The Queen Mary 2

Welcome back Boatbloggers ® 

We wanted to be able to say that we had sailed back across The Atlantic from New York, and via the treacherous North Atlantic route past Newfoundland, Greenland and so on. Now clearly that would be ridiculous in little Domini  so we decided to get a bigger boat.

And here it is.

Yes, we know that a cruise is for retired elderly folk, and that by us being on it the average age would be brought down to 83. Yes, we know that the whole time is spent knitting, playing bowls and talking about what we did in the war. And yes we know that it’s the place to go to meet rich widows and doddering old colonels with three weeks to live.

But we thought we’d give it a go anyway.

And we couldn’t have been more wrong. It is brilliant fun.

It’s not full of old fogeys. Well, there’s a few of course, but it’s mostly people like us (That is – just incase you thought otherwise – young sophisticates). And the ones who are older are all young at heart and out for a party.

We couldn’t keep up.

Of course it’s all very stylish. We had to send back home for suits and dresses, because they wouldn’t let us on with shorts and flip flops.

Champagne anyone?

…or cocktails perhaps?

And if you’re not in the Veuve Clicqot lounge, then it must be time for afternoon tea.

With sandwiches…

And cakes…

And sweets…

But it’s not all eating and drinking.

Actually on second thoughts, it is all eating and drinking. 

But occasionally you do other things. Like the Masquerade Ball for example.

All in all it’s a lot easier when someone else is doing the driving.

Though it can be a bit nippy on deck.

Especially during the Force 11 (Yes, ELEVEN!) that we sailed through. That is called a severe storm. (The scale only goes up to 12 – and that’s a hurricane!)

It doesn’t look so bad from the 8th floor, (for some reason storm photos never look as bad as they are – and it’s not just because sailors are natural exaggerators.) But if little Domini had been out in that we’d have been swamped.

It was a little disconcerting when the Captain came on the tannoy and said, “It may interest you to know that we are at this moment sailing over the final resting place of the Titanic.

“But do not worry, The Queen Mary is unsinkable.”

Hmmmm.

Ju let the captain know that he too was a sailor, and they only had to ask if they needed any help on the bridge. They seemed to manage OK without him, and even in the Force 11, the Queen Mary only rocked a little bit.

It’s all quite exhausting, what with the spa treatments, the massages, the pedicures, the steam room, and watching people working out in the gym.

And the decks are very long if you go for a walk.

…and it takes ages to get to your room.

Quick Quiz.

Do you know what these Henry Moore sculptures are of?

Are they

(A)     Waves

or

(B)     Seagulls

 

Answer below.

Answers to the Henry Moore Quiz.

Ha ha – fooled you. It’s actually neither. They weren’t made by Henry Moore at all, but by the shipyard. They are the spare propellor blades. Though if the propellor falls off, we’ve got no idea how they’re going to stick the new one back on. But unlike being on a little yacht – that’s not our problem!

So in eight days we went from here…

…to here.

Yes – welcome to Southampton!

And Domini isn’t far behind us. She should arrive on Sunday night, ready for offloading sometime on Monday.

And then we can start all over again.

Just time for one arty farty photo. No need to tell you who took this one. It’s called Queen Mary’s Lift.

And now….

THE DIET BEGINS!

Bye for now Boatbloggers ® 

 

Ju & Lyn

Old Cruisers