Live from the Queen Victoria world cruise (with a QM2 prelude)

When did they cover the Pavilion (mid-ship) pool on QE?

Bill Miller is a great speaker. I enjoyed all of his lectures.

Unless they have greatly changed the scrapbooking, you did not miss anything, Roy!

When did they cover the Pavilion (mid-ship) pool on QE?

 

Bill Miller is a great speaker. I enjoyed all of his lectures.

 

Unless they have greatly changed the scrapbooking, you did not miss anything, Roy!

I was wondering about a cover on the QE pool also. We ran thru several rainstorms during the WC last year.

Enjoying the reports.

We see you sitting pretty in Ponta Delgada on the webcam, I hope the clouds clear out of there.

Thanks for the updates Roy and roscoe. Despite creating jealousy in me, I do enjoy them!

Roy, I've been reading your blogs for several years now, you really do pick awesome itineraries! When I have time for a longer cruise vacation I should hire you !

Rob

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guess I stand corrected about the QE pool. I could have sworn it was covered. Meridian, it's still cloudy but at least not raining.

Roy

Roy.....

Thanks for taking the time to post the QV menus and Daily Programme. The DP has not yet mentioned the Lido 'Alternative Dining' evening speciality meals. Will they be an option in the future? And, how do you book?

Thanks

Roy.....

Thanks for taking the time to post the QV menus and Daily Programme. The DP has not yet mentioned the Lido 'Alternative Dining' evening speciality meals. Will they be an option in the future? And, how do you book?

 

Thanks

I'll need to get back to that. They do exist, a menu for "La Piazza" is on display in the lido. I think reservation procedures may be in the center page of the DP that's basically advertising. I generally do not scan them but while I check for current copies, you might check the program for January 10 where I did post those pages.

Crystal Symphony is at sea from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia., Argentina. QM2 is at sea from Southampton to New York.

When I went on deck a little after 5 there was a drizzle falling. Queen Victoria’s promenade deck is (I think) fully covered by balconies and overhangs so a light rain is walkable unless wind driven. I walked 5 laps, what I consider a reasonable walk for a port day.

This is my 3rd visit to Ponta Delgada, with both previous visits being on the Crystal Serenity.In 2008 I visited the mountains and Fire Lake. In May I explored the town on my own, concentrating on the military museum. For today I had chosen a walking tour of the city. It was fortunate that the tour was scheduled for 10AM as it rained quite hard in the morning. When we left the ship there was a steady drizzle, and our coach windows were quite fogged up. The temperature was 15/59 but in the damp breeze I was comfortable with my Crystal Fleece, Cunard Vest, and rain shell.

We had a short drive and were deposited near the tourist office which had a wide overhang and provided shelter from the drizzle as our guide Ana recounted the Cape Verde geography and history. It was just a short walk to the town gates and then St. Sebastian, the town’s main church. She told us about the at the covered entrance and then we went inside where the alter was beautiful and a lovely pipe organ graced the rear. We walked through some of the town’s quaint streets and stopped at the cultural center where a number of us stopped at a café across the street for coffee or tea.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/sanctuary.jpg

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/typicalstreet.jpg

Despite having only 30,000 people, Ponta Delgada has an abundance of churches, several of them former convents. The most popular festival is associated with Our Lady of Hope Church, and we toured it. It is probably just 1/4 mile from St. Sebastian, and directly around the corner from St. Joseph church with both churches fronting a major square.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/ladyhope3.jpg

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/stjoseph.jpg

Following the walking tour we reboarded our coach for a visit to Jose do Canto Botanical Garden. While Cape Verde has a mild year round climate the gardens were not currently in bloom but it was a nice walk which ended with the original owner’s palace and a local beverage. I did feel a bit uneasy on the return walk as although the rain had ended the cobblestone street was still wet and had a significant grade. Ana was a wealth of information but she was a bit too willing to share it and every time she talked it became an oration. We had a stop at a second set of gardens and when we stopped there we were already past the end time for the tour. My GPS told me we were less than a mile from the ship and I advised the driver I would be walking back. The bus may have beaten me back by a little bit but it was a pleasant walk.

The cruise terminal was a little bit of a shopping center and among other things had a Burger King with free wifi. I returned to my room for my laptop and spent about an hour on line. The service tended to be fast but connections frequently dropped so it was a mixed bag.

I returned finally to the ship about 3:30. All aboard was 4:30 and Captain Philpott came on the PA soon after that and said we were ready to leave. I watched from the promenade deck as we left the dock about 4:45 and passed the breakwater just after 5. There still has not been any mention of what I think is Tropical Storm Alex but we did have some noticeable motion during dinner.

I am convinced that we have 2 people at our table who are never going to show. In any case, the other 4 of us are doing well. The primary evening entertainment was a male quartet, Troubadour. They will be doing a second show.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/troubadour.jpg

As a parting shot today, while out of the country I missed the celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday, the second Monday of January. I believe Friday, January 15 is the actual birthday.

Roy

Roy.....

Thanks for taking the time to post the QV menus and Daily Programme. The DP has not yet mentioned the Lido 'Alternative Dining' evening speciality meals. Will they be an option in the future? And, how do you book?

 

Thanks

If it's any help, information for the Alternative Evening Dining (Lido) can always be found on the 'back page' of the DP.

A full print out of the weeks themed menu, to help you plan ahead, can be obtained from the duty 'Lido' Maitre'd . It's advisable to book well in advance, particularly after a port day visit as this is often more popular than sea days or formal evenings (usually closed on embarkation evening and last evening) Dial 14315 from any onboard telephone. ( $15 per person) ;)

An update from another voice on this voyage. The M&G now seems a lifetime away, but enjoyable and new friendships made.

So far this has been very pleasant and we have excellent table companions which makes each evening such a pleasure. We were not perturbed by the earlier storm, but that evening we dined alone and the restaurant was severely depleted guests in our section.

It seems that yesterday we were fortunate to dock in Punta Delgada, as today the islands are ravaged by a hurricane, the first for some 80 years developing at this time of year in the region , as informed by the captain. Although mild, low cloud hung over, and poured with rain in the morning. At least it was dry most of the afternoon and for the sail away, but few ventured outside to watch the QV version slip its lines. We did visit a wine shop to make a purchase of something local! It has to be said the Azorean wine could be an acquired taste, but that probably has something to do with the soil being so volcanic. Perhaps it will taste better on the balcony when the sun is shining.

For the past 2 days I have been able to swim in the lido pool, (nets now removed ) and I find this so enjoyable when I have this to myself for 40 minutes or so. I think this luxury might be coming to an end as we head for warmer climes.

Tomorrow is the second formal night, and we have the fortune to have Julian Lloyd Webber on board with his wife who is also a cellist and a pianist. I am sure the theatre will be packed.

We are now heading for Cape Canaveral at a steady 20 knots with sea days stretching lazily before us. What an idyllic way to spend January!

Sent from my iPad

LadyL1 - - What a wonderful and detailed note about life on board. Thank you! So glad that the hurricane didn't affect you! Can't wait to join all of you and share in the joy.

Thanks Oahucruiser, Bell Boy, and especially Lady L1 for your added insights.

I am pretty sure there are some webcam addicts following this thread and I just want to remind you that Queen Mary 2 is due in New York Sunday:

http://nyharborwebcam.com

Crystal Symphony is at sea from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Argentina. QM2 is at sea from Southampton to New York.

Reporting that I took a test lap on the promenade deck and then retreated inside must be getting a bit repetitive but that’s how things are. I was hopeful when the doors on both sides were unsecured but found it very windy to the point that the electric door by Britannia would not open and forcing the next door took all my strength.

After some work in my cabin I went up to the launderette on deck 4 for a load of wash. Conditions had improved to the point that I walked several laps while the wash was running, several more while the dryer did it’s magic and finished my 15 laps about 10. There was a drizzle about 5:30 but some openings in the clouds just after 7. I could not really see the sun when I resumed my walk after starting the laundry but it did make itself known through the clouds.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/dawn0115.jpg

There was just one Cunard Insights program today. Military Historian Dr. Mark Baldwin spoke at 11 on the topic “The Use of Intelligence” using examples from World War I and II.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/baldwin.jpg

Captain Philpott’s noon update had his first reference to Hurricane Alex. We apparently got out of Ponta Delgada at just the right time as it arrived there overnight from the south. An email he got from the port agent there indicated it was not a pleasant day there and we are fortunate to have it 425 miles behind us. In yesterday’s sailaway message he indicated we needed 19 knots to be on time and we are doing 21 plus. It may be just that the ship is most efficient when a given number of engines runs under full load giving a discrete list of ideal speeds but it is nice getting away from the storm at a good speed.

As of mid-afternoon it is still overcast with a 17C temperature with 20-knot winds, down from the 30's early today. My freshly washed Crystal Fleece has been put away to be packed for Antarctica. The Cunard vest will still get a couple more uses on this voyage.

The afternoon classical concert was by pianist Helen Leek on a theme “Scenes of Childhood”. These concerts seem to be Leek’s primary function on board. Much of the music seemed to hold little connection to the theme but she finished with an interesting set of variations by Mozart on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/leek.jpg

Glenn Monie again did the honors at afternoon tea in the Queens Room, and we had our standard 4 people at table 586. Tonight I enjoyed the Canyon Ranch Spa Szechuan Chicken.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/szechuan.jpg

This evening’s featured entertainment was magician Philip Hitchcock. I’m sure I have seen him perform before but cannot place the time. He is supposed to have had a spectacular finish but sadly, the drowsies got the best of me.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/hitchcock.jpg

Today’s parting shot will be a wish for minimal damage and a quick recovery for the people of the Azores.

Roy

It's been awhile since we were on QV but in my experience you'll find a schedule for the alternative dining nights in the Lido/KC adjacent to where you might find the next alternative night's menu.

While my time on QV is now more than half over I'm going to return briefly to the "QM2 prelude". I realized in October that I had never submitted a member review for QM2. I decided that QM2 TA reviews are a time a dozen but probably less so for winter crossings. The ratings here are what I would give, although they will differ a bit in the published review as Cruise Critic no longer supports pluses in ratings:

"A Winter Crossing"

Background: I am no stranger to QM2, this is my 9th crossing on her but the first in the middle of winter. Queen Mary 2 was built to be a versatile ship designed to be used both for crossing the North Atlantic at will and also adaptable as a cruise ship. My experience with her as a cruise ship is limited and it is not one of my favorites in that role but is designed to thrive on Atlantic crossings. Weather on the North Atlantic is always variable but especially in winter and we had heavy seas, strong winds, and cold temperatures, but QM2 is built to handle all with ease. There was not much chance to sit outside but plenty to do inside.

Staterooms: As on most of my QM2 voyages I was in an inside stateroom, and most of them are pretty similar. Room 5045 is forward to midship and was compact but comfortable. Storage was good in the cabin but a bit limited in the bathroom. All Cunard rooms except for the Grills have only a shower, but no tub. The room was equipped with 2 UK and 2 US outlets at the desk, and a 3rd slightly obscured outlet behind the TV. QM2 has generous public spaces inside (and out, although the outside spaces didn’t get much use in January), and the cabin was more than sufficient.

Dining: 85% of QM2 passengers dine in the Britannia Restaurant, a grand 2-level space midship, low to the water for maximum stability. There are 2 fixed dinner seatings: 6PM and 8:30 PM. The food was excellent and service was personal and attentive. There is open seating for breakfast and lunch, except that lunch is not served on embarkation day. There are 3 smaller restaurants for those in the highest level cabins. Britannia Club is in a small room in the corner of the Britannia Restaurant; Princess Grill and Queens Grill are located on deck 7. Passengers in those top 3 restaurants have a fixed table with the same waiters for each meal but may arrive and dine at any time within about a 3-hour window for each meal. The menu choices get a little wider with each successive level of restaurant but the base Britannia dining starts at quite a high standard.

The casual dining option is called Kings Court. It is basically divided into 4 quadrants with 3 sections having similar equipment but somewhat different menus and hours of operation. The 4th quadrant is mostly an exclusive lounge for Grills guests but also has Chef’s Galley, a small space where healthy items are served for breakfast and burgers and pizza are served for lunch. In the evening one of the sections of Kings Court is converted to a specialty restaurant with table service and a small cover charge.

The specialty restaurant is called Todd English and serves an upscale lunch and dinner. I did not dine there on this crossing. There is also a small space called Boardwalk Café which serves burgers and other casual fare with al fresco dining. It is very weather dependent and I don’t think there was even an attempt to open it on my winter crossing.

Activities and entertainment: In the evening there are several venues featuring multiple varieties of musical entertainment, and a daily presentation in the stunning Royal Court Theater. The Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers consisted of 4 singers and 12 dancers and put on excellent shows, although frequent cruisers may have seen them several times. Other evening venues included the Commodore Club, Chart Room, Golden Lion Pub, and Winter Garden, each generally with some form of live music as well as G32 with a DJ..

Children: There were few children but there does appear to be a well run children’s program.

Enrichment: The Cunard Insights enrichment program is always a Cunard strength. This crossing was the inaugural effort in a partnership with the New York Times. There were 5 speakers from the times ranging from very good to excellent, and they covered a variety of topics, usually but not always related to their duties at the newspaper. I did see one possible caution, the Times takes a group of their readers. These people seemed to have some extra access to the presenters. They still seemed to be quite accessible to regular passengers, but the situation needs to be watched in future crossings.

Disembarkation: One of the unique features of an Eastbound Cunard crossing is that a UK border agent makes the crossing and does immigration inspections during the voyage. Lines can be briefly long, but the agent’s hours are long enough that one can generally find a time with no lines. With the immigration process completed in advance you essentially just pick up your luggage and go. Disembarkation is by deck, and the process takes a couple of hours from about 8 to 10 AM, but once your group is called things move quite quickly.

Summary: I had thought I would hold off on a Queen Mary 2 review until my mid-winter crossing, but it wasn’t all that different from a summer crossing. The crossing turned out to be an excellent showcase of Queen Mary 2's unique strengths, both in her ability to handle all weather conditions, and in the quality of her programs in indoor activities.

Ratings:

Embarkation - 5

Public rooms - 5

Cabin - 4

Fitness & Recreation - 5

Enrichment - 5+

Rates - 4

Dining - 5

Entertainment - 5

Service - 5

Shorex - N/A

Value - 4

Overall - 5

I'll try to remember to post a link when the review is published.

Roy

Thanks for your balanced and thoughtful review, Roy. We look forward to following reports to come as you continue your journey. Safe and rewarding travels!

John and Elizabeth

Thanks for the review, having never sailed on Cunard, it was quite interesting.

Roy as always I am enjoying your reports. Thanks again for sharing!

Thank you all.

Crystal Symphony is at sea from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Argentina. QM2 is at sea from Southampton to New York.

I started the morning much like previous QV mornings with an exploratory walk around the bow before heading up to the Lido for coffee. It was still windy with noticeable movement of the ship but there were differences. All the doors opened with little effort, and I could see a couple of stairs on the back deck. I stopped briefly a couple of times but completed my 5-mile walk by 7:30AM. As we sail west sunrise should get progressively later but we have just completed 3 straight days of moving our clocks back and official sunrise today was 6:55AM. It was still cloudy and one of the nicest views was just as the skies started to brighten about 6:10. There was nothing at sunrise proper but it did come out a couple laps later.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/1stlight16.jpg

It was pretty windy on the back deck so I took my omelet into the Winter Garden and parked there for unusually long as I had some non-cruise things to take care of as well as submitting my QM2 review to Cruise Critic. I believe I have now fully completed my year-end church responsibilities.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/wifitime.jpg

Ben had a 10AM presentation on our Florida ports. The Royal Court Theater was packed but I left after a few minutes when the talk of shore excursions started. There was one piece of potentially bad news. The Port Canaveral schedule has us docked at Terminal 1 which is close to beaches and restaurants while Ben swears we are using terminal 10 with nothing nearby. The Shore Excursion office insists we are going to 10, I hope that’s wrong. I watched more of Ben’s presentation on TV and he did make reference to the relationship with the condos and the mutual blowing of horns by cruise ships and the residents. I hope Captain Philpott will put on a good display of our horns. We also had a laundry promotion today of $40 for a bag (up to 20 items). Free laundry in the laundrettes is a much better value.

There was one Cunard Insights lecture at 11 buy a new lecturer, Oceanologist, Meteorologist, and Space Scientist Jon Maloy on “These Seas We Sail”.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/malay.jpg

Captain Philpott’s noon message had us past the Mid-Atlantic Ridge nearing the midpoint of our crossing from Ponta Delgada to Port Canaveral. We are passing several weather systems and there is a fair amount of motion to the ship some pretty jerky, but conditions are improving. The Lido Pool grill opened for the first time today, loungers are out around the pools and the temperature has reached 20C (68F). The northern winter is behind us.

Helen Leek’s 2PM classical concert in the Queens Room had the theme “Nocturnes”. The Adagio String Quartet performed at Afternoon Tea. I shared a table at tea with a lady who was returning to Ft. Lauderdale after a summer in Europe. It’s unlikely but entirely possible she was one of my missing tablemates. When they left home her husband did not consider a jacket necessary for their travels and they have been dining in the buffet every night. This to me is the down side of Cunard’s stringent dress codes. I would much rather share a table with this lady and her more casually dressed husband than with their empty chairs.

On our second Formal Night the Cunard World Club party was held before dinner. I believe that one down side of a Cunard World Cruise is that you only get invited to one World Club party and with 1000 of us or so disembarking in Fort Lauderdale tonight’s party was mostly segmenters. Among the total guests there are 522 Gold members, 297 Platinum, and 223 Diamond. One couple was recognized for 2402 nights with Cunard. At dinner 2 of us enjoyed a wonderful rack of lamb, and each night’s menu includes a set of “Canyon Ranch Spa” selections including a desert. Tonight I enjoyed a Canyon Ranch Almond Pear Torte. Healthier can still be very nice.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/peartorte.jpg

Tonight’s featured entertainment was Julian Lloyd Webber, who was also on my QM2 crossing. A virtuoso cellist until he developed an aliment that forced him to stop. His wife played, along with a young pianist, Yuanfan Yang. The group was also present on my October QM2 crossing. At that time young Yang composed “Ode to Queen Mary 2". He had another composition tonight, “Ode to the Atlantic”. After the show I stopped briefly at the Golden Lion for a bit of Glenn Monie and passed the Royal Ascot Ball on the way back to my cabin.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/thetrio.jpg

Today’s parting shot recognizes that Queen Mary 2 will be in New York Sunday, January 17. A number of people will be disembarking there while others will be boarding for segments of her World Cruise (or full WC, as Cunard considers anything over 90 days as a full world cruise). For those boarding Bon Voyage, for those continuing have a wonderful day in New York, and for those disembarking, safe onward travels.

Roy

Thanks for the continued reports and your review Roy.

How amazing to hear two specially composed pieces - was "Ode to the Atlantic" noticeably different to "Ode to the Queen Mary 2" ?

Wonderful blog so far and I enjoy reading it. If anyone onboard is contemplating a tour of the Kennedy Space Center, I highly recommend it, KSC now has the space shuttle Atlantis on display and it is presented magnificently, there is also quite a bit of nostalgia to revisit, the 1960's living room was surreal.

We had once docked in Port Canaveral one day before the second to last shuttle blasted off, what a shame, the shuttle lifted off the following day on schedule as we were at our next port- Nassau, we would have had front row seats as the ships in port have the launch pad and massive Vehicle Assembly Building in clear sight.

I had also read that you will be docking at T-1. Enjoy your day at sea :-)

- Glenn

Sensational and very interesting reports about your QM2 review and your daily info about the QV. You are an excellent writer and we've enjoyed following you for years. Cheers, Patti

Thank you all. Host Hattie, my musical memory is not good but I think they were quite different. Glenn, I agree, and am signed up for the "KSC Up Close" tour even though I've been there several times.

Crystal Symphony is in Ushuaia, Argentina. QM2 is in Brooklyn.

A poster on the Crystal forum writes:

Roy, have just caught up with your postings which I wasn't able to get to the past few days. Enjoyed them all.

 

We too have always enjoyed Bill Miller's talks and the one we saw last was last year on Serenity.

 

One of the points he made in a talk a few years ago that still sticks with me is about Carnival. I remember him saying that people should not put Carnival down because Carnival brought a whole new generation of cruisers to the market with several of them eventually working their way up to sailing the luxury market. His point was that without Carnival many of the premium and/or luxury lines might not be hear today.

 

Roy, continue to enjoy.

 

Keith

Thanks, Keith. Bill did not make that point about Carnival in today’s talk it certainly rings true to me. I often hear people on the mainstream cruise lines complaining about how Carnival cheapened their favorite lines but I am convinced that without Carnival there would be no Holland America or Cunard, probably no Princess, and very possibly no Seabourn. To me it comes down to the “Old Ann Landers Question”, “Are you better off with or without ...” and I am solidly in the camp of better off with Carnival. While I now only sail with them under special circumstances my first ever conventional cruise was on the Carnival Fantasy, and when the circumstances are right I have enjoyed the experience.

I think I was also mistaken a few days ago about Martin Luther King Day, and it is being celebrated in the US as I post this. I was thinking it was January 11 and not January 18. Wishing those in the US a good holiday.

Well, the Atlantic has been 2 steps forward, one step back. Saturday afternoon’s pleasant weather took a Sunday morning hit with 40-knot winds, choppy seas, and decks totally sealed off. Even the aft lido deck was sealed off early Sunday. I got my coffee and went online for a while in the chart room.

I had thought we might have a priest on board for the World Cruise but we do not. Sally announced on the morning show that a guest priest (only on until Ft. Lauderdale) had stepped forward and would hold Mass at 9. As is the Cunard tradition, there was an interdenominational service led by the Captain at 10 in the Royal Court Theater. I noticed on the way to the service that the winds had subsided somewhat and the promenade deck was open. After the service I had time for my first 2 laps before the 11AM Cunard Insights presentation. Bill Miller spoke on the development of cruising. I either had not known or had forgotten that cruising as recreation had it’s origins over 100 years ago.

In his noon update Captain Philpott noted the improvements but indicated that the winds and swells would pick up overnight. Our nearest land is now QV’s home port of Bermuda; it looks to me like we should pass pretty close around noon Monday. The Lido pool had reopened and I tried one of the hot dogs; I didn’t think it was that good.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/lidogrill.jpg

After lunch I completed the remainder of my 5-mile walk. The temperature was up to 22C/72F, and it was the first time I walked without a jacket. QV’s promenade deck is mostly an imitation teak surface. I kind of like it for walking, it is cleaned with a damp mop rather than a hose and is a pleasant surface to walk on. The section at the bow is not so nice; that section was closed to passengers when QV was built and it’s a pretty ugly gray steel surface.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/promenade.jpg

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/thebow.jpg

I finished my walk just before 2, just in time for Helen Leek’s final classical concert, this one on the theme “Menagerie”. This is the day when I check my blood sugar before dinner so I went to Afternoon Tea and had only tea. Laura Szabo and her harp provided the music today.

The featured entertainment was Joe Fox, a singer dancer and instrumentalist, playing the clarinet and flute. The Golden Lion Pub was jumping tonight for the Glenn Monie’s final numbers before 9:45 trivia.

We have our penultimate time change tonight as we gain an hour and move to Bermuda time. We should pass Bermuda mid-day Monday.

Tonight’s parting shot is a bit of a tradition although it’s been a couple of years since I used it. My last 2 Queen Mary 2 crossings have been Sunday to Sunday so today was my first Cunard Service for a while. It seems to be traditional for Cunard to use a standard closing Hymn and traditional and appropriate for me to use it as a parting shot:

“Eternal Father, Strong to Save

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave

Who biddest the mighty ocean deep

It's own appointed limits keep

Oh hear us when we cry to thee

For those in peril on the sea”

Roy

Great reading Roy thanks for posting. we are going on our first QM2 cruise in 7 weeks. What is the horn tradition that you have often referred to?

Thanks to all for posting what's up aboard the QV.

Seems like the January Atlantic crossing is a bit rough in places. That being said, any opinions whether one should begin a WC, say in Florida and go forward from there? Or, does one simply accept the cold, wind, rain, & rough seas as part of doing the full-enchalata WC.

Guess what I'm asking.... if any of you would simply have flown to FL and embarked there.... knowing what you know now?

Roy, will miss your DP and menu postings. Thanks.

T&C

I think El Niño has something to do with the crossings. It wasn't great in late Nov and back mid Dec. Didn't go below force 6 and highest was force 9.