Queen Mary 2 by January
Ship - Queen Mary 2
Line - Cunard Line
Date - 21 October 2008
Getting There:
The long journey down from Barrow-in-Furness began with a shaky start – my train to Lancaster was late and then cancelled! Luckily another service was added and I arrived into Lancaster with about 5 minutes to spare. The Virgin train, although busy, was a comfortable journey. From London Euston I took the Underground over to Heathrow Airport (which takes about 1 hour) and then caught the Heathrow Hoppa to the Premier Travel Inn where I was staying for the night.
On the morning of the flight I caught the Heathrow Hoppa service to Terminal 5 which takes about 10 minutes and costs £4.00 per person per journey. I was very impressed with Terminal 5 – it’s a modern building which is very clean and tidy, and there are lots of eateries and shopping. The self check in desks are a great idea and very simple to follow – I had checked in, picked my seat and had my boarding card within 5 minutes!
The British Airways flight to New York ran smoothly. The staff were always on hand offering drinks, snacks and meals, and helping those who struggled to navigate around the on demand in-flight entertainment.
After passing through customs and collecting our luggage we met with the Cunard representative in the arrivals lounge and were then transferred by coach to the cruise terminal. Having been to New York before I had seen the famous sky line and experienced the many things the ‘Big Apple’ has to offer but for those who hadn’t I would definitely recommend a pre-cruise stay.
On Board:
I was thrilled to discover we had a category B2 premium balcony cabin so I could finally see for myself what the sheltered balcony entailed. Our luggage arrived about 10 minutes after us, we unpacked and then headed to the pool terrace aft on deck eight for the Sail-Away Party. It was announced we would head further into the Hudson River, turn around and sail out with Queen Elizabeth 2 on her last transatlantic crossing. We then sailed across the Atlantic side by side. It was an amazing sight and I felt like we were a part of history.
I was a little worried about spending 6 nights at sea with no ports of call to keep us busy but I needn’t of worried. Each evening we were given a ‘Daily Programme’ which details the following days events. We enjoyed performances and workshops by RADA, book signings with royal writer and film maker Robert Hardman, Planetarium Films, art auctions, dance classes, daily bingo in the Queens Room, cocktail and cooking demonstrations, a walk around deck (one lap around deck seven is the equivalent of 1/3 of a mile), wine tasting, a quiz in the Golden Lion pub, aerobic classes, talks with guest speakers – the list goes on!
Top of our ‘to do’ list was a day at the Canyon Ranch Spa where we relaxed in the Finnish Sauna, Aromatic Steam Room and Herbal Sauna, rejuvenated our aching feet in the Reflexology Basin and took a dip in the Aqua Therapy Pool and Whirlpool. In the Spa you can also book yourself in for a treatment such as a massage, body scrub or even an Instant Caribbean Tan!
In the evenings we sampled most of the ships bars and most of the cocktails! My favourite had to be the Golden Lion pub as it had a vibrant buzz about it. On two of the evenings they had a karoke which I’m afraid to say we took part in!! Another we visited regularly was G32 (also known as the nightclub). I was quite surprised to find that G32 was quite busy each evening and this was down to the fact that the bar was open till late and they played music to suit everybody’s taste.
Dining:
The Kings Court is divided into 4 areas:
• La Piazza serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner and is an Italian themed buffet menu.
• Lotus serves breakfast and lunch in a buffet style, and dinner is an A la carte menu (bookings required). The Lotus has an Asian theme to all meals.
• The Carvery serves breakfast, lunch and late night snacks in a buffet style and an A la carte menu for dinner (bookings required).
• Chef’s Galley is an open kitchen where diners can watch the food being prepared. Breakfast, deli lunch, childrens tea and an A la carte menu for dinner (bookings required) is served daily.
I liked dining in the Kings Court as I was able to have a little bit of everything!
The Golden Lion pub served traditional ‘British Pub Grub’ from midday to 3pm. This was a tasty alternative for when you just fancied fish and chips or sausage and mash in a relaxed atmosphere.
As we were in a Britannia stateroom we were allocated a table in the Britannia Restaurant. I loved this restaurant with its traditional décor. The food was exquisite and there was always plenty of choice including a low fat option for those watching their waistbands! I was lucky enough to be invited to the Commodores table one evening for dinner. We were seated with other guests some of whom were experiencing their first cruise and a couple all the way from Tasmania! It was a really interesting night and we were presented with a souvenir photograph the following day.
I was also lucky enough to dine in the Princess Grill. Although the menu was very similar to the Britannia restaurant I found there was a wider choice. The whole experience was very intimate and I can see why some Princess Grill passengers who prefer a livelier atmosphere like to down grade to the Britannia Restaurant.
We also dined in the Todd English Restaurant which is the ships speciality restaurant (a cover charge applies). This restaurant is well worth a visit just for the Chocolate Fallen Cake!
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