Queen Mary 2 is worn out!

So this week I took a day out of the office to Visit Cunard’s flagship, Queen Mary 2. I was very excited with high expectations of this magnificent vessel, expecting her to take my breath away. At first sight she is a beauty, dwarfing the whole of Southampton with her high decks the size of a 21 storey building, and as long as four football fields, she certainly has a striking look.

Queen Mary 2 towering over the Ocean Terminal.

We boarded via the Ocean Terminal and were greeted by the Grand Lobby, a grand sight at that too, but I’ve seen better, not much in the way of seating here, which is a shame because I do spend many an hour in the atrium of the different ships I’ve been on, I feel it really has a great atmosphere and to have such a large open space inside a ship is fantastic.

The Grand Lobby.

We viewed a selection of cabins on board, ranging from Princess and Queens grill, right down to the Britannia inside cabins. All very well appointed with plush furnishings, nice carpets, and superb attention to detail. However, there were certain areas in the cabins that I thought were unacceptable, certainly in some of the suites, which go for thousands of pounds per night!

A stained Princess Grill balcony, salt water perhaps.

A Princess Grill Suite.

As we toured the ship it became clear that after ten years of service, sailing 200+ times across the Atlantic Ocean, and many world cruises, she is showing signs of use. Stains, scuff marks, loose fittings, snagged carpets, and damaged upholstery, really not what I was expecting from the world’s greatest Ocean Liner.

Now let me explain what I mean by ‘Ocean Liner’, and why Queen Mary 2 is simply not a cruise ship. QM2 has a sharp bow and a deep hull, with her lowest glass fronted balcony cabins twice as high as any other ship, imagine a rough winter transatlantic on her with a strong swell, she needs to be protected and be able to slice through the waves in order for her to keep to her schedule, this is why QM2 has such a unique pointed look. You will also notice that her bridge and the structure below her bridge is extended, this is to ensure that no swell will hit her passenger decks. The engineering behind this ship, and how she is protected from the elements really is fascinating.

For lunch we had the honour of eating from a Queen’s Grill menu (the highest suite passengers eat off of this menu) in Todd English’s specialty restaurant, and I can honestly say that the food we had was outstanding. Perfectly British and extremely flavourful, well balanced and well proportioned.

The Grills menu.

First course, Salmon and Crab.

Second course,mushroom soup.

Third, and main course. Trio of Lamb.

Fourth and final course, Rocky road cake.

Queen Mary 2 is in its own class, and for that you have to admire her sheer elegance and beauty, I would not hesitate in sailing on her, although I’m not sure a transatlantic sailing would be for me. A beautiful Ocean Liner, catering perfectly for British and American clients, and indeed passengers from the world over.

Have you sailed on Queen Mary 2? I’d love to hear of your experiences. Please have a look at my Facebook page for the full photo album from my visit.