QM2 Article in Town & Country Magazine

[bluemarble]

Here's a link to an article in the March issue of Town & Country Magazine written by Alan Cumming.

 

Alan Cumming on How a Transatlantic Crossing Can Change Your Life

 

My favorite quote is this one.

 

"Sailing the Atlantic for a week, I felt I had not just rediscovered but personally learned for the first time that the journey can indeed be more important than the destination."

Edited February 28 by bluemarble

[rog747]

What was Cunard's famous tagline?

“Getting there is half the fun” was Cunard Line's famous advertising slogan in the 1950s, intended to lure Americans away from flying across the Atlantic.

[exlondoner]

I have never heard of this person but I do wonder why the views of an actor about anything other than acting are deemed worthy of publication, particularly when they seem to contain so much ageism.

 

Anyway it is always good that Cunard have a satisfied customer.

[D&N]

I knew the name and I've seen him in various things over the years without giving much thought to what his name was, I don't take a great interest in actors names.

I'm surprised he was allowed on deck wearing a garment like that. The seagulls would be frightened. 🙂

I'm glad he enjoys QM2 though.

[NE John]

This Scottish actor has done a few TV shows here and is a host of PBS Masterpiece and is a minor celeb. We just love a good Scottish accent, bottom line!

Edited February 28 by NE John

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

I knew the name and I've seen him in various things over the years without giving much thought to what his name was, I don't take a great interest in actors names.

I'm surprised he was allowed on deck wearing a garment like that. The seagulls would be frightened. 🙂

I'm glad he enjoys QM2 though.

 

At first I thought it was a bathrobe, but on closer look it appears to be a long coat. I think he enjoys a rather outré style. And plaids. He was across the aisle from me on a flight from Vancouver and he was wearing red plaid trousers (or pajama bottoms) with orange socks. 

[Liberal_Baggie]

We had a magnificent Crossing and Caribbean journey on QM2 in December over Christmas.After the recent work to smarten up the ship its back to its magnificent best. Indeed Stephen Paine the designer said it is now the best version of QM2 having been on board many times of course. I can say that Princess grill deck 10 Aft is the way to go for a Caribbean just One set of stairs up to the Grills terrace  having tried Inside, balconies both types, and Queens Grill. Absolute best holiday ever!

[bluemarble]

Sorry, I figured Alan Cumming would be better known to those of you in the UK although I have to admit I am only familiar with his work in US television.

 

He has twice been billed as the featured celebrity on board QM2, for the January 3, 2019 and December 8, 2023 crossings. He was also the headliner at an event in New York last October to promote the Bright Lights Society on Queen Anne.

[Mudhen]

I quite enjoyed the short read by Alan Cumming.....and I didn't mind his coat one bit. 

I think Cunard is probably the only line that I know of that has "miles" of comments on dress.  It's one of the things that makes people watching such fun!

And as far as the plaid coat, we've seen it all.....The fellow with the rumbled jacket and wrinkled tie, attending formal night activities as well as the (much) older lady in tiarra and sparkly shoes. 

As long as it fits (at least sort of...) the dress for the evening, who am I to throw stones.....

[D&N]

41 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

Sorry, I figured Alan Cumming would be better known to those of you in the UK although I have to admit I am only familiar with his work in US television.

 

He has twice been billed as the featured celebrity on board QM2, for the January 3, 2019 and December 8, 2023 crossings. He was also the headliner at an event in New York last October to promote the Bright Lights Society on Queen Anne.

He's well enough known. He pops up all over the place. I vaguely remember his early appearances in Take the High Road, a Scottish soap of the 1980s. I don't watch much TV, more listen to what my wife is watching, but then she's probably reading a novel at same time. I enjoy watching some quiz shows, dancing, top quality football (soccer) and tennis.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Mudhen said:

I quite enjoyed the short read by Alan Cumming.....and I didn't mind his coat one bit. 

I think Cunard is probably the only line that I know of that has "miles" of comments on dress.  It's one of the things that makes people watching such fun!

And as far as the plaid coat, we've seen it all.....The fellow with the rumbled jacket and wrinkled tie, attending formal night activities as well as the (much) older lady in tiarra and sparkly shoes. 

As long as it fits (at least sort of...) the dress for the evening, who am I to throw stones.....

 

I think I know who you mean when you say tiara and sparkly shoes. There was a woman who called herself the Queen of Cunard or some such thing. She liked to sing and wrote a book about her travels on QE2. She lived in a town near me. I saw her in a supermarket one time, and she was wearing the tiara!

 

In addition to a few small movie roles and his TV work (excellent US accent in "The Good Wife"), he has done a fair amount of stage work. He was the emcee in Cabaret in the late 90s. And, appropriately enough, a production of the "Scottish Play."

Edited February 28 by 3rdGenCunarder

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Mr. Cummings can wear any kind of coat he likes, but to spend that much time on ageist commentary in such a short article….Wow, certainly does undermine any bit of credibility he might have squeezed  out of his celebrity.

[NE John]

17 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Mr. Cummings can wear any kind of coat he likes, but to spend that much time on ageist commentary in such a short article….Wow, certainly does undermine any bit of credibility he might have squeezed  out of his celebrity.

It sounds like he was doing some self-deprecating humor as he is reflecting on turning 60 himself within the next year. (I can relate…) that didn’t transfer to paper that well. 

However, Alan Cummings is a major advocate for Cunard. 

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

At first I thought it was a bathrobe, but on closer look it appears to be a long coat. I think he enjoys a rather outré style. And plaids. He was across the aisle from me on a flight from Vancouver and he was wearing red plaid trousers (or pajama bottoms) with orange socks. 

I hope you had your sun glasses to hand.

[exlondoner]

19 minutes ago, NE John said:

It sounds like he was doing some self-deprecating humor as he is reflecting on turning 60 himself within the next year. (I can relate…) that didn’t transfer to paper that well. 

However, Alan Cummings is a major advocate for Cunard. 

I hope Cunard are not relying on him as a major advocate, for that article would certainly put me off, with its rather disdainful ageism, self-deprecating or not.

[Jim_Iain]

Wow.. surprised that so many have not heard of Alan Cummings.   I first saw him in 1995 while living in Ireland with his Sitcom The High Life on BBC.   He was also a star in the U.S. Series The Good Wife.  

 

He is a very talented actor On the Stage, Movies and TV as well as a voice actor.

[D&N]

To be fair, I think there was only one comment that they had not heard of him.

 

I wrote that I knew the name. I couldn't put a face to him until I looked at the article. But for me that would be the same regarding 99.5% of actors or celebrities from anywhere. I don't pay much attention to films and TV programs/series and when I do it's the content or story that interests me not the actors so I rarely remember their names.

 

By his CV, I must have first seen him in 1984. I'd find it hard to name anyone else from the soap he was in.

 

My main memory of turning 60, was being happy I'd achieved my aim of moving here permanently before that marker three months earlier. Then in that year I set my PB for 10km outdoors at 47:15.

My wife's celebrations this year will be different!

Edited February 28 by D&N

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, D&N said:

To be fair, I think there was only one comment that they had not heard of him.

 

I wrote that I knew the name. I couldn't put a face to him until I looked at the article. But for me that would be the same regarding 99.5% of actors or celebrities from anywhere. I don't pay much attention to films and TV programs/series and when I do it's the content or story that interests me not the actors so I rarely remember their names.

 

By his CV, I must have first seen him in 1984. I'd find it hard to name anyone else from the soap he was in.

 

My main memory of turning 60, was being happy I'd achieved my aim of moving here permanently before that marker three months earlier. Then in that year I set my PB for 10km outdoors at 47:15.

My wife's celebrations this year will be a different!

We and some friends went to Alderney, my favourite place, to celebrate my sixtieth. Unfortunately that made our trip at the end of January, a time I had never visited, and never will again. 😀

[Host Hattie]

3 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Sorry, I figured Alan Cumming would be better known to those of you in the UK although I have to admit I am only familiar with his work in US television.

 

He has twice been billed as the featured celebrity on board QM2, for the January 3, 2019 and December 8, 2023 crossings. He was also the headliner at an event in New York last October to promote the Bright Lights Society on Queen Anne.

I knew who he was and loved the article so thank you very much for posting it.

[NE John]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

We and some friends went to Alderney, my favourite place, to celebrate my sixtieth. Unfortunately that made our trip at the end of January, a time I had never visited, and never will again. 😀

I’ll be on QE in Alaska this June for my 60th and I’ll make sure to add some self-deprecating humor on my bday…and skip any ageism!

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I knew who he was and loved the article so thank you very much for posting it.

I really enjoyed the article also --- He is such a diverse actor.    

[ClipperinSFO]

Big fan of Allan Cumming since he was Emcee in Cabaret way back when - and so nice to read his advocacy for slow travel, Cunard and crossings on our beloved QM2. I hope this article (despite the fact that it’s in Town and Country which probably already has many Cunard passengers on its subscriber list) will draw in more people and help overcome preconceived notions about Cunard, cruising and crossings. The more the merrier! 

[tacticalbanjo]

To be fair to Alan Cumming, when I did my first TA for my honeymoon back in 2015 when I was still in my 20s, lots of our friends and family did express surprise that we were going to voluntarily lock ourselves on a ship for a week with a bunch of old duffers. Especially because we were known for all day drinking and general hellraising. And yeah, most people were decades older than us but we had a blast and we will both hit Diamond by the end of the year. Maybe being real ale pub type people we already knew that age is not a barrier to being fun or interesting to be around.

 

I hope Cunard continue to be able to bring in new passengers who are willing to overlook the stereotypes - so long as they're willing to abide by the dress code!

[ClipperinSFO]

4 hours ago, tacticalbanjo said:

I hope Cunard continue to be able to bring in new passengers who are willing to overlook the stereotypes - so long as they're willing to abide by the dress code!

 

Amen to that!  

[Tattycoram]

Fun article--and all the funnier that Town and Country writes "Cunnard" under the photos.