Saint Nazaire25 Juin 2017 NEW YORK CITY1er Juillet 2017BOOK NOW1You are... Company2Registration FormFirst select Individual or Company aboveSee pricesThe number of confirmed passengers is increasing each day. This form allows you to receive priority access to purchase cabins and be at the heart of the event. Beyond all the abundant benefits and services, you will have access to the numerous events organized for THE BRIDGE.* You will participate in the celebrations of the return of the Queen Mary.* You will experience the Centennial Transat and live just next to the maxi-multihulls.* You will have access to the conferences hosted by historians, musicians, and exceptional speakers during the days and evenings throughout your cruise.The cruise itinerary :Friday, June 23rd:• Departure from Nantes, Rennes and Paris and arrive in Southampton (time to be confirmed)• Board the Queen Mary 25PM : Opening nightSaturday, June 24th:6PM: Visit the port of Saint-Nazare, great evening celebrating.
Sunday, June 25th:6:30PM : departure of THE BRIDGE 2017Saturday, July 1st6AM: Arrival of the Queen Mary 2 in New YorkTo ensure that you receive the best onboarding conditions, all onboarding operations will be managed by CUNARD company in Southampton, Friday, June 23rd at noon.*We are currently analyzing the best passenger transfer arrangements to Southampton from Nantes, Reims, and Paris (transfer included in cabin price).* The Bridge association reserves the right to change the port of embarkation.THE BRIDGE organizing team welcomes you aboard and thanks you again for your interest.I want to pre-book one or more cabins for the voyage aboard the Queen Mary 2: On the Saint-Nazaire to New York (boarding at Southampton) Number of cabins (2 persons/cabin) :By submitting this pre-booking, I will receive priority access to first cabin sales aboard the Queen Mary 2.I will receive a set number of weeks to complete the reservation once I receive the details of the trip and the fee schedule for the different cabin categories.
I would like to receive The Bridge 2017 newsletter By joining the Club of 100 during The Bridge 2017, my company will benefit from deals offered by the organization. By submitting this pre-booking, I will receive priority access to my cabin of choice reserved for companies on the Queen Mary 2.I am interested in the Club of 100 and would like to be contacted by the organization to get more details about the various opportunities that come with being a member of the Club of 100. Contact within the company I would like to receive The Bridge 2017 newsletterUSA TODAY was onboard as the 11-year-old Queen Mary 2 recently marked Cunard's 175th Anniversary by doing the same route across the North Atlantic, from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston, as Canadian Samuel Cunard's original paddle steamer Britannia in 1840. Back in 1840, the 115 passengers on the Britannia were all in first class and brought along a cow for milk and meat (the cow didn't complete the crossing).The QM2, the largest ocean liner ever, and only ship doing regular transatlantic service between New York and Southampton, UK, carries 2,594 passengers – with a class system that has you assigned a dining room based on your category of accommodations.
The top class is Queens Grill, established for the best suites, which come with butler service. Next is Princess Grill, followed by Britannia Club (which comes with anytime dining). Then there's Britannia for the rest of us – the large majority of passengers.Peek inside giant ocean liner made entirely of bricksWhile the Grills may provide a luxury experience including private lounge and sun deck, we found Britannia-class style akin to a cruise on sister brand Holland America Line. Here's what we liked best about the Britannia experience on the QM2.Quiet spaces: The 150,000-ton ship is big for the number of passengers, and there are plenty of quiet places to hang out – whether you want to read, stare at the ocean (a big pastime on transatlantic sailings), walk the real promenade, spy on the chic crowd in their fancy dining rooms or dip in one of five heated pools. You'll find yourself in big open spaces where no one is trying to sell you something and there's no constant music beat.
Formality: Whatever class you're in, this is not a ship for the shorts and Hawaiian shirts crowd. There are several formal nights. On other nights, after 6 p.m., men are required to wear jackets in the dining rooms. Those who defer to the buffet are still expected to dress up to visit other public areas such as the theater, casino and lounges. Captain Kevin Oprey tells USA TODAY that such formality is part of the attraction for many. "Passengers come on to embrace a different world," he said, "to try to relive the Golden Age of ocean travel."British-ness: Despite being owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp., on our cruise the Brits outnumbered Americans three to one. Our tablemates were proud Liverpudlians. The comedy acts, including the hysterical Welsh comedian/singer Mike Doyle, were British-centric. There's a British section at the buffet – with meat pies and such. The ship's godmother is Queen Elizabeth II, and portraits of royals are part of the impressive, British-centric art collection.
Afternoon Tea: With white-gloved waiters pouring tea and serving finger sandwiches, pastries and scones from silver trays in the ship's ballroom, doing tea is a major daily event. There's live music, including by a full orchestra during tea dances. There's also casual afternoon tea at the King's Court buffet.The spa: The two-deck Canyon Ranch SpaClub is one of the best at sea. Even if you don't indulge in one of the nearly 80 body and skincare treatments, for $40 anyone can luxuriate for a day in the Aqua Therapy Centre, complete with large thalassotherapy pool, cushy recliner loungers, steam and sauna.Dinner: While Grill passengers dine in intimate restaurants where they get tableside preparations and are treated to such items as Maine lobster, Britannia passengers don't exactly have it bad. They dine in a two-deck restaurant that's every bit as elegant as you'd expect on a classic ship (think the Titanic). The tuxedo-clad waiters are efficient and knowledgeable, if not particularly smiley.
Stick with British dishes such as lemon sole and the excellent curries. Dinner menus impressively have two vegetarian options, as well as Canyon Ranch Spa dishes listed with calorie counts. If you want something fancier, you can pay for a meal at specialty restaurant Todd English.Golden Lion Pub: Who needs the fancy lounge reserved for Grill guests? We couldn't get enough of this casual place. It's a classic British pub down to the etched glass windows and dartboard. Belly up to the bar and order a pint of Guinness, Boddingtons Bitter or Bass Ale, among other varieties on tap. The complimentary lunch menu includes wonderfully crunchy fish & chips served with mushy peas.Intellectual pursuits: Queen Mary 2 is a ship where the cruise director can tell a crowd in the theater, "Before you slip into Morpheus tonight…" and the audience will know what he's talking about. There's a real planetarium where you can watch recorded presentations or hear a live lecture, say by a University of Cambridge astrophysicist.
Noted authors come onboard to lecture. There's a real library with a librarian and an impressive collection of books in glass cases. Live classical music abounds and show productions may have touches of ballet and opera. You can also catch abbreviated performances of Shakespeare plays performed by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. It's all a big wow.Ballroom dancing: The ship's Queens Room is a real ballroom hosting real balls – some with themes. A live big band performs nightly, sometimes joined by the ship's theater orchestra. Those on the dance floor are serious dancers. Come on formal night when a lot of people are in tuxes and ball gowns for an event like none other you'll find at sea.History: Whatever class you're in, doing a "crossing" is a tradition – made most famous by the QM2's glamorous predecessor QE2. While some passengers come onboard because they don't want to fly, others because they want to bring their pets (the QM2 is the only ship with a kennel) and others because they want to relive the coming-to-America experience of their ancestors, you can't help feeling a sense of history.