Report from Fort Lauderdale - 1/16/2008 with Pictures

SAIL-AWAY FROM NEW YORK Sunday, January 13, 2008
The porters at Manhattan Pier 88 must have thought that THEIR ship had come in when the Kredels and Gustafsons piled out of the van with 17 bags, 8 carry-ons, and 4 cases of wine! The check-in process was the smoothest we have ever experienced, and very quickly we were onboard with all the bags already waiting outside our cabin door.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime sight as the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth 2 sailed in tandem down the Hudson River at 7 PM. To celebrate the historic event of the “3 Queens” being together for the first and last time, there were sensational fireworks in front of the Statue of Liberty where the Queen Mary 2 was waiting for us (she had been berthed at the Brooklyn pier). The fireworks were accompanied by the inspiring music of Handel’s “Royal Fireworks” and “Water Music” blaring out through the ship’s speakers. Unfortunately, the icy rain and snow predicted for the New York area also arrived in time for the fireworks , but we watched comfortably from our totally protected balcony and enjoyed the spectacle without freezing wet heads like so many other people up on deck! See the NY Times news account link below.
For the past two days, we’ve been sailing down the east coast of America with the QE2 right beside us. Our ships handled the “Northeaster” winds and weather out of New York beautifully. We will really miss having the QE2 in our view off our balcony as she departs separately today for her 2008 Farewell Voyage.
We have left the blustery weather behind and are now docked in Fort Lauderdale with lovely 70-degree weather predicted for today. We have a lengthy shopping list (guess we must have forgotten something in all those bags we brought on board!) and will take advantage of the last U.S. port (until LA on January 30) to stock up on supplies.
The Queen Victoria is beautiful, traditional, and comfortable with Victorian and Art Deco decor. What seemed like an impossible task of disgorging and storing the contents of our suitcases was accomplished in two days and now we are set for the journey. We are enrolled in dance classes in the morning---waltz and cha-cha-cha so far. Don is playing bridge in the afternoon with Larry Gustafson as his duplicate partner (came in dead last the first day and but first place the second day)!
Tonight we sail to Aruba with a Caribbean party on deck.
NEW YORK REGION January 14, 2008 Three Seafaring Queens Spend a Day in New York By FERNANDA SANTOS It was the first time in the 168-year history of the Cunard Line that the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria were in service at once.