A Transatlantic crossing with Cunard on the Queen Mary 2 is a delicious blend of tradition and service. We enjoyed all the comforts aboard the great ocean liner on a cruise from Southampton to New York – black tie optional!
“An ocean liner can be a cruise ship. A cruise ship cannot be an ocean liner!”
Unwittingly, I had booked our latest Transatlantic crossing on the world’s last ocean liner, a rarefied breed of ships that are designed to cope with any weather conditions.
The Queen Mary 2 was built in St. Nazaire in 2004 and is seemingly the last of her breed. She follows in very exalted footsteps and we were lucky enough to have done our previous crossing on the QE2 in 2008.
That crossing had been memorable for our sailing over the Titanic on the anniversary of the disaster. A wreath had been thrown overboard – it was really the only sight of the trip, other than leaving New York in the evening with all the brilliant lights around us.
Now on a sunny afternoon in October, serenaded by her sister ship Queen Victoria, the QM2 slipped out of Southampton and after closely hugging the Isle of Wight and skirting the forts of the Solent, headed out into the English Channel.
At 7 am the next morning the ship passed the Bishop Rock lighthouse which is the traditional start of the Transatlantic crossing – unfortunately we were in bed for that one but as we sailed into the remnants of Storm Benjamin and a Force 7 gale we had reason to be grateful for the stability of the ship which sailed on smoothly.
Inside things went just as smoothly. We were in an interior stateroom but heck, who needs a balcony in October in the North Atlantic and one couldn’t argue with a week for £600.
The days passed in a pleasant blur of the Britannia restaurant for full service meals, a myriad of talks, and perambulations between the various swimming pools and hot tubs – our favourite was perched on the back of Deck 6 – or breezy circuits on deck.
Three circuits of Deck 7 equalled 1.1 miles, although we preferred 13 for the more far ranging views. The huge red and black Cunard funnel towered over the back but don’t miss the Captain’s Cufflinks, a set of 8 spare propellers anchored to the front of the boat.
A lot can stand or fall on the guests sharing one’s table, and here we were very fortunate. A charming mother and daughter duo, a dry Irishman and the 25 year old James, who was an expert in ocean liners and had a definitive opinion on many other, often controversial, subjects. Frequently ours was the table in paroxysms of laughter, lingering long after the other guests had departed.
An American couple joined us for some meals. They had been working in Greece and were heading home with their two dogs. There are 24 kennels on board and 23 were occupied – at US$900 for a small cage and US$1800 for a large one, they certainly aren’t cheap but the pampered pets have an extensive menu to chose from and the ultimate luxury: depending on the nationality, either a red fire hydrant or a lamp post!
As the days passed we found more hidden delights on the ship: an extensive library and the cosy seats in the Commodore Club with a bird’s eye view over the front of the boat. Tucked in the corner, a door opened into a glass elevator which whisked one up to the observation deck on the floor above.
Immediately below the bridge, this offered an expansive view over the seas ahead. One day we saw dolphins, and frequently birds. Little sparrow like things alighted and stayed a while; we could only imagine they were in the midst of a migration.
We found the secret way to a glass window looking into the bridge – not that very much was happening. Of course everything is computerised these days but there is a symbolic plotting on paper – the result is auctioned off at the end of the trip when it is invariably bought by a rich American!
However, we were there at 12 noon when our Captain made his daily address to the ship, updating us on our progress and weather conditions. He would finish with a little nautical term anecdote – on that occasion it involved too many ‘hanky panky‘ cocktails and a randy admiral!
For the ship enthusiasts, it is possible to organise a behind the scenes tour for $120. We were happy just taking in all the information panels and art scattered around the corridors of the ship and we even tracked down the elusive Homer Simpson in the ‘World’ panels on Deck 2 – he takes a bit of searching but trust me, he is there.
Afternoon tea in the Queen’s Room was another special occasion. An American remarked that they liked the tradition of the British ships and this had it in spades.
To a suitably jaunty tune – the Four Seasons was a popular choice – a parade of white jacketed and gloved waiters would be clapped in to line up ready to pour the tea.
Finger sandwiches, scones and cakes would follow. However the Twinnings blend is pretty rough – I would recommend asking for a pot of Earl Grey and getting there before 3 for the 3.30 pm lift off for any chance of a front line seat.
As with all cruises, there were endless entertainment choices: Irish music in the Golden Lion pub (try the Cunard Red ale), a choice of bands in various bars and discos into the small hours. Sadly, we even missed a silent disco one night which sounded intriguing.
Dinner in the Britannia was generally just smart, but on two Gala evenings, black tie (or military dress!) was requested. I think everyone was happy to dress for the occasion, even to the extent of donning masks for the Masked Tie Ball in the Queen’s Room after dinner. If one wasn’t so inclined there was always casual dining in the King’s Court buffet, but most joined in the fun.
The Britannia was also open for breakfast and lunch, although we tended to visit the Kings Court Buffet on Deck 7 for a more informal lunch venue – the pub even served traditional fish & chips if you were lucky enough to find a table – it was a popular spot.
The time sped by and all too soon we found ourselves setting our alarm in order to be up for the 5 am sail under the Verrazano Narrows bridge, a suspension bridge which connects Staten Island to Brooklyn, but which was more notable in only having about 13 feet of clearance above the ship. It is the only entrance to New York harbour.
In the cold darkness of dawn with a myriad of lights around us we approached imperceptibly. Thankfully, it was an optical illusion but for a moment it really looked as if the front communications system was going to collide with the bridge. The funnel had been designed flatter specifically with this bridge in mind but looked in similar danger.
Yet suddenly we were in New York harbour with the Statue of Liberty visible to our left. We decided to let the ship get on with it and went back to bed for a couple of hours before breakfast and a leisurely disembarkation in New York.
We had tied up at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (Pier 12) which was not the most exciting looking of places, but the customs officers were friendly and we were soon ushered into the USA.
However, we did find a nice way to reach our uptown hotel in Chelsea: the New York City Ferry which gives a free ticket to all cruise passengers who choose to use it. The ferry is only a short walk from immigration, just beyond the taxi line, and gave us more great harbour views as we headed to Manhatten – and at a more decent hour!
We got off at Wall Street and swapped to the adjacent ferry (one free transfer allowed) which dropped us off at Stuyvesant Cove, having taken us north on the East River under no less than 3 different bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge.
It had been a great trip, it was a great way to arrive in New York – I can’t wait to do it again!
Side view
NOTES
Cunard have a myriad of Transatlantic cruise options; some people were even going straight back on her after a day in New York. Keep an eye on the website for special deals – I think the interior staterooms are great value.
