The Captains Table – it’s a cracker!

This week our featured trip report involves a mode of travel that is increasingly becoming popular with Australians, in fact you could say many of us are all at sea

Well, I’ve been inspired by the recent Trip Reports and figured I should organise my own..So, where am I going? Well, there is two of us AFF’rs going, and yes, we are both Old Dames. Travelling on our own – sans Husbands. We are venturing on a cruise on the Queen Mary 2, up the Eastern Coast of Australia, up to Malaysia, Shanghai, and then Hong Kong.

You would count yourself very lucky to be able to live on a Cunard flagship, like Beatrice (Beu) Muller, an American retiree who spent 5 years living on the QE2 (she found the QM2 “too big” after the QE2 was itself retired). For most of us, its a dream come true that may happen only once or twice in a lifetime. Packing for such a rare experience is not something best left to the night before. With a strict formal dress code observed after 6PM on the ship, clearly hand luggage only is not in style for this trip.

No shorts or jeans on deck after 6pm. Casual only in Kings Court and jackets required in MDR. Ladies in cocktail or smart pant suit.

As the trip begins, it soon becomes obvious why the need for a dress code. With each dinner, there are tables set aside to be hosted by various members of the ships crew. With the cruise under way, the officers hosting dinner are soon entertaining the tables with stories of notable passengers and their cruise attire.

Not one but two Officers at our table. Delightful gentlemen who once they worked out we were just into great conversation regaled us with lots of funny stories. The conversation went from things passengers have done through to flip flops, thongs and fanny packs and bum bags. Peals of laughter at some of the ridiculous things passengers (and crew – oh my lord!) have done. It was the Captains last night also and another Captain in charge tonight. His table was huge. 12 I think. At the end of the night they all stood and linked arms and sang Auld Lang Syne.

With stops in Malaysia, China and Hong Kong, and our other member joining in Brisbane, this trip report is just beginning. Have you enjoyed the hospitality of Cunard in the past, have you got some tips to pass on to others, or just curious as to what its like to tick the QM2 off your bucket list? Join the trip HERE.

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