Liner Lady

San Diego – Southampton Part 2

Saturday, 7 July – New York Harbor:

At 7:30 I got up and ate my last breakfast and said goodbye to my tablemates.  Walter came to my cabin for private goodbye.  It is over – Yea!

Surprisingly I feel fairly chipper and walked all around checking the dock for sight of Karen and Greg.  Near ten o’clock Karen yelled up to me and there I saw Sigrid as well.  We sneaked Sigie on board as Greg, and no one noticed the difference.  I walked them through everywhere including Princess Grill, the Spa, hospitality etc.  We sat a while in Yacht Club bar so they could meet C, who gave us water and 7-Up from the unopened bar.  He disappeared so we chatted on and included Carol Lunde.  At noon we had lunch in open seating at Columbia Restaurant, sitting by a dockside window.  They had to leave around one o’clock so I walked them off with a bag of my paper accumulations, forgetting to give the shirts and key chains to them, alas.  Had a nap and got up to see us leave New York harbor.  Clocks advanced on hour at dockside and we advance them again tonight. Helicopters were over us as we sailed in beautiful, fresh bright sunshine. 

At seven o’clock dinner I was alone most of the time, but was well attended by all four waiters, Juvenal, Warren, and Nick came to chat and Steve gave them a hard time.  A young couple, Steve and      ?  came, but I was close to finishing so we didn’t get far.  At nine o’clock I met C. for our usual Pig visit.  He had dashed out to shop for new shoes and a new Walkman in about an hour of buzzing about and he overslept at naptime by three hours or so.  He was late as I suspected.  Ian joined us a while and dominated the conversation, again.  At ten we fetched C.’s Walkman for me to check out, then he went back to work and I went to my cabin to wash my hair.

Sunday, 8 July – At Sea:

The electrician woke me to replace the light in the bathroom near nine o’clock, then as I was dressing, Christophe came to make up the room.  He went away.

I roamed Boat Deck, sat in Queens room promenade, heard boat drill and then attended the church service from the balcony as usual.  All three hymns were familiar this time.  At noon I went to the singles party in Yacht Club.   I talked with Australians, Carol Lunde, cruise personnel and found little to interest me, so I left for lunch at the Lido.  I had only a little salad so I could concentrate on dessert, which was a yummy fudge gateau.  I sat with two ladies who embarked at Fort Lauderdale, Linda and  ?   They were fun and very interested in what I am doing – that is heading for England for the Summer of musical pursuits.

I dashed to hear the concert-talk by Charles Strouse, composer, then listened in on the beauty demonstration in the Theatre Bar.  The movie was “Driving Miss Daisy,” which I attended at four o’clock.  I also had a chat with Carol L. who has seriously pursued the job idea by talking with Elaine McKay.

I skipped the cocktail part and went directly to dinner.  Steve came after I was nearly through, and so did John and his mother, plus two English people. 

I caught C. at nine o’clock as he came from the Captain’s Cocktail party.  I had to wait a bit till Eva returned to the YC, then we went to the Pig for the usual rest, chat with Angus and later Ian.  C. reported Yacht Club got the highest rating of the bars, and 8.3.  He also introduced me to a wild blonde lady at the piano with Jon and I tried to stay, but couldn’t take it, so I left for my cabin.

At 12:30 I went to Yacht Club prepared for outside, so sat way in the corner till C. was through.  Thereupon, we went to the Pig for a while.  Neil and Boyce came along.  We then prepared for outside, and went on the bow deck by moonlight and stars.  It was a beautiful night, but brief, so we went back in, stopping off at the ‘Cosmopolitan” the commissary, for a bite to eat.  Ian from Steiner’s chatted a bit with me while C. was out.  We sat opposite each other and he seemed bemused for some reason.  At 3:50, I went back to my cabin and never met a soul the whole distance.  Very eerie.

Monday, 9 July – At Sea.

I attended the talk by the First Officer, went outside and spent some time on fantail watching the wake in full sunshine and reading.  When the hamburger place opened I had one, talking with a man from Tempe, AZ.  I topped that off with a key lime pie from the Lido.  I then checked out the Sun Deck, and continued on to the Computer class.  I heard Captain Woodall in Grand Lounge, then went to the cabin for a nap.

After lunch, by the way, I went to the Purser’s Office and talked with Captain Bennell’s former secretary and I wrote a letter, which she will deliver to Sheila in Southampton – with a hug.  During the Japanese charter, Captain Bennell developed a life-threatening disease, and soon passed on.  All of the crew were devastated because they loved him and thought him very kind and supportive of their efforts.

I had most of my dinner alone, but the couple eventually came.  John and his Mother, Betty came after eight o’clock.  She lives in Coventry and knows Mrs. Milburn’s daughter-in-law. 

At nine, I checked with C. who was just coming out of the Grand Lounge cocktail party, but he wasn’t ready for break yet, so I changed my clothes and returned around 9:40.  I watched a bit of the magic show then when C. tapped me on the shoulder we went to the Pig – first stopping to buy T- shirts from the crew store.  Wes at with Angus and later Ian .  At midnight I went to see the midnight buffet, which is really quite magnificent with ice sculptures, and numerous trays of artistically displayed foods.  I decided to make up a plate for C. of lobster, shrimp, beef plus a banana and took it back to my cabin.  When C. finished work we went to the Pig, saw Neil and Mark, then returned to my cabin for the feast, which he really enjoyed. 

 Tuesday, 10 July.

I arose late, and still feel tired.  The lobster had really ripened over night so as soon as I could, I delivered the plate to Christophe, and he later sprayed an orange scent in the cabin.  At ten o’clock I went to the Computer Class and went through the spreadsheet tutorial.  I saw C. at the Yacht Club and had punch with the redhead from Perth.  We talked about an hour so when she left I went right to the buffet, again concentrating on lime pie and fudge gateau.  A mother and daughter from Minnesota were at my table and we chatted for at least two hours.  A couple from Rhode Island joined us.

As I ambled along Quarter Deck I sat with Judy from South Dakota, and again talked a long while with her.  She may sing again tomorrow.  I looked at Cunard books in the Library, saw Carol L. then, feeling I’m not doing enough to appreciate my Queen, I went on Boat Deck equipped for rain and discovered the fog horn is sounding regularly, and that is situated on the bow deck and separate from the “ship’s whistle.”  The seas are calm and visibility curtailed, but I enjoyed “appreciating my ship and being on the ocean, all by myself.  I went down A stairway to photograph the Queens Grill, Computer Center, Princess Grill Bar, all of which brings me up to five o’clock.

I watched the video of “The Trouble with Harry” while packing and resting.  I went to supper, got out in an hour by having ordered dessert first – then I puttered until the time to collect C. at nine.  Pig of course.  I also did the midnight buffet again, then met C. and he steered me toward Bernice Little who was talking with an English couple from Devon.  C. and I eventually went to the noisy pub and talked with John Douglas and friends standing by the bar corner.  Finally we left for my cabin where we enjoyed the buffet meal and watched “The Trouble with Harry.” 

 Wednesday, 11 July.

I awoke before ten o’clock to a beautiful, clear and crisp, calm day.  I attended the rehearsal, which bodes no good for me. 

The Captain hosted a cocktail party for World Club members, after which I headed for lunch.  I ate with three American ladies – little salad and fudge gateau. Yum!  Afterward, I strolled on deck, up to Sun Deck and Helicopter deck, and yes, it is cool and crisp, bright and breezy.  The water sparkles and is relatively smooth, not calculated for thrills, but beautiful.

I returned to my cabin to rest and prepare for the talent show.  Carol Lunde did her usual good job.  I did “Old Mother Hubbard” hammed up and it went okay.  I then packed!

Dinner in the Columbia consisted of lobsters with Pam and Steve, John and Betty who came at eight o’clock. As usual I gravitated toward Yacht Club and did the usual pub stop with C.  We were alone most of the time,  He wants me to send money home for him as well as the extra bag!  I went to his cabin to pack up his bag for me to take ashore.  For an hour or so before that I sat in Yacht Club with Carol and friends taking pictures, exchanging addresses and singing.  At three, we hauled C’s bag to my deck for collection by the baggage crew. I have received a number of compliments for both times singing. 

Thursday, 12 July – Southampton, England, UK

I was up after eight o’clock.  When I went on deck there was land to port and I was very surprised when someone said it was the Isle of Wight.  I saw the needles and the downs and realized we were passing on the outside and going around the island.  The Pilot came whizzing toward us to port and swung around the stern to let him come aboard on starboard.  We proceeded slowly up the channel past Portsmouth, two huge fortified light towers, Isle of Wight on port, past Ryde, Sandown, Cowes and opposite there we turned “back” to enter the Solent and Southampton Water.  This was all very slow, and after spending a lot of time on Boat Deck and checking on C., finally I had lunch at 12:30. in Columbia.  I was there while we turned the 180˚ to dock at the Queen Elizabeth Terminal.

I cleared out of my cabin, saying “au revoir” to Christophe with a hug.  The greater part of the afternoon was spent in Yacht Club talking with Penthouse people waiting for priority disembarkation and C. was overwhelmed with having to serve coffee and tea.  Unusual I gathered.  Customs people seemed to be searching the ship at random.

Finally, at three o’clock, C. was through and we went to his cabin for him to change.  We then took my stuff to the gangway and off together.  Customs was a relief as we passed right through with his large bag.  We waited long in the taxi queue.  After going into the Ambassador Hotel, C. and I went to the Red Star place to send off his large bag.  We then walked a long way to the Millswell restaurant for a light supper.  Goodbye QE2 for now, and off for a wonderful musical Summer!