Queen Mary 2 Cruises

Life aboard Queen Mary 2
Queen Mary 2 completes her 2020 Grand Cruise in mid-April 2020, arriving in Southampton, having been welcomed in Australian ports. Plan ahead for January 2021 when QM2 again leaves the UK for a round-trip to Australia, in the reverse direction: London via Cape Town, Australia, SE Asia, the Indian sub-continent. Middle East and Mediterranean. Many sectors are available. If you’ve sailed with QM2 previously, you’ll want to do it again! This is the least crowded and grandest large resort ship on the seas. RMS Queen Mary 2 had a major make-over in 2016, adding 15 single cabins, 30 Club Balcony cabins, more kennels (for transatlantic), and refitted suites, to name just a few changes. As the world’s only true ocean liner, she makes regular 7-night crossings of the Atlantic from May to December, with the latest high-tech facilities and conveniences. The crossings extend to include autumn in the New England and Canadian Maritime Provinces of NE America in September, and depart New York for the East Caribbean in November/December. For visitors to Europe with little time to spare, QM2 offers 2- to 4-night sampler cruises between Southampton and Germany.

QM2 is the largest ocean liner ever built (16 cruise ships are larger), built to weather the harsh North Atlantic, and faster (at 56 kph) than any cruise ship. She is the world’s No.1 Large Resort Ship. QM2 has at least one-third more passenger space than any other large cruise ship. She is one of the few ships with remnants of a class system, linking staterooms with dining venues, and guests can bring their pets. She offers the finest grandeur and décor of any ship built to date. On a QM2 cruise ordinary travellers can feel like royalty for a week or two. More than 5000 specially commissioned works of art are visible in the public rooms, corridors, staterooms and lobbies. Many of the major public rooms are on the lowest decks: the Illuminations cinema and planetarium, Royal Court Theatre, Grand Lobby, restaurants, shopping arcade, bars and clubs are on decks 2 and 3. On Deck 7 are the Queen's Grill and Princess Grill restaurants for higher-fare passengers. Amenities include the largest ballroom at sea and 5-star entertainment nightly in the Royal Court Theatre. At mealtime expect a traditional setting; dress formally or semi-formally. The ship is aimed at the North American and British markets – or anyone with an appreciation of British traditions. “No ship will make you feel like Audrey Hepburn like the QM2,” said a Travel + Leisure reader.

Accommodation
Most lavish are Queens Grill Suites, and the elegant Princess Grill Suites: both come with many privileges and give access to exclusive dining rooms and private lounges. Then comes Britannia Class (Club Balcony, Balcony, Oceanview or Inside), and in all 25 price grades, depending on location. Of the 1360 cabins, 78 percent are outside, 76 percent come with balconies, and 12 percent are exclusive Queens/Princess Grill cabins. Some staterooms accommodate third and fourth guests. All cabins reflect conservative British décor, and come with excellent bedding, universal electrical sockets, toiletries and hairdryer, bath robe and slippers, shower, 24-hour room and nightly turn-down services, interactive TV, telephone, refrigerator, safe, daily ship’s newspaper and fresh fruit. Balconies are glass-fronted, and Club Balcony guests access Britannia Club restaurant. There are 31 cabins with good wheelchair accessibility.

Fifteen single suites are available. Princess Grill Suites come with in-suite dining, access to Queens Grill Lounge, dining in the Princess Grill, and a range of other niceties such as personalised stationary. Queens Grill guests dine in Queens Grill and have butler and concierge service. The five duplex apartments are two stories high, with elevators and gyms, and can be connected to a penthouse suite. There are five classes of Grill Suites, ever more spacious depending on position, all with full bath and separate shower, extra in-suite entertainment, and so forth. The perks and increased service of Grill-class accommodation are worth it. In a minor addition to the Grills' areas, passengers in the loftiest accommodations have use of a strategically placed pair of telescopes that provide a bird's-eye view of ports, coming or going.

Food and Dining
QM2 offers traditional British dining for passengers who enjoy dressing up for dinner, either in formal or semi-formal attire. Dining venues include the five-star Queens Grill and Princess Grill (comes with the stateroom), private set-table dining at any time in the Britannia Club (top Balcony staterooms), and the three-tiered 1347-seat Britannia Restaurant with its two sweeping staircases. Breakfast and lunch are open-seating, while dinner is in two seatings, with crisp linen and fine china. Queens and Princess Grill guests have access to exclusive al fresco dining on the top deck. The Verandah Restaurant (extra charge and by reservation) is the ship's fine-dining venue, serving French cuisine. The informal Lido offers self-serve breakfast and lunch, then becomes four specialty venues for dinner – Asian, British, Italian, and USA style (all extra).

There is a range of 14 magnificently presented bars and lounges, some available according to accommodation. Take afternoon tea in the Queens Room. The famed Golden Lion Pub serves up English fare like fish and chips and shepherd's pie. Order snacks on the sun deck at the Café. There are many themed bars: sweet-toothed epicures in Sir Samuel’s, champagne afternoon tea at the Champagne bar, martinis at the Commodore Club (overlooking the bow), and the new Carinthia Lounge serves breakfast and lunch. You can also order from restaurant menus for meals in your cabin.

Entertainment
In the Royal Court Theatre, with its blue and gold décor, The Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company Royal Court Theatre presents Shakespearean plays, contemporary drama, musicals, and film screenings. With its 20 private boxes (opera-house style available for an extra fee that includes Champagne, dessert and a prime view), it recalls the West End and Broadway at their best. Some shows are followed by theme parties. During the day the theatre stages a specially written panel quiz show. Illuminations is the setting for cinema screenings, the planetarium, lectures, and classical performances. The two-deck-high Queens Room is one of the most beautiful rooms at sea and hosts activities from dancing to costume balls and white-glove tea. Other rooms include the 8,000 title library and the small Empire Casino.

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art leads acting workshops. Perhaps your voyage may offer astronomy from the Royal Astronomical Society, or jazz performances. The ship’s enrichment program features specialist lecturers such as authors, artists, historians, scientists and famous individuals. For the energetic there are fitness classes, sports courts, traditional deck sports, and a golf simulator. Children will spend their days in The Play Zone. Some of your most memorable times may be those spent on deck, spent reading, talking with other guests, or simply watching the sea pass by. View the maritime museum and Art Gallery, and keep up to date at the Internet Centre.

Explore the decks

13 - Deck 13 12 - Deck 12 11 - Deck 11 10 - Deck 10 9 - Deck 9 8 - Deck 8 7 - Deck 7 6 - Deck 6 5 - Deck 5 4 - Deck 4 3 - Deck 3 2 - Deck 2