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Sailing on the Queen Mary 2

by Caroline Gladstone | 03 Oct 2013

Queen Mary 2… It may be the world’s largest ocean liner, but what’s all the fuss is all about? Turns out, it’s pretty justified.

 

Queen Mary 2 never slips under the radar. Cunard ships, which have been crossing the Atlantic and circling the globe since the line’s foundation in 1840, are the grand dames of the sea and floating publicity machines for cruising.

But when the fanfare dies down, is all the fuss justified?

After travelling on Queen Mary 2 on a too-short leg from Melbourne to Sydney, my answer is a resounding ‘yes’. On boarding there’s an immediate feeling of grandeur and opulence, and a sense of wonder as, map in hand, you move from one beautiful room to another discovering all that such a ship has to offer. 

Queen Mary 2 was purposely built to tame the world’s oceans. Her vital statistics are astonishing; at 345 metres long and weighing 151,400 tonnes, she stands 62 metres above the waterline, the equivalent of a 28-storey building. 

That first grand impression is cemented once onboard by the impeccable white-gloved service and the sense of nostalgia from the sweeping staircases and the gallery of photographs of bygone celebrities who have sailed on the great Cunard liners.

While today’s modern ships dazzle and amuse with neon and supersonic waterslides, Queen Mary 2 embraces tradition while delivering the latest in luxury.

The wide teak decks are lined with padded deckchairs and monogrammed bathing towels, bottles of Veuve Clicquot sit in gleaming ice-buckets in the Champagne Bar, and afternoon tea of dainty sandwiches and scones is accompanied by the strains of a stringed quartet. 

Launched in 2004 at a cost of US$800 million, the ship has many superlatives: the largest ballroom at sea, 14 bars and clubs including Churchill’s cigar lounge, four outdoor swimming pools and another in the lavish two-level spa and health club, classic boutiques such as Chanel and Hermes, and even a planetarium. 

Passengers on my short sailing enjoyed the mixture of formality – the chance to dress up for dinner and dance to a big band – and the friendliness of the staff. My companion, who had never been on a cruise in his life, loved the entire experience’s mix of homely comforts and absolute luxury: from striding the corridors filled with fresh flowers and art, and shopping for keepsakes in the Cunard signature shop, to finding his favourite dessert, pumpkin pie, on the lunch menu. 

The ship herself is looking spick and span following a recent refurbishment: all 1310 staterooms and suites have been refreshed with new carpets, drapes, and bedspreads, and I have to say that, in a career of road-testing some 40 different ships, the Queen Mary 2 bed was the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in. 

We didn’t even get around the whole ship – to thoroughly enjoy this magnificent liner, set yourself at least a week to lap up the luxury.

Extras

Food of queens

With everything from the finest dining to ‘pub grub’, the Queen Mary 2 has something fit for all tastes across its 10 dining venues.

Regardless of the fare paid, all guests can treat themselves to a superb meal at the celebrity-chef restaurant, Todd English, named after an American TV chef and entrepreneur. Reservations are required and dining attracts a small charge: around US$6 for entrees and desserts, and about $US16 for mains. Open for al fresco lunches, it also stages occasional four-course degustation menus, complete with matching wines.

Read all about it

Leisurely sea days call for a good book and a comfy deck or armchair. Fortunately Queen Mary 2 has plenty of reading material to choose from, with a collection of no fewer than 8000 books.

Known simply at The Library, it is the largest at sea and its tomes are housed in polished walnut and glass cases set in a room with leather and fabric chairs and sofas. Along with the books that can be borrowed and the countless magazines to be enjoyed, The Library often displays rare literary works.