David's Cruise

Sunday 13th March 2022

Awesome is an understatement.  The ocean is as tempestuous as it was yesterday, perhaps more so.  Today is the penultimate sea day before arrival at Southampton the day after tomorrow.

I attended the inter-demoninational church service this morning in the Royal Court Theatre.  Captain Ashmi chose the nature of the worship, and again spoke so impressively (i.e. his “sermon” left a thought provoking impression on me), that I requested a copy of his speech.  I’m not sure if he was perhaps slightly surprised by such a request.  Very much to my delight and appreciation, a copy of both sermons was delivered to my stateroom complete with covering note. He again, referred to the fact that just days ago, we had passed around 14 miles north of the final resting place of R.M.S. Titanic.  He spoke in great detail of how those in lifeboats voted against returning to pick up those swimming in the ice cold sea, fearing such action would jeopardise their own survival, either by overloading the lifeboat, or being caught in the suction of the doomed ship, although in fact, Titanic sank so slowly, survivors would not have been dragged into the vortex they feared.   He also spoke of those, including the Unsinkable Molly Brown, who were appalled at the leaving of even family to drown in those freezing waters.  How would I have voted in that situation?    I hate to think!  Of course, this was an analogy of what is happening 110 years later.  And not just the worsening refugee situation.  I could go on, but I am nervous of controversy! 

The Royal Court Theatre is right by the windows forward on Deck 2 through which phenomenal views of a raging Atlantic can be had.

This afternoon, Jo and I attended the fourth lecture delivered by “Mr. Oceanliner,” Bill Miller. I went to buy one of his books so that it could be signed as a souvenir of this voyage.  Although closed, the Bookshop/Library forward on Deck 8 was open after his talk on the history of positive future of cruising, not just deep sea, but also river and exploration voyages for which 125 vessels are under construction, including Cunard’s Queen Anne.  His book, A Hundred Years of Cruise Ships in Colour, is a remarkable source of reference, and he tells me is his latest publication.

Tonight, we are expected to dress up for one last Gala Night and shall celebrate in the posh Verandah Grill as I prefer to call it.  This is our penultimate evening dinner, at which the black tuxedo will have its second and final outing.  Maybe it’s now time to change from my comfortable daytime casual attire, which on a non Gala night, I could get away with. Our meal was superb, especially with the salt ingredients removed! After dinner, travelling companion Jo and I adjourned to our usual side circle seats in the Royal Court Theatre (where we would all sit on the 2018 World Voyage 🌎). Although a glitzy night, few were in The Queens Room for big band dancing. I suspect that many, like myself chose to start packing for disembarkation the day after tomorrow. Much to my disgust, I have to vacate my stateroom and the ship at the ungodly hour of 08.10hrs! Cruise friend Jo can enjoy an extra hour in bed! But at least, this does give two hours to catch my booked train, the 10.16 hrs from Southampton to Macclesfield. At around 3pm the day after tomorrow, I should be back at home in Harpur Hill. I shall miss my little sheltered balcony stateroom aft on Deck 4. It was a good cabin; everything worked, and Julius my Cabin Steward was superb throughout.

Thanks for reading, David, 00.51hrs 14/3/22; time for some kip. Most of my packing is now complete.

Today is our fourth of six sea days on the final leg of this glorious 56 days on two voyages from the U.K. to the Caribbean,  by way of Lisbon on the first voyage, and New York (in both directions) on the second crossing.  The beauty of crossing the Atlantic is the ample opportunity to relax during those six uninterrupted sea days.  There is always plenty of choice to keep one occupied and entertained during the crossing.  Cunard Insights will provide up to three lectures during each day,  e.g. maritime historian Bill Miller addressing the audience at 11 am.  This afternoon, I enjoyed a piano recital of music by Schubert, Gershwin, Chopin, and Mozart.  While I like classical music, and enjoyed the performance, a few others were understandably less enthusiastic and made polite exits during the concert.  Classical music is rarely one of instant gratification, but perhaps the programme could have been more popularist, but then that would have detracted.  There is always a movie, shown twice, in Illuminations. This is a classic art-decor multipurpose cinema, doubling as a planetarium, as well as an excellent lecture theatre.   Numerous quizzes, bingo, dancing, sports and other activities are available throughout each day.  Jazz is featured nightly in the Chart Room on Deck 3, while Cameron and Shane entertain in the Golden Line with mainly Irish and Scottish folk music for violin, guitar and banjo.  And I have had all these options for almost eight weeks….on the Greatest Ship in the World.

There was a fabulous view of the turbulent ocean  from where we had lunch in the Britannia Restaurant

Down on Deck 2, where I chose the best place to film the stormy seas, I, at last, got to have a brief word with Maritime Historian and author, W.H. Miller.  I attended his third of four lectures on the ocean liner scene of the 1950s and 60s, marking the advent of jet travel across the Atlantic and the inevitable demise of regular sea crossings between the Old and New Worlds. 

But now, any thoughts of turning around for a third trip have all but evaporated.  However, in around six weeks, I shall be off again, this time on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, two voyages, back to back, from Southampton to Vancouver, then to Alaska, and finally, back to Vancouver where I shall chill for a couple of nights before travelling by Amtrak (US Rail) to various U.S. cities, the Grand Canyon and to New Orleans, Washington and New York.

And as this journey slowly draws to a close, I have every reason to feel grateful, maybe privileged, and definitely,  extremely fortunate. Before January, I had hardly left the vicinity of where I live, due to the restrictions caused by the onset of covid-19 in February 2020.  All of a sudden, I was in Lisbon being shown around on a tuk tuk. 

Looking back, I have been pretty amazed at the experience enjoyed on board Queen Mary 2.  The only irritation for me was the need to keep a face mask on during shows, lectures, concerts and movies in Illuminations and the Royal Court Theatre.  Dance enthusiasts also resented having to wear a mask while oiling their way across the dance floor.  I would forget frequently to put on my face covering…almost daily!   When walking anywhere inside, the mandatory wearing of masks was enforced with friendly courtesy.  On the whole, the shore excursions were well organised, enjoyable and worth taking part in.  I just loved those journeys up various mountainsides, into rainforests (where it would rain!) and along scenic coastal roads, in old minibuses.

The evening draws to a close as soft jazz in the Chart Room soothes the anxieties of this holiday coming to its Southampton conclusion in just over 2 days.

Many thanks for reading, David, Chart Room, QM2, 23.25 hrs.

Started writing, 17.25 hrs 10th March in the Queens Room.

Right now, it is late afternoon on the second of six sea days between New York and Southampton.   I am chilling out in the Queens Room a magnificent ballroom aft on decks 3L and 3.  Each afternoon, white gloved waiters serve Afternoon Tea. Today, a harpist serenaded the tea takers. And now several couples are ballroom dancing to various recorded melodies.  They are serious, precise and a joy to watch. 

Two days ago, 8th March, we docked at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in the Redhook district. Jo and I had booked our final Cunard Shore Experience, a Small Group Tour of New York including admission to the Top of the Rockefeller Tower.  During a comprehensive tour of Manhattan, we would call for around an hour at Central Park, the Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station and the 9/11 Memorial Centre. 

I plan to write in more detail during the next few days.  In the meantime, many thanks for reading. David, 17.59hrs Queens Room, 10/3/22.

Today, Sunday 6th March, is the last (I think) of the warmer days, as we steam northwest towards New York, which strangely, is not the capital of the State of New York; Albany is.  Unusually, I joined Jo for breakfast; she had an urge for freshly made pancakes in the Britannia Restaurant.  She then joined me for the church service which marked the First Sunday in Lent.  This was led superbly by Captain Ashmi, whose prayers for world peace, and subsequent talk was poignant, heartfelt and sincere.  He spoke also of the world wide effects of the pandemic. 

Tomorrow could still be pleasant, although the Captain did warn of another weather system to contend with.  Jo and I booked to join a “small party” tour of Manhattan which meets in the Royal Court Theatre at 8 am.  (9 am Caribbean time) on Tuesday 8th March.  It’s still going to feel early.  Nevertheless, I do look forward to reacquainting myself with the sights of Manhattan and adding further photographs to the album.  The rest of Day 2 was spent seeking the last of the warm sun and deck-walking. 

In the evening, we opted for an early dinner in the section of the Kings Court set aside for fine Italian cuisine.  This would then enable us to attend the early showing in the Royal Court Theatre of Broadway Rocks, a spectacular song and dance production by the Royal Court Singers and Dancers, backed magnificently by the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra.  We then had around forty minutes to take our seats for an intimate jazz session in the Chart Room featuring Doug Cameron who we have enjoyed at two previous shows.  We had to dress up for the evening, my white tuxedo making me look like the ice cream man!  Jo, on the other hand looked fit to be presented to royalty.  And in fact, the formal attire for that evening had the desired effect of creating a wonderfully civilised ambiance.  We joined cruise friends Lorraine, Trevor and Jennie at seats which included a very broad windowsill. 30 minutes before the start of the jazz, there were no other seats to be had; we were lucky to find somewhere to sit. 

Outside, it was still warm enough for a stroll on the Promenade Deck. I had a very small plate of pasta before going to bed at around midnight.  This became 11. o’clock as we moved into an earlier time zone….actually it didn’t!  I retarded my watch 24 hrs early and got all mixed up in the morning. It’s rather good that we get the extra hour when we really need it, when we do have to be up early for tours and immigration purposes.  Nobody can sleep in tomorrow.

If I understand it correctly, the Pilot comes on board at around 04.15 hrs.  We pass under the Verrazano Narrows Suspension Bridge around 06.00 hrs, passing the Statue of Liberty half an hour later. 

I wasn’t expecting Day 3 of the three sea days to offer such lovely warm weather.  It is windy on deck, but still warm enough (just) for shorts and polo shirt.  I even indulged in a spot of sunbathing before a late lunch. But, as the day progresses (15.32 hrs) the sun is now obscured by threatening rain clouds, and few people are still occupying the deck chairs and sun loungers. 

The seas were turbulent but picturesque as the sun made several generous encores as the day wore on.

For a second time, we agreed on dining early enough to catch the first show at 8.00 pm. Ex Drifters singer Roy G Hemmings and his two glamorous singers performed a further selection of 60s and 70s classics.  Another fabulous night, just like the first gig. The atmosphere however didn’t quite match that joyous first night, probably because many (485 passengers) were disembarking early the following day.

Before 9 o’clock, we were both preparing for an early start, and a seven hour shore experience in Manhattan.

Many thanks for reading, David 06.38 hrs having passed under the Verrazano Narrows Suspension Bridge at 06.05 hrs….see Blog 752!

Saturday 5th March 2022, 11.10hrs.

I got up very late this morning, having gone to bed “very early” last night.  There were around two hours during the night when I just couldn’t get back to sleep, and thus expected the rest of the day to be “lacklustre.”  However, the next thing I knew, it was twenty minutes to nine, and I would now expect a day that would be as pleasurable as normal.  I made it for breakfast just after 10.30, and right now, I am relaxing in the Carinthia Lounge on one of their comfortable sofas.  Not far from me in this elegant public area, is a group of women occasionally erupting into a disturbing cacophony of laughter.  Outside, the open decks beckon.  I didn’t walk as much as usual yesterday, but plan to make up today; I have enjoyed a number of good meals recently!  The blue skies have morphed to grey, but I’m hoping the 25°C on today’s weather report still prevails.  (11.32hrs)

I was reminded that I still need to complete a PLF (Passenger Locator Form) as part of the government required disembarkation procedures. Remembering a passenger who had their PLF taken care of in The Library, both Jo and I did the same, and a couple of complicated on-line documents were filled in and printed off on our behalf. (14.14hrs)

Lunch in the Kings Court today was merely, chicken consommé with dumpling, followed by a strange chosen mixture of cauliflower cheese and a slither of liver! It remains humid outside and I may well bask in the final warm sunshine of this voyage. The Carinthia Lounge is far more quiet and peaceful this afternoon. I shall be in here frequently during the crossing from New York. (14.34 hrs)

15.52 hrs. Again, my attempts at deck walking 🚶‍♂️ were somewhat abysmal. This morning, it was humid, this afternoon, noticeably cooler and windy outside. That didn’t stop me a month ago! Perhaps Jo was right when she suggested that I take a break for a day or two. So, on this first of three sea days to New York, perhaps I can allow myself to chill out a little before continuing the second half million of my Million Steps on Two Continents Challenge for Christian Aid, who I will have to be in touch with on my return…that’s assuming I am not “led into temptation” a third time and turn around at Southampton!

It took a while, but now, after a spot of formal Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Room, at long last, I feel revived. Jo is treating herself to a couple of hours in the Spa. I used the Spa when Canyon Ranch managed it in 2018, and I don’t know why I don’t use it these days. But changing is always a bit of an inconvenience!

There are ten days glorious ocean liner travel before being despatched onto England’s green and pleasant South Coast. I hope that in New York, I can do better than I managed at St. Kitts. Taking a revered friend on what turned out to be an (in almost her words) worse than a holiday camp shore excursion, didn’t make for a particularly convivial afternoon! Dinner in the evening was fine, however. I needed the early night mentioned at the beginning of this blog, and went out like light the moment my head hit the pillow.

Afternoon Tea finished over twenty minutes ago. I am still in an almost deserted Queens Room as a lone couple practice dance steps on a silent dance floor. Let’s try once more on the Promenade Deck! 16.54 hrs.

18.27 hrs That’s more like it; I have just managed 7 laps of the Boat Deck, after deciding that lying down in my stateroom was waste of opportunity. Afternoon Tea revived me, now I do feel self righteous! The numerous days of fresh sea air shouldn’t be taken for granted. I am in my stateroom now. Outside, the sun set behind a bank of greyness, still managing to turn that part of the sky an unusual shade of salmon. It was this view which I saw from my stateroom.

Towards the end of this voyage, I shall write some kind of (probably biased) review. So far, I have been more than happy with everything I have experienced, although a certain shore experience could do with a little refining! The Library supervisor dealing with our PLF forms with great efficiency is but one example; the unexpected birthday cake and special attention on the night being another. I was one of four celebrating a birthday on St. David’s Day.

I am still full from Afternoon Tea and will have to tread carefully at dinner.

Many thanks for reading, David, Sunday 6th March, Carinthia Lounge, 13.07 hrs.

Yesterday’s full day at sea made a welcome break from the an island a day routine, which actually, worked very well. On the open decks, it was humid but pleasant.  Deck walking, however, was more of a chore than a pleasure; I was only managing perhaps one and a half laps at each attempt. Nevertheless, I am still exceeding my daily target each day, but this may change with the return to more realistic climes.  I regard this extravagant return to the Caribbean as a good arrow and despite an almost identical itinerary,  very little actually felt like a repeat; merely a worthwhile extension.  The temptation to turn around and go back a third time remains.  But instinct is telling me that is probably not a good idea!  I am very comfortable in my sheltered balcony stateroom at the aft end of Deck 4 port-side. 

St. Kitts looks to be very pretty with exciting mountains to explore, perhaps sometime in the (hopefully near) future.  Jo and I are joining a Cunard Shore Experience this afternoon.  The title of the excursion is Caribbean Cuisine and for the lunch, my recent intolerances are noted!  Only recently has fish joined the litany of foods which make me feel ill.  My side profile does not subscribe to my claims of food intolerances! 

A high standard of evening entertainment prevails on Queen Mary 2.  Last night, a former long serving member of The Drifters Roy G. Hemming, with two fabulously glitzy backing singers performed a superb repertoire of mainly Motown and classic Drifters hits to almost a full house.  The atmosphere was party-like and the 45 minutes’ show drew to a close with the classic Higher and Higher.  We managed one final lap of the Boat Deck in the sweltering heat (still) of a Caribbean night.  I far prefer such nights to the icy cold of winter. 

Today was our final arrangement of meeting in the Grand Lobby by the Purser’s Office at 10am.  Except that both of us were later than the revised meeting time of 10.30.  We eventually met just after 10.45 and got off the ship.  St. Kitts is now familiar to me from my visit a month ago.  Today, two cruise ships are in port, Princess Cruises’ EMERALD PRINCESS  and Cunard’s QM2.  I still can’t get enough of the latter, but I may feel differently as we get close to Southampton!   Jo and I explored the plenteous retail opportunities and I came away with two nice decorative shirts.

Unfortunately, the Caribbean Cuisine Shore Experience was disappointing.  The brochure promised something to be remembered with fond pleasure. At $90, it fell very short of expectations.  This was a pity for two reasons. 1, St. Kitts was our final Caribbean port of call and 2, we got to see very little of this pleasant island. I did find the venue attractive and the sugar plantation house interesting, but being shown around on an empty stomach in very humid weather was far from ideal. 

I decided to have an early night, almost straight after dinner, and forego tonight’s show.  

We are now heading for New York where we arrive after three sea days.  I am sad that the Caribbean section is behind us now.  New York will be as exciting as ever; I’m not sure about Southampton. Hopefully, there are two days of soaking up the sun before the back-end of winter kicks in.

Many thanks for reading, David, 22.26hrs 4/3/22.

Grenada, as I remember from just four weeks ago, is another attractive island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, St. George’s being the island’s capital, situated on its southwestern coast.  The town was founded as a French settlement in 1650 and was capital of the Windward Islands from 1885 to 1958.  Exports from here include cacao, nutmeg, mace and bananas.  As at previous ports on this cruise, already the temperature is 25°C with partly cloudy skies and the occasional shower.  During the day, it warms further to around 28°C and that is the case today.  A very brief stroll on decks 12 and 13 late last night saw very little actual cooling down.

Today, Jo, Trevor and wife Lorraine, who we met a few days ago, and I will hire a minibus to show us around.  They explained that it is not unusual for minibuses or taxis to fuel up on each trip.  The drivers themselves hire the transport on a daily basis. And actually, yesterday’s taxi ride, although not overly scenic, did give an insight into the difficult circumstances of the average ordinary people who live here.  We all meet up in the Grand Lobby.  St. George’s is the penultimate call before we head north to New York, and east to reality.  Our final call at St. Kitts follows a welcome day at sea.

17.29 hrs.  Today’s minibus trip was excellent, a well rehearsed and carried out journey into the hills, the rain forests and a pretty detailed account with interesting demonstrations of the local spices, how they grow, are prepared and used.  The two to two and a half hours trip actually took well over three hours, and represented excellent value. There were twelve of us today, which actually filled the 19 seater vehicle. Our driver-guide gave excellent value.   I enjoyed my second visit to Grenada in four weeks, but still found few things familiar.

I did enjoy visiting Grenada for a second time. During the day, it had become extremely hot. Our minibus took us to some places visited on a Cunard Shore Experience four weeks ago, including reaching the highest point accessible by road at 1,910ft above sea level. There, a welcome cool breeze was welcome relief from the stifling heat below, which in just days from now, I will be longing for! While cruising is an ideal way of visiting many places far and wide, sometimes, I do wish I could stick around for a number of days before moving on. But of course, that generally wouldn’t be practicable.

Tomorrow, we have a day at sea. We are on our way to Basseterre on the isle of St. Kitts. A Cunard Shore Experience has been booked for our final Caribbean port of call, before returning to New York and Southampton with its more realistic climate.

In the meantime, thanks for reading, David, 19.10hrs, Wednesday 2nd March 2022.

Again, many thanks for the good wishes and birthday greetings received during the day. David, 23.31 hrs GMT-4, 1st March 2022.

On Tuesday March 1st at 20.10hrs in Ashton Nursing Home, Sale, now Gtr. Manchester in 1949,  two things happened.  Outside, 12 inches of snow lay on the ground, unusual for such a low lying part.  The other event is obvious by the title! And today, on the stateroom TV, the Entertainment Director got my surname slightly wrong when announcing the birthdays, a daily occurrence on Cunard ships.  Never mind!  Yesterday, I completed half a million steps in the first 41 days of my travels for this year.  Today, as I celebrate being (ye gods!) 73, the last thing I feel like doing is walking! 

The day ashore was far from the previous spectacularly scenic experiences.  Barbados may be a paradise island but it helps to know the geography of the place if exploring independently.  Our one hour taxi ride merely took us around the city of Bridgetown, both the posh parts and the less attractive, which even I found not overly inspiring. However, with luck, I should be here again in June.  Nevertheless, the news from outside is very distressing, unprecedented, and quite frankly, alarming.

I went to bed early last night, almost immediately after dinner. I had booked Richard Faber’s table for a small celebration tonight, inviting a couple from (now) Gtr. Manchester (Bolton) who came with us on a scenic minibus tour of St. Maarten. Yesterday, we were on the lovely island of Dominica, and there is still plenty left there to explore if circumstances (or finances) allow.

Jo and I did get off the ship, and at long last, found a strong WiFi signal which enabled me to publish a backlog of blogs, complete with illustrations. We both explored the retail outlets in the substantial covered area of the cruise terminal. Bridgetown, we would discover on a one hour taxi ride, (including a fuelling stop!) appeared to have seen better days presumably recovering from the pandemic, and maybe a hurricane or two; they are frighteningly destructive. We had hoped and expected our journey to have taken us further afield to one of the many attractive places on the island. Jo was subtle expressing her justified disappointment! Of course, I had been in Barbados just four weeks ago and enjoyed a routine Cunard shore excursion, and seeing dilapidated parts of the town were a bit poignant. (18.12hrs) QM2 is just leaving the quayside. Cunard’s Queen Victoria remains anchored outside, acting as a hospital ship for the time being. I understand that it won’t be too long before it is restored to its more intended role as a cruise ship.

It’s now time to change for dinner. Richard Faber’s regular table awaits.

Many thanks for reading, and the birthday messages which helped to make this day a little bit special, as if being in Barbados was not enough!! David, 18.44hrs St. David’s Day, 2022.

Monday 28th February 2022, and the international news remains not good.  Also “not good news…..”  This is my last day of my being 72! The good news is that as I write, I have a mere 2,871 steps to complete the first half of my Million Steps on Two Continents Challenge as part of this year’s efforts for Christian Aid.  Theoretically, I should complete this self imposed challenge well before July 15th when I return from an extensive tour including North America.

Again, the morning temperature is a humid 25°C, likely to rise to just short of 30°C.  The last time I was here, it also rained, prompting unjustified complaint!  Today, unless on a recognised tour, we are not allowed to wander into town.  However, I do anticipate taxi drivers plying for trade.

The Internet on board has gone down hill.  Jo’s intelligent suggestion that the good Internet is or was due to just a few passengers being on board doesn’t seem to hold up.  There are three blogs which still need to be published before this one.

On a port day, Jo and I arrange to meet near the Purser’s Office between 10 and 10.15.  After a brief discussion, we venture off the ship to see the shops on the quayside and also, what is available in terms of retail outlets, taxix and trips out.  Yesterday and today, we joined minibus parties for excursions of three or four hours’ duration, including numerous stops for photography and refreshment.  The transport available is usually cramped and uncomfortable. However, the welcome and caring service of our “driver-guides” more than makes up for the bumpy roads of a land still struggling to get over numerous hurricanes and that persistent pandemic.  Hiring a minibus with guide-cum-driver provides a well rehearsed trip, usually slightly more in depth than the shore experience offered on board, and with a more flexible schedule. The minibuses are usually available when you want, rather than at a time decided by the shipping line.

Today, we were taken on an incredibly scenic ride along narrow steep hilly roads up into the hills to various places of interest.  The lush and colourful vegetation is a joy to behold, as are the numerous waterfalls and viewing places across wide valleys.  Being a rain forest, naturally it rained quite frequently. But each shower was soon gone, and the trees, plants and wild flowers with their vivid colours shone as if freshly polished. 

Once again, I was saddened to be saying “goodbye” to another paradise island.  Three long blasts on the ship’s siren confirmed our departure from Dominica.

Tomorrow, I have reserved Richard Faber’s regular table for my birthday celebration. A modest affair this year, but a pleasant one nonetheless.

Many thanks for reading,  David  07.01 hrs St David’s Day.