Stepping onto the Queen Mary 2, disbelief hit me like a sea breeze: a red carpet literally rolled out as if I were royalty returning from exile. No barking security guards, no metal-detector interrogations, no stink-eyes – just soft, soothing voices: “Welcome aboard! Everything is ready. Leave your wallet in the safe and enjoy.” (Yes, I may have hugged someone.) By then, I was sure I’d died and gone to heaven. Oh, what a beauty – seriously, someone pinch me before I do my moonwalk.

It took nearly two hours to reach my stateroom – not because it was far, but because I couldn’t stop gawking. Every corner demanded attention: grand staircases, polished wood panelling, carpets too elegant........

© Euro Weekly News