By
Benjamin S. B. LyonsA
casino and numerous shops attracted a fair share of passengers, but so did the
large library and bookshop - complete with the only professional librarians at
sea. A few passengers always discover the ship's kennel, and on my trip, I was
amused to discover one dog was being looked after not only by the QE2's kennel
staff, but also by a professional dog handler who was employed by the owner to
cross with the dog and help ease the pampered pet's transition.
The
most popular activities, however, are the impressive line up of featured lecturers
that can attract notables such as Monty Python's John Cleese, who lectured onboard
in June on British comedy. Each crossing features a theme of lectures, and my
recent crossing's theme was "Beyond the Human Limit", highlighted by
simply riveting lectures by former hostage negotiator and hostage himself Terry
Waite, as well as the first man to row across the Atlantic and an extreme sports
doctor who accompanies expeditions to Antarctica and Mt. Everest. Coupled with
an author and screenwriter as well as two lectures by a Concorde pilot, I sometimes
spent three hours in a row listening to their talks. At
night, we could choose between a classical music concert in the Theatre or dancing
in the ship's surprisingly active nightclub. Ballroom dancing is held nightly
in the Queens Room, by far the largest dance floor at sea, and cabarets and comedy
shows are held in the ship's Grand Lounge. (One common complaint about the QE2
is the ship's lack of a true show lounge, and the quality of the cabarets and
dancing shows tends to be weak in comparison to other cruiselines.) Swept
up in a few lectures, afternoon tea, a pleasant conversation at a table by the
window, and a whirl of cocktail parties, gourmet dinners and after dinner dancing,
the days end up passing quickly and leave you wondering where the time has gone.
Ultimately,
the best entertainment onboard a crossing is simply the joy of being at sea without
worries of deadlines or time constraints. Passengers instinctively flock to the
ship's traditional teak lined Boat Deck, and wrapping themselves in windbreakers,
steadily march into the ship's strong winds on one side before turning around
and being pushed from behind on the way back. It is a happy scene, an instantly
formed community where passengers smile at one other while battling the buffeting
winds.
Back
aft by the pools, passengers sit and chat around tables while others study the
ship's frothing and boiling wake as the ship powers across the Atlantic at 24
knots, an incomparable study of speed and power. On warmer days, passengers sunbathe
or sit on traditional wooden deck chairs and attempt to read, although the mesmerizing
swells racing past often attract more attention and soon lull one to sleep. (CONTINUE...)
|
