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In summer months, a diorama of low, pale light eases across the ocean; pink clouds unravel above the horizon, that rigid and unyielding circle unbroken for 360 degrees separating the blue sky from the indigo sea. The vista grows ever wider as dusk creeps up upon the ship from the east. It is at night, however, the North Atlantic reveals its special magic. Under a canopy of stars, QM2 traces its course through the inky water; its wake a glistening river. A sea voyage is a dream as old as humanity itself. It is the aspiration of explorers, pioneers, and pirates. To rediscover the ocean is to rediscover our own genesis: we first emerged from the primal ocean, and now live on a watery planet. It is only on board the behemoth that is QM2 that we can rediscover the ineffable zeitgeist that distinguishes a voyage from a cruise.


T


here can be few more pleasurable lenses through which to view social history than the many incarnations


century transatlantic liners were a microcosm of wealth, liaisons and scandal; it was a milieu in which wealthy American debutantes formed shipboard romances with European second sons. QM2 is an unexpected resurrection of


of the cruise ship. Without doubt, in the mid 20th


refined traditions, one where genteel values of the Edwardian age are subtly rekindled in a world of morning bouillon, afternoon tea and black-tie dinners. A time capsule perhaps, but where else can people revel in such a laissez-faire rendition of romanticism and glamour? Passengers soon begin to appreciate the benefits of ocean travel. Long periods with the absence of distractions and external stimuli allow time for reflection and undisturbed introspection. There’s something in the scroll-like continuum of ocean travel that encourages less-familiar facets of the psyche to become manifest. There’s no risk of entertainment ennui, though, with the amount of headline entertainment on board. Many take a good book, but more often than not fail to get past the first chapter as the daily programme positively overflows with diversions. Passengers can marvel as the constellations unfold in the only planetarium at sea; listen to authors such as Bill Bryson in an unrivalled series of enrichment lectures; take in a performance by members of RADA; watch 3D films; relax in the Canyon Ranch Spa; be energised by the bracing sea air during a game of shuffleboard; or retreat to one of


the recherché bars to enjoy a favourite tipple. Ranging from the compact to the opulent, staterooms and suites come in no fewer than 32 grades, with restaurants of ascending splendour to match, but all other public spaces aboard are open to everyone in tandem with today’s egalitarian values. There’s no doubt QM2 is the most dress- conscious ship at sea, with four nights during every crossing when tuxedos or dark suits are required for men, whilst ladies revel in the chance to sport chic dresses from au courant designers. For passengers who feel outside their comfort zone on these nights, there’s the casual dining option of King’s Court, which is a buffet by day but becomes more intimate by night. While Cunard is the only company offering scheduled, non-stop line-voyages across the North Atlantic between Southampton and New York, several other lines offer ‘positioning’ voyages as their ships move between the Caribbean and Mediterranean.


Appealing to those who enjoy time at sea, these cruises take longer as they visit ports en route. They sail either via Iceland


and the Canadian


Maritimes if on a northerly course to ports like Boston, Halifax and New York; or the Canary Islands and Caribbean if they take a southerly route to Florida. But, whatever the choice or reason, a


voyage across the mighty Atlantic Ocean should stake a place in all true travellers’ desideratum. 


“Crossing this Ocean in a SURFEIT OF LUXURY is to VOYAGE BACK IN TIME to a more spacious AND GRACIOUS ERA”


Spring 2012 I WORLD OF CRUISING 23


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