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QE2 Cruise Packages

Combine at the world’s most iconic floating hotel with a luxury cruise aboard the regal Queen Mary 2 with our exclusive QE2 cruise packages…

Built in 1967 and originally known as Hull 736, Queen Elizabeth 2 was synonymous with luxury cruising. The ship’s colourful history, which saw her cover 5.6 million miles and complete 806 transatlantic crossings for Cunard – as well as a stint carrying troops in the Falklands War – means the QE2 is rightfully remembered as the world’s most famous ocean liner.

Now based in Dubai, Queen Elizabeth 2 has been reborn as an elegant hotel. The period furniture and original portholes have been maintained, while modifications to the ship’s suites and restaurants mean that she sits effortlessly among the world’s most desirable hotels.

The collection of packages below give you the opportunity to enjoy a stay on Queen Elizabeth 2 either before, or after, a voyage aboard another famous Queen, the QM2 . We’ve included a variety of Cunard sailings to suit all preferences and are delighted to feature itineraries in the Mediterranean, Asia and Australia.

For further information, please call our Voyage Consultants on 0800 008 6677 . Alternatively, simply choose your preferred enquiry from the collection below and make an online enquiry.

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  • Cunard ® Line

Queen Mary 2®

Queen Mary 2 Cruises 2024, 2025 - Cunard Ship, Itineraries, Prices, Sailing Dates, Amenities

Queen Mary 2®

Sail Queen Mary 2® From $399 per person Queen Mary 2 is a remarkable flagship, her style and elegance are legendary. Above all, it‘s the space she offers and the luxury for you to do as little or as much as you wish which sets her apart. Welcome to a true...

Queen Mary 2® Salling Calendar

Queen Mary 2® Destinations

$ CALL Prices From

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Queen Mary 2® Highlights

  • Elegant suites and staterooms, sumptuous new restaurants, and a re-imagined Grills experience reaffirm Cunard as the best of the best
  • If anything sums up the freedom of your voyage, it is the array of places to eat - from healthy to hearty, from light bites to haute cuisine
  • Every Cunard experience plays out to a backdrop of fabulous live music on board
  • Take inspiration whilst on holiday and immerse yourself in the largest book collections at sea
  • Enjoy at An eight-piece orchestra which sets the tempo to an evening of dancing

Queen Mary 2® Quick Facts

Year Refurbished:

Year Entered Present Fleet:

Previous Name:

Country of Registry:

Great Britain

Tonnage (GRT):

Guests (Lowers):

Total Guests:

Passenger Decks:

Number of Crew:

Officers' Nationality:

British/International

Cruise/Hotel Staff Nationality:

Multinational

Total Rooms (all categories):

Ocean/River View:

Accessible:

Maiden Voyage:

Last Refurbished:

Gross Tonnage:

Maximum Speed:

Ship Length:

Passenger Capacity:

Crew Nationality:

International

Officer''s Nationality:

Number of Suites:

Dining / Restaurants:

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Fitness Center:

Kids Friendly:

Wheelchair Accessible:

About Cunard Line

The most exciting news for Cunard Cruises is that they are adding a 4th ship to their fleet, currently being built in Italy, for the 2022 cruise season.  Alongside an array of exciting new itineraries, featuring new destinations and special event voyages for 2022 and 2023, Cunard will also continue to enhance the onboard guest experience.

Crossing the ocean on a stately Cunard liner has been a dream for many since Cunard's humble beginnings in the 1840s. Skilled British officers, an amazing crew, and award-winning service create the perfect balance for luxury. Regardless of whether you are circling the world or savoring the joys of the transatlantic crossing, royalty, celebrities, and travelers from all around the world treasure the elegant customs of the Cunard White Star Service. Cunard Line is one of the world's most recognized brand names.  Having a traditional British heritage, Cunard Line is run through Miami-based Cunard Line Ltd. The Cunard fleet consists of famed Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.

Pick your passion - the unique tradition of an ocean liner crossing or a majestic cruise to a fascinating locale.  Experience incredible destinations and timeless voyages along with the Cunard tradition of superb entertainment, glamorous accommodations and impeccable service.  Whether you explore the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Caribbean, or the Americas, rest assured that your days will conform to the rhythms of a gentler age.

Exclusive offers on select sailings:

  • $300 to $500 per Couple Shipboard Credit (Grill Suites)
  • $150 to $300 per Couple Shipboard Credit (Inside, Oceanview and Balcony Staterooms)
  • Complimentary Box of Chocolates
  • Pre-paid gratuities

The most exciting news for Cunard Cruises is that they are adding a 4th ship to their fleet, currently being built in Italy, for the 2022 cruise season.  Alongside an array of exciting new itineraries, featuring new destinations and special event voyages for 2023 and 2024, Cunard will also continue to enhance the onboard guest experience.

Cunard Line is a part of the World's Leading Cruise Lines, which also includes Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, The Yachts of Seabourn, Costa Cruises, and Windstar Cruises. Together, these cruise lines share a commitment to provide high-quality value and service with cruise holidays that appeal to the widest range of lifestyles so that everyone can sail to one of the world's most exciting destinations.

Cunard World Club

As a distinguished past passenger, you will be enrolled in the Cunard World Club.  This programme is Cunard's way of saying thank you for choosing to see the world on the Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World.  There are 4 membership levels. 

Don't forget to inquire about our Exclusive Cunard Private Collection where you will receive amenities such as onboard credits, pre-paid gratuities, or private shore excursions on select sailings.

Cunard Ship Staterooms

When you book your Cunard luxury cruise, you will be asked to select a stateroom type and number. You can view the location of staterooms and amenities on our deck plans. Each stateroom has a dedicated steward who will look after your stateroom during your cruise.

All staterooms have the following amenities as standard (please view the deck plan for further amenities that may be included for different stateroom categories):

• 24-hour room service  • Interactive TV with multi-language film and music channels  • Direct-Dial telephone and data port outlet  • Refrigerator, safe, hairdryer  • Bathrobe and slippers  • Nightly turndown service with pillow chocolates  • Daily shipboard newspaper  • 220V British 3-pin and 110V 2-pin sockets

Cunard Dining

All onboard dining is included in main restaurants or 24-hour self-service buffet restaurants.  There is also 24-hour complimentary room service.  Coffee, tea and fruit juice are available at the Lido Restaurants on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, and at the Kings Court on board the Queen Mary. There is a full program of day and evening activities, a fitness center and children's programs for ages 2 to 17.

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Did you know that by traveling in a group you could earn free travel & incentives? Escorted tours and group cruises are ideal options for travelers. Make vacation memories that last a lifetime by traveling with family, friends, colleagues or associates. As a group leader you could earn FREE travel, or divided the savings among the group. On an escorted tour, you begin to earn benefits when you travel with 8 or more guests. On a cruise, you start to earn money with 8 or more double occupancy cabins.

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Find queen mary 2 cruise deals.

Queen Mary 2

For expert cruise advice, call 1-800-916-8586.

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Queen Mary 2 Cruise Guide

Queen Mary 2 represents a new age of ocean cruising—one in which first-class service meets cutting edge technology, design, and amenities. While this ship offers a variety of cabin categories, the ship caters primarily to travelers who value the luxury, service, and tradition that set Cunard apart from the crowd. Families are welcomed—the ship features a full staff of nannies and a program of children’s activities—but most passengers are in their fifties, sixties, and seventies.

At the time of its launch in January 2004, the Queen Mary 2 was the largest passenger ship ever built. The ship is primarily an ocean liner, executing transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York. QM2 is also one of the most luxurious ships in the world, drawing a passenger complement comprised of the most discerning travelers from across the globe.

Best Queen Mary 2 cruise deals

Queen Mary 2

2 night Europe

Cunard Cruises

3 night Europe

4 night europe, 5 night canada / new england, 7 night canada / new england, 7 night europe, 7 night transatlantic, discover your queen mary 2 cruise, what is a queen mary 2 cruise like.

Queen Mary 2 cruises are among the largest cruise lines in the world. There are a variety of different ships that take you to beautiful and fascinating destinations around the world. You’ll find a variety of different experiences, including premium cabins with balconies, special dining options, and more. You can choose different lengths of stay, with the most popular being between 5 and 7 nights. Some Queen Mary 2 cruises also offer exclusive perks such as exclusive shore excursions or onboard discounts. Whether you’re looking for an entertaining trip with fun for all ages, or a romantic getaway, there is a Queen Mary 2 cruise vacation that’s right for you.

When is the best time to book a Queen Mary 2 cruise?

While there are no strict rules for when exactly to book, the earlier you book, the more likely you are to come across great cruise deals. In general, if you’re travelling far away then 12 to 18 months is the best time to book your cruise. This will give you the most options to select your cabin, experience, and book any necessary flights. Most travelers usually book a Queen Mary 2 cruise 6 to 12 months in advance. You’ll still find affordability for your destination, and you don’t leave the anticipation for your vacation too long. Queen Mary 2 does offer last-minute cruises at a range of prices and availability depending on your destination and dates.

How can I find the best Queen Mary 2 price?

You can find cheap cruise deals for Queen Mary 2 on Expedia easily. First, think about the itineraries and additional features you want. You can filter results based on amenities, cabins, experiences, and prices to find the one that best suits your budget.

How to book your Queen Mary 2 cruise?

Expedia provides a straightforward cruise booking process to make it as easy as possible to reserve your vacation. You can search by cruise ship type, itinerary, duration, and departure port. You can also filter your results by price, amenities, and area of the world. After making any necessary changes or checking availability, simply click ‘Book’ and complete your reservation.

What to look out for when booking your cruise on Queen Mary 2?

When looking at Queen Mary 2 cruises, it's important to keep in mind multiple factors that go into choosing a cruise. These include the length, whether you prefer a smaller or bigger ship, and departure ports. Also consider who is travelling with you, as this will influence the type of cabin you choose and what activities you choose to do on board and ashore. You can choose from several types of cabins depending on your Queen Mary 2 cruise ship including ones with sea views and balconies.

Can I cancel my Queen Mary 2 booking?

Yes. Expedia does offer you the option to cancel your Queen Mary 2 cruise. You can do so by going to the My Trips page and clicking on the cancellation button. There is also the option to contact customer service to cancel your cruise. Be aware that each cruise has different refund policies. Usually, if you cancel early then you’ll receive a better refund.

Why should I book a Queen Mary 2 cruise with Expedia?

Booking Queen Mary 2 cruise with Expedia is an excellent option for travellers who want a high-quality, enjoyable, and reliable experience to suit a range of budgets. You can book easily thanks to the convenient booking tools. Use the cruise finder and filter options to find the best cruise deals. Expedia also provides you with information about each cruise ship so that you can pick the one that fits your needs. You can also join the Rewards Membership to earn points for future trips.

When booking an eligible cruise as a One Key TM member, you will earn OneKeyCash TM .

This is our rewards currency which you can use to save on eligible bookings across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. The more you book on our three brands, the more perks you'll unlock.

* OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo .

Cunard Ships

  • Queen Victoria
  • Queen Elizabeth

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Fuel supplement may apply. Savings advertised are based on specific cabin types and sailing dates, and may not be available for all cabin types/sailings.

Train advice from the Man in Seat 61...

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, london to new york without flying.

This is a guide to travel between Europe & the United States using Cunard's Queen Mary 2. 

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Cunard maintain a scheduled transatlantic passenger service between Europe and the United States, usually one sailing a month in each direction between Southampton & New York from April to December taking 7 nights.

You travel aboard the greatest ocean liner in the world, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 (QM2).  It's a crossing , not a cruise , and many people use the QM2 as their preferred mode of transport between Europe & the United States.  The Queen Mary 2 is a proper ocean liner, built with the extra structural strength & power to withstand the rigours of the North Atlantic in all weathers.  The QM2 took over the transatlantic service from Cunard's 1967-built QE2 in 2004.

You can forget being bored, it's a week of relaxation, with cinema, theatre, interesting lectures, spa treatments, swimming pools, cocktail bars, restaurants, an excellent library, shops and even the world's only sea-going planetarium.  Plus the cold grey Atlantic which I never tire of watching.  You can also forget seasickness, the 150,000 ton QM2 is rock-steady in most weather amidships, you'll need to walk forward towards the bows to feel any up and down movement.  Westbound, the crossing is rounded off by an awe-inspiring early-morning arrival into New York City, in my opinion the best way to arrive in the Big Apple. 

Crossing the Atlantic by ocean liner needn't cost much more than a business-class flight, fares for two people sharing the cheapest Britannia stateroom start from £1,099 per person each way, for 7 nights accommodation, all meals & entertainment.

The Man in Seat Sixty-One says:   "From personal experience, staggering round a transatlantic liner in a dinner jacket with a martini is the normal, rational, reasonable way to cross the Atlantic.  Heading for an airport and strapping yourself to a flimsy aluminium tube is an unfortunate and eccentric aberration."

Transatlantic sailing dates

Southampton ► new york.

2024 transatlantic sailings:   28 April, 16 May, 9 June (6 night), 23 June (6 night), 21 July (6 night), 16 August, 15 September, 17 October (8 night), 13 November, 14 December.

2025 transatlantic sailings:   9 January (9 nights, Queen Anne), 8 March, 27 April (8 nights), 16 May, 6 June, 24 June, 27 August, 26 September, 24 October, 19 November, 15 December.

All crossings are now 7 nights except where shown.  The Queen Mary 2 usually sails from Southampton at 17:00, arriving in New York 7 nights later at 06:30-07:00.  The terminal she uses in Southampton varies.  In New York she arrives at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

New York ► Southampton

2024 transatlantic sailings:   3 January (8 nights), 5 May, 23 May, 15 June (8 nights), 6 July (8 nights), 27 July (8 nights), 23 August, 4 October (9 nights), 25 October, 3 December.

2025 transatlantic sailings:   3 January (8 nights), 6 April (8 nights), 5 may, 23 may, 13 June, 8 July, 8 august, 3 September, 17 October, 31 October, 8 December then 3 January 2026 (8 nights).

The QM2 usually sails from New York Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at 17:00, with check-in opening at 13:00 and closing at 15:45.  She arrives in Southampton at 06:30 seven nights later.

How to check sailing dates, times, prices & availability

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How much does it cost?

Typical Cunard one-way fares for transatlantic crossings.  Late bookings in late season can often be cheaper than this!

Inside = without window, oceanview = with porthole, see the cabin accommodation guide .  All other staterooms & suites have a balcony, except the two Q3 Royal Suites.

Britannia = allocated to the Britannia restaurant for meals.  Princess or Queen's Grill = allocated to the superior Princess or Queen's Grill restaurants for meals.

How to find cheaper tickets:   You'll often find cheaper fares if you buy your tickets from a cruise specialist such as www.cruisenation.com (UK-based) or www.cruisedirect.com (in the USA or Canada), both of which have online booking for transatlantic crossings and cruises.  Agencies like these can save perhaps £100 per person or more off the official Cunard price, and you'll also find cheaper fares if you shop for last minute deals and late-season crossings, as low as £799 or better, for example.  However, be aware that in high summer transatlantic sailings can get full many months in advance.

Round trip fares:   There are special round trip fares covering two back-to-back crossings with just 1 day in New York, but if you plan to spend more than a day at your destination you'll need to pay one-way fares each way.  In other words, for all practical purposes a round trip on the QM2 means buying two one-way tickets.

Cunard Fare & Saver fare:   The Cunard fare lets you choose a specific cabin & dinner sitting up front.  The Saver fares are several hundred pounds or dollars cheaper and guarantee a cabin in the booked grade or higher, but the cabin and dinner sitting time are allocated for you.  You can log in to Cunard's voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login a couple of weeks before departure to see what cabin & sitting you have been allocated.

Child fares:   See here .

What does the fare include?   All Queen Mary 2 transatlantic fares include your cabin accommodation, all meals & afternoon tea, on-board entertainment such as shows, lectures, films, access to the swimming pools & library, plus the tea, coffee & juices available in the Kings Court self-service.  The fare does not include alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks served in bars or at meals, Canyon Ranch Spa access & treatments, or internet access .  Also, a 'discretionary' fee of around $11-$14 per person per day will be added to your on board account each day as a gratuity for staff.

How to buy tickets

  if you live in uk & europe,   if you live in the usa or canada, how does the ticketing work , westbound transatlantic guide.

Here is a typical transatlantic timetable, port transfer, embarkation arrangements & journey information for a typical westbound transatlantic sailing on the QM2.  Although they normally follow this same pattern, always check the sailing time & check-in times for your specific date.  If you find that something has changed, please let me know .  If you're sailing eastbound, see the eastbound information .  Are  westbound or eastbound crossings better?

Take the train from London Waterloo

Fast air-conditioned trains run from London Waterloo to Southampton Central every 30 minutes taking around 1h17.  No reservation is necessary, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

London to Southampton costs £43.10 adult one-way Super Off-Peak in standard class or £86.80 one-way Off-Peak in 1st class.

These tickets have unlimited availability, you can buy them on the day, the price doesn't change.  Children under 16 half price, children under 5 free.

If you book in advance and commit to a specific train, cheaper Advance fares are available from around £10 in standard class or £16 in 1st class.  These tickets have limited availability at each price level.

Check train times & fares from London Waterloo or anywhere in Britain to Southampton at www.thetrainline.com .  Direct trains run from Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Bristol & Cardiff to Southampton, so you won't have to cross London.  See a beginner's guide to UK train travel .

For train connections from Paris or any other European city to London, see here .  I'd recommend a night in London before taking the train to Southampton on sailing day.

Transfer by taxi in Southampton

Make sure you know which of the four possible terminals the QM2 is sailing from, the QEII terminal (dock gate 4), City Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), Mayflower Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), or the new Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).  Map of Southampton, showing all cruise terminals, Southampton Central Station & the historic Ocean Terminal .

A taxi from Southampton Central station takes 10 minutes and costs around £10 to the Mayflower or City cruise terminals, around £13 to the QEII terminal or Ocean Terminal.  You'll find plenty of taxis waiting at the station, the taxi rank is on the same side of the station where most trains from London arrive, so no bridges or subways to negotiate., level access from platform to booking hall to forecourt.

QM2 check-in procedures

Check-in typically opens at 13:00 and closes around 15:45.  Cunard will give you a specific check-in time on your e-ticket to stagger people arriving, but you can arrive earlier if you like, it's not a problem.

Visitors are not allowed on board, so anyone seeing you off will have to leave you at the terminal.   Cunard either send you or allow you to download labels showing your departure date & cabin number, remember to put one on each bag before arriving at the terminal.

When you get out of the taxi at the terminal drop-off point your large bags are immediately taken from you and whisked away, they will magically reappear later in your stateroom.  No bag should exceed 23Kg (50lb) but you can take as many bags as you like as long as they will all fit into your stateroom.

You then walk into the check-in hall and go to the first available check-in desk, this usually doesn't take long.  At the check-in desk, you show your e-ticket, your passport & your credit card for on-board purchases, and a webcam photo is taken of each passenger for security purposes.  You may be asked to fill out a brief health form to notify the ship of any fever you have or any diarrhoea you've had in the last 48 hours.  Each passenger is given a credit-card sized plastic card which is your embarkation card, your cabin key and your charge card for buying drinks & souvenirs on board. 

After check-in there's an airline-style X-ray & metal detector security check, then straight onto the gangway onto the QM2, entering the Grand Lobby on deck 3.  It's a painless process compared to airports.  If you feel like a late lunch, or just a tea, coffee or juice when you board, you'll find the King's Court self-service restaurant on deck 7 open for business and offering all of these.

What's an Atlantic crossing like?

The Queen Mary 2 is usually due to sail from Southampton at 17:00.  This is the most usual time, but please check for your sailing date.  Once on board and settled into your stateroom, listen for announcements about emergency drill.  This is held at 16:00 and takes about 20 minutes.  You listen for the alarm bells, fetch your lifejackets from your stateroom and go to your allocated muster station where staff will brief you on emergency procedures and you'll listen to an announcement by the captain.  When it's over, return your lifejackets to your stateroom and head up on deck for departure...

Soon after 17:00 the QM2 sails, with a band playing on her aft decks and glasses of champagne available (around $17).  She is sometimes moored facing upstream, sometimes downstream, and if she's moored facing upstream at the City or Mayflower terminals, she'll first head further upstream before turning around, somehow managing to turn her 1,130 foot length without hitting the far bank of the river or the small boats moored there.

Southampton's historic Ocean Terminal:  Cunard no longer use the traditional and historic Ocean Terminal dock, from which the original Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and even Titanic would have sailed.  Indeed, the old 1950 terminal building was demolished in 1983 and this hugely historic location now looks totally unremarkable, a freight dock with a couple of multi-storey car parks next to it for vehicle exports.  You won't know that you're looking at it unless you know where it is, so see this map .  It's just north of the QEII terminal, just south of the City & Mayflower terminals.  About the old Ocean Terminal .

The Queen Mary 2 heads downstream into the Solent, heading directly towards Cowes on the Isle of Wight before making a tight turn to port (left) in the deep water channel, passing Ryde to starboard (right) and Portsmouth to port.  The QM2 rounds the Isle of Wight using the deep water route to the east (although this looks like the long way round on a map) and heads out into the English Channel.  By breakfast next morning, you're well past Bishop Rock lighthouse and out in the Atlantic...

Seven nights at sea on the Atlantic.  Cunard slowed down their crossings from 6 nights to 7 nights from 2011 onwards, although an occasional crossing may take 6 or 8 nights.  This is two days slower than it used to be, as the weekly service operated from 1946 to 1967 by the original Queen Mary and her consort Queen Elizabeth took just 5 nights for the 3,150 nautical miles (3,625 miles). 

There may be no coastline or islands to see in mid-Atlantic (or even other ships, usually), but I never tire of gazing at the brooding waters of the North Atlantic.  It changes from day to day, sometimes smooth and glassy, sometimes choppy and sombre, sometimes sunny, sometimes foggy with the Queen Mary 2's fog horn blaring at regular intervals.

You may get rough crossings especially in October, November or December, but my summer crossings on the 150,000 ton Queen Mary 2 or 70,000 ton QE2 have been rock steady all the way.  You could be in a 5 star hotel rather than on board a ship!

The QM2's clocks are put back an hour at 2am on 5 of the 7 nights because of the time difference, giving you a welcome extra hour's sleep in this direction.  You will pass within a few miles of the resting place of the Titanic (within 38 nautical miles on one of my westbound crossings) and an announcement may well be made on board.  Naturally, you'll find a whole programme of entertainment & activities on board every day, and if you really want to be bored you'll have to work hard at it.

The QM2 arrives in New York at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at 06:30.  This is the highlight!  Whether you're a natural early riser or not, make sure you're up and on deck by 04:45 on the morning of arrival in New York, as the arrival into New York by ocean liner is something you will remember all you life.  There's a forward-facing observation deck on deck 11,  immediately below the bridge, accessed from 'A' stairway.  You'll see the lights of Long Island to starboard (the right-hand side), Staten Island to port, and the Verrazano suspension bridge dead ahead at the entrance to New York harbour.  The Queen Mary 2 passes under the bridge with just a few precious feet of clearance above her funnel, and as she does so the fabulous Manhattan skyline comes into view.  The QM2 no longer uses Cunard's traditional terminal at Pier 90 on Manhattan itself, so she no longer steams right past the Statue of Liberty, but instead she turns to starboard (to the right) opposite the statue and heads into the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, berthing within sight of the famous Statue and Manhattan skyline.

QM2 disembarkation in New York

A note explaining QM2 disembarkation procedures appears outside your stateroom a day or two before arrival, and each deck is allocated a disembarkation time.  Disembarkation takes place between 08:00 & 11:00.  The upper decks with the more expensive cabins disembark first (e.g. decks 9, 10, 11, 12), other decks such as 4, 5 or 6 later.

Labels for your bags appear outside your stateroom the day before arrival.  You put a label on each of your bags and place them in the corridor outside your stateroom between 20:00 & midnight before arrival.  Your bags will disappear and will be waiting for you in the terminal hall next morning, in an area marked with the same colour as your labels.

It's then just a matter of going through the U.S. immigration check, a slowish process but no worse than any airport.  They you walk out of the terminal.

Express disembarkation:   If you want to get off sooner and are happy managing all your own bags, you can register for Express disembarkation at the purser's desk on deck 2 the day before arrival.  You are given an express disembarkation card.  Express disembarkation passengers gather in the Queens Room from 06:45 onwards with all their luggage, and at around 07:00 when the gangway opens you simply walk off the ship with your bags, straight into the terminal.  With a Deck 4 cabin we were allocated an 11:00 disembarkation time, which would have meant half a day in New York wasted, so I'd go for express disembarkation every time!

Transfer by taxi to Manhattan

The Tour Office on deck 2 offers private transfers by minivan from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to any Manhattan hotel for a ridiculous $429, or they can sell you tickets for a transfer bus for $59 per person. 

However, both options are crazy, because a normal yellow cab from the terminal taxi rank to anywhere in Manhattan costs only $40 for up to 4 people and all your bags, and you'll find plenty of taxis waiting right outside the terminal building.  Enjoy the drive across the famous Brooklyn Bridge in a New York Yellow Cab!

You'll also find plenty of black private hire vehicles outside the terminal with a fixed price of around $55 to a Manhattan hotel, also a good relaxed option.  The ride takes 20 minutes.

Alternatively, the cheapest option (just $4) is to take the frequent ferry from Brooklyn's Red Hook ferry terminal to Pier 11 on Wall Street at the southern end of Manhattan.  Red Hook ferry quay is only 100m from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and it'll take you to Manhattan in a matter of minutes, see www.ferry.nyc .  It's aimed at locals, but taking a suitcase isn't usually a problem.  See walking map cruise terminal to Red Hook ferry .

By train from New York to other U.S. cities

You can be at Penn Station by 11:30 or earlier, for onward train connections.  Washington DC is only 3 hours away by train, Boston 4 hours or less.  The Lake Shore Limited train to Chicago leaves Penn Station around 15:45 arriving in Chicago next morning, with connections for all points west including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Seattle.  You'll also make the afternoon Crescent overnight train to Atlanta & New Orleans, or the afternoon Silver Meteor overnight to Florida.

You can book any of these trains online in advance at www.amtrak.com , collecting your ticket from the self-service machines at Penn Station.  Note that between New York & Washington or New York & Boston you'll be offered two different types of train:  The premium-fare Acela Express 150mph high-speed train with business class and first class, but no coach class, and the slower but cheaper Northeast Regional trains with coach class and business class. 

You can book Amtrak trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from New York to other US cities, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office).  Beginner's guide to train travel in the USA .

By train from New York to Toronto, Montreal & Canada

Two daily trains link New York with Canada, the Maple Leaf to Toronto and the Adirondack to Montreal.  Both trains leave New York in the morning, so you'll need to spend the night in New York.  It's a very scenic run along the Hudson River valley, past West Point Military Academy, Storm King Mountain and Bannerman's Island.  As it's name suggests, the train to Montreal also passes through the scenic Adirondack Mountains and past Lake Champlain.  Information on trains from New York to Canada .  Change in Toronto for the famous Canadian trans-continental train 2-3 times a week to Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper & Vancouver. 

You can book Amtrak & VIA Rail trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from New York to major Canadian cities, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office), 1-888-829-4775 (US office, toll-free) or 1-855-882-2910 (Canada, toll-free).  Beginner's guide to train travel in Canada .

Eastbound transatlantic guide

Here is a typical timetable, transfer & journey information for most eastbound trans-Atlantic crossings.  Although they usually follow this pattern, please check sailing & check-in times for your specific date when you book in case they are different.  If you find that anything has changed, do let me know .  If you plan to travel westbound, click here .  Are  westbound or eastbound crossings better?

By train from Washington DC & other US cities to New York

Amtrak trains link Washington DC & New York in less than 3 hours, Boston to New York in under 4 hours.  The daily Lake Shore Limited links Chicago & New York overnight, with connections in Chicago from LA, San Francisco, Seattle, etc.  However, the Lake Shore arrives at New York's Penn station in the early evening, too late for same-day connections with the 'Mary, so you'll need to leave Chicago two nights before the 'Mary sails and spend a night in New York before sailing day.  You can check schedules and fares and buy tickets for any of these trains online at www.amtrak.com .  Note that between New York & Washington or New York & Boston you'll be offered two different types of train:  The premium-fare Acela Express 150mph high-speed train with business class and first class, but no coach class, and the slower but cheaper Northeast Regional trains with coach class and business class.  You can book Amtrak trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from other US cities to New York for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office.  Beginner's guide to train travel in the USA .

By train from Toronto, Montreal & Canada to New York

Two daily trains link Canada with New York, the Maple Leaf from Toronto and Adirondack from Montreal.  Both trains arrive in New York in the evening, so you'll need to spend a night in New York before sailing day - Check hotels in New York .  It's a very scenic run down the Hudson River valley, past West Point Military Academy, Storm King Mountain and Bannerman's Island.  As it's name suggests, the train from Montreal also passes through the scenic Adirondack Mountains and past Lake Champlain.  Information on trains between Canada & New York .  The famous Canadian trans-continental train links Vancouver & Toronto three times a week, via Jasper, Edmonton & Winnipeg.  You can book Amtrak & VIA Rail trains yourself, but if you want an agency to sort a package of train connections and hotels from a Canadian city to New York for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK office) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office, toll-free) or 1-855-882-2910 (Canada, toll-free). Beginner's guide to train travel in Canada .

By taxi from Manhattan to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

A normal yellow cab from New York Penn Station or any hotel in Manhattan to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal costs around $40 for up to 4 people and all your bags.  Enjoy the drive across the famous Brooklyn Bridge in a traditional New York Yellow Cab!  The taxi ride takes 20 minutes.

Alternatively, a frequent ferry operates from Pier 11 at the end of Wall Street in Manhattan to Red Hook ferry terminal in Brooklyn, this is just 100m from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, fare $4, see www.ferry.nyc .  See walking map from Red Hook ferry terminal to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal .

QM2 check-in procedures in New York

Check-in usually opens around 13:00 and closes around 15:45.  Cunard will give you a specific check-in time on your e-ticket to try and stagger people arriving, but you can arrive earlier if you like.  Visitors are not allowed on board, so anyone seeing you off will have to leave you at the terminal then wave from the shore.

Cunard will have sent you adhesive labels showing your departure date & cabin number, remember to put one on each bag before arriving at the terminal, as when you get there your larger bags are immediately taken from you.  They will magically reappear later in your stateroom.  No one bag should exceed 23Kg (50lb) but you can take as many bags as you like as long as they will all fit into your stateroom.

You then walk into the terminal and join the short queue for a ticket check, then another short queue for the X-ray and metal detector security check, then you join a long zig-zag queue for check-in proper.

At the check-in desk, you show your e-ticket, your passport & your credit card for on-board purchases, and a webcam photo is taken of each passenger for security purposes.  You also hand in a brief health form notifying the ship of any fever you have or any diarrhoea you've had in the last 48 hours. Each passenger is given a credit-card sized plastic card which acts as your embarkation card, cabin key and charge card for buying drinks & souvenirs on board.  You then go up the gangway onto the QM2, entering the Grand Lobby on deck 3.

Apart from the time spent in the main queue (have a reading book and some refreshments to hand), it's a painless process compared to airports.  If you feel like a late lunch, or just a tea, coffee or juice when you board, you'll find the King's Court self-service restaurant on deck 7 open for business and offering all of these.

What's an eastbound Atlantic crossing like?

The ship normally sails from New York at 17:00.  This is the usual time, but please check for your specific departure date.  Once on board and settled into your stateroom, listen for announcements about emergency drill.  This is held at 16:00 and takes about 20 minutes.  You listen for the alarm bells, fetch your lifejackets from your stateroom and go to your allocated muster station where staff will brief you on emergency procedures and you'll listen to an announcement by the captain.  After this you're free to go up on deck and admire the Manhattan skyline astern and the Statue of Liberty to starboard (right-hand side).  At 17:00 she casts off, and with a band playing on her aft decks and glasses of champagne available (around $17) she heads out to sea.  Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty slowly disappear astern, and the QM2 heads toward and then underneath the huge Verrazano suspension bridge out into the Atlantic.  There is just a few precious feet of clearance above her red funnel!  An NYPD police boat follows behind (seeing you off the premises?), and a police helicopter buzzes overhead.

Seven nights at sea on the Atlantic.  Cunard slowed down their crossings to from 6 to 7 nights from 2011 onwards, although an occasional crossing still takes 6 nights.  Naturally, you'll find a whole programme of entertainment & activities on board every day, and if you really want to be bored you'll have to work hard at it!  There are no islands or coastline to see in mid-Atlantic (or even other ships, usually), but personally I never tire of gazing at the brooding waters of the North Atlantic.  It changes from day to day, sometimes smooth and glassy, sometimes choppy and sombre, sometimes foggy, sometimes sunny.  You may get rough crossings especially in October, November or December, but my own transatlantic crossings on the 150,000 ton Queen Mary 2 or 70,000 ton QE2 have been rock steady all the way.  You could be in a 5 star hotel rather than on board a ship!  The QM2's clocks are put forward an hour at 2am on five of the seven eastbound nights because of the time difference, giving you an hour's less sleep in this direction - if there's one reason why a westbound crossing can be nicer than an eastbound one, this is it!  (update 2013:  Cunard has tried the crazy idea of putting the clocks forward at midday on recent crossings, much to passengers dismay, as it can be confusing and means dinner is too soon after lunch!)  You will pass within a few miles of the resting place of the Titanic and an announcement may well be made on board.  On the last evening at dinner you may catch site of the Isles of Scilly in the distance (about 35 miles west of Land's End), and later the lights of Cornwall twinkling to port.  A first view of Great Britain!  You're now past the Bishop Rock lighthouse an in the English Channel.  Incidentally, a modern transatlantic crossing is now two days slower than it used to be, as the weekly service operated by the first Queen Mary and her consort Queen Elizabeth from 1946 to 1967 took just 5 nights.

The ship arrives in Southampton at 06:30.  You'll need to be up early, at around 04:30, if you want to see the ship round the Isle of Wight and head past Portsmouth & Ryde and into Southampton Water, although this hardly lives up to the spectacular arrival in New York on a westbound transatlantic.  There's a forward-facing observation deck on deck 10, immediately below the bridge, accessed from 'A' stairway.  Otherwise, you'll find the ship docked at the Southampton Terminal when you awake, and the Kings Court & Britannia restaurants serving a welcome cooked breakfast to send you on your way.

QM2 disembarkation in Southampton

It's then just a matter of going through the UK immigration check.  They you walk out of the terminal.

Express disembarkation:   If you want to get off sooner and are happy managing all your own bags, you can register for Express disembarkation at the purser's desk on deck 2 the day before arrival.  You are given an express disembarkation card.  Express disembarkation passengers gather in the Queens Room from 06:45 onwards with all their luggage, and at around 07:00 when the gangway opens you simply walk off the ship with your bags, straight into the terminal.

Transfer by taxi to Southampton Central station

The Queen Mary 2 can use any one of four different terminals in Southampton, either the QEII terminal (dock gate 4), City Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), Mayflower Cruise Terminal (dock gate 10), or the new Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).  Map of Southampton, showing all cruise terminals, Southampton Central Station & the original historic Ocean Terminal .  A taxi to Southampton Central station costs around £10 from the Mayflower or City cruise terminals, or around £13 from the QEII terminal or Ocean Terminal.  You'll find plenty of taxis waiting at the terminal, although there can be a long wait as there are so many other passengers.  The taxi ride takes just 10 minutes.

Take the train to London Waterloo

Cunard no longer organise a special 'boat train' in connection with QM2 sailings.  However, fast air-conditioned trains link Southampton Central with London Waterloo every 30 minutes taking around 1h17.  No reservation is necessary or even possible for Southampton-London trains, you just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

Southampton to London costs £43.10 adult one-way Super Off-Peak in standard class or £86.80 one-way Off-Peak in 1st class.

I would not buy a cheaper advance-purchase Advance fare because this commits you to a specific train and you are not in control of exactly when you arrive and disembark.  Super Off-Peak, Off-Peak and Anytime fares can be bought on the day and used flexibly, so you can catch the next train.

You can check train times & fares from Southampton to London Waterloo or anywhere in Britain using www.thetrainline.com .  Direct trains run from Southampton to Reading, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol & Cardiff, so you won't have to cross London.  Beginner's guide to UK train travel .  Find a hotel in London .

Onward trains from London to Paris & beyond

Onwards to Paris:   Allow plenty of time for onward connections, certainly several hours, and maybe stay in London overnight.  For Paris, take a UK domestic train from Southampton central to London Waterloo (no reservation necessary, see the section above), then take a taxi or Underground across London to St Pancras Station.  Eurostar runs every hour or so from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in central Paris, journey time 2 hours 20 minutes.   For a beginner's guide to Eurostar travel, see the London to Paris by Eurostar page .  You can book tickets online in advance at www.eurostar.com , and you should indeed pre-book, as London-Paris prices start from £52 in advance but up to £200+ if you wait and buy on the day of travel.

Onwards to other countries:   See this page for information on getting from London to any country in Europe .  Having crossed the Atlantic on the luxurious Queen Mary 2, how about taking the Venice Simplon Orient Express vintage luxury train to Italy ?  This runs on most Thursdays from April to October, and takes 24 hours from London to Venice, a real treat.  You can book European trains yourself, but if you want an agency to put together a package of train connections and hotels from anywhere in Europe to Southampton for you, call Railbookers on 0207 864 4600 (UK) or 1-888-829-4775 (US office).

Which cabin to choose?

There are a bewildering range of staterooms on the Queen Mary 2 at varying prices, but they basically fall into these categories, in ascending order of cost:

Britannia Inside:   An Inside cabin means it has no window, but even though this is the cheapest option, these staterooms are spacious, beautifully designed and have all the facilities mentioned above.  They have double or twin beds for 2 people, although some rooms are fitted with an additional two drop-down upper berths making a 3 or 4-berth room.  Some cabins are wheelchair-accessible.  Allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 155 sq ft.

Britannia Atrium View:   There are a handful of standard inside cabins on decks 4, 5 & 6 which have a small window opening onto the atrium above the Grand Lobby.  They have double or twin beds for 2 people, but none of these rooms are fitted with additional berths.  Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 161 sq ft.

Britannia Oceanview:   These are outside cabins meaning they have a small non-opening porthole for sea views.  Some seasoned travellers will tell you that with no coastline or islands to see on a 6 day transatlantic crossing, a window is unnecessary.  However, I enjoy seeing where I am and love gazing at the vast and always-changing waters of the North Atlantic.  Paying the extra for a Standard Oceanview is well worth it, both for the views and the natural light.  These staterooms have double or twin beds for two people, but some rooms are fitted with an additional two drop-down upper berths making a 3- or 4-berth room.  Some are wheelchair-accessible.  Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  Typically 194 sq ft.

I've crossed with an inside cabin and with an outside cabin, and I think it's well worth the extra for a porthole.  It lets natural light into the cabin and it gives you a much greater sense of place - not to mention sunsets over the Isle of Wight and views of the Statue of Liberty as you pack up on arrival!

Britannia Balcony (Obstructed View) :  The cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant.  These are all on Deck 8 above the promenade deck, but with their view heavily obstructed by the ship's lifeboats.  They have a double or twin beds for 2 people, and a few cabins have a 3rd berth in the form of a pull-out sofa bed.

I'd definitely pay a little more for an sheltered balcony, without any obstruction.

Britannia Sheltered Balcony:   The next cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant, also with a double or twin beds for 2 people, a few cabins have a pull-out sofa bed as well.  Sheltered balcony cabins are on decks 4, 5 & 6 below the promenade deck with a small balcony cut into the hull.  Typically 269 sq ft, including balcony.

This is my own first choice (unless you can afford a megabucks suite, of course), arguably a better choice for a transatlantic crossing than a more expensive cabin with a more windswept balcony in the ship's superstructure.  See the photos below.

Britannia Balcony:   Also allocated to the Britannia restaurant, these are slightly smaller than the Sheltered Balcony rooms, but have a glass-fronted balcony higher up in the ship's superstructure, on deck 8 and above.

The open glass-fronted balcony lets even more natural light into the cabin than a sheltered balcony, but it'll be more windswept than a sheltered balcony on a transatlantic crossing!   Typically 248 sq ft, including balcony.

Britannia Club Balcony:   Similar to a Britannia Balcony, but allocated to the single-sitting 'Britannia Club' restaurant, a separate off-shoot of the main Britannia restaurant.  Typically 248 sq ft, including balcony.

Princess Balcony Suites:   Suites with balcony, all allocated to the Princess Grill restaurant.  Typically 381 sq ft, including balcony.

Queens Balcony Suites:   Various types of suite, up to and including the extravagant Grand Duplex suites, all allocated to the Queen's Grill restaurant.  All have balconies, except the two Q3 grade Royal Suites.  Size varies from 506 sq ft to 2,249 sq ft.

QM2 deck plans in PDF format

If you pay the more expensive Cunard fare so you can choose a specific cabin, here are some things to consider.

You can feel a slight up & down movement of the ship towards at the bows, but will feel hardly any movement at all amidships.  For this reason mid-ships cabins are higher-graded and cost more (Even if you pay the cheaper Saver fare, you can select a higher grade to ensure a mid-ships cabin).

Some people have reported noise from below when occupying sheltered balcony cabins on 4 deck directly above the Illuminations or Royal Court Theatre, so 5 or 6 Deck may be preferable.  However, we had 4101 & 4105 over the Chart Room bar and these were perfect.

Adjacent cabins with connecting doors are marked on the QM2 deck plan .  Choose these if four of you are going to book two cabins.  But don't choose these if you're only booking one cabin, as a wall with connecting door is never as totally soundproofed as a wall without.

Facilities in all cabins

Even the cheapest QM2 cabin (or stateroom as Cunard calls them) features comfortable beds, a private bathroom with shower, sink & toilet, a dressing table, flatscreen TV, a small coffee table & chair, 240v UK & 110v US style power sockets, pay-per-minute internet access , soap, shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, bathrobes, hairdryer, plenty of wardrobe space, room service menu and a solid electronic safe for your valuables that's large enough for a 14" laptop.  A bedtime chocolate is delivered to your stateroom when the steward turns down your bed.

Where cabins can be configured with either twin beds or a double, you can select your preference in advance using the online voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login the same online system where you download and print your luggage labels and e-ticket.  You log on with your Cunard booking reference and personal details.

Britannia sheltered balcony  See 360º image

This is cabin 4101 on 4 Deck.   The Man in Seat 61 says , "This is my own preferred cabin for a transatlantic crossing.  Even at 20 knots in mid-Atlantic the balcony remains wind-free just as the word sheltered suggests.  Some people say you won't get much use out of a balcony on the Atlantic, but I loved being able to stroll outside at any time and stand at the rail watching the Atlantic drift past.  On a sunny summer crossing off Newfoundland we did indeed sit outside, and even when inside, the French windows let in lots of natural light, making it a far nicer room than an inside or outside cabin, so upgrade if you can.  I have yet to travel with a more expensive full-balcony cabin, but I expect those are a lot more windswept!".  Click the photos for larger images.

Britannia inside & oceanview

Qm2 restaurants, which restaurant.

The fare includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea in the Queen's Room or King's Court.  It does not include drinks, other than the basic water, tea, coffee & juice available at the drink stations in the Kings Court buffet restaurant.  Bottles of wine start at around $30 and real ale lovers can choose Old Speckled Hen or Spitfire for around $6 a bottle.

Your allocated restaurant:   Each stateroom is allocated a restaurant.  Most cabins, including the Inside, Oceanview & Sheltered Balcony, are allocated to the Britannia restaurant on decks 2 & 3. The more expensive staterooms are allocated to the more intimate Princess Grill on deck 7, and the very best staterooms to the Queen's Grill , also on deck 7.  The food is excellent, and you choose from a menu of half a dozen different starters, main courses and desserts, which changes every day.

Optional dining venues:   You can also choose to eat any given meal in the informal King's Court buffet on deck 7, or pub grub in the Golden Lion pub on deck 2, instead of your allocated restaurant.  It's entirely up to you, you can decide on a day by day basis.

There is also the Veranda Restaurant aft on deck 8.  This does seafood and steaks, and is an extra-cost option - you reserve a table and pay extra to dine there instead of your allocated restaurant.

Room service:   If you'd rather eat in your cabin, every cabin has free room service from a simple menu including burgers, pasta, cheese & crackers.  You can order by phone at any time, it's all included in your fare.  However, if you order any drinks from room service, including soft drinks, these are charged at bar prices.  You can also choose to have breakfast delivered to your stateroom, except on the morning of arrival.  Just hang the breakfast order form on your cabin door before retiring.

Britannia restaurant

Most staterooms are allocated to the Britannia restaurant , a magnificent two-storey 1,300 seat restaurant spanning decks 2 & 3 and reminiscent of the grand dining saloons of the great ocean liners of the past.  There are two sittings for dinner, 6pm & 8.30pm.  If you pay the Cunard fare you can choose a sitting when you book, if you pay the cheaper Saver fare you will be allocated a sitting, perhaps the less popular 8.30pm one.  If you log onto your online voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login with your booking reference and personal details it will confirm your sitting before you travel.  Evening entertainment is arranged so that both sittings can enjoy it, although the 6pm sitting gives you the rest of the evening free, and is arguably more relaxed than the later one.  If you've young children, see the section below .  There are no specific sittings or allocated tables for lunch or breakfast, you are allocated a table when you walk in, choosing your own table for 2, table for 4 or if you prefer, seats at a shared table so you get to meet other passengers.

Princess Grill & Queen's Grill

More expensive staterooms are allocated to the Princess Grill , the most expensive suites to the Queens Grill .  Both are aft on deck 7, served by the same galley.  There are no sittings, you can dine any time you choose when the restaurant is open.  If you want a drink before dinner, the Grill Lounge is a lounge and bar exclusively for Princess & Queens Grill passengers, on 7 deck aft, directly opposite the entrance to the Queens Grill.

Kings Court

The Kings Court buffet restaurant takes up most of the centre section of deck 7, and it's open almost continuously from early until late, with only half an hour here and there were breakfast dishes are swapped for lunch or lunch for dinner.  There's a wide variety of food, all good quality, including a carvery.  The window tables with sea views cross the promenade deck are the nicest.  Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water & juices can be had for free from the drinks stations in several locations around the Kings Court area.  Stewards will take your order for wine, beer, cocktails, mocktails or fizzy soft drinks and deliver them to your table, these drinks must be paid for, added to your on board account.

The Man in Seat 61 says , "If you fancy a first breakfast in the Britannia restaurant then a second breakfast in the Kings Court, why not?  After all, Second Breakfast is the most important meal of the day..."

The Verandah restaurant

The Verandah restaurant aft on deck 8 is an extra-cost option, specialising in steaks and seafood.  You can make a reservation at the Verandah restaurant whilst you are on board, or you can book a table for one or more nights at your desired time before you travel, by logging into your voyage personaliser at my.cunard.com/en-gb/mycruise/login booking the table and paying the extra.

The Man in Seat 61 says , "With our normal Britannia sitting not until 8.30pm, we booked a table at the Verandah for 6pm on our last evening before getting up early to see the arrival into New York.  I wished we'd dined there on more than just one occasion, the steaks were top class."

QM2 bars & lounges

There is no shortage of watering holes on the Queen Mary 2.  Personally, the Chart Room works for cocktails before or after dinner as it's near the social centre of the ship on deck 3, but for quiet reading, working on a laptop and generally getting away from it all, the Commodore Club with its forward view over the bows is my top choice.  Drinks are not too expensive:  A tea is $2, a glass of wine perhaps $6, a cocktail $10.  Although I'm a non-smoker 99.9% of the time, one of Havana's Montecristo number 2 cigars and a 1979 Armagnac were sound recommendations from the barman on the last night of a return crossing from New York.

Champagne bar

Sponsored by Veuve Cliquot, the Champagne Bar is on 3 Deck, on the upper level of the Grand Lobby in the centre of the ship.

Commodore Club

Located on deck 9 on 'A' stairway at the forward end of the superstructure.  It's away from the hustle and bustle, a quiet and relaxing place for a cocktail and a read or chat.  You get a great forward view over the bows, although blinds are drawn at dusk so the light does not interfere with the view from the bridge above.  This is my favourite place on QM2 - it does a great range of cocktails and other drinks, the Churchill Cigar Lounge opens off the Commodore Club, the library is one deck down also on 'A' stairway, and the open-air observation deck below the bridge is two decks up on 'A' stairway.  There's a huge illuminated model of the QM2 behind the bar.

Chart room bar

Located on deck 3 near the Britannia restaurant, this is the largest and busiest of the QM2's bars.  Click the photo for larger image.

Golden Lion Pub

Located on deck 2 near the Britannia restaurant, this is not only a good place for a pint of London Pride, you can take meals here too, with pub-style food such as fish and chips or sausages and mash.  Click the photo for larger image.

Carinthia Lounge

Located on deck 7 next to the Kings Court buffet with doors opening onto the promenade deck.  This is a good place to sit, read, and have a tea or coffee.  You may also find some complimentary snacks or soup here too, at the kitchen counter.  Click the photo for larger image.

Afternoon tea in the Queen's Room

Every day at around 3.30pm, afternoon tea is served in the Queen's Room, on 2 Deck aft.  A choice of teas comes with daintily-cut sandwiches, scones and cakes, served by stewards in white gloves.  Afternoon tea is included in the fare, but a glass of champagne is extra.

Grill Lounge

The Grill Lounge is a lounge and bar exclusively for passengers travelling in the upmarket staterooms and suites allocated to the Princess and Queen's Grill restaurants.  It's located on 7 Deck aft, directly opposite the entrance to the Queen's Grill and the ship's width away from the entrance to the Princess Grill.  It seemed to be empty most of the time even with the ship sailing full, it's main purpose seems to be drinks before dinner.

Churchill's Cigar Lounge

This is a sealed and specially-ventilated room opening off the starboard side of the Commodore Club.  Here you can order a whisky or cognac and choose from a cigar menu.  The rest of the ship's accommodation is of course non-smoking!

QM2 activities & entertainment

A daily programme for the following day is delivered to your stateroom each evening.  It shows details of the entertainment and activities on board, along with navigational & itinerary information and the opening and closing times of all restaurants, bars and other facilities.  There's an ongoing programme of shows, plays & lectures.  For example, recent crossings featured talks by John Cleese about his work on Monty Python & Fawlty Towers, excellent lectures by an expert on New York skyscrapers, an edited version of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew' and Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of being Earnest'.  The QM2 also features the world's only sea-going planetarium, called the 'Illuminations'.  And of course there are several live bands on board, with dancing every evening, sometimes themed such as the 'Black & White Ball' and 'Ascot Ball'.  If it's disco you prefer, you'll find that in the G32 nightclub.  You'll also find the Canyon Ranch spa on deck 7, offering a wide range of treatments from manicures to massages, Jacuzzis to saunas.  If you want to be bored, you'll have to really work at it.

Library & bookshop

The QM2 has an excellent library - for me, one of its best features - located on 8 deck forward on 'A' stairway directly below the Commodore Club.  You can take out books using your cabin key, or read them in the library, with comfy seats, some with a forward-facing view over the QM2's bows.  The library is open during office hours every day, outside these times the bookshelves are locked but the library itself remains accessible.  As you'd expect, the QM2's library has a particularly good section of books about ocean liners.  Next to the library is a bookshop selling travel guides, QM2 souvenirs & ocean liner/QM2 books.  Click the left-hand photo for larger image .

Swimming pools

The QM2 has several swimming pools.  The most popular (certainly on a transatlantic crossing) is the Pavilion Pool on 12 deck, with sun loungers, two hot tubs, see the photo below.  The roof can slide away when the QM2 visits warmer climates, but it remains closed on the Atlantic.  Towels are provided, there are toilets (visible below behind the two hot tubs) which you can use as changing rooms, or you can change in your cabin and use your bathrobe.  You can see the funnel from the pool through the glass roof, towering above you.  Don't jump when the ship's horns are tested at midday!  There's also a bar here, open at certain times of day.  In addition to this indoor pool there are two outdoor pools on the open decks aft (7 & 8 Deck), one of which is only shallow for kids, the other designated as adults-only.  Click the photo for larger image .

Illuminations

The QM2's Illuminations towards the forward end of Deck 2 can be used as a lecture theatre, cinema or (with an ingenious dome lowered from the ceiling) the world's only ocean-going planetarium.  You'll usually find varying recently-released films shown most evenings, and planetarium sessions at various times on most days.  There's also usually a lecture series or two during each crossing with subjects varying from New York Skyscrapers to pirates on the high seas to the design and build of the QM2.  Click the photo for larger image .

Royal Court Theatre

The QM2's Royal Court Theatre is used for various shows and performances, for example I have seen an interview with John Cleese here, and some stand-up comedy.  Click the photo for larger image .

Spa & gymnasium

The QM2's Canyon Ranch Spa is at the forward end of Deck 7, with with treatment rooms and pool, plus a small beauty salon above on Deck 8.  You can make appointments at the reception desk, treatments & massages are billed to your on-board account.  There's a free-to-use gymnasium at the forward end of Deck 7, pictured below right.

The Cunard heritage trail

The Queen Mary 2 is filled with paintings, information panels and even interactive screens telling the history of Cunard Line, its ships, and the famous people who crossed the Atlantic aboard them.

Travelling with children

You won't be the only family on the QM2, especially on a transatlantic run!  You'll find plenty of entertainment for children in the Play Zone at the aft end of 6 deck.

Arrangements for children & pregnant women on the Queen Mary 2

The play zone & child care.

The Zone is aft on deck 6, staffed by a team of friendly young British-trained nannies.  It has a toddler zone for ages 1-3, a Play Zone for ages 4-6 and The Zone with various computer games and other activities for older kids up to 17.  There's plenty to do, and activities such as treasure hunts or ship tours are organised by the Play Zone team.

Children from 2 to 7 inclusive can be left free of charge with the nannies in the Play Zone during its opening hours, 09:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, 18:00-24:00 (shorter hours apply on the first and last nights).  In other words, you can sign them into the Play Zone at 9am, pick them up at noon and take them to lunch, sign them back in at 2pm and enjoy an afternoon show, pick them up at 5pm and take them to the children's tea provided in the King's Court 'Chef's Galley' area between 16:30 & 17:30.  Then you can check them back into the Zone at 6pm until midnight, leaving you free to enjoy a formal dinner and evening entertainment while the kids play happily in the Zone and later settle down and fall asleep in front of some cartoons.  Outside the Play Zone, children 1 to 7 must always be accompanied by an adult around the ship.

Children 8 and up to 17 can also use the Zone, signing themselves in and out.  They are free to wander the ship solo.

I suggest calling Cunard to check current childcare arrangements as they tweak them from time to time, but they don't properly explain them on their website - indeed, we didn't know how extensive their childcare facilities were until we we actually on board!

Cabins & dinner sittings

If you have young children, it's worth asking for a cabin towards the stern of the ship.  We were given a stateroom at the extreme forward end of deck 6, whereas the Play Zone is at the extreme aft end of deck 6.  That meant we had to walk a sixth of a mile from cabin to Play Zone to sign the kids in, then a sixth of a mile back again to get changed.  It proved impossible sign the kids in at 6pm when the Zone opens, walk all the way back to the cabin, get changed into formal dress, then walk forward again to the Britannia restaurant for a 6pm sitting. 

From this experience on our outward crossing, we changed our sitting for the return crossing to 8.30pm.  The evening then worked better, although some after-dinner films or shows finished after midnight so could not be attended without leaving early to collect the kids.  The dinner tended to take up much of the evening.  A stateroom near the Zone, and dressing for the 6pm dinner sitting before taking the kids to the Zone, might be the ideal solution, but my wife's and my opinion is divided!

If you've small children, remember to take your folding buggy (stroller).  It's a big ship!

Other useful information

There is no baggage limit on the Queen Mary 2, either in terms of total weight or the number of bags.  You can bring what you like, as long as it all fits in your stateroom.  However, for safe lifting by staff, no one item may exceed 23Kg (50lb).  Bags are taken from you on arrival at the terminal and they reappear in your stateroom on board.  At the end of the crossing, they are transported ashore for you.  See the embarkation & disembarkation arrangements above.  If you plan to go one way by ship, the other by air, one advantage of taking the ship on the return leg is that you can take as much shopping as you like!

Cunard sometimes have to fight off a stuffy image, and it didn't help that until 2013 they had a three-tier dress code as complicated as a Virgin Trains Saver Ticket restriction.  However, they now have just two codes, formal and informal.  One of two dress codes will apply each evening after 6pm in all the main restaurants and bars, although not in the Kings Court buffet restaurant.  You'll be told which dress code applies on which night in if you log on to your voyage personaliser and it's also stated in the daily programme delivered to your stateroom.

Payment on board

Everything on board, including drinks in the bar, books from the bookshop, massages in the spa, purchases in the shops or internet access, is billed to your on board account.  You simply show your cabin card and sign for the payment.  At the end of the crossing, the total is automatically deducted from the credit card you gave them at check-in and you'll get a summary of your account delivered to your stateroom half-way across and at the end of the voyage.  Just be aware that Cunard follow the American practice of quoting you one price but charging you a slightly higher price, as all bar prices shown on the drinks menu have 15% service fee added to them automatically.  As service is then included, there is no need to add a gratuity unless the service has been particularly special. 

Internet & mobile phone access

Internet access is available for a fee throughout the QM2, both in your cabin and in all the public areas including bars but excluding the theatres & restaurants.  It generally works well with good download speeds.  You pre-pay for a bundle of minutes and this is added to your normal on-board account.

2019 prices:  $15 for 30 minutes (= $0.50 per minute), $45 for 120 minutes (= $0.38 per minute) or $80 for 240 minutes (= $0.33 per minute).

You can spend these minutes individually, so for example you can buy 120 minutes and spend them over the course of the whole voyage, logging on to download emails, logging off again to compose replies offline, then logging on again to send, and so only using a few minutes at a time.

To use your own laptop, simply click on the 'Qm2_Guest_internet' internet connection and open a web browser to see the log-in screen.  Register with your name & cabin number on this log-in page and the cost will be billed to your QM2 stateroom account.  If you don't have your own laptop, the Cunard Connexions rooms on deck 2 or the library on deck 8 have self-service internet PCs which you can use for the same rates.  You'll find power sockets for laptops (both British 3-pin and US 110v) in your cabin, and (if you hunt for them) British 3-pin sockets in certain areas of most bars including the Commodore Club on deck 9 forward and the Chart Room on deck 3.  Tip:  I found that the Commodore Lounge on 9 deck was the quietest and nicest place to work, there's a 3-pin power socket near the skirting in the 'bridge wing' far side of the lounge.  Mobile phone access is available on board throughout the crossing, although it isn't cheap, you'll need to ask your phone network for their rates.

The QM2 is entirely non-smoking apart from the open decks and the Churchill Cigar Lounge forward on deck 9 next to the Commodore Club.

As well as a hotel-style pay-per-item laundry service for laundry collected from your stateroom, you'll find a small free-of-charge self-service laundrette on cabin decks 4, 5, 6 & 8, see the photo below.  These have washers, driers, free detergent sachets, iron & ironing board.  This came in very handy on both our outward and return crossings on a 7-week trip to the States, as we arrived in the US with bags full of clean clothes and arrived back in Blighty without a huge laundry backlog.  Also useful for ironing dress shirts that have become creased in the baggage.

Taking your dog

Yes, you can take your dog across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2, but they will be kept in the ship's kennels on 12 Deck during the crossing and (except for guide dogs) are not allowed in the public areas.  Contact Cunard for details.  There's an exercise area next to the kennels.

Visiting the QM2's bridge

There are no official bridge visits, but there is a viewing room behind the bridge with two large soundproofed windows so you can see what's going on.  It's normally open 09:00-16:00 on sea days, although it's closed in bad weather.  The entrance is on the port (left-hand) side of the ship on deck 12, accessed via 'A' stairway.  No photography is allowed now - the photos below were taken in 2010 although little has changed here.

Which is better, a westbound or an eastbound transatlantic crossing ?

If you really haven't got the time or money to go both ways by sea, you might want to go one-way by sea and the other by air.  You can often find one-way QM2 fares with a 'free' air fare in the other direction.  If you're British and a shopaholic, the obvious advantage of going out westbound by air and back eastbound by sea is that you can shop in New York and bring back as much as you like, as there are no baggage limits on the Queen Mary 2.  And you'll have the leisurely voyage back home to look forward to at the end of your trip.  However, for my money (not being a great shopper), westbound is much better.  There's the growing anticipation as you near America at the end of an outward westbound crossing, there's the significant advantage of 25-hour days as the clocks are put back on 5 of the 7 nights due to the time difference, and best of all the spectacular arrival into New York harbour in the early morning, with that Manhattan skyline lit by the rising sun.  When you're enjoying your evenings on the town (or rather, the ship) until late at night, the 23-hour days on an eastbound crossing as the clocks are put forward can be a killer!  On the other hand, if I were an American heading for Europe, I might well be tempted to head out by sea eastbound, returning west by air.

Forum for cruise reviews, questions & the latest advice

A good place to find advice & reviews about the Queen Mary 2 and other ships, and to post your own questions and reviews of your trip, is the online cruise forum at www.cruise.co.uk .

About Queen Mary 2

The QM2 was built in 2003 at St Nazaire in France, by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the same shipyard that built the famous French Line ships Ile de France , Normandie and France .  The Queen Mary 2 is no longer the biggest passenger ship in the world in terms of Gross Tonnage, as the Queen Mary 2's 148,528 tons have now been exceeded, first by Royal Caribbean's 154,000-ton Freedom of the Seas in 2006, and then by the 225,000-ton Oasis of the Seas in 2009.  However, the QM2 remains the tallest, longest and widest ship ever built, at 1,132 feet long and 148 feet wide.  For comparison, the original Queen Mary is just 81,237 tons, 1019 feet long, 118 feet wide, and the Titanic was only 46,000 tons, 883 feet long, 93 feet wide.  Queen Mary 2 uses an unconventional propulsion system:  Four large diesel engines and two gas turbines generate electricity, and this powers four electrically-powered propellers each housed in a 'pod' attached under her stern.  The rear two pods swivel to steer the ship, so the QM2 does not have a conventional rudder.  The propellers face forwards rather than backwards, and give her a top speed of around 30 knots (1 knot = 1.1 mph), although she normally crosses the Atlantic at 20 to 25 knots.  See Queen Mary 2 Wikipedia entry .

Souvenirs & books about the QM2

Buy a superb model of the Queen Mary 2:   The souvenir shop on board QM2 on deck 3 has a couple of models of the Queen Mary 2, but neither (in my opinion) are particularly well detailed, and yet they aren't cheap, either.  If you become a QM2 aficionado during your crossing (highly likely!) and want a top-quality model of the QM2 to sit on your shelves or desk, I highly recommend the 1:1250 Queen Mary 2 model at www.galerie-maritim.de .  It is hand painted in die-cast metal.  You can buy either a full hull version in a glass case, or a waterline model without a case.  The models are small enough not to take up too much room, yet are superbly detailed.  They are very expensive, but you won't be disappointed!

Books about the Queen Mary 2:

The book by John Maxtone-Graham is beautifully written and illustrated, a great souvenir, search for it at Amazon.com (USA) or Amazon.co.uk (UK).  It's also available in the bookshop on board the QM2.

But by far the best book about the design, construction and operation of the QM2 is written by its designer, Stephen Payne, "RMS Queen Mary 2 Manual: An Insight into the Design, Construction and Operation of the World's Largest Ocean Liner", buy it at www.amazon.co.uk (UK) or www.amazon.com (USA).  Highly recommended!

QM2 video guide

Alternatives to the queen mary 2, passenger-carrying freighters, hotels & accommodation, hotels in new york.

New York has hundreds of hotels, the two most famous being the New York Plaza Hotel opposite Central Park and the Waldorf-Astoria on 4th Avenue.  I've never stayed at the Plaza, but have to say I was not impressed by the rooms at the Waldorf, on either occasion I stayed there.  Here's my top tip for New York:

The Algonquin Hotel

The Algonquin is New York's oldest operating hotel, opened in 1902, and a designated New York City Historic Landmark.  Perfectly located in mid-town Manhattan, a block or two from Times Square one way and Grand Central the other, with a lovely wood-panelled lobby and even its own hotel cat, which you may find wandering the corridors or sitting on the reception desk.  To check prices & book, click here .  For the Algonquin's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquin_Hotel .

In Los Angeles:  Hotel Queen Mary, Long Beach

If you get as far as Los Angeles after your transatlantic crossing, it has to be the Hotel Queen Mary , doesn't it?  She makes a good base to explore the Los Angeles - Hollywood - Disneyland area.  The original Queen Mary of 1936 has been permanently moored at Long Beach in California since the late 1960s, some 25 miles from Los Angeles Union Station (about a $90 taxi ride), and it's undoubtedly the most fascinating place to stay in LA.  The hotel consists of most of the Queen Mary's original first class cabins, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars available on board, too.  Hotel guests can more or less wander the ship at will, and even sign up for ghost hunts at night on board (and yes, from my own experience there is definitely something going on aboard that beautiful but ageing ship!).  Wood panelled art deco interiors have been preserved, although a few modern items have been installed such as televisions, and (as we worked out from a historic deck plan) in some cases two of the Queen Mary's original cabins have been knocked into one hotel suite by turning one of the en suite bathrooms into a connecting corridor.  She is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed.

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7 Night Transatlantic Cruise

Sail like the royalty on a Cunard ocean liner. This regal line has been sailing its famed transatlantic crossings since the 1840s.

Enjoy the excellent experience that is a vacation away from the everyday, sailing across the Atlantic and stopping at intriguing ports—try a transatlantic cruise.

Take in the incredible art scene of New York City, expand your cultural horizons in the city’s diverse neighborhoods and marvel at the architectural wonders.

  • Queen Mary 2 - Passenger Capacity: 2,691 (double occupancy) Year Built: 2004 Last Refurbished: 2020

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  • RMS Queen Mary 2 Cruises

CUNARD QM2 SHIP CRUISE ITINERARY, SCHEDULE, PRICES, INFORMATION

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  • QM2 Transatlantic Crossings

This is the Cunard Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise 2024-2025-2026  schedule of all one-way and round-trip Atlantic Ocean crossings. It shows all departures from New York ,  Southampton-London , and Hamburg as dates and prices per person. RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic crossings are part of the Cunard Line’s regular Atlantic Ocean crossing service between the UK and the USA (London/Southampton and NYC New York). Next is the link to our complete  QM2 itineraries and schedule  (all sailing dates with the lowest prices comparison). This link is to our review of QM2 cruise ticket prices .

Longest QM2 Transatlantic crossings are between New York and Hamburg (Germany /9-day itinerary with Southampton, England). The longest QM2 Transatlantic cruises are when the Caribbean or Canada New England is part of the Atlantic Ocean crossing itinerary.

RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise experience

The Cunard Line maintains a scheduled Trans-Atlantic Ocean passenger service between the UK and the US. It’s almost like a ferry cruise service – but it’s absolutely not a ferry one!

The Cunard Transatlantic cruise schedule offers at least one crossing a month between UK/Southampton and USA/New York City, in the period from April to November or early December. Most of the crossings are 6 nights / 7 days in length. On the Cunard’s RMS Queen Mary 2 ship, it’s definitely the most civilized and adventurous exciting way to visit the UK and USA – or both!

Doing the 7-day voyage on Queen Mary 2 is not a Transatlantic cruise – it’s an Atlantic crossing. Most of the Transatlantic cruises are operated only in the low season when quite a number of cruise ships reposition between Europe and the North or South American continents. But the huge number of QM2 passengers use the Cunard crossings as their preferred travel mode between Europe and the USA. And QM2 is not any ship and not a regular “cruise ship” – she’s a real-deal ocean cruise liner, which power and hull strength helps her to withstand the nasty North Atlantic weather.

Celebrating the 200th QM2 Transatlantic Crossing

To mark her 200th Atlantic Ocean crossing, RMS Queen Mary 2 performed on July 6th a sail-by of NYC’s most famous attraction – the Statue of Liberty. The list of onboard special events includes lectures and presentations by renowned speakers (by the “Cunard Insights” enrichment programme), Big Band musical performances, a most special Gala Dinner (on 11 July). Stephen Payne (a naval architect, responsible for the QM2 design) will present an insight into her construction. He is also guest of honour at the Gala Dinner. Another renown speaker is the BBC’s Nick Owen. Performing onboard is a jazz orchestra of 13 musicians and 1 vocalist from the Juilliard School (juilliard.edu). They will perform in the Royal Court Theatre (in the evening), an afternoon tea dance, lunchtime jam sessions (in the Chart Room), and a late evening in the Illuminations (planetarium).

RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing statistics and facts

  • This cruise liner is one of the biggest (weight 151,000 tons, capacity 2,500+ guests, and 3,056 max/all berths, 1,250 crew), longest (1,132 ft), tallest (550 ft) and most expensive (cost to build USD 800 million) passenger ships ever built. QM2 is also the only one still operational ocean liner, and she is the fastest cruise ship in the world (service speed 34 mph). RMS QM2 is the most famous cruise ship afloat – simply there’s no other ship in the world to enjoy such respect and recognition.
  • In the course of the vessel’s 200 Transatlantic Crossings over 500,000 passengers were carried. They have consumed more than 8,400,000 cups of tea; more than 980,000 scones; over 481,000 bottles of champagne; more than 644,000 eggs; nearly 960,000 liters of milk, and 22,400,000 meals have been served. More than 1,000 dogs have been transported in the QM2 kennels.
  • In comparison to other Cunard ships, QM2 has many seasons still ahead – RMS Queen Mary (1001 crossings), RMS Queen Elizabeth (896 crossings), ms Queen Elizabeth 2 (812 crossings).

The Cunard’s flagship QM2 cruise liner is a classic/authentic Trans-Atlantic Ocean liner offering deals on regular one-way and round-trip Cunard crossings between UK/England and USA/New York (NYC, Brooklyn). The regular QM2 crossings also offer cruises between New York and Hamburg (Germany) – again with both one-way and longer round-trip itinerary. In this survey, we list only the regular crossings which do not include additional ports of call.

Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic 2024-2025-2026 crossings (UK-USA-UK-Germany)

The following tables show all Queen Mary 2 ship departures from Southampton to New York and the reverse from New York to Southampton. They are part of the ship’s scheduled regular service on  Cunard Transatlantic Crossings: Westbound routes (from the UK to the USA) and Eastbound routes (from the USA to the UK). Prices are only indicative and subject to change.

QM2 schedule from Southampton to New York (UK-USA crossings) and Hamburg (UK-Germany)

The Queen Mary 2 cruise ship is usually departing from Southampton at 5PM and arriving in New York from 6:30 to 7AM. For exact New York USA arrival times please visit the Cunard Line’s website.

Cunard QM2 Southampton cruise port embarkation

There are four possible Southampton cruise terminals where you can board the Queen Mary 2 ship – so check your booking for the exact terminal:

  • QE2 Terminal (dock gate 4)
  • City Terminal (dock gate 10)
  • Mayflower Terminal (dock gate 10)
  • Ocean Terminal (dock gate 4).
  • The taxi service from Southampton Central is ~10 min, costs ~£7 to Mayflower/City, and ~£10 to QE2/Ocean terminals.
  • For schedules and price information on all the trains to Southampton from London and other major UK cities please visit nationalrail.co.uk. For the port’s cruise ship schedule you can visit CruiseMapper (cruisemapper.com/ports/southampton-port-115).

Queen Mary 2 Southampton boarding/check-in services open at 1 pm, and close ~3:45 pm (the exact check-in time is on your Cunard ticket). The line will also send you or you can download and print information about your departure date and room number (print them and put one on each of your bags). Remember that the baggage weight limit is 23 kg / 51 pounds per bag (no limit about their number).

At the check-in service desk, you show your ticket, passport, and credit card for on-ship purchases, and a photo will be taken for security purposes. You will be given a plastic card acting as an embarkation card, room key, and charge card on the ship. After the security check, you embark on the RMS Queen Mary 2.

Cunard QM2 New York cruise port disembarkation

All QM2 NYC disembarkation procedures are delivered to your cabin 1/2 days before the Brooklyn arrival. The Cunard’s “Express disembarkation” service allows you to leave the QM2 ship ~1/2 hour after docking (~7:30am). The standard procedure includes delivering to your cabin of colored labels for your baggage 1 day before the NYC arrival (put one on each of your bags, move them outside your cabin by the door between 8-12 pm the night before arrival. Your bags will be st the Brooklyn cruise terminal next morning, in a dedicated zone marked with your labels color. Know that they disembark the more expensive rooms guests first. The QM2 disembarkation time is 8-11 am.

QM2 schedule from New York to Southampton (USA-UK crossings) and Hamburg (USA-Germany)

Qm2 new york cruise information.

The Queen Mary 2 ship is usually departing from the New York cruise port terminal in Brooklyn at 5 PM. The ship’s check-in services start at 1 PM, and close at 3:45 PM. QM2 arrives at the Southampton cruise port at 6:30 AM. Again, please visit the line’s website for the exact Southampton UK arrival times confirmation.

QM2 New York/Port Brooklyn embarkation

Queen Mary 2 New York boarding/check-in services open at ~1 pm to ~3:45 pm (local time). The embarkation time, along with the other standard procedures information are the same as those about the UK departures from Southampton, since this is the Cunard policy and not the port policy-related issue. So you have the e-tickets with all the info, Cunard will send you labels with departure dates/room numbers, the bag weight limit is again 23kg per bag, you get through the security check, join the queue for check-in, show tickets/passports/credit cards, they take your photo, give you the plastic card for onboard uses, and you embark the cruise ship Queen Mary 2.

The QM2 Southampton disembarkation procedures are also the same as those for the NYC disembarkation – you’ll receive a note explaining them outside your cabin 1 or 2 days before the UK arrival, you can choose standard or “Express” disembarkation, put labels on your bags, place the bags outside your cabin between 8-12 pm the night before the UK arrival, etc. The London/Southampton disembarkation is between 8-11 AM local time.

Note: For exact times and prices on trains to NYC leaving from major US cities please visit amtrak.com  (the Amtrak train schedule).

QM2 schedule from Hamburg to Southampton and New York (Germany-UK-USA crossings)

You can share our “QM2 Transatlantic” review and the RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise schedule via our social buttons. Enjoy the ever best of the best British cruise ships departing from Southampton and New York, and be always happy on your uniquely special Cunard Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2 – the Royal Mail Ship of the 21st century!

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Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth cruise ship

Cruise line Cunard

  • Sydney (NSW Australia)
  • Vancouver (BC Canada)
  • Yokohama (Tokyo, Japan Kanagawa)
  • Tokyo (Japan)
  • Seattle (Washington)

Queen Elizabeth current position

Queen Elizabeth current location is at East Australia (coordinates -39.05337 S / 146.85249 E) cruising at speed of 19.5 kn (36 km/h | 22 mph) en route to MELBOURNE. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth current cruise is 19 days, round-trip South Pacific And Australia . The itinerary starts on 20 Feb, 2024 and ends on 10 Mar, 2024 .

Specifications of Queen Elizabeth

  •   Itineraries
  •   Review
  •   Wiki

Queen Elizabeth Itineraries

Queen elizabeth review, review of queen elizabeth.

The 2010-built MS Queen Elizabeth cruise ship is same-designed as MS Queen Victoria (2007) and has as fleetmates the Cunard liners RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004) and the fleet's newest boat (2024-built) Queen Anne .

The vessel (IMO number 9477438) is currently Bermuda- flagged (MMSI 310625000) and registered in Hamilton . The flag state/registry was changed from Southampton (UK) to Bermuda in order to be able to host onboard weddings.

On the 10th of October 2007, Cunard announced the ship's name. Cunard's last traditional-design Atlantic Ocean liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969-built, IMO 6725418) retired in 2008 (on Nov 27th).

The cruise ship was named after and christened by HM Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). The namesake is the Royal Navy battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier (2014-built).

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.

MS Queen Elizabeth cruise ship (Cunard)

The 2300-passenger liner Queen Elizabeth is a luxurious ocean liner. QE appeared in October 2010 when she was named in a grandiose ceremony by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Reminding the rich inheritance of the first Cunarder to bear the name, her stylishness both echoes that legendary age and improves her luxury modern charm. QE- the running mate to Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria has a modified design and is slightly larger than Queen Victoria, having more vertical stern.

With her black hull, white structure and red funnel signals, externally Cunard Queen Elizabeth has the charm of the company's British heritage, following Cunard's tradition. Modern luxury and the best of Cunard's values are what guests can expect onboard.

The ship is identical in design to MS Queen Victoria, although the max passenger capacity is slightly higher because of the steeper stern. This difference is the reason why the largest suites (at the stern) have smaller balconies. The games deck is covered by a roof at the end of deck 11, which is not similar to the sports deck on Queen Victoria with her not continuous canvas covering. RMS Queen Elizabeth's original whistle was used to make a copy of it for the new ship.

Unlike previous Cunard ships, this is not a true liner, as it doesn't have a heavy plating (throughout the hull). The bow is constructed with heavier plating in order to cope with Transatlantic crossings. Also, the ship has a high freeboard.

The ship's decor is different from Queen Victoria's, although with identical interior arrangements. As a tribute to the previous Elizabeths (the original one and the QE2), this cruiser evokes the 1930s, when Cunard's first QE was launched. A feature on Queen Mary 2 (not available on Queen Victoria) is the Britannia Club section of the restaurant, featured on Queen Elizabeth. This way passengers in Britannia staterooms are allowed to use single-seating dining arrangements, not having to upgrade to the more expensive Grill cabin grades.

Decks and Cabins

Cunard Queen Elizabeth staterooms (1043 total) include 127 Suites, 611 Balcony, 146 Oceanview and 162 Inside cabins, in all 9 types and 34 categories. The ship has 20 wheelchair-accessible and 9 studios (single-occupancy cabins). The largest are the Grand Suites (1495 ft2 / 139 m2 plus 970 ft2 / 90 m2 terrace).

Cabin types include Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia, Suites (Grand, Master, Penthouse, Queen, Princess), Standard Balcony staterooms, Outside and Interior (windowless). Most cabins (Britannia Balcony) are sized 190-420 ft2 / 18-39 m2, with cabin balconies sized 70 ft2 / 7 m2.

The boat has 12 decks (all passenger-accessible) of which 7 are with cabins. Of all staterooms, ~85% are outside, with 71% of them with step-out balconies.

The Princess and Queens Grill suites are situated around the ship, with excellent views, or in the midships, where balconies are deeper. Most of the top suites are on Deck 7, in addition to Queens Grill penthouses, two Master and two Grand Suites which include huge balconies, separate dining areas, and whirlpool baths. These are named after the knighted Cunard Commodores. The Master Suites have a bath with a sea view, and the top category- the Grand Suites offer outdoor dining and a wraparound balcony. Queens and Princess Grill offer personalized stationery and marble bathrooms. The intimate Grill restaurants offer exceptional menus (with sophisticated creams and browns that glitter crystal and gold) and exciting sea views- located on Deck 11. The doors open to the Courtyard, and steps will lead you to the upper Grills Terrace, providing more exclusivity than the lower one, available for all guests.

Theoretically, MS Queen Elizabeth 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. Britannia Restaurant is for regular cabins, Princess Grill - for junior suites, and the Queen's Grill is for deluxe suites. All the other public rooms are free to be used by all passengers.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Four main dining rooms and the Verandah- an alternative restaurant, the Lido- a buffet and a changing specialty option, are Queen Elizabeth suggestions. The Britannia Restaurant is the main dining room on board the ship, where everyone dines except the Grills and Britannia Club cabins. You may choose between two seating- 6,00p.m. and 8,30p.m. Britannia is open for full served breakfast on sea days from 8,00a.m. to 9,30a.m., on port days from 7,30a.m. to 9,00a.m.; lunch is from 12,30p.m. to 2,00p.m., open seating at both. A wide choice is on the dinner menu- five appetizers, six entrees (two of which vegetarian choices), two salads, six desserts, including cheese.

MS Queen Elizabeth cruise ship (Cunard)

A step up from Britannia is the Britannia Club, which is a separate room for inhabitants of top-grade Britannia cabins. The menu is as, in Britannia, the atmosphere- more exclusive, dinner is from 6,30p.m. to 9,00p.m., open seating, breakfast and lunch served also there. The two Grill restaurants are on Deck 10, accessible with special keycards, sharing the outdoor terrace with a splashing fountain, sheltered by high walls. The Princess Grill's menu is similar to Britannia, but with more items and a la carte menu. Queens Grill's menu is with bigger a la carte menu and you can have what you want.

The Verandah Restaurant on Deck 2 offers really outstanding food and is available to all passengers. It is open from 6,30p.m. to 9,00p.m., for lunch from 12,00p.m. to 1,30p.m. If you dine there you will enjoy a real luxury cruise. The Lido is a 24-hour casual dining venue on Deck 9. Breakfast is served from 4,00a.m. to 11,30a.m., and is followed by lunch until 3,00p.m., afternoon tea is at 6,00p.m., dinner- from 6,00p.m. to 11,00p.m., snacks available through the night. Other dining venues are Cafe Carinthia on Deck 3, which is open from 7,00a.m. and serves breakfast- pastries, lunch- quiches and salads, and afternoon tea. The Lido and the Queens Room offer afternoon tea and sandwiches, burgers, pasta and other, as well as the menu from dining rooms.

The Britannia Club, which is one of the four basic QE dining rooms, replaced the Chart Room bar which is available on Cunard's Queen Victoria, while the Todd English specialty restaurant, featured on both QM2 and QV, became The Verandah. This restaurant, managed by Cunard's executive chef, is remindful of the glory days of the first Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, on which The Verandah Grill was regarded as the finest restaurant at sea. The Midships Bar, which is another much-loved Cunard's feature, is back, as is the Yacht Club nightspot, which is a lounge fondly remembered by fans of QE2 for its late-night dancing. Despite that Cunard is American owned cruise company, there's no lack of British icons such as a Fortnum & Mason hamper ordering service, Harris Tweed for sale and a sunlit Garden Lounge that's spiritual by the glass houses of Kew Gardens.

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.

During the day, passengers definitely tend towards country club casual dress code. 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!

Follows the complete list of Queen Elizabeth restaurants and food bars.

  • Verandah Restaurant (French specialty restaurant at a surcharge)
  • Britannia Restaurant (1351-seat, 2-level 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)
  • Britannia Club Restaurant (single-seating, complimentary dining venue for AA-Balcony Room guests only)
  • Lido Restaurant (450-seat buffet-style restaurant for Breakfast and Lunch; In two of its sections are offered itinerary-inspired dishes for dinner)
  • Winter Garden Lounge (supper club/formal dining venue; features gourmet food and Afternoon Champagne Tea)
  • Queens Grill Restaurant (142-seat, for Queens Grill Suite guests; with regular and an a-la-carte-priced menu)
  • Princess Grill Restaurant (132-seat, Princess Grill Suite guests only; open-sitting, with the same menu as at the Queens Grill)
  • The Courtyard Restaurant (40-seat; serves Grills staterooms guests only).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Queen Elizabeth cruise liner is quite similar in many aspects to her sibling, Queen Victoria, in most of the design, cabins and enrichment programs. The decor indefinably feels lighter; chic, geometric Art Deco-inspired interiors unlike to the heavier Victoriana. There is beautiful artwork, rich Italian marble, polished wood and soft light everywhere, diffused by glittering chandeliers. The rippling sounds of a harp, soft piano or gentle jazz trio throughout the public places emphasize the whole feeling of old-fashioned glamour. There isn't neon or glitz on this vessel, and there are some gimmicks. Instead of capturing the public's imagination with water slides and high-tech discos, Cunard cruise company cashes in on its awesome inheritance, a sense of cause and old-fashioned pursuits like ballroom dancing, lawn bowls or afternoon tea in the Garden Lounge.

MS Queen Elizabeth cruise ship (Cunard)

Live music is played all over the ship. If you enjoy evening drinks in Midships bar or Cafe Carinthia, listen to the pianist and the harpist in the Grand Lobby. The Golden Lion pub presents a singing pianist, quizzes, karaoke. Every day dancing, morning, noon and night on Queen Elizabeth- most in the Queens Room built for the purpose, gold and blue. A large dance floor and stage for band complete the picture. Single ladies are accompanied by gentleman hosts. Jazz concerts and piano recitals are also held there. Every few nights Royal Balls are organized in the Queens Room. Other evening events are shows in the theatre, with 20 V.I.P. boxes. Forward is the Empire Casino and the Golden Lion pub. The pub is cozy and modeled as a British pub, is cozy enough. Roulette, Texas Hold'em, BlackJack and numerous slots are available in the casino- a nonsmoking area. The only smokers places are on balconies, the starboard side on Decks 3 and 10, in Churchill's Lounge on Deck 10. The Midships Bar has seating around a marble bar and comfortable armchairs. In Queens Room, where a lot of people gather each evening drinks are also served. Bigger lounges and bars are on Decks 9 and 10.

Family-oriented in terms of facilities, Queen Elizabeth has the look of a "grown-up" ship. For that reason, families might feel better on P&O or Princess lines. The Zone on Deck 10 is a teenagers' room for computer games, air hockey, Xbox, and for the smaller ones QE suggests a colorful children's playroom full with toys. Outdoor deck space is featured, as well. These operate on port days only, but you better book in advance.

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

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

  • Royal Court Theatre (832-seat, 3-deck, with a giant movie screen; hosts high-tech visual programs, grand musical productions, and shows, as well as theatrical spectacles, performances by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)
  • iStudy (Cunard ConneXions; separate meeting rooms featuring Internet computers); Internet Centre
  • Grand Lobby Atrium (with a grand piano, grand sweeping staircase, interior glass-wall lifts)
  • Golden Lion Pub (116-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)
  • Queens Arcade (quiet area for relaxation with panoramic views)
  • Cunard Place (nautically themed museum); Clarendon Fine Art gallery; Images Gallery (photo gallery)
  • Cunard ConneXions (a complex of 3 rooms which host onboard events)
  • Chart Room (cocktail bar with live jazz)
  • Queens Room (2-level formal dancing ballroom; hosts evening dancing parties and daily dance lessons)
  • Veuve Cliquot (Champagne Bar); Cafe Carinthia (patisserie, specialty teas and coffees bar); Midships Bar & Lounge
  • Royal Arcade (boutique shops, top name brands); Fortnum and Mason Shop
  • The Alcove (a quiet room with a big jigsaw puzzle); Card Room
  • Royal Spa & Fitness Centre (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 exercise bikes, Elliptical machines, treadmills, steppers, rowing machines, yoga mats; has Aerobics Room for classes)
  • The Library (with a large book selection - over 6000 volumes)
  • Pavilion Pool (with 2 Whirlpools and poolside Bar); Lido Pool (with 2 Whirlpools, Bar and Grill)
  • Commodore Club (indoor observation lounge with panoramic windows and live piano music)
  • Admiral's Lounge (premium liquors)
  • Churchill's Cigar Lounge (smokers room with a selection of fine liquors and cigars)
  • The Yacht Club Lounge & Disco (nautically themed, glass-domed)
  • The PlayZone (indoor/outdoor kids area for children 7+ yo); The Zone (for children 8 to 12 yo); Teen Zone (teenagers club area)
  • Games Deck (glass-domed; with tennis court, shuffleboard, croquet, quoits, giant chess, golf simulators, first time at sea complimentary fencing lessons)
  • The Terrace (private outdoor area, Grill passengers only); The Grills Lounge (Grill Suites guests only).

Itineraries

Queen Elizabeth itinerary program each year has a World Cruise leaving roundtrip from Southampton UK , with several one-way itinerary segments. The liner also sails in Europe (Canaries, Mediterranean and UK mini cruises), leaving from Southampton.

In February 2018, Cunard announced that for season 2019-2020, the cruise liner will be deployed in Australia to serve a 101-day program. During this season (December 2019 through March 2020), the ship had scheduled 6 roundtrips from Melbourne and 2 roundtrips from Sydney NSW on itineraries to Tasmania, New Zealand, South Australia, Papua New Guinea (14-day from Sydney, with maiden port calls to Conflict Islands and Kiriwina / Trobriand Islands).

For season 2019 (February-March), the ship had a 54-day long Australian season with homeporting in Sydney NSW and Melbourne. In 2019 and 2020, the liner offered a unique for Cunard Alaskan program based on roundtrips from Vancouver BC Canada (read more in the Wiki section).

In summer 2021 (July through October), Cunard scheduled for Queen Elizabeth an ex-UK season with 10 "British Isles Voyages" and 3 "Sun Voyages" (3- to 12-nights itineraries). "British Isles Voyages" offered scenic coastal cruising including Jurassic Coast (Dorset England), Land's End (Cornwall England), Scotland's Isle of Arran , Kintyre Peninsula, Sound of Mull. Four ex-UK voyages visited Belfast Ireland , Greenock , Invergordon , Liverpool , Newcastle , Holyhead Wales (first-time for Cunard). Balcony cabin prices per person (with double occupancy) started from GBP 600/EUR 700/USD 830 (4-night British Isles Voyages), GBP 900/EUR 1050/USD 1240 (7-night Sun Voyages), GBP 1300/EUR 1520/USD 1790 (10-night British Isles Voyage). Bookings were opened only for UK residents.

In late-October 2021, Cunard canceled Queen Elizabeth's Asia 2022 program (a total of 19 itineraries planned between Feb 20 - May 17) which was based on homeporting in Yokohama Japan . The revised 2022 schedule included roundtrips from homeport Southampton to Norway, Spain's Canary Islands, and Western Mediterranean ports, ending with a Grand Voyage (westbound Transatlantic crossing and Panama Canal transit) ending in Vancouver (BC Canada) .

Queen Elizabeth - user reviews and comments

Photos of queen elizabeth.

MS Queen Elizabeth cruise ship (Cunard)

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Queen Elizabeth Wiki

The Fincantieri Monfalcone -built Queen Elizabeth as vessel design is similar to P&O UK's Arcadia , Princess' Coral and Island , and Costa's Luminosa and Deliziosa . HM Queen Elizabeth II is the ship's Godmother. The naming ceremony was on October 11, 2010. The British monarch also christened Cunard's RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004), and in 1967 - Queen Elizabeth II (QE2 ship ceased operations in 2008).

The inaugural cruise/maiden voyage started on October 12, 2010, leaving from homeport Southampton to Canaries (Spanish autonomy territory). The itinerary visited Lisbon , Cadiz , Tenerife , Santa Cruz de la Palma and also Funchal (Madeira Island, Portugal) . For its first year of service, Queen Elizabeth did around 142,000 mi (230,000 km) of cruising to 100+ different destinations. Among the many celebrities who participated in the onboard show programs were Ruth Scott, Lord Jeffrey Archer, Brian Hoey.

The ship's first birthday was celebrated in Malta (Port Valletta) on October 12, 2011.

On January 13, 2011, the 3 Cunard liners met in the USA ( New York City ) on a second "Royal Rendezvous" to commemorate the second year after the first Royal Rendezvous. On this occasion, Elizabeth and Victoria crossed together the Atlantic Ocean. All Cunard ships gathered again in Southampton on June 5, 2012, to celebrate HM's diamond jubilee. A month later (on July 15), for the first time ever, Queen Elizabeth and QM2 docked together in Hamburg (Germany) .

In October 2011, the vessel changed its registry/flagstate  from the UK to Bermuda, which allows cruise wedding ceremonies to be held on the ship. The word “Southampton” on the stern was replaced with “Hamilton”.

On March 12, 2013, the liner passed by RMS Queen Mary - an earlier Cunard fleet member. QM is now permanently docked at Long Beach CA (Los Angeles) , serving as a ship hotel. On March 13, 2017, the ship departed on its ever first cruise leaving roundtrip from Japan ( Kobe-Osaka ). The 7-day itinerary (March 13-20) came after the local municipal government asked Cunard to schedule a Kobe-based cruise as in 2017 Port Kobe celebrated its 150th anniversary. The voyage included the Japanese ports Kagoshima , Busan , Hiroshima  and Kochi . This "surprise cruise" became part of the 2017 world voyage. CLIA's "2017 Summit at Sea" conference (May 9-17, 2017) was held onboard the ship. The itinerary (May 8-12) was roundtrip from Southampton to Hamburg .

In 2019, Cunard repositioned the liner for a 2-month long season in Australia (February-March), with departures from homeports Melbourne and Sydney on 7 cruises to NZ, South Australia, and Tasmania. For the liner's Australian deployment, Cunard partnered with 4 local brands (R.M.Williams / fashion, Akubra Hats, Starward Whisky/distillery, and Australian Dance Theatre). Under the Starward distillery partnership, the ship carried "The Seafarer" (a 225-litre barrel of the boutique whisky). It was loaded in Sydney NSW and positioned on the top deck to spend 12 months around the world, and will be opened in February 2019 at the Australian season's start. The partnership with Australian Dance Theatre will result in live performances, along with onboard dance classes and workshops.

Operated regularly and starting in January each year, Queen Elizabeth offers Cunard World Cruise deals with affordable pricing, popular destinations, and big-city ports to visit around the world.

Cunard cruises Alaska 2019-2020

In 2019, MS Queen Elizabeth had scheduled Cunard's first-ever Alaskan cruise season in over 20 years. The 27-day Pacific Ocean crossing itinerary (Asia-Alaska repositioning, May 5-31, 2019, Yokohama to Vancouver ) included as call ports Aomori , Tomakomai-Sapporo , Kodiak , Juneau , Anchorage , Skagway , Sitka , Ketchikan , Icy Strait Point . Cunard's 2019 Alaskan program included all four 10-night long roundtrips out of Vancouver to Tracy Arm Fjord and Hubbard Glacier .

On Queen Elizabeth, Cunard offers culturally-rich shipboard programming for all 2019 cruises to Alaska. The program includes four 10-day roundtrips (themed ‘The Last Frontier") with departures from Vancouver BC (2019 departure dates - May 21 and 31, June 10 and 20), with call ports Icy Strait Point , Juneau , Ketchikan , Sitka , Victoria BC , Skagway . Highlights include scenic cruising through Inside Passage , Hubbard Glacier , Tracy Arm Fjord . Cunard’s 2019 Alaskan program includes the following special onboard amenities:

  • Lectures by Dr. Rachel Cartwright - a naturalist with 20+ years of experience in Alaska
  • Live performances by Alaska Native Voices and members of Huna Tinglet tribe
  • Presentations by LaDonna Rose Gundersen - cookbook author and commercial fisherwoman
  • Dedicated in-cabin TV entertainment, including the documentary series “The Ketchikan Story”
  • Complimentary hot cocoa and blankets provided on Sun Deck
  • Live Navigation Bridge commentaries

On Queen Elizabeth, Cunard also planned a full 2020 Alaskan season (June through September). Due to high demand, the Alaskan 2020 program was doubled (in comparison to 2019) with 10 roundtrips from Vancouver (ranging 9 to 12 days) plus one roundtrip to San Francisco (overnight on Independence Day).

Each Alaskan voyage offers popular destinations along the coast of British Columbia (Canada) and Alaska (USA), and longer port times in Juneau , Ketchikan , Skagway , Sitka . In addition, these voyages offer scenic cruising in Inside Passage , Hubbard Glacier and along Sawyer Glacier ( Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm ). Cunard customers also can combine these itineraries into B2Bs (back-to-back cruises) . Cunard's 2020 Alaskan cruises include:

  • 10-day "Alaska Voyage" roundtrip from Vancouver (June 2-12, 2019), fares start from USD 1600 pp.
  • 3-day "Independence Day Celebration" from Vancouver to San Francisco (July 2-5), fares start from USD 600 pp.
  • 16-day repositioning from San Francisco to Vancouver (July 5-21), fares start from USD 2660 pp.
  • 29-day repositioning from Vancouver to Tokyo (August 29-September 28), fares start from USD 4460 pp.

Cunard Line offers for booking over 140 shore tours in Alaska, including "Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest", "Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest", "Taku Lodge Feast and Five-Glacier Seaplane Discovery", "Dogsled Adventure by Helicopter", "Wilderness Sea Kayaking Adventure", "Cooking in Alaska's Wildest Kitchen", "Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour", "Scenic Mountain Ascent and World's Largest ZipRider".

Other Alaskan shore excursions are themed as ATV Expedition, Wilderness Cruise and Silverking Lodge Seafood Feast, White Pass Scenic Railway (Luxury Class), Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and Crab Feast, Misty Fjords Seaplane Exploration, Ghosts, and Goodtime Girls Walking Tour, Exclusive Burro Creek Waterfall Lodge and Crab Feast.

Cunard also offers pre- and post-cruise rail tours, that include 3- or 5-day hotel plus 2 full days on the train. Rocky Mountaineer train travels through scenic destinations, such as the glacier and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, mountain passes, tunnels, and river canyons.

MS Queen Elizabeth refurbishments review

The ship's last drydocking was in 2023 (March 16 thru April 3) in Singapore , conducted at Sembawang shipyard (owned by Sembcorp Marine Ltd). The project was for regularly scheduled maintenance works, including hotel upkeep, technical overhauls, steel works, minor machinery updates.

The ship's 12-day drydock refurbishment in 2018 (November 15-27, at Damen Shiprepair Brest in Brest France ) resulted in the following changes:

  • All staterooms (cabins and suites) were upgraded.
  • (deck 3) Royal Arcade was redesigned.
  • (deck 1) Royal Court Theatre (main show lounge) was completely overhauled (its audio and video equipment was upgraded).
  • (Lido deck 9) open-deck spaces on Sun Deck were upgraded with new furniture, shaded seating areas were expanded.
  • (deck 9) ship's wellness complex "Mareel Wellness & Beauty" (Spa, Beauty Salon) was extensively refurbished, and its treatments menu was upgraded via partnership with Canyon Ranch.

Maintenance works included stabilizers, ABB Azipods (azimuth thrusters), water-ballast tanks, EGCS (scrubbers/exhaust gas cleaning system), piping and ducting, safety equipment (lifeboats, liferafts), tender boats, renovations of hallways and corridors, cleaning and repainting the hull. All works were conducted at Damen Shiprepair Brest shipyard.

The boat's drydock 2014 was conducted by Blohm+Voss (in Hamburg Germany ) and resulted in the following changes:

  • hull works (cleaning and repainting) and routine maintenance
  • technology enhancements: filter system upgrade, scrubbers (new eco-friendly technology to lower exhaust gasses and bettering the fuel efficiency), Azipod (Azimuth thruster) propulsion modifications
  • onboard enhancements: new carpeting in all public spaces, passenger cabins (new mattresses and flat TVs), restaurant renovations (plus new coffee-tea makers), new jewelry shops (on Promenade Deck 3), restyling of the Lido buffet area (Deck 9), Photo Studio upgrade (new touch screen photo processing system), new sun-awning systems (on open decks 9 and 12)
  • 9 new single cabins were added on Deck 2 (8 Oceanview, 1 Standard Inside) taking some of the Casino space.

What It Was Like to Cross the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2

By Madison Flager

The new Cunard flagship Queen Elizabeth II  carries out her speed trials off the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

In the last decade, cruising has grown immensely , with hundreds of ships regularly ferrying passengers to nearly every corner of the globe: from Miami to the Caribbean, around the Cape Peninsula, through the Panama Canal, up and down the Mediterranean Sea. There’s a route, and a cruise line , for every type of traveler. But for many seasoned cruisers, one ship, and one iconic route, will always stand out as the crown jewel: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 , more affectionately known as the QE2 .

In operation from 1969 to 2008, the QE2 brought the rich and famous— Neil Diamond, Nelson Mandela, Elton John, Elizabeth Taylor, and several members of the Royal Family among them—from New York to Southampton, England, and vice versa. The ocean liner was a luxurious—and for some, less nerve-wracking—way to cross the Atlantic, and, at one time, was the only way to do so by sea.

When she was finally taken out of service, and eventually brought to Dubai to be turned into a floating hotel , crew and former passengers alike were “distraught.” We spoke to some of those former crew members and guests to find out what it was like to be on board, and what exactly made the ocean liner so alluring.

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Sleek, streamlined, and elegant

The QE2 ’s design stands in stark contrast to the ships most travelers see today. “There are no ships like it today, quite frankly,” says Andy Dinsdale, a former cruise director on the QE2 . “She was the fastest ship of her type in the world at that time. You look at the ships nowadays, they're all sky rises on ship bases. The QE2 was sleek, she was slim. She was made to cut through the ocean waves and she did it beautifully—fast and elegantly.”

Tim Davey, who worked as a crew purser and hotel officer onboard the QE2 in the early 90s, echoes the importance of the ship's design. “This thing had some really sexy shapes about it, you know? It was well maintained, always immaculate. And it was the pride and joy of Cunard every time it came into port. You knew you were on something special, whether you were a passenger, or a crew member.”

When she first came into service, the QE2 had a slick modern '70s “space-age-y” design, Dinsdale says. Public spaces were decorated with plastic laminates, modular furniture, and abstract art. Over the years, refurbishments led to a slightly more grandiose aesthetic, but many original structural elements remained.

Christian Reay , who sailed as a passenger in early 2007 and has since been on 17 cruises, said in an email that he remembers the ship’s “sleek, yacht-like” design, the “intricate ceilings and space-age pillars” of The Queen’s Room, where afternoon tea was served, as well as “her funnel in the traditional Cunard red and black livery, and the beautifully tiered aft decks and superstructure.” 

“I still remember being in the taxi, approaching the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal at Southampton docks, and seeing QE2 for the first time, and being completely in awe,” Reay said.

The interior of the 'Queen's Room' on the QE2 liner

The interior of the Queen's Room, where afternoon tea was served and cocktail parties were hosted, 1969

A dining experience ‘second-to-none’

Guests on the QE2 dined according to the tier of room they paid for. Still, though, the food in any dining room was considered five-star. “From top to bottom—even if you're in the Columbia Dining Room, which was for those in the lower cabins, the food and the experience were still magic,” Davey says.

Drinks were a given, too. “The cocktail waiters were just magnificent. I've never seen mixologists like that before,” Dinsdale says.

Former guests concur. “No midnight buffet has ever been the same since,” Benedict Montgomery , who sailed with his family around the Norwegian Fjords aboard the QE2 in 2006, said in an email. “From elaborate ice sculptures to fresh oysters and lobster to whatever your heart desired, there was so much choice.”

British traditions were a highlight, too. “Afternoon Tea took place each day, promptly at 3 p.m., and it was an event not to be missed,” Reay says. “Immaculate white gloved waiter service, and a vast selection of finger sandwiches, cakes, French fancies, and scones with jam and clotted cream.” Altogether, “The dining experience was second to none,” he says.

16th May 1969 Passengers in the VIP lounge aboard the QE2 luxury liner.

Passengers in a VIP lounge during the QE2's first year of service, 1969

An elaborate event

Entertainment abounded on the QE2 , especially for Atlantic crossings. Guests could enjoy a drink at the piano bar, listen to classical music or jazz orchestras, practice ballroom dancing, or attend lectures given by filmmakers, former Concorde pilots , and more. “When you're doing a five day transatlantic, you want to know that you're going to have the opportunity to meet a famous author and do some education across the pond as well,” Davey says.

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Occasionally, a themed cruise would be on offer, sailing with soap opera stars, former Olympians, or comedians. Beyond the notable names, guests mingled with one another—“The QE2 had this way of attracting people from all around the world who would come to sail on here, so there were always interesting people around,” Davey says. And guests dressed for the occasion, wearing suits and gowns to dinners. “You were really going on the QE2 to be part of an elaborate event, and it made it special.”

Luxury from start to finish

Also unique to the QE2 ? Its partnerships with other luxury modes of travel at the time. Packages were available to allow guests to travel on the Orient-Express train to Southampton, sail over to America, stay a night or two at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, then fly a chartered Concorde plane back to London. “That means of traveling the world—you’re going in the lap of luxury on all three” modes of transport, Dinsdale says.

Janice Jeffery, who took the Concorde to Singapore on her 21st birthday while working for Cunard, and arranged these packages for guests, says the experiences helped to put the cruise line back on the map.

“Now I meet people, and they always say, ‘my big regret was I never did Concorde and I never did QE2 ’ because they were iconic," she says. "I don't think we'll see anything like that again. There are too many ships and too many planes.”

The QE2 bids farewell to America as she leaves her final call to New York.

Sailing out of New York, 2008 

A warm welcome

In the QE2 ’s heyday, world cruises were still somewhat of a novelty—so much so that locals would crowd into ports to see the ocean liner coming in. Jeffery and Davey recall hundreds of small sailing boats and motor vessels that would sail in with them in ports like Rio de Janeiro and Sydney , and the excited crowds that would greet them, lining the decks as they sailed into places like South Africa ’s Port Elizabeth.

Davey remembers sailing into New Zealand , “and just the flotilla of boats that would come and greet you and sail into the harbor with you was amazing.” Stateside, locals would stand on their balconies around Fort Lauderdale ’s port with air horns and flashlights. ”The captain would sound the QE2 horn three times, and then they would all answer with their horns. And it became a ritual sailing out of Fort Lauderdale,” he says.

The end of an era

The nostalgia for the QE2 is evident, carved out of her long history, penchant for carrying notable guests, and white glove service. "It reminded people of a bygone era which sadly none of us will ever experience again,” Montgomery, who has since sailed on 13 more cruises, says of the fanfare over the liner. “She evoked a lot of real love in passengers and crew,” says Jeffery.

With 1,800 passengers and 1,200 crew, there was much more attention paid to each guest, too. “It didn't matter what level of cabin you were in, you were treated like royalty,” Davey says. Montgomery, who sailed at age 11, recalls the wait staff “always went out of their way to ensure a fussy child, like I was, enjoyed the experience.”

That level of service is at the core of the QE2 ’s legacy. “Why do [travelers] go to The Savoy in London? Why do they go to The Ritz ? They want to have that feeling of being looked after in a way that the Romantic era of the Victorians were,” Dinsdale says.

While cruisers can no longer experience a transatlantic crossing or world cruise on the famed liner, they can still spend a night on board , docked in Dubai's Port Rashid; former crew say she’s been well looked after, too. Says Davey: “If you have that hankering to go and see the traditional old lady, you still can, and that's a great way for it to end up.”

Brooklyn Cruise Guide

Cruises from Brooklyn > Cruise Lines > Cunard Line > Queen Elizabeth 2

Queen Elizabeth 2

The famous Queen Elizabeth 2 ship has retired from service. There is a plan to turn the ship into a floating hotel in Dubai .

A Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise from Brooklyn was as full of as much activity as you want. There was something to enjoy whatever your mood. Feeling energetic? Jump into one of the swimming pools. Or how about an aerobics class? Keep your golf up to scratch on the driving range. Jog along to the Spa with its pool, treatment rooms and state-of-the-art fitness equipment. Or shop in designer boutiques, play bridge, acquire new computer skills or listen to a talk by a famous author. For quieter moments, QE2 offered secluded corners where you could simply sunbathe or relax with a book.

Please see our Cunard Line cruises from Brooklyn for the current schedule of departures.

The QE2's last Atlantic crossing was a 6-day "Farewell to America Crossing" cruise from New York to Southampton. The Queen Mary 2 now handles the transatlantic cruises from New York to England.

The QE2 sailed more than 5.3 million nautical miles - that's more than any ship in history and is equivalent to travelling to the moon and back 12 times. She carried nearly three million passengers - many of them returning again and again. She called at her homeport of Southampton 651 times and completed 1,383 voyages. She made 796 Atlantic crossings and completed 23 full World Voyages. She sailed at an average speed of 24.75 knots and she could sail backwards faster than most cruise ships can sail forwards.

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Warner Bros. Spends Big: ‘Joker 2’ Budget Hits $200 Million, Lady Gaga’s $12 Million Payday, Courting Tom Cruise’s New Deal and More 

By Tatiana Siegel

Tatiana Siegel

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Tom Cruise Joaquin Phoenix

In January, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy jetted to London to connect with the new crown jewel of the studio, Tom Cruise . The three met to identify a film that would kick off their nonexclusive “strategic partnership.” Sources say a raft of possibilities were discussed, including an “Edge of Tomorrow” follow-up and Quentin Tarantino ’s “The Movie Critic,” which currently isn’t set up with a distributor and has Warner Bros., like every major studio, salivating.

In Tarantino, Cruise could find the rare auteur who marries box office performance and awards-season heat. However, securing the project won’t come cheap. The biggest roadblock for De Luca and Abdy is potentially Sony. Sources say Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Tom Rothman has the edge, having distributed Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”

Still, a Cruise-Tarantino alliance at Warners would align with the De Luca-Abdy modus operandi: Lure A-list directors who can attract bona fide stars — and spend wildly. Since taking over the studio in July 2022, De Luca and Abdy have struck some pricey deals: There’s Anderson’s next movie, which will feature Leonardo DiCaprio (earning $20 million plus), and a Ryan Coogler-Michael B. Jordan vampire film that has Warners ceding the copyright to Coogler after 25 years. The latter move was a head-scratcher considering that Tarantino is the only other director to secure an eventual copyright from a major studio (with “Once Upon a Time”) and will surely be looking to replicate that with “Movie Critic.” But sources who have done recent business with the studio say the mandate to spare no expense to land big talent comes via Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

That time may be approaching. In April, Warner Bros. Discovery can entertain offers to buy, sell or merge with a studio like NBCUniversal, as many on the lot believe will happen. That’s when the two-year lock-up period expires as part of the 2022 deal that united WarnerMedia and Discovery. All of the recent moves, from a first-look pact with Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap to the quest to land Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” follow-up are akin to painting a house before it hits the market.

And this is one splashy renovation. The budget for Todd Phillips’ musical “Joker” sequel — one of De Luca and Abdy’s first green lights — has ballooned to about $200 million, a significant bump from the $60 million cost of the first film. Sources say Joaquin Phoenix is getting $20 million to reprise his role as the clown prince of crime, while Lady Gaga is taking home about $12 million to play Harley Quinn. “Joker” took in more than $1 billion, but musicals are tricky. Case in point: Warners lost $40 million on last year’s “The Color Purple,” according to sources. Though that one can be blamed on the previous regime.

Some argue that spending big is essential when releasing movies in theaters.

“There’s only so much top talent in Hollywood, and it’s very competitive and stretched thin because a lot of talent have deals in streaming,” says Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations. “If theatrical is going to work, you need the A-lister like Tom and Leo, and Warner Bros. is spending what they need to spend to keep this talent.”

But executives across town believe Warners’ math sometimes doesn’t add up, with the studio decried as fiscally irresponsible. The Anderson film, for instance, was greenlit with a $115 million budget, according to sources. Underscoring the gamble, none of the director’s movies has crossed $80 million at the box office. His latest, 2021’s “Licorice Pizza,” made $33 million worldwide. Even with Cruise’s star power, “Magnolia” only mustered $48.5 million. (It was De Luca, then a New Line exec, who convinced Cruise to play “Magnolia’s” misogynistic self-help guru.) The pair are said to be less pumped about another auteur’s latest: Bong Joon Ho ’s “Mickey 17.” In January, Warner Bros. pulled the $150 million Robert Pattinson sci-fi starrer from its schedule and then moved it to 2025. A Warner rep insists: “There is, of course, enthusiasm for it.”

Other projects that De Luca and Abdy prioritized are perplexing executives at rival studios. Warners picked up Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein film, which is set in the 1930s and stars Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley. It was a project that Netflix deemed too risky and passed on before Warners salvaged it. (A Warners source says Netflix didn’t want to make it on the timeline Gyllenhaal proposed.)

Despite the pressure to acquiesce to demands from top talent, De Luca and Abdy can still say no.

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