Portsmouth & London30 Oct – 10 Nov 2026
Trafalgar to
the Thames
Seven nights crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2, then Nelson's flagship and four unhurried days in royal London, with the London Eye at sunset.
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Part one29 Oct – 6 Nov
The Crossing
Seven nights on the Queen Mary 2, from Brooklyn to Southampton: the only ship still sailing a scheduled transatlantic service, built as an ocean liner for North Atlantic weather.
Good to know aboard
- The clocks go forward. An hour at a time on most days, about four times on this crossing. Recent crossings have changed them at noon, so lunch comes quickly.
- The Daily Programme arrives in your stateroom each evening with the next day's times, dress code and events.
- Dress codes: on the two Gala Evenings, a dinner jacket or dark suit and tie, and an evening or cocktail dress. Other evenings are smart: collared shirts, smart trousers, dresses or smart separates.
- The ship is nearly a quarter-mile long. Use the lift bank nearest where you're going, and take the folding chair for trips to the far end.
- Your phone may get confused. US clocks fall back on Sunday 1 November and the ship changes time too. Trust the ship's clocks.
The Crossing · Any sea day
A typical sea day
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Breakfast
Waiter service in the Britannia Restaurant (Decks 2–3), or the Kings Court buffet on Deck 7.
Get planetarium tickets
Free tickets for the day's shows go fast. Collect them in the morning; the Daily Programme says where.
Cunard Insights lecture
Talks by historians, astronauts, writers and naval experts, usually twice a day in Illuminations or the Royal Court Theatre.
Ballroom dance class
In the Queens Room on Deck 3. Watching is half the fun.
Pub quiz
In the Golden Lion pub on Deck 2. Free; arrive early for a seat.
Lunch
The Britannia, the Kings Court, or a pub lunch in the Golden Lion.
Planetarium show
Illuminations is the only planetarium at sea, with about three shows a day.
The library
Deck 8, forward, with views over the bow. It was the largest library at sea when the ship launched, with about 8,000 books.
Afternoon tea Daily
In the Queens Room, 3:30 to 4:30, with white-gloved waiters, a string quartet or pianist, finger sandwiches and warm scones. The daily highlight.
A lap of the Promenade Deck
Deck 7 wraps all the way around the ship, with steamer chairs along the way. Windy, so bring a scarf.
Drinks in the Commodore Club
Deck 9, right at the front, looking out over the bow.
Dinner, a show, dancing
Dinner at your set time in your restaurant. The Royal Court Theatre puts on a different show each night, and the orchestra plays for dancing in the Queens Room.
Day Zero · Thursday 29 OctoberOvernight
Fly to New York
JetBlue, Salt Lake City 11:00 pm → New York JFK 5:17 am
Final packing check
Run through the packing page that follows this one. Keep passports, medicines, the Cunard boarding documents and a change of clothes in your carry-on bags, not your checked cases.
Arrive at Salt Lake City airport
About two hours before the flight. Ask at the JetBlue counter for the wheelchair assistance you booked; staff take your mom through security to the gate and help her board first.
JetBlue 372 to New York (JFK) Booked
From Terminal 1. One checked bag each is paid for. An overnight flight of about four and a half hours. Sleep if you can: tomorrow is boarding day.
Land at JFK (Friday 30 October)
Wheelchair assistance meets the plane and takes your mom to baggage claim.
TWA Hotel, 6:00 to 11:00 Booked
A day room in the 1962 TWA Flight Center at JFK, by Terminal 5, for a nap and a shower. If you land at Terminal 5, it's a short walk through the original flight tubes; from another terminal, take the AirTrain to Terminal 5. Booked: a Deluxe King with a historic TWA view, check-in 6:00 am, check-out 11:00 am. Luggage storage is included.
Check out and lunch in the hotel
Leave the bags with the front desk while you eat (storage is included with your room), and ask them to call a large car for 11:45.
Uber XL or taxi to the pier
From the TWA Hotel entrance. About 45–60 minutes at midday to Red Hook; tell the driver Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Pier 12, 72 Bowne Street. Taxis from JFK to Brooklyn are metered, not the flat Manhattan fare. With cruise luggage, a minivan-size car is easiest.
Embarkation, Pier 12
Your boarding time at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Aim to arrive about 12:45.
Day Zero · Packing11 days
Packing by the numbers
11 days to pack for · 2 Gala Evenings · 45–60°F
The trip at a glance
- 11 days to pack for: Sat 31 Oct to Tue 10 Nov. You fly overnight and board on Friday 30 October in your travel clothes.
- Travel clothes for Thu 29 and Fri 30: comfortable layers for the red-eye and boarding day.
- 7 nights aboard Queen Mary 2 (Fri 30 Oct – Fri 6 Nov).
- 4 nights in London (Fri 6 – Tue 10 Nov), and 5 London-side days counting Portsmouth and the flight home.
- 6 dinners to dress for (31 Oct – 5 Nov): 2 Gala Evenings and 4 Smart evenings. On boarding night you'll still be in travel clothes.
Weather to pack for
- At sea: typically 45–60°F, getting cooler as you head east. Wind on the open decks makes it feel about 10°F colder, and November seas can be rough.
- New York, boarding day: usually about 50–60°F.
- Portsmouth and London: days 50–57°F, nights 37–50°F, rain on about 1 day in 3. Dark by about 4:30 pm.
Clothes, per person
- 2 Gala outfits: a dinner jacket or dark suit and tie; an evening gown, cocktail dress or dressy separates. One outfit worn twice with different accessories is fine.
- 4 Smart evenings: a collared shirt and smart trousers, a jacket welcome; a dress, skirt or smart trousers and top.
- 6 days aboard (Sat 31 Oct – Thu 5 Nov): up to 6 daytime outfits, or 3–4 with a midweek wash in the self-service launderettes.
- 5 days ashore (Fri 6 – Tue 10 Nov: Portsmouth, 3 days in London, and the flight home): 5 outfits built on layers.
- Outerwear: one warm waterproof jacket, a sweater or fleece, a scarf, a hat and light gloves.
- Shoes: water-resistant walking shoes, evening shoes, and something for the cabin.
- Also: sleepwear and a swimsuit for the indoor pool and spa.
In your carry-on, not your cases
- Passports (the ones your ETAs are linked to), screenshots of the ETA approval emails, Cunard boarding documents and luggage tags.
- All medicines for the whole trip plus 2 extra days.
- Chargers and a change of clothes. Your cases reach the cabin late on boarding day.
- For 6 November: cases are collected the night before you dock, so keep a day bag with Friday's clothes, medicines and the HMS Victory tickets.
Don't forget
- Your mom's folding wheelchair: JetBlue checks it free at the gate. Bring a lap blanket.
- 2–3 UK plug adapters (type G, three square pins).
- Seasickness remedies, a compact umbrella and a refillable water bottle.
- A credit card with no foreign transaction fee, plus about £40 in coins and small notes for tips.
- UK ETA: done. Each ETA is stored electronically against the passport you applied with, so there's nothing to print. Travel on that same passport, and save a screenshot of each approval email (it shows the ETA reference number) in case Cunard or UK Border Force asks.
- Election Day is Tue 3 November, while you're at sea. Make sure your ballots are returned before you leave.
Crossing · Friday 30 October1 of 8
Boarding and sailaway
Embarkation 1:00 pm · Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Pier 12, Red Hook
Embarkation at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, Pier 12 Booked
Your embarkation time is 1:00 pm; arrive about 12:45 at 72 Bowne Street, Red Hook. Have your boarding pass from My Cunard ready. Cunard's mobility team, in high-visibility jackets, meets you at the mobility registration area and escorts you aboard.
Lunch in the Kings Court
The buffet on Deck 7, open while you wait for your stateroom.
Safety briefing Required
Required for everyone. Your assembly station and time are in your boarding information.
Visit the Purser's Office
The ship's front desk. Confirm your dinner time and ask which nights are Gala Evenings. Register for wheelchair-assisted disembarkation on 6 November now, so it's on file.
Sailaway Don't miss
Go out on deck, toward the front. You'll pass the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, then slip under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with very little room to spare. Check the exact time in your boarding information. Wrap up; it's windy.
First dinner aboard
At your set time in your assigned restaurant. Then an early night.
Crossing · Saturday 31 October2 of 8
Finding your sea legs
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Feeling the motion? It's calmest low down and in the middle of the ship. The onboard shop and medical centre have seasickness remedies.
Explore, one deck at a time
Deck 2–3: the Britannia, Illuminations, the Royal Court Theatre, the Golden Lion and the Queens Room. Deck 7: the Kings Court and the Promenade. Deck 8: the library. Deck 9: the Commodore Club. Pick up planetarium tickets on the way.
Your first Insights lecture
A good way to meet the guest speakers whose talks you'll follow all week.
Clocks go forward
Likely today. Check the Daily Programme.
Afternoon tea
Your first in the Queens Room.
Halloween at sea
It's October 31, so watch the Daily Programme for celebrations. The first Gala Evening, often with the Captain's welcome, usually comes early in the crossing.
Crossing · Sunday 1 November3 of 8
A Sunday at sea
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Clocks: US daylight saving ends today, and the ship may also move its clocks. Go by the ship's clocks, not your phone.
Sunday service
A short non-denominational service is a Cunard tradition on Sundays at sea, often led by the Captain. Check the Daily Programme for the time and place.
Pub lunch and quiz
Fish and chips or cottage pie in the Golden Lion, then the quiz.
Planetarium show
Use the tickets you picked up that morning.
Afternoon tea
The Queens Room.
A show in the Royal Court Theatre
Different every night. It plays twice, so go to whichever performance doesn't clash with your dinner time.
Crossing · Monday 2 November4 of 8
Books and the bow
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Morning in the library
Deck 8, forward. Find a window seat over the bow; the maritime bookshop is next door.
Insights lecture
Dance class or a deck walk
Practise for the week's Gala Evenings, or take a lap of the Promenade Deck.
Afternoon tea
Cocktails in the Commodore Club
Watch the sea from the front of the ship before dinner.
Gala or themed night?
Crossings often have themed evenings, such as a Roaring Twenties night or a Masquerade Ball. The Daily Programme will say.
Crossing · Tuesday 3 November5 of 8
Mid-Atlantic
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
US Election Day. You'll be at sea, so vote early or by mail before you leave home.
Insights lecture, then a film
Illuminations doubles as a cinema, usually with films twice a day.
Pub quiz rematch
The Golden Lion.
Planetarium show
Catch one you missed earlier in the week.
Afternoon tea
Dinner and dancing
The orchestra plays for dancing in the Queens Room.
Crossing · Wednesday 4 November6 of 8
Dress up and dance
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Spa time or a deck walk
Book spa treatments at the spa reception, ideally early in the crossing.
Dance class
Learn the steps for tonight.
Afternoon tea
Gala Evening and ball
If tonight is a Gala Evening, the Queens Room ball is the grand event of the crossing. On Gala Evenings, some bars and the ballroom ask guests to follow the dress code.
Crossing · Thursday 5 November7 of 8
Last full day at sea
Times are typical. The Daily Programme left in your stateroom each evening has the real ones.
Read the disembarkation letter
It arrives in your stateroom with your disembarkation time, luggage tags and when to put bags out.
Purser's Office
Settle your onboard account. Confirm the wheelchair escort and a porter for tomorrow morning, and ask which Southampton terminal you'll arrive at.
Tell the taxi which terminal
Call or email Radio Taxis Southampton with the terminal name, ship and your 9:45 am pickup. You'll need the ship's Wi-Fi or a phone plan that works at sea.
Last afternoon tea
Pack and put the bags out
Put the big cases outside your door by the time in your letter. Keep a day bag with passports, medicines, the folding wheelchair, a change of clothes, and your Stasher and Dockyard bookings.
Early night
The ship docks at 6:30 am. Tonight is Bonfire Night in Britain, when bonfires and fireworks mark the failed 1605 plot to blow up Parliament.
Crossing · Friday 6 November8 of 8
Arrival in Southampton
Sunrise about 7:04 am
Optional: on deck before dawn
The ship rounds the Isle of Wight and passes Portsmouth on its way into Southampton Water. That's where you'll see HMS Victory in a few hours.
The ship docks
Breakfast aboard
The Britannia or the Kings Court.
Disembark with the wheelchair escort
When your group is called, the mobility team takes you through the terminal to collect your bags.
Part two6–10 Nov
London
From the ship to HMS Victory in Portsmouth, then four days in London.
Before you start
Good to know
- The ship docks in SouthamptonHMS Victory is 20 miles east in Portsmouth, which is on the way to London. That's Friday.
- Sunday 8 November is Remembrance SundayWestminster is packed that morning, so Sunday starts in Bloomsbury. Paper poppies are sold everywhere; wearing one is a kind gesture.
- Bring the folding wheelchair everywhereThe London Eye has none to lend, and loan chairs elsewhere are first come, first served.
How to get a black cab
Every licensed London black cab has a built-in wheelchair ramp, seats five and takes cards. Typical fares around central London are £15–30.
- At the hotel: ask the front desk to call one. Allow about 15 minutes.
- On the street: wave at any black cab with its orange TAXI light on.
- By app: FREENOW books licensed black cabs. Download it and add a card before you go.
- At a restaurant or attraction: ask the staff to call one for you.
Using this guide
Swipe left and right, or use the arrows below. The ☰ button jumps to any page, and during the trip a "Today" button appears there. Green "Book" buttons open each place's booking page. "Map" opens the place in Google Maps, and "Cab route" or "Walking route" shows the way, so you can follow along in the cab or walk between nearby stops. Tap a phone number to call. Every number is also on the Contacts page at the end. This guide works offline: open it once on Wi-Fi and it saves itself to your phone. The menu shows whether it's saved. A green Confirmation button opens that booking's email in Gmail, with ticket numbers and QR codes. It needs a signal and works only on a phone signed in to Stephen's Gmail.
Day 1 · Friday 6 November1 of 4
From the ship to Portsmouth
Typical 55°F / 46°F · rain 1 day in 3 · sunset 4:30 pm
The ship docks at Southampton
Breakfast aboard. Ask the Purser's Office the day before for a wheelchair escort through the terminal and a porter for the bags.
Meet your taxi at the terminal
Your pre-booked minivan waits at the terminal taxi rank. Running early or late? Call them.
Radio Taxis is the Southampton taxi firm the city's tourist office lists for cruise passengers. West Quay Cars is the backup.
Drop the bags with Stasher Book ahead
At the Premier Inn Portsmouth Dockyard on Queen Street. Show your Stasher booking at reception. The driver waits. The Dockyard won't admit large cases.
Stasher is a website that books luggage storage at hotels and shops. About £6.85 a bag.
Taxi on to Victory Gate
Two minutes away. Pay the driver here; about 10% is a normal tip.
Day 1 · Friday 6 November2 of 4
Nelson's flagship
Into the Historic Dockyard Booked
Booked: a "3 Ships or Museums" ticket each, valid for a year: HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and one more (HMS Warrior is next door). There's also a guidebook on the order to collect. At the desk, ask about a free carer ticket and a loan wheelchair.
HMS Victory Limited access
Launched in 1765, Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar in 1805, where he won Britain's greatest naval victory and died on board. Still a commissioned warship, the oldest in the world. Viewing platforms on her repair scaffolding get you close to the hull, and a lift serves them when work allows. Inside are steep ladders: you and Dad climb the gun decks while Mom takes the lift and the Victory Gallery's filmed tour.
Call the Dockyard when its lines open at 9:30 am to check the lift is running.
Lunch at Boathouse 7 Walk in
The Dockyard's café-restaurant, all on one level, a short roll from the Victory.
Day 1 · Friday 6 November3 of 4
The Mary Rose, then London
The Mary Rose Lifts
Henry VIII's favourite warship sank in front of him in 1545 and lay in the mud for 437 years until she was raised in 1982. Half her hull survives, with thousands of her crew's belongings: longbows, nit combs, dice and the ship's dog.
Everyone to Victory Gate
Leave the Mary Rose and head to the main gate. Mom waits just inside, by the Visitor Centre, with somewhere to sit.
Wheel the bags back to Victory Gate
About 5–10 minutes with the cases. That leaves 10 minutes of slack before the car.
Addison Lee car to London Booked
Booked: Addison Lee picks you up at Victory Gate (Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, HM Naval Base, PO1 3LJ) at 3:30 pm, for the Royal National Hotel. About 2 to 2½ hours. The car comes from Addison Lee's local partner firm, and the driver calls you on arrival. If the driver is late or you can't find them, call Addison Lee.
Addison Lee is London's biggest pre-booked car service, like a car service at home. A driver comes at a set time to a set address, for a fixed price.
By train instead: Portsmouth Harbour station is 2 minutes from the Premier Inn, with trains to London Waterloo about every 30 minutes (1 hr 35). Book Passenger Assist, Britain's free rail help service for travelers with limited mobility. At Waterloo, take a black cab from the taxi rank.
Day 1 · Friday 6 November4 of 4
First night in Bloomsbury
Check in, Royal National Hotel Booked
38–51 Bedford Way. Booked through Expedia: a triple room for 4 nights, English breakfast included, check-out 11:00 am on Tuesday. Ask for a room near the lifts; the corridors are long. Ask how the front desk calls black cabs; you'll use it all week.
North Sea Fish Restaurant Booked
7–8 Leigh Street. Table for 3 at 7:00 pm. Proper sit-down cod and chips and a pint of London Pride.
Early night
Day 2 · Saturday 7 November1 of 2
The Tower at opening time
Typical 55°F / 46°F · rain 1 day in 3 · sunset 4:23 pm
Breakfast at the hotel
English breakfast is included with your room.
Black cab to the Tower
Ask the front desk to call one. About 20–25 minutes on a Saturday morning; ask to be dropped on Tower Hill by the main entrance.
Tower of London Booked
Booked for 9:00 am, opening time, for the three of you. Go straight to the Crown Jewels before the queues build. William the Conqueror began the Tower after 1066; it has been palace, prison and place of execution. Borrow a free wheelchair at the entrance if you need one.
Historic Royal Palaces is the charity that runs the Tower.
Crown Jewels and ravens Cobbles
See the crown used at King Charles III's coronation and the Cullinan I, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world. Legend says if the ravens leave, the kingdom falls, so at least six are always kept. Tower Green has the memorial where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Beefeater tours start from the main entrance about every half hour.
Early lunch inside the walls
The New Armouries Café, a walk-in canteen by the White Tower.
Day 2 · Saturday 7 November2 of 2
River, bus and King's Cross
River cruise to Westminster
Included with your Big Bus ticket. About 40 minutes under Tower Bridge and past HMS Belfast (a WWII cruiser that fought on D-Day), Shakespeare's Globe, St Paul's and Parliament.
If the gangway is too steep at that tide, take an Uber Boat instead: London's river-bus service, with step-free piers. Pay by tapping a contactless card.
Big Bus hop-on hop-off loop Booked
Booked. Board at the stop by Westminster Pier, at the foot of Big Ben, and show the ticket from your Big Bus email or app; the 24 hours start when it's first scanned. About two hours past Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Mom rides the lower deck, which has a ramp; if she can step to a seat, the folded chair rides too.
Big Bus is the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus company.
Rest at the hotel
Black cab to Dishoom
Ask the front desk to call one. About 10 minutes to Stable Street, King's Cross.
Dishoom King's Cross Walk in
A Bombay-style café in an 1850s railway goods shed. From 6 to 9 pm it keeps tables for walk-ins, so arrive right at 6 to beat the queue; staff often send the wait time by text, and you can wait at the bar with a chai. Order the black daal (slow-cooked for over a day), the chicken ruby and a pot of house chai.
Walk to Platform 9¾, if there's time Step-free
About 10 minutes down King's Boulevard into King's Cross station: the luggage trolley vanishing into the wall, house scarves for the photo, and a Harry Potter shop. Photographer until about 9 pm (around £9.50), or take your own.
Black cab back to the hotel
From the taxi rank outside King's Cross station. About 10 minutes.
Day 3 · Sunday 8 November1 of 2
Treasures of the world
Typical 54°F / 45°F · rain 1 day in 3 · sunset 4:21 pm
Remembrance Sunday. The Cenotaph service on Whitehall starts at 11 am, so the morning stays in Bloomsbury.
Walk to the museum
About 350 yards, 7 minutes with the chair, to the Montague Place entrance at the back, which has a lift.
The British Museum Booked
Booked: free 10:20 am entry for the three of you. Show the e-ticket PDF from the museum's email.
- 10:20Rosetta Stone, Room 4, the key to Egyptian hieroglyphs
- 10:35Giant bust of Ramesses II, Room 4
- 10:50Assyrian lion hunts, Room 10 (ask for the step-free way past Room 6)
- 11:10Parthenon sculptures, Room 18
- 11:30Coffee under the Great Court roof
- 11:50USA 250 display, Room 3: a medal engraved by Paul Revere in 1777. Then the Enlightenment Gallery, Room 1
- 12:05Easter Island statue, Room 24, by the Montague Place exit
Two minutes' silence
The whole country pauses, marked by guns on Horse Guards Parade.
Black cab to Holborn
Out through Montague Place. Hail a cab on Russell Square, or ask museum staff to call one. About 10 minutes.
Day 3 · Sunday 8 November2 of 2
A roast, and the Eye at sunset
Sunday roast Booked
Holborn Dining Room in the Rosewood hotel, an Edwardian building from 1914. Grand wood panelling, roasts and famous pies. Ask for the main dining room.
Rest at the hotel
A short solo break, if you like: walk back to the museum's upper floor for the mummies (Rooms 62–63), the Standard of Ur (Room 56), the Sutton Hoo helmet (Room 41) and the Lewis Chessmen (Room 40).
Black cab to the London Eye
Ask the front desk to call one, and ask the driver to drop you as close to the Eye's entrance as possible. About 20 minutes.
The London Eye Booked
Booked for 3:30 pm, 3 adult tickets; show the PDF tickets on your phone. Built for the millennium, 443 feet tall, 32 capsules, one slow 30-minute turn, ending just before sunset (about 4:21). If you haven't yet, email your order ID to reserve a wheelchair space. Bring your own chair.
A light supper near the hotel
Nightcap option: The Lamb, a pub since 1729 with Victorian "snob screens" over the bar, about 10 minutes away on Lamb's Conduit Street. Walk in; call first about the step at the door.
Day 4 · Monday 9 November1 of 2
The Abbey and afternoon tea
Typical 54°F / 45°F · rain 1 day in 3 · sunset 4:19 pm
Ask the front desk for a black cab
Cab to Westminster Abbey
Taxis can drop off right outside the Great West Door. About 20 minutes.
Westminster Abbey Booked
Booked for Monday 9 November, with Galleries tickets for all three. Every coronation since 1066 happened here. See the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary I, Poets' Corner and the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. A lift rises to the galleries 70 feet above the floor. Marshals lend wheelchairs. Ask about free entry for a disabled visitor and a companion.
Field of Remembrance
Thousands of small crosses and poppies on the Abbey lawn, planted by regiments and families every November since 1928.
The scenic cab ride
Hail a cab on Broad Sanctuary, outside the Abbey's west front. Ask for Whitehall past the Cenotaph and the mounted guards, through Admiralty Arch, down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, then to Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly. About 25 minutes.
Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly
Grocers since 1707. Watch the clock out front, where Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason appear on the hour.
Afternoon tea Booked
Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, fourth floor by lift, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, little cakes. Smart casual. Book the Piccadilly salon, not the Royal Exchange.
Day 4 · Monday 9 November2 of 2
Shops, Harry Potter, and a farewell feast
Cross Piccadilly to Burlington Arcade
Use the crossing outside Fortnum's; the arcade entrance is almost opposite. About 2 minutes.
Burlington Arcade
London's covered Regency arcade from 1819, still patrolled by Beadles in top hats. Step-free entrances.
On to Regent Street
Out the far end onto Burlington Gardens, then right to Regent Street. About 5 minutes.
Regent Street and Liberty
Window shopping up Regent Street as the Christmas lights come on, past Hamleys (founded 1760). Liberty's 1924 Tudor building was made with timbers from two Royal Navy warships. Step-free door on Great Marlborough Street, lifts inside.
Along Oxford Street
About 10 minutes east from Liberty under this year's Harry Potter-themed lights. Take a cab if anyone's tired.
Rest at the hotel
Black cab to Rules
Ask the front desk to call one. About 10 minutes to Maiden Lane, Covent Garden.
Rules Booked
London's oldest restaurant, on Maiden Lane since 1798, where Dickens dined. Game from its own estate, steak and kidney pudding, treacle sponge. Ask for a ground-floor table.
Day 5 · Tuesday 10 NovemberHomeward
Homeward
Heathrow 12:20 pm → JFK 3:41 pm → Salt Lake City 10:24 pm
Breakfast at the hotel
English breakfast is included. Go down as soon as it opens.
Check out
Settle any extras at the front desk, and ask them to call your ride for 8:15.
Uber XL or cab to Heathrow
Allow 60 to 75 minutes in morning traffic, arriving about 9:30, three hours before the flight. Book an Uber XL (it has a real luggage area; your mom steps in and the folded chair goes in the back), or ask the front desk for a black cab and tell them how many bags you have. A black cab carries bags in the passenger area, so a crossing's worth of luggage may need two cabs. Black cabs are metered, often around £90–120 to Heathrow. Your boarding pass shows the terminal; tell the driver.
Check in with airport assistance
Booked with JetBlue at least 48 hours ahead: a wheelchair from check-in through security to the gate. Bag drop for this flight closes about an hour before departure.
JetBlue 20, Heathrow to New York (JFK) Booked
About 8 hours. Lands at JFK at 3:41 pm New York time.
Land at JFK and connect
Assistance meets the plane. Clear US passport control and customs, collect your bags, then re-drop them at the JetBlue connection desk and go back through security. You have about 3 hours.
JetBlue 71 to Salt Lake City Booked
Lands at 10:24 pm. Welcome home.
ReferenceOutlook as of Sat 24 Oct
Weather
Early outlook Low confidence
- Fri 6 – Sun 8 Nov: probably mostly dry and fairly calm, with high pressure near Britain. It may be grey. Daytime temperatures near normal, about 54–55°F (12–13°C). Chilly nights, with a chance of morning fog, or a touch of frost outside the city.
- Mon 9 – Tue 10 Nov: too far ahead to call. Expect a typical November day; the Met Office sees rain and wind becoming more likely as the month goes on, but can't yet say when.
This is a trend from the Met Office long-range forecast, updated 24 October, not a day-by-day forecast. Weather apps already show numbers for these dates, but this far ahead they are mostly seasonal averages, and they disagree about rain.
Check the live forecast
These Met Office pages are quick to load on ship Wi-Fi.
- About Sun 1 – Mon 2 NovFriday in Portsmouth comes into the Met Office's detailed 7-day forecastFirst real look
- About Tue 3 – Wed 4 NovFriday to Sunday become reliablePlan 6–8 Nov
- About Thu 5 – Fri 6 NovMonday and Tuesday become reliablePlan 9–10 Nov
- Evening of Mon 9 NovCheck your 12:20 pm flight and set an early alarm; leave the hotel by 8:15 amBefore flying
Typical for these dates
| Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon | Tue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 55°13°C | 55°13°C | 54°12°C | 54°12°C | 54°12°C |
| Low | 46°8°C | 46°8°C | 45°7°C | 45°7°C | 45°7°C |
| Rain | 1 in 3 | 1 in 3 | 1 in 3 | 1 in 3 | 1 in 3 |
| Sunset | 4:30* | 4:23 | 4:21 | 4:19 | 4:18 |
Typical means the average for that date in central London, 1980–2016. "1 in 3" is the chance of measurable rain on a given day. Highs rarely fall below 42°F or rise above 63°F. It's cloudy more often than not, and the wind off the river makes it feel colder. *Portsmouth.
You can also ask Claude to refresh this page with day-by-day forecasts around 3–4 November.
What to pack
Days around 50–57°F (10–14°C); nights anywhere from about 37–50°F (3–10°C). Bring layers, a warm mid-layer, a windproof and waterproof jacket, a compact umbrella, water-resistant walking shoes, and light gloves or a hat for chilly mornings. A lap blanket helps on the bus and the boat.
Celsius at a glance
0°C = 32°F · 5°C = 41°F · 10°C = 50°F · 15°C = 59°F · 20°C = 68°F
Reference
Where you'll eat
Booked
- Holborn Dining RoomSun 12:30 pm
Sunday roast.
- Fortnum & Mason teaMon 1:30 pm
The Piccadilly salon, fourth floor.
- RulesMon 7:00 pm
Ask for a ground-floor table.
- North Sea Fish RestaurantFri 7:00 pm
Booked, table for 3.
Just walk in
- Dishoom King's CrossSat 6:00 pm
Walk-in tables 6 to 9 pm; arrive at 6.
- Boathouse 7Fri lunch
The Dockyard's café-restaurant.
- New Armouries CaféSat lunch
Inside the Tower walls.
- The LambSun nightcap
A pub; no booking needed for a drink.
Reference
Money and tipping
£1 = $1.32
Quick math: add a third. £30 is about $40; £75 is about $100. Rate as of October 12, 2026.
What to tip
- Sit-down restaurantsCheck the bill: 12.5% is often already addedIf not, 10–12.5%
- Black cabsRound up£1–3 ($1.30–4)
- Pre-booked cars and UberFriday transfer, HeathrowAbout 10%
- Help with the wheelchair or bags£2–5 ($2.65–6.60)
- Hotel or terminal porter£1–2 a bag
- Pubs at the bar, cafés, Beefeater tourNo tip
If a card machine offers to charge you in dollars, choose pounds (GBP). Its exchange rate is worse.
Contactless cards work almost everywhere, including black cabs. Keep £20–40 in coins and small notes for porters and cabs.
Reference
Contacts
Tap the phone to call or the copy button to copy. Numbers already include +44 for calling from a US phone.
Emergencies
- Police, ambulance, fire999 (112 also works)
- NHS 111Britain's free urgent medical advice line, for anything that isn't an emergency111
Getting around
- Royal National Hotel front deskYour hotel. Ask them to call you a black cab.+44 20 7637 2488
- Radio Taxis SouthamptonSouthampton taxi firm. Friday's minivan from the ship to Portsmouth.+44 23 8066 6666
- West Quay CarsAnother Southampton taxi firm, as a backup for Friday.+44 23 8099 9999
- Addison LeeLondon's biggest pre-booked car service. Friday's car from Victory Gate to the hotel (booked, 3:30 pm).+44 20 7387 8888
- Rail Passenger AssistFree help on and off trains, only if you take the train from Portsmouth. UK number; may not work from a US phone.0800 528 2100
- Cunard (US)The cruise line, for disembarkation help.+1 800 728 6273
Portsmouth
- Historic Dockyard (option 1)HMS Victory and the Mary Rose. Lines open 9:30 am.+44 23 9289 1370
- Premier Inn Portsmouth DockyardThe hotel holding your bags for Stasher.+44 330 128 1342
- StasherThe luggage-storage booking company.+44 20 3355 3544
- Portsmouth ShopmobilityWheelchair and scooter hire in Portsmouth, as a backup. Needs 3 days' notice.+44 7493 132948
London sights
- British MuseumFree entry slots and loan wheelchairs.+44 20 7323 8181
- Historic Royal PalacesRuns the Tower of London. Phones Mon–Fri, 9 am–2 pm.+44 333 320 6000
- Westminster AbbeyTickets and visitor questions.+44 20 7222 5152
- London EyeEmail your booking reference to reserve a wheelchair space.customer.services@londoneye.com
- Big BusThe hop-on hop-off bus. Email a photo of the wheelchair to confirm it fits.info@bigbustours.com
- LibertyThe department store on Monday's shopping walk.+44 20 7734 1234
Restaurants
- North Sea Fish RestaurantFriday dinner, 7 pm.+44 20 7387 5892
- Dishoom King's CrossSaturday dinner, 5:30 pm.+44 20 7420 9321
- Holborn Dining RoomSunday roast, 12:30 pm.+44 20 3747 8633
- The LambPub for a Sunday nightcap. No booking needed.+44 20 7405 0713
- Fortnum & MasonMonday afternoon tea, 1:30 pm.+44 20 7734 8040
- RulesMonday farewell dinner, 7 pm.+44 20 7836 5314
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: London Eye at twilight, Diliff (CC BY 2.5); Queen Mary 2, Oceanhistory46 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Queens Room, David Jones (CC BY 2.0); Britannia Restaurant, Spielvogel (CC BY-SA 4.0); Statue of Liberty, William Warby (CC BY 2.0); Queen Mary 2 at Southampton, Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0); HMS Victory, Cimosteve (CC0); Mary Rose hull, Bob Harvey (CC BY-SA 2.0); Russell Square, Secretlondon (CC BY-SA 3.0); Tower of London, Duncan of Nottingham (CC BY 2.0); Tower Bridge, Fuzzypiggy (CC BY-SA 3.0); British Museum Great Court, Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0); London Eye sunset, Damien Everett (CC BY 2.0); Westminster Abbey, Antiquary (CC BY 4.0); Liberty, Luis Villa del Campo (CC BY 2.0); Palace of Westminster, ThatsTheBoss (CC0). Hours, prices and contacts checked October 2026 and may change.
AppendixQueen Mary 2
Ship map
One page per deck, from Deck 2 at the bottom to Deck 14 at the top. On every plan the bow (front) points up. Each deck is split in two: the front half on the left, the back half on the right. Tap a plan to zoom in.
Most useful decks
Key to the symbols
Lifts are marked "L"; the groups of small squares are the lift banks, at the front, middle and back of the ship. The coloured blocks are staterooms, coded by category.
Deck plans © Cunard Line, from the Queen Mary 2 brochure deck plans (August 2026 – January 2029), cut into single decks for this family guide. Cunard notes the ship has a refit in 2027; these plans show the ship as it is for your crossing.
Ship map1 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 2
Theatres, the Grand Lobby and the pub
Deck 3L is a half-deck, shaded grey on the plans. It links the Grand Lobby with the Queens Room without walking through the Britannia Restaurant.
On this deck, front to back
- Illuminations: planetarium and cinema (lower level), at the very front · ★ planetarium shows and lectures
- Cunard ConneXions: classrooms
- Royal Court Theatre (lower level) · ★ evening shows
- Tour Office, Voyage Sales and the Empire Casino
- Grand Lobby (lower) and the Purser's Office, the ship's front desk · ★ questions, wheelchair help, settling your account
- Photo Gallery
- Golden Lion pub · ★ pub quiz and pub lunch
- Britannia Restaurant (lower level) · ★ breakfast and dinner
- G32 nightclub, at the back (reached from Deck 3L)
Ship map2 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 3
Shops, bars, the Britannia and the Queens Room
On this deck, front to back
- Illuminations (upper level)
- Royal Court Theatre (upper level)
- Shops around the Grand Lobby (upper)
- Champagne Bar, Sir Samuel's and the Chart Room bars
- Britannia Restaurant (upper level)
- Art Gallery, along Deck 3L
- Queens Room ballroom · ★ afternoon tea at 3:30, dance classes, Gala balls
- G32 nightclub, at the back
Ship map3 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 4
Staterooms
On this deck, front to back
- Staterooms from front to back
- Lifts and stairs at the front, middle and back
Ship map4 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 5
Staterooms
On this deck, front to back
- Staterooms from front to back
Ship map5 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 6
Staterooms and the children's areas
On this deck, front to back
- Staterooms
- Children's Play Zone and Minnows Pool, at the back
Ship map6 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 7
The Boat Deck: buffet, spa and the Promenade
On this deck, front to back
- Observation Deck: an outdoor deck at the bow
- Fitness Centre
- Spa: reception, relaxation lounge and therapy pool
- Carinthia Lounge and bar
- Kings Court buffet · ★ lunch on boarding day, casual breakfasts
- Grill Suites Lounge, Princess Grill and Queens Grill, at the back
- Promenade Deck, the wooden deck all the way around the outside · ★ your daily lap
Ship map7 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 8
The library, and the Terrace Pool
On this deck, front to back
- Spa (upper level) and beauty salon, at the front
- Library, at the front, with views over the bow · ★ library mornings
- Staterooms and a launderette
- The Verandah restaurant, toward the back
- Terrace Pool, Terrace Bar and bandstand, outdoors at the back
Ship map8 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 9
The Commodore Club
On this deck, front to back
- Commodore Club bar, right at the front · ★ pre-dinner drinks over the bow
- Boardroom and Churchill's cigar lounge
- Staterooms, with duplex suites at the back
Ship map9 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 10
Staterooms
On this deck, front to back
- Staterooms and suites
- Launderette
Ship map10 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 11
The Atlantic Room and the Observation Deck
On this deck, front to back
- Observation Deck, outdoors at the front, around the Atlantic Room (cards and board games)
- Staterooms and a launderette
- Grill Suites Terrace, at the back (for Grill guests)
Ship map11 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 12
The Pavilion Pool and the kennels
On this deck, front to back
- Staterooms at the front
- Pavilion Pool and Bar, under a sliding glass roof
- The Fairways golf area and shuffleboard
- Open deck
- Kennels, at the back: the only ones at sea, for dogs crossing with their owners
Ship map12 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 13
The Lookout and the sports area
On this deck, front to back
- Stairs up to The Lookout on Deck 14, at the front
- Staterooms
- Sports area, toward the back
Ship map13 of 13 · bottom to top
Deck 14
The Sun Deck
On this deck, front to back
- Sun deck, the highest open deck on the ship