Sunday, 28 July 2013
Queen Mary 2 at Sea

I wake this morning, the first day at sea, to hot and humid weather but very smooth sailing.  I enjoy breakfast in the Britannia Dining Room (I shall try to stay away from the King’s Road Buffet whenever possible):  coffee, orange juice, fruit Danish, eggs Benedict with grilled tomatoes, and sautéed potatoes.  The eggs are not as hot as they should be, but the rest of breakfast is fine.

At 9:30am I join a guided tour of the public areas on the ship, which is very useful, because the ship’s designers, while creating grand and beautiful spaces, made some of them difficult to find (there are two different deck 3s in different parts of the ship, for example—don’t ask).  After the tour I have time to check in my passport with UK Immigration in preparation for disembarkation at the end of the journey.  At noon there is the daily ritual ringing of eight bells and the moving of the ship’s clocks forward one hour.  The commander (not just a captain on the QM2) gives his daily navigation report at this time as well.  The clocks will be moved forward one hour five times during the cruise, but at least we don’t lose any sleep time.

 

 

Tour of QM2

 

 

 Promenade Deck

 

 

King's Road Buffet

 

The Largest Library at Sea

 

I don’t have time for lunch yet (besides the fact that I ate a very large breakfast) because it is time for the Planetarium presentation (there is a five-program rotation during the cruise).  This is an enjoyable and well-presented 25-minute program with great visual and sound effects.  You must obtain a ticket in advance, but I was able to obtain one without any trouble shortly before the program began.

After a light lunch (tomato soup, salad, cold cuts, mocha cheese cake—a bite-size piece—and coffee), I head to my stateroom for a well-deserved nap.  The public rooms on the QM2 are all very cold; the AC has been cranked to its limits.  Each stateroom, however, has its own thermostat which works very well and I can keep the temperature regulated as I like (this works much better than the thermostats on Holland America).

Tonight is the first of three formal nights, followed by the Black and White Ball.  Since last night’s glass of wine was not very enjoyable (I did choose it), I decide to spend the half hour before dinner in the Champagne Bar with a glass of bubbly (much better).  A new bottle of Pellegrino is conveniently waiting at my table (as it will every night).  Dinner begins with salmon rilletes in crème fraise with crunchy chopped onions and celery (excellent) and a mixed salad with whole grain mustard vinaigrette (the salad is very good, but the dressing is thin and watery—a situation that continues on remaining meals as well).  The main course is duck a la orange, with Potato Bernay, red cabbage with cranberries, and mixed vegetables.  Unfortunately, the duck is dry and tasteless).  Plain chocolate ice cream for dessert.

 

 

Champagne Bar

I wear my old three-piece dark blue suit, which is much more comfortable than my tuxedo, especially since I had the pants’ waist let out before the trip.  I can’t even remember the last time I wore this suit and I have a newer one at home that I purchased after we moved to Tucson (which I have worn only once, on a somber occasion in Washington, DC).  Everyone is dressed to the hilt and the dress code is strictly enforced.  Those who do not wish to follow the code after 6pm are confined to the brig—no, just to Deck 8 and the King’s Road Buffet.  There are many families travelling on this crossing, and it is interesting to see all the teenagers in tuxedos and ball gowns.  Many women are dressed thematically in Black and White and there is some imitation of the Pippa Middleton look (mostly by women who shouldn’t try).

It has been a long day and I am ready for the comforts of my stateroom, newly-made up by the cabin steward, Luwell, while I was at dinner.

Cheers until tomorrow.