I normally don’t succumb to advertising that forces me to make a snap decision.  “Act Now or else.”  I usually get buyer’s remorse.  This time was different.  Cunard was offering a “Memorial Day Flash Sale” on some of its Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossings.  I almost deleted the email but when I looked at the price I thought “This is less expensive than a business class air ticket from Europe.”  Of course, it only got me to New York and not Sitka, but the price still looked good and I have cousins in Jersey to visit.  Since we would be in Europe in mid-September and needed to come home, I decided to give it some thought.  Memorial Day was Monday, this was Friday.  I had the weekend to decide.  On that Friday I called my travel agent to have her hold a place and by the end of the weekend we did it.

The Stateroom on offer was a “fully obstructed view” balcony, obstructed by a lifeboat.  I had the choice of a few rooms.  My Travel agent told me to take the furthest forward room because the lifeboat only partially obstructed the view.  I took her advice and was happy I did.  From my bed and from the couch the view was not at all obstructed.  I enjoyed it throughout the trip. 

The room was in a quiet part of the ship, aft of the library (a militantly quiet place) and just above the Carinthia Lounge, the the venue for Folk Music (no thumping base, and a good place to be close to).  When they had potentially rowdy Irish singsongs I was there and not in the room.

Cunard spent the next three months trying to upsell me to a more expensive stateroom without obstruction.  But that would have obliterated whatever cost advantage I got over flying Business Class, so I held firm.  The reason to consider shifting was not the obstruction but that we were on a high deck forward, a position that amplifies rough seas.  On this crossing we had mostly smooth sailing, with some rough weather on days 4 and 6, when we sailed through a nor’easter.  But I have been in rougher seas (like December on the North Atlantic).  The QM2 handles high seas well and Captain Tomás Connery (yes, an Irishman, my Irish Grandfather who was a steward on White Star at the beginning of the 20^th century would both be amazed and would approve) navigated around the worst of it.

The result was an enjoyable six days and seven nights on the Atlantic, great entertainment, good food, a good night’s sleep each night, the room had a particularly comfortable bed, no jet lag, and some time with my cousins at the end.  It was the right choice.

This isn’t my first crossing.  I crossed with my grandfather in 1961 on the SS United States (The Big U) and the SS America.  In 1968 Suzi and I crossed on the “Big U.”  In December 1983 we had a particularly rough crossing with the kids on QE2.  And three summers ago we crossed Eastbound with Brian, Fiona and Liam. The rest of the family joined us in the UK.

Going Westbound is better than going Eastbound.  Eastbound you lose five hours due to time zones, westbound you gain five hours.  The Westbound crossing takes longer because the ship is heading into both the Gulf Stream.  Eastbound the QM 2 looses an hour at noon, so you have one less hour for activities.  Going Westbound she gains an hour overnight so I could stay up later enjoying music or shows.  You have two more hours a day going west.

While the QM2 and Cunard try to make you feel like you are returning to a golden age of crossings, the 21^st century crossings are different from 2oth century crossings.  Entertainment on the earlier crossings was an orchestra, movies, bingo, shuffleboard and quoits, the library, and whatever the passengers put together, like Irish jam sessions.  And there was the traditional Sunday interdenominational (meaning Anglican) maritime church service traditionally led by the captain, which was its own type of entertainment.  Modern day crossings have entertainment more akin to cruises with orchestras, combos, production shows, lectures, a play on this crossing as well as the orchestra, movies, bingo, quoits, shuffleboard, the library, and what the passengers put together, including a choir. 

There was still the traditional maritime service, led by the Croatian Staff Captain rather than the Irish Captain.  The service was mostly from the Anglican Book of Common prayer except, being Croat, he added an article to God.  “The God.”  When I was on ships with my grandfather I could stay up Saturday night as long as I wished but I darn well better be dressed and ready for church on Sunday morning. (To read about an earlier Maritime Service in an earlier post, please click here)

The array of activities would astound someone used to a mid-century crossing.  It shouldn’t have astounded me since I crossed only 3 years ago.  But then I spent more time with grandkids than on organized activities.

This is the first blog post for this crossing, but part of the continuing series from the summer of ’26.

This is the first blog post for this crossing and is the landing page for the voyage. It is also part of the larger category Summer of ’26.

260819 Preparing to cross