Ocean is relatively calm and it’s sunny and getting warmer. Cruising on the QM2 is like being on a lake, you hardly feel the seas at all. Breakfast with a couple from the Queen Victoria as well as two of our dinner companions from Albany and two single individuals crossing to New York. Lots of fun and lively discussions, very little about politics.
After breakfast I went to get tickets for the planetarium show for us and Chris went to the buffet for fruit and exploration. I did some email and then went to the gold simulator demo and reserved two half hour sessions over the next two days. After my first session I realized how much off my swing was and at the end of the half hour I was getting back to some consistency. I added two more half hour reservations for Saturday and Sunday before we get to New York. The benefit of the simulator is it’s ability to show direction and angle of my shots. I know from past experience the absolute distance may not be right but the shot to shot distance is pretty accurate.
Lunch was enjoyably spent with two couples from the uk visiting the us. One couple is going to the city for two days of shopping – we pointed them in some directions for what they wanted. The other couple is taking a 12 day tour of NYC. Philly, DC, Richmond, Williamsburg, Gettysburg and the Amish country – we gave them a few stopping tips also. After lunch we went to the Planetarium for a half hour show that was great new show tomorrow and the next day to go to!
Dinner dress was formal and the ship was pitching slightly so some of the passengers were feeling a little queasy. We weren’t bothered at all compared to the motion on the Queen Victoria. The evening show was very well done with the ships dancers and singers.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
April 22nd, Tuesday
We got up early and packed all the rest of our loose stuff then we went to breakfast and met Mike and Lito there. Said our goodbyes there but it turned out we met them in the Commodore’s Club where we had to wait after we vacated out stateroom at 830. Since we were transferring to the Queen Marry 2 we were the last off the Queen Victoria at 1100. Chris convinced me to move down to the gang plank early so we were on the first bus to the QM2. It still took an hour to get through check-in. By the time we got to our stateroom we both were wiped out.
The QM2 is clearly grander than the Queen Victoria. The interior halls are huge and the Brittania Restaurant is large and elegant. Seating seems to be more grouping of 6, 8 and even 10 at a long table.
Our cabin on the QM2 was a disappointment. Although it was a little nicer on its interior, the “balcony” was part of the bulk head and you had to stand up and lean out to see anything. We got all our baggage before dinner and unpacked, but the beds are lower so we couldn’t store many suitcases under the bed so we put the rest on the “balcony”.
The QM2 is clearly grander than the Queen Victoria. The interior halls are huge and the Brittania Restaurant is large and elegant. Seating seems to be more grouping of 6, 8 and even 10 at a long table.
Our cabin on the QM2 was a disappointment. Although it was a little nicer on its interior, the “balcony” was part of the bulk head and you had to stand up and lean out to see anything. We got all our baggage before dinner and unpacked, but the beds are lower so we couldn’t store many suitcases under the bed so we put the rest on the “balcony”.
April 21st, Monday
Weather is partly cloudy and promises to be wet for the next few days. I couldn’t walk outside for the last two days but did my exercise inside on deck three. Chris and I played bridge with our dinner companions after breakfast until lunch and then afterwards we made sure our stuff could fit and we hadn’t missed anything. We couldn’t fit the two bottles of wine from New Zealand in our bags so we gave them one.
Just taking it easy the rest of the day. It seems like their playing sad music around the ship or else we’re imagining it.
Dinner was full of saying goodbyes to people – passengers as well as waiters. No need to do much except finish packing and put two more suitcases out.
Just taking it easy the rest of the day. It seems like their playing sad music around the ship or else we’re imagining it.
Dinner was full of saying goodbyes to people – passengers as well as waiters. No need to do much except finish packing and put two more suitcases out.
April 20th, Sunday
The seas are a bit rough as we sail North on the coast of Portugal towards Spain and the Bay of Biscay (which everyone says could be have the roughest seas of our trip – we’ll see tomorrow).
After breakfast we had our passports stamped by UK immigration personnel who got on board in Lisbon so we would have a quicker time in Southampton. Chris and I were both tired after last night so we spent a good part of the day napping. We finally made it to afternoon tea after 98 days on the ship. It was very good and we had a great time with the friends we’ve made. Thankfully we haven’t done this up till now else I would have had to do 4 miles a day around the ship. The scones were great as were the pastries and sandwiches – I even drank some tea!
We dressed formal for dinner even though that made 2 nights in a row we enjoyed a dinner of lobster tails with our dinner companions. We planned to meet for bridge tomorrow and agreed we both had to do packing tonight. It looks like we can get everything into our remaining suitcases, but it will be close!
After breakfast we had our passports stamped by UK immigration personnel who got on board in Lisbon so we would have a quicker time in Southampton. Chris and I were both tired after last night so we spent a good part of the day napping. We finally made it to afternoon tea after 98 days on the ship. It was very good and we had a great time with the friends we’ve made. Thankfully we haven’t done this up till now else I would have had to do 4 miles a day around the ship. The scones were great as were the pastries and sandwiches – I even drank some tea!
We dressed formal for dinner even though that made 2 nights in a row we enjoyed a dinner of lobster tails with our dinner companions. We planned to meet for bridge tomorrow and agreed we both had to do packing tonight. It looks like we can get everything into our remaining suitcases, but it will be close!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
April 19th, Saturday
The evening sail to Lisbon on the Atlantic was a little rough but not so much that we had any trouble with seasickness. We arrived in Lisbon around 7 am with overcast skies and occasional showers and occasional sunshine.
Our excursion around Lisbon was very good. It looks like a beautiful city with mixtures of old and new architecture and not a very big city. We saw beautiful gardens and boulevards in the old downtown area and many theaters, cafes and restaurants. After the city tour we were taken to an old monastery that has been changed into a maritime museum celebrating the early Portugese Mariners and Navigators who sailed to India, South America and the Carribean. The museum celebrates the golden age of Portugal of the 15th and 16th centuries.
From the museum we calked to the Church of Christ the Redeemer down the block. It has the tomb of Vasco Da Gama and has beautiful architecture. There was a wedding taking place (in French) and we could only see the altar from afar.
After that we traveled to the Belem Tower which was built to protect the city of Lisbon and then the Monument to the Discoverers. We returned to the ship and had lunch and rested to get ready for our evening formal dinner which is being held by Cunard for all the World Tour Passengers in the Campo Pequeno Bullfight Arena.
What a beautiful evening we had at the World Tour Dinner! We sat at a table with three other couples who we’ve made friends with on this trip. Two of the couples have been part of the Virtuoso group and Mike and Lito from the Isle of Wight were the other couple. We had too much to drink and really had a lot of fun. The bull ring was refurbished recently and has a removable ceiling so we were very comfortable. We had amazing entertainment – singers, dancers, a dance band, toreodors. It was a special evening.
Our excursion around Lisbon was very good. It looks like a beautiful city with mixtures of old and new architecture and not a very big city. We saw beautiful gardens and boulevards in the old downtown area and many theaters, cafes and restaurants. After the city tour we were taken to an old monastery that has been changed into a maritime museum celebrating the early Portugese Mariners and Navigators who sailed to India, South America and the Carribean. The museum celebrates the golden age of Portugal of the 15th and 16th centuries.
From the museum we calked to the Church of Christ the Redeemer down the block. It has the tomb of Vasco Da Gama and has beautiful architecture. There was a wedding taking place (in French) and we could only see the altar from afar.
After that we traveled to the Belem Tower which was built to protect the city of Lisbon and then the Monument to the Discoverers. We returned to the ship and had lunch and rested to get ready for our evening formal dinner which is being held by Cunard for all the World Tour Passengers in the Campo Pequeno Bullfight Arena.
What a beautiful evening we had at the World Tour Dinner! We sat at a table with three other couples who we’ve made friends with on this trip. Two of the couples have been part of the Virtuoso group and Mike and Lito from the Isle of Wight were the other couple. We had too much to drink and really had a lot of fun. The bull ring was refurbished recently and has a removable ceiling so we were very comfortable. We had amazing entertainment – singers, dancers, a dance band, toreodors. It was a special evening.
April 18th, Friday
Gale force winds throughout the night and the Captain came on before we went to bed warning about potential rough seas, but it never got bad. In the morning I had to walk inside because of the wind and the rain, but the ship wasn’t pitching too badly. The crew really expected a bad time because there were barf bags hung outside all the elevators!
It was too dark for me to get a sight of the rock of gibralter as we passed by, which was a little disappointing. The sun came out mid morning even thought the seas stayed high.
The rest of the day was devoted to rest and reading and I went to a guitar recital.
It was too dark for me to get a sight of the rock of gibralter as we passed by, which was a little disappointing. The sun came out mid morning even thought the seas stayed high.
The rest of the day was devoted to rest and reading and I went to a guitar recital.
April 17th, Thursday
At sea on our way to Lisbon, weather is windy and we’re heading into a near gale force wind. The captain said we will be passing the rock of Gibralter Friday night around 7:30. Hopefully it will be light enough for me to get some pictures.
Chris and I have packed 4 suitcases with clothes we won’t need from now till home. Hopefully we have room for everything in the remaining suitcases!!! We got some good news today about our transfer to the Queen Mary II. We won’t have to drag all our to suitcases through British customs. Cunard has arranged for transfer of our suitcases direct from one cabin to another so all we have is take our carry-ons with us through customs.
We met two Americans at lunch today who got on in Barcelona because they’re taking the Queen Victoria on it’s next cruise to the Canary Islands. The woman is a judge in Cincinnati, Ohio and told us about running out of ballots for the Democratic primary because more people wanted to vote (including Republicans who switched parties to vote).
I forgot to relate and interesting event that occurred at lunch in Barcelona. Chris started getting a migraine and we were sitting at a table with two doctors and a physical therapist who noticed she wasn’t feeling well. The therapist took her right hand and pressed a point between her thumb and forefinger while pressing another point on her right arm below the elbow. Chris immediately felt better and her headache vanished. Everyone at the table wanted to learn about these pressure points - valuable information!
The friends we made from the Isle of Wight, Mike and Lito, invited us to their cabin for champagne before dinner. I went to the Lido deck and got a plate of small sandwiches and grapes so we didn’t go empty handed. We had a great time with them drinking Pink Champagne, eating hors f’ouvres and talking about our trip. It turns out they were on the same Mediterranean cruise we were in 2000 on the Grand Princess (what a coincidence). They mentioned the trip to Florence and the lunch in the back of the restaurant that I remembered. I have to look through our pictures from that trip when I get home to see if they’re in any of them.
Dinner was quick tonight since our companions, Damon and Ginny, didn’t join us. We finished without dessert since Chris wanted to see if we could get one more laundry done (our last until we get home). We both called it a night afterwards (I had a headache from the wine at our friends cabin before dinner).
Chris and I have packed 4 suitcases with clothes we won’t need from now till home. Hopefully we have room for everything in the remaining suitcases!!! We got some good news today about our transfer to the Queen Mary II. We won’t have to drag all our to suitcases through British customs. Cunard has arranged for transfer of our suitcases direct from one cabin to another so all we have is take our carry-ons with us through customs.
We met two Americans at lunch today who got on in Barcelona because they’re taking the Queen Victoria on it’s next cruise to the Canary Islands. The woman is a judge in Cincinnati, Ohio and told us about running out of ballots for the Democratic primary because more people wanted to vote (including Republicans who switched parties to vote).
I forgot to relate and interesting event that occurred at lunch in Barcelona. Chris started getting a migraine and we were sitting at a table with two doctors and a physical therapist who noticed she wasn’t feeling well. The therapist took her right hand and pressed a point between her thumb and forefinger while pressing another point on her right arm below the elbow. Chris immediately felt better and her headache vanished. Everyone at the table wanted to learn about these pressure points - valuable information!
The friends we made from the Isle of Wight, Mike and Lito, invited us to their cabin for champagne before dinner. I went to the Lido deck and got a plate of small sandwiches and grapes so we didn’t go empty handed. We had a great time with them drinking Pink Champagne, eating hors f’ouvres and talking about our trip. It turns out they were on the same Mediterranean cruise we were in 2000 on the Grand Princess (what a coincidence). They mentioned the trip to Florence and the lunch in the back of the restaurant that I remembered. I have to look through our pictures from that trip when I get home to see if they’re in any of them.
Dinner was quick tonight since our companions, Damon and Ginny, didn’t join us. We finished without dessert since Chris wanted to see if we could get one more laundry done (our last until we get home). We both called it a night afterwards (I had a headache from the wine at our friends cabin before dinner).
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