I think it all started with John’s (then in grade school) fascination with the Titanic. Someone said – “I wonder if people can still travel from Europe to the United States on a boat . . .” We found out you can and there still is an ocean liner (a large ship made for the deep seas of the ocean and is quite different from a cruise ship) providing transatlantic passenger service. It is run by Cunard, the company that rivaled White Star, owners of the Titanic.

Several years ago, when we were dreaming about the possibility of studying abroad as a family, we said “wouldn’t it be cool to start our trip by traveling to Europe the old-fashioned way?” When planning time came, we thought through these factors: It takes seven days and nights instead of 6 hours, the price is similar to a transatlantic flight, we liked the idea of gently easing into the new time-zone and assumed we’d need some rest after the work of getting ready to be gone for 5 months.

All of the assumed benefits to crossing the Atlantic by ship came true and we are so glad we came over the pond on the Queen Mary 2. It was also awe-inspiring and sometimes a little freaky to be in the middle of the ocean for days on end.

Hands down, our favorite part of the trip was the food. The chef, buffet and dining room staff make it easy to navigate for people with food sensitives (which we all have) and everything was so delicious. It was also nice to have a break from meal prep and clean up. Oh, and there was British-style afternoon tea complete with mini-sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and pastries. The highlight was the nightly, gourmet five-course dinners in the dining room. These were such lovely family times. We were dressed up (one time in roaring-20’s costume) and our waiters brought the dishes out in ideally portioned, gently-paced, beautifully plated courses and we sat, chatted about whatever came up and savored the beautiful and delicious experience. Family meals at home can be unpleasant; amen? These dinners were a gift the staff gave us and we are grateful.

In addition to the food, we also enjoyed resting and reading on the outdoor decks, playing a racket game on a completely netted-in court on the top deck, and participating in some of the onboard activities and shows. We didn’t try everything there was to do because we wanted plenty of relaxation, but what we did do was fun. I really enjoyed taking ballroom dance lessons every day, usually with Scott, a there was even a priest who led daily mass.

We highly recommend taking the Queen Mary 2. It is so much more enjoyable than a long-haul flight (they have other trips as well.) And, please tell us if you’ve ever done a trip the old-fashioned way; we’d love to hear about it.