DAY 1 of the second voyage, Southampton, New York, St Thomas and other Caribbean islands.
This is it. I now await the results of my covid-19 test prior to embarkation, and have been relieved of my one piece of slightly heavy carry-on baggage. I had anticipated walking around Southampton but the driving rain left me drenched for the short distance I did walk. In the end, as you can see from the pictures, I took one final look at the railway station. And just like the trainspotter I once was a very long time ago, I took a few pictures of something now far less familiar. While at Southampton Station, I booked a seat on the 10.16 departure for Macclesfield- First Class!
So far, my paperwork is in order, and I am awaiting (by text message) the result of the still mandatory covid-19 test. This long winded procedure should ensure that the ship is entirely free of the pandemic. This second (in 2022) QM2 cruise of three that I know of, to the Caribbean and first impressions are that the ship is well filled.
This all seems to take forever, but actually, I should be on board, and in fact, at 13.31 hrs, my negative test results means I can now proceed towards embarkation.
My next blog will be from on board.
Thanks for reading, David, Mayflower Terminal, 13.37hrs.
David's Cruise 