Guest Post

“Shattered at Sea” at Sea!

The Chicks are so happy to welcome the delightful Cheryl Hollon, author of the bestselling Webb’s Glass Shop mystery series. Let’s join Cheryl and her husband on their Queen Mary 2 cruise. And yes, you read that right!

This year my husband and I marked off one of our major bucket list items. We sailed transatlantic on the Queen Mary 2 from New York City to Southampton, UK.

Maker:S,Date:2017-3-1,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E-Y

We had been planning for this trip for more than eighteen months and it involved a few days in New York City, the Queen Mary 2 crossing, about a week in London and a few days in our old stomping grounds in Clifton Village, Bristol.

The last part would be like visiting home. Husband and I lived in this charming village for a few years while I was an engineer working for British Aerospace. It was lovely connecting with friends and visiting our favorite restaurants, shops, cafes, and pubs.

Most of the trip was just as enjoyable as we dreamed it would be. However, a few things caused more tension than expected.

Travel is a learning experience for my husband and I, but normally, we learn about history, culture, or architecture on our vacations. These topics have been points of agreement and enjoyment for decades. This vacation, however, we discovered more about how we are unalike rather than alike.

Our first like/dislike incident was the 911 Memorial. I thought it was respectful, sensitive, and reverent. My husband’s reaction was to race through the exhibit and wait for me at the end.

New York as the “City That Never Sleeps” was amazing, and in fact, we didn’t get much sleep due to the street noise. However, on one of those little backstreets, we found a tiny family-run Indian restaurant in lower Manhattan that was so good we ate there twice!

The next discordance was aboard the Queen Mary 2, the beautiful, sleek, stunning ocean liner. When we boarded the Queen Mary 2, we were treated like royalty. Wonderful cabins and astonishing main dining room. We knew that there would be three formal evenings and we knew that for men, a jacket was required in the main dining every evening. In fact, the Royal Wedding occurred whilst we were aboard, and we were treated to the same kind of cake that was served for their wedding.

The ‘Shattered at Sea’ tipping point for my husband was the rule that you needed to wear a dinner/sports jacket in all public areas after 6 pm. This was way over the line for his comfort zone. He only has one suit and barely wears it once a year. To be strapped into it every evening was over the line. We concluded that the informality and flexibility of the typical cruise line was more his style. I absolutely adored wearing formals and cocktail dresses each evening.

Going forward, we’re glad we checked off the transatlantic crossing from our bucket list, but there is no chance that we’ll do it again. I’m good with that. I had a wonderful time. He’s still my love and he excels at everyday life as my loyal, supportive, handsome trophy husband.

Readers, what’s next on your bucket list?

 

Cheryl Hollon writes full-time after an engineering career designing and installing military flight simulators in England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Living the dream, she combines a love of writing with a passion for creating glass art in the small studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida. Cheryl is President of the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime, a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc.

 

27 thoughts on ““Shattered at Sea” at Sea!”

  2. Thanks for visiting the Chicks, Cheryl! And I had no idea about your previous career–wow! (Perhaps a mystery plot in there somewhere?) My bucket list includes a trip to Istanbul and Alexandria, Egypt, but I think right now is probably not the best time for it, alas.

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  3. Cheryl, thanks so much for visiting us today. Can’t wait to read the new book. Your cruise sounds fascinating. I’m a bit of a Titanic nut, though, so I don’t think I could cross the Atlantic in a boat!

    My #1 bucket list item is visiting the Haworth parsonage where the Brontes were raised and walking the moors they walked. It’s been a dream of mine since I was fourteen and read “Wuthering Heights.” Someday, someday…

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    1. I would love to go to Haworth and see the rooms where they wrote. I’ve been to the moors in Scotland and WOW, they are like no other place. Okay, let’s go together!

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    1. Well, I knew the formality would be a problem, but I didn’t know just how much it wasn’t his cup of tea. Of course, he doesn’t like a cup of tea, either. But, boy, does he love the buttered scones!

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  6. Cheryl, congrats on the new book and thanks for hanging out with the Chicks today! The transatlantic trip sounds dreamy. (My husband would grouse about the formal attire, too!) We haven’t taken a cruise yet, but since we live in big snow country, every winter we say, “You know a Caribbean cruise would be sooo nice about now!” Well, maybe one of these days. 🙂

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  7. Ooh, it sounds like an incredible trip! Thanks for sharing. I would have loved to dress for dinner too. 🙂

    Especially love the picture of the book near the ship. So cool. Congrats on your latest and thanks so much for visiting us. xo

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  10. I’m with you Cheryl! My husband attended private school and wore a jacket and tie everyday–he mostly still does at work. Wearing a jacket after six doesn’t sound unreasonable at all!

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    1. I think our living in Florida since 1975 has a lot to do with our focus on casual. Relaxed and comfortable, not ragged t-shirts and torn jeans. That is a look neither of us understand.

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  12. Hi Cheryl, what an amazing post! And thanks so much for brightening our blog at Chicks today. Your trip sounded fabulous. I don’t think I’d even breathe to my hubby that any kind of jacket was required after 6. It could just be one of those little life surprises, right? (No, of course I”m joking. But he’d have to put one on in the end because otherwise there would be no dinner and no drinks and no Blackjack, lol. (Was there Blackjack?)) And I am also a fan of downtown Indian food.

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    1. Hi Lisa, Yes, there was a casino and the dress code was right out of a James Bond movie — so many glamorous gowns. The very nicest thing was that we celebrated our anniversary on May 19th. It was nice of the royal couple to choose our wedding day to get married.

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