The Queen Mary 2 is legendary itself as well as the path from Southampton to New York (Titanic route). Since we were going that direction anyway, we had to try! We checked every day for last minute deals and finally booked a few weeks before departure.
I wouldn't call us 'cruise people' but it was welcome relief after living like animals for three months. The first stop was the self-serve laundry then the child care facilities. We even had to scrounge together formal wear in Athens beforehand in order to be presentable at the various upper-class dining facilities.
A stop in Halifax for a day was pleasant and an early morning docking in New York harbour can't be beat.
-steve-