A Queen, a big apple and a virgin!

It’s getting that time of year again, the Christmas adverts are showing, kids are extending their lists by the day and the dread of the Christmas shop is upon us! Do not get me wrong, I absolutely love Christmas, but the preparation can be a chore! Back in 2015 I found the perfect tonic to the Pre-Christmas madness! My husband and sailed on the truly magnificent Queen Mary 2 from Southampton to New York, had a few nights in New York to do our Christmas shopping and flew home again! I thought in this week’s blog I would tell you all about my favorite ship, Queen Mary 2 and iconic transatlantic crossing.

Driving up to Oceans terminal, I had that feeling of pure excitement in my belly. I had been on and seen many other ships, but once the distinctive Cunard red funnel came into view I was in absolute awe! Standing at 18 decks high (14 of which are passenger decks) 343m long and weighing 149,215 Gross Ton, Queen Mary 2 is a real sight to behold.  With a capacity of 2695 passengers and 1253 officers and crew, no where on board feels crowded or rushed.

We did our normal get on ship and beeline to the buffet, King Court! They had a great selection to choose from. We chose the Chefs Galley where you could get Pizzas, hot dogs and burgers. By 1pm the cabins where ready, we had chosen a sheltered balcony on deck 5. These were a great option for the crossing as they let in all the light and were lower down in the ship. For me a better position when it comes to motion across the north Atlantic in November! The cabin was a good size and comes with flat screen TV, a very comfortable bed and bathroom products from Penhaligon. Only downside was the dreaded shower curtain! I was hoping these would have gone in the remaster of QM2 in 2016 but they are still there!

We dined in the Britannia restaurant on the second sitting. We were on a table of 6 and had such a fun time at every meal time! The restaurant is elegant and timeless, very much how you would imagine in the times of the original transatlantic crossings. Food was some of the best I have ever had at sea.

Day 2 the weather seemed good, it was pure blue sky and the wind was low, so my husband and I did what any normal couple would do in the north Atlantic in the middle of November? We went in the aft hot tub! Once we were in it was beautiful watching the world go by from the heat of the hot tub but once we left by golly that was a quick dash across the deck to the changing room!

Best way to warm up on Queen Mary 2?! Head to the queen’s room and have white glove waiter serviced afternoon tea. This must be one of the highlights for me. A string quartet playing on stage and being served a lovely cup of tea with finger sandwiches, scones and cakes. I know most lines do afternoon tea, but they don’t do a Cunard afternoon tea! Pleas, if you are going to sail on her, make the time and experience afternoon tea in the Queens Room!

What I love about transatlantic crossings are the time you have to unwind! 7 days at sea on Queen Mary 2, still does not give you anywhere near enough time to experience everything she has to offer! From fencing lessons, balls or finding a book to curl up with in the extensive library! I would recommend finding time to watch one of the planetariums shows. Queen Mary 2 is a first at sea to have one on board, and the shows are fantastic! They also have some fascinating lecturers on board as a part of their insights program. 

When it comes to sailing into New York, I would make the effort and get up on top deck for the 5am sail in. You can feel the history as you sail under the Verrazano bridge and past liberty with the Manhattan skyline lit up in the background. It really is a sight to behold!

So our trip on Queen Mary 2, 3 days in the big apple and a flight home on Virgin Atlantic was one I would like to repeat again and again!