Beginnings
Chapter One: Halfway Around the World
The first 30+ day cruise was to celebrate my retirement and went from Los Angeles to Barcelona. It packed into one cruise four cruises we’ve always wanted to do: Panama Canal, cross the Atlantic, see Bermuda, and the Mediterranean.
Panama Canal: Historically interesting; in reality nerve-racking when you have less than a foot on either side.
Bermuda- A Breath of Fresh Air: From the cathedral in Hamilton to a pink bus by our port a pleasant break as we crossed the Atlantic.
The Music of the Atlantic: Crossing the Atlantic disappointed my husband. He wanted Rock and Roll and what we got was Smooth Jazz.
Barcelona & Capri- Woes and Whoas!
Our luck seemed to abandon us the moment we hit dry land in Barcelona. Our one-day excursion quickly devolved into chaos: a guide falling down the bus steps, his replacement proving utterly unhelpful and inaudible, and a frantic dash through the city streets. We were eventually lost in the security lines at La Sagrada Familia, a frustrating end to what should have been a highlight.
Our final week cruising the Mediterranean began with Capri (bottom) which, for us, was a complete disaster. The island was swarming with people, and our guide once again left a member of our group behind as we headed up to AnaCapri – a bewildering moment where we never learned the fate of our fellow traveler. While high-priced shops and restaurants might appeal to some, our preference for history and art went unfulfilled. All in all, Capri's overwhelming crowds and small scale mean we won't be returning.
You have to take your picture with Queen Elizabeth!
Rome: Pure Brilliance and Ancient Wonders:
The highlight of the entire cruise. Yes, it took us an hour to get from the port to the city, but seeing the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum and of course, the Vatican. I looked like a deer in the headlights most of the time there was so much to see.
Staring up at the touching fingers of Adam and God in the Sistine Chapel thinking about all the conclaves in that room- all the history- the conversations- the intrigue. My imagination was having a field day.
And for this our guide was superb. He kept waving his little red flag, “Andiamo, andiamo” his audio worked and he told us lots of wonderful stories about the art pointing out little known facts like the red circle that Charlamagne stood on when he was crowned King that exists in St. Peter’s.
And no one got lost because of our second guide. “I’m Angel, and yes, ladies and gentlemen like an angel I will find you should you get lost. Don’t worry.” No one did. You have to understand, I have studied this art in books for so many years and now here it was right in front of me.
Afternoon tea. I mean really, who can resist?
We often sat in the box seats in the theatre. Who wouldn’t?
Zumba, anyone?
There has to be one rainy day- that turned out to be a downpour in Corsica where I got soaked to the skin walking to see Napoleon!
Mallorca, our last port was an explosion of fun in the sun!
Beginnings
Chapter Two: Completing the Circle
We enjoyed the first chapter so much that we thought well we’d been halfway around the world why not complete it? And then we saw Cunard’s Queen Anne would be doing her maiden world voyage and we could pick her up in San Francisco and sail with her until she completed her first circle around the Earth in Southhampton. We spent time deliberating especially after I told GJT that the total cruise cost was the same as buying a new car. But this was a once in a lifetime cruise, right? We reasoned we can’t be astronauts, at least not yet, and so sailing around the world is our great adventure. Let’s go for it!
Photo of Queen Anne credit: Richard N. Horne
Inauspicious Starts!
We thought we’d have a calmer beginning with Queen Anne. No such luck!
Weather played a major part of nerves for both cruises: For our first chapter we flew into Los Angeles the day after Hurricane Holly and the same day Queen Elizabeth was to embark. We promised ourselves we wouldn’t do that again. That was until we priced San Francisco hotels and suddenly we were up for flying the same day as embarking.
Somehow a storm off the coast of San Fran first started to gear up the same time as Queen Anne was to depart. For our flight that meant fog delayed our timely plane departure. But heads up stay calm and cruise on!
Searching for an Identity before Neptune’s Party
Our first evening on the Queen Anne began with dinner and pleasant conversation in the Britannia Restaurant. While the ship's modern design—all glass tubes, geometric patterns, and screens—felt a departure from the classic Queen Elizabeth, GJT noted, "It looks like a ship in search of an identity." Still, we were ready to enjoy our new home.
After a good show in the Royal Court Theatre, we headed out. Suddenly, the ship lurched violently. We were slammed into bannisters, bumping into each other as Neptune, King of the Seas, ramped up his party. "You'll be fine!" GJT assured me, flopping into immediate sleep.
But at 3 AM, my head spun out of control. The next day was a blur of bed and bath, with no food or water. Gingerly, once back on my feet, we began to truly embrace what Queen Anne, our home for the next 70+ days, had to offer.
The Drawing Room Divide
The Drawing Room, a cozy postage stamp of a space, was where GJT and I often found ourselves, carefully navigating around furniture to peruse books. One afternoon, engrossed in a National Geographic collection of women's photography, a British man sat opposite us. "Good morning," he offered, and we exchanged pleasantries.
Then his wife arrived, croissant in hand and hair in a Mary Tyler Moore flip. She plopped down, and I felt the air shift. "Are you on the full world voyage?" she asked, her tone already sharp.
"Well, this journey completes our world cruise," I explained, "but no, this is our second cruise to complete our world voyage."
Without a flicker of welcome, she retorted, "This room is only for world voyagers. There's a sign right in front. There are 1000 of us on this cruise, and we can't all fit. We had to walk away the other day because they're not keeping the people who aren't world voyagers out."
My eyes narrowed, a laser-like focus locking onto hers. My stomach tightened, lips pursed. She continued, "You're not supposed to be here."
A storm brewed inside me. If I had spoken in that moment, it wouldn't have been pretty. Instead, I stood, turned my back, and exited with every ounce of my ballerina dignity intact.
GJT, dropping his book in confusion, scrambled to catch up at the elevators. He hadn't heard a word of the conversation, but he recognized my exit strategy.
"What a bitch!" I hissed as he joined me. That, he heard clearly.
After I recounted the exchange, he simply shrugged. "Yes, Britain is all about class, and British people are usually very eager to point out how far away from them you need to stand."
I wasn’t done with her. Determined to find out if she was making it all up, I went down to the pursuers office later that evening. They confirmed that when the concierge is there then the room is only for the world voyagers, but if the concierge isn’t there, it’s an open room. We spent many a night in that room. You might think to spite her, okay maybe that was a part of it, but really and truly the books in that room were the best. In these first weeks the upset continued trumping all prior upsets.
The Case of the Missing Wallet:
We hadn’t even reached Hawaii yet and already Cunard was including in our evening message that we hadn’t filled out our visas for New Zealand. Finally, we stood in line to get help and find out what they were talking about. “You need to have the other visa for New Zealand- not the transit one,” the purser staff says in the Britannia restaurant. We told them we had our New Zealand visa, a transit one that we had filed with Cunard’s advice prior to even boarding the ship in San Francisco. What did they mean? Apparently that visa wouldn’t work. We needed the other one for staying in the country. The transit was only for arriving in the airport. Great! “I’ll need a credit card to assist you,” the pursers staff said.
I rush up to our room, open the safe, and feel around for my wallet. WHERE IS MY WALLET??? My stomach sinks. I hastily grab GJT’s wallet and take the stairs two at a time to the restaurant to finish the transaction obtaining the correct New Zealand visa. Back in the stateoom,my wallet was nowhere to be found. I was shocked that me, who makes endless lists and is a self-nominated organizer extraordinaire could have lost anything as important as a wallet! There was nothing to do after searching our stateroom for the fourth time but stop the cards until we reached Hawaii and then maybe then there would be some answers.