Day 2 on QM2 – High Tea and the Red and Gold Gala

Morning on Queen Mary 2

“Watching a coast as it slips by the ship is like thinking about an enigma. There it is before you, smiling, growing, inviting grant, mean, insipid, or savage, and always mute with an air of whispering, ‘Come and find out’.”

Joseph Conrad

We woke on our first full morning at sea to the gentle, steady motion of the ship. The rhythm of the waves, the hum of the engines, and the sense of forward motion combined into a kind of oceanic contentment. Overnight, the Queen Mary 2 had slipped free of land entirely.

Our stateroom TV indicated it was foggy, overcast, and 10 °C outside with slight seas and a southerly wind of force 6 on the Beaufort scale. We were also informed of the apparent wind speed (26 knots), which is the relative wind speed we feel on the exposed decks when combining the true wind and the ship's course and speed.

In simpler terms, it was cold, damp, and wet outside. Thoroughly Atlantic weather.

Promenade Stroll

Stepping out of our cabin, we did not take the most direct route to breakfast in the Britannia Restaurant. As we were still finding our way around the ship, we ventured outside onto the promenade deck.

Stepping out the doors, the air was sharp, salty, and the visibility was reduced to a few hundred meters by thick enveloping fog. The ocean appeared less like a vast expanse and more like a wall of grey. Without land to orient us, it was actually strangely disorienting – we might well have been on a vast inland lake or the middle of a mountain valley.

Around us, and regardless of the wet morning, passengers were already walking laps, some in coordinated clusters, some athletically marching, and others simply strolling.

Beyond the passengers, the crew were resetting the deck chairs, aligning them with mathematical precision, placing thick blue cushions to sit on, wiping down handrails, scrubbing the decks and painting spots of corrosion on the superstructure. Even in the fog, the choreography of the ship continued.

We ultimately walked several slow circuits of QM2 – rushing down the cooler windy side of the vessel and enjoying the alternative slightly warmer side. Moving and stretching our legs felt great, as did getting used to the feel of the outside of the ship.

Breakfast in Britannia

Afterwards, we made our way down to the dining room for breakfast. Initially, we were a little shocked to see a short queue outside the Britannia Restaurant. For a moment, we wondered if we had misunderstood some onboard protocol. Yet within a few short minutes, a steward directed us to a table on the lower of two floors in the vast space.

In short order, we were seated at an elegant table, napkins were unfolded and placed on our laps, china wear was adjusted, a plate with tiny pots of jams were set down. Then, as one server turned away, another arrived, providing us with the morning menu and brought strong coffee and orange juice to get us started.

We were again presented with a variety of options to begin with, ranging from fresh fruit salad to hot or cold cereals to pastries and croissants from the onboard bakery to fresh cheese platters. The entrees included freshly cooked omelets made to order, grilled Scottish kippers, and pancakes, among other things. Sean chose a ham and cheese omelette, while I settled on the avocado toast, which featured crushed avocado, a poached egg, lime, chilli, and vine-ripened tomatoes on sourdough toast.

While breakfast at sea is certainly quieter than evening dinners. Being more casual, with less ceremony, it remained utterly refined and wonderful. Around us conversations were subdued but friendly – a mixture of English and German accents predominated.

Notes from the Navigator and Daily Program Activities

The meal was delicious, and left us feeling energized and ready to both explore the ship and attend some of the day’s events. According to the daily program, titled “At Sea, En route to Southampton”...

“After passing under the Verrazano Bridge and safely disembarking our harbour pilot at Sandy Hook Pilot Station, Queen Mary 2 altered her course due east and entered the traffic separation schemes leading away from the outer limits of the port of New York. We continued this easterly heading for the remainder of the night and into the morning as we made our way towards the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic.”

While utterly beyond our control, there was something reassuring about these formal phrases. They seemed to anchor our course in geography that was unfamiliar to us. Even in fog, amid a vast ocean, we were precisely somewhere. Better yet the captain and crew knew where that somewhere was.

Inside the daily program were lists of potential activities that passengers could enjoy for the day. Today, some of the selections that caught our eye were :

10:15 AM - Cunard Insight Talk : Seth Gopin – Art History
11:15 AM - Ballroom Dance Class with Yevhen and Daria
1:15 PM - Cunard Insight Talk : Dr. Sue Bowler – Astronomy
2:00 PM - Classical Concert : Mark Ashford
3:30 PM - Afternoon Tea with the Harmony String Trio
8:45 PM - Red & Gold Gala Night

Wandering and Exploring

Leaving Britannia, we strolled down the hall into the Grand Lobby, which was, unexpectedly, crowded. Apparently, it was the result of a diamond sale which had produced a long line of people. A firm reminder that time on board unfolds – sometimes very differently – for different passengers.

As shopping was not our interest, we stepped back outside and took another walk around the promenade. The fresh sea air was really quite chilly, although thankfully it wasn't raining too hard at the time. 

We had been curious whether it was possible to see land off the port side, but we were still sailing through dense fog and visibility was still limited. 

It was a strange sensation, gliding smoothly across the ruffled grey waters in a completely isolated bubble. An air of mystery pervaded, and it felt like we were sailing into the unknown.

Shifting Perspectives

Walking around the ship on the promenade deck, my mind wandered.

The ocean is interesting. When you stand near the shoreline at home, you believe you can “smell the sea” - the sharp tang of salt, the heavy scent of seaweed, the familiar coastal mixture of sand and the tide. I had assumed that being out in the middle of the Atlantic would simply intensify that experience.

But the fact is that it doesn’t. Out on the ocean, you come to realize that on shore, the “smell of the sea” is actually seaweed rotting on land. The scents of the ocean, as experienced on land, are those of the coastal transition zone...not those of the ocean itself.

In many ways, you don’t see the ocean until you are on it.   More than seventy percent of the planet is ocean. Yet most of us live as though land is the whole story. We imagine the sea from the edge – one defined by harbours, breakwaters, and coastlines. Mid-Atlantic, the illusions and assumptions dissolve.

Dance Lessons

To warm up, we stepped back inside and found our way to the Queen’s Room. Here I joined in the Cha Cha lessons underway. Sean declined, preferring to observe rather than participate, so I joined the large group of passengers learning steps under the high ceilings of the ballroom.

The session was led by two energetic Ukrainian instructors – both were athletic, precise, and clearly accustomed to teaching beginners who were far more enthusiastic than coordinated. The dance floor filled quickly. Couples formed with varying degrees of confidence, and those without partners improvised.

Without a steady partner of my own, I rotated between two Asian women who, as it turned out, were dance instructors themselves. Their patience and quiet guidance made the steps easier to follow. Don’t get me wrong, I was still horrid at dancing but I enjoyed myself regardless.

Captain’s Noon Announcement

Today we were introduced to an on-board tradition, the ringing of the bell in the Grand Lobby and the Captain’s Noon Hour announcement, a daily ritual that we enjoy and appreciate. Here, passengers paused along the upper walkways and gathered near the central staircase to watch the ceremony and listen as the Captain’s Noon announcement began.

Each day, the Captain shares our position, speed, weather conditions, and a few small anecdotes about the voyage. On this particular afternoon, we learned that we were approximately 110 kilometres south of Nova Scotia and roughly 100 kilometres east of the United States, steadily making our way eastward across the Atlantic. He also announced that tonight we will also be experiencing our first time change of the crossing, as the ship adjusts to the advancing longitude.

Apparently, the tradition of the Captain’s Noon Report dates back to celestial navigation, when noon - the moment the sun reached its highest point - allowed navigators to calculate latitude using sextants. Before GPS, this daily ritual provided both reassurance and accountability. A ship’s position was plotted by dead reckoning and confirmed against the heavens. Though modern vessels rely on satellite systems, the noon announcement preserves that lineage of transparency and discipline, reminding passengers that crossing an ocean remains both art and science.

Lunch on QM2

Wandering away from the Grand Lobby, we went up to the Library to pick up the day’s crossword puzzle. With it in hand, we found our way back down a set of the large red plush chairs outside of Illuminations, where we sat and sought complete it. Half an hour later, we stepped into Illuminations theatre and listened to an enrichment talk on the History of London.

In the hopes of trying each venue on board at least once over our trip we sought to enjoy a couple of meals in the King’s Court - Queen Mary 2’s buffet restaurant. As such, today we went to the Lido for lunch.

The food was undeniably good, but the atmosphere contrasted sharply with Britannia. Long lines formed as people piled plates high, and movement felt hurried and often competitive. Indeed, we found it a challenge to step up to any counter to request food without quickly being in someone else’s way.

Unlike the small proportions one is given in the formal dining room, for many here it seemed that the goal was to pile their plates as full as possible as often as possible. One lady we met here told us that if you eat at the buffet, you could expect to put on 1 pound of weight per day – a staggering thought. With this in mind, we made a mental note that while King’s Court had its place - especially for between-meal snacks - it wasn’t where we wanted to spend many meals.

High Tea

In the mid-afternoon, we gravitated toward quieter pursuits. We listened to Spanish guitar - expertly played by Mark Ashford in the Queen’s Room. Sitting here in this gorgeous space, in deep, comfortable chairs, we read and watched the ship’s social choreography unfold. At 3:30 PM precisely, High Tea began.

English high tea has its roots in working-class traditions of 19th-century Britain, quite distinct from the more aristocratic “afternoon tea.” While afternoon tea began in the 1840s as a light social ritual hosted by the upper classes between lunch and a late dinner, high tea emerged among industrial workers who needed a hearty early-evening meal after long shifts and was typically enjoyed between 5 and 7 PM.

The term “high” refers not to social status but to the high dining tables at which it was served, in contrast to the low parlour tables used for afternoon tea. A typical high tea included substantial dishes - meat pies, bread, cold cuts, cheese, pickles - along with, of course, strong black tea.

With the Queen’s Room now full of passengers, a quick signal from a main floor manager gave way to dozens of white-gloved servers entering the space with deliberate grace in procession. The wait staff marched in to the sound of everyone clapping and made their way onto the main floor and then wove between tables.

As the staff began to serve passengers, the Harmony String Trio played softly above the murmur of conversation. Trays of sandwiches and pastries appeared with practiced efficiency, and china pots of tea were poured throughout the room. The ceremony felt almost theatrical – yet in reality it was entirely sincere and completely traditional.

White-gloved stewards processed through the room with tiered trays of finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and an array of pastries. We enjoyed fruit tarts, chocolate bonbons, and warm raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

An entirely new experience for us, apparently, High Tea on QM2 and Cunard vessels is in itself part of a cherished tradition. Served daily in the Grand Lobby or the Queens Room, it follows the ritual established on Cunard liners since the early 20th century, when transatlantic voyages were symbols of refinement and leisurely luxury.

Illuminations and Enrichment

Leaving the Queen’s Room, we were incredibly full of scones, and so we spent the next couple of hours walking around QM2, taking an informal tour of the ship.

Afterwards, we returned to the Illuminations theatre and though we had missed the two earlier presentations on “Our Neighbours the Planets” and “Mythical Continents”, we did manage to make the talk on Art Heists in the last century. Which was really well done and highly attended.

 

Next we made our way to the Clarendon Art Gallery to see an exhibition of L.S. Lowry’s work. While not something we typically would attend our desire to try something new made the choice for us.

Evening on Queen Mary

By the late afternoon, we returned to our cabin, rested for a few minutes and took the opportunity to freshen up. Then, having showered and changed for dinner, we took a stroll on the outside decks of QM2.

Wandering the promenade, the sun was still out, and it was still warm. Sean in his suit, and me in a long dress, gave way to a slightly surreal feeling of walking around in formal clothing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Still full from High Tea, we opted to skip dinner and simply relax. There are a number of places throughout the vessel to sit and enjoy a drink. The bars on board include the Chart Room, G32, Carinthia Lounge, Golden Lion Pub and the Commodore Club in addition to the various pool bars and dining rooms.

Tonight we set off to the Chart Room, a space we had come to enjoy, for a pre-gala drink which allowed us to be comfortable while watching the waves pass by.

Red and Gold Gala

Evening brought the first Gala night and on this evening, dressed in Red and Gold we set off out of our cabin to enjoy.

As an interesting aside (at least to me) is where the notion of a gala arises from. Apparently, a “gala”, which today is an evening of dancing and celebration, potentially arises from the Old French term of gale, meaning festivity, pleasure or merriment and is perhaps related to another French term, galer, meaning “to make merry” or “rejoice”. Alternatively, it could have arisen from the Spanish or Italian notion of gala, which typically referred to elegant dress and finery amid a festive occasion. It is also potentially related to the word gallent, which arises from the Frankish word wala, which means “good” or “well”. It seems, however, that regardless of its origins, the meaning shifted from clothing to the event itself in the mid 18th century.

With that said, as we walked through the ship, passengers emerged transformed. Tuxedos, sequined gowns, bow ties, pearls and expensive jewelry – all worn to match the night’s theme. In this manner, for the even the ship leaned fully into tradition.

We began the evening with a drink in the Chart Room, where we met Denis and Elle again - another small continuity carried forward from embarkation day. Nearby, the Britannia Dining Room glowed beneath subdued lighting and animated conversation.

Later, the Queen’s Room filled with dancers in elegant attire, the dark wood panelling and blue carpets glowing under warm light. Couples moved with confidence and grace, many clearly seasoned ballroom dancers. Here people waltzed and fox-trotted across the elegant wooden dance floor to modern music adapted to ballroom rhythms. Admittedly, it was entirely surreal to hear Michael Jackson and Ed Sheeran’s songs set to the tempo of a waltz.

 

Eventually, we drifted back to G32, where the music shifted to familiar songs from our own era - Love Shack, Prince, ABBA. The space felt relaxed and joyful, a place where formality softened into shared enjoyment

Midnight Snacks and Bedtime

Near midnight, we left G32 and wandered to the King’s Court. Only a few hours earlier, it had been busy with dinner service but now the buffet was more settled and definitely quieter.

Though the room was prepared for morning breakfast, there was a small late-night spread remaining – brownies, cookies, and a few other simple treats laid out for those not ready to turn in...or who have a desire for late-night snacks.

Seeing a large tray of chocolate cookies, I grabbed a plate and piled them onto it. We carried our small plates to a window table – outside the ocean was dark. Once again, the moment felt a little surreal – passengers in full gala attire, expansive gowns, tuxedos, and suits standing in line for cookies and pastries before bed.

Shortly after 1 AM, we made our way back to our cabin. Here we found our beds turned down, complimentary chocolates on our pillows, and tomorrow’s program waiting for us.

See you on board!

Nautical Term of the Day – Bearing - Directional measurement relative to true or magnetic north. At sea, bearings are the language of precision, essential in open-ocean navigation.