July 5^th, 2026

Newport, RI

Last night when we got to our stateroom there were Cunard tote bags waiting for us. A lovely reminder of the day.

It was only when I turned them over this morning that I saw how special they were. A great souvenir of an incredible day.

Well, after all the excitement of yesterday we were prepared for a nice quiet stay in Newport.

Getting off the ship was a bit of a challenge. I had never seen queues for the tenders like that before. I am sure a lot of people were upset. Even wanting to leave the ship at 11:30 , 3 hours after they started tender operations, there was a long wait to get off the ship.

Luckily our Uber driver was still waiting for us as we got ashore.

We had decided to avoid the crowds in Newport and have lunch in Tiverton, about a half hour’s drive from the dock.

Our driver, Dawn, was an interesting lady and she and Kim had us laughing all the way to the restaurant. She was totally irreverent, which was of course all Kim needed, and I felt I was in the middle of a sitcom with the 2 of them egging each other on.

It was almost a disappointment to arrive at the restaurant.

The restaurant was the Boat House, right on the water.

 

They had the best hydrangeas ever.

We had a table looking out on the water, and our ultra-cute waiter Vincent, brought Deidre and me oysters and bubbly. I mean talk about being in heaven. The food was delicious, the setting perfect, the company such fun, it was the perfect way to get back down to earth after yesterday’s spectacular events.

Dawn had told us that it would be difficult to get a driver to take us back to Newport, and I must admit I had been a bit anxious during our perfect meal that we may actually be having dinner there as well, having been stranded in Tiverton and missing the boat. That would be so embarrassing, and I was wondering how on earth you fly from Newport to Halifax and wishing I hadn’t left my sunscreen on board. You never know when you are going to need it. Oh, and my straw hat was on board as well. Things were beginning to look less rosy despite another glass of bubbly.

But at the end of the meal, there was Stacey, our Uber driver who was going to whisk us back to the ship. Phew, crisis averted. I looked around me – there were Brian, Deirdre and Kim climbing into her car, totally oblivious to my angst of the last hour and a half. How I envy their ability to not be neurotic and to trust that things will work out.

Well, if the ride with Dawn had been quite a trip, the ride with Stacey was something else. She was on a roll with the wisecracks – she totally should be doing standup comedy, although I must say her responses were quite naughty – the term “potty mouth” came to mind, but it was all in the nicest way. She would give the Marvelous Mrs Maisel a run for her money. Stacey got us to our destination in good time to catch a tender to the ship, but I couldn’t help thinking that she was better suited to standup comedy than driving an Uber. Not to say that her driving was bad, in fact I felt she was a very safe driver, she was such a great comedienne. Certainly better than those we have seen on cruise ships lately.

The tender transported Deirdre and myself back to the air-conditioned reality of Queen Mary 2 while the boys went off in pursuit of T shirts and provisions.

We had a cocktail party to go to that evening, and then dinner in the Britannia dining room. I am so in love with this room. It has to be the most elegant dining room at sea. I get goose bumps every time I see that tapestry.

I have a QM2 scarf that depicts the tapestry, which I bought on the ship many years ago. They don’t sell it anymore, so I must be very careful avoiding getting food all over it as I love wearing it. It is such a treasure. I wish they would sell more things like that in the shop, their merchandise these days really is a bit disappointing.

Tomorrow is a sea day – one of only 2 on this voyage. I must make the most of it. 7 days on Mary is simply not enough. I need to visit Yoyo…………….