JANUARY CRUISING: Cunard Queen Mary 2 - Literature Festival at Sea

Cruise fan and air transport analyst Chris Tarry has been on Queen Mary 2, again, but this time an educational rather than a rest.

Just under a year ago I saw an advertisement for the “Literature Festival at Sea” which was to take place on the QM2 on the sailing departing Southampton on the 19 November 2023; it is an event organised by the Cheltenham Literary Festival and sponsored by The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio.

Whilst this was not something that we had tried before it had a good range of speakers on the programme and would be different from a normal crossing (Southampton to New York is a crossing rather than a cruise).

This would be our seventh Transatlantic Crossing on the QM2 (and our second across the Atlantic this year having crossed on the RSSC Splendor at the end of March). It was also our first trip on a Cunard ship since Covid so it would be interesting to see how the post-pandemic experience might be.

As “creatures of habit” we had booked a Queens Grill suite cabin and, as we were heading westward, it was on the port side, with (allegedly) plenty of sun on the large balcony.

Another advantage was the five-hour time difference, with longer days as we headed to the “New World”.We had completed formalities a few days before departure including: registering a credit card and downloading recent photographs, removing the two most time consuming processes at embarkation other than when the check in agent goes to find the key cards.

We arrived at Southampton a little before the advertised time and as we had “priority boarding” as a result both of our Cunard Club World status and Grill Class, we were shown into the Mayflower Terminal and to an agent (no queue) who checked our passports and a printout of our ESTAs following which we were directed to sit down in a boarding queue for priority boarders. This whole process took about a minute. Key cards are now left outside each cabin. About 20 minutes later the first call for boarding was made for Queens Grill passengers who quickly moved forward to security. As a result it took no more than 15 minutes from being called to passing through security and reaching the cabin.

In the past we would have gone straight to the Grill for lunch and to ensure that the table we have been allocated is “suitable” and if not organise a change. We were however on board before it was open for lunch and so went to check in at our muster station to check in. This is another process change where the need now is to watch the safety briefing and, as well as checking in at the muster station before 16:30, listen to the captain’s briefing which can now be done in the cabin.  No need to try the life jacket, yet again, at the muster station before departure.  However it is a good idea that newcomers to cruising should!

Given the poor sea conditions the captain used tugs not only to manage the sideways movement from the quay but also where one stayed at the bow to guide and effectively control the ship until we had got into the main channel in Southampton Water.

We set off at 17:40 and were soon into the deepwater channel and heading down Southampton Water where we were overtaken by one Red Funnel ferry which I observed from the open area in front of the Atlantic Room (Deck 11 forward). By the time we began to pass the Isle of Wight it was a bit cold so I headed inside to get ready for cocktails and dinner.

Our trip followed a maintenance docking at Hamburg which included repainting – the hull looks in pristine condition, investment in new galley equipment and recarpeting.


Whilst there is a menu for the Queens Grill, the reality is that they will arrange for anything that you request as long as they have the ingredients on board and so it was on the first night and most nights. Osman, the maitre d’ has always been a star, and it was no different this time ensuring that we ate what we wanted to eat irrespective of the actual daily menus.

What then of the experience beyond the food and drink? Cunard stands out amongst other lines for the quality of the onboard entertainment during the day with the range and quality of speakers.

As an event the Literature Festival at Sea exceeded expectations. We started the day by attending the “Behind the Headlines” session where journalists and speakers would discuss both the serious and not so serious stories that were in The Times.

After that the choice was to attend a discussion session around a topic with an author or other speaker or a “conversation” with one of the speakers.

One of the most interesting ones which we alighted on by default was when we had gone to the Commodore Lounge and a session was being run by Richard Rogan, the Crossword Editor of The Times who took the attendees through the clues in a cryptic crossword and how to interpret the clues and particularly how words might be broken up as well as “hidden meanings” – whilst I still find such crosswords impossible my knowledge was certainly increased.

The list of speakers was impressive Daniel Finklestein, Alan Johnson, Alan Titchmarsh, Matt Chorley, Alan Johnson, Anna Murphy, Val McDermid, Douglas Stuart; we not only enjoyed the formal sessions but also the chats we had away from the stage, including at a drinks party for The Times readers, with a number of those on the programme.

The evening entertainment matched the daytime talks/lectures in terms of quality with live singers, fine dancers and proper orchestra.

We are fortunately good travellers and for the vast majority of the time, from when we entered the Solent until lunch time on the day before reaching New York, winds were Force 7 or 8 and for at least 24 hours Force 10 where the sea was generally moderate or rough. On one day we were heeling at an angle of 10 degrees or so which meant that from the bathroom door, the view across the cabin and beyond the balcony was only sea.  Hardly a surprise, it is after all winter.

The QM2, the world’s last deep-hulled proper liner is an ideal ship in such weather and although it does move there was certainly nothing that should have caused concern.

However with the decks often closed my step count was down on what would have been regarded as normal.

Would we do it again and here the two questions are:

•    Travel with Cunard?

•    Book for the crossing that is the Literature Festival at Sea?

The answer is yes to both and we have booked two cruises on the QM2 including what should be the Literature Festival at Sea in 2025 – we cannot do it next year as it is too close to a cruise we have booked on Regent Seven Seas. We have also booked a cruise on the Queen Anne which will mean that we will have travelled on all of Cunard’s ships. Booking on board also gives an opportunity for the best deals, lowest deposits and greatest onboard credits.

Cunard has come back from the pandemic well and in this case there is no doubt that the reality exceeded both the perception and also the expectations.

www.cunard.com

The pictures above were all taken by Chris Tarry during a walk aound the bow corridor museum on QM2, a unique experience.  Crooner Bing Crosby was in some ways Cunard's unofficial photographer taking images of the rich and famous, then disappearing off to the ship's darkroom. The archive is supported by the University of Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum.

The very impressive line-up of speakers.  Queen Mary 2 was an offer not to be turned down.

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