Anyone who embarked on the Queen Elizabeth 2 from Southampton on December 15, 2002 who was surprised when two days later we ran smack dab into a classic - and actually not an extremely severe -Atlantic storm, just didn't know what they were getting into!

This voyage superbly illustrated the gross differences, happily, between cruising & crossing. As a matter of fact, the only similarity I could detect with a Caribbean cruise was the sale of paintings in, gasp, the Queens Room. Other than that aberration this was as close to a traditional crossing as one could expect today.

Despite the grumbling of the uninitiated over the "class" differences so much a part of the QE2's social structure, I know this crossing was a huge success. Coupling rough Atlantic seas with calm, balmy weather afforded everyone the huge range of experiences that mark a crossing.

Having booked what we lovingly referred to as "Steerage", roommate Bruce Vancil and I enjoyed the coziness and simplicity of our Five Deck inside cabin (5171). We stayed two nights at a London Hotel that claimed four stars but actually rang up two and then a night at the wonderful patchwork quilt that the Southampton Dolphin Regal is with it's 700 plus year history. Our six nights in our small but comfortable rectangle passed for the lap of luxury. I don't care what anyone says: QE2 mattresses are among the most comfortable anywhere. You literally blend into them. I NEVER nap on land. On two afternoons, having retired after lunch to the cabin for a quick viewing of one of the entertaining lectures held onboard (that replayed repeatedly on the TV) I plumb just passed out, lulled by the gentle (and sometimes less than gentle) roll of the ship.

Embarkation in Southampton was an unrushed, unhurried pleasure. The new Queen Elizabeth II Terminal is comfortable, airy, offers a variety of goods and services, and absolutely beats the New York Passenger Ship Terminal hands down. Of course, it is only one terminal vs. the three finger piers in NY and I wonder how fellow passengers embarking on the Saga Rose and further off in the distance, Aurora, were faring.

The QE2, sailing first, edged away from the pier on time and began her access down the Southampton Estuary. Two Viking craft, holding what we believed to be armed security forces, ended their guardian stay. Only once before, from the Bacino III pier in Trieste aboard the Enotria in December 1966, had I ever sailed under the veil of darkness. Again, this was just another of the many radical differences separating this voyage from any other. A quiet throng gathered on the Sun Deck forward, overlooking the bow. Not recognizing anyone until they were right next to you muted the chatter, although the humor and good feelings were obvious. Standing with lister Don Stoltenberg and his friend, Ken, Bruce and I shared the anticipation of the coming six nights at sea. Ted and Suellyn Scull, Bill Miller, Ben and Jane Lyons, Jon and Janine Miller, my former roomie Charles Zuckerman and his wife Marjorie, Bill Maynes, Ernie Roller, Tim Yoder and I'm sure a few others that just weren't visible were all in attendance on that Sun Deck promenade. The weather, as it had been throughout our London and Southampton stay was a mix of mist, rain, dampness, and it was cool, but even that couldn't dampen our spirits as the journey began.

The first two days at sea were a time to settle to the ebb and flow of shipboard life. Without intentional planning you just tend to begin a routine. The seas were pretty calm with a light chop, whitecaps were in evidence and they only contributed to the smooth relaxing roll the QE2 exhibits. Captain Paul Wright, who would contribute greatly to this crossing as the days moved on, noted that we were to take the Northern track, this providing a calmer sea than a choppier Southern route where the seas were showing some activity. Naturally, a collective sigh from the "shippies" onboard - those hoping for rough seas and a more challenging crossing - was quite evident. Despite my apprehension for a rough crossing (I've been known to turn green in even the slightest chop!) I understood and appreciated my shipmates disappointment.

The crossing was billed as "A Sea Odyssey", Celebrating the Romance of the Sea. Bill Miller was aboard to offer his uniquely enthusiastic lecturing talents, holding three well attended sessions over the course of the crossing. Our own Ted Scull added his insight with two entertaining lectures of his own. All sessions, held in the Theatre, appealed to ship lover and traveler alike. Each talk filled about 75-80% of the Theatre, an enviable attendance! Both authors also held book signings around noon outside the bookstore and library and this gave everyone aboard the opportunity to share experiences with both men. There were other lecturers aboard, including Capt. David Leney, a former British Airways Concorde Pilot who offered a unique look at that plane as well as providing insight into the Concorde disaster in France. Best selling novelist Les Standiford and New York City lecturer Kitt Garrett also held well attended sessions. And there were the typical other "crossing-type" activities: Crafts, Bridge, the Daily Run wager, Harp music in the Chart Room, Dance classes. But none of it was intrusive. There were no fancy drinks forced in ones face, no Rum punch with the fancy glass to take home, no Mexican night out on deck or even in the Lido. I'm not even sure if there was a midnight buffet, never having the disposition to go looking for it! It was a crossing, plain and delightfully simple.

That doesn't mean that we didn't stay busy onboard. The first two days, with calm seas, there were spirited shuffleboard games. Deck Tennis was a delightful activity, the Queen offering one of the few regulation courts aboard any ship. Lines of competitors waited for their chance to play winners and Pat Ratcliffe and Ken Mole had their hands full keeping enthusiastic players from hogging the courts! The golf-driving cage was always occupied and the putting green and deck quoits were very active. People promenaded around the deck and I noted only one jogger! Even the outdoor pool was active, heated to a magnificent 84 degrees. This marked the very first time I had ever taken a dip on the Atlantic, and here we were north of Newfoundland (as the crow flies) and I was enjoying 55 degrees on deck and 84 degrees in the pool. It would have been nice if Ben or Bruce had reminded me BEFORE submerging not to put my head under so I wouldn't be frostbit when I raised it out of the water! The Jacuzzi was also going strong during these first two days. You couldn't schedule time on the stationary bicycles in the gym, the demand was so strong and the jogging machines were also going full blast.

Lunch was almost always taken in the dining room, in our case Mauretania. Only once did we opt for the Lido, which offered a large selection. Lunch menus in Mauretania offered 5 starter dishes including soups and salads, a "Mediterranean" selection - pasta - four "main courses from Chef Winklers Recipes" Four grill fare selections followed by the Pantry Chef's Recommendations. Dinner had a slightly less broad selection, maybe three appetizers, two soups, a pasta, three entrees, and several deserts. The food was pretty good. I did have an excellent duck, but returned the lobster in favor of steak as it was tough and overdone. Meats were cooked to order. Our dining room staff was "capable", but service was slower than it should have been. Typically, our second sitting dinner began at 8:30 and didn't end until around 10:15 or so. Besides my ever cheerful and entertaining roomie, Bruce, our table of 8 included fellow lister Ernie Roller, his brother Fred, friends Rich & Joe, and a delightful English couple, the Oliver's Malcolm & Gillian. Every evening sans one, the conversation was spirited, entertaining, self-effacing, cynical, humorous, and serious - a combination you could not beat!

Looming just south of Newfoundland was a storm cranking up along the Canadian coast. Capt. Wright was presented with two options: 1) Track further south, south of the storm where seas were said to be even worse than those in the eye of the storm or 2) continue along the northern track and plow directly through it. With apologies over the intercom to all - and to the joy of many of us - he opted to plow through it! A heavy gale was forecast with seas reaching 10 on the Beaufort scale. "Oh joy, oh rapture", thought the enthusiasts "oh sh#@", thought I!!

Wednesday morning dawned, or at the least, it did outside our inside cabin. Bruce and I were awakened by the crash of a bottle of wine, a tray and glasses as they all tumbled to the floor as the Queen rolled heavily to Starboard! It was 7:30am and we were in the gale! I was absolutely steeled to the task of beating Poseidon at his own game. I had been bested every time before and I was going to win this time. I was up in a flash, showered and dressed and walking the decks, just to gauge what we were dealing with.

The Windward Port side was impossible to navigate. The Boat Deck door near the Boardroom hardly flinched as I pushed to open it and I opted to exit across on the Port Side. Man, she was rolling and pitching up a storm!! Here was that old "cork in a bathtub" motion I had detested from my previous crossings. Seeing the miserable weather conditions, sideways rain, stiff wind, 20-30 foot swells, I decided I'd seek the shelter of the dining room and really test the quality of today's Meclazine which I had been faithfully taking since we embarked from Southampton! Downing a full Eggs Benedict breakfast with all the trimmings I headed back on deck and realized now, two hours after awakening I wasn't sick!! Hallelujah!!! I clamored up to the Sun Deck helicopter landing space, wind and rain and seas kicking up all over, thrust my fist up to the skies and pronounced myself cured!

That was me. The rest of the ship wasn't so lucky. We were in the storm for the better part of 48 hours. A significant percentage of the passengers were ill and dinner that first night was poorly attended. Our table that night was quiet with Bruce and myself inviting a single traveler to join us. On that night she decided to finally emerge after spending most of the voyage in her cabin, enjoying the peace. Some people can be so strange!

Thursday began as Wednesday had. Around 10:00 or so we emerged from the gray overcast and entered brilliant sunshine. We were in the eye of the storm! A cloudless sky was above, a boiling sea continuing below. I took entertainment looking down at the Boat Deck with some old salt as we viewed hardy folks attempting to navigate the heavily pitching decks. We stood there enjoying the bright sun, the increasing seas, appreciating an ocean voyage the way it was designed and bemoaning the great ships that had gone before us. (He had sailed both of the Queens in their heyday and he enjoyed describing the experience to this receptive "young'un"!). Later into the day Thursday, the seas increased, reaching 30-40 foot swells. We were all so disappointed that the QE2 does not offer a forward venue to "enjoy" the sea from above or below the bridge. The Sun Deck promenade forward had been closed since we entered the rough weather and with good reason. Bruce and I spent quite some time watching the Bridge Cam over the bow. The Queen would rear high on pitch and plunge her bow deep into a swell. Huge plumes of spray would render the bow invisible as it raced up and coated the camera with the Atlantic. The spray would go up and over the bridge. It was great. You could almost time it. Wave, wave, swell, trough, bow, splash!!! Plume!!! Both Boat Deck promenades became extremely difficult. We ventured out at the height of the movement and the rain and wind pulling ourselves along her port Boat Deck, hiding behind short extensions on the deck reminiscent of those on her previous sisters. We couldn't venture to the railing for fear of being swept up and over! We pulled our way up to the Sun Deck enclosure where we finally found some peace. The ship was heaving and rolling and pitching all over the place. We would watch the aft enclosure of the sun deck pitch hard below the sealine, then pitch up high above only to crash low again, allowing us to view the turbulent seas aft, time after time!

It was great. There was one gentleman, completely wrapped up in a steamer rug, tucked in peacefully in his deck chair under the Signal deck extension above. He looked like the happiest man in the world! And, as Ernie has already mentioned, she leaked! Numerous buckets and large garbage cans graced the Upper and Quarterdecks catching the frothing Atlantic as it found it's way through crevices. It didn't matter. THIS was what a crossing was all about and most of us just loved it!

By Friday, the seas had calmed a bit. Some of us had the honor of a bridge tour courtesy of Captain Wright. I had never been on the bridge of a ship underway at sea and it was a real treat. The night before a spirited cocktail party was held in the Ward Room and despite heavily rolling seas it was attended by many passengers and officers. Captain Wright again officiated. He enjoyed our collective enthusiasm for the sea and the journey as much as we enjoyed being part of it. Regular QE2 Captain, Ron Warwick, is the "perfect" sea captain in my eyes. Soft spoken and sincere, with a respect for the sea and his ship. His wife, Kim, is as great a social hostess as one could hope for aboard ship. Captain Wright showed another side of a Cunard Captain. He had such incredible enthusiasm and seemed to mix so well with all of us. He understood our childish (or at least mine!) enthusiasm, once taking me aside to say "you're the ringleader in this group, keep it up"! I loved that!!

We even pulled the old "Birthday" prank on one of "our" group at the Captains table one night. Lister Tim Yoder had the honor of sitting with Captain Wright and others at his table and we happily and mischievously presented him with a birthday cake with many of us joining together for a rousing round of "Happy Birthday". Tim looked really uncomfortable. It was just another great Liner prank. I went around to Captain Wright and explained, "your ship is such a great lady, we figured she deserved a great Liner prank." He looked at me and smiled and said, "This is so much fun." A couple of other "fun" notes. Ben Lyons and I have maintained a great table tennis competition since we first sailed together on the Ocean Breeze back in 1997. His mom, by the way, is a splendid player and several of us convened on Friday at the table on Upper Deck Port Side aft. After several warm up games, Ben, just barely squeaking by his mom in a prior match, we had the chance to renew our competition. Ben won, but it was a classic: 24-22. I know I'll have the opportunity to continue this competition at a later date.

Another fun aside. At lunch on Thursday, open seating, Bruce and I were enjoying a window seat overlook the boiling sea. Another couple, turned out they were from Colorado, were guided next to us at the table for four. We engaged in conversation and I noted that the gentleman had a couple of Ted Scull's wonderful "Ocean Liner Odyssey". I made note and he said that he enjoyed the chapter of the 1961 Hanseatic voyage Ted wrote of. I looked at him and said my favorite page was 11 where two photos from my collection were featured. He turned to it, saw the "Alan Zamchick Collection" and exclaimed, "You're Alan Zamchick?" Smiling I nodded and he asked for me to actually sign the page!! Bruce was hysterical, I couldn't believe it and he thought he was lucky to be sitting with us!! So I marked on the page "Happy Crossing on the QE2, 12/19/02", and my autograph. A first for me and Andy Warhol would be proud! Thanks Ted!

To me, that summed up this voyage. It WAS so much fun! My cabin mate Bruce and I enjoyed ourselves no end, helped along immensely by our tablemates and all of the other liner folks whose company we had the pleasure to share.

And, the Queen? She was pretty darn great too!