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Transatlantic Cruise Season Guide »

All you Need to Know

by Travel Journalist Maria Harding

Not many people can claim to have graduated from Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in the same week.

But then, few are lucky enough to spend six idyllic days sailing from Southampton to New York (or vice versa) on the latest great Cunard liner, Queen Mary 2.

Before the advent of jet aircraft, this historic route was the only way to cross the mighty Atlantic Ocean. For those of us who yearn – however briefly – to escape the incessant bustle of the 21st Century’s 24/7 lifestyle, it still is.

Although QM2 makes an occasional call at Cherbourg or Hamburg on some transatlantic runs, the classic voyage remains largely a port-free experience – making it a `must-do’ for lovers of real sea travel.

As soon as the shores of England or America recede, the ship takes on a life all of its own – transporting passengers away from workaday worries to revel in some rare `me-time’.

If simple relaxation floats your boat, you can simply settle for six days of fine dining; choosing from more than 6,000 books, CDs and cassettes in the ship’s library (the largest afloat) and booking in for some serious pampering at the elegant Canyon Ranch spa.

On the other hand, you can expand your mind rather than your waistline with a whole raft of classes, lectures and activities – strutting your stuff on stage at a RADA acting class; enjoying fascinating lectures from Oxford dons, making friends with technology at an expert-led computer class or even voyaging through the solar system during daily shows in the ship’s unique Planetarium.

Add in `Strictly Come Dancing’-style classes in the cha-cha, waltz and tango; evening drama performances by RADA’s up-and-coming stars, spectacular acrobatics shows and a fascinating `Cunard memorabilia trail’ charting the amazing story of the transatlantic liner trade - the most abandoned couch potato will find it hard to veg out completely.

But ,even if you spend the crossing in a whirlwind of activity, you’ll be surprised at just how rested and refreshed you’ll feel at journey’s end.

For the greatest charm of a transatlantic crossing is that - whatever your age or interests - you can escape the `real’ world for a few precious days and try out things you could normally only dream about doing.

DOS and DON’TS of Transatlantic Cruising

DO think carefully before deciding which package you buy. Cruise out / fly back; fly out / cruise back or cruise both ways - they all have pros and cons. Weigh up the greater thrill of sailing into New York harbour against the benefit of a shop 'till you drop stay in the Big Apple safe in the knowledge that no-one's going to hammer you for excess baggage on the ship going home.

DON'T forget that children will enjoy the crossing, too, as there is lots for them to do on board these days. And, if you are moving between the UK and the USA, you can take your dog and cat with you, too.

DO look out for other ships crossing the Atlantic - usually in spring and autumn – on `repositioning cruises’ as they switch between the Caribbean and Europe. You can bag some bargain prices on these trips cruising but...

DON'T forget that the Atlantic can be rough and only QM2 is really designed to cope with really bad weather so choose the time of sailing and the route (the further south the better) with care if you book on another ship.

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