Life on the Liners – January 2, 2022

Life on the Liners – January 2, 2022

From Bill Miller

Christmas Week 2021 on the Queen Mary 2

A random selection of photos from the Cunard flagship  … the ship has been  anchored off Barbados & again now berthed (Fri/Sat night)… the Queen Victoria remains a mile away, waiting at anchor  … 

Gala New Year’s Eve dinner onboard, fine formal attire, party, shows & finally grand midnight buffet here onboard the Queen Mary 2

Covid & the sinister Variant are on a rampage & the cruise business is not excepted.  

One headline just yesterday read:

More than 80 cruise ships are being investigated for COVID outbreaks. So why are people still going aboard?
The cruise industry has welcomed back more than four million passengers and demand remains strong. But that was before Omicron rocked the boat

Then a letter from a friend on a six-star luxury ship in the Caribbean:

“First yesterday,  before our arrival in Curacao,  the Captain announced at 8:30am there had been COVID cases found on board determined the day before. We think the number is 6. The port of Curacao was determining if anyone could go ashore. We were docked close to the center of town. 

By 10am the Captain came back with the news from the Miami office that no passengers could leave the ship here. We would depart on the original schedule at 1PM.”

Here onboard the Queen Mary 2, all guests are very conscientious, careful and follow the strict Cunard protocol:   “HFD — Hands, Face, Distance”

Every step of the way, Cunard & the staff onboard the Queen Mary 2 have been superb – kind, helpful, caring!  

We were due back in New York on Monday morning, but we will now fly – on Cunard arranged charter flights – and head home this weekend.  

PS:   Safe & sound and home yesterday on a specially chartered (by Cunard), brand new jet – and door-to-door for me:  Barbados-Newark.  

Thank you & highest praises to Cunard – their efforts were extraordinary, highly detailed, arranged step-by-step and altogether as easy & as comfortable under the circumstances.   In fact, I was home only one day earlier than planned.

PS:  My little red camera wanted a holiday rest, but request denied!

And one more time: A deep bow to Cunard and its excellent staff & crew in dealing with this otherwise very stressful & complex Covid interruption.  They  worked non-stop in a massive transition of getting passengers off the ship & then home.

Happy New Year TO ALL … 

AND THREE CHEERS TO CUNARD!