Rami's Travels

Well, this is my fourth cruise and 4^th ship this year!

I’ve been all over the world, met many interesting people, visited many new cities, and tasted many unusual dishes. Although places are beginning to run into each other and waking up every morning to rolling seas is becoming more routine than an exhilarating adventure. I do however, appreciate that my bed is made, laundry is done, room is picked up twice a day, and great food is available any time. All this while pursuing bridge and attending shows and lectures as I please. Thus, there is no end in sight, at least for now.

After disembarkation from the HA Zuiderdam a couple of days early in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I flew to NYC and stayed one night at the Moxy hotel in Brooklyn before boarding Queen Mary 2.

Moxy is a Marriott subsidiary catering to the young hip brooklynites. My room was tiny and had no bathroom but had a toilet and shower stall.  The sink was in the room and there was minimal space between the bed and surrounding walls. They did however, feature a middle eastern restaurant, which was amazing.  The chef was featured on the TV and developed his recipes from scratch. I complemented him for his delicious Baba Ghanoush and his lemon Chicken Kabobs. Before long he came out, introduced himself and offered me a serving of their noted Hummus and a free Kunaffah desert. This experience was the highlight of my trip, so far. If you are ever in Brooklyn, you owe it to yourself to try:

Mesiba

Inspired by the lively energy of Tel Aviv, Mesiba restaurant brings the Mediterranean cuisine & festive “breaking bread” culture of the Levant region to Williamsburg Brooklyn NY. Chef Eli Buli serves traditional dishes with a contemporary twist.

QM2 is by far, the most elegant ship I have been on as you can see from the pictures below. The staff and officers are quick to describe it as an “Ocean Liner” as opposed to a typical cruise ships. Speed, agility and hull strength are the main differences between ocean liners and cruise ships. An ocean liner has the primary purpose of transporting passengers between continents, so streamlined deep v-hulls that can withstand punishing conditions are in order. QM2 has a top speed of about 30 knots, whereas a typical cruise ship tops out at 21-23 knots. Although cruise ships stabilizers are very efficient, they cannot come close to the stability provided by QM2’s deep v-hulls. For example, today we encountered choppy seas with 15-20 ft waves, and this ship’s stability was equivalent to 8-10 ft waves on a typical cruise ship

Life aboard matches the elegance of the ship. Because it’s a transatlantic voyage, there are many “sea days”, hence daily bridge lessons and sanctioned ACBL games where we average 10 tables. Lectures are interesting and there are many other activities to satisfy most passengers. I have not been to any shows yet but understand they are adequate. Staff is congenial but somewhat reserved. Although Jackets are required evening attire for formal nights, I usually prefer the informal cafeteria style dining at the King’s Court. They provide a good selection of delicious dishes from around the world.  My favorite is spicy Indian curry, salads and rice.