Waves, Wonder… And Where’s The Buffet?

From Málaga to California — No Planes, Part III

Cunard’s communicative began successful 1839, erstwhile crossing nan Atlantic was axenic adventure. Fast-forward to January 8, 2004, and Her Late Majesty christened QM2, nan largest water liner ever built — orchestras, curtain drops, and impervious nan British still propulsion a due motorboat party.

This water liner had crossed and re-crossed nan Atlantic — and location I was, still buffet-less. But honestly, who cares?

People ever ask, “What do you moreover do connected an water liner?” It’s just… boom, constituent A to constituent B. No ports, nary hopping around. Other cruises? Oversized oversea taxis pinch bigger parking lots. Ha! No. This vessel is history, culture, and classy, discreet glamour — not nan glitzy glitz connected waste everywhere. Seven days of unsmooth seas, calm seas, and nan occasional “please, not different wave!”

As your time starts pinch room service, served connected china plates truthful dense you wonderment if nan unit deed nan gym earlier delivering your order. So nan time originates — not for my fitness, but curiosity had maine scope my first 10,000 steps ever… yes, connected a boat. A fewer laps astir Deck 7, zigzagging among runners, amateurs, and maine — nan stubborn slow-walker successful nan accelerated lane (thank goodness they can’t sound nan horns).

Funny really you deliberation clip will resistance — 7 days astatine sea, staring astatine nan water, right? Wrong. Time slips distant faster than your Wi-Fi relationship successful mid-Atlantic. And speaking of time…

Then nan bells rang — and I thought, ohio my gosh, I knew this vessel was massive, but I ne'er imagined a colony religion had been brought along! Following nan sound to nan main lobby, nan elegant chime introduced maine to nan 8 bells.

The 8 bells people nan extremity of a watch, a ritual sailors person followed for centuries. On QM2, they don’t chime each half-hour; you perceive them conscionable erstwhile a day. As we glide crossed clip zones, clocks softly adjust, and earlier you cognize it, your assemblage timepiece is dancing to Atlantic time. When nan bells ring, it’s arsenic if nan vessel herself clears her throat: “Ladies and gentlemen, different splendid hr astatine sea. Carry connected pinch your cocktails.”

The genius? QM2 shifts clocks conscionable 1 hr a day, truthful by nan clip you scope New York, you’re practically successful sync — fresh to deed Fifth Avenue wide awake. Forget pitchy lag: recreation pinch rhythm, manners, and due cutlery. No zombie shuffle, nary collapsing, nary dozing astatine nan Statue of Liberty (hat firmly successful place). Your assemblage travels pinch your mind — afloat awake, afloat present, afloat you.

Now that’s transatlantic travel. Take that, level recreation — your peanuts, turbulence, and middle-seat misery tin beryllium this 1 out.

QM2 slices done nan Atlantic for illustration a luxury missile, nan water sparkling, nan intermezo endless… and somewhere, that elusive buffet waits for me.

To beryllium continued…