Departure   When I said the trip plans were as set as a Swiss watch, at least I modified that by remembering the problems last summer with the sleeping car arrangements between Paris and Rome both ways on the Artesia. I didn't remember the delay in January in Fort Lauderdale when Cunard ended up putting us in a hotel for one night until the Coast Guard agreed the Caronia was ready to sail. Well, the current trip didn’t start out perfectly, either.

The taxi ride from downtown to the Passenger Ship Terminal in midtown was unusually long, and the driver zigzagged to get there. I figured it was just weekend traffic, but later they said they heard the olympic torch went by right up West Street, so that could have been a factor. But when we got to the pier, people were still getting off the ship and getting into taxis. It seems there had been a delay and the Mary had gotten in several hours late. Therefore, boarding would also be delayed. Instead of boarding at 2 and leaving in the late afternoon, we wouldn't board until 5-6, and would sail at 9. We were shown to seats, and Cunard provided sandwiches, chips, cookies, and soft drinks. We heard rumors why there had been a delay, which some of us corroberated last night at dinner, since we were at the Doctor's table.

The ship had been in the Caribbean, and was coming up from Saint Thomas. The doctor said there were three factors in the delay. One was a bureaucratic glitch (I thought of Fort Lauderdale). One was that there was a medical evacuation (heart attack) by helicopter to Puerto Rico. (It was interesting that helicopters don't land on the ship where you see the circles painted on an upper deck--they just hover there and the evacuee is winched up.) But the doctor corroberated the main rumor. There had been a suicide. A man had jumped overboard. I confirmed that it had been in the evening, so darkness was also a factor. They checked first that he was not on board, then stopped the ship, turned on searchlights, and after a reasonable time, gave up. There's some black humor here--you'd think there would be a cheaper way to do it; but of course that would be less spectacular.

I was more pleased than ever that we had already visited the ship back in Rio and I was already semi-oriented as to where things were. We were able to make a bee line right to the room, although not only the newness, but also the size of the ship took quite a bit of orientation that evening and the next day.

I'll say again that I admire the fact that the interior of the ship looks so much more like a nice hotel than, a ship. There are no rabbit warrens of little corredors leading of the main corredor, like on the QE2. Each hallway is very attractive and has doors to rooms all in a line down its (long) length. Also, all rooms in the same category have the same layout. On the QE2, and other ships, you don't know what to expect as to room layout one to another.

Considering that all rooms open on to the main corredor, it would not be surprising that they are longer than they are wide. The room is good-sized, though not huge. As to the width, we have a king-size bed (!!) with just enough room at the foot for a wheelchair to pass, so maybe it's nine feet. On one side of the entry is the bath, on the other the closets. Beyond the bed on one side is the desk with TV, on the other a loveseat and coffee table.

Of course the most special is the balcony, which is not a balcony at all. Instead of a porthole or a tiny window, the far side of the room, between the desk and loveseat, is glass, half fixed, half a door. Outside is a small room, maybe nine by nine, with two lounges and a table. It's not a balcony because it's enclosed on all sides. You could call it a porch, but most accurately I'd say it's a loggia. The far wall has an opening, maybe six by four, high up, so that the railing is above waist level. It's a very nice view, from in the room, as well as from the loggia.

Although I feel dinner on the ship is the high point of the day, considering the late departure, the need to unpack and settle in, the lack of orientation, and the fact that they said that first evening would just be open seating, so we wouldn't be meeting our tablemates, we just ordered room service.

The Sailaway   We finally pulled away at almost 9:30. Someone with a theatrical bent was at the controls of the public address system, because all of a sudden they started to play a rousing rendition (is there any other kind?) of The Stars and Stripes Forever, by, as the character Harold Hill announces in the “Music Man”, JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA!!! The unusual, but interesting segue then was to Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York.

We hadn't had a nighttime departure from New York since we sailed on the France in the 1970's, and everything looked great. There was a fireboat in full spray. As we passed the Battery, for some reason there was a HUGE fireworks display near the Brooklyn Bridge, a fact that, as we found out later, surprised the captain as much as anyone else.

The Ship   Being new to the ship, we needed to set aside some time to get more oriented. Actually, it is extremely easy to understand where things are. It was helpful to have visited the ship in Rio, but even beyond that, things fall into place very easily.

There had been stories that there were 17 decks. That isn't so. I suspect what was being said was that the height of the smokestack is the equivalent of 17 decks. It is also extremely simplified that the decks are numbered, so you don't have to remember whether the Quarter Deck is above or below the Main Deck, as on the QE2 and other ships. Deck 7 is above Deck 5. Easy?

Deck 1 has those four rooms that serve as entrances whenever entry is from a low level as when using a tender or as in Rio, when we visited. Each room had seating and rest rooms. The medical facility is also there. [Note: an ominous observation.]

Decks 2 and 3 (also 7) are the principal public decks. There is a Grand Lobby that has an atrium rising from deck 2 to 7, with two open glass elevators, which stop only at those three levels. Some inside cabins on the decks in between have windows opening onto the atrium. 2 and 3 have the theater, the planetarium, and the Britannia Restaurant, all of which are upper and lower levels, accounting for the use of two decks. The Queens Room (lounge) and G32 (nightclub) are back-to-back on 3, making it easy to move from one to the other to shift from ballroom to comtemporary music. 2 and 3 also have the casino, the Champagne Bar, and the shops, including H Stern.

The Britannia Restaurant serves most of the passengers, other than those in the most expensive accommodations. It has a fine, high ceiling made of what looks like stained glass. The ship was built in France, in Saint Nazaire at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique ("Atlantic Shipyards"). Apparently the number of the hull was G32, which accounts for the name of the nightclub.

Decks 4 to 6 are accommodations. Deck 7 has the spa at one end and the Queens Grill and Princess Grill, for dining for those in more expensive accommodations. In between is the Kings Court, which has four cafeterias (Italian, Asian, British, deli). 7 has the outdoor promenade, circling all around the ship.

Decks 8 to 12 have accommodations. 8 also has the beautiful library and bookshop foreward, and the specialty Todd English restaurant aft (extra charge). 12 is only half accommodations, since there is a large indoor pool with skylight midships. There is also an outdoor promenade here going around the ship in a C from midships to aft. It's on this promenade that you walk right under the huge illuminated signs on the side of the ship saying QUEEN MARY 2.

The front of 12 has the bridge. There is a bridge viewing area, which is a corridor behind the working area with windows. You're essentially looking at the backs of heads running the ship. However, although many are scurrying around, there is really not too much action, since the ship seems to be on autopilot, and everyone is just watching computer screens, or out the windows at where we're going. No, there's no sailor standing behind a huge steering wheel. I understand that manual controls, when needed, consist just of a joystick.

For all intents and purposes 12 is the top deck of importance (not 17), although there is a deck 13, but only in the front half of the ship. It's billed as a sun deck, and has the helicopter landing (hovering) pad. When you're in the front of 13 there is a stairway up to The Lookout, which is that row of windows showing across the front of the QM2. Technically, this is Deck 14, but it's only that lookout corridor, and frankly, the view there isn't that different from anywhere else.

April 25, 2004   Apparently, Cunard is going to continue to make a big fuss about the day both Queens sailed from New York, and I'm glad I got the family to come to see it. They even have a painting of the event in the Grand Lobby, and have paintings with varying views for sale. But they all just have to bring a smile to your face. You may have seen paintings of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, or of great historical battles, or the like. Those paintings are usually made after the fact, and are rather fanciful. For instance, it's doubtful that the Founding Fathers lined up in just that perfect theatrical order when signing. That's the case with the two Queens. In actuality, they sailed after nightfall because of the fireworks at the Statue of Liberty, and the Mary proceeded the Elizabeth. That's how we watched it happen. But every one of the paintings shows bright sunlight, with the ships next to each other. They're highly fanciful, but it does show the importance Cunard will continue to attach to the event. I do suppose it's artistic license. I would also venture a guess that those paintings have been here since the Mary first sailed in January, so instead of being painted after the fact, I'll bet they were painted well before.

Yayce   Accents are fun. For example, it's well known that many Canadians have a distinctive pronunciation for the "ow" sound. "Out" comes out something like "ehwt" and "about" is "abehwt". On two occasions in the last two weeks I had to call Fujitsu tech support. Each time the rep said something like "abehwt", I asked if they were from Canada, and both were.

On the ships I meet more and more South Africans in the crew. South Africans typically shift one certain vowel in a number of words, the most typical being "yes", which comes out more like "yayce". They just as well might hang a sign around their necks saying "South African".

Recently, two different people on the same day answered a question of mine with "yayce", and this dialog followed each time:

How did I know indeed.

H Stern   I did it again. We stopped into the H Stern shop to chat a bit about Bev's two pendants from their main shop in Rio. I had become smitten with amethysts. I saw a beautiful 4.3 karat amethyst pendant on a gold chain, and that is now Bev's third piece. It goes beautifully with her purple dress. In any case, Cunard gave us a $300 cabin credit for this crossing (and another $300 on the return), and that has to be used or lost, so now it's gone toward the amethyst. [Note: it turned out to be my last gift to Bev.]

We get these credits, not because we have such charming smiles, but because we're frequent travellers. We also got a full bottle of champagne in the room the first day, which we luckily finished. I say luckily, since there's a split of champagne in the refrigerator, which I'm assuming everyone gets. They also have the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar, but all they give away in the room is the house brand of sparkling wine. As I mentioned in regard to Bev's birthday party on the Caronia, the house brand is called Dom Vincent, and there's something about that name I like.

Cleese   You may recall that we met John Cleese when there was a Themed Crossing on the QE2 about British humor. He was on board again and gave two presentations in the Royal Court Theatre. One evening he was interviewed, and the next afternoon he did what he had done on the QE2, he showed an episode of Fawlty Towers (Basil the Rat) and then commented on it.

I've heard John Cleese tell this story twice now, so it bears repeating. People often ask him where he got his ideas for the Fawlty Towers episodes, and many were from true life. As a case in point, he mentions the time someone died in the hotel, and they had to get the body out without alarming the other guests. Cleese says he knew the manager of the Savoy in London (where we stayed for our anniversary last August). When asked, he told Cleese the biggest problem they had was "Getting rid of the stiffs". First of all, the clientele of the Savoy tends to be older. But beyond that, he said, there are these little old ladies who've decided it's time to end it all with some pills, and why should they do it at home, when they could check into the Savoy and go out in style? They apparently really do such removals at the Savoy in the wee hours, to avoid startling other guests.

A bit of trivia: when his father registered for World War I, he had become tired about being teased about what his name had been, so he changed Cheese to Cleese. Therefore, Cleese is a highly unique name, since it's made-up. It also proves that it's pronounced with a Z, since it has to rhyme with cheese.

Familiar Faces   A lady came up to us to say hello that we had met on the Caronia last winter. Small world. We sought out Richard "Tosh" Parker to say hello to, who transferred here as Tour Manager from the Caronia. In the Queens Room, Helga Reiss is the band singer. When we met her on the QE2, she immediately started to bond with Bev. Helga stepped off the bandstand to come over to our table on two successive nights, and at the Captain's Reception, she came over to give Bev a hug and a kiss.

I'm packing a bag of dressy clothes to leave on the ship for the return voyage, so we don't have to schlepp them around Europe. You're supposed to pay a charge and have them left on the pier in Southampton, but last year on the QE2, Eddie the Baggagemaster, from Lithuania, just kept the bag for us. This time I sought out the QM2 baggagemaster, and lo and behold, who is it but Eddie from Lithuania, recently transferred from the QE2. He'll find a spot for our bag again. This time I found that Eddie from Lithuania is ethnically Russian. There have been stories about ethnic Russians in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania having some difficulties in adjusting to independence. Eddie had gone to school in Lithuanian, so language wasn't a problem, but it's interesting that he had to make a legal change to his name. He was Eduard Blinov, but Russians had to make their names seem more Lithuanian, so now he's Eduardus Blinovas.

Time Passes   After being on the Caronia for seven weeks, time is absolutely flying on the QM2 over just six days. We just got on, and we're getting ready to get off.

Our Table   As usual, at first we didn't get what we'd asked for (a table for eight, as always, hosted by the Engineers). They tried to stick us in a corner somewhere. Therefore, before the first dinner I spoke with the restaurant manager, Mr Dance, and we're now at the Doctor's table for eight, and on the return trip, with the Engineers.

It also struck me that on all our trips with Cunard, we've never once sat at the Captain's Table (which is usually done on a single-night basis). Mr Dance now has us down at the Captain's Table for one night on the return trip. I checked with the Purser's Office, and, fortunately, Paul Wright will be with us on the way back.

The two Doctors rotate hosting our table, and we've had several very pleasant evenings. Although the food is exquisite, you don't really notice it because of all the lively conversation. Last night we were at table for 2 1/2 hours. Curiously, there have been a number of people rotating on and off our seating chart, many of them quite interesting. Linda Hart is a Broadway actress. She originated one of the principal female roles in Hairspray. She's hoping to bring it to the West End in London, but expects that Actor's Equity won't allow her to do so. Somehow the name Bette Midler came up, and Linda says she was one of the three Harlettes for many years that sang background for Midler. She and her husband commented how really intellectual Bette Midler is. I brought up how Midler really pushes her New York Restauration Project to upgrade neighborhood parks, and when I said we regularly contribute to that, they were delighted. Her husband is Bill Forster, who runs Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. The Seaport is running a tour now on the QE2, and Bill has had hosting responsibilities.

A very nice touch--on formal nights, the hosted tables have a five-candle candelabra lit. It gives an extremely elegant touch.

I asked the Doctor at our table last night if there were still Ward Room parties given, and he said no. The Ward Room (Officers' Club) on the QE2 and Caronia were primarily funded by the Officers themselves, with only minor company subsidies. On the QM2 it's all company run, and he fears that's the direction that will be taken on the other ships soon. However, I was delighted to get an invitation that evening to a cocktail reception given by the Captain and Senior Officers this evening in the Queens Room before dinner. I understand this is now taking the place of any Ward Room party.

We met a young English couple in G32 the other night, originally from Middlesborough, where the film Billy Elliott was filmed. They told me tonight that they read that Elton John was so taken by the film's theme of artistic growth in danger of being hampered by one's family (there must have been a personal connection there), that he's agreed to make it into a musical.

People continue to be very nice. I'll mention just two incidents. A lady we didn't know came up to us in the Queens Room and told me she was glad I was taking care of "this beautiful lady".

There has been some rotation of people at our dinner table, and fortunately, almost all have been very interesting. This evening there was an elderly couple, he had been a doctor in a small English village in Norfolk who eventually moved to Australia "temporarily", and ended up staying there. He moved up in the medical establishment, still runs a private practice at 80 and holds a government medical position with the rank of a two-star general. When he was offered the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to Australia, they said it could be given to him at home, but he insisted he wanted it "from her", so off he went to Buckingham Palace. He also was given the Order of Australia for services to medicine. After dinner, it was particularly gratifying when he came over and shook both our hands and said some very nice things.

Years ago, this couple bicycled--I said bicycled--from Britain to Australia (I assume there was a boat trip included somewhere); Russia, Afghanistan, India "Afghanistan used to be so quiet, not like now" was their assessment. You meet such interesting people here.

Ranking   I am very happy making Atlantic crossings in general, and on the Queen Mary 2 in particular. This is for reasons of elegance and style, and for the socialization opportunities.

Reviewing the ships we've sailed on in the last five years (not years ago, like the France and others), I would give this ranking:

QM2--10 It is a beautiful, well-organized, very Art Deco modern sailing vessel. It doesn't get any better than this.

QE2--6 It's nice, but dowdy. It still has the Cunard elegance and style, and you still meet wonderfully interesting people, but there is really very little spectacular about it. It's legacy will be that it was built just as ocean liners were "going out of style (HA!)", and a potential folly turned into an asset.

Caronia--5 It's small and friendly, and we had a great trip, but it's too cramped for my interest.

Deutschland--8 A new (1999), beautiful, German, very art-deco ship. It's unfortunate that not many English speakers are aware of it. English was its second language, with about 15% of the passengers from the US.

Nordic Empress--6 A very nice cruise ship (not ocean liner), that got us back to major travel after we went to Bermuda for a week in 1999 with sister Pat and John. It leans to being a party ship, as many cruise ships do. It's the lack of dignity and style that bothered me. Waiters in hula skirts when the dinner has a Hawaiian theme do not appeal to me, nor does some character dressed as Long John Silver with a stuffed parrot on his shoulder showing up behind you at dinner so the photographer can take a picture (I refused).

Westward ho!   I have one last comment about crossing the Atlantic. If anyone is interested in doing it, and will go just one way, GO WESTBOUND!!!! Going east, as we're doing right now, has such short days that we never once got to go to afternoon tea, visit the specialty Todd English restaurant, see the planetarium show, and many other things. There is so much to do, that we've resorted to afternoon naps. One day we took two naps. There is just no time.

I'd like to offer this: I'll use as a basis a ship that stays in the Eastern time zone and sails from New York to the Caribbean and back in six days. Let's give that a time zone rank of 100 due to no time changes. Our trip now going transatlantic eastbound loses five hours, and consists of five 23-hour days out of six. In enjoyment I'd rank that 80. When we come back transatlantic westbound and gain five hours, that will consist of five 25-hour days out of six. I'd rank that enjoyability 120. I really feel there's that much difference, and am always glad to get the "bad" trip out of the way at the beginning, to have more fun coming home.