Sailing from Southampton to New York aboard Queen Mary 2 had been a dream of mine for quite some time and finally, in July 2016, I embarked on my first ever transatlantic voyage with Cunard to New York City. It wouldn’t be my first, however, as I was also booked to sail back to Southampton on a slightly later voyage – following a 16-day road trip along the U.S. east coast.
Iconic Transatlantic Voyage with Cunard
For my westbound crossing, I had a Britannia Club Balcony Stateroom and it was absolutely perfect. A Queen-size bed, sofa, large vanity area and huge balcony had been promised and all were delivered – the balcony I had was incredibly big, probably one of the biggest I’ve had on any ship. The bathroom was also a good size and offered plenty of storage space.
n my Eastbound crossing I had one of the brand new single staterooms and it was wonderful (my favourite out of the 2 accommodation options), I was incredibly impressed with the size and the decor and I would highly recommend one of the solo staterooms to anyone that is travelling alone. The bathroom was beautifully decorated and offered a massage power shower, and the stateroom itself offered a large vanity area, chair and foot stool, large flat-screen TV and a bed that was maybe just smaller than a standard double.
Dining on both crossings was in the Britannia Restaurant and as I was travelling alone, I was placed on a table with others whom were also travelling alone. I had wonderful table mates on both crossings and I certainly looked forward to dinner every evening. I’d not experienced fixed dining for quite some time – I usually go with freedom, but that isn’t an option on Queen Mary 2 – and the change was quite nice. The food throughout both voyages was absolutely superb, I couldn’t fault a single dish and the choice of courses was very well balanced. Chateaubriand, lobster, shrimp and more all made an appearance and were all equally as delicious. I also enjoyed the options on the CanyonRanch section of the menu – these dishes are often slightly healthier and more calorie conscious.
There were plenty of entertainment offerings and one of my favourite places to visit was the onboard planetarium – the only one at sea! I enjoyed several space related talks from Dr. Chris Crowe and a few movies on the overhead. The first short movie I watched was called ‘Asteroid-Mission Extreme’ and it looked at ways in which mankind can prepare for asteroid impacts in the future and how we can possibly even use them to create fuel, which can be used in space to allow crafts to explore further than ever before. It was a great way to spend 25-minutes on a afternoon at sea when it was windy and cold outside. I also went along to watch the short-movie ‘Cosmic Collisions’ and that too was good, probably my favourite. This movie gave insight into how our moon came to be, and what will happen to some of the galaxies out there in the next few billion years.
I also enjoyed a fair amount of time on the outer decks (when the weather allowed for it). There are so many places to explore and when the sun is shining who wants to be inside? Not me. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t do my laps every day, but I did walk the Promenade Deck every day and I also enjoyed walking on Deck 12 – that’s where you will find the kennels and I couldn’t resist going along and saying hello to all the dogs that were enjoying fresh air time.
During your time onboard, you must also look for the outside glass elevator. I’m not going to tell you where it is, you have to find it for yourself, but it’s a fun ride for a few seconds and you get great views!
I enjoyed every aspect of both crossings and it’s a voyage that I would highly recommend. Cunard offers Transatlantic sailings virtually year-round and all have the option of flights, or you can even do a round-trip. I booked 2 individual crossings and planned the in-between myself. This is also another option that I would highly recommend and I certainly wasn’t the only person onboard that had opted to sail to/from England instead of flying following a road trip/extended land stay. Our Cruise Experts can help you with the planning, should you wish to have a longer stay in the U.S.. Between my sailings, I visited Baltimore, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York.
Boarding Queen Mary 2 for a voyage to New York had been a dream of mine for a very long time and it certainly didn’t disappoint. There are no words to really explain how it feels as the Manhattan skyline comes into view and you pass beneath the Verrazano Bridge. Sailing back to the UK aboard Queen Mary 2 was also a wonderful experience, but nothing can top the excitement of sailing in the opposite direction. It quite literally gave me chills.
Book Your Transatlantic Voyage with The Cruise Line
The Cruise Line has a wide variety of offers available on a selection of 2017 and 2018 transatlantic crossings with Cunard. Book with us and experience this iconic journey in style and luxury. For information on sailings, please contact one of our Cruise Experts on 0800 008 6677.
