing upgrades, so my feeling is she’ll be kept in service beyond the normal 25-year lifespan. Looking forward to more of your pics! Editing to add: What is the name of that ship with the French flag?

I was shown a pared-down version of this wine list on the Queen Mary 2. I am not sure why. Perhaps it helps to speed the decision process along or perhaps I was just oblivious. (Probably oblivious.) After I explained my likes, the Sommelier recommended the Private Label Red and gave me a taste. I found it to be a bit too young, but not awful. I then requested the Bakestone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon but they didn’t have any. I let him choose the La Grola from Venetto, Italy. It was oaky and distinctly Italian. I didn’t mind it but wasn’t enamoured. The next bottle he chose was the Nuits-St-Georges Les Hauts Poiret (France… obviously). The first night I was undecided and was adjusting to the nuances. The second night it had mellowed out and was smoother. It was nice (on the 2nd night) but I wouldn’t be ordering it again. The third bottle was a particularly poor choice on his part. It was the Cannonball Merlot from California. I did not like it. Period. They can use the rest for tasting glasses for other guests. I believe the final bottle was The Chocolate Block from South Africa. He really really wanted me to try a wine from South Africa so I obliged. But now that I think about it, it could have been the Meerlust Merlot. Whichever one it was, it was not bad. For some reason I have a memory block on those last two nights. 😂 In the end, I don’t think he fully understood my palate. But that’s okay because I tried some new wines.

Thank you for posting your picture! I wanted to take pictures while I was there but it seemed there would be passengers in every shot and I didn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable. (Even though I always “scrub” the faces prior to posting on CC.) Next time I will try to get there early to do so.

If that’s what they served in Sir Samuel’s… it’s fantastic.

@Pushpit @Host Hattie… Oh my gosh, I DID find the Carinthia Lounge!! I googled for pictures and it sparked that memory! I had to study the deck plans for it so I could attend the presentation of Twelfth Night. That report is on my next installment. 😃 Sadly, I was completely oblivious to its small plate offerings. I know better now! And… @sfred…. Mmmmm. Custard doughnuts. My fave. Boy, did I miss out. (And now I want a custard doughnut.)

Well, darn it! I guess I need to book another sailing, quickly. Apparently those stars in my eyes were blocking my view!

Oh, that would be perfect! No, I definitely missed that. I guess I didn’t walk far enough forward. HAL used to do that in their Explorations Café and that was my favourite lunch spot. Of course, they took that away so… 🤷‍♀️

Yippeee! Another QM2 report! I will definitely be following along as you sail across the seas. I hope you have a lovely journey and enjoy the ship just as much as I did. She is my new favourite ship!!

Oh my gosh. You are all so kind with your comments! Thank you so much. 🥰 @Host Hattie, I don’t believe I found the Carinthia Lounge (that I know of), but… if they serve lunch… a new adventure awaits! Thank you. @Pushpit, now I know how I ended up in the Commodore Club! 😂 I never visited the spa or the gym so I guess that supports my belief that I never found Carinthia either. Thanks for the information! @Jack E Dawson, that’s why I am so glad that you posted your review! It was so much fun to read of the crossing from another point of view. Thank you! I can’t wait to get back on this ship.

DAY THREE CONTINUED… Back inside, I pass through the Commodore Club. Very nice. I consider stopping for a beverage but I don’t feel my expedition clothes fit in here. I move on. Out on the promenade, I see a few people walking their dogs; one of them a bit yappy. I am surprised by this as I thought they were kept in the kennels. Maybe they let the owners take them out for a walk? Since I’m already on Deck 7, let’s try the King’s Court buffet! I had tried the main dining room for lunch (twice) and it wasn’t so successful. Maybe this will be my lunch spot! Hmm. Except for the cheese and crackers and fruit, I find the food here lukewarm and odd-tasting. The beef chunks (not sure what else to call them) tasted like liver (liver was one of the other choices) and the pommes dauphinoise tasted like fish. Not exactly the flavour profiles I was going for. I’ll try again another time. In the Captain’s noon address, he mentioned there is fog and rain ahead. Right on cue, this happened: Lunch over (more like discarded), I head to the shops. The weather has been quite cool, with lots of fog, and the temperature inside the ship only a tad warmer. I need to find a warm sweater. Based on last Spring’s England, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark trip, I had decided to forgo warm clothing this year. We had gorgeous weather but I had very few clothes to match. Do not fall victim to Mother Nature’s tricks! If you did not need warm clothing last year, pack it this year. I have learned my lesson. I peek through the shop windows but all I see is high-end items and lots of jewels and handbags. Very nice, but they won’t keep me warm. Oh well. I’ll have to do with what I’ve got. Off I go to get ready for dinner. Following dinner, I go for another walk. Oh, hey! Here’s the Royal Court Theatre! I pop inside and catch the last half of entertainer, Foggie Flax. Wow. Foggie Flax is very funny and definitely entertaining. I hope he is on again! Another day over, I retire to my bed-of-cloud. Does it get any better than this? Good night, Queen Mary 2. I look forward to another day.

Curiousity satisfied, I pick up a brochure entitled Bridge and Navigation Information and continue with my exploration. Up another set of stairs I find The Lookout. I am now on Deck 14. It is crazy windy up here. The radar mast: Looks like I found where the patient transfer occurred: I descend to Deck 12 via TARDIS. Halfway down the deck, I stop short. Is that another POOL?! Holy smokes, there’s an indoor pool!! It’s got a bar, a stage, and two more hot tubs!! I am amazed at the things I am discovering on this ship.

DAY THREE - AT SEA Tuesday, June 11th When I woke we were surrounded by fog. I went for a walk. I had decided to try my luck at Sir Samuel’s, so I headed down there to start my day. The Americano I ordered, with an extra shot on the side (only $1.00!), was delicious! It came with biscotti, which I usually ignore, but I gave it a go and I liked it! I have now found my breakfast spot. Coffee and biscotti to start my day. Yum. I just wish it would open sooner than 8:00am, because that’s a long wait when you’re an early riser. Today is Expedition Day. Expedition Day; Expedition Day; Expedition Day Day Day. There is a bookshop here, somewhere, and I have yet to find it. Perhaps they sell Cunard memorabilia or notepads and pens and such? That interests me. I make my way to an elevator and study the deck plans. Here it is. Deck 8 Forward, starboard side, then down some steps. The bookshop will be on your right. I proceed as directed, et voilà, there it is! To my surprise, the bookshop sells… books. The letdown horn sounds. Wah wah waaah. Okay, there are 3D puzzles and models of the ship, but that is not what I am looking for. Oh well. It looks like the bookstore is attached to the library (quite optimistic of them, really) so I venture in. Holy smokes! Does a more impressive-looking library exist in the world? This place is amazing!! Encased in glass and gold and wood paneling are thousands of books in all their glory!! The room meanders through nooks and crannies and comfy places to read, with glorious views to behold!! I wander the room in awe of its splendour. If I were to design a library, this is what it would look like. I peek into a nook and spy a small elevator door; hidden, unless you knew it was there. I check behind me. No one is ready to tap me on the shoulder; no one is looking at me aghast. I push the button. I cannot help myself. It is ingrained into my psyche. There is a reason my husband calls me “The Button-Pusher”. The door opens and angels sing. It is a small glass elevator mounted to the side of the ship! I hit the topmost button and off I go in my very own TARDIS. Who knows what adventures await? The TARDIS opens and I emerge onto Deck 11. Here I find the Atlantic Room. There appears to be an organized card tournament going on. I back up and spy a set of stairs. Up I go and… what the heck? IS THAT THE BRIDGE?!!!! Well, now I’ve died and gone to heaven. There are buttons and levers and equipment galore. Just as I wonder whether pictures are allowed, I see a sign which says pictures are not allowed. Darn it.

Surf & Turf was on the menu last week on the QM2. It was steak and large shrimp. I was happy to see shrimp instead of lobster. They were yummy.

Passport Control is both Immigration- and Customs-focused. As @Pushpit says, people will erroneously refer to them as one or the other, but they are both. Albeit distinct and separate entities, they can also be connected. A K9 is an agent but it isn’t going to process your visitor/resident status. I’m sure this hasn’t enlightened you any further. 😂

Wow. Okay. Now I get it. On last week’s sailing there was no interactive tv, no on-demand, no statement, etc. It drove me crazy and I wondered why it was so limited. I thought they were behind the times until I saw your post. So they can do it but they just haven’t done it. Thank you.

Ugh. NOT SMS! That’s the green bubble. iMessage is the blue bubble. But now that I’ve posted, I am second-guessing myself that it works on a Cunard ship. They may not have those ports open. The only way to know is to give it a try. Can you report back?

Yes. IMessage SMS texts only (blue bubble). No pics, etc. Make sure you turn on WiFi calling and iMessages, and have your phone in airplane mode. This only works from iPhone to iPhone. (Or iPad.) It does not work if one of the parties has an android.

Oh yuck. That does sound like the carrier. So glad you are both feeling better!

You mentioned that you both have iPhones, so no internet is required to text each other. Just place your phones on airplane mode and connect to the ship’s intranet. iMessage will work. For free.

Thanks. I wondered what that RJ45 port was for!

I just checked the CDC for symptom appearance. I’m wondering if you were exposed to it prior to the sailing?