New York and Back

A Transatlantic Return Voyage on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

Not a guide. Not a brochure. Not a list of cruise tips.
Just one man, his wife, their eighteen-month-old daughter—and the Atlantic Ocean.

In New York and Back, Gary Troia invites readers aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 for a transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York and back again. This isn’t a cruise review or a list of top ten must-do excursions. This is a travelogue of feeling—an honest, personal, and quietly profound account of what it means to step away from the noise of modern life and find mental clarity in the open sea.

With disarming humour, philosophical insight, and an appreciation for the subtleties of travel, Troia reflects on the joy of long stretches at sea, the quiet rebellion of disengaging from daily routines, and the unexpected freedom found in the simple act of sailing away.

For those weary of “bucket lists” and Instagram-worthy ports, New York and Back offers something rarer: a meditation on the voyage itself—on slowing down, paying attention, and letting the sea reshape the soul.

Step aboard if you’re ready to leave the checklist behind.

How whiney the author is.

Dismal and sad. Why would one want to write a book about a transatlantic Crossing that he spent most of his time in his cabin.