World's Greatest Cruises

- We are on a transatlantic crossing on another of the World's Greatest Cruises.

(ship bell dings) (cheerful music) I'm Lynn Elmhirst, a travel journalist with a deep passion for sailing the high seas.

Navigating timeless routes on a world that's 70% water, cruising may be the most authentic way to travel, not to mention its spectacular scenery, fascinating ships, maritime traditions, and local people and cultures.

Join me on the "World's Greatest Cruises."

"World's Greatest Cruises" is made possible in part by the JERNE community of travel advisors: local business owners with experience cruising and planning cruises.

More information at JERNE.COM/CRUISE Today, on "World's Greatest Cruises," we are living a legend, sailing an iconic week-long transatlantic crossing on the fabled Queen Mary 2.

More than a cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2 is the only true ocean liner in the world built specifically to sail her 2,600 guests and 1200 crew members between New York and Southampton nonstop across the fabled North Atlantic route.

On this flagship of the Cunard fleet of Queens ships, we celebrate the line's over 180 years of maritime heritage and its very British lifestyle and traditions.

Complete with a visit to the only kennels at sea.

(dog barks) Unlike most cruises, our crossing has no ports of call.

That's a week to immerse ourselves in life at sea on the historic Queen Mary 2.

While in some ways, time stands still, the clock doesn't.

Every day at noon, the ship's clocks go ahead another hour, easing us into the transatlantic time change, and since we don't have any jet lag at all on arrival in South Hampton, we can live it up in London in style.

And we put our epic crossing into perspective with a visit to the only studio in the world hand making globes.

Here's our crossing.

So there's New York to Southampton.

(lively music) (ship horn bellows) (peaceful music) No matter how many times you visit New York, you always discover something new.

This time, familiar and iconic New York City scenes suddenly reveal new meaning, a hidden right before your eyes glimpse into the city's maritime heritage and the legacy of Cunard's two centuries as the preeminent transatlantic ocean line, carrying millions to their new homes in the new world, as well as serving as the pre-jet-set commute for British and American VIPs traveling back and forth between the continents.

(peaceful music continues) Our own transatlantic crossing embarks from New York's Port of Brooklyn, where we get a familiar thrill meeting our ship for the first time and getting a last glimpse of her distinctively shaped hull before boarding for our nonstop week-long journey.

As we prepare to sail away past New York skyline, it's knowing we won't see land until England's Southampton.

The New York City skyline has transformed itself over the last two centuries, but a sail away from New York is a cruise of legend.

We're in the Port of Brooklyn, which has to have one of the very best views in the whole world.

Look at this entire skyline of New York behind us.

When we sail away towards sunset and we sail past the Statue of Liberty, under the bridge, and then out towards the North Atlantic.

Goodbye, New York, and hello to one of the world's greatest cruises.

(lively music) (ship horn bellows) Fair seas on the North Atlantic mean the ship's captain can spare time to tell us more about this ocean liner and one-of-a-kind voyage.

Captain, tell me what is the difference between a ship, a cruise ship, and an ocean liner?

- Well, a liner of course, is a vessel or even an aircraft, which is designed to operate a point-to-point service.

Go from one place, point A, to point B.

What makes Queen Mary 2 unique is she was built specifically for this run, the legendary transatlantic service, in any condition.

So she is a very heavy ship, she's a very powerful ship, and she's designed to cut through the North Atlantic weather, whatever the conditions.

The bow of the ship is absolutely immense.

The the size of it, the sleek lines of the bow is a really, really fine profile because it was designed to cut through the waves of the North Atlantic.

The lifeboat deck on the ship and the lifeboats, they are very much higher up above the water to allow for the waves of the North Atlantic.

And you mentioned the draft as well.

We have a draft of over 10 meters, which is significantly more than the many, many passenger ships, cruise vessels because it is designed to be so much more stable in the heavy weather of the North Atlantic.

- And we've been moving along at quite a clip.

You see the waves like, streaking past.

So is speed part of that ocean liner capability as well, that you want that speed of transit?

- Well, a bit back in the golden day of the transatlantic liner, these ships would, the original Queen Mary, for example, Queen Elizabeth, they would do the crossing in five days, six days at a very fast speed.

Today, we do it somewhat slower.

During this crossing, we've been doing 24, 25 knots over the last couple of days, but over seven days, that's a fairly leisurely time to cross the ocean.

- We talk about this being an iconic sailing, a legendary sailing.

Can you speak to that legend of the Queen Mary 2 crossing and Cunard crossings?

- Well, of course, Cunard itself is a legendary company.

And you know, the history that has gone on before us, with the ships of old, it's continuing that.

Of course through history, we've had everything from presidents to pop stars, royalty, many, many other notable people sailing with us.

And we continue to have very well-known people sail with us today, so it's continuing that, you know, theme.

- [Lynn] Almost 200 years.

- Almost 200 years.

I think at the end of the day, it's the experience.

You know, people want to really feel what people of yesteryear would've felt.

You know, they want to feel the elegance and the grandeur of making this crossing.

We really are, you know, continuing history.

When you look back to the transatlantic liners of old and particularly, that generation through the 1930s, '40s, '50s, before the advent, really, of the airliner.

So it is a continuation of doing, you know, what our forebears have done before us.

And you know, I don't think you can ever, ever tire of this.

- This ship isn't just the world's only true ocean liner, as the name suggests, the Queen Mary 2 is a very British ship.

We're still days from England, already we feel completely immersed in English lifestyle.

Being on board this ship feels a lot like being an extra on your favorite British period film or English village whodunit series.

But this time, we're creating our own story.

So many of the elements of classic English lifestyle are here.

Gala dinners that traditional ocean liners made to be reminiscent of being a guest in a stately home.

You can pop around to the local pub for a visit with your new shipboard friends over a pint of English draft.

Thank you.

And you can even satisfy your cravings for authentic fish and chips, but I just may skip my mushy peas.

And an unmistakable symbol of English village life, an actual bright red royal mailbox.

It's not just there for show either.

You can get postcards of the ship and have them posted and postmark mailed at sea.

It says Cunard right there on the stamp.

Look at that.

A transatlantic crossing stamp.

PS: It reached home before I did.

One staple of English life is recreated on many ships, but afternoon tea with friends on the Queen Mary 2 is not like afternoon tea on other ships.

Here, this beloved English ritual ceremoniously begins with a procession of white-gloved waiters bearing all the elements of a restorative afternoon tea.

It seems everyone on board breaks for tea every day, filling the queen's ballroom from your choice of teas to pick you up or relax you to dainty finger sandwiches in classic flavors like cucumber, scones with clotted cream, and sweet treats.

- [Waiter] Carrot stick, orange chocolate mousse.

(pleasant music) - God save the tea.

For many English and anglophiles, tea is more than a social event.

On this very British cruise line, afternoon tea is such an essential part of each day, you can even order it to enjoy alone in the privacy of your suite.

(dog barks) Two-legged guests aren't the only ones making this crossing.

Everyone knows that dogs are an English man's best friend and the Queen Mary 2's the only ship at sea with a kennel.

Animals have been on board since the earliest sailings of the line, including the canine companions of the who's who of transatlantic society.

That British heritage continues on the Queen Mary 2, where two dozen pets enjoy life at sea.

Cunard has installed both an American fire hydrant and an English light pole to make pooches from both sides of the pond feel ride at home.

Oliver, I think you may have the most interesting job on this whole ship.

- That's true.

For me, this is the best job in the universe.

- Oh my goodness.

So tell us what it's like to be the kennel master on the Queen Mary 2, the only ship at sea with kennels where you can travel with your four-legged friends.

- For me, the number one requirement, you should be wearing your heart for the dogs, and all those things will follow, including your care to them and your love to the dogs.

And you know, after giving it to them, they're gonna give you lots of kisses.

- Of course they do.

Do you get lots of doggy kisses every day?

- That's my skin secret.

(Lynn and Oliver laugh) - That's awesome.

How do you become the kennel master on the Queen Mary 2?

- I started here 2011, but before that, I was a zoo guide.

I worked in the zoo before for like, eight years.

So I decided to go on board Queen Mary, but I didn't have any idea about the kennel.

So on my first three months, on my first contract, I was on the spa, and that day, my boss called me asking me if I can take care of alligators, crocodiles, and donkeys.

- That seems a random question.

(laughs) - That's true.

So I was laughing on the phone and I said, "How did you know that?"

And they told me that they found it out about my experiences and they told me to come down to the housekeeping office because tomorrow, you'll be working in the kennels.

And they showed me the kennels and I said, "This is it!"

- [Lynn] (laughs) So what happens here every day?

How does it all work with the owners?

Obviously, the kennels are separate from where their owners stay.

Can they visit them all the time?

How does it work?

- [Oliver] Our visiting hours are 8 to 12 and then 3 until 6 and then 7:30 to 8:30 in the evening.

So in the morning, we need to make sure that we are earlier than all the owners and we need to make sure that before they arrive, we already fed the dog.

We already cleaned what needs to be cleaned.

And the only thing they can do now after that is just play outside.

- [Lynn] What's his name?

- Max.

Maximus.

- [Lynn] Hello, Maximus.

Is that your toy?

Is that your toy?

Oh, good dog.

Has Maximus been enjoying his cruise?

- [Dog Owner] So far, yes.

- [Lynn] Oh, very good.

- He's very spoil with chicken and rice every morning.

- That's a pretty nice way to start the day, isn't it?

And I have one question to ask.

We have the New York fire hydrant and we have the English light pole.

Which is Maximus' favorite.

- I think it's the fire hydrant.

- [Lynn] The fire hydrant for Max.

(laughs) - [Dog Owner] Ready?

Go.

- You make it special for the dogs as well.

They have a photo shoot, they have a certificate.

Tell us about that.

- All right, the photo shoot is kind of special for them because we are going to do like, for a family photo shoot and after that, that's the only time they can go outside the kennel deck and we are doing our group photo.

(camera clicks) After that, they can spend outside running around for two hours and you know, that's a big reason for the dogs and makes them cut the boredom and everything.

And on the last day, after they collected their photo down in the photo shop, I need to give their certificate.

The certificate says this is the certify that Max finished the transatlantic crossing in Queen Mary from this date after this date.

- [Lynn] So they all have their nice doggy coats.

- [Oliver] That's true, and you know the dog coats, it's not for sale.

You can get the dog coat at the kennel.

That's a collector's item - Right.

Indeed.

So it's really special, just like for people on board.

- That's true.

- It's dress up for the dogs.

You have that sense of ceremony.

You've made a transatlantic crossing.

And how many canines or felines in the world can say that?

- Exactly.

You know, I have dogs that travel here 28 times, 19 times, they're regulars.

And from the terminal, the dog always remembers me.

And you know, I still remember the dogs from Canada named Ora.

Once they saw me in the terminal, they just let the dogs and the dogs running towards me and gives me a lot of kiss and says, "Uncle Oli, I miss you so much.

Where's my chicken?"

(laughs) Those are the special, the goodies.

- [Lynn] I guess so.

(lively music) (ship horn bellows) On most cruises, you call in a new port every day or every other day.

On a transatlantic cruise, you depart from New York or Southampton.

There are no ports of call until you reach your destination.

So your whole week at sea with no ports of call, how do you spend that time?

Well, here on the Queen Mary 2, I've found seven ways to spend seven days at sea.

Aquatherapy pools and facial treatments help ensure I'll arrive in Southampton feeling and looking my best.

With over 10,000 books in half a dozen languages, this is said to be the largest library at sea.

They have travel books.

They're locked.

(laughs) Next stop, London.

Three laps on promenade deck 7 is a mile, so I can keep track of my daily constitutional.

Oh, look!

Keeping a lookout for dolphins and even whales that pop up along our voyage.

The largest planetarium at sea takes us on a different kind of voyage and escape into the stars.

When I'm not outdoors on the ship, my favorite views are from the Commodore Club overlooking the ship's bow, which just also happens to serve up more of Cunard's maritime heritage along with some of the most creative cocktails on board.

Inspired by Cunard's Commodore, the seven knighted heads of the fleet over the last two centuries.

(cheerful music) Delicious.

After dark, the ship has transformed again and our biggest decision becomes where to dine.

There are enough restaurants on board to make every night a new culinary experience.

From steakhouse specialties to continental cuisine served up with a side of drama to make every night a new culinary experience.

One evening each crossing is gala night, evoking parties at English stately homes, where we dust off our formal wear, share a lively dinner, making memories and dancing the night away on the ballroom floor with our newfound friends.

(lively music) (ship horn bellows) (peaceful music) For the first time in a week, the sun rises over land again on our arrival in Southampton, which since the golden age of ocean liners, has been the jumping off port for London.

And that's where we're headed when we disembark our transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2.

(peaceful music continues) Hello, London, where elegant history meets modern energy and unmistakable British symbols.

Here's the little pre- or post-cruise extension tip.

I love pop-on, pop-off bus tours, especially once with open air seating on the top deck.

On a beautiful day like this, it's the perfect way to acquaint or reacquaint yourself with the lay of the land in a new or favorite city, figuring out how the streets flow, where all the iconic historic monuments and the new landmarks are, so you can walk back later and explore.

And just drink in the atmosphere and street scene and scenery of one of the world's legendary cities that inspires travel imagination.

(peaceful music continues) We are staying in the heart of London's West End with views from our room over nearby Trafalgar Square.

It's a welcome retreat from the city after a day of touring.

And the moment called for, you guessed it, restorative afternoon tea, champagne tea, no less.

How many different ways can you enjoy the deceptively simple English tradition of afternoon tea?

Well, I'm determined to try them all.

I never say no to tea and I definitely never say no to champagne.

Thank you very much.

It's beautiful.

(glasses clink) Tea, dainty sandwiches, scones, and clotted cream.

Melt in your mouth.

And sweet treats.

An English rose and sovereign's choice.

They look almost too beautiful to eat.

(relaxing music) There's nothing.

All gone.

(lively music) (ship horn bellows) We've just disembarked from seven days crossing one of the world's greatest bodies of water.

It's hard to get a sense of that scale on the globe, and while here in London, we found a maker who can really round out that big picture for us.

(knocker clicking) Hello, Peter.

Peter Bellerby is the founder of Bellerby and Company Artisan Globe Makers, the only truly bespoke maker of spherical models of the earth.

As a traveler, globes fascinate me.

This is a cruise show and so we're always talking about water and it's really not until you look at a globe, maps don't show it, globes show us how much of the planet is water, and that's something that's really magical about globes is they give you a different sense of the world.

We're used to flat maps in apps now.

Right?

- Yeah, it's such an interesting perspective to look at the Pacific and see we are standing here, we can't see any land.

- Lots of places to cruise.

- Thousands of places to cruise.

- Exactly.

How did you end up making globes?

- So back in 2008, I had my father's upcoming 80th birthday.

I didn't want to make him a globe, I just wanted to buy one.

And I went around stores, I went to auction houses and I couldn't find anything that was suitable.

So I just thought I would try and make a globe.

- [Lynn] How hard could it be?

- Exactly.

It's a sphere.

It's got a bit of metal around it, a bit of wood around there.

- I take it, it was harder than it might have seemed.

- It's a little harder than I imagined.

I kind of, in the beginning, gave myself about three months.

- That's the example.

So how hard was it?

- It took about two years.

It's so much more difficult making anything that has a round component to it.

And funnily enough, the globe has quite a lot of components to it.

- [Lynn] I see that, yes.

- But it just got out of control.

So I had no choice but to set up a company to recoup the money I'd spent.

And I was always driven on by the fact that the beautiful globes were made 2, 300 years ago.

And with all the extra tools and equipment we have now, it has to be achievable.

- Do your globes get printed or are they handmade or is it a bit of both?

- It's a mix between printed and painted.

But a printed globe, which is what this is, is where all the cartography is printed and then we apply gore to the sphere and then the painters will paint in and they will add all this wonderful color detail.

- I see.

So you've decided to let me try my hand at least one element of globe making.

And you think that the sharp blade is the the way to go?

- I think this is definitely the best start.

So we are going to cut down the outside of this line and we need to get within about 0.1 to 0.2 of a millimeter.

- Doesn't sound hard at all.

- I haven't done this for at least a year, so I probably won't be very good.

- So we're cutting out a gore, and then each one will be individually glued onto the sphere.

Do you do this as a job application test?

When you come in for an interview, do you test people if they can cut a gore?

- We do.

- You do?

- Yeah, we have people trying to make a globe on a trial day.

Now, be super careful.

It is so sharp.

- [Lynn] Oh, see now I've got it.

- [Peter] Hold it there.

- [Lynn] Holding my breath.

- [Peter] I know.

That's the problem.

We had a surgeon in here on Friday.

- [Lynn] Oh, and how did he do?

- And actually, you've done as well as him.

- Really?

There you go.

There's my next career move.

(laughs) Okay, so critique.

How did I do?

I think up there, there's a little gap.

And there's another little gap down there.

- When you look along this way, that's where you kind of see... - [Lynn] Oh, I see it.

- Dipping in there a bit.

But for first go, that's really good.

- Thank you.

And if it's even slightly wrong, they would just have to start again.

- Yeah.

- That's it.

It's all over.

Very precise work.

I understand you make globes that aren't just about land and sea, but people's special interests as well.

- [Peter] Yeah, so the beauty about the globes we make is it's a printed globe so we can add anything on.

So, from the simple things, we might add on your local town or village or we might add an illustration.

Many people who go on cruises will want to have their cruises mapped.

- Wouldn't that be a great way to track your cruises?

- Once people realize that it is fully up to their own imagination, they kind of take it on board.

- Do globes have a future in an increasingly digital world outside of being pieces of art?

- That, for many people, is enough of a reason to own a globe in itself.

People have been saturated by digital media in every sense, trying to work out where you're going on holiday next year.

You're going to spin your globe and you're gonna look at the different places you could go and which ones link up.

- And then of course, was the whole, just spin it, put your finger down and say we're going there.

Next stop, wherever we spin.

- Yeah.

Where are you going next?

- That's good question.

Maybe we should spin the map and we'll find out.

(laughs) Where are we?

Japan?

Very close to Japan.

Japan's a great place to take a cruise, so I'm up for that.

- Wonderful.

All these islands around here.

- Yes.

Yes.

Deal.

(laughs) Until next time on "World's Greatest Cruises," wishing you fair winds and following seas.

(cheerful music) More information about "World's Greatest Cruises" and the ship and ports of call featured in today's program on our website at www.WorldsGreatestCruises.com.

"World's Greatest Cruises" is made possible in part by the JERNE community of travel advisors: local business owners with experience cruising and planning cruises.

More information at JERNE.COM/CRUISE Next time on "World's Greatest Cruises," we are in search of emperor penguins, the rarest kind on an Antarctic expedition cruise and seeing just one would be a big win.

We meet other types of penguins, but it takes a helicopter tour off our ship to see up close an entire colony of the largest penguins in the world.

(penguin chirring) (cheerful music continues)