After several days of not knowing whether or not this trip was going to happen as planned, my travel agent called and said it was a "go" So bright and early on Sunday Morning, September 16, 2001 I presented myself at the Little Rock Airport at 5 a.m. and began what was one of the longest days of my life. I started to say one of the most tedious, but on reflection it was only tedious in spots. Both the plane from Little Rock to Atlanta and the one from Atlanta to La Guardia was only about one quarter or less full. But security all along the way was as tight as warned and the delays were as long as promised. The flight from Little Rock into Atlanta was uneventful and I had no problem making my connection to New York. The plane into New York flew right over Manhattan and we got a literally a bird’s eye view of the huge hole with smoke billowing up from site where the World Trade Center had stood.
Because the Port of NY had been closed by the New York Port Authority, both the QE2 and the Coronia had been diverted to Boston. Since all passengers had made their travel arrangements for New York's La Guardia Airport and it was too late to change them to Boston after September 11, Cunard picked all incoming passengers from LaGuardia and JFK and ferried everyone to the Hotel Sheridan in Downtown Manhatten where they had arranged for tour buses to take everyone on to Boston. In the process we got a wonderful unscheduled mini tour of Queens and Manhattan that included passing by Radio City Music Hall, Central Park, and Park Avenue.
Hundreds of passengers destined for both ships were being gathered up and deposited in the Sheraton's huge ballroom. Harried Cunard staff members were desperately running around sorting passengers and luggage into groups that would fit on a bus, and hopefully all going to the same cruise ship. While Cunard was obviously doing everything possible to make sure everyone got sent in the right direction, it definitely felt like we were being rounded up, sorted, and shipped out like cattle. Finally about 3 p.m. they got it all figured out and they started loading everyone into buses for the 4 ½ hour trip to Boston.
On the way out of Manhatten one of the areas I recognized was Harlem. The sign on the Appolo Theatre gave it away. Although this was not a tour bus, the driver did point out the building where Clinton now has his offices. From watching the news in Little Rock you could easily get the impression that NY was all a smoldering ruin. The actual devastation is only in what looks like one little spot from the air. The rest of NY is carrying on what looks like business as usual except that you see flags everywhere. In windows, hanging from balconies, on cars, every place you can stick one. This little unintentional tour of New York was a little bonus I wasn't expecting. I would love to spend some time there someday. It looks like such an exciting place.
We arrived in Boston about 9 p.m. into mass confusion at the dock. We discovered later that there had been a bomb threat to the QEII and we were met by the Military. The FBI was screening every passenger and every piece of luggage that was going aboard. It was a little after 11 when I got to my stateroom, starving to death since I hadn't eaten anything all day except for the breakfast sandwich I had brought from Little Rock to eat on the plane. I consulted the map of the ship that was provided in the packet of papers I found in my cabin, and by more luck than skill at reading maps, found the Lido Grill. I don't even remember what I ate, but it took care of my hunger.
Back in my stateroom I barely had my wits about me enough to glance through the information in the packet to see if there was something urgent I needed to know. Sure enough, instructions for having your breakfast served to you in your stateroom which, you have to admit is pretty urgent information, as well as an announcement of a life boat drill the next day and a list of the entertainments scheduled the voyage. Tomorrow, I will think about all that stuff tomorrow
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