In Mid-July it costs less to travel to the United Kingdom in an ‘enclosed’ balcony room on the Queen Mary 2 than it does to spend the same number of nights in an Anchorage hotel (Fairfield, Marriott’s low-end brand) and the ship provides food and entertainment. We had planned on going to Ireland with the kids and grandkids so Suzi and I decided to take the QM2 to Europe. Brian had some time off so he and both his kids, Liam and Fiona, joined us in the room next door. (They are not adjourning rooms, there is a fire wall and fire door between them.)
This follows a family tradition. My grandfather took me to the UK and Ireland when I was 14 on the SS United States, returning on the SS America. (click here) I took Suzi to Ireland on our honeymoon on the SS United States, and we took our kids to Europe and returned on the QE2. So having the kids and grandkids with us seemed like the right thing to do. Liz, Kevin and Shannon could not join us on the ship because of work but will join us. Along with Elias on the other side. With Elias, age 4, not on the ship I guess we will have to do this again in a few years.
I will be keeping a blog record of this journey. When I traveled with my grandfather, I kept a diary in which I entered little more than weather and location at noon, when the Captain made his announcement and perhaps, the radio stations I was able to “catch” on my portable short wave. I also mentioned a song or two the band played that I particularly liked. What I didn’t write was stories. Stories from those trips come from a faulty old memory. Perhaps when the grand kids read this and see the pictures it will evoke more complete memories than my diary did, fill in the gaps, in the diaries we gave each of them for this trip. The links to each blog post are below.
But for the record we are sailing a rhumb line due east from New York to avoid a storm that is passing in front of us to the Northeast. When we get by it we will switch to the Great Circle Route.
Here are the posts.
The Poor Man’s Asbury Park, a pre port of call
Rich learns about Uber
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This blog will be quite telling to us. I have wanted to sail on the Cunard line for years but Larry doesn’t want anything to do with a jacket or tie. So I really want to know the men’s dinner protocols in real time through your writings and pictures. This is the best opportunity to check out the QM2 ever. Thanks!