queen mary 2 cruise reviews

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Cunard Queen Mary 2 (QM2) Deck Plans & Reviews

Cunard Queen Mary 2 (QM2)

Activities & entertainment

• Afternoon Tea
• Art Classes *
• Atlantic Room
• Ballroom Dance Classes
• Beauty Salon *
• Bridge Classes
• Canyon Ranch SpaClub *
• Champagne Afternoon Tea *
• Cunard Connexions *
• Darts Competitions
• Deck Quoits
• Fencing Classes
• Fitness Center
• Fitness Classes *
• Gala Evening Balls
• Golf Competitions
• Hot Tubs (7)
• iPad and Computer Workshops *
• Needlework & Knitting Corners
• Onboard Movies
• Photo Studio *
• Relaxation Lounge *
• Scavenger Hunts
• Shuffleboard
• Shuffleboard Competitions
• Solo Travelers Get Togethers
• Sports Centre
• Thalassotherapy Pool *
• The Fairways *
• Therapy Pool *
• Wellbeing Seminars
• Baby Zone *
• The Kids Zone /Teen Zone
• The Play Zone
• Illuminations
• Nightly Live Music
• Onboard Lectures
• Passenger Talent Shows
• Planetarium Movies
• Queens Room
• Royal Court Theatre
• Bar - Nightclub Bar *
• Bar - Pool Bar
• Kings Court - Casual
• Champagne Bar - Champagne *
• Churchill's - Cigar Bar *
• Sir Samuel's - Coffee & Wine *
• Golden Lion - English Pub *
• Boardwalk Café - Fast Food
• The Verandah Restaurant - French *
• Britannia Club - International
• Britannia Restaurant - International
• Commodore Club - Martini Bar *
• Chart Room - Nautical bar *
• Terrace Bar - Pool Bar *
• Grills Lounge - Suite Guests
• Grills Terrace - Suite Guests *
• Princess Grill - Suite Guests
• Queens Grill - Suite Guests
• Carinthia Lounge - Wine Bar *

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• Excellent 152
• Very Good 50
• Terrible 43
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Upcoming itineraries

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.

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Queen Mary 2

Courtesy of Cunard Line |

Find a Cruise on Queen Mary 2

with a cruise advisor

Originally launched in 2004, the Queen Mary 2 underwent a major update in 2016 to introduce redesigned public spaces and restaurants, renovated staterooms and suites, additional spaces and kennels for transatlantic passengers traveling with dogs (the only pet facility of its kind at sea). The ship also received a complete exterior facelift. The ship has seen minor updates in the years since, including a rebranded spa and Champagne bar. 

The 2,691-passenger Queen Mary 2 is Cunard’s flagship, and it is known for its frequent transatlantic crossings and luxury cruising experience. Recent passengers rave about the upscale cabins, which range from Single staterooms designed for solo passengers to Princess Grill and Queens Grill cabins that offer extra perks, such as exclusive dining venues and butler service.

When travelers aren't in their cabins, they can participate in enrichment programming, visit the ship's planetarium, read in the largest library at sea and more. In the evenings, cruisers can enjoy shows at the Royal Court Theatre or musical acts in various venues across the ship.

Queen Mary 2 offers six dining venues, including two specialty restaurants, as well as six bars and lounges. Overall, past cruisers were impressed with the specialty restaurants, while the main dining rooms received mixed reviews. 

Queen Mary 2 completes transatlantic crossings and sails to a variety of destinations in the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Asia and more.

Pros & Cons

Offers the only dog kennels at sea

Cuisine in main dining rooms received mixed reviews

• Expert Rating » 4.0
• Traveler Rating » 4.2
• Health Rating » 4.0

Queen Mary 2 ranks # 1 out of 3 Cunard Line Cruise Ships based on an analysis of expert and user ratings, as well as health ratings.

• # 1 in Best Cunard Line
• # 12 in Best Cruises for Singles
• # 46 in Best Cruises to Europe
• # 46 in Best Cruises for Couples

Queen Mary 2 offers a wide range of accomodation options. Browse cabins to find the stateroom that suits your needs.

Queen Mary 2 contains 13 decks. Find out which features are available on each Queen Mary 2 deck.

Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 391 guests have reviewed Queen Mary 2 , giving it a rating of 4.2 on a scale of 1-5.

Cruiseline Travel Rating:

Reviews by traveler type.

Ship Photos

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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