Last Day - The Drive Home

Brian and Jenn make last minute flight changes to get a 10:30 AM departure. We have our last breakfast at Chops.

At 7:15 we head to the main deck to await our call for departure. There is no wait, we walk to the luggage area and within a few minutes are on the parking bus shuttle.

The other car is 20 minutes ahead of us, on the way to the airport.

Home and unpacked by 9:30. The laundry is done by noon, ready to go again, but not for 6 weeks.

Day 7 - Sea day

Except for a brief shower, it is a sunny delightful day. The solarium pool is busy, but not as packed as the main pool.

Kids continue to forage through the planters looking for ducks. I always thought the idea of ducks was fun for the kids, and I have hidden hundreds of them over the last year. My opinon is rapidly changing as I observe the damage done to the central park planters.

Q & A with the captain this morning elicits mostly good questions asked by children.

This afternoon it is packing time. Dinner in the coastal kitchen is good. I should have made a better attempt to dine there more often this week.  They were not full.

The alarm is set for 6:00 AM. We are ready to go home.

Day 6 - Cozumel, Mexico

There are varied plans for the day. 6 people are visiting ruins in Tulum, others a beach visit, and a few shopping. Lynn and I elect to remain on the ship.

The Enchantment of the Seas shares our pier. Being one of the smallest ships in the fleet, the difference in size is apparent. The only other ship here today is a Carnival ship.

Most passengers go ashore, leaving the ship nice and peaceful.

The usual stop in the lounge, followed by the ice show "365", then dinner.

I was unable to join several others in Wonderland, so I go to the main dining room for dinner....and another birthday cake from the staff, as today is my actual birthday.

The ship is late in departing as an ambulance was called to take a passenger to the hospital. I don't know if the demographics have changed, or it just larger ships, but I get the feeling that there are more medical emergencies than 10 years ago.

We will cruise at over 20 knots to get back to Port Canveral Sunday morning.

Day 5 Sea Day

The seas remain slight, we are well south of the reach of Milton. Florida is not so fortunate. Milton slams the gulf coast as a category 3 just south of Tampa and proceeds basically straight across the state dropping to a cat 1 as she moved into the Atlantic..

Everyone has concerns about friends in the storms path. Ultimately we determine all ours are safe. So far the worst damage is a couple of ridge cap shingles blown off Lynn's roof.

Eventually I figure out that I can use Alexa to determine if I have power. I do. Friends make a quick external house check to determine everything is OK. We are all lucky, the worst of the storm passed to our south. 

Early in the day we spend a few hours on the pool deck in the shade. Seating is scarce.

Lunch is at the dog house, after which we watch the performers rehearsing for the aqua show. Later we will learn that this is a new cast that will start on the next cruise.  This is one of the few shows where the full cast is changed out at the same time. For most shows only a few performers in the entire cast would be rotated out at the same time.

The "men" in the group have discovered the Mason Jar, a venue that has a very desireable super premium whiskey at a very low price. Low enough that it is covered by the free drink vouchers many of us have.

Since it is expected that I will nor be in the dining room tonight, our waitress presents me with a birthday cake a day early. A surprising nice thouht. The cake even came with a candle, which was carefully guarded by the staff. Candles are strictly prohibited on cruise ships.

After dinner some time in the Trellis Bar in Central Park, before the aqua show. One of the few areas where it is not apparent how many passengers are on the ship.

The high wire artist slipped, but caught herself without injury. Halfway thru the show the skies opened up with a downpour. The swimmers didn't mind, but many in the audience scurried for cover. We all remained dry.

Tomorrow we will be in Cozumel.

Day 4 Falmouth, Jamaica

Because of hurricane Milton our itinetary was changed, and we are making a stop at Falmouth, not a port usually called on by this ship.

The weather is sunny with a forecast of a small chance of showers in the afternoon.

Hurricane Milton is still poised to make landfall later today south of Tampa and then pass across the state just south of Orlando. Major damage is expected.

The younger members of our group have all booked various excursions. Adrienne, Steve, Alyssa and James are headed to Dunns River Falls, a long time favorite that I took my daughters to years ago.

Brian Petersen is having all the luck, maybe because this is his first time on Royal. He purchased a silk shirt in the shops only to discover one of the characters was misprinted the wrong color. Yesterday the shop tried to get it back from him and replace it.  He refused, and now he has a rare collectors item.

He booked a tour only to have it cancelled several hours later, but now too late to book the falls. He will try again for something.

The Disney Fantasy is docked here with us. The port area is busy. We ultimately decide to do the usual, just stay on the ship.

Actually, we are quite fortunate in getting rerouted to a different port. Most diverted ships are just spending more days at sea.

A Royal ship from New York is just spending 1 day at Coco Cay then returning to her home port. 

We will make a stop at Cozumel, just not on the date scheduled. An extra problem for those that book tours privately.

Today is Steve and Adrienne's 15th anniversary, one of many reasons why we all are on this cruise.

The dining room waiter makes a lovely napkin rose and vase.

Everyone enjoyed their excursions. The production show tonight is Voices. The theater is less than half full. I wasn't impressed, others felt better about the show.

Tomorrow is a sea day as we head to Cozumel, Mexico.

Day 3 Sea Day

The first task of the morning is to check on Milton. The findings are not good. Probably a category 4 or 5 when it hits land, probably just south of Tampa and it will head east across the center of the state.  Being hundreds of miles wide, our homes in central Florida will not escape.

Service and breakfast in Chops continues to be good.

The top tier event shares that we have 75 Pinnacle, 247 diamond plus and 386 diamonds on board. Still too many Pinnacles for me to have access to the coastal kitchen. The captain does a good job of explaining the differences in ship size of the newer ships. Well spoken, he lives in the Villages just north of me.

At noon we enjoy "Cheers with an Officer". Essentially a good lunch with a thank you from the hotel director and some of his staff. The filet of tenderloin and free flowing wine was good.

The weather remains mixed - cloudy, partly sunny, with some periods of rain. I don't know the passenger count, but it is substantial with many kids. The elevators are often crowded.

Tonight we forego formal night as we have reservations in the Solarium Bistro, a venue billed as offering more healthy dining options. Self serve buffet but with reserved tables. Probably I would rate a step up from the regular buffet just because it is not crowded, but not as good as the main dining room.

We all are staying away from any of the speciality restaurants based on very poor previous experiences.

After dinner a short stop at the schooner bar before the production show "Voices". Seating is scarce at the Schooner, Adrienne winds up sitting on the window sill. 

Voices is not one of the better production shows, and the theater is 25% empty.

I repair a corrupted file for the train club, a 2 minute task. I am surprised this is the first time it has happened.

The latest update has Milton possibly taking a path slightly south of the original prediction. If so that will be better news for me.

Royal has added the weather channel to the TV lineup so passengers can stay abreast of the latest storm conditions. Many passengers live in the direct path of the storm and have legitimate concerns as to what they will face when they return home next week. My personsl biggest concern is my neighbor's trees. He has neglected them and never had them trimmed or thinned. If his tree falls on my house, my problem. Florida law.

Many of us have cars parked at Port Canaveral. How safe they are from the coming storm surge is an unknown. We will know Sunday.

Tomorrow we will dock in Falmouth, Jamaica. A safe distance south of Milton.

Day 2 Coco Cay

The weather is rainy and windy. The sun in non- existant, well it is really there but we just can't see it.

The aqua show was ultimately cancelled last night. It will be rescheduled later in the week, again, weather permitting.

It is beginning to look like central Florida will be in the direct path of hurricane Milton. Despite the rainy weather this is a better place to be, how did I know a year ago?

Alyssa and Adrienne had an excellent dive. Some of the others enjoy the beach. Brian took the zip line. Lynn and I stayed dry on the ship. Surprisingly I would guess that 75% of the passengers went ashore despite the wind and rain. Thanks!

It is a very quiet day. A few hours in the solarium and a well deserved afternoon nap.

Despite the large numbers of guests, the crown lounge has not been crowded. A good place to type.

We have a different table for 11 in the main dining room. Italian night. Lasagna seems to be the most popular choice.

We head to "The Attic" for the comedy show. Our reservations are for an hour and a half later, but being Pinnacle gets us to the front of the standby line, and good seats. The comedians are average.

After the show it is time for sleep.

Tomorrow will be a sea day.

Sun Aug 6 First day on Wonder of the Seas.

Yesterday was a very long day. I was up before 5 to help with our train club's public show in DeLand, Fl.

A 70 mile drive, an hour and a half of setup, and then a full day of running trains.

We acquired at least one new member, making the day a success.

I originally booked this cruise to the Western Caribbean well over a year ago when my daughter and her husband Steve decided to book it. Since then many more are joining the party and we are up to 19 family and friends from Florida to Ohio and Oregon.

I think 5 cars of passengers.

I have a frequent parker reward for parking for 1 car, it only cost me $8.03 for port fees and taxes. What a bargain.

Just as we are leaving Clermont we get notice that the itinerary has been substantially altered because of a huricane in the gulf. So is life at sea.

Boarding is quick, but almost a zoo atmosphere. Kids running and screaming everywhere. The number of people larger than I have seen on a ship in years. The buffet is packed despite being on board before noon. A little bite for lunch while waiting for our cabins to be ready.

Jenn and Brian get to their cabin to find the keys missing.  The cabin steward insists she placed them outside the door in the designated slot. Knocks on the door elicit no response. A manager comes by, questions the cabin steward and then goes to get another set of keys.

The door is opened to find two people sitting on the bed, ignoring the multiple knocks on the door. They insist they are in the correct cabin and the names were printed incorrectly on the keys. I don't have the imagination to make up stories like this.

The manager got it straightened out, and Jenn and Brian are in their cabin, without 2 strangers.

Alyssa had 7 extra house guests just before the cruise. Two days ago there was a major water main break . A long period of no water followed by 3 days of boil water mandate. Not easy with a housefull of guests. We depart Port Canaveral on time in fog and rain. I thougjt I had left that weather in the North Atlantic, I guess I was wrong.

Rain comes and goes throughout the day. Adrienne made the proper reservations for 10 of us to be dining together. I never did verify if we were at the same table, be we were definitely scheduled for different dining times. She was told to come to the dining room at 7:30 and they would have our table. By 8:00 we were seated.  The fried chicken was excellent.

Using our reservations for the 10:45 aqua show seemed doubtful.  Rain continued to fall. At 10:00 I give up and call it a night. 

Tomorrow will be a day at Coco Cay. The Freedom of the seas will also be docked with us.

Sept 22 - Boston and Home

The ship enters Boston harbor, does a 180 and backs into its place at the pier. We are secure to the dock before 6:00

Giovanni's is late in opening for breakfast. I get it, at 6:30, opening time is an hour and a half earlier than yesterday. Tough on the crew.

Disembarkation is different here. Customs agents inspect your passport on the ship, you then disembark , gather your luggage, and are on your way.

US passengers are to go to the theater, at the front of the ship and non US citizens are to go to the Safari club at the aft of the ship.

We finish breakfast and say our goodbyes to the staff, and return to our cabin to get our carryons to begin the process.

One of the benefits of being pinnacle is that we are among the first to disembark after those carrying theirown luggage. At 7:45 we head to the theater.  Once there we are told to go to the dining room on deck 5, customs check has been moved. We are soon directed outside. Eventually after going all around the dining room our passports are checked, a sticker applied to our sea pass cards and we are on our way to disembark.

Several more scans of our cards and we are on the gangway to the terminal before 8:00

My bag is quickly spotted. Lynn's is nowhere to be found. No choice but to look in other locations where it may have been misplaced.

Fortunately it is found within 5 minutes, only misdirected by 30 feet and mixed in with "key passenger" luggage.

It is a short walk to a line of many waiting cabs. We are on our way to the airport.

Curbside checkin is steps away. Ironically each of our bags weigh precisely 35.0 pounds. We couldn't have done that if we tried.  TSA  precheck line is short, maybe a dozen passengers. 10 more minutes for pat down and checking that my CGM is not an explosive.

We arrive at our gate and have 3 hours to wait before departure. So far our flight is listed as on schedule. Time to write this and finalize some logistics with my family for our next cruise on the Wonder Of The Seas in 2 weeks.

The Jewel is switching to offering 3 dining times this week. In and out of testing for six months, the wait staff just learned about this two or three days ago. Since the dining room delay often seems to be in getting food out of the galley, I am not optimistic how well the new dining hours will work. Time will tell.

Our flight is full and includes a number of passengers I recognize from the ship. I don't fly often, and am amazed at how much luggage people carry on the plane. I spent many hours securing a small carry on that meets published size reqirements, while many pasengers have 2 or 3 carryons that are double the maximum with nothing said by the airline. Go figure.

Some how it all gets stowed and we depart a few minutes early.

Home, turn the water and wster heater on, go out for a quick dinner and then unpack.

By 9:00 PM all the laundry is done and everything is ready to leave again in two weeks. This time to the sunny Caribbean.

Sept 20, 21 Sea Days

The next two days are more of the same. Temperatures slowly rise as we travel further south. Occassionally the sun breaks thru for a few minutes. The pools remain empty and covered with safety nets. There are no outside functons.  The pool bar remains empty.

In Greenland we took on a few thousand pounds of fresh fish, a special addition to the menu. The consensus is that it was OK but nothing special.

Not the same with lobster served on the last formal night. Lynn has mine and reports they were perfectly prepared.

This afternoon the QM2 passed us on her way to New York. A small world as we were on her a month ago. She was probably cruising at double our speed.

The last day is packing in the afternoon. Just need to remember to leave out whatever is needed the last night.

Turkey for dinner. For some reason the service was terribly slow. The last entertaiment is a comedian, better than many.

I have the beginnings of a cold. Unfortunately it doesn't surprie me as many passengers we coughing in the theater several nights ago. The alarm is set for 6:00.

Sept 19 -St John's Newfoundland

We pull in the narrow channel and the captain turns the ship around to back into our pier. We are secured to the dock a few minutes earlier than planned. The first passenger off is loaded into an awaiting ambulance. Once the ambulance has left the rest of the passengers can disembark.  It is only a few hundred feet to our awaiting bus.

The skies are dreary and rainy. The forecast over the past day has deteriorated from partly sunny to 50% chance of rain to presently a 100% chance of rain for the next 6 hours.

Our bus tour takes us to signal hill, the point of land closest to Europe, the geo center, a geology science center, and a sightseeing tour of the town. We manage to stay mostly dry.

By 2:00 PM, in addition to the continuing rain, fog has settled in. Just a gloomy day, something we have gotten used to on this cruise.

When it is time to leave, two passengers are missing. Whether they manage to get on the ship without having their cards scanned, or really missed the ship I will never know.

The seas remain slight as we head towards Boston in the fog and rain.

2 Sea Days

As we head south from Nuuk, Greenland to St John's, Newfoundland the icebergs become fewer and fewer. The weather doesn't change much with lots of fog, some rain, very little sun and temperatures mostly in the 40's. The seas remain under 2 meters. Even if we passed another ship, it is doubtful we would be able to see it. At times the bow is not visible from the  Crown Lounge due to the fog.

We have had 2 extra pilots on board since Halifax. Specifically experts in icebergs. One of them is on the bridge at all times whenever we are within 200 miles of Greenland, a Danish requirement of cruise ships calling on Greenland. Trained by the Danish government, but hired and paid by Royal.

One of them did a presentation about his job and how he fits in on the team. Very similar to harbor pilots, except his expertise is ice and icebergs. This is strictly a summer job for him, coinciding with the cruise ship tourist season. His next job is captain of a cruise ship expedition to Antartica. He did not share what ship. Ironically it is in the news that the Carnival Spirit cruise ship had an unplanned encounter with an iceberg in Alaska this week. There was no reported damage to the ship.

We are fairly used to having to change time as we cross time zones. I did it twice a day for 35 years as I lived in one time zone, and owned my business in another.

When we fly across time zones we just set our clocks when we get to our destination, and our cell phones change automatically.

On cruise ships it is a little different, usually the process being dictated by the captain. On the trip from Boston to Greenland we set our clocks ahead 3 hours. The first hour change was done at 2 AM. A very common procedure. The next two were done at 11:15 AM.

I can rationalize why, but it sure is non conventional. Of course there is no cell service at sea, and internet time can depend on where the connection is made back on land.

Heading south, we moved our clocks back one half hour last night at 2:00 AM, and we will move them back another hour tonight to get ourselves on St John's time, one of a handfull of time zones that are a half hour different from the adjoining time zone.

Yes, the time on the Royal App is all messed up. At least we were warned that it would be.

As we retire for the night it is still foggy. The forecast for tomorrow in St John's is 70% chance of rain. The seas remain under 6 feet.

Mon Sept 16 - Nuuk. Grenland

We sort of arrive twice in Nuuk this morning. During the night a passenger is in need of medical attention and is loaded into a small boat and rushed ahead to Nuuk. We arrive hours later at about 8:00, still an hour ahead of schedule.

By 8:30, as passengers disembark, there are breaks in the fog. There is no passenger terminal here, just a little open space carved out of a commercial port. Many passengers have excursions. Busses are in short supply and some tours that are supposed to be by bus are by taxi instead. The issue being the taxi driver is not a guide, and has no idea where to go. Many passengers are disappointed.

We are fortunate, we get a large van instead of a bus, and retain a very good guide. A local gal in her early twenties.

Roads are very limited in Nuuk, a city of about 20,000. You can not drive outside of the city to any other village, only around Nuuk, a 10 minute drive from one side to the other.

The entire country of Greenland has 3, yes 3 stoplights. We see all of them.

Not that Nuuk is small, but the elementary school, the cemetary, and local jail are major sighteeing destinations. Don't laugh, the view from the jail would be the envy of many, sited on a hill overlooking the bay and mountains, the view is fantastic.

Apartments rent for $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Single family homes are sparse, commanding 7 figures. Taxes are about 42% of income. Average before tax income is about the equivalent of $40,000 usd.

Much of the housing has been built by the government. There is a lot of construction in progress including expanding the airport runways.

Radishes and potatoes are the only vegetables grown in Greenland. Everything else must be imported, mostly from Europe. There is only 1 tree in Nuuk, as the ground is all rock. At least you don't have to worry about mowing a lawn.

Snow averages a couple feet per year, a big decline from a decade ago. The ice cover in Greenland is melting at an alarming rate. Much faster than anytime in the past.

Most of Nuuk's energy comes from hydroelectric plants. Surprisingly the ship refueled here. Either an economic or regulatory requirement.

After our 90 minute tour we head back to the ship.

Just as we board, the fog rolls in again shrouding everything in a heavy cloud blanket. We were lucky with the weather. Many cruise ships this season were unable to dock because of ice or fog. We are the last scheduled for 2024.

The featured entertainment tonight is a movie. We watch the icebegs float by from the Schooner Bar.

Just after midnight the captain announces that the Northern Lights are visable off the stern starboard side of the ship.

Hundreds of passengers, including yours truly head to the upper decks. Passengers in pajamas, robes, bare feet.  Anything you can imagine facing the cold 35 degree winds to get a glimpse.

Well glimpse was all it was. If it weren't for cell phones being more sensitive to low light levels, most passengers saw nothing.

Back to sleep, the next two days are sea days as we head to St John's Newfoundland, not to be confused with St John's New Brunswick where I spent several days in the local hospital after being one of those medical emergencies while traveling on a cruise ship.

Sun Sept 15 - Sea Day

It remains foggy most of the night and morning. No chance of northern lights last night.

The temperature hovers at about 40. By early afternoon the fog clears and the sun is bright. An unexpected observation. I have glasses that automatically darken with UV light exposure. Well here they get much darker than in Florida. One would guess that the UV component of the sunlight must be much stronger here, but actually it is much less. It is the cold temperature that makes  the glasses turn darker when exposed to UV. Learn something new each day.

The bridge spots some whales, the passengers less fortunate. I bundle up and head outside on deck 12, but only see multiple icebergs. 

The fog comes and goes.

BBQ ribs will be the choice for dinner tonight. Our waiter brings our menus and procedes to tell us there are no ribs. A provisioning snafu somewhere.  Considering the amount of provisons loaded each cruise it is a compliment that this doesn't happen more often.

While we don't hear any shows from the theater in our cabin, we do hear some musicians and dancers practicing late at night. Possibly in another nearby space or backstage.

The seas remain under 2 meters and we procede slowly. Tomorrow we will be in Nuuk, Greenland.

Sat Sept 14 - Qaqortoq

We arrive early and then tenders start taking passengers the short distance to shore. The ticket system appears to be working well.

The skies are foggy.  About 10 AM I experienced something that has never happened to me before. Tender operations were abruptly suspended. Hundreds of passengers were on shore, unable to return to the ship. The fog had become so heavy, visibility was reduced to a dozen feet. The ship and the harbor were invisible.

Nothing moved for about 3 hours. Passengers couldn't get to shore for shore excursions, others couldn't return to the ship.

I had decided to remain on the ship today so I wasn't affected.

By mid afternoon the sun burned off some of the fog, tender service resumed, and I was able to get some pictures of the village.

I later learned nearly everything was closed, the stores and cafes only being open Monday thru Friday. One of the tours visited personal homes where they sampled local foods. Very difficult to get to over steep rocky paths, but those that went enjoyed it.

Qaqortoq is the third largest city in Greenland with a 2024 population of 3224. Yes you read that correctly. If you count passengers and crew, this ship has more people.

The fog comes and goes. Passing icebergs are of all sizes, shapes and colors. Because of the ice, we will travel slowly the next day and a half to Nuuk, our next port of call. The air temperature remains around 40, and the seas less than 5 feet as we head North.

Fri Sept 13 - Nanortalik, Greenland

We arrive several hours early. The fog is heavy, and there is a light rain. The captain is a little disturbed because an iceberg is blocking the harbor. Tendering will be longer than expected.

At the southern tip of Greenland, Nanortalik is a village of a few thousand. We do not have a planned excursion, there are few offered. The rain ceases, and most of the fog lifts. The temperature is 41, time for the insulated coat under my rainproof jacket.

By noon there is no need for tender tickets, those that are going ashore already have. A short walk, pictures of the village and harbor, and back to the ship. Once on board a few pictures of the icebergs from deck 12.

The rain stays away for the remainder of the day.

The last tender returns by 7:00 and we are on our way to the port of Qaqortoq, Greenland, about a hundred miles further north on the west coast.

There are icebergs of various sizes and shapes all around us. Some look like castles, one a piramid, and most just big chunks of ice, some larger than our ship.

Tonight was the black and white gala event including pictures with the captain. Participation was minimal. Maybe a dozen men were wearing jackets. There is no show in the theater tonight, and Emma, the Schooner Bar piano player, has the night off.

A cabin about 10 doors down the hall from us had a major water line break. The guests were moved to another location, and repairs quickly made. It has been 3 days now and the fans are still in place drying the carpet in the cabin and in the hall.

Speaking of cabins I can now share that noise from the theater does not reach our cabin, but of course the hum and rumble of the bow thrusters does.

Time for a good night's sleep.

Missed by most passengers, including me, the Northern Lights were visible at 2:00 AM. Maybe we will have another chance in the nights ahead.

Sea Days

We have 2 sea days between Halifax and Nanortalik, Greenland. Weather varies from cloudy to partly sunny to heavy fog. Seas vary from dead calm to 6 or 8 foot swells.

The temperatures drop, and at first most areas of the ship are cold, but eventually warm to a comfortable level.

Participation in themed nights, including formal night is minimal at best. The Crown Lounge and Centrum remain crowded most of the time. By 11 pm everywhere looks like a ghost ship except for a trio playing for the lone bar tender in the Centrum. Yes this cruise has a more mature manifest of passengers.

The captain shares that we safely passed an iceberg in our path during the night.

The dining room food continues to be good, much better than Cunard, and service since the first several nights has been good.

Our waiter shares that couple 3 showed up late for dinner last night. The excuse: "we got lost". Mind you they were at least an hour and 45 minutes late. Just glad we did not wait for them.

Tomorrow we arrive at our first port at the Southern tip of Greenland.

Sept 10, Halifax

Halifax is a much larger, more commercial port than Sydney.  There are many shops, bars, and yes a brewery just outside the ship terminal. Even the Canadian National rail station is only a block away. The gangway is old and steep, going from deck 5 to the ground.

Where yesterday's tour was to the Alexander Bell museum for history enrichment, todays tour is purely scenic enrichment to Peggy's Cove.  Of course we get lots of history from our guide while enroute.

Sunny and 70 degres, the weather is perfect. Rain is forecast for later in the day.

Our bus is late arriving, and we depart 30 minutes late. Several places where we we supposed to stop were changed to a drive by. The hour and a half of time on our own at Peggy's Cove turned into 40 minutes, still adequate.

Peggy's Cove has had all the pathways and boardwalks updated during covid. Much easier to get around than when Lynn was here 7 years ago.

Just as we board the bus, the rain starts.

Traffic is very congested. We arrive back at the pier late, in fact 15 minutes after the ship was scheduled to leave the port. The reason you always are told to buy shore excursions from the cruise line. The ship waits for us and is underwsy 10 minutes after I board.

A quick change of clothes, and it is off to the dining room.

Our waitress tells us that the third couple told her last night to just get started with the rest of us as they may be late. Well they are, they don't show at all, and honestly not missed by anyone.

Pasta for dinner.

The production show is Scott Record. A talented entertainer we have seen before, but with mostly new material.

The seas remain slight for the most part, but the ship does exhibit some motion. I have heard no one complain though.

The next two days will be sea days.

Sept 9 -Sydney

Despite being diverted for an extra stop in Halifax, we arrive in Sydney and the ship is cleared on time.

Our tour isn't until late morning, so we wander the shops on the pier before our tour. Nearly everything is local handcrafts as opposed to the mass produced trinkets from china that one most often finds.

I was here about 7 years ago on the Vision. The 50 foot fiddle hasn't changed much, just faded in color. A local college student is doing a survey of visitors for a class project. I oblige. Reading between the lines I think his intent was to find out if visitors felt the shops were adequately staffed.

The Norwegian Gem arrives late in the morning. I don't know if they are on schedule, but many passengers are trying to find tours as they tell us their tours were cancelled by NCL.

The weather is better than expected, high 60's, sunny, and a light breeze.

Sydney at one time was a large coal mining and steel producing area, having one of the largest steel mills in eastern Canada.  Changing technology, and foreign competition basically forced the mills to close.

Our tour guide was excellent, first a worker in the mines then a college professor and now a part time guide. Tourism is a large part of the current economy. For those looking for fall colors, it is about 6 weeks too early.

An interesting tidbit, Sydney Australia streets and street names are exactly the same as here.

Back on the ship, a quick change of clothes and it is time for dinner. We ask our waiter to please help us finish in time to make the 7:15 show. An indirect way of telling her that service has been slow.  The third couple doesn't help us much. The woman is driven to talk so much she can't even bother to stop and read the menu or eat. She cuts off her husband everytime he attempts to speak. We have all met them. A person that just has to dominate and take total control of any conversation and make it just her.

Having had enough, the other four of us excuse ourselves so we can go to the show. The waiter did her part.⁷

The production show is, well a production show. We have seen it before but good just the same.

The seas are about 8 feet, enough that they slam against the bow with a muffled bang. Our next port is back to Halifax. Hopefully to dock and stay for the day.

Sept 8 - A Sea Day

Breakfast is in Giovanni's for Pinnacle guests, but only for an hour and a half ending when the main dining room closes. At closing time there are at most maybe 6 guests finishing breakfast.

4 more guests arrive after closing. Despite being very nasty to the staff, they still seated them. Couple one was the couple we spent several hours chatting with the previous day while we were waiting to board.

The other couple, I will call them couple 2, did everything they could to get in front of everyone else at every step of the boarding process yesterday. Ducking under barriers, cutting in line, loitering at the anticipated exit area instead of being seated as asked, etc. etc.

The seas are about 6 to 8 feet, more than enough to make the ship creak and groan and impart a gentle roll.

There are very few children, exactly as expected.

There is the usual top tier party, attended by many. 89 Pinnacle, 404 Diamond plus and 420 Diamonds.

The biggest surprise. Couple 2 is recognized for reaching Pinnacle. No wonder many passengers resent high level frequent cruisers when a passenger exhibits such rude behavior.

Shortly after noon the ships speed accelerates to over 20 knots. We are informed that a passenger needs immediate medical care, and his condition makes a helicopter evacuation not feasible. We are headed to Halifax to make an unscheduled stop.

Since we are scheduled to be in Halifax in 2 days many passengers are verbalizing that we should just change our itinerary and stay in Halifax. They just have no clue of the logistics involved.

The passenger transfer is quick and efficient, and the captain expects we will still be on time for our arrival in Sydney.

A third couple shows up for dinner tonight. Late, but here.

Service is slow, but we could have made the the 7:15 show, but decided on the Schooner bar instead. A young female piano player, Emma, OK, but nowhere near the caliber of Kelly.

The late show is still running when we head back to the cabin. Will we listen like it or not?  No, if you listen carefully, you can hear some noise from the theater but certainly none that is bothersome.

What we do hear is the bow of the ship plowing thru the waves. No problem for us, but probably bothersome for lite sleepers.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to be in Sydney.

Sept. 7, 2024 Headed to Greenland

It is still hot in Florida. I have jokingly been telling people I need to go to Greenland to cool off. Norway was cool but I expect Greenland to be much colder.

Packing is a little different. No swimsuit, a thermal insulated jacket, only long pants. A hat that will keep my ears warm. I forgo the suit, tie and dress shirts. I had enough of that on the Queen Mary 2, and formal nights on Royal are optional.

The alarm wakes us at 3 AM after three hours sleep. The house is secured and the driver arrives just before 4:00 to take us to the airport. Already busy, we check our luggage at the curb and proceed to security. TSA precheck really helps today. Maybe 20 infront of us instead of hundreds.

Cleared with little delay. There is always some because of all the foreign objects embedded in my body precluding me from the metal detectors and body scanners.

After breakfast and the expected wait we board the plane.

The flight to Boston is smooth and ontime. As we are on our final approach we can see the cruise ships in the harbor. Dr. Google has advised that a cab is our best option to get to the ship.

The streets by the port are very crowded. We are dropped off and met by someone to take our luggage. It is only a hundred steps to the terminal entrance.

We are spoiled in Florida with our modern cruise facilities. The terminal in Boston is in a centuries old freight warehouse, passengers are dropped off and picked up on the street.

We are early, but not the first. Some passengers arrived before 8:00. Intercruise workers are very nice, but highly disorganized. The day is not going as planned.

The Jewel waited an extra hour for customs agents to board to clear the ship when it arrived. This delayed disembarkation from the previous cruise.

It also was the day for an extensive coast guard inspection. A procedure that can be randomly scheduled without notice, or with several days notice as this one was. No one can board until the inspection is complete, and the Coast Guard has given its blessing to sailing.

About 1:45 passengers start getting emails that the inspection is complete and boardind will commence shortly.

Waiting passengers have been grouped by boarding priority. Those with special needs are first, followed by suite, pinnacles, "Key" passengers and then everyone else. Key passengers have paid extra for a number of perks including early boarding.

We are amongst the first to board, and head to the Windjammer for late lunch. Ironically we share the elevator with the coast guard. Having completed their task they are headed to lunch also.

The head chef prepares a special gluten free lunch for Lynn. I have a slice of roast beef and a few fries. Much better than the filet of tenderloin on QM2.

We head to our cabin, and find our luggage on the way.

Knowing this was not going to be a cruise to bask in the sun on balcony, I let Royal assign my ocean view cabin. Their choice: 3504, deck 3 all the way forward, under the backstage of the theater. Will the noise from the theater reach us? Time will tell.

Being a relatively late booking, some of my choices were limited. If we wanted early dining, we would have to share a table with others.

Table 449 is a table for 8, only one other couple arrives. Service is slow as always on the first night. The crew has had an exceptionally tough day given all the disruptions to the normal process.

About 6:00 we finally are underway, about an hour and a half late.

My southern fried chicken was good. We finish in time to catch the comedian in the theater at 7:15. He was also good, but in a diffetent way than the chicken

It was a long but good day. Need to set our clocks ahead one hour, robbing us of an hour of badly needed sleep.

The seas are 1 to 2 meters as we head north into the North Atlantic.

Aug 23 - Arrival in New York

We pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge about 5:30. There is a lot of traffic in the harbor. Container ships, ferry boats, pleasure craft and tug boats. It is too early for Helicopters. Probably prohibited from flying this early in the morning.

Soon we pass by the Statue of Liberty and slip into our dock in Brooklyn.

Our last meal is in the Kings Court. Busy. But still easy to find a table.

Back at our cabin we find the cabin steward has already started on our cabin despite the "do not disturb" tag in the key slot.  He has a very busy day and wants to get a head start.

Our carry ons are packed and we make a final check of the cabin before heading to the gangway at 8:15. It is confirmed that "red 1" luggage is ready and we proceed to the luggage hall.  No long snaking lines like on many ships, just the usual long walk.

Luggage is quickly found, and within 20 or 30 minutes we are off to our bus transfer to the airport. Directed the wrong way twice by Intercruise employees we finally board our bus, one of the twenty or thirty busses picking up passengsrs for transport throughout the city.

The trip to the airport is uneventful. Nice view of the Brooklyn bridge. Traffic is no worse than Orlando.

Once at the airport it takes about an hour to check our bags and get thru the TSA precheck line. With hours until departure we look for a place for some food and decide on the Lion Sports Grill, a burger place. 

Our waiter was delightful, and the kid's chicken strips the tastiest food I have had in a month.  We stretched it as much as we could. It just occured to me that this was airport food. It was so sad that it is better than Cunard.

Still 2 hours until lift off.

This terminal at LaGuardia is very nice. Recently rebuilt, it is spacious with comfortable seating, all with AC and USB power outlets.

Delta and Cunard has really screwed up our flight plans for this trip. It took many attempts and phone calls from the travel agent too get it booked properly, and then yesterday when I checked our flight, I found our reservations for economy plus had been cancelled. Fortunately there were still a few seats available and I could upgrade. Hillary can fight with Delta over the refund. Today we were charged for bags that should have been free.

We pulled away from the gate, and the captain announces we are being held for at least 30 minutes because of Florida weather.

It turns out to be only 20. The New York skyline is shrouded with smog and haze. Soon we reach cruising altitude in scattered light clouds.

We have a window and a center seat instead the 2 seat configuration we originally booked. Seated next to me are two dogs and their owner. So far well behaved. Definitely a first for me. Not service dogs but some breed of spaniel I think. They look like they are drugged.

Our flight is smooth as the pilot manuvers around the storms. We eventually approach Orlando from the south.

An easy exit from the plane and we head to baggage claim for our luggage. We wait and wait. Luggage for many passengers but not us. Delta sent it to a different carousel and no one knew it.

Finally back home I turn the water and water heater back on. Laundry can wait until tomorrow.

Two weeks  we are headed to Greenland. Not on Cunard.

Aug 22 - Last Sea Day

The Queen crusies so smoothly, the state of the seas matters little. Today they are under 10 feet.

It is a beautiful sunny day and many passengers enjoy the sun. 

Today are the final presentations from all the speakers, and the last classical piano concert.

Our luggage tags and disembarkation instructions are delivered to the cabin. Very specific. Go directly to the gangway from your cabin at 8:20. No earlier. No announcements will be made. Our luggage tags are Red 1. Most signage says luggage must be out by 5:00, in the fine print it says between 5:00 and 11:00.

We pack, but won't put the luggage out until after dinner. Never know when I will need a clean shirt.

Baked chicken for dinner was edible, more than can be said for many offerings on Cunard.

Just after we are seated for dinner whale spouts and breaching whales are spotted several hundred yards off the starboard side of the ship. We immeadiately slow to 10 knots to lessen the chance of a "whale of a collision".

In all, probably 100 different whales are spotted. Everyone in the dining troom is excited at the spottings including the staff. Pretty easy to watch, but a little too far for pictures.

Final show, and final jazz sets in the chart room. We set our clocks back an hour at 2:00 AM.  Personally I feel the 2 AM change is easier to deal with than the noon time change, but acknowledge how it was done is probably easiest for the crew.

With the added hour, there is no need to set an alarm. We will arrive in New York just before sunrise.

Wed Aug 21 - At Sea

The seas have dropped to 5 or 6 feet at most. The skies are mostly clear, and the air temperatures are in the mid 70's.

Today is another quiet day, and I am going to reflect on the past month on the Queen Mary 2. Usally a task that is relegated until several days after returning home.

First the ship.

The Queen is just over 20 years old. In design she is quite elegant, much in the design of even older cruise ships. Dark wood, chandeliers, plush carpet, plush furnishings.

The public spaces are abundant, with many nooks and crannies with seating spaces to read, play cards, build a jigsaw puzzle or just watch the ocean go by.

The main theater is just forward of midship. Foward of the main theater is the Planetarium, a smaller theater often used for movies and presentations. The seating is spacious and it is easy to pass in front of seated passengers to reach interior seating. Neither theater has seating with obstructed views.

The grand lobby, stretches 2 decks. Often a place with relaxing music, either live harpist, violinist or the player grand piano. 

Two promenades stretch from the theater to the main dining rooms. Never crowded, large sculptured panels cover the walls.

There are several lounge areas, often with live music in the evening, on decks 2, 3, and 7 and 9.

Her design has led to many areas being accessible only by following a twisted passageway and navigating stairs. Many of the decks don't quite align and there is a short transition ramp where least expected. She is a mobility challenge. I think I have only seen 1 or 2 mobility scooters on this trip. Rather unique at sea, one gentlemen had an electric powered 2 wheeled scooter. Requires less space, but operator balancing skills and agility are essential.

A feature unique to the queen is a large library with thousands of books carefully organized as well as any library you have ever visited. The main difference, glass doors to prevent books from ever crashing to the floor.

Throughout the ship there are many large photographic murals. Unfortunately the photographic paper was not properly pcocessed and most are badly faded as a result.

There are several small outdoor pools and the main inside pool on the upper decks. Not heavily used on this voyage.

There are a few areas restricted to higher "classes" of passengers. A couple of sun decks and a small pool, and of course a restaurant and concierge lounge.

The buffet and a large lounge along with specialty dining are on deck 7. A unique location that makes a lot of sense. Half the passengers must go up, the other half down. The muster stations are also here, higher than on many ships.

The queens room, essentially a large ballroom is located on deck 3 aft. 

For her age, she is in good condition, but I can not say Cunard is on top of maintenance. There are 3 elevators in stairwell 4 near the aft of the ship just steps from our cabin. 1 has been out of service since we boarded. Often 1 or both of the remaining lifts aren't working either. I think I have called the front desk on 4 different occasions when none of the elevators were functioning.

Unique to QM2, she has a kennel for those that must take their small pet with them.

Being designed as an ocean liner, she definitely is much smoother than cruise ships, especially in 20 foot seas.

The passengers.

As is always the case, the demographics change each time new passengers embark. Even though I purchased this as 1 cruise, we changed many passengers each time we were in Southampton and Hamburg.

Though not true it felt like everyone that boarded in Southampton and especially Hamburg came on board sick.

Many passengers, like myself, were first timers for Cunard. Others had cruised her many times over the year. On average an older crowd, but there have been some children on each segment. All are well behaved. 

Certainly not a party ship. Many passengers wear jackets in the evening. I only menton this as we all have told someone "no one will notice if your wear xxx again". Well not true, especially if your shirt is red, white, blue, orange and black strips and you sit at the same bar every night. 5 nights in a row and counting.

Slacks and collared shirts are required for men in most venues after 6. Appears to not be enforced in the dining room, but definitely is in the Chart Room  bar.

Communications.

Like many ships, a daily program is published. Left in the cabin each night. Published in both English and German versions,  and possibly other languages.

The app is very clunky and outdated. Reservations don't work proprly. Android version doesn't work at all.

Daily announcements are limited to a navigation update at noon. That is all you get. No reminders of bingo or other sales opportunities.

Starlink internet seems to be rock solid.

Passengers complain that the front desk can't seem to address any issues. I agree to the extent that the only issue I took to them was my app not working and was told if it quits on Android, it can't be fixed.

The staff.

The staff is very good, but not outwardly friendly as on most ships. The only staff person to identify himself was our cabin steward.

Much of the staff has worked for Cunard for many years. For example, Joey, our cabin steward has been with Cunard for 25 years. Our waiter almost as long.

As with all the cruise lines they work very hard long hours.

Food.

I can't rate the food quality any higher than a C-. Royal, Celebrity, Holland all serve better. Where Cunard does well is availability. In addition to the dining rooms and Kings Court Buffet, lunch is also available in some of the lounges. We never have been unable to find a seat in the buffet. Room service is available all day.

They also serve afternoon tea throughout the ship. 3 hours more work for the entire food staff.

I have always found the bar service good, but the quality of drinks leaves something to be desired. Many drinks are under poured. On the plus side, bar snacks are usually available for the asking. Different at each location. The best are the thick "crisps" served in the pub.

Entertainment

Unlike the other lines, entertainment follows a pretty fixed schedule. Main show at 8:15 and 10:15 every night. No having to ask servers to rush your dinner so you can make a show. The ships singers and dancers have many shows, so they are not repeated each week.

For the most part the headliners are top quality, experts in their fields.

A tidbit that just occured to me. In no case does the music in one venue spill over into another. Primarily a result of the ships design. Before losing them, the only venue that I used my ear plugs was in the main theater.

Would I sail the queen again? Probably only if the itinerary were the reason. I don't think I would sail her just for a cruise.

The weather and seas continue to improve. Tomorrow is our last sea day, and also packing day.

Tue Aug 20 - At Sea

The seas remain at about 10 feet or less throughout the night. The air temperature this morning rises to the high 70's. The skies are broken clouds with lots of sun.

At 9:30 there is a training drill for the crew. Our cabin steward is not happy. Not only will the drill add several hours to his long work day, the simulated fire in a cabin two doors down the hall from us will also mean more work for him in restoring the cabin to normal after the drill.

Ship evacuation exercises for today are cancelled due to the weather conditions.

The seas increase to 6 to 8 meters, and the wind is beaufort 9, (50 mph) almost directly on our bow.  Yes there is a difference in how this ocean liner cuts through the water and a cruise ship plows thru the seas. This ship is very stable and rides very smoothly despite the rough seas.

The captain choses to take us on a rhumb line course  to New York instead of a great circle route. While a little longer in distance, this took us further to the south of huricane Ernesto.

During the afternoon the seas begin to subside.

Today's best program is a preentation by sculptor Douwe Blumberg on his building the 40 foot golden spike monument for Utah. Completed earlier this year, the park is not open yet commemorating the completion on the transcontinental railroad. The gold leafed "spike" will be visible for miles once the park is opened.

Since we boarded in New York he has been working on a sculpture everyday on the ship for passengers to observe his technique and progress.

The sirloin steaks served for dinner should have been labeled "tough grilled beef". It was difficult to cut, and impossible to chew. No not just our opinion but also of the couple seated next to us. All of us ordered it and had the same experience. Lots of fish food from our table.

Overall, with a few exceptions, Cunard gets a C- for food quality. Definitely below Royal, Celebrity and Holland.

They finally have Bamboo Saphire gin back in the Chart Room. It has taken 3 or 4 days to make it from storage to the bars.

The seas have calmed substantially. This evening we pass just north of where the Titantic rests.

Mon Aug 19 - Sea Day

Our clocks were set back another hour last night. Sleeping past 6 AM is getting difficult. It is sunny and warm today with temperatures in the low 70's. One of the few sunny days we have seen on this trip.

There are several of the Cunard Insights speakers that I want to hear today.

Mike Dawson talks about his life long adventures rowing across the Atlantic ocean multiple times, and his attempt to row across the Pacific single handed and failing, and having to be rescued after his boat capsized and sunk.  

He attempted the journey again with Chris Martin, and this time succeded in the 6 month challenge. Until this day, no one else has matched his feat.

Baroness Floetta Benjamin has been an advocate for childen her entire life. Immigrating from the Carribean at the age of 10, she was a children's TV program host for many years, author, and now politician in the UK she is a well known and respected and has received some of the highest civilian recognitons.

Professor Bridget Buxton series is about underwater archeology. She has led the research that resulted in her discovering dozens of ship wrecks around the world, the byproduct of developing the mythology to accurately predict where old ship wrecks are likely to be found.

Too much brain food for one day, I skip Lt. Col. Graham Jones presentation. Now retired, he was the director for all the military bands that played for ceremonies for the UK.

It is sunny most of the day. The captain is predicting gale force winds for Tuesday with 18 to 25 foot seas. Today the seas are slight, about 6 feet.

Scilian chicken for dinner was one of better meals. Tender. Juicy, and flavorful.

Tonights show is singer Peter Howarth, lead singer for "The Hollies", and West End star of The Roy Orbinson Story. An excellent performance.

An hour of Jazz after the show. We again turn our clocks back an hour. Sadly only a few days remaining on this journey.

Aug 18 - Sea Day

The seas have calmed a little overnight. The ship is still creaking and groaning, but the roll is less.

The skies are partly cloudy at daybreak, but by noon time we are in solid but not heavy fog. Visibility is about 100 yards.

The fog comes and goes throughout the remainder of the day.

The usual daytime offerings. Trivia, dance classes, classical piano concerts, guest choir rehersal, 3 or 4 enrichment speakers if you care to enrich your brain, and other activites.

Cunard has helped with my bar bill. Still no Bamboo Saphire or Beefeater gin in the Lion pub or Chartroom. I will probably stick to club soda for the remainder of the cruise.

Pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon is much better than the beef tenderloin was yesterday.  

The entertainment tonight is a british comedian. I listen for a few minutes and move on. 

It is "Big Band" night in the Queens Room. There are some good dancers, but not as many or as good as two weeks ago. One of the two vocalists is new, she is from Holland, and again not as good as the previous singer.

We remain on the same course and have averaged over 22 knots since leaving Southampton. The skies are cloudy with some fog, and the seas are about 10 feet.

We set our clocks back another hour tonight.

Aug 17 - Sea Day

For the next 7 days after leaving Southampton we will be in the North Atlantic as we head to New York, our final port of call on the Queen Mary 2.

The seas are relatively calm with some 10 to 15 foot swells on our port side. They peak about dinner time. More than a few passengers are feeling uncomfortable as the ship rolls a few degrees. We are also keeping an eye on hurricane Ernesto. Currently it is on a path to pass to the North of our course. I am sure the captain will adust our route if needed. We are currently cruising at about 22 knots, 10 percent faster than our easterly crossing.

The passengers at the adjoining table never return after their first night in Hamburg. Others are seated there each night 30 to 45 minutes after everyone else. Overflow from open dining.

An excellent speaker today shares stories about his adventures rowing across the Atlantic and the Pacific in a rowboat. Unfortunately the procector sytem isn't woring so he is unable to share pictures. I have no qualms about being at sea, but alone in a 21 foot row boat for 186 days? I am sure I will attend his other presentations.

I spend a few hours talking with Buzz and Barbara from Ocala. They have cruised on Cunard many times, the first time on the QM2 20 years ago. In the day if your jacket wasn't the correct shade of black you were banned from the dining room and other pubic spaces after 6 PM.

They are so disappointed with the decline in service and quality they have decided they will never sail Cunard again, preferring Crystal and other upscale lines.

Tonight is another gala night, the red and gold ball. Definitely a different group of passengers from our crossing of 2 weeks ago. I'll just say yes, there were tee shirts and shorts in the dining room for dinner, and no they were not kids but mature adults.

The beef fillet was so tough I was unable to chew it. What a difference 2 weeks can make.

The singers and dancers present an excellent show tonight. So far they have done different shows each night. Something I have not seen since my world cruise years ago on Holland America's M S Amsterdam.

For some unknown reason they have the main entrance to the Chartroom roped off when we head there for jazz. At first I thought maybe a private function, but no. We were allowed in and found our seats at the bar. I thought that maybe it was to control access for only those that were properly dressed, but once I looked around the room it was obvious that was not the reason either. An unsolved mystery. Maybe they were keeping people out until we were seated.

The music is enjoyable as usual. The crowd is definitely louder than what it has been.

No time change tonight. The ship has a gentle roll and creaks and groans with the swells as we call it a night.

Tomorrow is another sea day.

Aug 16 - Southampton

We arrive and are secured to the dock by 7:00 AM. The skies are clear and sunny with a high of 75 expected by noon time.

We take the double decker shuttle bus to the West Quay shopping center.

The Celebrity Apex and a Disney ship are also berthed here today.

The mall is 4 floors of about 150 shops and restaurants. Yes, we find the Lego store. Steve Rebiz had a request for some Lego items. Some of his requested items are not available here, I choose something for him with no guess if it is what he sked for.

We enjoy a lite lunch and begin our trip back to the ship. After a half hour wait the bus arrives, and then takes 35 minutes driving around in circles to return to the pier. Lynn insists she could have walked back in 15. I admit it may have only taken me 30.

Enroute there are many passengers walking towards the pier with luggage in tow. A seldom sight at US docks. Getting back on the ship is fairly quick. Technically being the first day for many passengers there are white gloved uniformed staff members guiding passengers and calling elevators.

Newspapers are being sold in one of the lobby main hallways. A cunard touch.

The kennels are in use again with 19 dogs and 2 cats making the trip to New York. The kennels have not been in use since we arrived in Southampton 2 weeks ago. I have no clue as to the dog fare.

Our usual stop at the Lion Pub before dinner. Major disaster! They have run out of Bombay gin and also Beefeater gin. Hopefully a new supply was part of the many truckloads of provisons loaded today. I will know tomorrow.

There are several new staff members in the dining room, but ours remain. Service timing was good for a turnaround day.

What was not good, was that I was served the wrong meal. I couldn't tell by appearance and had just said to Lynn that I didn't know what it was, it didn't taste like anything I expected. Just then our waiter hurried to the table all apologetic. He swapped out my plate for what I ordered and the evening went on.

There are always a few things that don't go exactly as planned. For example the door knob fell off the inside of my cabin door the other morning. Quickly fixed after a call to the desk. 

One elevator has been out of service since boarding 3 weeks ago. The shower drains, but slowly. Several passengers complain of no hot water. HVAC control is poor. The cabin is often too hot or too cold. The hallways on deck 4 are extremly cold. But overall considering this ship is over 20 years old, she is in fairly good shape.

We have a new captain and a new entertainment director. Neither were announced , the change just happened.

The entertainment tonight is a violin player. Very talented even though it would not be my first choice in musical entertainment.

We forgo jazz, and give the bars a chance to restock. Tonight we set our clocks back, the second of many such adjustments we will make on our way back to New York.

 

Aug 15 - At Sea

Today is a sea day as we go from Hamburg, across the southern edge of the North Sea, through the Dover straights and head towards Southampton off the English Channel.

There is a fair amount of commercial ship traffic, mostly oil tankers. We pass numerous wind farms.

There just isn't much of interest going on today. Several runs of the show in the planetarium. No thanks. A repeat of "how to survive a trip to mars". It becomes just a very relaxing day.

The weather remains mixed. Some sun, some rain, mostly overcast and cloudy.

The seas probably peak at 12 to 15 feet midday, almost directly on our bow. The Queen takes the beating in stride keeping her decks perfectly stable for her passengers.

Many passengers are missing from the dining room tonight. I have no guess as to why, just the passenger dynamics of day to day cruise life. 

1400 passengers need to pack today and have luggage out by 5:00 pm in anticipation of disembarkation in Southampton tomorrow.

The show tonight is spectacular. A husband and wife team of extraodinary gymnastic skills. Strength, coordination, and skill are spectacular, with artistic painting thrown in to provide them with a rest fom the physical demands of performing.

The Chart Room is packed, the busiest I have seen it. Three pillows and my back almost touches the back of the chair. Our usual bar stools were all filled. 

Tonight we set our clocks back 1 hour during the night.

Tomorrow we are in Southampton where we refuel, reprovision, and change about half of our passenger manifest.

The weather is forecast to be sunny and reaching a high of the mid 70's.

Aug 14 -Hamburg, Germany

Roughly 1,000 passengers will be disembarking today and 1000 new ones will be taking their place. The plan was to take the shuttle bus to city center and browse the stores.

My son in law Steve had requested some specific legos that are not easy to find in the US.

The forecast for today varied from hot, sunny with extreme heat to severe storms with flash flooding depending on the forecast source. Unfortunately the later was more accurate. A band of storms moved over Hamburg from about 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Sorry Steve, considering the probability of walking in the rain we thought it most prudent to remain on the ship today and nurture our cold recovery.

Especially in the morning the ship was pretty void of passengers. I spend several hours in the library catching up with my blog. 

Normally we expect the buffet to be jamed on a boarding day. Not today. It is mostly empty. Probably a byproduct of all aboard being 7:00 PM.

What we have on board in abundance today is many special guests.

There is a contingency of government officials from the Hamburg mayor's office, several groups of what appear to be travel agents, a film crew from Holland, and a local TV news crew.

A cabin steward is asked by a manager to verify a cabin is "perfect". The Commodors lounge is reserved for a "private function". Tables are extra carefully arranged in Kings Court. 

Of course the guests are given no information in advance. Only by asking questions we learn that the QM2 is celebrating 20 years of service to Hamburg.

The group of travel agents being given a guided tour of the ship provided one of the funniest moments of the day. They were a group of about 15. On deck 12, they were headed to deck 3.  They start packing into elevator car 1. It goes into overload.  It takes a few minutes for them to realize what is happening. When they do, they start filing out of the car and filing into the adjacent car 2.

By the time they are all packed in, it too goes into overload. Experienced elevator passengers by now, it only takes 20 seconds this time for them to realize what is happening.

Of course car 1 is now empty, and the overload condition has automatically reset.

So what do you do? One by one they exit car 2 and all get into car 1. Yes, every one of them.

After it goes into overload, again, they finally figure out that maybe they shouldn't all pack into single car and should split into smaller groups.

I stand back and chuckle. I'll wait for a less crowded lift.

By 4:30 the rain has stopped. We go to the pub a little earlier today. Our first encounter with a couple of passengers that obvoiously "bought the package", drink package that is. Loud and obnoxious, residents of Miami they boarded today and are headed to New York. Unfortunately I am confident our paths will cross again.

The captain makes an announcement that during tonights sailaway the ship will go upriver past the center of Hamburg, turnaround and then head downriver to the North Sea in celebration of 20 years calling here. Now we officially know why all the special guests.

We decide we will skip tonights show and participate in the sailaway instead.

Anticipating the dining room will be a little more hectic tonight, we are seated right on time. Two ladies are seated next to us. From Germany, they are headed to New York. Only one of them speaks english. Both are in our age group. Neither have ever been on a cruise ship before. The first cruising question. Is it safe to drink the water?

The ship is untied at 8:00 PM.

Surrounded by many tourist boats, we head upriver. Many thousands of people line the shore to watch. People are everywhere to catch a glimpse of the queen. Private boats, and tour boats, building balconies and rooftops are crowded. Two tugs assist to make sure no paint is accidently scratched during this celebratory event. Trump would be jealous if he saw the crowds, and then he would proclaim they were all generated with AI.

The publicity detour takes about an hour and a half. The sun has set as we pass our original berth and head down the Elbe river.

We head to the chartroom for some Jazz. The band is waiting for us to arrive. No guests are here, all delayed by the sail away activites.

Our favorite bar tender is tickled to be filmed by the film crew, possibly to be in Cunards future marketing. Over the next 30 minutes the room fills with guests.

As the moon relects across the water we head northerly to the North Sea on our way to Southampton.

Aug 13 - North Sea

Today is a sea day as we head south towards Hamburg, Germany. The seas calm as we get further south. The weather is mixed - rain, thunderstorms, partly cloudy, fog, and almost some sun at various times during the day.

A presentation on the evidence supporting the existance of dark matter is presented in laymen's terms, but sparsley attended.

Today we get to see a presentation in the planetarium. There is no description, but we have 3:00 PM reservations. Seating is limited to about 150 or so for the reclining seats directly under the dome.

I must say probably the biggest disappointment in weeks. Not a "planetarium" presentation at all, but 30 minutes of loud nondescript music with crude computer generated graphics projected onto the planetarium dome analogous to what you would see in a $5 kids kalidescope.

After the show I was in an elevator with an English couple that were softly and discretly discussing how bad the show was with the expectation that I could not hear them. I couldn't resist saying "yes, it was terrible". They both laughed and said out loud "it was horrible".

We change for dinner and head to The Lion Pub as usual. Sometimes I just have a club soda or diet coke. Other nights I may have a gin and club soda.  Tonight it will be gin. A double to be more precise.

We have all experienced having a beverage spilled on us. Once on The Amsterdam I had a waitress spill a full glass of red wine on me while having dinner with the officers. Red wine in my hair and all of my clothing including my socks. Yes Holland dry cleaned my suit and everything else.

I seldom drink red wine, maybe this is why.

Our regular waiter  places our large glasses on the table. I pick mine up to take take a sip. Suddenly I am drenched as if someone threw a bucket of water on me. What happened? Did a waiter trip? Did a fire sprinkler activate? No. The bottom om my glass fell off just as I was ready to take a sip.

12 ounces of gin, club soda, and ice and I was soaked. The staff was dismayed as much as I was.

Fortunately a dripping walk back to the cabin is all it takes to get cleaned up with all fresh clothes including dry shoes. Returning to the pub I find a dry chair and a new beverage awaiting my arrival. Obviously the glass was broken, but was waiting to separate at the most opportune moment.

Was an offer made to have my clothes cleaned? Was a verbal apology offered? No! Nothing except the waiter saying he has never seen that happen before.

Probably I was charged for the replacement drink, but I wont know that for a few days.

We still make it to the dining room on time. Peking duck is my best choice. Despite getting our order in promptly, service is quite slow tonight. I guess it is just not my day.

Entertainment tonight is two brothers from Scotland that sing and play guitar and accordian. Very good. Most interesting when they speak, their accent is quite heavy, but when they sing songs by american artists they exhibit no accent because they had learned the material by listening to the original artist.

The worst of the cold I acquired a few days ago is behind me. But as to be expected Lynn's is getting worse.

Tommorrow we arrive in Hamburg. The weather forecast is for extreme heat and sunny all day. We do not have a tour, but plan to take the shuttle into the center of town. We have a Lego request from my son inlaw.

Aug 12 Bergen, Norway

Bergen is one of the largest ports in Europe. It is also the wetest city in Europe with rain 240 days a year on average. Fortunately I don't always go with average, and today the weather in Bergen is absolutely fabulous. Bright sun, 70 degrees with a light breeze. The nicest day they have had in Bergen in weeks.

The port is very busy with container ships and ferry boats docked right next to us.  There are 3 cruise ships in port, I think the only port in Norway that can accomodate more than 1 ship at a time.

Our tour today is a short city tour followed by a gondola ride to the top of a mountain for a view of the city and harbor.  Again we have many German passengers on the wrong bus, but today they are in luck. Our tour guide, from Italy, speaks german as well. After asking permission of the english speaking guests, she also does her thing in german.

Like everywhere else in Norway, the city is very clean. Despite tourists from three cruise ships, nothing is crowded. The views are spectacular, the included pastry delicious.

The ship is pretty empty when we return so we decide to do a little laundry. In the process a mising pair of sock is found in the laundry room.

One of the things I have learned about the dining room is that if we show up about 3 minutes early, we are the first served and the dinner process is much more prompt. Since Lynn has preordered her dinner, and I rarely have any more than the main entree, ordering quickly is easy, and appreciated by the waiter.

Tonights show is another production show by the singers and dancers. Being a formal night, everyone is properly dressed. If your not, you can't go to the dining room and many of the venues. So far, the singers and dancers have put on 2 shows each week without repeating a show. I'll be interested to see what happens during the passage to Southampton and New York.

Shortly after we return to the ship, the engines stop and all power shuts down unexpectedly. No panic, no announcements. After about 10 minutes the bridge acknowledges there has been a failure, and the crew is looking into it.  Within 15 minutes power is restored. No further explanation.

A server later tells  us that this is really a very common occurance on this ship.  Maybe the Queen is showing her age more than we realize. The only previous time I had experienced a total power failure on a ship is when it was done deliberately to test the backup systems. Are there backup systems here? I don't know.

Our evening routine has become very predictable. Dress for the evening, pre dinner cocktail in The Lion Pub, dinner, main show in the theater, Jazz set in the chart room.

The seas are moderate in the North Sea. Tomorrow will be  a sea day.

Aug 11 - Olden, Norway

During the night the winds picked up in the North Sea.The entrance to Nordfjord is treacherous and the captain was very concerned if we would be able to make a safe passage and make our way to Olden. 

He did a good job and we arrive safely. Olden is a very small town of 1000 residents. Walk off the ship and you are in the center of the town. The scenery is georgeous.

Our tour today is about an hour's bus ride and then a boat cruise on the Geriangerfjord, one of the most scenic in Norway. The road is very narrow but traffic is almost non existant. When we meet a bus from the other direction the driver must slow and run with half the bus on the shoulder.  The countryside is pretty, small farms, rugged terrain with many waterfalls.

Fuel is very expensive here, about 8 or 9 USD per gallon. Many vehicles are electric, and the country is on goal to be fossil fuel free by 2035. Much of the power is generated by small hydroelectric plants, most of which are totally concealed from view.

It rains on and off most of the way. Cunard has organized most tours into english speaking and german speaking. Unfortunately those instructions must have been in english as many non english speaking germans wind up on the english tour.

The fjord is picturesque. There are many waterfalls, with more than the usual amounts of water due to all the recent rain. The water originates from the melting glaciers and lakes in the mountains. The catermaran carries about 150 passengers, it is nearly full with just a few empty seats inside. We are all treated to a belgian waffle and a cup of coffee. The rain comes and goes.

Back on the bus we are the last of three busses to leave, but we are short one passenger. Anxious calls to the tour office and it is thought he may be on one of the other busses. We leave regardless.

Shortly at a photostop overlooking the fjord we are treated to a rainbow. The other busses are already there and it is confirmed the missing passenger is on the other bus. Of course the other busses leave long before ours, as three passengers consistantly can't seem to get back to the bus on time. 

The driver isn't quite sure where the tour is supposed to go, and the guide needs to keep directing him. A few more unscheduled stops. The ship starts calling us when we haven't arrived at our scheduled time. The tour guide cares less and says we are on the way and will be there in a few minutes. 25 would have been more accurate. Overall it was a good tour for a drizzly foggy day.

Back on the ship with 30 minutes to spare before sailaway.

Dining room food continues to be good. Service overall is excellent. 

Anna-Jane Cassey a very talented singer from London is half of our show today. Probably one of the most professional and talented perfomers I have encountered on a ship. She has be continuously employed in theater her entire career.

Tonight we depart for Bergen, our next port of call.

Aug 9 & 10 Alesund & Andalsnes, Norway

The weather in Aselund is just as forecast. Cloudy, foggy, and rainy most of the day. We stay on the ship as we have no excursion planned and just to go walk in the rain doesn't make much sense.

Overnight we cruise to Andalsnes. This is a tender port. Cunard uses at least 4 lifeboats as tenders. The weather is party sunny, little fog, and just a few showers. The best weather they have had here in quite awile. Originally I had booked a train excursion here, but it was cancelled by the Railroad due to high demand from local passengers as a major road through the valley has been closed by rock slides.

Our bus trip takes us along part of the route that the railroad would have. The scenery is spectacular. Snow still sits at some of the higher elevations. We stop at a local lodge for "coffee and cake"  Actually the "cake" was excellent apple pie and ice cream. Just what everyone should have at 9:30 AM.

Several stops to see old bridges and waterfalls. Very scenic and uncrowded. Of course the "trolls" are a big part of the tourist attraction.

Just about as the last tender returns to the ship, it begins to rain. 

I  have probably caught a cold from the hackers and the inconsistent heat and cold throughout the ship. I forgo the dining room and have dinner in the buffet to minimize me spreading anything to those around me.

Tonight will be TV in the cabin, a lot of rest, and hopefully I will feel better in time for our noontime tour tomorrow.

We head back out to the North Sea and head to Olden tomorrow.

No sunset to see tonight, the ship is shrouded in fog.