Wednesday, April 29, 2009 – at home
Well, the first thoughts crossing my brain this morning were:
What time did I order room service?
And
I cannot quite picture who the room steward is.
!??!?!?!?
I don’t think reality has totally sunk in yet.
:)
Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
First day at home
Monday, April 27, 2009 – first day at home
You know what I noticed today…
The flannel sheets are still on the bed and it is 90 degrees today.
My master bathroom is HUGE compared to the one in our stateroom.
I hear birds singing (there are no birds at sea!).
There was no evening entertainment tonight (what happened??).
Christmas gifts, cards and decorations are still around the living room.
I refuse to have the suitcases in the house and create more clutter so we have them in the garage. We can unload them from there!
You know what I noticed today…
The flannel sheets are still on the bed and it is 90 degrees today.
My master bathroom is HUGE compared to the one in our stateroom.
I hear birds singing (there are no birds at sea!).
There was no evening entertainment tonight (what happened??).
Christmas gifts, cards and decorations are still around the living room.
I refuse to have the suitcases in the house and create more clutter so we have them in the garage. We can unload them from there!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Arrival back to the United States of America!
Sunday, April 26, 2009 – Home, Sweet Home
Our last clock change...
Brilliantly sunny and hot day in NY and Delaware!
We were up by 4:30AM to be out on deck as we sailed in the dark up the Hudson River. We crossed under the Verazzano Bridge and then past the Statue of Liberty. I thought of how different the journey was of my grandparents to America. Their transatlantic crossing was not filled with daily social activities and elegant cocktail parties and balls and scrumptious meals. They were apprehensive to leave their homeland and were very unsure of their future in their new country…and yet they came to America.
The sun was just beginning to appear over Brooklyn as the ship spun around in front of Governors Island to face once again toward the UK. They are ready to sail tonight at 5PM. Our balcony had the most spectacular view of the Statue, Governors Island and Manhattan.
Breakfast was a hurried affair and farewells were said to many. It was a very sad time but there was so much to be done in getting off the ship that I did not have time to think about it then. I stood out on the balcony for a few minutes to soak it in but then had to get moving.
We were in the first group off so I could clear the way for the UPS van meeting us BUT found one of my suitcases had the zipper broken in transit from the ship to the dock. It took some time to find tape and make it at least moveable…but we managed and had no problems with customs. The porter put our 10 bags (!! – try NOT to travel with this many) in the corner under the canopy and we hunted down the truck meeting us. Found that and the clients who needed the assistance and we made that work. Then we found some other friends and they offered to drop Gene at Avis car rental so off he went to pick up the car. In the meantime, another friend found out her limo had been cancelled, so we offered her a ride to Newark Airport, as long as the luggage would fit! She had already shipped 14 cases so there was only one large one and a small one to add to our pile.
The Dodge Magnum (station wagon) arrived and we managed to squeeze us and the luggage in and we were off. The Queen Mary 2 was resting quite regally, in the sunshine, and we waived our farewells until next time.
The drive home went quickly, but we were both extremely tired; perhaps slightly depressed and very tired. It is over. We have just cruised around the world for 3 ½ months. 3 ½ months. We’ve had a quick glance at the wonders of the world. All of them deserve a return visit.
We’ve made some wonderful new friends and miss them already. Meals, and even walking the corridors!, were a great social activity! The “people” make a trip. The sights are always there but the people involved in the visit make it memorable. The funny moments when cultural differences collide or when haggling over an inexpensive item becomes a matter of principle…the people are just as memorable, and maybe more so, than the sights.
I have not come up with an answer yet for “Where did you like best?”...that will take some time. Perhaps as I review the photos and scan my memory bank, an answer will emerge with due justification.
I hope you know by now it was a great trip. It was a great voyage. It transported me back in time to the days when the oceanliners were the way to travel. I loved it!
I was very fortunate to have the strong support of my loving and dear family and boss, Joyce, behind me at home, handling the mail and bills and phone calls and hard work! God, family and friends…every day is better with all three.
So go out there and travel. The world is a big and beautiful place. Pick a continent to explore. Pick a region to discover. Pick a local museum to visit. Book that trip you have always wanted to take. There is no time like the present. Go for it!
Bon Voyage!
Our last clock change...
Brilliantly sunny and hot day in NY and Delaware!
We were up by 4:30AM to be out on deck as we sailed in the dark up the Hudson River. We crossed under the Verazzano Bridge and then past the Statue of Liberty. I thought of how different the journey was of my grandparents to America. Their transatlantic crossing was not filled with daily social activities and elegant cocktail parties and balls and scrumptious meals. They were apprehensive to leave their homeland and were very unsure of their future in their new country…and yet they came to America.
The sun was just beginning to appear over Brooklyn as the ship spun around in front of Governors Island to face once again toward the UK. They are ready to sail tonight at 5PM. Our balcony had the most spectacular view of the Statue, Governors Island and Manhattan.
Breakfast was a hurried affair and farewells were said to many. It was a very sad time but there was so much to be done in getting off the ship that I did not have time to think about it then. I stood out on the balcony for a few minutes to soak it in but then had to get moving.
We were in the first group off so I could clear the way for the UPS van meeting us BUT found one of my suitcases had the zipper broken in transit from the ship to the dock. It took some time to find tape and make it at least moveable…but we managed and had no problems with customs. The porter put our 10 bags (!! – try NOT to travel with this many) in the corner under the canopy and we hunted down the truck meeting us. Found that and the clients who needed the assistance and we made that work. Then we found some other friends and they offered to drop Gene at Avis car rental so off he went to pick up the car. In the meantime, another friend found out her limo had been cancelled, so we offered her a ride to Newark Airport, as long as the luggage would fit! She had already shipped 14 cases so there was only one large one and a small one to add to our pile.
The Dodge Magnum (station wagon) arrived and we managed to squeeze us and the luggage in and we were off. The Queen Mary 2 was resting quite regally, in the sunshine, and we waived our farewells until next time.
The drive home went quickly, but we were both extremely tired; perhaps slightly depressed and very tired. It is over. We have just cruised around the world for 3 ½ months. 3 ½ months. We’ve had a quick glance at the wonders of the world. All of them deserve a return visit.
We’ve made some wonderful new friends and miss them already. Meals, and even walking the corridors!, were a great social activity! The “people” make a trip. The sights are always there but the people involved in the visit make it memorable. The funny moments when cultural differences collide or when haggling over an inexpensive item becomes a matter of principle…the people are just as memorable, and maybe more so, than the sights.
I have not come up with an answer yet for “Where did you like best?”...that will take some time. Perhaps as I review the photos and scan my memory bank, an answer will emerge with due justification.
I hope you know by now it was a great trip. It was a great voyage. It transported me back in time to the days when the oceanliners were the way to travel. I loved it!
I was very fortunate to have the strong support of my loving and dear family and boss, Joyce, behind me at home, handling the mail and bills and phone calls and hard work! God, family and friends…every day is better with all three.
So go out there and travel. The world is a big and beautiful place. Pick a continent to explore. Pick a region to discover. Pick a local museum to visit. Book that trip you have always wanted to take. There is no time like the present. Go for it!
Bon Voyage!
Galley tour and last day on the ship...
Saturday, April 25, 2009 – last day at sea!!!!!!!!!!
Set our clocks back another hour. We are now just an hour ahead of Delaware.
We woke up to the loudspeaker hunting for a crew member so you knew something must be wrong. About 20 minutes later, the Commodore came on the speaker to say he had been found and all was well. Well, the gossip has it that he was indeed found, in a location where he was not supposed to be. Word has it that he will soon be “visiting his mother” from the next port of call, NY.
We were late for breakfast so they were not happy with us. But we made it for last call in to the kitchen. Worked on paperwork before our 11:15 galley tour. It was great! We toured the main galley for the largest restaurant onboard, the Britannia. We saw the stations for the each course, the dishwashing, the drinks area, the new glasses being delivered, cakes being baked, soups being made, meats being cut, fish being filleted, bread being baked…It was very clean and they have won 100% ratings in the last years of health inspections from the US Dept. of Health.
They spend approx. $41,000 per day on food. There are 150 chefs under the direction of the Executive Chef. There are 85 dishwashers, pot washers and galley cleaners working around the clock. The restaurants serve over 1200 meals per seating and there are at least four seatings a day. There is a provision team of 13 who load all the Stores (food supplies) in the major ports of call and issue the Stores when required. Sometimes when they unexpectedly need additional food in a port, they have to go 3-4 stores to buy the quantity they need – like 500 pounds of butter. They cannot take it from one store or their supply will be depleted and they will not be able to serve their regular customers. They have a petty cash fund of $250,000. There are 21 refrigerated rooms for all the food and beverage items.
Every seven days they load fresh milk, vegetables and fruit as well as fish and seafood.
Every 14 days they load dry and frozen products.
Requisitions are submitted up to three months in advance for longer voyages and 3-4 weeks in advance for the transatlantic voyages.
On a typical 6-day transatlantic crossing, the following quantities of food are consumed:
50 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables
12 tons met
8 tons poultry
13 tons fish and seafood
2 tons cheeses and dairy products
2 tons sugar
5000 gallons fresh milk
32,400 eggs
20 kg Russian Caviar
4 tons flour
2 tons rice
Other trivia about the meals onboard…
120 pizzas are consumed each day
700 English scones are served during afternoon tea
9500 canapes are consumed ruing the Captain’s cocktail parties
Almost 16,000 meals each day are prepared and consumed onboard
Approx. 87,000 pieces of china and glassware are used within the dining areas and they all have to be washed!
Over 8000 linen napkins are used and laundered every day
6000 cups of tea are served daily
Almost 610 miles of cling film is used onboard each year!!
We had a fun lunch with friends and then worked on paperwork. We were supposed to be packing but we still needed time to explore the ship. Missed the wine tasting and decided to roam the decks. Found the library and stationery store, the outside elevator and the golf simulator. The decks were incredibly windy and I can understand how someone could be swept off the deck and into the sea!!!!
They carry additional azipods in the front of the ship and they look like modern art! But they are so heavy and awkward, Cunard found it more sensible to carry them onboard and have them for any needed emergency.
We climbed to find the four pools – three outdoor and one indoor, the paddle tennis area, the lookout (near the top of the ship over the bow), the golf cages, the huge open deck spaces which must be great when sailing in warm climates for parties and sunning and cafes…
We passed the kennel and heard the dogs barking, found the Canyon Ranch Spa and beauty salon, the fitness center (the view from here is not nearly as nice as on the Queen Victoria), the shop (Hermes, H. Stern, the logo shop…)…
Dressed for dinner and we joined some of the group for a cocktail party in their suite. Everyone has bottles and bottles of wine to be consumed before we arrive in NY tomorrow!! We had the strip steak and they prepared it tableside for us -- a huge piece of steak with all the trimmings! I went to the show in the Royal Court Theatre and enjoyed Bettine Clemens on her flute and then the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers singing about arriving in New York as an immigrant.
Up to pack and pack and pack. It never seems to end! But finally all the cases are out in the hallway and I plan to be up at 4:30AM to see the Verrazzano Bridge and then the Statue of Liberty. I remember passing it in 1983 on the QEII and how much it meant to me then (age 24) to be coming home after living in the UK. I am sure I will feel even stronger tomorrow about arriving back into the country I love. I heard many passengers say today they are so glad to be going home to the United States of America. It is wonderful to travel but it is even more wonderful to arrive home. We have passed through many lands and you can’t help but compare them to your own. With the Constitution to back us and our Bill of Rights to support us, America is the place to be. No other country enjoys the freedom we have. Let’s work to keep it that way. Sometimes you have to leave to realize how good you have it at home.
Several times during the day the fog set in around the ship and the whistles were blown every minute and then every five minutes. I like their sound. It makes it feel like the golden olden days of crossing the Atlantic.
Set our clocks back another hour. We are now just an hour ahead of Delaware.
We woke up to the loudspeaker hunting for a crew member so you knew something must be wrong. About 20 minutes later, the Commodore came on the speaker to say he had been found and all was well. Well, the gossip has it that he was indeed found, in a location where he was not supposed to be. Word has it that he will soon be “visiting his mother” from the next port of call, NY.
We were late for breakfast so they were not happy with us. But we made it for last call in to the kitchen. Worked on paperwork before our 11:15 galley tour. It was great! We toured the main galley for the largest restaurant onboard, the Britannia. We saw the stations for the each course, the dishwashing, the drinks area, the new glasses being delivered, cakes being baked, soups being made, meats being cut, fish being filleted, bread being baked…It was very clean and they have won 100% ratings in the last years of health inspections from the US Dept. of Health.
They spend approx. $41,000 per day on food. There are 150 chefs under the direction of the Executive Chef. There are 85 dishwashers, pot washers and galley cleaners working around the clock. The restaurants serve over 1200 meals per seating and there are at least four seatings a day. There is a provision team of 13 who load all the Stores (food supplies) in the major ports of call and issue the Stores when required. Sometimes when they unexpectedly need additional food in a port, they have to go 3-4 stores to buy the quantity they need – like 500 pounds of butter. They cannot take it from one store or their supply will be depleted and they will not be able to serve their regular customers. They have a petty cash fund of $250,000. There are 21 refrigerated rooms for all the food and beverage items.
Every seven days they load fresh milk, vegetables and fruit as well as fish and seafood.
Every 14 days they load dry and frozen products.
Requisitions are submitted up to three months in advance for longer voyages and 3-4 weeks in advance for the transatlantic voyages.
On a typical 6-day transatlantic crossing, the following quantities of food are consumed:
50 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables
12 tons met
8 tons poultry
13 tons fish and seafood
2 tons cheeses and dairy products
2 tons sugar
5000 gallons fresh milk
32,400 eggs
20 kg Russian Caviar
4 tons flour
2 tons rice
Other trivia about the meals onboard…
120 pizzas are consumed each day
700 English scones are served during afternoon tea
9500 canapes are consumed ruing the Captain’s cocktail parties
Almost 16,000 meals each day are prepared and consumed onboard
Approx. 87,000 pieces of china and glassware are used within the dining areas and they all have to be washed!
Over 8000 linen napkins are used and laundered every day
6000 cups of tea are served daily
Almost 610 miles of cling film is used onboard each year!!
We had a fun lunch with friends and then worked on paperwork. We were supposed to be packing but we still needed time to explore the ship. Missed the wine tasting and decided to roam the decks. Found the library and stationery store, the outside elevator and the golf simulator. The decks were incredibly windy and I can understand how someone could be swept off the deck and into the sea!!!!
They carry additional azipods in the front of the ship and they look like modern art! But they are so heavy and awkward, Cunard found it more sensible to carry them onboard and have them for any needed emergency.
We climbed to find the four pools – three outdoor and one indoor, the paddle tennis area, the lookout (near the top of the ship over the bow), the golf cages, the huge open deck spaces which must be great when sailing in warm climates for parties and sunning and cafes…
We passed the kennel and heard the dogs barking, found the Canyon Ranch Spa and beauty salon, the fitness center (the view from here is not nearly as nice as on the Queen Victoria), the shop (Hermes, H. Stern, the logo shop…)…
Dressed for dinner and we joined some of the group for a cocktail party in their suite. Everyone has bottles and bottles of wine to be consumed before we arrive in NY tomorrow!! We had the strip steak and they prepared it tableside for us -- a huge piece of steak with all the trimmings! I went to the show in the Royal Court Theatre and enjoyed Bettine Clemens on her flute and then the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers singing about arriving in New York as an immigrant.
Up to pack and pack and pack. It never seems to end! But finally all the cases are out in the hallway and I plan to be up at 4:30AM to see the Verrazzano Bridge and then the Statue of Liberty. I remember passing it in 1983 on the QEII and how much it meant to me then (age 24) to be coming home after living in the UK. I am sure I will feel even stronger tomorrow about arriving back into the country I love. I heard many passengers say today they are so glad to be going home to the United States of America. It is wonderful to travel but it is even more wonderful to arrive home. We have passed through many lands and you can’t help but compare them to your own. With the Constitution to back us and our Bill of Rights to support us, America is the place to be. No other country enjoys the freedom we have. Let’s work to keep it that way. Sometimes you have to leave to realize how good you have it at home.
Several times during the day the fog set in around the ship and the whistles were blown every minute and then every five minutes. I like their sound. It makes it feel like the golden olden days of crossing the Atlantic.
Friday, April 24, 2009
16 nautical miles north of the Titanic
Friday, April 24, 2009 – sailed 16 nautical miles to the north of the final resting place of RMS Titanic just before noon
Rainy and dreary – just like a winter day with mild temperatures – beautiful rainbow came out at dinner!
Did you know there is a crater on Mars which is 350 miles WIDE and as long as the width of the continental USA? Did you know there is a mountain on Mars which is 16 miles high?
Up at 8 and ordered room service. Probably last time for that big luxury…and it came within 10 minutes! Maybe being in the Grills category helped with the quick delivery…Had tea and talk with friends in their suite and then to the Groovy Choir singing in the Grand Lobby. It was great fun! They hand out song sheets and the jazz trio plays the songs and you sing along!
Hurried up to the 12th Sports Deck for the Baggo Tournament, which is sliding bean bags onto an aluminum angled sheet. You need to throw the bean bag into the hole to get the most points, otherwise you get one point when it rests on the top.
Went to the Bridge Observation Deck, which is a glass panel behind the bridge. You can look in during the day and see them working but no flash photos can be taken. We also rode on the outside elevator with views of the sea and saw the card room.
Lunch in the Grills Restaurant, did laundry and then met with a friend to transfer some photos and movies onto my computer. Went to see the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) presentation of “Bottom’s Dream”. It was a nice adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and they condensed it to under an hour.
Then at 3:30, I attended the auction of the navigational chart of this voyage. It went for $400 (imagine how much someone spent on the world voyage chart as there were five segments!). Then we had a very informative virtual Bridge Tour. The 2nd and 3rd Officers presented a nice description of the bridge with photos and interesting facts. There are always two officers and two quartermasters on the bridge. He gave a comparison of the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas ship vs. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. The Freedom is the biggest cruise ship on the seas, at the moment. It is 158,000 gross tons (which is the total of the public space), has only lifeboats, 1001 horsepower, travels 22 knots and cost $590M to build.
The Queen Mary 2 is the world’s largest oceanliner at 148,528 gross tons. Its length, beam and draft are larger than the Freedom, they have 18 tenders (to transfer passengers to shore), 1154 horsepower, can cruise at 30 knots and it cost $800M to build. It has a long bow to cut through the waves, which is 1/2” thicker than other ships. He showed a photo of a Carnival cruise ship in a hurricane with the wave hitting the front of the ship all the way up to the bridge. The Queen Mary 2 has a long, high bow and the water would run off it and back into the sea.
It has one of the biggest bridges in the world. Their two pieces of radar equipment can track ships within a 12 mile and a 24 mile range. They also have a sharp-eye radar system. We try to keep a distance of two miles between us and other ships. They have an echo sounder to find the depth from the bottom of the ship to the bottom of the sea. There are four pods, which are like outboard motors on speedboats. The Azipods rotate 360 degrees and each weighs 250 tons. The propeller blade is 18 feet in diameter! There are four diesel generators and a gas turbine (like a Lear jet). There is enough power on this ship to power the city of Southampton!! We are currently in a storm and the ship is rocking…they are using two stabilizers (out of a total of four) and they help to correct the roll and reduce it by 80% (thankfully).
We saw a TV interview of the Commodore and he mentioned the Queen Victoria had a helicopter evacuation a few hours before we had ours on Monday!!! They had a woman on dialysis who had boarded and then received a call at 2AM that the hospital had a kidney for her! So she was picked up and flown to Cambridge to receive the kidney…and then the same helicopter flew out to pick up our passenger to take him to Cornwall’s hospital! What a coincidence.
This ship makes 450,000 gallons of water a day to serve the ship. They do not have a need to take on much additional water in the ports of call. We travel over 3100 nautical miles to NY.
We read some of the interesting historical articles on the walls and picked up the audio headsets to enhance the experience. Dressed for our very last formal evening on this incredible voyage! Dinner with another couple and we had flambéed cherries jubilee and Baked Alaska (although we did not order both!). Had our last cocktail party with the Commodore and Sr. Officers and had a nice time in the Queens Room. We were late to the production show “Passionata”, a dance production number, so we watched most of it and then went to the second show also! We went to the casino for awhile and took some photos around the ship. We never made it to the Ascot Ball, as the Queens Room is in the back of the ship, which is very inconvenient when you realize how long it is from the theater to the Queens Room!
Lectures: “The Search for Life Beyond Earth”, Cooking demonstration on tiramisu and swordfish.
I found the words to the song I was thinking of for these final days of the trip…
“Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...”
Rainy and dreary – just like a winter day with mild temperatures – beautiful rainbow came out at dinner!
Did you know there is a crater on Mars which is 350 miles WIDE and as long as the width of the continental USA? Did you know there is a mountain on Mars which is 16 miles high?
Up at 8 and ordered room service. Probably last time for that big luxury…and it came within 10 minutes! Maybe being in the Grills category helped with the quick delivery…Had tea and talk with friends in their suite and then to the Groovy Choir singing in the Grand Lobby. It was great fun! They hand out song sheets and the jazz trio plays the songs and you sing along!
Hurried up to the 12th Sports Deck for the Baggo Tournament, which is sliding bean bags onto an aluminum angled sheet. You need to throw the bean bag into the hole to get the most points, otherwise you get one point when it rests on the top.
Went to the Bridge Observation Deck, which is a glass panel behind the bridge. You can look in during the day and see them working but no flash photos can be taken. We also rode on the outside elevator with views of the sea and saw the card room.
Lunch in the Grills Restaurant, did laundry and then met with a friend to transfer some photos and movies onto my computer. Went to see the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) presentation of “Bottom’s Dream”. It was a nice adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and they condensed it to under an hour.
Then at 3:30, I attended the auction of the navigational chart of this voyage. It went for $400 (imagine how much someone spent on the world voyage chart as there were five segments!). Then we had a very informative virtual Bridge Tour. The 2nd and 3rd Officers presented a nice description of the bridge with photos and interesting facts. There are always two officers and two quartermasters on the bridge. He gave a comparison of the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas ship vs. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. The Freedom is the biggest cruise ship on the seas, at the moment. It is 158,000 gross tons (which is the total of the public space), has only lifeboats, 1001 horsepower, travels 22 knots and cost $590M to build.
The Queen Mary 2 is the world’s largest oceanliner at 148,528 gross tons. Its length, beam and draft are larger than the Freedom, they have 18 tenders (to transfer passengers to shore), 1154 horsepower, can cruise at 30 knots and it cost $800M to build. It has a long bow to cut through the waves, which is 1/2” thicker than other ships. He showed a photo of a Carnival cruise ship in a hurricane with the wave hitting the front of the ship all the way up to the bridge. The Queen Mary 2 has a long, high bow and the water would run off it and back into the sea.
It has one of the biggest bridges in the world. Their two pieces of radar equipment can track ships within a 12 mile and a 24 mile range. They also have a sharp-eye radar system. We try to keep a distance of two miles between us and other ships. They have an echo sounder to find the depth from the bottom of the ship to the bottom of the sea. There are four pods, which are like outboard motors on speedboats. The Azipods rotate 360 degrees and each weighs 250 tons. The propeller blade is 18 feet in diameter! There are four diesel generators and a gas turbine (like a Lear jet). There is enough power on this ship to power the city of Southampton!! We are currently in a storm and the ship is rocking…they are using two stabilizers (out of a total of four) and they help to correct the roll and reduce it by 80% (thankfully).
We saw a TV interview of the Commodore and he mentioned the Queen Victoria had a helicopter evacuation a few hours before we had ours on Monday!!! They had a woman on dialysis who had boarded and then received a call at 2AM that the hospital had a kidney for her! So she was picked up and flown to Cambridge to receive the kidney…and then the same helicopter flew out to pick up our passenger to take him to Cornwall’s hospital! What a coincidence.
This ship makes 450,000 gallons of water a day to serve the ship. They do not have a need to take on much additional water in the ports of call. We travel over 3100 nautical miles to NY.
We read some of the interesting historical articles on the walls and picked up the audio headsets to enhance the experience. Dressed for our very last formal evening on this incredible voyage! Dinner with another couple and we had flambéed cherries jubilee and Baked Alaska (although we did not order both!). Had our last cocktail party with the Commodore and Sr. Officers and had a nice time in the Queens Room. We were late to the production show “Passionata”, a dance production number, so we watched most of it and then went to the second show also! We went to the casino for awhile and took some photos around the ship. We never made it to the Ascot Ball, as the Queens Room is in the back of the ship, which is very inconvenient when you realize how long it is from the theater to the Queens Room!
Lectures: “The Search for Life Beyond Earth”, Cooking demonstration on tiramisu and swordfish.
I found the words to the song I was thinking of for these final days of the trip…
“Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...”
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Formal Tea/ At sea in the Atlantic...
Thursday, April 23, 2009 – at sea
Clocks were set back another hour. We are only two hours ahead of DE now.
Sunny and windy all day. Decks were still closed for sports activities.
The 14th Deck has the kennel! We have eight dogs onboard. This is the only ship which will accept dogs for the crossing.
Had a nice breakfast with a friend in the Britannia Restaurant. Ran off to do some mailings, letters and email before 11:30AM (!!) cocktail hour with the Commodore and officers for all World Cruisers who had transferred over from the Queen Victoria. It was held in the Winter Garden which is a very a nice garden area with a low ceiling and lots of greenery and lawn furniture, even though it is enclosed without a moveable roof. A pianist played while we gabbed and gabbed. It is a nice group of people who will soon be on their merry way to new adventures in new lands…
Ran for a very quick lunch (salad) before the planetarium show. Then back for more paperwork before our formal tea in the Queens Room. We had great seats by the window and the string quarter played.
Then worked in the room and delivered some mail. Dinner in the alternative restaurant, the Carvery, with four others and went late (can you believe it??) to the play “Hobson’s Choice” and then the piano recital.
Lectures: “Casablanca and the Making of a Masterpiece”, “When Characters Become the Authors of a Novel”, “A Scientist Goes to the Movies”
Entertainment: RADA presents Hobson’s Choice (play) and a great classical concert with pianist Campbell Simpson, Martini Mixology, Grand Wine Tasting Seminar, Acting Workshop, Creative Arts Class, Bingo!, Computer Lectures, Line dancing, Social Baggo, Bible Study, Canyon Ranch Fitness, Duplicate Bridge, Darts Tournament, Golf Simulator Competition, Pub Team Trivia….
The water has been slightly rough today but the ship is amazing. There is very little movement and I guess that is the benefit of being in an oceanliner.
The days pass so quickly. There is a song from the Mamma Mia movie and I can’t find the lyrics to it but they say something about “freezing that frame in life”. That is exactly what I want to do. Freeze each moment to be able to recall it when I need it – for support, for a happy moment, for a laugh, to share…
Clocks were set back another hour. We are only two hours ahead of DE now.
Sunny and windy all day. Decks were still closed for sports activities.
The 14th Deck has the kennel! We have eight dogs onboard. This is the only ship which will accept dogs for the crossing.
Had a nice breakfast with a friend in the Britannia Restaurant. Ran off to do some mailings, letters and email before 11:30AM (!!) cocktail hour with the Commodore and officers for all World Cruisers who had transferred over from the Queen Victoria. It was held in the Winter Garden which is a very a nice garden area with a low ceiling and lots of greenery and lawn furniture, even though it is enclosed without a moveable roof. A pianist played while we gabbed and gabbed. It is a nice group of people who will soon be on their merry way to new adventures in new lands…
Ran for a very quick lunch (salad) before the planetarium show. Then back for more paperwork before our formal tea in the Queens Room. We had great seats by the window and the string quarter played.
Then worked in the room and delivered some mail. Dinner in the alternative restaurant, the Carvery, with four others and went late (can you believe it??) to the play “Hobson’s Choice” and then the piano recital.
Lectures: “Casablanca and the Making of a Masterpiece”, “When Characters Become the Authors of a Novel”, “A Scientist Goes to the Movies”
Entertainment: RADA presents Hobson’s Choice (play) and a great classical concert with pianist Campbell Simpson, Martini Mixology, Grand Wine Tasting Seminar, Acting Workshop, Creative Arts Class, Bingo!, Computer Lectures, Line dancing, Social Baggo, Bible Study, Canyon Ranch Fitness, Duplicate Bridge, Darts Tournament, Golf Simulator Competition, Pub Team Trivia….
The water has been slightly rough today but the ship is amazing. There is very little movement and I guess that is the benefit of being in an oceanliner.
The days pass so quickly. There is a song from the Mamma Mia movie and I can’t find the lyrics to it but they say something about “freezing that frame in life”. That is exactly what I want to do. Freeze each moment to be able to recall it when I need it – for support, for a happy moment, for a laugh, to share…
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Dad's Birthday...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 – Dad’s birthday! At sea
Clocks set back another hour. We are almost there now…
Very busy day. Here was the tentative schedule before the day began:
Call clients about some issues
9:30 – meet for paddle tennis
9:30 – pick up planetarium tickets for afternoon show
12:30 – lunch with friends
2:30 – planetarium
4:30 – meet for cocktail party for 5PM
6:30 – cocktails with the Commodore and Sr. Officers
7:30 – dinner
8:45 – show
The day went like this…Up to a windy and blistery day and the upper decks were closed. The Commodore said the wind gusts were like 50 knots an hour -- the speed of the boat combined with the actual wind. Therefore, the upper decks were inaccessible. The hangers in the closet are banging around and the wind is whipping up a storm!! The waves are so pretty…as long as I’m not in a lifeboat bopping along out there…
But anyway, therefore, no paddle tennis. But I did play ping pong for ½ hour and really enjoyed it! There are two tables by the indoor pavilion pool and two whirlpools and the retractable roof was covering it all.
Have to admit that I first went to get an almond/marzipan croissant from the lounge…
Then picked up tickets to the Planetarium’s 2:30 show.
Worked on the speech for the party tonight and got out all the clothes for the day (formal evening). It is almost more of a pain to try to live out of two suitcases when you have all these other ones packed. The one item you need is bound to be in the other case…
Had to make copies, type up notes, go to the purser’s desk, sort out expenses, make a car reservation…the list keeps growing. Anyway, we had a very nice lunch with friends in the Britannia Restaurant and then ran to the Planetarium for the show “Infinity Express”. The show yesterday was better with more photos and motion and less dialogue.
Running late, I dressed as quickly as possible for the cocktail party. Well, let me re-state that. I could not get the zipper up in my emerald green ball gown; I love the color of the dress but the zipper has been a pain in the neck. Every time I wear it, it takes longer and longer to close. And this time was the worst. I finally put it over my head and pulled down with the zipper half up and if someone had been there videotaping the entire episode, AT A LATER TIME, I would have died with laughter to watch myself. But at the time, I wanted to scream!! I was stuck with half of it above me and not being able to pull it down. Oh bother. Finally it all came together and I ran up to host the party!!
The group had a small oddly shaped area in the Commodore Club on the 9th floor at the front of the ship. Large comfortable lounge chairs , drinks and hot and cold canapés. The Commodore, the Staff Captain, the Food and Beverage Manager and the Hotel Manager’s assistant showed up so that was great news. We took some photos and then hurried off to another cocktail party!
The 6:30 party was in the Queens Room in the back of the ship and there were formal officer introductions and more drinks. This was for the Grill guests and we met the Hotel Manager, John Duffy.
Dinner was nice and then the show was the Royal Cunard Singers In Concert. Took some photos around the ship and then worked on the computer.
The wind is still blowing. In the distance, we saw several rainstorms through the balcony and they are beautiful from afar.
Lectures today: NY Tour Talk, “Conversations with Kathryn Harrison”, “History of the Newsreels from Edison to D-Day”.
The Commodore is the highest rank on a cruise line. He is the most senior captain of the entire fleet. He is also the Captain of the ship.
I am amazed at the beautiful art around the ship; the murals are incredible. Have to make some time to walk around slowly and see it all.
I called Dad, for his birthday, from the ship at $4.95 per minute. The cell phone would not work as I can’t find a network; we guess that we are too far away from land to connect.
We did hear good news about the gentleman who was airlifted yesterday. He is resting comfortably in the hospital in Cornwall, UK. Great news.
Clocks set back another hour. We are almost there now…
Very busy day. Here was the tentative schedule before the day began:
Call clients about some issues
9:30 – meet for paddle tennis
9:30 – pick up planetarium tickets for afternoon show
12:30 – lunch with friends
2:30 – planetarium
4:30 – meet for cocktail party for 5PM
6:30 – cocktails with the Commodore and Sr. Officers
7:30 – dinner
8:45 – show
The day went like this…Up to a windy and blistery day and the upper decks were closed. The Commodore said the wind gusts were like 50 knots an hour -- the speed of the boat combined with the actual wind. Therefore, the upper decks were inaccessible. The hangers in the closet are banging around and the wind is whipping up a storm!! The waves are so pretty…as long as I’m not in a lifeboat bopping along out there…
But anyway, therefore, no paddle tennis. But I did play ping pong for ½ hour and really enjoyed it! There are two tables by the indoor pavilion pool and two whirlpools and the retractable roof was covering it all.
Have to admit that I first went to get an almond/marzipan croissant from the lounge…
Then picked up tickets to the Planetarium’s 2:30 show.
Worked on the speech for the party tonight and got out all the clothes for the day (formal evening). It is almost more of a pain to try to live out of two suitcases when you have all these other ones packed. The one item you need is bound to be in the other case…
Had to make copies, type up notes, go to the purser’s desk, sort out expenses, make a car reservation…the list keeps growing. Anyway, we had a very nice lunch with friends in the Britannia Restaurant and then ran to the Planetarium for the show “Infinity Express”. The show yesterday was better with more photos and motion and less dialogue.
Running late, I dressed as quickly as possible for the cocktail party. Well, let me re-state that. I could not get the zipper up in my emerald green ball gown; I love the color of the dress but the zipper has been a pain in the neck. Every time I wear it, it takes longer and longer to close. And this time was the worst. I finally put it over my head and pulled down with the zipper half up and if someone had been there videotaping the entire episode, AT A LATER TIME, I would have died with laughter to watch myself. But at the time, I wanted to scream!! I was stuck with half of it above me and not being able to pull it down. Oh bother. Finally it all came together and I ran up to host the party!!
The group had a small oddly shaped area in the Commodore Club on the 9th floor at the front of the ship. Large comfortable lounge chairs , drinks and hot and cold canapés. The Commodore, the Staff Captain, the Food and Beverage Manager and the Hotel Manager’s assistant showed up so that was great news. We took some photos and then hurried off to another cocktail party!
The 6:30 party was in the Queens Room in the back of the ship and there were formal officer introductions and more drinks. This was for the Grill guests and we met the Hotel Manager, John Duffy.
Dinner was nice and then the show was the Royal Cunard Singers In Concert. Took some photos around the ship and then worked on the computer.
The wind is still blowing. In the distance, we saw several rainstorms through the balcony and they are beautiful from afar.
Lectures today: NY Tour Talk, “Conversations with Kathryn Harrison”, “History of the Newsreels from Edison to D-Day”.
The Commodore is the highest rank on a cruise line. He is the most senior captain of the entire fleet. He is also the Captain of the ship.
I am amazed at the beautiful art around the ship; the murals are incredible. Have to make some time to walk around slowly and see it all.
I called Dad, for his birthday, from the ship at $4.95 per minute. The cell phone would not work as I can’t find a network; we guess that we are too far away from land to connect.
We did hear good news about the gentleman who was airlifted yesterday. He is resting comfortably in the hospital in Cornwall, UK. Great news.
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