Queen Mary

July 21, 2009

Everyone wants to know what the "Queen Mary II" is like.
Well, it's like a floating pleasure palace, or perhaps like a floating Dollywood only larger. Not exactly garish, but then not altogether refined, it was built to satisfy the panoply of American tastes and I would hazard that it succeeded.

It is unbelievably huge. I can't tell you whether we were at the bow or the stern because I could never figure out which way we were going. but we were at one end and to get to my bridge lessons at the other end, I would jog down the companion way at top speed allowing 13 minutes for the trip, all the while being careful not to cripple an unsuspecting old lady or a working steward.

This boat is so huge, it ties up at a Brooklyn pier made for an aircraft carrier! This boat is so huge that it never lists and only slightly rolls in a 20 knot gale in which the lowest portholes may be splashed while children [and I], frolic in one of the several rather small swimming pools.

It creates a tremendous wake that can be seen for miles and turns whales upside down. It really is a bridge from New York to Southampton across which travel 2000 passengers, and 1000 servants from all over the non English speaking globe. Passage requires about 15 minutes, but Cunard stretches it to 6 nights to maximize casino returns and let the passengers think they've sailed the ocean blue which is really green.

We followed the circle path of the Titanic to conserve fuel, but never passed an iceberg. If we had, we would have looked down upon it and had we collided, it would have been equal to running over an ice cube--of which countless were produced on board to help slake the unquenchable thirst of all of us alchoholics who populated the 7 bars and hundreds of dinner tables.

Yes , the tables were elegant and the fare excellent--including the wines. [All of France must be hard at work just to supply the demands of this queen!] The wait staff was excellent and all of them smiled--at least when they were meeting our individual requirements.
Our table mates were an Austrailian couple--both doctors--both very pleasant--both amended every statement with a series of "Yea, yea,yeas".

An exclusive 500 got to shake hands at the Captain's Dinner. He is a jolly, bleary eyed, white haired man who says amusing things over the loud speaker, voyage after voyage and gets paid who knows how much for looking the friendly Irish seaman. I travelled to the largest bridge of any ship ever built a number of times. Never was he seen there.

For Suzi, the highlight of the trip, perhaps of her life, was attending in Theatre 3, the musician James Taylor and entourage playing on and on, for a couple of hours.

[Chapt. 2 when I am next inspired--which may well be a long, long time]

"Ennalls II"

Posted by Chris. Buy hand dryers!