Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Thoughts on the cruise (12/09/25)

 

The more I travel, the more I realize that I should have done much more traveling while I was younger. Now that I have a travel partner, I feel a bit more secure about going into the unknown (for me) and experiencing new things.

In the case of this cruise, it wasn't much of a stretch for me to take this trip.  I am comfortable with the cocoon of cruise ship travel, as it allows me to feel safe in foreign lands.  What was new for me was the casual elegance of this ship.  This was the first time that I kept bumping into people who think like I do. (I'm not talking about agreeing with me.  I'm talking about people who can disagree, but talk about and analyze objective data.

I remember one acquaintance telling me that I would enjoy the Queen Mary 2.  And she was right.  Sadly, she is preoccupied, and doesn't include me in her circle anymore.  But then, there is a difference in social class between us, and I figure that she isn't comfortable with someone from my social level.  Yet, I feel that I finally was in my milieu when I was on this ship. Maybe, I have finally started to reach the social level I could have been in when younger, had I only proper mentoring and guidance.

Sadly, the older I get, the more I realize that I wasted much of my life.  We live two lives: the first, where we waste much of it away.  And the second, where (if we're lucky) live up to our fullest potential.  For me, travel is helping me live up to that potential. 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #6 (12/07/25)

 

This would be the last day we'd have breakfast in our room.  Room service came at exactly 9:30, and they put all of our places on the small table, save for the one they put on our bed.  We were hungry and ready to feast - and feast we did.

The last sea day before returning home is always sad.  We have to pack up our clothes, toiletries, and other things, keeping what is needed for the morning into our carry-on bags, and stashing the rest into larger suitcases which left by the door tonight to reappear on the pier tomorrow morning.  There are so many people who get things wrong on this last day, such as packing their passports in their larger suitcases being brought to the pier.

One usually says goodbye to the new friends met on the cruise, knowing that they may never see these people again.  One will often hand their cabin attendant a tip for service, as well as tipping any staff member who went over and above what would be expected from that staff member.   And we planned to do that tonight, when we'd see our cabin attendant for our last time.

- - - - - -

For the most part, we took it easy today, packing things back into our suitcases, so that it could be left by the door before 10 pm.  We were mostly ready to go before dinner, but we planned to do one last inventory of things before leaving them in the hallway.

We went to dinner for one last time in the main restaurant, and had an almost private nook all to ourselves.  Today's minor inconsistency in service was that the person normally assigned to take our drink order didn't see us in the alcove, and we had to ask for service.  Again, a very minor issue that didn't get in the way of enjoying our last dinner on the ship for this cruise.  And, I'm glad to say - everything was to my liking!  Yum!

- - - - - -

Once back in our cabin, we did one last check before putting our luggage in the hallway.  This is when the reality set in - we will be at home tomorrow, and we will have to pick up our towels if we leave them on the floor.

Coming home is such sweet sorrow. 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #5 (12/06/25)

 

As we approach New York, both RQS and I dread our return home.  No, it's not because our cruise is ending.  Instead, it's because we're coming back to some of the coldest weather we've had in a while.  When I look at the NYC weather forecast, I see subfreezing weather for the day we return.  That means that we'll have to be outside, on the waterfront, while we wait for our ride home.  And then, once at RQS's place, I'll have to cart most of my bags up to Croton that same day.  If I'm lucky, my car won't be covered by too much snow.  But I won't know until I get home.  

- - - - - -

This morning started with another Room Service breakfast. This time, it came early.  Only one problem: they forgot to bring sweetener with the coffee.  But we made do.  Around 11, we left the room to have a snack and to do some laundry.  Around 1, we returned to the room with our clean laundry and all traces of breakfast were gone. I had a table I could fold clothes on!

Around 3:15, we went to afternoon tea, expecting to meet a new acquaintance there. She wasn't there when tea service started, but she did appear at our table a bit late.  I told her of my idea for an adaptive garment, and she loved it - she doesn't have the use of one arm, and my garment idea would have solved one of her needs, making it easier to get dressed in the morning.  While there, I showed her a few pictures of me in Marian mode, and she loved it.  She wants to find out more at some later time.

- - - - - -

Tonight would be the last gala night of the cruise, and today's laundry run gave me a clean white shirt for the night.  Yay!  I don't have to break open another new shirt for this time in a suit and tie!  So I took out the suit one last time for this trip, and went to dinner with RQS.  This was the night of the chef's parade, where key restaurant personnel were saluted for the hard work they do.  I preferred something like this, where we didn't have to completely disrupt our meals, than to endure Princess's Baked Alaska parade towards the end of their cruises.

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #4 (12/05/25)

 

I don't have much to say about today's activities, save that we ordered breakfast from room service and went to afternoon tea.  But with that being said, that's enough to occupy the better part of a daily post.

- - - - - -

We set our alarms for 8:00, so that we'd be dressed enough for when room service came.  Around 9:45, our breakfast came - with hot breakfasts for both of us, some pastries, and a toasted bagel for me.  And this breakfast service is complimentary on Cunard.  The only thing that didn't come was coffee - we may have forgotten to write it down on the card we hung on the door the day before.  There is something very nice about having exactly the food one wants delivered, and not a standard breakfast setup as done on other lines.

Around 11:00, we got out of our room to let the attendant make up the room, and I returned around 1:00 to relax on the bed.  (My back has been bothering me for most of the cruise.)  RQS returned around 2:30, and we left around 3:15 for afternoon tea service.   

 

Afternoon tea is a daily ritual on Cunard ships.  On the Queen Mary 2, it is a special treat, as the wait staff marches into the room from both sides of the room accompanied by music from a pianist on stage who plays all through tea service.  The food at tea service is not meant to be a meal.  Instead, it is meant to keep a person from feeling peckish before dinner is served.  For us, this would be the high point of our day, even though dinner had yet to come.  We enjoyed experiencing this ritual, and will likely make it a regular part of our future Cunard trips. 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - St.Lucia (12/04/25)

 

St. Lucia.  It's a tender port for this ship, and we decided not to go onshore with the heat and humidity outside.  Instead, we decided to get up late and go for lunch again.

- - - - - -

RQS noted that this ship is frequented by a more educated clientele, more world traveled than the cruisers we have met when sailing other cruise lines.  For example, on one of our recent Princess cruises, RQS met a man wearing a MAGA hat, and couldn't wait to get away from him.  On a line most frequented by Americans, some people think that they can offend others by wearing political slogans and symbols that are divisive in nature.  Contrast this with Cunard, where virtually all the people we have met are well educated and have enough social skills to be able to be polite with people who disagree with them.

At lunch, we were seated at a shared table with 3 other couples.  All were well educated, and one gentleman (a former Republican mayor of a town in New Jersey) and I were having a pleasant point-counterpoint discussion of current affairs.  Although we didn't agree with each other regarding America's current parallels with past history, we enjoyed learning from each other.  Unlike many in the GOP, he is not a fan of the Orange Snowflake, and he understands the damage this man has done to our country.  Too bad that I will be unable to keep contact with this gentleman after this cruise - I could learn a lot from him.

- - - - - -

At dinner, another couple from Scotland chatted us up.  We enjoyed the chat, but found it hard to hear them with the noise reflected from the surfaces in the restaurant.  Afterwards, we went to the ship's theater to see a performer, Katie Clarke, perform on the piano.  She was good.  But we had to leave before the show ended - neither of us could risk waiting for elevators tonight.

It was a nice day.  But we know that days like this will end soon - the ship is now returning to New York with its cold weather.  Hopefully, any snow left on my car will have melted by then. 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Barbados Day 1 (12/02/25)

 

This was a day we were dreading.  No, it's not because anything bad was about to happen.  Instead, it was because we had to wake up by 6 am to make a tour scheduled for 10 am.  If we had known better, we could have woken up at least an hour later.  But we were playing things safe, as our shore excursion instructions mentioned a 15 minute walk to the cruise terminal (or using a shuttle that ran every 15 minutes that can get overcrowded).  Since neither of us wanted to walk 15 minutes, we decided to take the first shuttle of the day.

But first....

We showered and dressed and were at the buffet before 7 am.  One problem - the main area of the buffet wasn't yet open, and we had to find our food at the other end of the buffet area.  Rushing to finish our meals, we were back in our cabin before 7:30, with a few minutes to get ready before leaving the ship to find the shuttle bus.

The pier in Bridgetown, Barbados is long.  I wouldn't recommend walking it, as it is narrow and allows for only one lane of vehicular traffic.  This means that a pedestrian lane has been squeezed out of the area where one would have buses and other vehicles pass each other in opposing directions.  We were at the far end of the pier, and I estimated that we'd walk 1/2 mile before reaching the terminal.  Use of the shuttle would be our only realistic option today.

At 8 am, we walked to the gangway and found the shuttle loading nearby.  By 8:10, we were in the terminal, ready to kill time before going outside to find our tour bus.  A little before 9 am, we went to the designated waiting area, and our tour guide arrived a few minutes late.  (Heck, it's "Island Time", nothing is on time by NYC terms when in the Caribbean.)  Narren, our guide, was dressed up like Santa, and was ready to show us the best of Barbados.

Now, I'm not going to fault Narren, but there wasn't that much to see on this tour.  Yes, we went past the home of the rich and famous. But after that, it was a long drive on twisty and bumpy roads to reach scenic vistas and an old church.  One member of our group commented that she had seen much better old churches in Europe - and I wouldn't doubt her.  Barbados has only a short history of being settled by European people.  So, shoring a 300 year old church is not enough to impress everyone. Both my partner and I agreed that we might not have taken this tour had we known how little there would be to see.  Again, I won't fault our tour guide.  It was not what we were looking for in a scenic tour. 

We were glad to get back to the ship for lunch and a nap....

- - - - - -

Around 6:30 pm, we went downstairs for dinner. My only complaint was that there were not enough Anjou Pear slices with this appetizer.  My partner noted that Cunard's version of an appetizer is not a mini-main.  Instead, it's a bite or two of tasty food.  And, as usual, I enjoyed two appetizers and a Caesar Salad. The rib eye steak was done to perfection, and the desserts were on the mark as well.  Not that much to say about dinner, save that this was the first time that RQS noticed a mistake in the restaurant's service.  Yet, we still keep getting impressed by service (in general) on this ship. 

 

mmmmm 

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Domenica (12/01/25)

 

Domenica.  It looks like it might be a nice place to walk around. However,  we weren't in the mood to get off the ship today.  So we stayed on the ship, with two things in mind: 

• Laundry
• Resolution of Internet issue.

But first we had breakfast in the buffet....

After breakfast, we walked onto the promenade deck to get a view of the island. nd that's where I had a mishap that could have caused me some serious problems.  I had decided to sit down in one of the lounge chairs.  It collapsed forward because it wasn't set up right, and I fell forward.  This wouldn't be so bad, save that my cell phone almost fell off the ship.  Several more inches, and I would have lost a general purpose credit card, 2 gas cards, and my OMNY (NYC Mass Transit) card in addition to the phone.  But I was lucky, and only had a minor loss of pride.

Our next stop was to the purser's office, where we got the internet issue fixed - RQS did buy access for me, and the lady at the desk logged me into the ship's wi-fi under my account.  (Now to get the default settings fixed for my laptop.)  Finally, RQS and I can get on the internet at the same time, and not share a single account!

- - - - - -

After a chance to rest, we went down to the laundry room to wash a week's worth of clothes.  We only had 90 minutes to wash and dry our clothes, but the machines were running slow.  Even after 45 minutes of drying time, some items were still slightly damp - and that would have to wait until after dinner.

We arrived at the dining room at 6:30, and met the same 2 people who sat next to us last night.  Again, we had a pleasant chat over dinner.  And again, we noticed minor inconsistencies in staff service in the restaurant, none of which affected our enjoyment of the meal, but should be noted to management to prevent this from getting worse in future cruises.

Once back in our cabin RQS noticed something about the tour we would be taking the next morning in Barbados.  It leaves almost as soon as we get to the port, and we will need to hustle to make it to the tour bus on time.  This meant we'd have to get up very early in the morning for us, and that we'd skip tonight's show in the ship's theater. 

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - St. Maarten (11/30/25)

 

We got up early and went to the buffet.  Normally, this woud not be our choice, but we had a shore excursion to go to, and we didn't want to miss it.

Around 9:30, we left the ship and walked to the small tour bus that would take us on a 4 hour trip around St. Maarten.  Our tour guide took us to several beaches - not for swimming, but for the views.  And then we went to an Iguana feeding station, where, for a simple gratuity, one would have a chance to feed an Iguana.  It was fun to see one of the iguanas greedily go after some leaves put in front of him, as if there would be no one there tomorrow.  But there would be, as December 1st is the official start of the tourist season, and there would be larger crowds passing by this informal tourist attraction.

Next, we were off to the capital of the French side of the island, and stopped for a bite to eat.  Three currencies are used on St. Maarten: the Lesser Antilles Guilder (St. Maarten and Curacao), the Euro, and the US Dollar.  Many places were treating the dollar at par with the euro, even though the euro trades at 10% higher value.  So, when I got the bill for lunch, I saw the Euro price with a conversion for US Dollars.

After lunch, we were off to the Airport/Maho Beach, where crazy people have decided to try getting blown back by the jet blast.  Although we were not lucky enough to see people try this when a jet took off, there were a lot of people looking to get a thrill by being directly under the flight path pf the planes going in to/out of the airport.

Finally, it was back to the ship.  It was a long day, and it was only 2:30 when we walked back onto the ship. 

- - - - - -

After a chance to rest, RQS and I went to dinner.  As usual, dinner  was tasty, and I had a chance to taste Haggis.  Yum!  The rest of the meal was good as well, including the pheasant.  While at our table, a couple from Ontario started up a chat with us, and we shared pleasantries while eating our dinners.

When dinner was over, we went back to our cabin.  RQS was still upset at having bought internet for 2 devices, but only was credited for one.  I looked at her copy of what was purchased, and I figured out why we were told we only had internet for 1 device - a combination of Cunard's wonky website and her use of the English language - she wasn't thinking like a systems analyst in her use of language, and that got the original internet specialist on the ship to think we bought internet for 1 device.  Once she showed me the proof that she had purchased internet for 2 device, she marched down to the purser's office to get things fixed.  I expect that will take place tomorrow morning.

- - - - - -

Once the internet issue was taken care of, it was time to go to see the stage show - Symphony.  This was far from what we expected, but I'm glad we stayed.  We were expecting a miniature symphonic concert.  Instead, we got the ship's musicians and singers performing/singing Post -WW2 20th century pop music along with a prerecorded segment from the Royal Alpert Hall Orchestra for John Williams and Beatles' selections.  It was much better than I would have thought, given that there was a prerecorded segment being part of the show.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #3 (11/29/25)

 

 (Queen Mary 2 Library)

It started out as a sunny day, and that could only mean one thing: We're now in the Caribbean, and it's warm outside.  I'm comfortable with this for now, but I'd rather be inside in air-conditioned comfort, than to be outside in the warmth.  At times like these, I'm glad that my mom's side of the family emigrated from "the islands" to come to America - the weather is better up here for people like me.

- - - - - - -

We went to Breakfast in the dining room and met 5 other people at a shared table.  All of us were from North America, and we had a few common things to talk about.  This is the type of table at which I enjoy eating at the most, as there is always a chance for a great chat.  All too soon, breakfast had to end, and it was time to go back to our cabin for a while.  Once in the cabin, RQS worked on her painting,  while I worked on my blogs for a while.  And then, I ended up taking a rest. 

As we sail further South, it seems as if it's becoming much more humid outside.  (RQS says it is doing so, as she sits on the balcony working with her watercolors.) For me, this will be a bit of a curse, as I've noticed that I've become much more sensitive to heat and humidity.  So, I expect that our shore excursions may be a little hellish for me on this trip.

RQS wanted to get out of the room, and we decided to find the ship's library after a late lunch in the buffet.  We went upstairs and walked to the front of the ship, where we found the largest library I've ever seen at sea.  It is a great place to relax and get away from crowds, and one of the "little" nooks on this ship that make it cozy.

- - - - - - 

At 6:00, we went to dinner, and were seated without much of a wait.  However, today's service seemed to be slightly slower than usual, and the formalities of flatware placement before serving any of the meal's dishes wasn't observed.  Instead, they were replacing flatware after each course, as if there was a backlog of clean flatware coming from the dishwashers.  The meal was good, albeit with a couple of misses in appetizers and desserts.

After a short stop in our cabin to refresh ourselves, we went to the ship's theater to see a pair of aerial acrobats (Duo Quintessence) perform a Cirque du Soleil like show.  This couple did a fantastic show, showing off their talents and skills at their best. Would I see them again?  Yes.  Yet, I wouldn't go out of my way to do so, as there is only so much variety one can insert into this type of performance. 

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #2 (11/28/25)

 

The Christmas tree, the true sign that holiday season is coming.  On the QM2, the ship's staff is quietly installing Xmas decorations, and this tree "magically" popped up just after Thanksgiving. 

Now that we're halfway to our first port, the weather outside seems to be getting a little warmer.  Or, this is how it felt next to a window in the dining room, where RQS had to take off her sweater to feel comfortable.  Could it be that we finally have a sunny day?  Maybe.  But I think it's because we've gone South enough for the ship to start warming up from the outside in.

Our alarms got us moving around 7:45, and I was the first one in the shower.  Surprisingly, we were both ready to go to breakfast a little early.  When we arrived at Breakfast, there were several people waiting to escort people to their tables.  We were seated near a window, and could feel the warmth from the outside, now that we are in warmer climes.

While I was typing in the basis for this blog entry, RQS went outside (while it was still dry) to do her walk around the promenade deck.  I figured that I'd then continue work on my cruise blog, and started to slice and dice things to make the other blog more useful.  Things such as Cunard's wonky app had to be described, and I had to dedicate an entire section to Cunard's wonky technology.

Around 6 pm, we went for dinner, and had our hits and misses as usual.  Out of the 3 main dishes we ordered, only my lamb dish passed muster.  The chicken dumplings had no taste, while the chicken with Moroccan spices was a little too far out there for RQS's taste.

It felt like we had a long day - only because we were up since 7:30 am.  I can only imagine how we'll be feeling in St. Maarten, as we'll be out in the tropical sun for several hours. 

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #1 (11/27/25)

 

Thanksgiving - will they have a different menu for us Americans on the ship?  By mid-afternoon, I've seen no mention of turkey anywhere, and that's just as well.

- - - - - -

We thought of going for breakfast in the dining room, but we ended up in the buffet for both breakfast and lunch.  However, neither of us wanted to get up until 9:30, so we ended up in the buffet instead.  It was a dreary day outside, and we were glad to be indoors as the rains came in.

After lunch, RQS went off to an art class, while I stayed in the room resting.   I knew I would have to change clothes for "Gala Night".  And I wanted to wait until the last minute, which I did.  (I'll bet it's related to a GI Tract issue I have, details I won't go into now.)   This would be the first time that RQS would see me in a suit with traditional white shirt and tie (I'd have rather presented as Marian on this trip), and I looked halfway decent for presenting as Mario.

We had a scare that Cunard's computer system dropped our reservations for dinner.  So, we walked over the main dining room to check on things, and again - Cunard's wonky computer system got in our way.  We just learned NOT to trust their system, but to trust the people in charge of the venues to get things right. Dinner was good.  I enjoyed the Chateaubriand, while RQS enjoyed the Thanksgiving Turkey. However, we encountered a miss with dessert - the Pear and Ginger cake needed some kind of sweet drizzle over it to make the dish work. 

After a brief stop in our room, we went to the ship's theater to see a stage show.  Since I'm not a great fan of dance shows, I knew I'd be underwhelmed.  But these performers were competent, and I enjoyed a couple of songs performed by the singers. 

The longer I'm out and about, the less I write about being TG

 

When I started blogging, I used to talk about how I worried about whether people would clock me as being TG.  I discussed things such as voice training, meeting people as Marian, and other things that would set me apart from cisgender women.  Over the years, I have gained much more confidence in who I am and where I can safely go.  But people like me are under attack from the Orange Snowflake.  Most of us don't flaunt what we are.  We simply want to go about our lives without being treated less than human from certain social groups such as religious fundamentalists. 

This entry is not about being TG as much as it is about life in general.  For the most part, the vast majority of people lead humdrum lives.  Even if one has become famous, such as being a movie star, a sports player, and a politician, most of our lives consist of relatively boring activities such as shopping, doing the laundry, cleaning our houses, etc.. So, what should anyone write about?  I'm not one who makes a big deal about what I'm wearing these days, save that I want to hide my less than feminine features.  Going into the ladies' room is no longer a big deal when I'm presenting as Marian - I just go into the stall, get my clothes out of the way, sit down and relieve myself.  Most people don't bat a eyelash, especially since most fat people tend to be "invisible" to others.

For a little over a week, I've been wearing red nail polish.  As a consequence, I've been presenting as a female. The only reason I removed my nail polish today was that it was starting to chip away.  I figure that I'll go get my nails done when RQS goes home, as I don't want to spend the time to redo my nails while she's here.  

- - - - - -

Today has become a sort of "maintenance day".  RQS decided to reorganize my kitchen cabinets, while I decided to pay some bills and to prepare to do laundry.  Since the light over the kitchen counter got damaged, we will end up going to Lowe's to pick up a replacement later on.  While we were sitting down, we booked a couple of shore excursions for our upcoming cruise.  Now, we have 3 out of 5 shore days where we have things to see when in port.

Cruising has become our preferred mode of taking a vacation, as it gives us the most bang per buck. We keep looking at cruises we can take.  I'm hoping that the snowflake is removed from office so that sanity can rule in the US again.  Then, and only then, will I consider the cruise I want to take - a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2, where I can return to the States as Marian.

Until then, I'll just have to keep living my humdrum life....

Thoughts about my recent cruise....

 

If the Democrats had won the election last year, I would have been in Marian Mode with RQS on this cruise.  (We had booked it with this intention.)  Sadly, I had to travel as Mario, given the fascist assault on our individual liberties by the current administration in DC. This pisses me off to no end, as he is trying to take away any dignity we have in public. With that being said, we had a great cruise, save for not visiting one port due to weather conditions. 

The cabin we stayed in was relatively quiet.  Although we were under the Lido deck, just under the hallway leading to the buffet, we weren't disturbed by noise coming from the above floor.  We had one unfortunate issue with this cabin - it was way too close to the buffet, and we found ourselves walking out our door, up the steps, and into the buffet in less than 2 minutes. It was way too convenient for us to go up for an unplanned cup of coffee or a quick nibble. 😁

My current cruise goal is to visit a couple more ports in North America's northeastern areas, specifically St. John's, NL and Eastport, ME.  Many cruisers have heard of St. John's and its beauty.  But how many of us know that Eastport has one special attraction that requires people to leave the United States to visit?  If you haven't guessed, it's Campobello Island, the summer home of FDR.  We considered taking one cruise line out of Boston, just to see this place.  But we chose this 10-day cruise instead.

The next time we visit Boston on a cruise, we will likely already have "Charlie Cards" preloaded with money enough to get us around town and visit a few sites outside of excursions sold by the cruise line.  As it was, we enjoyed having a ship to ourselves, as the weather was perfect for us to sit outside and enjoy the view from the ship (or, what little of it there was in this port).

Hopefully, we will finally get to visit Charlottetown, PE on a future cruise.  High winds prevented us from making port here - the second time we had a cruise scheduled to make port here.  However, we did get to see the Giant Fiddle in Sydney, but were unable to take our shore excursion at this port.  Instead, we walked around the cruise terminal and picked up some items from local vendors.

Next year, Brooklyn will likely be mostly closed for cruising during the summer.  Supposedly, NYCEDC will be fixing up the Brooklyn Marine Terminal area (of which the cruise terminal is a part) in 2026, and cruising should restart after the summer is over.  Do I believe that?  I'm not sure.  But I know that Brooklyn is the only NYC area cruise terminal large enough to handle the Queen Mary 2 (a ship I'll be on soon).  So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for now.  One thing I know: MSC will no longer be making Brooklyn a year-round home port after Spring, 2026.

And one last thing: RQS enjoys the coziness of a smaller ship, now that she's been on one.  I'm glad of that, as I'm tried of these elephantine ships carrying 3500+ passengers and all of the large ship hassles.  Give me a ship I can get on and off quickly, without fuss, and I'll be happy.  

I paid off my last cruise for 2025 (a short post)

 

I will be taking a cruise on the Queen Mary 2 later this year.  It's not the route that I wanted to take on my first cruise on this ship.  But it will be a route that I am very familiar with and know how to plan for it.  Given that I will need to travel as Mario due to America's current political situation, I will take advantage of the fact that I should not be hassled for my gender presentation when in the Caribbean.

RQS and I booked this cruise a few weeks ago, and she's almost paid up.  I figured that I'd pay things off, and make it a little easier for her to take care of her upcoming bills.  As for me, I figured that I should withdraw some more money from one bank account, as the money in savings is earning virtually nothing. Since I will be away soon, it's nice to know that all my bills have been paid for this month.

My large suitcase has been moved into a place where I can start packing it, and I am planning on bringing it to RQS's place over the weekend.   One problem - TCL wants me to stop by, and I have no excuses left not to do so.  It'll take me time to pack 7-days of clothing, and still be able to have a suitcase ready to bring down over the weekend.  I don't want to do it on Monday, as I'll have to fight to get a parking spot.  Yet, I have to figure out how to fit everything in - and that includes going to church on Sunday.

This is going to be one busy weekend coming up! 

We've planned our 5th cruise for the year!

 

Sometimes, RQS is the person who finds a hidden bargain which benefits the two of us.  This weekend, she saw a cruise price of $982/pp for the above cruise, while I was seeing a price of $1399/pp for the same cruise.  As much as I'd say that $982/pp for a 12 day cruise, I had my reservations.  First, I'd be taking this trip as Mario, as most Caribbean islands have problems with the LGBT community.  Second, this trip would be on the Queen Mary 2, and there would be 3 formal nights onboard the ship, for which Cunard expects me to wear formal garb.

Before I left RQS this past weekend, we agreed that she would make the deposit on this cruise, and that we both would be getting a soda package and a streaming Wi-Fi package. This way, we'd be able to do what we want on our devices when onboard the ship, and yet be able to contact friends and family if needed.

A good thing about this cruise is that we'll be on the same ship I want to take for a transatlantic crossing.  Given that RQS saw two women ballroom dancing together on a cruise blogger's video, I don't think she will have any reservations against taking the crossing on this ship with me presenting as Marian.  But first, we have to take this cruise, and wait until the Orange Snowflake's war on Transgenders is over.

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In the old days, all transatlantic crossings would sail from Europe to the West Side of Manhattan.  The Hudson River was littered with ports, with one (or more) piers serving each line servicing the routes to New York.  However, there are only 2 active piers in Manhattan, 1 in Brooklyn, and 1 in Bayonne, NJ.  We could never return to the "good old days" of transatlantic crossings even if we wanted to - the capacity to service the ships is no longer there.

As I write this, the SS United States is on its way to be turned into an underwater tourist attraction - an artificial reef.  This is a damned shame, yet unavoidable.  There was no way to make it possible for this ship to be economically viable in today's environment.  It makes much more sense to spend more money to build larger ships overseas, and use them for tourist purposes.

Luckily, RQS and I will get the chance to sail on the last remaining ocean liner in the world.  Even if it disappoints, it will still be a rewarding experience.

Travel Issues

 

One of the problems with being a non-op TG traveler is that one's legal ID conflicts with their gender presentation.  That has been true in my case in my flights to Hawaii, California and Chicago, as well as my cruises from Honolulu, Los Angeles, and New York. For the most part, this has not been a problem for me, as I make sure to never visit places in which a non conforming gender presentation could get one into trouble.  Yet, I have visited ports as Mario that I'd never visit as Marian due to cultural issues in these places.  So, I choose to be careful whenever I travel.

Recently, I took a cruise from Southampton, UK to Norway and Belgium and did not have any problems in transit.  The only places that seemed to care about my ID were the airports, as US and UK security need to insure the public that flying is as safe as can be.  However, that means that I have to double and triple check rules and regulations whenever I travel as Marian.

One of my dreams is to sail home on the Queen Mary 2 as Marian.  This will mean that I have to double and triple check all UK and US requirements for entry/reentry long before I schedule this trip.  If a woman can wear a dress, then why can't I?  If I were a cisgender female this would not be a problem at all.  But there are many traditional people who see bi-gendered people like me as an anathema.  They fear what we represent, and would rather destroy us to preserve their view of the world, than to tolerate us and leave some questions unanswered.

Sooner or later, I will likely make the effort to change my name to the familiar form of my name which can be used by both genders.  And then, I will likely get a new photo on all picture ID which has me wearing an androgynous hairpiece, so that presenting this ID in male or female modes will not cause people to bat an eyelash.  But the big problem would be when/if I undergo partial facial feminization surgery, so that I look male without a wig, and female while wearing one.  This way, I can much more easily traverse the divide between male and female when desired.

Until then, I'll have to play it ultra cautious, as I don't want to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time....

My last day of packing, and I still can't find some things.

 

This is one trip that I'm glad to be traveling as Mario.  I don't have the right 3-season wear to travel as Marian.  And even as Mario, I  still have problems packing clothes that would take me from Summer to Winter and back during a single day.  What makes things worse, is that I misplaced (or donated) some of the cold weather gear that I bought (or was given) when I was with XGFJ.  

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My mind has been spinning in regard to what unknown unknowns could trip me up.  One of those things is what happens when we get off the plane and have to go through customs.  Another is what happens when we get to the cruise ship with different documentation requirements than I've needed for all of my other trips.  And then, there are the many currency/credit card issues that I have yet to experience for the first time.  AARGH!

Once I've gone through this experience, I'll be more relaxed for future trips.  Yet, I still have to do some research for future international trips to be taken as Marian.  When I go to Bermuda, I'll try to find out for sure whether it will be safe to go there as Marian, though my ID will say Mario.  Assuming that I end up going there as Marian, I still have a goal: To cruise around the British Isles as Marian, then return home on the Queen Mary. I'll be able to enjoy "Dressing to the Nines" and live even more of my life as Marian than I could have dreamed when I was much younger.

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But back to packing....

Now, I'm finishing up my packing.  Most of my electronic gizmos (chargers, wires, etc.) are going in my knapsack along with a week's worth of pills.  The rest of my medicine is going in my carry on bag.  I'll have a change of clothes in the carry-on, as well as enough underwear and socks for 3 days.. All of my paperwork will be stashed in the carry-on, as that will be the safest place to store them while in transit.  Once I arrive in London, I can put the passport in my trousers for when I reach customs.

Hopefully, I haven't missed anything major.  If so, I'll be writing about it soon.

Seeing a friend who will soon be doing a trip I want to take.

 

I had dinner with one of my friends tonight.  She has only seen me as Marian, and we discussed what is going on in our lives.   And she's about to take the transatlantic crossing that I want to take sometime in the next 5 years.  

Most of my readers may be unaware of this, but the Queen Mary 2 is the last of the great ocean liners.  There is an important difference between ocean liners and cruise ships: Ocean Liners are designed to cross the Atlantic quickly with maximum comfort possible.  Cruise ships are mostly floating barges meant to be destinations in their own right.  When the QM2 is eventually retired, Cunard may use a hybrid ship to make its transatlantic crossings.  But it will be a sad day when this last ship in its category makes its last run.

If possible, I want to take this trip in a female presentation. It will be more pleasurable for me to get dressed to the nines (as only a woman can) for formal nights on this ship.  And for this, I can use my friend as a sounding board.  Ideally, I'll be able to travel as Marian all around Great Britain and Ireland, and return to the USA in style.  

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Making the above trip requires time and money - something we discussed as well.  My friend asked me if I'd be willing to work at her business, and I said I might be interested in doing so - especially since I'd be able to do so as Marian.  If this comes to pass, I'll let my readers know what happens....