Cruise Critic
By Kerry Spencer. Editor, U. K.
The prospect of traveling onboard Queen Mary 2, the world's only ocean liner, is thrilling -- now more than ever -- following the ship's £90-million transformation in 2016. QM2's refurbishment has been carried out with equal amounts of style and sensitivity. The ship now truly feels like a five-star hotel, without losing Cunard's maritime heritage.
The biggest change is in the Kings Court buffet, which is unrecognizable with a completely fresh design and the removal of two central elevators. We love the area's new look; the redesign has transformed the space from a chaotic feeding frenzy into a calm space for daily grazing. The space could still benefit from more tables -- we spotted some passengers taking their plates to Carinthia Lounge (the former Winter Garden) to find a seat during the day.
The Grand Lobby has also lost its two glass elevators and thanks to its new starburst carpet, the space feels like it has come to life and finally found its purpose. QM2's 15 new Single cabins -- a first for the line -- are impressive, too. Designed to offer solo travelers or those traveling with friends their own cabin space, we love this new addition to the ship. Although they're the smallest cabins onboard, the new singles feel spacious and light and, best of all, everything from furnishings to the bathroom fit out is all shiny and new.
With four elevators removed and 50 new cabins added, the ship could have become overcrowded around the other elevators, but this doesn't seem to be a problem. Our transatlantic crossing sailed at capacity, yet the ship felt as spacious as ever. Remarkably, in fact, some areas often seemed quiet. One evening in the brand-new Carinthia Lounge, for example, we were among only a handful of passengers in the room. A favorite area during the day, Carinthia Lounge felt lacking in character in the evenings, although the sophisticated tones and seating is a step up from the aged space it replaced.
Some things never change, though. There's still just the one daily captain's announcement at noon, which provides an update on the ship's progress. From the row of wooden sun loungers bearing the ship's royal motif on the Promenade Deck to the Art Deco-style Britannia Restaurant, QM2 does an exceptionally good job at allowing its passengers to feel that they've stepped back in time.
Commodore Club and Churchill's Cigar Lounge also remain unchanged -- aside from fresh carpets and upholstery -- and they've lost none of their charm. Our tip is to spend a few hours after dinner in Churchill's to indulge in conversation with some of the ship's many fascinating characters. If you'd rather avoid the smell of smoke, Commodore Club is equally as charismatic.
For a line that bills itself as a luxury product, the ship under delivered in some areas. Notably the (un)helpfulness of receptionist and boutique staff and the quality of food in the ship's main dining room, Britannia Restaurant, where the majority of passengers eat. One evening in the Britannia Restaurant we ordered the beetroot salad, which arrived with a few tiny cubes of beetroot hidden below a handful of mixed green leaves, while on another occasion a fillet of haddock arrived overcooked and dry.
The ship's "remastering" was an opportunity not just for improved functionality and aesthetics, but for Cunard to improve on these areas, too, and we feel they haven't been addressed. However, the ship really excels in its specialty dining, both at Kings Court Specialty A La Carte -- the ship's daily changing themed restaurant -- and its new addition, The Verandah.
Traveling on QM2 still feels like an extremely special experience and there's a feeling of quiet excitement onboard, as you step back in time to a golden age of travel. Dressing for dinner is taken seriously and passengers enjoy the romance of taking walks on the Promenade Deck, dancing in the Queens Room and experiencing the Planetarium. And the thrill of approaching New York (if you're on a westbound crossing), becomes palpable the nearer you get to the U. S.
Passengers looking to experience cruising at its most elegant and formal will love QM2, but if you're looking for a more modern variety of relaxed luxury -- a ship that provides top-notch service without fanfare -- QM2 is probably not for you.
Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Fellow Passengers
Naturally, QM2 attracts a large amount of British and North American passengers because of its frequent transatlantic crossings. When the ship stops in Hamburg, there is also a large proportion of German passengers onboard. Although passengers steer toward the 60-plus age group, we also found many younger couples, families traveling with babies, children and teenagers onboard. Be prepared for some furry fellow passengers, too, as the ship can carry up to 24 cats and dogs in the ship's Kennel Suites on transatlantic cruises (they can't leave the area, however, so those with allergies need not fear).
Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Dress Code
The QM2 has one of the most rigorous and formal dress codes at sea. This is a ship where passengers appreciate formality; even informal nights require jackets and cocktail dresses. If dressing up isn't your thing, it's not the ship for you, unless you are OK being restricted to the buffet at night.
During the day, it is recommended that passengers dress in stylish casual wear, including shorts, smart jeans or chinos and polo shirts or casual shirts. Swim and leisurewear are suitable around the pools.
On an eight-night transatlantic crossing, there are typically four formal nights, which means dinner jacket, tuxedo or dark suit with a tie for men or evening or cocktail dress for women. Men tend to stick to tuxedo on formal nights and on themed nights, such as the Roaring Twenties, women go all-out -- think feather boas, decade-appropriate headgear and tasseled dresses galore!
On informal nights, men are still required to wear a jacket, although a tie is optional. Women are advised to wear a cocktail dress or a two-piece. After 6 p. m. shorts and blue or worn denim (for men and women) and sandals and sleeveless tops (for men) are not appropriate in certain areas of the ship, such as the main dining rooms. Passengers wishing to dress more informally in the evening are recommended to dine in the Kings Court and use the Carinthia Lounge.
Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Gratuity
Despite the ship's British heritage and large passenger base, the onboard currency is U. S. dollars. Britannia Club & Britannia Balcony passengers are charged $11.50 per person, per day, and Grill suite passengers are charged $13.50 per person, per day. Cunard automatically adds a 15-percent gratuity for all purchases in the bars and lounges. Treatments at Canyon Ranch SpaClub, the ship's spa and salon, include a 12.5-percent gratuity charge.
Specifications of Queen Mary 2
Review of Queen Mary 2
Launched in 2004, Queen Mary 2 is the oldest and most famous of Cunard ships, together with MS Queen Victoria and MS Queen Elizabeth.
History - construction & ownership
Cunard Line is a British-American cruise line, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corp. & plc since 2005. It is based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic. In 2015 Cunard celebrated 175 years of operation. In 1839, Samuel Cunard (from Nova Scotia) was awarded the first British trans-Atlantic steamship mail contract. The next year, together with Robert Napier (famous Scottish steamship engine designer and builder), he formed the British & North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company to operate the line's four paddle steamers on the Liverpool–Halifax–Boston route. 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 scheduled passenger service between North America and Europe.
The 148,528-ton, 1,300-passenger cruise ship RMS Queen Mary 2 is the flagship of Cunard Line and one of the most modern cruise vessels designed nowadays - the biggest ocean liner in the world, built specifically to cross the Atlantic Ocean. QM2 was created with perfection, from bow to stern, with 14 spacious decks on which to relax and unwind. Gorgeous public areas, lavish dining rooms, ballrooms, theatres, lounges, and you may not believe it but there is even a Planetarium onboard. Queen Mary 2 boasts a lot of deck space. In order passengers to be well protected when the cruise ship is moving fast (30 knots), invisible wind screens were built.
Stephen Payne was Queen Mary 2 naval architect - a 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 in 2011 from London UK to Hamilton Bermuda in order to be able to offer on-board weddings. “RMS” stands for "Royal Mail Ship" - a gesture to Cunard Line’s history.
Cunard Queen Mary 2 cruise ship QM2 was most famous before her first sailing, and today is a worthy heir to Cunard’s legacy. She is the flagship of the most respected fleet in the world, consisting of luxury ocean liners. With her accommodation, renowned restaurants, breathtaking Grand Lobby, you will be amazed for sure.
RMS Queen Mary 2 is the only ocean liner still sailing Transatlantic cruise crossing schedules each year between Southampton and New York. She is also a magnificent and super luxury ocean liner - the only one ever built. Queen Mary 2 provides modern cruise travel experiences with its fourteen spacious decks designed to comfortably relax; lounges; dining rooms; ballrooms and theaters - not to forget the spectacular and only Planetarium at sea. You must sail with this Queen of sea to really enjoy every single minute.
Cunard Queen Mary 2 first World Cruise started on 10 January 2007, navigating round the globe for 81 days. On the 20th of February in Sydney harbor she met Queen Elizabeth 2 being also on a world cruise. Many viewers were attracted at the harbor bridge no matter the arrival time of the queens was 5:42 a. m. This was the first time they met since the original Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary served in 1941 as troop ships. Queen Mary 2 embarked on three-month cruise around the world from Southampton on the 10th of January 2012. She traveled south and afterwards 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 the 13th of January 2011 at 6:45 p. m. in front of 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 the 5th of June 2012.
Onboard policies
- Pregnant women have to present a letter from doctor or midwife. They are not allowed on QM2 if entered the 24th week of pregnancy. Children under 12 months are also not permitted. Children between 12 and 24 months travel free when travelling as 3rd or 4th person in stateroom. A child sharing a stateroom with one adult is charged adult fare. Children sharing stateroom with two adults, being over 24 months, are charged as for the 3rd or 4th person in stateroom - around half the normal fare. ‘The Zone’ is on deck 6 and it is staffed by friendly young nannies. The toddler zone is for ages between 1 and 3, the Play Zone - for ages between 4 and 6, ‘The Zone’- for older up to 17, offering computer games and other. If your child is from 1 to 7 years old, you can leave free of charge in the Play Zone during opening hours - 09:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, 18:00-24:00. Children from 1 to 7 must be accompanied by adult outside the Play Zone. Children from 8 to 17 can sign themselves in and out the Zone and are free to wander solo the ship. Billed to on board account– everything on board: drinks in bars, internet access, books from the bookshop, purchases in the shops, massages in the spa. You have to show your cabin card after purchases and sign for payments. The total will be deducted from your credit card at the end of the crossing. One price will be quoted to you, but you will be charged a slightly higher - bar prices will have 15% added automatically as a gratuity. Cunard also charges passengers $11 per day to all guests' shipboard accounts. Mobile phone and Internet access– available on board. Internet access is with good download speed and is available in public areas (including bars) and in your cabin. Payments are by the minutes. Dogs– allowed on Queen Mary 2- during the crossing they will be kept in ship’s kennels (except guide dogs). Pay-per-item laundry service– available on board for laundry collected from staterooms. On most cabin decks you may also use a small self-service and free-of-charge laundrette. Baggage limit– no such limit on Queen Mary 2, no limit for the number of bags if all you bring fits in your stateroom. No item may exceed 23Kg for safe lifting. On the arrival your bags will be taken at the terminal and placed in your stateroom. After the crossing is finished, they will be transported ashore.
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.
Cruise itinerary program
Queen Mary 2 itinerary program is based on regular Transatlantic crossings with departures from Southampton UK. Hamburg and New York. Each year the ship offers a “World Cruise” 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.
Cabins
Most Queen Mary 2 staterooms are 250-270-sq. foot Balcony rooms (813). There are a total of 1363 staterooms in 23 categories. The largest aboard Queen Mary 2 are the Grand Duplex Suites (2250 ft2). The so called ‘staterooms’, the cheapest QM2 cabins, include private bathroom with shower, toilet, sink, comfortable beds, TV, dressing and coffee tables, chair, internet access pay-per-minute, room service menu, electronic safe for valuables. The staterooms on Cunard Queen Mary 2 can be separated into categories, in cost ascending order: Standard Inside (no window, but beautifully designed with all facilities above); Standard Atrium View (standard inside cabins with a small window, allocated to Britannia restaurant); Standard Oceanview (with a small non-opening porthole with a sea view); Britannia Premium Balcony (the cheapest type with own balcony, allocated to Britannia restaurant); Britannia Deluxe Balcony (with a glass-fronted balcony, allocated to Britannia restaurant); Britannia Club Balcony (similar to Britannia Deluxe balcony, allocated to ‘Britannia Club’ single-sitting restaurant); Princess Balcony Suites (suites with balcony, allocated to Princess Grill); Queens Balcony Suites (various types including the Grand Duplex suites, allocated to Queen’s Grill restaurant).
Dining options - Food & 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 6.30pm - 9.00pm. 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 Britannia class and dine in the main restaurant. Passengers can upgrade to a ‘junior suite’ and then dine in the 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-storey with 1,300 seats. The 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 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 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.
A trans-Atlantic cruise travel is more formal than a cruise about dress code. During the day, passengers definitely tend towards country club casual. At night, even when it isn't a formal-designated evening, people dress anyway. There are three dress codes in the main restaurants after 6 p. m. each evening - which one applies each night you will be told in pre-voyage documentation and daily program in your stateroom: 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, tie is optional; women - skirt, dress or trousers). Shorts and T-shirts or shorts are not permitted!
NOTE: The major refit of the ship in 2016 replaced "Winter Garden" with "Carinthia Lounge". The new lounge offers alternative breakfast, lunchtime options and premium coffees. The Mediterranean restaurant "Todd English" became "The Verandah" - serving contemporary French cuisine. The buffet-style "Kings Court" was completely transformed, with addition of a Smokehouse alternative dining concept.
Passengers staying in suites are offered new menus in refurbished settings by the 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 (fast-food bar serving the pool area).
Entertainment options - Fun & 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 kennels on board and the nursery. Queen Mary 2 has a class system for her dining options on board.
As it is with most modern passenger ships, the major public rooms are situated on the lowest decks on board Queen Mary 2 - the passenger cabins are stacked above them. This way the designers made it possible more passenger cabins to be equipped with private balconies which not to be affected by ocean waves. The Illuminations theatre, the first at sea planetarium and a cinema are situated on Deck 2, where are also the Empire casino, the Royal Court Theatre, the Grand Lobby, the Golden Lion Pub and the first level of the Britannia Restaurant. The upper level of the Illuminations theatre, the Britannia Restaurant and the Royal Court theatre are on Deck 3 together with a shopping arcade, the Queen’s Room, Veuve Cliquot champagne bar, Sir Samuel’s wine bar, the Chart Room and the G32 Nightclub. Another public - Deck 7, contains the Winter Garden, Canyon Ranch Spa, King’s Court, the Queen’s Grill Lounge, and also the famous Princess Grill and Queen’s Grill restaurants for passengers with higher fare. Public room on Deck 8 is the Todd English Restaurant. An eight thousand-volume library, a book shop and a large outdoor pool are also situated there. A large amount of commissioned works of art – more than five thousand by artist from sixteen different countries are visible in the ship’s corridors, public rooms, corridors, lobbies.
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.
Follows the complete list of Queen Mary 2 lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.
- 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 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 art works) Cunard ConneXions (a complex of 7 rooms which host onboard events) Cyber Centre (has 9 Internet computers, with 35 Internet workstations available in the other ConnneXions rooms) 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) 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 yardnumber; 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 partiesand meetings) Churchill’s Cigar Lounge (QM2 ship’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 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, chess board, paddle tennis, mini golf course) The Sun Deck’s pool area (with Splash Pool and two Whirlpools; sunbathing area with loungers; served by the Regatta Bar).
Queen Mary 2 wiki
- Accident reports and news CruiseMinus. com Cabin grades number: 23 Total number of cabins: 1316 (of which 175 Suites, 784 Balcony, 293 Inside rooms) For Cunard Queen Mary 2 cruise ship review, you can visit QueenMaryCruises. net (history, facts, information, photos, videos, world cruise itinerary maps). Dining Rooms: Britannia (with the "Britannia Club" annex for balcony room passengers) Restaurants and food bars: Kings Court (buffet), La Piazza (Italian), Lotus (Asian), "Queens Grill" and "Princess Grill" (dining lounges for grill suite passengers), Winter Garden (formal supper club), Boardwalk Cafe (fastfood). Lounges & Bars: Royal Court (theater), Illuminations (planetarium), Queens Room (largest ballroom at sea), G32 (nightclub), Sir Samuels, Chart Room (jazz), Veuve Cliquot (wine-champagne), Queens Grills Terrace, Winter Garden (with live plants), Regatta, Commodore Club (observation), Queens Grill (suite passengers), Golden Lion (pub), Empire Casino, Churchill’s (cigar), The Zone (teens), The PlayZone (kids), poolside bars. Amenities: Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Supervised Youth program-Play zone, Kids Zone, Teen Zone, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry. Cunard Queen Mary 2 tipping/gratuities (US$11,50 -13,50 pp per day). Cunard cruise ship weddings, ceremonies and parties could be held in some of the QM2's lounges. There is no chapel on board the Cunard QM2 ship. Canyon Ranch Spa (with Thalassotherapy pool), Fitness, 8 jacuzzis, 4 pools, wraparound Promenade (Deck 7 "Lido"), 8 luxury shopping boutiques, Library (largest at sea). Cunard Queen Mary 2 ship is the line's oldest, absolutely unique, and one of the most famous and largest cruise ships in the world of all times. Her "queen sisters" are the Cunard ships ms Queen Elizabeth and ms Queen Victoria. As marine vessel class and design, the QM2 ship is an "ocean liner". The QM2 cruise liner was designed specifically for regular express Transatlantic crossings between UK and USA. The Queen Mary 2 departures from USA (New York City ), UK (Southampton ) and Germany (Hamburg ) are according to a fixed Transatlantic schedule on regular 7-day North Atlantic ocean crossings between Southampton and NYC. The short (7-day) itinerary is often without any ports of call. Cunard's QM2 construction was completed on the 23th of December 2003, and she sailed on her maiden voyage to Fort Lauderdale Florida on January 12, 2004. Godmother of the vessel is HM Queen Elizabeth II herself. The ship was entitled "RMS Queen Mary 2" in respect of Cunard Line's Royal Mail service through the years. RMS Queen Mary 2 cost over USD 900 million to build. This is about 2 times more expensive than most of the cruise ships in currently in operation. The construction was that costly because the QM2 ship is so big, and the materials used were of a highest possible quality. Plus, the construction of the cruise liner demanded 40% more steel than an ordinary cruising vessel. QM2 was the biggest cruise liner in the world when she was launched 2004. QM2's cruising speed of 30 kn (56k m/h / 35 mph) ranks it the world’s fastest cruise liner currently in operation. The vessel's service speed is 26 kn (30 mph / 48 kph). This is a benefit of the vessel's special integrated electric propulsion system, which has gas turbines that magnify diesels produced power. RMS Queen Mary 2 is the first cruise ship with CODAG propulsion system (“combined diesel and gas”). The onboard Illuminations Theatre is the first planetarium at sea. The ship also has the largest Library at sea (more than 8,000 volumes), the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub at sea, a total of 15 dining venues, 5 swimming pools, 620m promenade deck, onboard kennels (available only on the transatlantic crossings). The vessel is Post-Panamax class vessel (can’t pass through Panama Canal), designed specifically for Transatlantic crossings. Among the fun facts are, that on Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic crossings, this unique cruise liner is supplied with about 65 000 fresh eggs and about 150 tons of food. Porpulsion 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 order to avoid the onboard (ship) weddings prohibition, rms Queen Mary 2 shifted her registry port (and flag state) in 2011 from the England's Southampton to Bermuda's Hamilton, on the 19th of October. In early February 2017, Cunard Line announced the company's sponsorship of the "Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show". This is a prestigious all-breed conformation show held annually in NYC New York since 1877. The show took place on Feb 11-14. The winner and its owner were offered a free QM2 Transatlantic Crossing (for more details see this CruiseMapper news link). Starting in January each year, the Queen Mary 2 World Cruise is a huge event on the cruising market. Compared to other lines, Cunard World Cruises deals offer affordable prices, exciting destinations and "big and famous" ports of call to visit around the world.