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United States/England

Churchill’s Finest Hour: A Transatlantic Voyage on QM2

Program No. 23191RJ
The Russians nicknamed him the “British Bulldog.” Learn about Winston Churchill’s fighting spirit as you study his life and work while you enjoy a transatlantic voyage aboard the QM2.
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  • Churchill’s Finest Hour: A Transatlantic Voyage on the QM2
  • map
  • Queen Mary 2
  • Churchill Finest Hour
  • Churchill Finest Hour
  • Churchill Finest Hour
Ocean VoyagesAdventures Afloat Study Cruise
Length
13 days
Rating (4.92)
Activity Level
Starts at
5,999
Special Offer
Flights start at
FREE
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
All itineraries and excursions are subject to change. Weather and water conditions may affect the progress of the ship, and we may miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The operators reserve the right to change the content and duration of excursions without prior notice and so the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. Whenever possible, Road Scholar’s published daily schedule will indicate port arrival and departure times. Prior to departure, if there is a major change, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
13 days
12 nights
What's Included
31 meals ( 12B, 8L, 11D )
6 expert-led lectures
4 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
12 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Orientation & Welcome: 5:00 p.m. We will gather for Orientation followed by a Welcome Reception. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Adventures Afloat program. Port stops are subject to change as weather and ocean conditions could affect the progress of the vessel. The cruise itinerary should therefore be regarded as provisional. The time in each port is set by the cruise line. The cruise line reserves the right to change the itinerary without prior notice. Our program is staffed with both a Study Leader who will lecture, conduct field trips, and serve as an information resource on program-related topics, and a Group Leader who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics. Aboard the Queen Mary 2, breakfast and lunch are in the venue of your choosing. Afternoon tea is served in the Queens Room. Road Scholars are invited to have dinner together in the Britannia Restaurant. Snacks, juice, tea, coffee, water are available 24 hours a day in the buffet restaurants and there is 24-hour room service. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Free time. We will board our motorcoach and ride to the pier in the early afternoon, complete embarkation procedures, and board the Queen Mary 2.
Lunch:
Aboard the Queen Mary 2.
Afternoon:
After getting our cabins, we will take some time to settle in and begin to familiarize ourselves with the ship. We will participate with everyone on board in the ship’s mandatory muster/safety drill when announced.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. The Queen Mary 2 is a floating city. The options for activities and entertainment are many and varied. You might like to see a show in the ballroom, go dancing, listen to music, watch a movie in the theatre, have a beverage and a chat with new Road Scholar friends in one of the bars, or wander through the library — one of the best shipboard libraries anywhere — to find a book and curl up in that perfect reading chair.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
We’ll gather with our Study Leader in a private meeting room for our first in a series of on-board lectures. Topics covered throughout the program will include Churchill in the Boer War, the tragedy of Gallipoli, Churchill in the trenches, the First Finest Hour, Churchill and his generals, and the Big Three.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time. The ship offers a variety of enrichment activities. You might attend a presentation by a guest speaker, attend a class such as watercolor painting or ballroom dancing, take a dip in one of the swimming pools, or any of the many other choices.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. Choose from a variety of activities on board, from movies to shows or simply enjoying the ambience of the different themed bars.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Our lecture series following a thematic progression will continue with our Study Leader.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free Time. Weather permitting, you might like to take a leisurely stroll around the Promenade Deck and take in the fresh sea air.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. You may choose to enjoy a show in the ship’s theatre, practice your dance steps in the ballroom, or simply return to your stateroom and enjoy one of the movies screened on the ship’s TV.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Gathering in our lecture room, we’ll continue to explore the life and times of Winston Churchill.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time. You may want to take advantage of the many educational, social, and physical activities available on board, or simply relax in one of the deck chairs with a view of the Atlantic, glistening when the sun shines.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. You may wish to visit the Queen Mary 2’s beautiful theatre, home to nightly productions from stars of stage and screen alike.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Gathering in our lecture room, we’ll continue to explore the life and times of Winston Churchill.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free Time. You might grab a ticket for the planetarium show, polish your bridge skills during a tournament, or perhaps retreat to the spa for a massage.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. You may wish to visit The Golden Lion, a traditional English pub, as it runs a competitive pub quiz each evening.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Joining our Study Leader, we’ll engage in another lively discussion.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free Time. When not performing, members of the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts host daily acting workshops that give passengers the opportunity to flex their acting muscles.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. The Queen Mary 2 travels with expert sommeliers, who host nightly wine tasting and appreciation events.
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Gathering with our Study Leader, we’ll settle in for the final lecture before we dock at our destination tomorrow.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free Time. You may wish to explore the history of the Cunard Line at a unique exhibition running through the halls of the ship.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out, disembarkation, and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Disembarkation by approximately 9:00 a.m. Getting on/off motorcoach; total driving about 141 miles, approximately 3.5 hours with stops for field trips, some periods of standing. Chartwell house is on a hillside with steps, narrow corridors, ramped access to ground floor of house. Garden has steep slopes and steps in places. Partly accessible-map of accessible route available at Visitor Center.
Breakfast:
Early aboard the ship.
Morning:
After completing disembarkation procedures in Southampton, we’ll make our way onto the motorcoach for transfer onwards to Chartwell, the adult home of Sir Winston Churchill, located just outside Westerham. Due to emergency maintenance, the inside of the house may be unavailable. On-site volunteers will also be available to answer any questions. Chartwell is also home to some beautifully landscaped gardens, which provided inspiration for many of Churchill’s paintings.
Lunch:
On your own at Chartwell House.
Afternoon:
Following Chartwell our transfer will continue to Biggin Hill Memorial Museum, which tells the story of Britain’s most famous fighter station through the personal experiences of those who served there, and the community that supported them. The museum is situated on the same site as St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance, built in 1951 to preserve the legacy of those who served and died at Biggin Hill during the Second World War. We will then transfer to London.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking indoors on some uneven floors, narrow corridors.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board a motorcoach for a field trip to St. Paul’s Cathedral, an unmissable silhouette on the London skyline and often considered to be Christopher Wren’s architectural masterpiece. It has been standing in its current form since 1711 and its tranquil interior is majestic in its Baroque splendor. Our Instructor will take us through its turbulent and fascinating history as we explore its magnificent three-domed structure.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the Churchill War Rooms. It was here that Churchill’s government sheltered during the worst of the bombing, and the conditions of the time are faithfully recreated in this subterranean maze. The facility also houses the Churchill Museum, which brings to life the exciting story of Churchill’s life – from his childhood to his “finest hour”.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; total driving about 130 miles, approximately 4.5 hours. Walking approximately 2 miles; uneven terrain around gardens
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We begin our full day field trip to Blenheim Palace, where we’ll enjoy an expert-led exploration through the estate and its remarkable gardens that were designed by the famous landscape gardener, Lancelot “Capability” Brown. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace, just outside of Oxford, was initially a gift given to the first Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill. Queen Anne recognized him for his triumph in battle over French and Bavarian forces in 1704, and the palace was built between 1705 and 1722. Eventually, Blenheim’s recognition grew further when Winston Churchill was born there in 1874.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
This afternoon starts with a visit to Bladon and a visit to Winston Churchill's grave before transferring on to London.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach, walking and standing up to 2 -3 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
The morning is free for you to explore the delights of London.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the Imperial War Museum. The vast museum chronicles Britain’s involvement in wars from 1914 to the present day, keeping a very human perspective on the immense turmoil that both Britain and the wider world as a whole have endured over the last century. Of particular importance are its First World War galleries, and its new Witnesses to War exhibition. Presented in a state-of-the-art atrium, the exhibition includes a Harrier Jet, a Spitfire, and a V2 rocket.
Dinner:
Farewell dinner at the hotel with fellow participants.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!