With a few short horn blasts, we were off on the main event: the 185th Anniversary Voyage of the Queen Mary 2. Southampton to New York on the finest Ocean-liner ever made (don’t you go calling it a cruise ship!). No, we weren’t celebrating some Cunard milestone, this adventure is to celebrate Elaine’s 70th in style!

After making it through the boarding process, it was off to explore the ship. While it was the kids’ first cruise, suffice to say that none of the four of us had been on a vessel like this before. To help with the exploring, Elaine created the most epic QM2 scavenger hunt ever! It was a two part hunt. The first was a pre-departure version where answers from the internet were fair game. The second, longer version was to have no help from the internet (not a problem as there weren’t too many cell towers in the North Atlantic) but we could ask the ship’s crew or pull from books in the world’s largest at-sea-library… conveniently located on… you guessed it… the Queen Mary 2. It was girls against boys. If Will and I were to be bested, no better two to best us than Mom and Soph (which they did!). When we weren’t chasing down clues on one of the 14 decks, we were enjoying the food, drinks, and family time – complete with the first round of many ballroom dance classes for Team Lainey/Will and Team Grandpa/Soph.

Sailing on the Queen Mary 2 is an all-in endeavor, complete with a few black tie nights. The second night at sea was the first of such events and everyone (including the kids) had a blast donning their finest and staying up until midnight. Grandpa and Lainey crushed it on the dance floor with moves so good, they melted the soles off Grandpa’s shoes!

Per usual, we managed to settle in a routine that revolved around food and family. Breakfast. Maybe a late morning coffee. Lunch. A spot of tea and an afternoon snack. Cocktails and mocktails before dinner. Dinner. Maybe swing by the ballroom for a night cap (and to put your ballroom dance class moves to good use).

When not eating, we enjoyed the causal (albeit brisk) stroll on the deck or partook in one of the many activities on the ship. One of our favorites was the lecture on how the ocean liner was designed and built… given by the lead naval architect, Dr. Stephen Payne… who we happened to meet a few nights prior while having a cocktail. No big deal. I will begrudgingly admit that BINGO was a big hit… and lucrative… Mere, Sophia, and Will cleaned house while I shook my head in disbelief that we were playing BINGO. We had to be 30 years younger than anyone else in the room.

As the liner steamed west, the voyage’s end neared. Last Gala night. Last afternoon tea. Last time Will could use his new favorite crumb scooper given to him by one of the kind waitstaff (he seems less enthusiastic about using it here at the house in VA for some reason).

I will say, while I wasn’t enthusiastic about the early morning, I’m thankful Meredith was insistent about watching the arrival into New York. Under the Verrezzano Bridge at 3am and through the dark misty sky rises up the Manhattan skyline, complete with a great view of the Green Lady herself. Kinda wild to imagine the feeling that folks had 100 years ago seeing the Statue of Liberty as they completed their own (much longer, much less comfortable) trans-Atlantic voyage to America.

Thanks again for the opportunity to make some wonderful family memories Elaine!