QUEEN MARY 2 eastbound transatlantic, day 2

Sunday, March 30, 2025

8:32 am EDT (GMT-4)

After a great night’s sleep, it’s now breakfast time in the dining room. Even though I like QM2’s buffet, I much prefer the comfort and ambiance of the dining room. We are greeted by the team and walked to a table. My tea is served out of a silver pot. I selected a croissant from the pastry tray the assistant waiter brought around.

My son a young man in his thirties smiling while seated in a formal dining room on Queen Mary 2 during breakfast, white linens china and roses on table, bowl of Rice Krispies in front of him and nearly floor to ceiling tapestry of Queen Mary behind him. — Our son in the Britannia Restaurant at breakfast, with a 2-deck-high tapestry *depicting Queen Mary 2* in New York in the background (artist: Barbara Broekman), March 30, 2025. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

I was sad to learn that eggs Benedict is not on the menu. It’s my typical first-morning-of-the-voyage breakfast. So, I ordered scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and chives.

10:43 am

Breakfast was wonderful, with a nice surprise. My scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and chives turned out to be 2 scoops of egg atop smoked salmon on 2 separate biscuits.

Two thin wheat biscuits, each topped with a slice of smoked salmon and a scoop of fluffy scrambled eggs on white china bearing the Cunard emblem. — Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and chives, which became a favorite breakfast. March 30, 2025. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

After breakfast we walked around a bit. We were drawn to the central lobby on Deck 2 where there was live music. A string trio played classical selections to a full house. There were even passengers lining the railing on Deck 3, reminding me of how we used to watch rehearsals on Queen Elizabeth 2’s Grand Lounge (ex-Double Down Lounge).

I am currently in Illuminations about to listen to a talk on Titanic by renowned historian Brian Hawley. [Aside: I’ve met him before at Titanic events.] The venue is nearly full. My fellow shipmates might not know this yet, but they are in for a treat!

2:16 pm (GMT-3)

As we are on an eastbound crossing, we adjust our clocks by moving them ahead an hour every so often. We moved them at noon today, which was 1 hour and 16 minutes ago.

Monday, March 31, 2025

10:26 am

Catching up from yesterday…

After a quick lunch at Kings Court Chef’s Galley (hot dogs, burgers, pizza), I stopped in the library to select a book for the next few days.

Passengers sit in individual chairs reading while overlooking the bow and the calm Atlantic Ocean on an overcast day. — View from the library on *Queen Mary 2*, facing forward. March 30, 2025. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

Then at 3:00 we went back to Illuminations for the planetarium show called Worlds Beyond Earth. We learned how the planets and moons formed. It was cool to watch the little rocks pick up more rock and dust as they orbited the large planet.

I sat next to a man and woman who were from southern England about an hour from Southampton. They boarded 3 weeks ago for the westbound transatlantic, then the 14-night Caribbean cruise, and now the return voyage home.

Dinner was nice. I decided to skip the appetizer so that I would have a chance at enjoying the entrée and dessert. I had beef consommé (very nice!); then grilled haddock filet with broccoli, confit potatoes, clams, and smoked butter sauce. I then splurged on dessert—a fruit tart of coconut, key lime, and passion fruit. Delicious!

Small round crust base filled with a fruit mousse and topped with 10 dollops of cream or meringue around the inner perimeter, several small orbs of passion fruit, and shaved coconut on top. — Coconut, key lime, and passion fruit tart, a worthwhile indulgence on *Queen Mary 2*, March 30, 2025. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com

60 ish year old man in dark blazer, light shirt and New York Yankees tie sits at a round cocktail table in a bar with dark wood like columns, and wood wall trim. — In the evenings, we tended to visit various small venues for live music. This is my husband in the Golden Lion Pub on *Queen Mary 2*, March 30, 2025. (c) Lisa Plotnick and NauticalNotebook.com