Travel Maven Blog ...... David Molyneaux posts from TheTravelMavens.com

Crossing the Atlantic, cruising in unaccustomed style on Queen Mary 2

For 12 July nights at sea, on a grand ocean liner crossing the Atlantic between England and New York, we dressed for dinner.  

Dancing in the Queen's Room of Queen Mary 2

That is, we dressed not as formally as the rich folks on TV’s Downton Abbey from the early 20th century, but we were decked out in plenty of formality and pomp for the 21st century. Not one of the 12 evenings was listed as “casual.”

Explained a British passenger on the ship, the Queen Mary 2: “This is a crossing, not a cruise.”

Vacationers who prefer not to stand out like driftwood in a sea of elegant penguins will want to know the difference before booking a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

Foodie cruises: Lines offer more culinary activities on ship and on shore

Excursions to markets where sea chefs shop

The outdoor food market of Nice, France, is not far from the cruise ship docks. Still, it’s easier to find and more fun to navigate if you are following a ship’s chef while he searches for produce for your dinner.

Teresa, a food merchant at the market in Nice, calls herself Queen of the Strawberries (Photos by David G. Molyneaux, TheTravelMavens.com)

Earlier this year, our small tour group came off the newly refurbished 212-passenger Star Breeze, led by Michael Sabourin, Windstar Cruises' corporate chef. He had been this way many times before.

“My darling,” said Teresa, a merchant who described herself as the Queen of Strawberries, as she watched Sabourin pick through her berries for dessert on Star Breeze. We all got a ripe, sweet berry to taste, before we moved on to the white asparagus.