When I first received the flier in the mail advertising a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2 (known affectionately as the QE2), I casually tossed it aside.' It wasn't until a month later that my wife drew my attention to the particulars: an Atlantic crossing of six to 10 days (depending on date) for only $999 -- including airfare to London from the United States and all port charges! Then my wife pointed out that previous passengers of Carnival or Holland America qualified for an additional 15% off! That was it. I made the call (800/5-CUNARD).

Unfortunately, I had waited too long for the $999 (inside cabin) price, but we could (and did) get an outside cabin for only $1,695.

We chose a mid-October "big band" cruise because it sounded interesting. Besides, we got 10 days, not six or seven. Also, the ship left from Southampton and ended up in Florida, Where we could visit relatives. Although the ship was detoured to Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami, it wasn't that big a deal.

Boarding on Oct. 12, '00, was the usual hurry-up-and-wait approach. We were quite pleased because our cabin on deck four was rather large, including a decent-size bathroom. There were twin beds, but otherwise the room was quite nice. It wasn't until we peeked into other rooms that we realized we must have been upgraded; since the QE2 is an older ship (first sailing in 1969), cabin sizes vary greatly and ours was one of the larger ones.

We were starving by the time we had settled in and just barely made tea, which is usually served every day throughout the ship from about 4 to 5 p.m.

Our dinner assignment (we had specified late seating) was supposed to be in the Mauretania Restaurant. At 8:30 we showed up and were told that our assignment card specified the Caronia Restaurant.

Backtracking slightly, we entered the Caronia and discovered that we were late. The Caronia is open for dinner from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and our tablemates (we were at a table for eight) had already come and gone. But the staff was quite understanding and served us with all the graciousness that we expected.

We inquired as to what a placard reading "Host" on the table meant. Our waiter informed us that one of the hotel's staff would sit with us' most nights, primarily at sea. The advantage of this was that we got to meet the top officers in charge of the hotel portion of the ship, and they bought the wine!

Dress for dinner at sea was always formal. Most of the men on board wore tuxedos, while the ladies were appropriately attired.

The following night we met our tablemates. Our host for this sitting turned out to be the hotel manager of the entire ship. That night we didn't leave the table until almost 11 p.m. And that's the way it was every night we had a host -- they all were quite cordial and informative.

I might add that the food was quite good most nights, with at least three or four entrees and appetizers available for each meal. Our British tablemates often discovered, belatedly, that they liked the looks of something we were eating and ordered it the next night. When available, the staff was more than willing to accommodate them.

Activities on the QE2 were not typical of those on most cruises. Instead of daily Bingo or horse racing, we had only a couple rounds of each. There also were lectures, dance lessons and karaoke. Announcements (which can be invasive on many ships) were minimal on the Queen.

Most of the passengers were, of course, British or American, with the former (I would guess) outnumbering the latter slightly. I was most impressed with the fact that most of the guests had previously sailed on the Queen, some several times. Indeed, there were a few who had made the "500 Club," having sailed 500 or more nights on the Queen.

We had two port stops en route to Florida: one day at the island of Madeira off the coast of Africa and two days in Bermuda.

Madeira, which is Portuguese, was quite pretty. The islanders pride themselves on their flowers, which are everywhere. We were there on a Sunday, unfortunately, so most shops were closed. We did purchase a couple of bottles of Madeira wine (similar to Port).

Bermuda, which is very British, was bustling with the arrival of several cruise ships. While the QE2 had to anchor outside the harbor, those ships that arrive weekly were able to tie up in town.

The ferry service to Hamilton provided by the island was a bit of a hassle, running quite infrequently. That aside, everyone we talked to had a terrific time. Most of the newcomers, like ourselves, headed to the beaches, which are fabulous. Bus service was excellent, if not inexpensive.

Back on the ship, we discovered that we were quite hungry, having missed lunch but with dinner several hours away. Not to worry; room service was always available. Two club sandwiches later we were quite content.

I mentioned that this was a "big band" cruise and there were several bands on board, including one from DePaul University. I have to admit that after four or five days I was ready for a change in music, so we spent many late nights in the disco.

Besides the bands, there were shows of varied types, and all were well attended and quite good. Casino gambling was available for those who wished to partake. Lenda and I both entered roulette tournaments; she won first prize ($150) in one, while I took third ($25) in another.

All in all, this was among the best cruises we have ever taken, if not the best. This trip on the Queen was a joy.

ALAN DAVIS

Fullerton, CA

COPYRIGHT 2001 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group