Blog 732, Still Day 1 of 28.  Steps total:  11,743 (+343,683 from Voyage 1, 14th Jan – 11th Feb 2022)

Rarely do Cunard offer a sailing to New York in February; January to April or May is traditionally the period when various shipping lines offer either their World Cruise, or World Voyage. There is a difference.  I have never circumnavigated the world in one voyage, (World Cruise).  My journeys to Australia in 2018 and South America were World Voyages, being 75 days or more, out by one route, and back by a different or similar, but very rarely, exactly the same route.  The pandemic mixed things up a little, and quite unusually, QM2 is making its first transatlantic crossing of 2022 to New York.  It should have been on its way to Australia, with me on board, but next year, the 100th anniversary of the First World Cruise, will do nicely! 

Already, folk are walking around the Promenade (Boat) Deck. Although very wet, it is mild.  My charity steps resume from the start of today, 15th February.  I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but I doubt achieving the 340,000 plus of the last four weeks. The alarm signal has just sounded. Nobody seemed to take a blind bit of notice. It was, of course, a drill.  I do hope, if this happens mid-Atlantic without the prefix For Exercise, For Exercise, there may be an appropriate immediate response by everybody.

We are still in port, but expect to be departing within the hour.  And, just as I guessed, I have been assigned first sitting for dinner, as had travelling companion Jo, who I got to know in 2018, and on the South America trip of 2020.  We both negotiated our preferred dining time of between 19.45hrs and 21.20hrs, after trying out 1st sitting tonight.  I felt we were slightly rushed, although the food and service was still excellent. 

The motion of the ship which I could feel for most of the weekend I was at home is, once again “for real.”  Our Captain for this voyage is Capt. Assem A. Hashmi.  He joined the ship in Tenerife during the last voyage, taking over from Capt. Hall, in Southampton (or so I am given to understand).  He has chosen to avoid a severe weather system, so once we leave the English Channel, we shall head south-westerly towards the Azores, possibly making for slightly warmer weather and, hopefully, calmer seas.  That strikes me as a good move.

After quite a while, all my luggage was delivered to my room. But, there was no time to unpack before the early dinner. I had tried to get onto the ship’s Internet service, but was informed that the “tech men” were overhauling the system while QM2 was in port.  It worked brilliantly on the last voyage; I hope it still does.

With three unpacked pieces of luggage still on my bed, I was impressed that Julius, my cabin steward for the voyage was still able to make my bed up.

My fear of music from the Queen’s Room being audible in my cabin has to a tiny degree been confirmed. However, right now, this, thankfully is hardly noticeable. 

Below is the planned itinerary of this voyage:-  15th February Southampton, UK, 22nd February New York USA, 26th February St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 27 February Philipsburg, St. Maarten 28th February, Roseau, Dominica My Birthday, Bridgetown, Barbados 2nd March, St.George’s, Grenada 3rd March, At Sea 4th March, Basseterre, St.Kitts and Nevis, 8th March, New York, USA, 15th March Southampton UK, when I return home on the 10.16hrs from Southampton Central.

I aim to write about the places we call at in more detail than previously. That’s the plan.  My hope is that this current blog can be more informative, interesting, and perhaps entertaining. 

I am still full from my early dinner.  Day 1 is always a bit chaotic.  Now, it’s time (at long last) to unpack.   

Many thanks for reading. Day 1 draws to a close.  David, Cabin 4192, with a view, from QM2,  21.06hrs GMT.