| Originally
Standing out on the balcony with the Manhattan skyline to the north, easily
spying the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, and the Statue of Liberty
and Ellis Island to the West, one quickly appreciates how special it is
to leave on a cruise from New York City. Not just any cruise, though, since
I’m on board the Queen Mary 2 for an eight-day journey to the Caribbean,
round trip from New York. |
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The beginning of any journey is always
memorable but all the more so on board Queen Mary 2 for a myriad of reasons.
| Upon
For starters, one is definitely impressed by the sheer size of the vessel,
the largest in the world when it was launched three years ago. At 151,000
tonnes, it remains one of the largest but with a passenger count of 2,600,
it is still quite spacious. Once on board though, the crew will quickly
remind you that this is not a cruise ship but rather an ocean liner and
the construction of the ship reflects this. With a top speed of 30 knots
and its deep draft, the Queen Mary 2 effortlessly cuts through the ocean
waves providing a smooth sailing experience. |
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Wandering about on board, there is definitely
an air of elegance that conjures up the bygone era of grand Trans-Atlantic
crossings and stirs the imagination. Reminders of Cunard’s heritage abound
on board in the form of an exhibit detailing all aspects of Cunard’s history
from the activities guests enjoyed on board to the celebrities who sailed
in the past, excepts from passenger journals, and anecdotes concerning
the ship’s construction to operation. An audio guide is available and one
could easily spend an entire afternoon getting acquainted with Cunard’s
illustrious past.
| Concerning
the present, there’s more than enough to keep one occupied. In fact, Cunard
publishes a guide titled 101 things to do on a Trans-Atlantic crossing.
I doubt that anyone can accomplish all in only six days - so I’ll just
highlight a few of my experiences. |
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Entering the grand Britannia dining room,
for instance, you realise that you are now a part of history - as it is
everything that you imagine it might be. This was my first encounter
with Cunard’s White Star Service, best described as personable and professional;
and it remained that way for the duration of the voyage and in all of my
interactions with the staff on board.
Some distinguishing traits of the Queen
Mary 2 include the Queen’s Room, the largest ballroom at sea. It also serves
as the reception area for the Commodore’s cocktail, where a charming young
woman announces each person individually to the Commodore as you enter.
Illuminations is the site of the only Planetarium at sea, an experience
that is only surpassed by a late-night stroll on the promenade deck to
the front of the ship. When I did so, it was amazing to me that I was the
only one there, especially as the sky was clear and there was no moon.
Since I was standing directly beneath the bridge, there were no lights
to interfere with the viewing of the stars. This is one experience that
I particularly enjoy when out at sea but is not always possible on all
ships.
| Speaking
of stars, there was a rumour that Roger Moore was on board this cruise
but I never did spot him. On one of the formal nights, I dropped in at
the Empire Casino, definitely the appropriate setting to find James Bond,
but he wasn’t there. |
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In almost every respect, the experience
on board the Queen Mary 2 equals the service levels on many six-star lines,
and the suites on board are priced accordingly. The majority of the staterooms
on board, however, from inside to balcony staterooms, are an extraordinary
value with ten-night sailings to the Caribbean this fall from only $1,599
Canadian.
The Queen Mary 2 is as perfect a cruise
for groups of friends and family to travel together as it is for marking
a special anniversary. In whichever way you define romance, you’ll find
it on board the Queen Mary 2. As Cunard reminds us, the Golden Age of ocean
travel is now.
For more information about the Queen Mary
2 and other Cunard ships, please visit their web site at: www.cunard.com
or call: 1-800-7CUNARD or call your travel agent.
Sean Flynn is an owner of CruseShipCenters,
which has 3 Montreal-area offices; Beaconsfield, Dollard des Ormeaux and
Downtown on rue de la Montagne. The telephone numbers are listed in the
company’s advertisement in this issue.
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