At Sea En-Route to New York

“It’s A Good Day For Going To Sea, Hanno The Navigator Said To Me.” Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

“There is one spectacle grander than the sea: that is the sky. There is one spectacle grander than the sky: that is the interior of the soul.”

Victor Hugo

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 barely moved around last night. The stillness with which she plows through the north Atlantic at 17 knots is remarkable; it is not until you step outside that you realize how strong the wind is, or that faint wisps of sea spray are carried up over 80 feet to the Promenade Deck, where they collect on camera lenses and eyeglasses in the form of crystallized salt.

The clocks were put back an hour last night, and they’ll be ratcheted back another hour again this evening. Call it the benefit of a Westbound Crossing: six 25-hour days as we trade the time in London for the time in New York, where we will arrive bright and early on Friday morning.

So what can you do aboard Queen Mary 2 with an entire day at sea? Well, you certainly can’t be bored. Here, lifted from the Daily Programme, is what’s going on around the ship today:

• 8:00am: Canyon Ranch Fitness Power Walk. Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Deck 7, A Stairway.
• 8:00am: Canyon Ranch Fitness Stretch & Relax. Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Deck 7, A Stairway.
• 9:00am: Crossword Available. Library, Deck 8, A Stairway.
• 9:00am: Canyon Ranch Fitness Power Pilates. Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Deck 7, A Stairway.
• 9:15am: Canyon Ranch Lecture: Chiropractic Benefits. Wintergarden, Deck 7, B Stairway
• 9:30am: Baggo Competition. Pavilion Pool, Deck 12, B Stairway.
• 9:30am: Beginner’s Bridge Class. Atlantic Room, Deck 11, A Stairway
• 10:00am: Watercolour Class. Chelesea Room, Deck 1, B Stairway
• 10:30am: Morning Trivia. Golden Lion Pub, Deck 2, C Stairway
• 10:30am: Solo Traveller’s Coffee. Chef’s Galley, Deck 3, C Stairway
• 10:30am: Intermediate Bridge Class. Atlantic Room, Deck 11, A Stairway
• 11:00am: Cunard Insights: Dr. John McMichan. ‘Herbal Medicines’. Illuminations, Deck 3, B Stairway
• 11:00am: Line Dance Class. Queen’s Room, Deck 3, D Stairway
• 11:00am: Deck Quoits Tournament. Deck 12, B Stairway, port / starboard side.
• 11:15am: Darts Competition. Golden Lion Pub, Deck 2, C Stairway
• 12:00pm: Eight Bells. Grand Lobby, Deck 3, C Stairway
• 12:00pm: Navigation Announcement. Public Address System.
• 12:00pm: Texas Hold’em Tournament. Empire Casino, Deck 2, B or C Stairway
• 12:15pm: Chart Room Melodies. Chart Room, Deck 3, C Stairway
• 12:15pm: Ballroom Dance Class with Sergey and Olga. Queen’s Room, Deck 3, D Stairway
• 12:30pm: Poolside Music with Vibz. Pavilion Pool, Deck 12, B Stairway
• 12:45pm: English Premier League Football: Newcastle vs. Arsenol. Golden Lion Pub, Deck 2, C Stairway
• 1:00pm: Planetarium: “Infinity Express”. Illuminations, Deck 3, B Stairway
• 2:00pm: Watercolour Art Class. Chelsea Room, Deck 1, B Stairway
• 2:00pm: Planetarium: “Infinity Express.” Illuminations, Deck 3, B Stairway
• 2:00pm: Snowball Jackpot Bingo. Queen’s Room, Deck 3, D Stairway
• 2:00pm: Quizzical Corner. Chart Room, Deck 3, C Stairway
• 2:00pm: Canyon Ranch Lecture: Skin Smart. Wintergarden, Deck 7, B Stairway
• 2:00pm: Duplicate Bridge Tournament. Atlantic Room, Deck 11, A Stairway
• 2:15pm: iStudy: iPad Workshop. ConneXions Room 6, Deck 2, A Stairway
• 2:15pm: Cricket Tournament. All Weather Court, Deck 13, A Stairway
• 2:30pm: Planetarium: “Infinity Express.” Illuminations, Deck 3, B Stairway
• 2:30pm: Friends of Bill W. ConneXions Room 4 & 5, Deck 2, A Stairway
• 2:30pm: Hostess Corner: Needlework and Knitting. Chart Room, Deck 3, C Stairway
• 3:00pm: Canyon Ranch Lecture: Nutrition and Exercise. Wintergarden, Deck 7, B Stairway
• 3:00pm: English Premier League Football: Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace. Golden Lion Pub, Deck 2, C Stairway
• 3:30pm: Cunard Insights: Charles Barclay: “Archaeostronomy: The Dawn of Science”. Illuminations, Deck 3, B Stairway

…and that’s just the morning and afternoon! It literally just took me 45 minutes to type all of that. That’s how much there is to do aboard Queen Mary 2! Which has, understandably, worked up a thirst and an appetite. So it’s off to the Golden Lion Pub for Pub Lunch.

The Golden Lion Pub on Deck 2. Within ten minutes of taking this photograph, it would be packed. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

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Our Live Voyage Report continues tomorrow with our third full day crossing the Atlantic Ocean aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2! Be sure to follow along with our adventures on Twitter @deckchairblog.