New York Embarkation: Transatlantic Voyage on Queen Mary 2

 “When you sail for the first time, you have one of two experiences. It becomes a one-time, bucket-list thing you check off your list, or it becomes a part of your soul forever.”

 

Michelle Segrest

 

Queen of the Atlantic
 
After what felt like a very short night in Newark, we rose early, aware that this would be the day that we set sail across the Atlantic Ocean on Cunard's  Queen Mary 2.
 
Several years ago, had anyone suggested that the two us, then perpetually dirty and sunburnt on the Trans Canada Trail or the Camino Frances, would be on an ocean liner or a cruise ship, we would have laughed and declared NEVER! Such things, so we would have declared at the time, were the bastions of retirees. Now, however, we hope this voyage offers the opportunity to change the pace of our travels and partake in the long traditions tied to journeys on ocean liners.

Sailing out of New York on a transatlantic voyage carries with it a long history and traditions that few modern journeys can match.  Whether departing from or arriving into piers in Manhattan and Brooklyn, against an iconic backdrop, generations of people have voyaged across the Atlantic.  For over a century, this harbour has been the American gateway to Europe: the departure point for immigrants returning home, for artists and diplomats setting out to the Old World, for soldiers headed to war, and war brides arriving at their new homes. Leaving New York by ship connects you directly to that lineage. 

Whereas many vessels reposition across the Atlantic in spring or late fall, today, Queen Mary 2 is the only vessel that maintains a regular schedule traversing the ocean throughout the year.
 

Morning of Embarkation

 
After what felt like a very short night, we were up early to do laundry, get a breakfast of coffee and croissants at the hotel café, and figure out how to get from the Newark Liberty International Airport to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.  While this seemed to be less than straightforward at the best of times if attempted on public transit, to make things a little more interesting, we faced a few additional challenges this morning.  

Not only was there a considerable amount of rain in the forecast, but today was also the Five Boroughs Bike Tour. This event is held annually on the first Sunday of May, and features over 35,000 cyclists riding over 40 km of car-free streets through the five boroughs of New York City.   As we learned this morning, the route they follow closes or limits vehicle traffic on most of the main roads and bridges in and around the Big Apple, effectively making a taxi ride from Newark to Brooklyn an impractical option.  
 

Taxi or Transit

We were packed, checked out, and in the process of asking the hotel staff for advice on the best course of action when an extremely friendly New Yorker spotted our large backpacks and came over to ask if we were hiking in the Smoky Mountains or walking the Appalachian Trail.  We told him no, we were walking the Coast to Coast Trail in England, and very quickly learned that Denis and his wife Elle, were also travelling to Southampton on the Queen Mary 2. 
 
Incidentally, they were also looking, rather desperately by that point, for a way around the unexpected traffic closures throughout the city.  We offered to split a cab, but upon learning that the estimated cost was around $278 US, we decided to join forces and take public transit.

What followed was an adventure in itself, involving a brief experience of what life is like for residents in one of America's largest and most densely populated cities.  We took the hotel shuttle back to Newark Airport, the AirTrain back to the Airport Railway Terminal, and then retraced our route back to New York Penn Station on NJ Transit.  We had quite a long wait on the platform due to construction on the train lines, which meant that the train carriages into the city were no less crowded than last night.  Unnervingly, for most of the journey we found ourselves standing in the passageway between two cars, looking down through the gap at the tracks whizzing past below our feet and trying not to topple over as the cars bounced and swayed at the join. 

Penn Station

This time, when we disembarked at Penn Station, our collective plan was to find the F Train subway and take it out to Brooklyn.  To do this, we had to make our way through Penn Station up to ground level, find Harold Square, navigate a few blocks of extremely crowded sidewalks, and then descend once again into the New York underground.  For someone who is familiar with the area, and the labyrinthine subway system, this might be relatively simple, but for us, it was an adventure.

During our brief above-ground walk, we passed the famous Macy's Department Store building, still recognizable from classic films that we regularly watch.  Tall buildings towered above the narrow streets, and likely would have blocked out the sunshine if there had been any.  Although the sidewalks were bursting with people from all walks of life, the sea of humanity seemed to have an unspoken understanding that allowed it to function with a minimum of animosity or disagreement.  Things were less amenable on the roads, where the frequent honking of horns expressed drivers' displeasure as cars stopped unexpectedly, cut in front of each other, or stretched the laws of physics by wedging themselves into gaps so small the cars shouldn't rightly have fit.

Without Denis and Elle, who both knew their way around New York, we would never have dared try this route on our own.  Denis was extremely friendly, talking to almost everyone he met along the way.  Elle, who was a seasoned world traveller, used her extensive knowledge of the area, impressive map-reading skills, and willingness to ask for directions to lead the way.  Without them, and especially in the absence of access to Google Maps, we would have been lost.  Our less-than-adequate contribution to the endeavour involved helping with the luggage,  which had to be dragged up and down quite a few sets of steep stairs, pushed through turnstiles, and pulled along several kilometres of sidewalks.   However, Elle was in her late 70's and Denis was 81, and by the time we finally emerged onto a quiet corner of Brooklyn, they were pretty worn out.  The final stage to the cruise terminal we completed in an Uber, courtesy of Elle.

Red Hook Terminal

As we approached the terminal, we saw more and more people hurrying down the tree-lined and rain-soaked sidewalks, pulling their suitcases behind them. It seemed the road closures had thrown quite a few other passengers for a loop besides ourselves.  Nonetheless, having left the hotel around 11 am, we caught our first glimpse of the Queen Mary 2 around 2 pm, just in time for our scheduled embarkation time.

Through the fog and rain, she appeared – immense and improbable, tied to the shoreline. 

 Alongside, at the Brooklyn Terminal, passengers handed over luggage to porters, and people hurried along rain-slicked pavement pulling suitcases behind them. 

Check-In and Security

The check-in process was quick and painless.  After dropping off our luggage at the curb, where it was placed in a cart and whisked away, we made our way down the concrete dock towards the front of the ship, whose prow towered above us.  As we reached its tip we looked across the water, and, through the rain and fog spotted the Statue of Liberty standing guard over the harbour.  

By this point, the rain was pelting down, so after a few quick photos, we made our way inside the vast metal terminal.  We presented our boarding passes, put our carry-on luggage through the metal detectors, showed our passports and had our photos taken for security purposes.  Then, just like that, we were crossing the covered glass gang plank to the ship!

Embarkation and Stepping onto Queen Mary 2

Ascending the gangway, we enjoyed views up and down the length of Queen Mary 2.  But then, all too quickly, we passed through the large, thick door in the outer hull and were on board!  After a quick digital check-in where our reservations were scanned, we were greeted on Voyage M411.

 
We found ourselves being welcomed aboard by a long line of smiling stewards dressed in neatly pressed red and gold uniforms, complete with white gloves. It was an impressive entrance onto the upper level of the Grand Lobby on Deck 3.  This circular space at the center of the ship is ringed with an elegant shopping concourse with stores featuring jewellery, Rolex watches, fine whisky, fashion, and perfume.  A double staircase curves elegantly down into the center well, where a pianist was playing a grand piano and a truly enormous arrangement of fresh flowers provided a colourful and aromatic centrepiece. 

 
We were struck by the grandeur of the vessel, its polished wood, and gleaming brass that together created an atmosphere of timeless elegance.
 
Not yet understanding the layout of the ship, we wedged ourselves into an elevator with a crowd of far too many other excited passengers and were whisked up to Deck 6.  We were deposited into an internal lobby with two surprisingly long corridors extending off it.  Thankfully, a map indicating which way our cabin could be found was posted in the hallway.

 

As we sought out our cabin staff are moving through the halls, dropping off people’s luggage and situating them outside their doors.  Reaching our room 6206, we found two envelopes in our mail slot with our names printed on them – inside which were our cabin keys. 

Inside Cabin

Before booking our passage, we watched a lot of YouTube videos discussing the pros and cons of different cabin types, and how to choose the best room to suit your needs.  The Queen Mary 2 offers a variety of different staterooms, ranging from internal cabins with no windows to Grill Suites with balconies that are larger than the apartment we call home.

For our eastbound crossing on this voyage, we chose an internal cabin, which was the most budget-friendly option.  Since we had no idea if we would feel seasick or not during the crossing, we also selected a location on a lower deck near the middle of the ship (cabin 6206) where the ship's movement would be felt least.

We soon found our stateroom, which was surprisingly spacious feeling while also being quite warm and cozy.  A luxurious-looking double bed took up most of the room, but there was still ample space for two bedside tables with lamps, an armchair with a small coffee table, a desk, and a television.  There was also plenty of storage in a set of drawers, two large cupboards with an abundance of hangers, and a couple of shelves above the bed where smaller items could be stashed.

Sitting on the small desk was a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine that we had been given, alongside which was the daily program.

Our luggage had not yet appeared in our room, but within seconds our friendly cabin steward, Rex, knocked on the door to welcome us aboard and ask if we needed anything.  Filled with excitement and barely having arrived we couldn't think of anything, so simply thanked him and followed his instructions.  These included taking a few minutes to watch the safety video on our TV, before making our way up to our assigned muster point.  This turned out to be just outside the King's Court Buffet, one deck above ours, and on the same deck as the outdoor promenade.  

Exploring QM2

When we reached our muster point, it was filled with people milling about, and you could almost taste the anticipation and excitement in the air.  We had our cards scanned by the waiting official and set off to explore the ship.  We'd heard that the layout of the Queen Mary 2 was unlike that of most other cruise ships, and that many people found her confusing to navigate.  As we joined the throngs of other guests clustered around the maps in each stairwell, we could appreciate how it might take some time to get our bearings. 

We wandered the richly carpeted hallways, gazing in amazement at the polished woodwork, colourful artwork, and enormous bronze friezes lining the main hallways.  Soon we were back in the main lobby, which at that moment felt like the beating heart at the center of the ship.  Many people were standing and sitting in well-placed seats in the lobby, simply enjoying the sense of occasion and the grandeur of the setting.

 
Walking around, we were initially worried – as there was a massive queue at the pursuer’s office – was there something we should be doing? Reserving? Asking about?  For the first time in our lives, I think we experienced a momentary bit of “fomo” or fear of missing out....regardless, we continued on and everything was fine.  If we missed anything, I have no idea what it was – and clearly from our perspective, it was unimportant.

Feeling somewhat underdressed in our hiking clothes and having nothing more classy to change into until our luggage arrived, we made our way up onto the outer deck.  Up top, there was quite a bit of rain coming down, and a chilly fog hung thick above New York City.  

We made our way around the outside promenade, passing long rows of wooden deck chairs and climbing up several floors at the back of the ship to test the water temperature in the swimming pool and hot tubs. 

Departure

The ship was supposed to get underway around 5 PM, and we stood expectantly at the railing, watching the bright orange ferries speeding back and forth across the harbour.  Smaller white and blue NYC ferries whizzed back and forth as well, while an enormous yacht slipped elegantly past on its stately way out to sea.  We even spotted an old-fashioned paddle wheeler steaming past, presumably filled with sightseers, and the harbour police made several trips back and forth. Perhaps my favourite watercraft were the three-storey tall tug boats that seemed to be everywhere, quietly and patiently making sure all the other watercraft were where they needed to be.

As our fingers began to grow numb from the cold, and we were starting to wish we'd brought our sweaters on board in our carry-on luggage, we became convinced the ship had started to leave the dock.  The grassy, green shores of Governor's Island seemed to get ever closer and the Statue of Liberty appeared to grow taller and take on a more three-dimensional look in the fog. 

As we watched, the top of the famous One World Trade Center building played hide and seek in the low-hanging clouds, and the iconic arches of the Brooklyn Bridge appeared once again out of the thick grey mist.  Perhaps it was a trick of the weather, but when we did our next circuit of the deck and saw we were still docked, it came as quite a surprise.

Partially to stay warm, and partly out of a desire to explore, we had been circling the outer decks of the ship, taking in the iconic cityscape around us.  We were on the uppermost deck when the ship suddenly gave a huge, deep, reverberating blast of her whistle that could be felt in our bones, and we were off!  People flooded back out onto the decks despite the pouring rain to watch our progress through the New York Harbour and out into the Lower New York Bay.

 
Soon, the feel of the ship changed, the vibration of the engines strengthened, and we began to pull away from the shore.  Our speed began to pick up as we moved into the centre of the channel.  It was not long before we were free from land and on our way.

At this point, the captain made a ship-wide announcement welcoming everyone aboard and giving an update on the conditions predicted over the next few days, which sounded like mostly calm seas and several days of fog.  While we will be disembarking in Southampton, the ship will continue on to Hamburg, Germany.  Consequently, there are quite a few Germans on board, and the announcement was delivered in both English and then German.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

A high point of sailing out of New York Harbour was crossing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which links Staten Island to Brooklyn, and is the only fixed crossing of the Narrows.  This double-decker suspension bridge carries 13 lanes of the 278 Interstate highway, and it was named after Giovanni da Verrazano, who in 1524 was the first European explorer to enter New York Harbour and the Hudson River. 

All the passengers on deck watched in fascination as the bridge took shape ahead, turning from a vague smudge in the fog to a more discernible arch, and finally to a recognizable bridge.  The clearance below the bridge is 69.5 m (228 ft), meaning ocean liner and cruise ship designers must take this into consideration when designing ships destined for New York City harbour.  To safely pass under the span of the Verazzano Narrows Bridge, the Queen Mary 2 must leave at low tide, and even then, her funnel only has a few meters of clearance. 

 
As we approached the bridge, it looked impossible for the ship to squeeze underneath without scraping the bottom.  As the ship cleared the bridge, a jubilant cheer of pure joy spontaneously rose up from all the passengers on the top deck, as well as those watching from the balconies below. 
 
 It felt as though the journey had begun! 

Dinner on Queen Mary 2

Frozen solid and soaked by this point, we made our way back inside to our cabin and were much relieved to discover that our luggage had been delivered.  We showered and changed into dress clothes and made our way to the Britannia dining room, where we were seated at a table for two near the window.

In the two-story dining area, which was dominated by an enormous woven tapestry featuring the QM2, the atmosphere was one of sheer elegance.  

 

White tablecloths and folded linen napkins, gold embossed china, full place settings, and fresh flowers adorned every table.  Servers in white coats escorted everyone to their seats and presented leather-bound menus with a surprising range of options, for appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts.  As it was the first evening, the diners were all dressed in their best and full of animated conversation.

 

The lighting here was subdued, and even at night, there were wonderful views of the outside through the large windows around the room. 

I ordered marinated tomatoes with black olives served with celery sauce and basil for an appetizer, while Sean chose the crispy goat cheese.  This was served warm in a creamed wild mushroom and walnut pesto, and was possibly one of the best-tasting things I've ever tried.  This was followed by a roasted beetroot and watercress salad. For the entree we had baked pumpkin, pine nut, and butternut squash risotto with pickled ginger crisps.  This was also delicious, and after finishing with a pear tarte tatin, a slice of hazelnut cake, and a cappuccino, we were well and truly stuffed. 

Evening in the Queen’s Room

By this point, the sleepless nights and long days were beginning to catch up with us, but we were too excited to return to our cabin, so we wandered down to the Queen's Room to listen to the band playing and watch people dancing.  The Queens Room is a large space at the center of the ship with a parquet dance floor at the center, a stage at one end, and two levels of small round tables surrounded by groups of low, velvet-covered armchairs.  This is where high tea is served every afternoon, and where the much-anticipated gala evenings are held.

 
Stepping into this amazing space, there was no denying that in our mid 40s were among the youngest people on board.

Most of the dancers on the floor were seniors who knew how to waltz, fox trot, and do the samba.  The couples were very elegant and graceful looking as they glided around the dance floor, and we envied their skill.  It looked like a lot of fun!  However, instead of playing classical music, the band was adapting modern pop tunes, changing the tempo of music from artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna to make them into waltzes. After a while, we decided to explore a little further to see if there was anything more our kind of scene.

G32 Bar

Located near the back of the ship, just off the Queen's Room, is the G32 bar.  This two-story, dimly lit and classy-feeling club has a balcony level overlooking an impressive bar, a small dance floor, and a tiny stage.  It got its name, G32, from the hull number assigned to the ship while she was being built, prior to her being christened the Queen Mary 2.

It was relatively empty on embarkation day, but the Clique Party Band was playing an upbeat selection of 70's, 80's, and 90's music, and they had a really nice sound.  We relaxed at a table on the upper floor, enjoying the music and chatting with the staff until we really couldn't stay awake any longer.

When we returned to our cabin, we found tomorrow's programme of activities and events, which offered 4 or 5 options every hour between 7 am and 11:45 PM.  As we head to bed around 11:30 PM, we feel incredibly lucky to be on this adventure, which promises to be an exciting one, filled with new experiences and friendships. 

Ahead of us lay seven days on the Atlantic!

See you on board!

Nautical Term of the Day – Ocean Liner - Distinct from typical cruise ships, ocean liners like QM2 are built with reinforced hulls, deep draughts, and higher freeboard for heavy Atlantic weather. Their design is a product meant to ensure that they can maintain the fixed schedule between ports regardless of season, weather or passenger numbers.