I saw an ad in the New Yorker this morning for transatlantic crossings on Cunard's new liner Queen Mary 2. “A most civilized adventure,” said the headline, so I went off to find out just how civilized that might be. Pretty civilized, I'd say, judging from this picture of the QM2 entering Le Havre. More civilized than, say, coach class at least.
Crossing to Europe (or anywhere else I suppose) by ship really is quite a trip. I went over on the United States in the late 50s. She's a rusty old hulk now (but here are some people working to restore her) but at the time she held the speed record for a transatlantic crossing so she was no slouch either. The trip took, as I recall, four and a half days to Southampton and another day to Le Havre. The return took one day longer on the America, another ship of the United States Line.
Traveling college-student class as I was put me in a cabin with three other guys (two of whom I was traveling with; the third a guy named Lorenzo from Udine) somewhere below the waterline in the bow. But even the cheap bunks came with amenities - excellent food, a new movie every night, a lounge with a dance band and, of course, a patch of deck (although January in the North Atlantic does not encourage much time there). On the way home I met a girl named Candy (no kidding) from the State of Misery (she said) who sweet-talked the crew into letting us spend an evening in the First Class ballroom, quite a sight. Candy was quite a sight herself, come to think of it. But that's another story. Never mind.
So yeah, the QM2 looks a little bit too civilized for me (and way too expensive unless they have a geezer rate) but it is indeed a civilized way to travel and if you ever get a chance, you should.
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