Passengers aboard the world’s most lavish, expensive and biggest luxury liner had a “roller coaster” of a good time on the first trans-Atlantic trip of the Queen Mary 2.
Despite 48 hours of stormy weather – which had dozens of travelers seasick – passengers disembarked yesterday with smiles on their faces and stories of grandeur and an exciting ride.
“At one point, there was a 70-foot wave that came over the bow,” said Jennifer Jennings, 38, of Maryland.
When it hit the ship, it was so loud it was like a thunderous crash, she said.
And the jostling was so forceful, no one could walk straight.
“It looked like everybody had a little too much to drink,” she said. “They were all wobbling.
“It was like a roller coaster, but you [swayed] side to side, too,” she said.
Eating dinner one night, Jennings said, the little round window reminded her of something else.
“It looked like we were in a washing machine because the waves were hitting us.”
Many of the voyagers who traveled from Southampton, England, into New York Harbor were there for the experience of a lifetime.
The ship – 86 feet longer than the Chrysler Building is tall – cost $800 million to build. There are 10 restaurants, five swimming pools, a planetarium, theater, spa and even a virtual-reality golf course.
And the storm was part of the festivities, many cruisers said.
“It was part of the adventure,” said Katherine Hall, 32, of Philadelphia. “It was amazing.”
“The storms were dramatic,” said Jessica Fiorillo, 34, of Dallas. “We ordered room service one morning.
“The waiter put it down and five minutes later, it shot clear across the room. Crystal glass shattered everywhere,” she said.
Coming home was incredible, too, for many onboard.
Mayor Bloomberg gave the Cunard ship a royal welcome that included music by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a red, white and blue water salute from fireboats on the Hudson.
Fiorillo said: “Coming in and seeing the Statue of Liberty [was] such an emotional experience. All of us burst into tears. It was awesome.”
Maya Piascik, 32, of New York was more than impressed with the massive ship.
“It never felt like we were on a ship,” said the Prada employee. “It felt like a big town – a huge town, like Las Vegas or Atlantic City.”
Fiorillo also loved the style and elegance.
She and her husband, Tony, dressed up every night for dinner.
“Tony didn’t even wear a tuxedo when we got married, and he wore one three nights [on the ship].”