QM2 Transatlantic to Southampton, October 11, 2015

[rafinmd]

That sounds an amazing experience, do you think "Ode to Queen Mary 2 " will become a regular piece on the concert stage ?

 

Thanks so much for your detailed reports.

 

Thank you, Host Hattie. I would hope so, but don't know how the rights to the song would work with the composer.

 

 

Another very windy morning, there is some movement on the ship but still a very comfortable ride. Once again I walked on inside corridors, but did step out on the aft deck going from 6 to 8. The one thing that did improve was the fog was gone, and there was a bright sunrise. Something I had missed before was that the Atlantic Room was on my deck, and I think it will become my new venue for wifi.

 

There was a more normal schedule on board with 3 Cunard Insights presentations. Simon Dinsdale started things off at 10 with a talk on protection of officials, comparing the UK philosophy, Israel, and the US Secret Service. He was followed at 11 back in Illuminations by William Montgomery on “The puzzle of motivation. I went up to deck 12 for the noon whistle test and Captain Wells’s daily update. We are over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, well beyond the halfway point of the journey, with 1,219 miles to go. The temperature had risen from 11C at noon to 15 and it was still windy but the gray Atlantic had turned blue and calmed down and the outer decks were more open. I skipped lunch again and walked 4 laps (1 ½ miles) on the Promenade Deck.

 

My afternoon activities started off with a 2:15 classical guitar concert by Dimitris Dekovalis. This program was latin oriented. The afternoon Insights presentation was Richard Sterling on Vivien Leigh. I skipped to spend some quality time at afternoon tea in the Queens Room with Andrew Cavendish-Gray at the piano.

 

The dress code was a bit of a surprise and perhaps a mistake. Before embarkation Voyage Personaliser called for 4 formal nights, including the night before disembarkation. The plan announced at embarkation still had 4 formals, with tonight added but Saturday moved to informal. Tonight’s code is “Formal or Informal (optional)”, I expect because some people had planned on this being informal and objected to the first change. As it turned out I saw a lot of people dressing to the informal code.

 

The World Club party was held between dinner seatings in the Queens Room. 976 members with at least 3 Cunard voyages were invited (40% of the total) including 241Platinum (like me) and 151 Diamond. As I am approaching Diamond, I’m probably in about the top 10% of senior Cunarders on this voyage. The top cruisers were at 720, 1636, and 2852 days, putting my 82 days to shame.

 

The evening entertainment was the comedy and singing of Hilary O’Neil.

 

Today’s parting shot comes from the World Club party. Captain Wells read a journal entry from an 1889 crossing and the difficult conditions. He went on to compare that ship with QM2. That ship carried 1400 passengers and was 1/3 the length, 1/3 the beam, and 4000 GRT. In comparison, QM2 carries twice as many passengers in 35 times as much space. When we long for the good old days of ship travel, we must be careful what we wish for.

 

Roy

[Keith1010]

Roy, greatly enjoying your commentary.

 

Excellent point about the past. There are indeed times that all of us should be careful what we wish for.

 

Keith

[rafinmd]

Thank you, Keith

 

The morning weather report is not really the same every day but recently the results have been pretty much the same, not suitable for walking. This morning the doors were mostly open but it was still windy, and when I stepped out it was clearly raining, and time for my 3rd straight walk indoors. The rain did stop in time for a faint trace of sun at dawn, but it was still extremely windy.

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/dawn1016.jpg

 

My time on QM2 is nearing the end (not as sad as usual as I will be back in just 11 weeks), and I wanted to get some laundry done before leaving. I am on deck 11 forward, and there are laundry rooms nearby both on my deck and deck 10. The signs say the room opens at 7:30 and I went down to the room about 7:20 to be there as soon as they open. To my surprise I found not only the room was open but all the machines had already been taken. I dropped down to deck 10 and there was just one machine left. In my haste to get the laundry started I missed a couple of things that had slipped into a pocket of my laundry pack, and these machines are solidly locked as soon as they are started. When my first load came out of the dryer, another machine had just become available, and the last of my things came out of the dryer about 10:40.

 

There were 2 morning presentations. Captain William Wells started things off at 10 with a talk on what’s on the ocean floor. I left just as he was wrapping up to get my final things out of the dryer. Julian Lloyd Weber followed at 11 with some videos and a Q&A session.

 

At noon (a.k.a. 1PM) I went up to deck 13 for the testing of the horns. Deck 13 was open but walking forward was extremely difficult. My GPS was just a little different from the official numbers but I had us almost exactly midway between Thursday’s location and Bishop Rock, about 350 miles from the Irish shore.

 

There was one Cunard Insights afternoon program, Richard Sterling on “The Great British Film”. I skipped it again in favor of afternoon tea. The navigation chart auction took place in the Queens Room at 5, and raised a disappointing $300 for the Prince’s Trust. That was followed by the Passenger Choir and talent show. The timing was unfortunate as that was time to be getting ready for dinner. I found out at dinner that 2 of our table 71 people were part of the choir.

 

All 5 of us were present for the final Formal dinner of the voyage and we learned that Leonard will be going on vacation when we get to Southampton. The meal ended with Baked Alaska and the Parade of Chefs. The Senior Officers Reception was held between dinner seatings for Platinum and Diamond World Club members. I am 3 voyages away from Diamond. 2 are coming in January, but that final one will not happen soon. I do have a deposit on a voyage to be named later but also a very full travel schedule.

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/chefparade2.jpg

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/srofficerparty.jpg

 

The evening entertainment was the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers in Apassionata. It’s a great show but I’ve seen it several times and opted for a relaxing evening instead.

 

As today’s parting shot I think that usually embassy officials have a pretty humdrum life working largely in obscurity. One of the exceptions to that norm happened 35 years ago. I noted in today’s news sheet the passing of Ken Taylor, then Canada’s Ambassador to Iran. Let us never forget his resourcefulness in the rescue of American hostages

 

Roy

[jimmybean]

Thank you for all your interesting, well-written, and informative postings! I enjoyed reading each and every one. (Also, enjoyed your photo in the neatly tied tie!)

 

Safe travels going back home. And, have a pleasant next voyage!

 

Jimmybean

[Thaxted]

Thank you, Roy, for your most report reports, windy and rainy though they've been. Your mention of Bishop Rock put me in such a nostalgic mood that I did a little research and discovered that there's a suitably short symphonic ode to the place by Doreen Carwithen that the curious can listen to here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-53XWyEcFcE.

 

Thanks as well for remembering Ken Taylor. There were some lovely tributes to him in the papers here as well.

 

Enjoy the rest of your journey. We look forward to postings from travels to come.

 

John

Edited October 18, 2015 by Thaxted

[safarigal]

Thank you so much for your reports - I would so love to be on another crossing, but have none planned in the future. Reading your account is the next best thing!

[rafinmd]

Thank you all. Sadly, I'm now writing from the Pavilion pool. It's 6:20 London time and the lights have stopped moving. Oh well, I'll be back here in about 11 weeks.

 

Our final sea day started out with “Wind:near gale” displayed on channel 45. I stepped up to the Pavilion Pool area and things looked quite un-promising for the day.

 

When I went down to Kings Court I was surprised that many of the Promenade Deck doors were available, and stepping out it was windy but less so than the previous days. I certainly felt the wind on my 5-mile (14-lap) walk but it was not nearly as bad as expected. That may be partly because the hatches to the front area where the spare blades are mounted, and that wall provided a wind break at the front of the ship. It was still a very gray morning and 7:06 came and went without any evidence of a sunrise.

 

It was one of my busiest days of the crossing. There were 2 morning Cunard Insights presentations, William Montgomery at 10 with “The Science of Happiness”, and Simon Dinsmore at 11 with “The Ipswitch Murders”.

 

We again moved the clock forward at noon, bring us up to London time, although I lose another hour Sunday on my flight to Rome. We passed Bishop Rock, the entrance to the English Chanel at 2 for our home stretch to Southampton.

 

The afternoon started off with a guitar concert by Dimitris Dekavalas at 2:15,, and the program was closed out by Captain William Wells on the Port of London.

 

Everyone was present for a sad final dinner at Table 71. A special best wishes to our waiter Leonard as he leaves for some well deserved family time. The evening entertainment was a cameo by singer Zach Winningham and a final number by the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers. As of 10:30 my bags are out; I hope to wrap up this post and be in bed by 11PM.

 

Today’s parting shot is an observation on cruising made by Zach Winningham. He talked about the orientation and all the stress on safety and the like and how we need to use the safe for all our valuables. He then noted that on the final night we just leave everything outside our door and have faith we’ll see it the next day. Interesting.

 

Roy

[jimmybean]

Eleven weeks! Looking forward to your next report!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks so much for your reports, I look forward to reading the next instalment.

[Keith1010]

Roy, always enjoy your reports and look forward to your next one in 11 weeks.

 

Keith

[rafinmd]

Day QM 7, Sunday, October 18, Disembark QM2, Fly to Rome

 

When I rose at 5AM we were passing between the mainland and Isle of Wight. I took an abbreviated walk of 4 laps and settled into getting ready to leave Queen Mary 2. By 6:30 we were at least by our berth, although Captain Wells said in his welcome to Southampton message that we docked at 7. My day was a combination of Cunard and Royal Caribbean Services. I had booked a Cunard transfer to Heathrow, and was told to wait in Royal Court Theater for a call off about 8:20. The call actually came at 8:25, and a long line of people waiting to disembark moved quickly and I reached the terminal, picked up a trolley and my luggage with no difficulty and was at the coach about 8:45.

 

The driver indicated the trip was about 90 minutes and Sunday morning was a good time to take it, and we left promptly at 9 as advertised. The drive was easy and we were dropped off in front of terminal 5 at 10:15. There were ample luggage trolleys at the bus stop.

 

My flight was on Royal Caribbean’s Choice Air, a BA nonstop to Rome leaving at 3:40. There was time to kill as the bag drop for flight 554 did not open until 12:40. In the past I have never had a cell phone that worked outside North America, but I recently purchased an unlocked phone and my first stop was WH Smith where I got a SIM card and some phone minutes. I had a phone but a great deal of difficulty getting it to work (I think I learned Monday morning that the trick is that a + before the number is mandatory). The next hour or 2 was spent reading (a book on Sir Francis Drake on the reading list for my Crystal Antarctica voyage), and then time to check my bag. It was just under the 50 pound limit.

 

Security went reasonably well (spreading out my laptops, IPAD, and American and travel cell phones was a pain but then things went flawlessly), and I was soon in the terminal area. The actual gate would not be posted for another hour, so time for some more reading. The Cunard forum on Cruise Critic recently had comments about Walkers Crisps and I got some; they were good but I didn’t think special. At 2:50 the gate was posted, it was at the end of the primary part of the terminal.

 

My A321 plane was probably about 90% full. Legroom seemed minimal but a sandwich and roll were served along with coffee and soda. We landed 15 minutes ahead of schedule but then waited for a gate to become available. We reached the gate precisely at 7:10 and were met (in a slight rain) by a bus to take us to the international arrivals area. There was a long line at passport control but it moved quickly, and then another 10 minutes of so for my bag to arrive.

 

My driver was waiting at the arrivals hall exit and we were on the road about 7:45 for the 40-minute drive to MyNavona Bed and Breakfast, where I will be until the Allure of the Seas arrives Thursday. I took a walk out for ice cream and pizza but did little else that evening. The area has a lot of narrow winding areas but looks pretty nice.

 

Today’s parting shot is a tip for Heathrow terminal 5. I normally approach airports with an empty water bottle which I fill after security. Most of the bathrooms in Heathrow do not have water fountains, but the one immediately after passing through security on the upper level of the concourse does have one.

 

This will conclude my reporting on the Cunard forum. I will monitor that thread for questions but will continue reporting on the RCI forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2267527

 

Otherwise, Cunarders, I’ll see you again about New Years.

 

Roy

[PrincessPete]

As the title says Roy, many thanks for such a wonderful daily review of your voyage. It was especially poignant for my wife and I as we were supposed to be on the same voyage but illness intervened and we had to cancel. The medical treatment (for my wife) has worked extremely well and there is no reason why we can not now make the same trip next year (to coincide with our Ruby Wedding) so will be booking that when she finally gets the all clear.

 

We have sailed on the Queen Mary 2 many times and she is our favourite ship although the limited number of destinations that she sails to preclude us going every year on her, hence being Princess regulars (and a first cruise already booked on Celebrity, also for next year).

 

We could therefore picture where you were during the many postings you made and thank you so much for the pleasure you gave us and, of course, very many others.

 

Have a safe and enjoyable trip back on the Allure of the Seas and we shall be following that with much interest even though we have not been on that ship.

 

Kind regards.

 

Peter

Edited October 19, 2015 by PrincessPete