Although we have been on a fair number of European cruises, this was the first time we have sailed transatlantic and was the last part of an overland trip from California home to the UK.

We booked in advance a cabin (stateroom) with balcony directly with Cunard as they offered a good deal with an inclusive airfare to LA; from experience we prefer to have an outside cabin despite the extra cost.

We were independent passengers so arrived at Brooklyn with our hire car. It is a shame that Cunard do not use the main Manhattan terminal: we found it very difficult to find the Brooklyn terminal despite our research and it was not helped by such minimal and appalling road signage: it was almost as though Cunard had been banished to the outskirts of town. After dropping my wife and luggage I had to drive the car back to the centre of Brooklyn as there are no hire car facilities at the terminal. I returned to the terminal in a NY taxi, whose driver had no idea where the terminal was so I ended up directing him. Read more