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Crossing The Atlantic By Ocean Liner. My Cunard Queen Mary 2 Winter Crossing And Ship Review And Video Tour

by Gary Bembridge · January 15, 2013

Crossing The Atlantic By Ocean Liner. My Cunard Queen Mary 2 Winter Crossing And Ship Video Review And Tour One of the great journeys of all time is crossing the Atlantic by Ocean Liner.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 QM2 Winter Atlantic Day

By the late 1940s and into the 1950s, the number of transatlantic liners working the route from various parts of Europe to the United States and Canada had grown to almost 60 a week. The demand to travel between the 2 continents was so huge that lines competed fiercely with more and more grand liners and features.

The birth of regular and scheduled jet liner travel between Europe and North America obliterated the transatlantic liner business. At times in the 1960s ships like Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth had as little as 100 passengers on it – and well over 1000 crew. Since the 1970s the only regular and scheduled liner crossing the Atlantic was Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2.

Today there is only one true ocean liner that has a scheduled transatlantic service.

This is Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. This unique, one off and glamorous ship has been designed to ply the hard and challenging North Atlantic route. It is the only ship that has a regular scheduled service. Other cruise lines do offer repositioning cruises across the Atlantic when moving their ships at the end and start of the cruising season in Europe and the Caribbean. However, many will avoid the challenging North Atlantic route and sail from Europe to the Caribbean, as the seas will usually be calmer and something a cruise ship design can cope with better.

Crossing the Atlantic in winter, even on the Queen Mary 2, can be a very boisterous at times.

I have crossed from Southampton on both the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Queen Mary 2. The QM2 handled it much better than the QE2, but still there was quite a lot of movement. A good smattering of people at the start of the winter crossing felt seasick as a result, though less than I had experienced on the Queen Elizabeth 2 in slightly less stormy seas.

I love crossing the atlantic by ocean liner. And, in fact, found the winter crossing on the QM2 even more wonderful than the summer crossing I have done on the ship. The ship is designed to work through the Atlantic when it is rough and aggressive. The movement from churning through the Force 8, 9 and eventually Force 11 storms with 30 to 40 foot swells was exciting and impressive. You appreciate the power of nature and the atlantic, but also feel safe and secure as this is what the Queen Mary 2 has been designed and built to handle.

Though, you so have the whole of the massive and beautiful Queen Mary 2 itself to enjoy, explore and be pampered in!

The best way of showing and bringing the whole experience alive is not to write about it but to show it. So I have made a video that shows the seas during the crossing that were at times Force 11 and then I take you on a detailed tour of the stunning Cunard Queen Mary 2 and all the public rooms and restaurants during the crossing.

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Gary Bembridge

I grew up in Zimbabwe, but I have been based in London since 1987. My travel life spans more than three decades and that includes more than 95 cruises. In 2005, I launched Tips for Travellers to make it easy and fun for people to discover, plan and enjoy incredible cruise vacations. And the rest, as they say, is history. I have the largest cruise vlogger channel currently on YouTube, with more than 3 million video views per month.

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5 Responses

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Great video Gary. Wish I was there!

Rob. Thanks for watching and taking the time to post. Glad you enjoyed it. I wish I was back there too….!!!! Gary

Lovely video’s! I’d love to take that trip too! I know someday I will! Looks absolutely amazing!

Thanks for visiting and watching them, pleased that you enjoyed them. It is an amazing trip. Well worth doing!

Dear Rob Thanks for giving us an insight into a winter transatlantic. My family are about to embark on this trip for Xmas and are so looking forward to it. However we are taking our two teenage daughters 16 and 19 with us and just hoping they won’t be the only teenagers on board ! Have you any tips or advice also regarding cabin position we are on deck 11 I think. Thank you again for doing such a great website Angela

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Video tour of Queen Mary 2

Take a tour of Queen Mary 2 by playing the video below or check out all of our QM2 videos here .

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Scores of cruisers are fans of the leisurely and fun journey that a crossing on Queen Mary 2 offers. The ship is noted for its transatlantic routes between New York and Southampton, England. I joined for my first crossing on Queen Mary 2 (actually, my first transatlantic on any ship) to learn why it’s so popular. 

It’s a must-try voyage for avid cruisers.

Why take just seven hours to cross the Atlantic when you can take seven days instead?

I learned a lot about this iconic way to travel between America and England. 

Here are 10 things to know before you make your first crossing on Queen Mary 2. 

It’s an Ocean Liner, Not a Cruise Ship  

Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only ocean liner. It had its first voyage in early 2004, and any other liners that were on the oceans at the time have since been retired. 

Ocean liners differ from cruise ships in how they are built and their purpose. 

Queen Mary 2 has specially shaped bow that is longer and designed to be able to swiftly slice through rougher sea conditions while giving passengers a smoother experience. The hull is also about twice as thick (up to 1.5 inches) as those on today’s cruise ships . This makes the vessel safer and stronger.

Queen Mary 2, like ocean liners of years past, offers pleasure cruises , of course, but the ship is known for its principle purpose to transport passengers between points, in this case NYC and Southampton. That is, back and forth along the same “line” — thus ocean liner.

You Won’t Be Bored, Unless You Want to Be

With no port stops for seven days in a row, Cunard has built a program that features tons of stuff to do. There is something for everyone from the list of daily activities. The ship carries up to 2,700 cruisers, and we sailed with about 1,900. The ship was bustling but never too crowded on our voyage that started under beautiful blue and sunny skies as we left the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in late afternoon and sailed past the Statue of Liberty and under the Verrazano Bridge. Passengers gathered on the promenade on Deck 7 to grab up the loungers there and bid the city farewell during a stunning sailaway experience.

During the week, Colleen and I enjoyed spa and gym time; she had two massages, and we both hit the fitness center daily and tried out the thermal spa on Queen Mary 2. 

We also took part in a specialty cocktail class in the beautiful Commodore Lounge. The class showed us seven different creative signature concoctions that pay homage to notable past commodores of the Cunard fleet.

The program includes dance classes (waltz, tango and more), bridge lessons, water color painting, flower arranging, trivia contests, card-playing groups, movies in the Illumination theater and theme nights. 

We had a Black & White gala and a Roaring 20s night during our sailing, and cruisers really got into the spirit with fancy outfits.

The enrichment talks in the theaters and other venues featured guest lecturers who gave interesting chats on topics such as the history and growth of London, astronomy, and the original Queen Mary ocean liner (in service from 1936 to 1967), which had a fascinating life on the seas before being retired as a tourist attraction in Long Beach, California.

My favorite part of the program for our cruise , though, was the daily talks put on by The Greatest Generations Foundation, an organization that works with Cunard to bring onboard veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. During our voyage, we sailed with 18 vets from WWII and Vietnam who shared fascinating tales of their time serving during these frightful wars.

Each morning, a moderated session allowed us to hear stories from war heroes describing certain missions. 

These were highly emotional chats that brought both the vets and audience members to tears at times. Some of these guys are real characters, such as 102-year-old Steven Melnikoff, who discussed his role in storming the beaches at Normandy on D-Day in the morning, then was seen on the dance floor until late at night in the ship’s G32 night club.

Barry Beck and James T. Lawrence told us about their experiences in Vietnam, and Tuskegee Airman James Harvey, 98, told us about his experiences battling the enemy and racism.

VIDEO: Full Ship Tour of Queen Mary 2

The Ship Is a Floating Museum 

Art , photos and sculptures are featured in nearly every area of Queen Mary 2. These pieces can be found in common areas, stairwells, and lounges and bars . They give the ship an elegant ambiance and also show off pieces that highlight the ship and Cunard Line’s combined heritage tied to the monarchy and maritime accomplishments.

Cunard Connexions is a mini-museum space that wraps around the ship on Deck 2, and it has corridors filled with photos and plaques, as well as interactive screens and artifacts on display. Cruisers can spend a lot of time perusing the corridors trying to see all that is on display on QM2.

Queen Mary 2 even has the only true library and book store at sea, with stacks filled with all kinds of books to fulfill any traveler’s tastes or needs .

The Weather Can Change Quickly Along Your Route 

We had a mix of sunny and overcast days during our crossing in early June. Make sure to pack plenty of layers. There were only a couple of days that were ideal for being out at the pool. However, the hearty Brits onboard took advantage whenever they could – and often in conditions that would have U.S. cruisers taking refuge in the casino or bars all day.

The very top decks on Queen Mary as well as the bow observation areas also were quite windy for much of the journey, so you definitely want a jacket in order to venture outside to those areas. The wind up top also means that you aren’t likely to be able to enjoy the paddle tennis courts during a crossing.

West to East vs. East to West 

We went from west to east. I hadn’t considered how the time zone adjustment would take place while on the ship. We left from New York’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and remained on Eastern Standard Time for the first two days. However, on Day 3, we lost one hour each day — adjusting ship time at noon sharp to become 1 p.m. immediately – for five consecutive days until we reached England.

This makes afternoons shorter but allows mornings and your sleep schedule to feel fairly normal. If you think about it, sailing from east to west is a better deal because you gain five hours on your cruise . We ended up losing five hours of our time onboard. 

VIDEO: Balcony Cabin Tour on Queen Mary 2

A space within King’s Court is set aside each night for a specialty dining option (added charge). It was La Piazza (Italian) and Coriander (Indian) during our sailing. Both meals were outstanding, and the service was a couple notches above, as well. 

Some Restaurants Are Better than Others 

Queen Mary 2 offers a few specialty dining options to go alongside the King’s Court buffet and the main Britannia dining room. The specialty restaurants are a notably better experience, from the food quality to the service, which we found quite average in the buffet and main dining room.

The Princess Grill and Queens Grill are exclusive restaurants for cruisers staying in the associated suites. 

Our favorite restaurants on QM2:

Chef’s Galley offers gourmet pizzas and pastas for dinner in an intimate environment. During the day, it serves tasty burgers and hot dogs.

The Verandah (extra charge) is a steakhouse that serves up flavorful cuts and the full assortment of sides like steak fries, asparagus, baked potato and fantastic desserts.

Try All the Cocktails!  

The bars and lounges feature a stunning array of great creative cocktails. The Champagne Bar, Commodore Club, Chart Room and Golden Lion Pub have drink menus with pages of enticing concoctions.

You also can sign up for the Commodore Specialty Cocktail class and try all seven of the creations made in honor of famed Cunard fleet commodores. We joined and especially liked the Land of Hop and Glory beer cocktail, made with brandy, cognac, ginger ale and hop bitters and the All-Consuming Passion, created by combining gin, vanilla vodka, passionfruit, pineapple, lime juice and grenadine.

Afternoon Tea Is a Highlight 

Endless small sandwiches, incredible scones with clotted cream and jam and an assortment of other sweets are downed daily at 3:30 p.m. along with hot tea in the gorgeous Queens Room. Get there early to snag a seat for this popular tradition on Queen Mary 2. You’ll love the atmosphere, which is enhanced by live music .

The Feel Is Distinctly British   

With tea time and a ship filled with art and photography paying homage to the royals , as well as enrichment talks that focus on London and the history of England, you’ll find yourself immersed in a truly British community while sailing from New York. By the time, you reach Southampton, you’re ready to fit right in, mate!

You Can Bring Your Pet (Maybe)

Queen Mary 2 is the only cruise ship with a kennel. We enjoyed sailing with the dogs (and a couple cats) on our crossing and getting to see the owners take them out for exercise time on the top deck. This is an extremely tough reservation to secure in order to transport your pampered pet across the ocean in one of the 24 slots, however. The wait list can be two years, and the price per pet is north of $1,000.

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Tour Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 Inside Stateroom

By: Sherry Laskin · Updated On: October 1, 2022

Ever wonder what it would be like in an inside stateroom for 7 days on a transatlantic cruise? 

Queen Mary 2 Inside Stateroom Tour

I really thought I’d be a little claustrophobic in an inside stateroom, especially since it was a transatlantic crossing and no port visits for seven days. Back in 2005, on my first-ever trip to Europe, I booked an inside on Celebrity Century.

An inside was all I could afford on the 14-day crossing from Ft. Lauderdale to Amsterdam. The redeeming factor was that I chose an inside on the highest deck that had an exit door to the area above the Lido deck, only steps away. Almost like having a private balcony since it was fairly secluded.

Here on Queen Mary 2, the inside was also on a lower deck and would require a couple of flights up outdoor access on the Promenade deck. After the first night, though, I was acclimated and learned to enjoy the calm darkness during the day for naps. However, I did figure out how to deal with not knowing when daylight was going to break.

READ NEXT:   My favorite secret hideaways aboard Queen Mary 2

Want to know a good trick when cruising in an inside stateroom? At bedtime, turn your TV to the bridgecam channel and turn off the sound. Because it’s nighttime, the screen is obviously dark.

As dawn approaches, just as a window begins to let in light, so will your TV screen. This way, you’ll automatically be aware of whether it’s day or night. And you’ll save a lot of money, too!

So that’s how I learned to cope in an inside stateroom…on any ship. Sure, if I can catch a sale on an oceanview or balcony, I’ll jump at the chance. But if I’m cruising during high season or if space is nearly sold out, I’ll take that inside stateroom rather than pass up a chance for a memorable cruise.

I hope you enjoy the video and if you do, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Happy cruising!

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Queen Mary 2

Cruise line Cunard

• Southampton (England)
• New York (NYC Manhattan-Brooklyn)
• Hamburg (Germany)
• Sydney (NSW Australia)
• Hong Kong (China)

Queen Mary 2 current position

Queen Mary 2 current location is at South Africa (coordinates -32.65372 S / 28.96640 E) cruising at speed of 15.5 kn (29 km/h | 18 mph) en route to ZA DUR > ZA CPT. The AIS position was reported 17 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Queen Mary 2

Queen Mary 2 current cruise is 123 days, round-trip Full World Voyage , themed as "Easter". The itinerary starts on 03 Jan, 2024 and ends on 05 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Queen Mary 2

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Queen Mary 2 Itineraries

Queen mary 2 review, review of queen mary 2.

The 2004-built RMS Queen Mary 2 cruise ship is the oldest and most famous of all Cunard liners, with fleetmates the sisterships MS Queen Victoria (2007) and MS Queen Elizabeth (2010), and Cunard's newest liner (2024-built) Queen Anne .

The vessel (IMO number 9241061) is currently Bermuda- flagged (MMSI 310627000) and registered in Hamilton . The previous flag state/registry was the UK/Southampton (MMSI 235762000).

History - construction and ownership

Cunard Line is a British-American cruise brand, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Cunard is headquartered in Southampton (England UK) and is among the world's oldest passenger shipping companies . In 2015, Cunard Line celebrated its 175th anniversary.

Cunard held the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic voyage for most of the next 30 years. In 1968 Cunard Line withdrew from year-round service to concentrate on cruising and summer transatlantic sailings for vacationers. The Queens were replaced by QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2), which was designed for her special dual role. In 1998, Carnival Corporation acquired Cunard. Five years later, Queen Elizabeth 2 was replaced on her transAtlantic runs by QM2 (Queen Mary 2).

Currently, Cunard is the only shipping company operating a regularly scheduled passenger service between North America and Europe.

The 1300-passenger ship RMS Queen Mary 2 is Cunard's current flagship, one of the most modern (by design and technologies) and currently the world's biggest ocean liner specifically designed for regular Transatlantic ocean crossings. QM2 was created with perfection, from bow to stern, with gorgeous public areas, lavish restaurants, ballrooms, theatres, bars and lounges, and even a Planetarium (the first at sea). In order for passengers to be well protected when the ship is moving fast (30 knots), invisible windscreens were built.

Stephen Payne was the vessel's naval architect - a CCL-Carnival's designer, who resembled features of some former ocean liners. These aspects include three thick black lines which recall the appearance of the first Queen Mary. Because Queen Mary 2 is too large and cannot dock in all ports, the passengers are ferried in tenders to and from the ship. For transporting passengers to shore, tenders pull up to loading stations, which have large hull doors for hydraulically opening outwards and forming a boarding platform.

The vessel changed its flag-state in 2011 (from London UK to Hamilton Bermuda) in order to allow shipboard weddings at sea. RMS stands for "Royal Mail Ship" - a gesture to Cunard Line's history.

RMS Queen Mary 2 is the only ocean liner with regularly scheduled Transatlantic cruise crossings between England and the USA (Southampton and NYC New York). She provides premium travel experiences with contemporary amenities, highly-trained staff, and most professional crew. By GT-tonnage (148528 tons) QM2 is also one of the world's largest passenger ships .

Cunard QM2's first World Cruise started on January 10, 2007, navigating around the globe for 81 days. On February 20, in Sydney NSW, she met Queen Elizabeth 2 - being also on a World Voyage. Numerous viewers were at the harbor bridge although the queens' arrival time was 5:42 am. This was the first time they met since the original Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary served in 1941 as troopships.

Queen Mary 2 embarked on a 3-month voyage around the world from Southampton on January 10, 2012. She traveled south and afterward east around Africa, then along the east coastline of Australia heading to Japan and back to Southampton through the Suez Canal.

Another Royal Rendezvous took place in New York on January 13, 2011, at 6:45 pm, in front of the Statue of Liberty. Queen Mary 2 met Queen Victoria and the brand-new Queen Elizabeth. The two other ships- QE and QV crossed the Atlantic in tandem for the event. The fireworks and the red lights of the Empire State Building marked the event. For the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the Queens met again in Southampton on June 5, 2012.

Decks and Cabins

RMS Queen Mary 2 staterooms (1363 total) include 170 Suites, 813 Balcony, 74 Oceanview (of which 12 Lanai/Atrium-View), 286 Inside rooms, in all 29 categories. The ship has 479 connecting, 26 wheelchair-accessible and 15 studios (single-occupancy cabins). The largest are the Grand Duplex Suites (1600 ft2 / 149 m2 plus 645 ft2 / 60 m2 terrace).

The boat has 18 decks , of which 13 passenger-accessible and 11 with cabins.

Passenger staterooms are in the following types: Standard Inside (no window), Lanai/Standard Atrium View (Standard Inside with a small window), Standard Oceanview (1 small non-opening porthole with seaviews), Britannia Club Balcony and Britannia Balcony (with glass-fronted step-out balconies) and the rest are Suites (Princess, Queen, Penthouse, Royal, Duplex, Grand Duplex).

Theoretically, RMS Queen Mary 2 is a classless ship, but passengers are actually separated (like on all Cunard liners) as their onboard dining locations are according to their cabin's category/cruise fares paid.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

All Cunard ships have 3 main restaurants offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner: Queens Grill Restaurant is designated for guests staying in Queens Grill accommodations. Evening dining is anytime between 6.30 pm - 9.00 pm. Princess Grill Restaurant - for guests staying in Princess Grill accommodations. Evening dining is anytime between 6.30- 9 pm. Britannia Restaurant - for guests staying in Britannia Balcony, Oceanview or Inside Staterooms. Dining arrangements depend on the class of accommodation passengers have chosen. Most of them prefer the Britannia class and dine in the main restaurant. Passengers can upgrade to a "junior suite" and then dine in Princess Grill, or choose a suite and then dine in the Queens Grill. Thus they are grouped by Cunard as the so-called Grill Passengers who are permitted to the Queens' Grill Lounge and may also use the private area on deck 11 and its whirlpool. The other public areas are allowed to use by all passengers.

Each stateroom is allocated and most cabins are allocated to Britannia restaurant - two-story with 1,300 seats. Princess Grill on deck 7 is for the more expensive staterooms- the Queen's Grill on the same deck - for the very best ones. Fares include all meals in the allocated restaurant and the afternoon tea served in King's Court or Queen's Room. Food is excellent - you may choose different starters, main courses, desserts, being changed every day. Dining optional venues - instead of in allocated restaurants, you can choose to eat in the self-service informal King's Court on deck 7 (with several buffet areas) or in the Golden Lion pub on deck 2. You may have breakfast or lunch at the King's Court area which is open twenty-four hours a day - it serves as a buffet restaurant. Todd English restaurant on deck 8 serves superb food, call in the morning to reserve a table.

Each cabin has free room service with a simple menu - burgers, pasta, crackers which can be ordered by phone at any time. If you order drinks, they are charged at bar prices.

When you book you may request a sitting. The Britannia restaurant has two for dinner - at 6 p.m. and at 8.30 p.m. Princess Grill and Queens Grill do not have sittings - when they are open, you can dine any time you choose. A note for confirmation sitting and table number will be left in your stateroom when you board. Lunch and breakfast do not require allocated tables or sittings.

NOTE: During the ship's major drydock refit in 2016, "Winter Garden" was replaced with "Carinthia Lounge". The new lounge offers alternative breakfast, lunchtime options, and premium coffees. Also during the 2016 refurbishment, "Todd English" (Mediterranean cuisine) was replaced with "The Verandah" - a contemporary French cuisine restaurant. The buffet-style "Kings Court" was completely transformed, with the addition of a smokehouse (alternative dining concept).

Passengers staying in suites are offered new menus in refurbished settings by Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants. Britannia Restaurant, Golden Lion pub, and Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar all boast refreshed menus. Cunard Line has created many of the new menus in its development kitchen in Southampton.

Follows the complete list of Queen Mary 2 restaurants and food bars.

• King's Court (478-seat self-service buffet restaurant, with Chef's Galley area for culinary demonstrations and Chef's Table menu on select evenings; sectioned in 4 casual dining venues - Chef Galley, The Carvery, Lotus, La Piazza)
• Britannia Restaurant (1351-seat, 3-decks high Dining Room; serves open-seating Breakfast and Lunch. Dinners are waiter-served, with 2 assigned sittings at 6 or 8:30 p.m. Inside is the Britannia Club which is a private dining room for Britannia Club Balcony guests)
• The Carvery (offers gourmet English cuisine, reservations are recommended)
• Lotus (Asian cuisine with Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai dishes; reservations only)
• La Piazza (24-hour; serves Italian cuisine; reservations recommended)
• Queens Grill Restaurant (206-seat, for Queens Grill Suite guests; with regular and an a la carte menu)
• Princess Grill Restaurant (180-seat, Princess Grill Suite guests only; open-sitting, with the same menu as at the Queens Grill)
• Todd English (216-seat specialty restaurant, reservations are required)
• Boardwalk Cafe (a fast-food bar serving the pool area).

Transatlantic cruise travel is more formal as a dress code. During the day, passengers definitely tend towards country club casual. At night, even when it isn't a formal-designated evening, passengers dress up anyway. There are 3 dress codes in the main restaurants after 6 pm each evening. Which one applies each night is noted in pre-voyage documentation and daily program in all staterooms.

• Formal (men - dinner jacket with a black tie or dark business suit; women- evening dress)
• Semi-formal (men- jacket and a tie; women - cocktail dress/trouser suit)
• Elegant casual (men - a jacket, a tie is optional; women - skirt, dress or trousers). Shorts and T-shirts are not permitted.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The facilities on Queen Mary 2 include fifteen bars and restaurants, a theatre, casino, ballroom and five swimming pools (four of the ship's five swimming pools are outdoors), together with the first planetarium at sea. You can also use the ship's kennels and nursery. QM2 has a shipboard class dining system.

As it is with most modern passenger ships, the major public rooms onboard are situated on the lowest decks while the passenger cabins are stacked above them. This way the designers made it possible more staterooms to be equipped with balconies not affected by ocean waves.

The Illuminations Theatre, the first at sea Planetarium and a Cinema are on Deck 2, where are also the Empire Casino, the Royal Court Theatre, the Grand Lobby, the Golden Lion Pub, Britannia Restaurant's level 1. The upper level of Illuminations Theatre, Britannia Restaurant, and Royal Court Theatre are on Deck 3, together with a shopping arcade, Queen's Room, Veuve Cliquot (champagne bar), Sir Samuel's (wine bar), Chart Room, G32 Nightclub.

Another public deck (Deck 7) houses the Winter Garden, Canyon Ranch Spa, King's Court, Queen's Grill Lounge, the restaurants Princess Grill and Queen's Grill.

On Deck 8 is the Todd English Restaurant, 8000-volume Library, Book Shop, a large outdoor swimming pool.

QM2 also has a large amount of commissioned artworks (5000+) by artists from 16 different countries. These are visible in the hallways/corridors, lobbies, various public rooms.

Each evening a daily program for the next day will be delivered to your stateroom, showing detailed information about activities on board, opening and closing times of bars, restaurants, and other facilities. There is also an ongoing program of plays, shows, lectures. Several live bands with dancing every evening will entertain you on board. If you prefer disco - visit the G32 nightclub. Do not forget Canyon Ranch spa on deck 7 which offers from massages to manicures, jacuzzis, and saunas.

Cunard cruise ship weddings, ceremonies, and parties could be held in some of the QM2's lounges. There is no chapel on the ship.

Follows the complete list of Queen Mary 2 lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Royal Court Theatre (1105-seats, 2-decks high; has a dynamic stage for grand show / musical productions; features concert hall acoustic and high tech equipment). Via a 3-year partnership deal with RSC-Royal Shakespeare Company (2022 through 2025/May-Aug and Sept-Nov), at the Royal Court Theatre are also hosted theatrical performances by RSC actors. The company's program for QM2 includes "Boundless as the Sea" (a piece created by Owen Horsley exclusively for Cunard Line) as well as "Miss Littlewood" (musical show by Sam Kenyon) and "Shakespeare Tales" (informal events with RSC actors performing their favorite pieces (sonnets and speeches) and interacting with the audience.
• Illuminations Theatre (493-seat, 2-leveled, with a giant movie screen; hosts the world's only Planetarium at sea for astronomy shows, virtual reality movies, and high-tech visual programs)
• Grand Lobby Atrium (with a grand piano, grand sweeping staircase, interior glass-wall lifts)
• Golden Lion Pub (123-seat traditional British pub bar; features a large selection of the UK and international beers, large-size TVs, live entertainment, small dance floor)
• Empire Casino (222-seat, 6000 ft2 / 610 m2; with 115 slots and 11 gambling tables, served by Casino Bar)
• Images Photo Gallery & Shop (professional photo-video services; exhibits fine artworks)
• Cunard ConneXions (a complex of 7 rooms that host onboard events)
• Cyber Centre (has 9 Internet computers, with 35 Internet workstations available in the other ConnneXions rooms)
• Clarendon Art Gallery (art auctions and exhibitions; the artworks are all originals)
• Video Arcade (with the newest video games for all passengers)
• Mayfair Shops (shopping arcade; luxury jewelry, watches, fashion clothes, formal wear, QM2 logo merchandise)
• Veuve Cliquot Bar (Champagne bar; the menu also includes tapas and canapes)
• Sir Samuels Bar (specialty coffee/tea and patisserie bar)
• Chart Room (cocktail bar with live jazz)
• Queens Room (2-level formal dancing ballroom; features the biggest dancefloor at sea)
• G32 Disco & Nightclub (named after the QM2 ship's yard number; with live band music and DJ program)
• The PlayZone (club lounge area and nursery for kids; complimentary)
• The Zone (supervised teens club lounge, equipped for kids activities)
• Minnows Pool (QM2 family pool area, with a sunbathing area and a splash pool)
• The Canyon Ranch Spa & Salon complex (size 20000 ft2 / 1860 m2, 2-level; with a Spa, Thalassotherapy Pool, Thermal Suite, Finnish and Herbal Saunas, Treatment Rooms, Relaxation Lounge, Aromatic Steam Room, Beauty Salon)
• Fitness Centre (Gym Room and Weights area; with 8 exercise bikes, 10 Elliptical machines, 14 treadmills, 4 steppers, 2 rowing machines, yoga mats)
• Carinthia Lounge (ex-Winter Garden; 278-seat, size 7000 ft2 / 650 m2 classy lounge and supper club with live plants area, live music performances; serves Afternoon Champagne Tea, specialty cocktails and pre-dinner snacks)
• Queens Grill Lounge (Queens Grill Suite guests only venue with white-glove service and live piano music)
• QM2 Book Shop; The Library (with the largest book selection at sea - over 8000 volumes)
• Terrace Pool Area (with two Whirlpools, poolside bar, sunbathing area, and Band Stand)
• Commodore Club (115-seat indoor observation lounge with panoramic windows and live piano music)
• Boardroom (a lounge for private parties and meetings)
• Churchill's Cigar Lounge (QM2's smokers' room with a selection of fine liquors and cigars)
• Concierge Lounge (private club venue for Princess and Queens Grill guests)
• Atlantic Room (meeting room; doubles as Card Room)
• Queens Grills Terrace (private outside pool area for Queens Grill passengers with bar service and Jacuzzi)
• Pavilion Pool Area (with two Whirlpools, Magrodome, served by the Pavilion Pool Bar)
• 22 kennels for pets (dogs and cats; with a fire hydrant and lamp post in the area reserved exclusively for walking the dogs)
• The Fairways (2 golf simulator machines, 51 golfing course choices)
• Sports Centre (1/2 size basketball court; Deck Games area with quoits, shuffleboard, chessboard, paddle tennis, mini-golf course)
• The Sun Deck's pool area (with Splash Pool and two Whirlpools; a sunbathing area with loungers; served by the Regatta Bar).

Itineraries

Queen Mary 2 itinerary program is based on regular Transatlantic crossings with departures from Southampton England UK , Hamburg Germany , and NYC New York USA . Each year the ship offers an Around the World Voyage sailing roundtrip from Southampton and oneway itinerary segments. QM2 features special Cunard cruises to Canada (New England) and the Caribbean, also with departures from UK and USA.

Queen Mary 2 - user reviews and comments

Photos of queen mary 2.

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Other Cunard cruise ships

• Queen Elizabeth
• Queen Victoria

Queen Mary 2 Wiki

RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2) is Cunard Line's oldest and one of the world's most famous ocean liners of all time. As vessel class and design, QM2 is an "ocean liner" designed specifically for regularly scheduled passenger express Transatlantic crossings between the UK and the USA. Departures are from 3 homeports - in the USA ( New York City ), the UK ( Southampton ) and Germany ( Hamburg ). Most of these voyages are according to a fixed Transatlantic schedule with 7-day North Atlantic crossings between Southampton and NYC. The short (7-day) itinerary is usually without any ports of call.

Cunard's QM2 construction was completed on December 23, 2003. The inaugural cruise/maiden voyage to Fort Lauderdale Florida started on January 12, 2004.

The ship's Godmother was HM Queen Elizabeth II (UK's ruling monarch/1926-2022). The naming ceremony was held on January 8th, at Port Southampton. The special event featured live musical performances by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/RPO and the Royal Marines Band (the British Navy's musical wing).

The ship was named "RMS Queen Mary 2" in respect of Cunard Line's Royal Mail service.

RMS Queen Mary 2's building cost is over USD 900 million - ranking the vessel nearly 2 times more expensive than most of the currently operated cruise liners. The construction was costly because the ship is big and the materials used were of the highest possible quality. Plus, vessel's construction demanded 40% more steel than an ordinary cruising vessel. When launched in 2004, QM2 became world's biggest cruise liner ever .

QM2's cruising speed of 30 knots (56 kph / 35 mph) ranks it world’s fastest cruise liner currently in operation. The vessel's service speed is 26 knots (48 kph / 30 mph). RMS Queen Mary 2 is the first cruise ship with CODAG propulsion system (“combined diesel and gas”) based on gas turbines that magnify diesel-produced power.

Illuminations Theatre is the first Planetarium at sea. The ship also has the largest Library at sea (8000+ volumes), the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub at sea, a total of 15 dining venues, 5 swimming pools, 620-m wraparound promenade deck, onboard kennels (available only on the transatlantic crossings). QM2 is Post-Panamax vessel (can’t pass through the old Panama Canal locks), designed specifically for Transatlantic crossings. Among the fun facts are, that on Transatlantic crossings, QM2 is supplied with about 65 000 fresh eggs and about 150 tons of food. Propulsion demands are however even more impressive. QM2 ship needs 1850 tons of diesel oil and 1000 tons of fuel for the gas turbines on a regular 7-day North Atlantic crossing between USA and UK. It takes 6 hours to fill her storage tanks.

In August 2004 (during the Summer Olympics in Greece), the ship was chartered and stayed docked for 2 weeks in Port Piraeus (Athens) serving as ship hotel. Among the guests were Tony Blair (UK's Prime Minister), Jacques Chirac (France's President), George W. Bush (USA's President), the whole US Olympic basketball team, John Cleese (UK actor), Richard Dreyfuss (US actor), Harold Evans (UK journalist and author), George Lucas (film director and producer), Carly Elisabeth Simon (US singer), Rod Stewart (UK singer), Donald Trump (media magnate / future US President).

On October 19, 2011, the vessel changed its registry (flag-state) from UK to Bermuda which allows cruise wedding ceremonies to be held on the ship. The word "Southampton" on the stern was replaced with "Hamilton". This was the first time in Cunard's history when its liner was registered not in the UK.

In early-February 2017, Cunard Line announced company's sponsorship of the "Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show". This prestigious all-breed conformation show is held annually in NYC New York since 1877. The onboard show took place on February 11-14. The winner and its owner were offered a free QM2 Transatlantic Crossing.

On December 8, 2017, QM2 operated a cruise-themed after "The New York Times" crossword's 75th anniversary. During "The Crossword Crossing" (7-night Transatlantic cruise NYC to Southampton), QM2 passengers had the unique chance to test their crossword skills and meet the newspaper's crossword experts (including Ben Zimmer, Deb Amlen, Joel Fagliano). They offered insight into the media's popular puzzles via daily scheduled themed events (lectures, game sessions, other activities). The New York Times' first crossword puzzle was published in 1942. It became a daily occurrence by 1950 and is now one of the media's most popular features.

On itinerary August 31-September 7, 2017, the passenger liner hosted the 2nd "Cunard Transatlantic Fashion Week" cruise from Southampton to NYC. These themed voyages bring together some of the world's most renowned fashion brand representatives. On each of the 7 days at sea are hosted fashion shows, formal dinners, exclusive events, workshops, and talks. Among the 2017 voyage's VIPs were Julien Macdonald (celebrity designer) and Colin McDowell (fashion writer). Three new for Cunard pop-up stores on the QM2 ship offered for purchasing latest fashion collection items, including Mulberry (purses and bags), Lucy Choi (designer shoes) and Melissa Odabash (designer swimwear).

An interesting fact is that a baby boy was born on board RMS Queen Mary 2 on January 17, 2016, while en route to New York . The ship was on a transatlantic crossing from Southampton when a German passenger went into labor. The ship doctor delivered the baby. The baby boy, who arrived 3 weeks early, was named Benjamin Brooklyn.

Starting in January each year, RMS Queen Mary 2 "World Cruise" is a huge event on the cruising market. Compared to other lines, Cunard's World Cruises deals offer affordable prices, exciting destinations and "big and famous" ports of call to visit around the world.

Cunard World Cruise 2022 (Queen Mary 2)

RMS Queen Mary 2 has scheduled a 118-day World Voyage 2022 which replaced all scheduled QM2 cruises departing January 3 through April 3, 2022 (including a voyage to South America).

The voyage departs roundtrip from Southampton (104-day, booking code M203I) and from New York City (118-day, booking code M202F) and visits Greece, Israel, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong China, Australia, Bali, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Italy, Portugal. The itinerary also features two Suez Canal crossings (on both the eastbound and westbound route) and overnights in Haifa, Dubai, Hong Kong, Sydney NSW, Singapore, a late-night departure from Colombo.

Queen Mary 2 World Cruise 2022 is bookable either as a full voyage (118-night / 104-night) or in several shorter segments from NYC (to Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney Australia), Southampton (to Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney NSW, Fremantle) and itineraries departing out of Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia. The full itinerary visits 27 ports in 16 countries and 33 UNESCO Sites. Customers with full itinerary (roundtrip) bookings enjoy a Welcome Onboard Reception, services by World Voyage Concierges, use of an exclusive lounge, Gala Event ashore, complimentary daily gratuities.

Prices for the 118-night full voyage (NYC roundtrip Jan 3 - May 1) started from GBP 13000 / ~USD 16900 / ~EUR 14300 per person (inside stateroom at double occupancy). Prices for the 104-night full voyage (UK roundtrip Jan 10 - April 24) started from GBP 10100 / ~USD 13150 / ~EUR 11100 per person (inside stateroom at double occupancy).

RMS Queen Mary 2 refurbishments review

The ship's last drydock was in 2023 (October 23 to November 12, at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam ) and mainly for routine/general maintenance and class works, inspections, a technical overhaul, hull cleaning and repainting.

QM2's drydock in 2021 (August-September) was at Damen Shiprepair Brest ( Brest France ), during which were conducted mainly general maintenance works, as well as hull cleaning and painting.

During Cunard Line’s 175th anniversary celebrations was announced that QM2 enters 25-day long drydock in 2016 (May 27 to June 21). The drydock (at Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg Germany ) resulted in the following changes:

The Winter Garden lounge on Lido Deck 7 was redesigned and transformed into the new Carinthia Lounge. The lounge is named after the Cunard's two Carinthia ships – RMS Carinthia (1925-1940) and RMS Carinthia (1956-2006).

On deck 8, the ship’s signature restaurant Todd English was replaced by “The Verandah Restaurant”. The new restaurant (available on both QM2 fleetmates) offers gourmet French regional cuisine (with seasonal influences) plus a fine French wines list. The new specialty dinner is at a surcharge and opens for lunch and dinner only. The Verandah Grill has its own bar selling pre/post-meal drinks.

172 suites (all Princess and Queen Grill suite accommodations on the QM2 ship’s upper decks) were comprehensively redesigned to maximize space. Their decoration was also changed, reflecting the Cunard Line’s history. The changes include new luxury textures in soothing colours and new carpeting (with a rugs-design inspired by the old RMS Queen Mary liner).

Extensive development work involving Cunard guests and the onboard Queen Mary 2 galley teams has been undertaken over the last eighteen months in the redesign of this very popular area of the flagship. Enhancements are planned to both the service and culinary offerings in Kings Court with the refreshed venue featuring new menus, the convenience of pre-set tables and waiter-served drinks.

The King's Court (self-service buffet restaurant on lido deck 7 midship) was majorly redesigned. Both central-location elevators were removed to create a vast open space. This way, the central buffet stations area became more open, allowing an easygoing flow. The restaurant’s seating was also reconfigured for a less crowded experience, adding the convenience of pre-set tables and waiter-served drinks. New menus were introduced (including a smokehouse alternative), plus pre-set tables and waiter-served beverages. Among the new menu choices are hot/cold meals, light snacks, afternoon treats, alternative cuisine specialties (including Asian, Indian, Italian, Tex Mex. At the center stage, ship's chefs entertain guests through cooking demonstrations in the evenings.

(King’s Court) The Chef’s Galley area (that offers for lunch pasta and pizzas) on select evenings additionally offers Chef’s Table menu. This is a fine wine pairing and food tasting VIP dining event hosted by the ship’s Executive Chef. The buffet’s new design features modern chandeliers, new artworks (circus-themed), areas with timber flooring, lots of mirrors.

Both Grill restaurants (on Lido deck 7) were redesigned and renovated with a new color scheme, furnishings, and flooring. After the 2016 refurbishment, they both have new menus, more 2-seat tables and were reconfigured for more privacy (by increasing the space between tables).

15 new single-occupancy staterooms were added on deck 2 portside (taking space from the Casino) and deck 3L portside (in the place of the Images Photo Gallery).

The Britannia Restaurant (dining room on deck 2) was redesigned too. It was renovated with new decor and upgraded with new dining menus and the Cunard's "White Star Service" standards.

Updated menus were introduced also at Golden Lion (pub) and Veuve Clicquot (wine / Champagne bar).

30 new balcony staterooms category “Britannia Club Balcony” plus 5 Inside staterooms were added on deck 13 (in the deck’s forward part)

10 new kennels (for cats and dogs) were added to the existing 12 kennels on deck 12. This is the best amenity for passengers traveling with pets. Cruise ship kennels were the Cunard’s signature feature on the line’s former flagship RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. On the ocean liner QM2, they were first introduced at the Duke of Windsor's suggestion.

On QM2, the kennel area was expanded, an owners lounge and a new pet playground were added. The extended outdoor area is intended for dog walking and features a lamppost (from Liverpool ) and a fire hydrant (from NYC ). In 2016, Cunard partnered with Barbour (British sportswear brand) to offer smart pet accessories on the QM2 ship (including jackets, collars, leashes).

On deck 2, two of the Grand Lobby's elevators were removed. This made more space for the lobby lounge, which was also redesigned and refurbished with high-back chairs and a new Baby Grand piano.

Around 55,200 m2 (594,200 ft2) of new carpets have been laid throughout the ship. All new cruise cabins increased the QM2 ship’s capacity from 2620 passengers (max 3151) to 2726 passengers (max 3271). Refurbishment's fun facts: man-hours (over 1 million), new carpets (55,200 m2 / 594,200 ft2), new framed pictures number (4,000), hull paint quantity (over 15,000 litres / 3,962 US gallons).

QM2's drydock 2016 refurbishment cost Cunard ~GBP 90 million.

• RMS Queen Mary 2 Cruises

CUNARD QM2 SHIP CRUISE ITINERARY, SCHEDULE, PRICES, INFORMATION

• World Cruises
• Transatlantic
• RMS Queen Mary 2 Ship

Queen Mary Cruises NET is an unofficial fan website dedicated to the Cunard Queen Mary 2 cruise ship – the most famous ocean liner and one of the top 3 largest vessels listed in the Southampton cruise ship schedule each year. Our QM2 cruise ship review here is integrated with the  QM2 deck plans  (all accommodations and facilities location by deck) and with RMS Queen Mary 2 (ship details, construction and fun facts). All the photos below are courtesy of  Cunard Line .

Cunard 150,000-ton cruise ship Queen Mary 2  (“QM2” as known affectionately) took cruise industry by storm at her launch back in 2004. And this magnificent cruising lady still turns heads. She’s gracious and old-world fashioned, but considered the only true ocean liner since the Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2 ship debut in 1969. QM2 antiques and artwork reflect this legacy.

Read here all about the QM2 cruise ship onboard experience – the basics (including information on dress code and gratuities), the facilities (passenger staterooms, the Spa & Fitness complex, all dining and entertainment options.

Cunard Queen Mary 2 Cruise Ship

QM2 carries 2,592 guests double occupancy. 75% of QM2 cabins feature private balconies, though they are of little use while crossing North Atlantic. This is an official YouTube video tour and review of the Cunard Queen Mary 2 ship (narrator is Rachel Pierman, UK TV presenter):

Cunard QM2 cabins information

• The cabins include two groups – Queens and Princess Grill class staterooms, top of them being the enormous Grand Duplex Suites, with private dining room, lounge and deck space, comprising 159 ft2 (15 m2) insides on up to 248 ft2 (23 m2) deluxe balcony rooms.
• QM2 also offers cabins that can accommodate third or fourth passenger, though they are too small.
• Queen Mary 2 operates as two-class cruise ship – Grill and Britannia Class. It provides 10 cabins categories, and 25 price grades. The choice offered is unrivalled onboard any other vessel – from outside-view standard cabins to the most lavish suites afloat.
• All grades feature 20-inch (or larger) TVs, digital video (with movies in English, German and French) and audio on demand.
• Two combinations onboard QM2 offer equivalent of large at-sea-house . Combine Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth suites with Queen Victoria and Queen Anne suites to produce huge living space. After joining Grand Duplex apartments this one would be enormous.
• More affordable are the 782 premium/deluxe balcony cabins, the 62 outside-view or no view (interior) cabins, and the 12 atrium cabins.
• Thirty cabins and suites in various categories are designed specially for wheelchair users . 36 cabins are designated to accommodate hearing-impaired or deaf passengers.

Cabins and Suites photo gallery

1. qm2 queens grill suites (q cabins category).

QM2 Queens Grill accommodations guests dine in the famed Queens Grill. Queens Grill Lounge is elegant and together with the private terrace are reserved for their use only. Q Categories – Queens Grill include:

• Q1 – “Balmoral” and “Sandringham” Duplex Suites – 2,249 sq.ft. (209 m2) – the largest accommodation stand-alone;
• Q2 – “Holyrood” Duplex Suite (with a gymnasium) – 1,566 sq.ft. (146 m2); “Windsor” and “Buckingham” Suites – 1,471 sq.ft. (137 m2); “Queen Mary” and “Queen Elizabeth” Suites (with private lift access) – 1,194 sq.ft. (111 m2)
• Q3 – Royal Suite – 796 sq.ft. (74 m2)
• Q4 – Penthouse – 758 sq.ft. (70 m2)
• Q5 – Q6 – Suite – 506 sq.ft. (47 m2).

2. QM2 Princess Grill Suites (P1 – P2 cabins categories)

Located on Deck 10, QM2 Princess Grill accommodations are spacious Junior Suites (381 sq.ft / 35 m2) with large balconies, bath with shower and tub, sitting area, walk-in closet, interactive TV, a concierge and a cabin steward ensuring flawless service. Guests in QM2 Junior Suites are offered single-seating Princess Grill elegant dining.

3. QM2 Standard Staterooms (B, C, D cabins categories)

QM2 Standard staterooms look more like the deluxe guestrooms on ordinary ships. They are spacious and beautifully decorated – feature fine wall prints, sofas in soft colors, turndown service. Guests have reserved tables in Britannia Restaurant, but they can also choose one of the alternative dining options. QM2 standard staterooms include:

• B1 – B7 – Deluxe, Premium Balcony cabins – 248 sq.ft. (23 m2) with balcony
• C1 – C4 – Oceanview cabins – 194 sq.ft. (18 m2)
• D1 – Inside cabins (Atrium view) – 194 sq.ft. (18 m2)
• D2 – D6 – Inside Staterooms – 194 sq.ft. (18 m2).

Cunard Queen Mary 2 Cruise Ship Dining

Naturally, QM2 passengers should expect luxury dining, and the ten dining rooms and eateries truly provide it.

As with ocean liners’ custom in the past, each of the staterooms is matched with a table reserved at QM2 sea-view restaurant, by the largest afloat wine selection. Of course, guests can always make reservations and choose one of the optional dining alternatives. Another extra is the 24 hours a day room service .

QM2 Restaurants, Bars, Dining Options

Britannia Restaurant is the main dining room with 1,347 seats. It’s height is almost three decks, and it has two grand staircases. The 178-seat Princess Grill and 200-seat Queens Grill are smaller dining salons. Queens Grill dining experience is excellent, it includes free caviar together with the other luxury dishes.

QM2 continues Cunard tradition of dining rooms specially for those in higher class suites. Guests in one of QM2 Q categories are free to savor the delicious specialties of Queens Grill. Princess Grill is only reserved for passengers in P category. Cunard Grill restaurants are approved by food critics as the best at-sea dining experience .

Other dining alternatives:

• Todd English Restaurant , chic and cozy, is alternative restaurant, 216-seat, with $30 cover dinner charge. Todd English is the first at-sea venture of the American television chef and features his famous Mediterranean cuisine.
• Kings Court is ideal for casual lunch or breakfast as it is an informal, 478-seat eatery. At night it transforms into four intimate venues: the Carvery, Italian trattoria, Asian restaurant, and Chef’s Galley, featuring live demonstrations of meal preparation.
• Golden Lion Pub offers fine ales, lagers, pub snacks, all served in the charming pub where guests enjoy a pint while watching sporting events.
• Boardwalk Cafe is a casual eatery by the pool, good for lunch. The best of it is you can eat in a swim suit! Fast food lovers can find comfort in the outdoor Boardwalk when weather permitting.
• QM2 Winter Garden and Queens Grill Lounge are the perfect spots for your British afternoon tea. It’s served brewed freshly, with no tea bags, complete with clotted cream, scones, finger sandwiches, fresh pastries and white glove service.
• There are 14 bars, lounges and clubs onboard QM2. The delightful observation lounge Commodore Club , has commanding views over the bows and light jazz is played each evening. Other fine drinking places include Sir Samuel’s wine bar, the nautically-themed bar The Chart Room , Champagne Bar  and Coffee Bar . Outdoor bars include Terrace Bar  and   Regatta Bar .

Restaurants, Clubs and Bars photo gallery

Qm2 ship entertainment.

Queen Mary 2 was designed for comfy cruising even when in rough seas. Most of QM2 public areas are situated on Deck 2 and Deck 3, including the Chart Room, Empire Casino, and Gold Lion Pub . Dancers should head to Queens Room ballroom , which has crystal chandeliers and high arched ceiling. Up on Deck 9 is one of the best spots for good views and a drink in the Commodore Club .

QM2 carries small musical units, high-class bands, duos and solo entertainers performing live music in bars and lounges. Under Oxford University partnership , ship’s enrichment programmes supply specialist lecturers. New York Juilliard School of Music is also QM2 partner and selected jazz musicians sail on transatlantic crossings.

QM2 Planetarium – Illuminations , is the first at sea full-scale planetarium. It has 150 reclining seats, and guest can take virtual rides into outer space and view the stars or other visual spectacles. QM2 full-scale planetarium also functions as grand cinema and lecture hall, even as broadcasting studio.

The Royal Court Theatre is 1,094-seat, presenting West End-style productions, cabaret acts and headline entertainers. RADA – Royal Academy of Dramatic Art supplies actors to perform and lead workshops.

Cunard ConneXions offer enrichment cultural program, seven classrooms and 500-seat auditorium. QM2 guests can attend seminars, lectures and workshops. Classes range from foreign languages to fashion, period furniture to watercolor techniques, film making to British comedy discussions.

The Maritime Quest exhibit has museum quality – it’s like a tour to the transatlantic cruising’s golden era. Famous international artists were accredited to produce over 300 original art works valued at over $5 million.

QM2 Interactive TV helps guests receive and send e-mails, review seminars they might have missed, choose from various movies, and sign up for Cunard shore excursions from the comfort of QM2 stateroom.

Passengers can also surf the web, check e-mails or transmit video postcards to family and friends. Choose to take classes in QM2 Computer Centre , or take your own laptop – each stateroom features direct Internet access.

QM2 Play Zone helps guests who wish to take their kids along. The Play Zone is QM2 best spot for 2-7 years old children. It’s a separate facility, providing hours of supervised activities and entertainment. The area includes Minnows splash pool, an array of activities and toys from computer terminals to board games, and English nannies for toddlers.

Entertainment Venues and Pools photo gallery

Qm2 spa & fitness (canyon ranch).

More than fifty Canyon Ranch wellness and health experts work in the 20,000 sq.foot (1,858 m2) facility – the largest at-sea-spa , including 24 treatment rooms, a whirlpool, thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite with Finnish and herbal saunas, aromatic steam room and reflexology basins.

QM2 Spa Club facilities are also available through the purchase of daily Passport , covering Aqua Therapy Centre, Fitness Centre, locker rooms, relaxation lounge, and daily fitness classes on your choice (from yoga to Pilates, aerobics, indoor cycling). Robes, slippers, complimentary beverages in relaxation lounge are provided. Passports are valid between 8 am-8 pm.

QM2 Passengers

QM2 guests are mainly on the older side , as their average age is around 70. Lots of them choose Cunard for the stricter dress code and adherence to tradition that you will not see followed on other lines. During school summer holidays you’ll find more kids onboard on itineraries which are not transatlantic (Caribbean, Norway and Eastern Seaboard).

QM2 Dress Code

Cunard dress code is possibly the most formal and most QM2 guests are happy to oblige. They tend toward casual country club during the day, although European or transatlantic voyage is dressier than one in the Caribbean. A crossing features typically three formal nights – of these some with theme (Masquerade or Black and White), and three informal nights.

QM2 official dress code changes at 6p.m. , and jeans are discouraged throughout ship, other than at Winter Garden bar and Kings Court buffet. QM2 informal nights can feel as deluxe as formal nights on other cruise ships, with women in cocktail dresses and men in sport coats. During formal nights the majority of women wear long gowns; men are in tuxedos or dark suits.

QM2 Gratuities (Tipping Policy)

Queen Mary 2 cruise ship provides personal butler and concierge services . Concierges serve guests in all Grill Accommodations. Queens Grill categories feature also private butler service .

Despite the fact that QM2 features British flair, the U.S. dollar is her onboard currency. Cunard charges $11 per day , per person (for regular passengers), to shipboard accounts; $13 per day is the charge for the ones in the Grills.

15% tip is added automatically to guests’ bills for purchases in QM2 lounges and bars (there’s also space for “extra” gratuity). Canyon Ranch Spa Club treatments include 12.5% tips , but you can always add more.

Queen Mary 2 refurbishment 2016

As in 2015 the Cunard Line celebrated its 175th anniversary, the company also announced that the QM2 ship will undergo a 25 days dry-dock refurbishment. All the works will be done by the Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, Germany. The QM2 refurbishment is scheduled for 2016 (May 27 through June 21).

The ship’s renovation will include most interior spaces, plus a number of new staterooms and amenities, among which:

• 15 new single cabins for passengers traveling solo and singles
• 30 new Britannia Club Balcony cabins
• Britannia Club restaurant will be expanded
• 10 more kennels for dogs and cats (the ship currently has 12 kennels)

More details on the QM2 refurbishment upgrades will be announced in the coming months.

It’s a simple fact – RMS Queen Mary 2 is the most famous cruise liner, and among the most famous ocean liners ever. Well, probably right after the notorious RMS Titanic. But the QM2 ship is also currently the most British, and one of the not so many “affordably expensive” luxury cruise ships in the world. In our days, the words “Cunard QM2” are associated with stylish luxury at sea, standard, perfection, service, UK – and very rich people.

The very combination “Cunard Queen Mary 2” inspires dreaming – of world-class travel by cruise ship that is synonymous with “the world’s only one”, “life time memories”, “unique experience” – and, of course, “Carnival and Micky Arison” – the largest cruise company and the man who made the QM2 dream come true. The QM2 cruise ship is and will remain in our civilization’s history as “THE ocean liner of the world”, along with Cunard – the company that gave a new meaning to words like “Transatlantic”, “luxury” and “travel”. Enjoy the gourmet taste of your money, feast your eyes with the wonders of our world, and always safe and happy vacations on the amazing Queen Mary 2 liner!

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Queen Mary 2, Cruise Review: Ship, Food, Entertainment and More

I’ve been cruising on modern cruise ships for years but have always wanted to try a cruise on a traditional ocean liner.

There’s only one ocean liner operating in the entire world, so when I saw a short cruise sailing on her from my local port, I knew I had to give it a go. 

I didn’t know what cruising on an ocean liner would be like. Everything I knew about ocean liners came from the early 20th century, with the most famous ocean liner of all being the Titanic. 

Would this cruise be like being on a modern-day Titanic and would I enjoy it and fit in, if it was? 

Embarking The Queen Mary 2

As soon as we walked up to the Queen Mary 2, we could tell that this was going to be an interesting cruise.

We didn’t know just how interesting at that point but like most cruises I seem to go on, we had medical emergencies, we had urgent repairs and we even had a fire break out onboard at one point. 

We walked straight into the central atrium and were greeted with crew members wearing these rather cute red outfits and hats (Bell Boy uniform).

Cunard are very proud of their ‘White Star’ service and they have a higher percentage of crew to passengers compared to most modern cruise lines. 

I Had a Few Things I Wanted to do Onboard

I was so excited and happy to be onboard. This cruise was only 4 days long but I know that there were a few things that I knew I wanted to try during this cruise, I wanted to:

• Take part in the very formal formal nights.
• Go to traditional afternoon tea.
• Find the kennels where they keep the dogs (yep really).
• Find the famous Homer Simpson which was hidden in one of the pieces of art onboard.

There are over 5,000 pieces of art onboard the Queen Mary 2, so that last one wasn’t going to be easy. 

Straight away I realised that the layout of the ship was unlike any ship I’d been on before. I thought that I would get used to it as the cruise went on, but spoiler alert, I never did! Especially as there is a Deck 3L that joins Deck 3 and 4 together at the bow.

The Queen Mary 2 is The LAST Ocean Liner

The Queen Mary 2 is an Ocean Liner instead of a Cruise Ship and this means that she’s meant for the purpose of transporting guests from one place to another instead of just round and round in circles like most cruise ships. 

There are a few design features that are different on Ocean Liners but at this point, I didn’t really realise how that would affect our cruise on a day-to-day basis.

The positioning of the public spaces was different, the ship was missing traditional cruise ship features like an outside pool and pool deck and I was hoping that the way that the ship was constructed would mean that we wouldn’t feel any movement.

My last cruise was pretty rough weather-wise and Ocean Liners are designed to be smooth in bad weather, so I was hopeful. 

I Had Booked a Guaranteed Inside Cabin

I don’t know how, but somehow we managed to make it to find our cabins. We had to watch the safety drill videos on the TV before sailing away and that was very easy.

We had the cheapest inside cabin available on the ship and it was cabin 6198.

The Queen Mary 2 was launched in 2003 and despite the ship being very well maintained, there are a few things in the cabin that do give away the age of the ship.

Everything was very clean though, we had plenty of storage and we were very happy here.

Every Cabin Has a Kettle!

The beds were so comfortable and I bought my trusty daylight alarm clock so that we wouldn’t wake up in the dark and we even had a kettle so that we could make tea each morning.

Tea is a big part of cruising with Cunard and I was looking forward to Cunard’s afternoon tea which is a must on any Cunard cruise. 

We Chose Early Dining And Were Given a Table For 4

In our room was a little card that said which table we would be dining on.

Cunard have fixed time dining and table sharing is common.

I was cruising with my family, so hoped that we would have the same table and time, luckily we did. We did select this before the cruise but I wasn’t 100% sure that it would be right, despite our bookings being linked we had different embarkation and disembarkation times, so I was relieved to see that dinner was right.

If it wasn’t we could have gone to the restaurant to change it or phoned them up, it wouldn’t have been a big deal but you don’t really want to start off your cruise by fixing problems. 

I was cruising on the cruise with my family and fellow cruise YouTubers the Cruise Buoys and Paul and Carole Love to Travel so we would usually meet for a pre-dinner drink in one of our cabins, never my inside cabin though.

Cunard’s Drinks Prices Are Quite Expensive

Drinks on Cunard are pretty pricey, especially compared to other British cruise lines.

There’s also a 15% gratuity added onto each drink, so if you’re not careful you can rack up quite a big bar bill. 

You are able to bring onboard drink on Embarkation day though, so we just slowly worked our way through the bottles that we had bought onboard. 

To learn what you can bring onboard for which cruise line, check out this post: Can You Bring Alcohol on a Cruise? – Searchable Cruise Line Table

We Went to The Pub For Lunch

After finding our cabins our thoughts quickly turned to food as they often do. We decided to head to the pub on board to have lunch.

If you are taking a Cunard cruise this is a great option as it’s usually less busy than the buffet or main dining room. 

I had a cauliflower pie and between us, we tried most of the menu. Here I ordered a Diet Coke as I didn’t see Pepsi on the menu, but I later found out that they had Pepsi on draft. Woohoo! From that point onwards I was ordering a pint of Diet Pepsi each time. 

The food was really good and all of the food that we had in the main dining room and buffet was really good too.

I wasn’t very impressed with the room service, but more about that later. 

The Doughnuts Were INCREDIBLE

If you are taking a Cunard cruise and you have a sweet tooth you are in for a treat, I’ve never ever had such a good doughnut as the doughnut that I had onboard this ship.

We were cruising on valentines day so they had extra doughnuts and sweet treats, they had chocolate fountains, brownies, cookies on sticks, you name it. It was heaven. 

The pub was a very popular venue onboard as it often is with British cruise lines, here they do trivia a few times a day and they’d also have live music here too.

We saw a guitarist here who was brilliant and they would even hand out little bowls of crisps which were amazing. 

What is There to do on The Queen Mary 2?

There was lots of live music around the ship and although you won’t find things like gameshows or waterslides or ziplines on the ship we weren’t ever bored. 

The Queen Mary 2 does have the biggest library at sea with over 10,000 books onboard. Usually, libraries are little sections on cruise ships, but this really was a proper library. 

There’s a Planetarium Onboard!

The Queen Mary 2 also has something that other cruise ships don’t have, and that is a planetarium. We went to see a show here and I thought it was cool. It’s basically a big dome which you sit under and the stars and sky are projected onto it. 

The shows are only around 25 minutes long but it’s definitely a must if you are cruising on the Queen Mary 2.

Viking do also have planiatiums on their ships Orion and Jupiter but Cunard’s is much bigger. 

There’s a Traditional Theatre

As well as the planetarium, the ship also had a more traditional theatre which was split over two levels. I did find some of the seating on the lower level to be a bit strange, it felt to me like when I was in these seats I was in the way of the people behind me but we had a great view from the top level.

We watched a comedy juggler and the show team perform some traditional cruise ship songs and dance. A lot of the songs I didn’t know because they were a good 30-40 years before I was born, but I still enjoyed it.

Are Cunard Cruises For ‘Old’ People?

Cunard have traditionally had a reputation for being a cruise line with an older passenger demographic but the average Cunard passenger is only 8 years older than the average cruiser in general coming in at 55 as opposed to the industry average of 48. 

I’m not sure if they may have that reputation because everything is very traditional but there were other people in their 20s and 30s onboard enjoying themselves. 

We Didn’t Feel The Ocean Movement at All

Normally on a cruise, you’ll feel some sort of vibrations or movement, it’s usually slight unless you’re in bad weather but on the Queen Mary 2 I never felt anything at all apart from when in a very small section of the theatre and even then the movement was nothing.

The Queen Mary 2 has a lounge called the Commodore Club which is right at the front of the ship, usually you’d expect to feel some movement here but we didn’t feel a thing.

It was honestly like being in a building that was by the sea, rather than being in a ship.

My last cruise was very rough and we were quite seasick, the amazing thing was was that the waves on this cruise were almost as high as on my last cruise.

It was night and day different though and although after my last cruise I said I wouldn’t do a transatlantic, after my time on the QM2 I need to amend that to say I would do a transatlantic but only on this ship.

It was amazing.

So much better than I could have imagined. 

Theres No Large Outside Pool (Only at The Aft)

Because the Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner she doesn’t have an outside pool deck in the normal sense.

She has a long-tiered aft and there is a pool here, but there isn’t the normal large swimming pool that you’d find on all other cruise ships.

She’s designed for crossing long distances, usually in bad weather so she isn’t designed for most of the guests to be outside.

That said we did see quite a few people playing shuffleboard and there even a little tennis and golf section up here.

There was lots of space to do laps around the top of the ship and the QM2 has a proper promenade deck too complete with the nice older style wooden deck. 

The Buffet Was on Deck 7

On most cruise ships you’ll find the buffet up high usually by the pool but on the Queen Mary 2 the buffet is actually down on deck 7.

My cabin was on deck 6 so that was great for me but it was very odd to keep walking through the buffet to get to different places.

I’m not sure if it was made more difficult during our cruise because many of the corridors were closed off, I assume some were closed for COVID quarantine reasons but we would often find ourselves walking through the spa, or the dining room, or going through places like the art gallery to get where we needed to go. 

I Was Constantly Lost

The staircases onboard are labeled A B C D and that was helpful, I knew that I could only get to my cabin from the C or D staircases but it definitely took some getting used to, if you asked me now how to get to places I couldn’t tell you.

Cunards website says:

“You won’t get lost if you simply imagine her as a three dimensional city grid: an enormous cube with four stairwells.” Cunard

Well, Cunard, I tried and failed at that. 

We Had Two Formal Nights on Our 4 Night Cruise

During our 4 night Cunard cruise we had 2 formal nights and 2 smart casual nights.

I packed two long dresses for the formal nights and wore two dresses I’d usually wear for formal nights on other cruise lines for the smart casual nights.

Our cruise was a cruise of two halves, we sailed across to Hamburg and then back to Southampton. Lots of guests joined us in Hamburg and from that point the announcements onboard were in both English and German. 

Cunard are the strictest cruise line I know of when it comes to dress codes and I totally understand that it isn’t for everybody.

If you don’t like formal dress I wouldn’t recommend a Cunard cruise to you, but there are plenty of cruise lines with very relaxed or no dress codes at all. 

To learn more about the Cunard cruise dress codes, check out this post: Cunard Dress Code – (Mens, Womens, Childrens, Real Examples 2021)

You may be wondering why you should dress formally on a cruise, I saw a quote on board the ship which did make me laugh, it said:

“Dress smartly as well as sensibility in case you are washed overboard. Being well dressed would elicit greater respect from the person finding the body”

That doesn’t really affect my dress code decisions but whatever works. 

The Dress Code Applies in The Theatre Too

The thing that I don’t like about the dress codes is that they apply across almost all of the ship.

One night we stayed in and decided to have room service, afterwards we wanted to go to the theatre but we still had to get dressed up to go out to the theatre, sometimes I just want to go to the theatre in my jeans, but on a Cunard cruise, that isn’t the done thing.

Room Service is Free!

I took my first and only Cunard cruise before this in 2016 and one of my favourite things about it was the room service. I remember eating a chocolate cake on my balcony as we sailed away from Kotor and it was amazing.

I have to say I felt disappointed by the room service menu this time around, I’m Vegetarian and the only Veggie option was mac and cheese which I had already had for lunch so didn’t really want it again.

We asked if we could have something off-menu like a veggie burger as they have those in the buffet but they said they couldn’t, I ended up having a club sandwich without the meat which was basically just a cheese sandwich.

It was okay but not great in the way that I had remembered. 

Room service is free on Cunard though, so that’s cool. 

The Queen Mary 2 Has Kennels Onboard!

One afternoon when my parents went to a lecture in the planetarium I decided to go and see if I could find the kennels.

The Queen Mary 2 is the only ship that allows pet owners to bring their dogs or cats onboard and it’s a great alternative to flying with a pet.

The last I heard was that it costs around $1,000 to bring a pet on the transatlantic cruise, which is pretty much the same price as a human but the animals are well looked after.

There are 24 kennels onboard and the animals need lots of paperwork and vaccines and things to be able to travel.

The owners of the pets can visit them at certain times, but you can’t bring your cat to your cabin or walk your dog through the restaurant. 

Where is Homer Simpson on The Queen Mary 2?

All over the ship were amazing pieces of artwork, lots of it looked as though it belonged in a museum.

It took me quite a long time, but I did manage to find Homer Simpson, he’s on the American section of a piece of art on deck 2.

He’s tiny and looks as though he’s fading away a bit from everybody poking him but he is there! 

Cruising on the Queen Mary 2 definitely gave me some sort of an idea of what it would have been like to cruise on an ocean liner back in the day but to understand it better you need to read this post next, I stayed on board the original Queen Mary who launched in 1936, she’s now a hotel and has quite a reputation as being the most haunted ship in the world.

Inside RMS Queen Mary’s Swimming Pool – Real Photos, Design, and Deaths

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Review: Queen Mary 2

Reviewed by Noo Saro-Wiwa

What is the line?  Cunard

Name of ship?  Queen Mary II

Passenger occupancy?  2,691

Itinerary?  Southampton, England to New York City, USA

Relive the golden age of stylish slow travel, indulging in five-star treatment and high-end entertainment.

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

This is a classic brand of cruise liner known for luxury, high-quality entertainment. Expect  refined dining, sartorial elegance, haute cuisine, fine wine, and high-end entertainment from the playful to the cerebral.

Tell us about the ship in general

Launched in 2004, the Queen Mary 2 is the flagship of Cunard Line and the largest ocean liner ever built. Carrying up to 2,691 passengers, it has the distinction of being the only ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship – there’s a difference) still in service, and the only transatlantic one at that. Never to be outdone, it has the first planetarium at sea, and its 8,000-volume library is the largest of any cruise vessel. Scattered around its 13 decks are 5,000 commissioned works of art by 128 international artists.

Who is onboard?

Mostly fiftysomething-plus retiree couples or friends traveling in pairs; bon-vivant bucket listers fulfilling lifelong dreams of classic ocean voyaging.

Describe the cabins

We stayed in the penthouse suite, which was three times larger than a regular cabin, its lounge big enough for us to entertain our new passenger friends. They used the guest bathroom while the main bathroom had two showers and a jacuzzi bath. Patio windows opened out onto a large, private balcony, and there were powerful, tripod-mounted binoculars to check out the dolphins.

The Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites come with more compact lounges, marble bathrooms and private balconies. The lowest-tier ‘Stateroom’ cabins are snug with shared balconies, and decorated in bright, fresh colors.

Tell us about the crew

The crew and waitstaff are formal but warm and amenable and would go out of the way to help if requested. A healthy staff-passenger ratio means you’re never waiting long to get assistance. Guests in the penthouse, Princess Grill and Queen Grill suites have 24-hour butler service.

What food and drink options are available on board?

Guests in the superior Princess Grill and Queens Grill suites eat at the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants. Their extensive wine list features excellent vintages that will gratify connoisseurs, and the haute cuisine menu is loaded with the classics, including Dover Sole Meunière and Chateaubriand. The croquette of suckling pig and mango panna cotta were divine standouts. Meanwhile, make sure to get a reservation at specialist restaurant The Steakhouse at The Verandah, which serves cooked-to-order prime cuts sliced by your personal choice of steak knife.

Almost all other passengers dine at the Britannia Restaurant, and there’s also a buffet restaurant serving international cuisine, with options for vegans, vegetarians and dairy dodgers.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

The Mareel spa has almost every form of water therapy on offer, from Finnish sauna, to a sizable pool and jacuzzi, and an aqua therapy including a massage pool where neck and back pains are pounded away by forceful water jets or waterfall shower. Reflexology basins are also available, while the relaxation lounge is so spacious you won’t have to compete for lounge chairs.

Activities and entertainment

“The ship is the destination,” says Cunard’s management team, which lays on a cultural program like no other. It runs the gamut from Shakespeare plays at the Royal Court Theatre productions; a planetarium, and an esoteric range of talks from experts: we listened to a former police officer talk about drug mules, and an art expert discussing investment in art, and a professional guitarist deconstructing and performing Jimmy Hendrix’s best riffs. Harpists and a string trio perform in quiet corners each day, while guests wanting something more contemporary can bop to 70s-90s pop classics at the G2 disco after dinner. Once a year, the Queen Mary 2 hosts the incomparable Literature Festival at Sea, bringing in top authors like Bill Bryson and Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo to discuss their work.

Physical activities include croquet on the top deck, table tennis by the swimming pool, darts, swimming, water-painting classes and bridge lessons.

How was the experience for families?

It’s not the most family-centered liner – the few kids onboard were above 12 years old. Nonetheless, children aged 2 to 17 are welcome and can join activity clubs or do sports and gaming in dedicated entertainment areas.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

Southampton to New York City. Seven days and six nights on the wide open sea. 14 days roundtrip.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

Cunard is installing Advanced Air Quality Systems (AAQS) throughout its fleet to remove sulfur compounds and particulate matter from the ships’ exhaust fumes.

Anything we missed?

Each day through the loudspeaker, the captain gives insightful nuggets of information about navigation, such as ‘the circle’, which is the practice of navigating a ship along the earth’s curved surface. And don’t miss out on the last-night gala where guests dress up and live out their retro fantasies. The theme on our trip was the Roaring Twenties: ladies dolled up in flapper-girl hats and dresses, doing the Charleston with their tuxedoed partners.

Why is this cruise worth booking?

It’s rare to enjoy such cerebral and high-quality dining, entertainment and service with an old-school flavor and charm. You’ll disembark with the feeling that you’ve not just rested your body and mind but cultivated them too.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

By CNT Editors

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Cruise ship passengers left terrified after fire breaks out on £850million Queen Mary 2

• Stephen Moyes , Associate News Editor
• Published : 16:00 ET, Apr 5 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

PANIC-struck cruise ship passengers were confined to their cabins when a fire broke out on the £850million Queen Mary 2.

They were woken by alarms at 6am as crew tackled the blaze below their accommodation.

Travellers were ordered to stay in their cabins but could still smell smoke — sparking fears of an inferno at sea.

Although crew dealt with the blaze quickly, a source said: “Fire at sea is about the worst scenario for holidaymakers. It has left everyone freaked out.

“Passengers could smell smoke in their cabins so the panic felt by some was totally understandable.”

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 — the world’s longest, tallest and most expensive cruise ship — was heading to Mauritius when the fire broke out on Thursday morning.

It had been at sea for four days since leaving Colombo in Sri Lanka on April 1.

The Sun understands the fire started when a compressor overheated in an area containing the ship’s engines, pumps, compressors, sewage and electrical tanks.

Our source said: “At first, everyone thought it was a practice drill. But it was far from that. The blaze was beneath the accommodation areas and the alarm was raised at 6am. It was chaos.”

But they added: “Emergency protocol kicked in and worked a treat with the crew behaving calmly and professionally.”

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Queen Mary 2, which can take up to 2,600 passengers, docked in Port Louis, Mauritius, yesterday ahead of its voyage to Southampton on April 28 via South Africa, Spain and Portugal .

 It is mandatory for staff to contact the authorities about such incidents on board.

Cunard yesterday confirmed to The Sun that there was a small fire that was extinguished immediately.

It insisted no guest services on board were affected.

The 150,000-tonne, 1,132ft ship was built in 2004.

Two nights in its luxury suites cost £549 a person.

• The Sun Newspaper

Already planning to see the next solar eclipse in 2026? What travelers need to know.

Umbraphiles feeling the post-eclipse blues should start checking the expiration date on their passports.

The next total solar eclipse is set to happen on Aug. 12, 2026 over Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small part of Portugal, according to NASA . 

In North America, only a partial eclipse will be visible, so if April’s event made you an eclipse chaser and you want to see totality, you’ll need to head overseas.

Here’s what you’ll need to know before packing your bags.

Do you need a passport or visa for the best destination?

The path of totality for the 2026 eclipse mostly goes through places Americans can travel visa-free with their passport, so long as they’re planning to stay for less than 90 days.

Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Greenland all allow visa-free tourist travel for U.S. passport holders.

Spain, Portugal and Iceland are also members of the Schengen Area, which allows for visa-free travel in much of Europe, meaning if you decide to make a multi-country trip out of your eclipse adventure, you won’t need to clear customs if you’re coming from much of the rest of Europe, either.

One major change for travelers to Europe from the U.S., however, is that electronic preauthorization will become a requirement beginning in mid-2025. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) requirement will apply to all four open countries in the path of totality. 

Depending on the state of the Ukraine war, travel to Russia may or may not be an option for most Americans by 2026, so it’s unclear what the paperwork requirements will be by then.

Is it better to see it from the beach?

Beaches can be a great place to see the eclipse because there are few natural obstacles blocking observers’ views of the sky. The 2026 path of totality passes over beaches on Spain’s northern and southeastern coasts, as well as over islands in the Mediterranean Sea including Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The eclipse will also pass over coastal areas in Greenland and Iceland, according to the National Solar Observatory . 

Cruising Altitude: What it was like to see the eclipse from a plane

Will there be eclipse cruises or flights?

Almost certainly, although most operators have not announced specific plans yet. 

Cruise lines will also offer more viewing opportunities. Princess Cruises “has created a bespoke itinerary aboard Sky Princess to position the ship near Spain on that date,” according to a spokesperson for the line. The cruise will open for bookings on Princess’s website on May 23.

Cunard Line has sailings on its Queen Mary 2 , Queen Victoria and Queen Anne vessels that will put passengers in prime spots to watch .

'The ship can move': Why you should watch next solar eclipses from a cruise ship

Holland America Line is also planning multiple sailings around the event, though details are still to be announced. “Guests have reacted positively to our 2024 eclipse cruises and with the next full eclipse in 2026 we plan to have three sailings in Europe that will align with the path of the eclipse,” Paul Grigsby, the line's Vice President of Deployment & Itinerary Planning, previously told USA TODAY in an email.

WATCH NOW: New witness’ bombshell revelation about night girls vanished

Fitting farewell to a queen.

Sadly for the grand ship’s legion of fans, next summer’s cruise season will be the last in Australian waters for Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. The ship will be based in the Northern Hemisphere from early 2025.

To mark the ship’s Down Under farewell, Cunard has released an extensive list of Bon Voyage Sale fares covering Queen Elizabeth’s final Australian sailings, as well as 2024-26 international itineraries featuring Europe, Alaska, Japan, Asia, world voyages and its iconic Transatlantic Crossings.

Although Cunard ships like Queen Mary 2 and the new Queen Anne will pass through Australia on long voyages in the future, next season will be the last opportunity to sail a Queen on a local homeport cruise, such as its popular Great Australian Culinary Voyage or Australian circumnavigation.

Sale offers include the seven-night Tasmania voyage, departing Sydney round trip on November 27, 2024, visiting Hobart and Port Arthur with scenic cruising through Great Oyster Bay. Fares are from $1269 per person twin share in a Balcony Stateroom, a saving of $680.

Other Bon Voyage Sale itineraries include South Pacific Celebration (13 nights) from Sydney round trip with Fiji a highlight, leaving December 23, 2024, from $3049 per person which is half price; 12-night Queensland voyage from Sydney round trip on January 10, 2025, from $2449 per person; Great Australian Culinary Voyage over five nights departing Sydney featuring celebrity chef Matt Moran, departing February 6, 2025, from $1349 per person in a twin share Inside Stateroom; and the 14-night Sydney to Singapore sailing via the Whitsundays and Bali, on February 11, 2025, from $3519 per person in a balcony room.

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The sale is valid for bookings between April 3 to June 27, 2024. Visit Bon Voyage Sale (cunard.com) for all sale itineraries.

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