One of the feel-good cruise stories in 2013 was the tale of the woman who was in trouble rowing her boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Some of us would think that's an oxymoron…because being in the middle of the ocean in a rowboat would be trouble, period.
The young woman, a French-Canadian named Mylene Paquette, was caught in a storm that was anything but perfect. By the time the rain stopped and the winds 
passed, her anchor and her satellite phone and four of her eight oars were all gone and — since there was no shipping supply store in the neighborhood, or even a Best Buy — she was in big trouble, or close to it.
Cunard came to the rescue. The Queen Mary 2 was in the neighborhood and donated two drogue anchors and a satellite phone, along with a list of food and drink to help her complete the 130-day journey from Canada to France. Mylene had asked for a blanket (maybe she forgot hers at home) but Cunard officials couldn't fit one into the package they lowered.
This month, she received her blanket…just in time for Christmas.
In what was a photo-op for Cunard and a thank-you opportunity for her, Mylene met the captain of the Queen Mary 2, Captain Kevin Oprey. With the assistance of his ship, she'd been able to complete her journey more or less on time, in November. This month, she was in Southampton and since Captain Oprey and his ship were, too, they met under drier conditions.
And he gave her the "missing" blanket.
"This blanket represents the goodwill and spirit of kinship which helped me achieve my dream," she told him.
Her dream was to be the first North American woman to row solo across the Atlantic. She is also the first to do so with help from another "female"…Queen Mary 2.
Carnival Fascination
5 nights
January 11, 2014
Jacksonville (return): Key West, Nassau
Inside: $189
Cost per day: $37
www.carnival.com