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Our Third Cruise - October 27 - November 6, 2000
Cunard was running some great sales in 2000 so we jumped at the opportunity to sail on the world's most famous ship. This was a ten-day transatlantic cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and ending in Southampton, England. We picked the 10 day "Floating Jazz Festival" only because it was the same price as the 6 day transatlantics so we figured why not get a few more days for our money? The only ports were Bermuda and Madeira and since we LOVE days at sea, this suited us fine.
(from Cunard's website) "The name evokes gracious staterooms, impeccable service, sumptuous dining and visions of a dramatic era of ocean liner travel. Aboard Cunard's legendary flagship, the dream lives on. With an unparalleled array of cultural diversions, up-to-the-minute entertainment and acres of decks to explore, QE2 offers a wealth of activities for every age, and a level of luxury for every taste. Each choice of accommodations is paired with an elegant sea-view restaurant, where passengers dine throughout the voyage. At sea, the days are filled with concerts and films, spas and swimming, deck sports and games of chance. Nights are a whirl of cocktails and dancing, coffee and conversation, the sounds of music and laughter. With everything from a shopping promenade to a poolside cafe, a well-stocked library to a Victorian pub, QE2 is nothing less than a glittering city afloat."
OCTOBER
27 Friday - Fly to Ft. Lauderdale - 
- Embark - QE 2 departs 5:00 p.m.
28 Saturday- At Sea
29 Sunday - Hamilton, Bermuda
30 Monday - At Sea
31 Tuesday- At Sea
NOVEMBER
1 Wednesday- At Sea
2 Thursday - At Sea
3 Friday - Funchal, Madeira, Portugal (full day)
4 Saturday - At Sea
5 Sunday - At Sea
6 Monday - Disembark - 
- Southampton, England 7:00 a.m.
This was a spur-of-the-moment decision based on the great sales that were being offered so finances dictated that we book the cheapest cabin, hoping for an upgrade. But we knew that there was a definite chance we could have upper and lower berths. Well, we got the M-5 cabin (upper and lower) and it WAS the world's tiniest cabin however extremely well-designed. There was plenty of storage space and our steward was able to check two of our larger suitcases. Joe and I agreed that if we could get along in THAT cabin for 10 days then we could truly sail ANYWHERE under any conditions!
Yes, that's ME in the upper berth. The cabin was only about as wide as the bed I am sleeping in. The view of the bathroom is taken from the bed so you can see how limited the floor space is! Good thing neither of us suffers from claustrophobia. Looking at the bathroom photo, on the left is a small vanity/desk with a tiny stool and small TV. ON the right is a small chest of drawers, ice bucket, etc. On each side there was a closet and straight ahead was the bath. Again, small but efficiently designed. It's the old cruise adage: If you have a mini-suite, suite or balcony cabin, you WILL spend time in your room and enjoy it. If you have a tiny inside cabin, you'll spend more time in the public areas of the ship. We've traveled all the way from a suite down to this little cabin in 'steerage' but cruising is fun no matter which way you travel. Believe it or not, on a few nights, even with our closet of a cabin, we chose to go back to the cabin early because we were both reading terrific books.
Our cabin category meant that we dined in the Mauretania dining room and we found the food and service there to be just fine. By some stroke of luck we were chosen to sit at a hosted table. Our host was the ship's Hotel Manager, John Duffy, and his staff so each night we met a different member of the staff. All were absolutely delightful and they ordered wine and champagne for the table each evening (compliments of the hotel manager) which added to the festive atmosphere at dinner!
The highpoint of every day was tea in the Queen's Room, with waiters wearing white gloves and serving tea sandwiches and yummy pastries. Each day they would march out as the band played a different tune ... my favorite was "Teddy Bear's Picnic".
Hamilton has been Bermuda's capital since 1815. It is Bermuda's only city, the center of financial commerce, and the most centrally located port. From Fort Hamilton, the finest surviving example of a mid-Victorian fort in Bermuda, you can see a spectacular view of the harbour, cruise ships, and the city. The public buses are pink and traverse the entire island.
Since we only had one day in Bermuda, we decided to fulfill a dream by swimming with dolphins! It was an amazing experience and one that we will not soon forget!
The Madeira Archipelago, consisting of the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo and Desertas, is situated in the Atlantic, about 400 mi. from the African coast and 560 mi. from Lisbon.
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1419, Madeira, the largest of the islands, became of great importance to Portugal for its sugar production and later on for the cultivation of wine. The unusually temperate oceanic climate and extraordinary scenery had Northern Europeans flocking to Madeira as early as the 18th century to spend the winter months. The winning combination of high, rocky peaks, steep green ravines and waterfalls in the interior, with the flowering charm of Funchal still attracts nearly half a million visitors each year.
The guidebooks advised that if you had only one day in Madeira, there were two 'MUSTS' -- a sledge ride and afternoon tea at Reid's Palace Hotel.
I was able to make reservations for afternoon tea via the Internet at Reids Palace Hotel (where George Bernard Shaw and Churchill have stayed). If weather permits, ask for their outdoor Tea Terrace. Our table afforded us a beautiful view of Madeira as well as the QE2 in the harbor.
The Southampton's Ocean Terminal is considered the finest facility ever built for sea passengers. Today, we bid a fond farewell to the QE 2 and board a motorcoach for the 2-hour ride to London, where we catch our flight back home.
Will you be sailing on the QE2? If so, I have a perfect mystery book to take along with you or to read in anticipation. It's J. S. Borthwick's My Body Lies Over The Ocean, available from Amazon.com. The setting is a ship very similar to the QE 2 called the Queen Victoria. It's light reading but very enjoyable!
Also feel free to e-mail me below if you have any specific questions!
© 1998 bindtwo@aol.com
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