Cruising on the Queen Mary 2

The view of the Queen Mary 2 from our helicopter ride in Saguenay

My husband and I celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary on the beautiful Queen Mary 2 on a 12-day cruise from New York to Quebec and back to New York. When we flew to New York, we spent three days before boarding the ship. New York did not disappoint, although I thought it had too many security guards standing in the hotels and stores. One evening, we enjoyed the musical Water for Elephants and another evening we ate at Bourbon Steak New York, one of Chef Micheal Mina's restaurants, located in the Essex House. We both loved our visit to the MOMA. Before we knew it, our three days were over and we boarded the beautiful Queen Mary 2.  

A few hours after boarding the ship, we sailed away under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with only 8 meters separating the top of the ship from the bridge.
There is a pilot who guides the ship in and out of the harbor. I always love watching the pilots jumping off and onto the ship. I am amazed how skillful they are when maneuvering these large ships. This was the first time I sailed out of New York and seeing the Statue of Liberty is quite a moving experience. It is a touching and special moment that makes you wonder about all the people who came to this country to build a new life for themselves and their families. 
We returned to New York 12 days later. It was early in the morning and New York offered a great light show as the sun rose. I am happy I didn't miss this; it was worth getting up early in the morning. 

leaving New York

returning to New York

leaving New York

returning to New York

Our first day on the Queen Mary was a sea day. I love these days. We explored the ship, from the incredible library (the largest library at sea), where my husband loved looking at old maps and atlases to the spectacular Queen's room. If you like ballroom dancing, you are on the right ship. For the young and young at heart, there is a late-night disco where you don't have to be a ballroom dancer. There was  plenty to do and I enjoyed being on the high seas. I never got bored and was able to relax and enjoy all the different activities.

the library

the library

The Queen's Room

And then there is the food. It was amazing, as we were able to choose from a variety of different dishes. The portions were small , which I liked because it left some room for dessert. Having breakfast in our room was a special treat. Dinner in the different dining rooms was always an elegant affair. I was never a fan of scones until I had them for tea time on the Queen Mary 2. They were absolutely delicious and I could not resist them. When posting this article, I realized that I took too few photos of the food. I am sorry about that.

The Queen Mary 2 is not a cruise ship, it is an ocean liner, built for trans-Atlantic crossings. It is a throw back to the 19th century ocean liners. It even has a kennel for 24 animals. It is one of my bucket list items . I hope I have the chance to do it. ​

I will write  about our excursions in my next blog post.