关于Cunard跨大西洋巡游的11件事
经过Brittany Chrusciel/Hopping “across the pond” was once required to be aboard a ship before the advent of transatlantic flight. Used for the purposes of immigration as well as for leisure, North Atlantic crossings from Southampton, UK to New York City were a luxury in the early 20thcentury, but far from the polished experience offered on cruise ships today.
Cunard Line was founded in 1840, and while its pleasure cruise offerings have evolved by leaps and bounds, transatlantic crossings are still an integral part of the company’s legacy with its ocean liner Queen Mary 2 (QM2). Other cruise lines also run transatlantic itineraries, but no one has the abundance or experience that Cunard brings to its crossings.
尽管我们在现代时代旅行时被宠坏了,但许多人选择回到海洋的浪漫史,是避免机场的麻烦还是品尝以当代舒适的历史旅行。如果您的客户正在考虑与Cunard进行跨大西洋巡游,这里有一些有用的提示可以通过。
1. To avoid the roughest seas, book a summer crossing
很少有邮轮公司提供冬季过境点,这就是使它们如此舒适和库纳德(Cunard)QM2的特殊原因。但是,众所周知,从11月到1月的寒冷天气更有可能导致整个北大西洋的波涛汹涌。如果您的客户正在寻找一个更加柔和的交叉点,包括有机会完全享受带游泳池和毛绒loungers的外部甲板,请建议在夏季的几个月中进行跨大西洋通道。当然,永远无法保证天气,并且船舶具有良好的能力避免最粗糙的条件,但是对运动特别紧张的客户最好避免冬季过境。(该船的春季通常花在5月份下船的世界航行上。)
2. QM2 knows how to put on a theme evening
Like almost everywhere these days, dress codes have relaxed aboard Cunard Line, but the fleet’s “sense of occasion” is still a part of what makes it stand out from the rest. A one-week transatlantic crossing features two gala evenings, in addition to nightly dress code expectations in the Britannia main dining room, specialty restaurants, and lounges. (Overpacking is the expectation on a transatlantic sailing; if clients book roundtrip, there are no baggage limitations.)
Galas are themed — expect a masquerade party or roaring ‘20s attire — and most passengers go all out, donning gowns and tuxes with gusto. The QM2 matches this enthusiasm with themed trivia, gala cocktails, special menus, and even themed movies on the in-stateroom TV. For those less inclined to get fancy, there are still venues that will cater to casual dress in the evening, but those who opt out of dressing up for dinner and drinks tend to be in the minority.
Photo: Brittany Chrusciel
3.选择正确的楼梯是必不可少的
The QM2 is a beloved ship for its nautical prowess and Art Deco décor — but it can be hard to find your way around. Stairwells around the ship are labeled A, B, C, and D. After taking these designations for granted and trying to forge our own way, we realized the path of least resistance is to map out stairwells from our stateroom to common venues like our dining room and the theater as soon as possible. Choosing the wrong stairwell could lead to a dead end; while that’s a fun adventure for discovering new nooks around the ship, it gets frustrating when you’re trying to be on time for a reservation.
Stairway A is forward, B and C are midship, and D is aft. Navigating to the correct set of stairs from your cabin is the best way to get where you’re going with minimal turnarounds.
4. The days fill faster than you would expect
Despite a week at sea being the definition of “slow travel” — also known as intentionally enjoying the journey — a crossing might be a little less snail-paced than many might originally expect. It’s true that the days tend to revolve around meals, but there are four of those, including tea. In between, there are lectures from experts in various fields, including salacious topics like what we have learned about Jack the Ripper from a modern medical examiner.
There are ballroom dancing lessons and language classes, wine or whisky tasting, a planetarium, and trivia galore. There are a full-service spa and thermal suite where hours are lost to relaxation. And there are enough scenic and comfy spots to settle into for the entire afternoon, from coffee bars to a popular pub, a top-deck lounge, and one of the largest libraries at sea. By night the ship fills with musical acts and theater performances, ensuring any boredom is run out by the clock.
5. Go early for the pub lunch
我们能说什么?Golden Lion不仅是为吃水啤酒和英国风格的热情好客提供标志性的QM2体验,而且不容错过它的酒吧午餐。每天下午12点至下午2点,Golden Lion都提供一个免费的免费菜单,包括鱼和薯条,鸡肉Tikka Masala,“耕种盘子”和咸味馅饼。食物像金狮红色一样,在内部啤酒中吹捧着令人满意的,这是使这个空间在乘客中如此受欢迎的一部分。
Arrive well before noon to secure seats for lunch, and even earlier if you want one of the highly coveted window seats, where guests seem to make themselves at home for hours. The pub’s location on Deck 2 is especially useful during bad weather, where motion is less likely to be felt but the storm can be seen from picture windows. Did we mention sticky toffee pudding?
照片:谢丽尔·理查兹(Cheryl Richards)
6.狗是狗和猫
Either for logistics or leisure, pets have been traveling aboard the QM2 on crossings for decades. The kennel was expanded in 2016 to double its capacity to 24 cages, but it still regularly books up years in advance. (As of December 2022, kennel reservations are booked until 2025.) The facility is run by an experienced kennel master who cares for all visiting dogs and cats — and occasionally smaller critters like hamsters.
宠物必须呆在甲板上13,但所有者振幅e opportunity to spend time with their fur kids during visiting hours throughout the day, including an outdoor area to walk and an indoor room to play and cuddle. Prices vary by kennel size (large or small); cats require two cages, which include a space for their litter box.
7.玛丽皇后2实际上不是游轮
Due to the way that the Queen Mary 2 was constructed, it is considered an ocean liner — not a cruise ship, in the common sense. A steel-strengthened hull reinforces it against rough seas and its specially designed shape — a low, pointy bow — and massive engine power make it an ideal vessel to provide the smoothest ride across the North Atlantic. The QM2 can reach speeds of about 30 knots — about double that of your standard cruise ship. So not only is QM2 unique for onboard features like a planetarium and pet kennel, but it’s also the only proper ocean liner currently in operation.
8.您可以尝试多种不同类型的下午茶
对于我们当中的非大礼物来说,紧张舞会仍然是一种新颖性,在QM2的一周内,新颖性不会消失。每天在女王的房间里举行白色手套茶水服务,在亚麻布上配备了烤饼,三明治和茶杯的盛大宴会厅,伴随着经典的三人组或竖琴手。每日下午茶是免费的,但是如果您想爵士乐爵士乐,请预订特殊的香槟酒服务,其中包括起泡和升级的零食。如果您在套房班上预订,那么还有更多的茶品种,并为您和您最喜欢的cuppa提供专用的私人场所。
9.您将通过泰坦尼克号的最后安息之地
Perhaps the most famous transatlantic voyage was the ill-fated Titanic, operated by White Star Line, in 1912. While safety at sea has improved immensely in the past 100 years, it’s still a sobering experience to sail essentially the same route as those passengers on a ship once thought to be unsinkable. QM2 guests can read about the firsthand experiences of the survivors, which can be found in books within the library or on signage around the ship. If you’re sailing this transatlantic passage between Southampton and New York (or reverse), you will actually pass near the final resting place of the Titanic, located about 400 miles from Newfoundland. It’s a milestone both eerie and moving.
Photo: Belikova Oksana / Shutterstock.com
10.明智地预订您的方向
如果您在美国,并且不想飞往伦敦,则可以在布鲁克林的Red Hook Cruise Ship Terminal登上QM2。反之亦然,如果您在英国,想越过北美。但是,如果您选择方向并且不介意以一种方式飞行,请在跳上船上之前考虑整个旅行。
We flew to London from New York, transferred to Southampton, and then spent seven days slowly sailing back home on a westbound crossing. For New Yorkers, it’s an easy commute after disembarkation, but for anyone who struggles with jet lag, it’s also extremely helpful to gain time each night. An additional hour each day is not only a welcome extension of vacation, but it helps to acclimate back to one’s normal time zone. On the flip side, sailing to the UK from NYC means you lose an hour just about every day in the middle of the afternoon.
我们与我们交谈的许多客人都在两者之间进行了预订,无论是在英国拜访家人还是在曼哈顿度过时间观光,然后再重新登机回家。
11. Internet expectations should be managed
Connectivity has vastly improved in recent years, and Cunard’s QM2 offers a choice of internet packages that will allow texting and posting to social media over the ship’s Wi-Fi. However, these packages come at a cost, and the reliability of the Wi-Fi signal is not guaranteed. Communicating with loved ones at home is possible, but we found that internet strength was unpredictable — like the sea. Expect zero streaming, dropped calls, and having the best chance of uploading to Facebook once everyone else on the ship is in bed. After all, you are in the middle of the ocean and isn’t the whole point to disconnect anyway?