Cunard Queen Mary 2
How do you begin to describe the biggest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive ship ever built? Let me tell you, it is not easy. This ship is so incredibly different from just about anything else on the high seas, with so many bells and whistles, it is almost impossible to cover everything. First, let me tell you what she is NOT, and then I can tell you what she IS.
The Queen Mary 2 is NOT anything like the RCCL Voyager of the Seas or her sisters. Although they are similar in size, with the QM2 at 150,000 tons and the Voyager class at 130,000 tons..the ships could not be any more different.
First of all, where the Voyager's public space is mostly dedicated to sports and "thrill" activities, aiming to give its passengers an amazing "external" or out of body experience - the QM2 reserves it space for dining, entertaining, spa and conference facilities - promising its privileged guests more pleasure for the inner spirit. Both are incredible "destinations" unto themselves - but the QM2 so beautifully lends itself to our industry -regardless of the group size. An incentive or meeting planner can develop quite an amazing itinerary for his or her group - without ever leaving the vessel. And that makes a six-night transatlantic a rather interesting possibility - where in my opinion it never was before.
So.let's go through this floating city together, so that you get a better idea of what you get for $800 million dollars!
In keeping with Cunard ocean liner style - the QM2 has a "class system" of sorts. The top suites - 95 in total - are in Queens Grill. This includes the two 2,249 square foot Grand Duplexes and the three 1,471 to 1,566 Duplex Apartments. The next 76 suites down correspond to Princess Grill. The remaining 1129 cabins - inside, atrium view, outside and verandas - are classified as Brittania class. 953 of the Brittania class cabins are complete with deep verandas. The smallest cabin onboard is 194 square feet - so any which way, you will cruise aboard this ship in the utmost of comfort and style. The only difference between these "classes" is the level of stateroom and the dining assignment. If you are in Queens Grill, you dine in the Queens Grill restaurant. Same for Princesss Grill. In both cases, dining is open seating within the Grill restaurants - meaning there are no time or table assignments. Brittania guest are assigned to either main or late seating in the 1,347-seat, three-level Brittania restaurant. Each of these dining rooms is lovely, and the food, although somewhat varied, is comparable - however I found service to be somewhat more attentive in the Grills.
But, if assigned seating is not your cup of tea - why not dine in the alternative restaurants onboard. Start with the trendy and beautiful Todd English restaurant. If you are not familiar with this renowned chef, he owns seven restaurants throughout the US. Perhaps you have heard of Olives in New York? The man is a creative genius, and his contemporary Mediterranean cuisine is spectacular. Or, how about the Carvery (an upscale British steakhouse) or Lotus (serving asian fusion delicacies) or La Piazza (for Italian cuisine) or the Chef's Galley (an intimate eatery with a unique demonstration kitchen)? None of these venues have a surcharge for dinner, with the exception of the Chef's Galley. The only reason for the charge there, is that the restaurant only seats 35 guests, and they are instituting a charge for crowd control. With the exception of Todd English, the rest of the dining venues are actually part of the Kings Court, which during the day is a huge buffet open for breakfast and lunch. Food and service were somewhat spotty on this two-night inaugural - but I absolutely expect this to be ironed out as the ship gets up to speed. I think this was a function of 2600 travel sellers trying to get the most of their cruise and over-taxing the system. I did find it disappointing that you could not get a cappuccino anywhere in Kings Court, and hailing down a bartender was challenging at best. Buffets were nothing out of the ordinary in terms of quality or selection - but most items I tried were tasty. For burgers, hot dogs and fries, head up and out on deck to the Boardwalk café. For afternoon tea and a classical concert, visit the beautiful Winter Garden lounge - based on the conservatory at Kew Gardens, complete with a waterfall and simulated birds chirping. This is a very pretty spot to enjoy a calm moment and a soothing beverage. Last but not least, the Red Lion pub serves my favorite British specialties - fish and chips and shepherd's pie!
But enough about the food...let's move on to the amazing array of public spaces onboard the QM2. We have to start with the 20,000 square-foot Canyon Ranch Spa. This is a first ever at sea. Goodbye Steiner, and hello Canyon Ranch! If you want to be truly pampered, this is the place for you. The services here are unlike any other, mostly because they incorporate an incredible variety of techniques and treatments. Canyon Ranch has deployed their finest therapists to the QM2 to make this the most extravagant spa experience - not only at sea, but in the world! There are 51 staff members and a total of 20 treatment rooms, a thermal suite, aromatic steam room, therapy pool, relaxation room, Finnish sauna, outrageous fitness center, hair salon, manicure and pedicure salon and a room to grab a beverage before or after treatments. It is truly one of a kind!
The conference facilities are unmatched. Cunard ConneXions is a dedicated college-at-sea. It is a seven-room area that offers a program of education and dedicated courses on a variety of subjects offered via the Oxford Discovery Programme. There are two computer learning centers and a business center. You are never disconnected from the world.as everything is state-of-the-art and wireless on the QM2. Both facilities can be linked to the main theater and the Planetarium.
The main theater is called the Royal Court Theater, where 1,094 guests can enjoy a variety of spectacles. Decorated in red velvet, this gorgeous room includes a proscenium stage, which extends into the audience, state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting, a revolving platform and lifts on stage for elaborate sets, an orchestra pit and a video wall. The QM2 has truly re-introduced world-class entertainment. The live show orchestra truly adds back what so many ships have taken away. No pre-recorded music here! Add to the traditional musical and variety shows, the RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) resident performers and you will enjoy straight plays onstage, and interactive theater workshops at non-performance hours. This is your chance to learn to be a star!
Illuminations, the Planetarium, is a phenomenal use of space. When functioning as a planetarium, the rooms seats 473 for meetings and awards functions. It is complete with a full stage and spectacular audio-visual equipment. When being used for four completely different planetarium shows and "roller coaster rides", the room accommodates 150 guests. Another truly unique experience not to be missed!
Perhaps the best room onboard is the Queens Room, a 1,000 person ballroom! Here, you can be as creative as you'd like. Host a trade show, have a blow-out dance party, watch a cabaret show or specialty entertainer. Live it up! The crystal chandeliers are legendary. The room is unbelievable, and so perfect for a final night bash!
If you walk through the Queens Room, you find the G32 nightclub. The interior is very industrial looking.but for good reason. G32 was the project number assigned to the QM2 before she actually received her name. Cunard decided to keep the number and theme the nightclub around it. This two-tier hideaway is the perfect late night hot spot. My only major criticism is that you cannot access G32 without walking through the Queens Room. That could be a problem if you want to host a private event for your group late into the evening. However, we can possibly make arrangements for you to have both rooms exclusively for an evening event with the right group size.
Lounges and bars abound from Churchill's Cigar Bar to Sir Samuels Wine Bar. There's the Chart Room, the Commodore Club, the Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar - and many more nooks and crannies, mostly with live entertainment. The ship definitely needs to convert one of these into a coffee bar - which in my opinion they so desperately need. Of course there is an elegant casino and a wonderful selection of shops to buy the souvenirs I hear are selling like mad on e-bay!
Did I forget to mention the pools? There are five in total from indoor to outdoor - all lovely and inviting. And if you have a golfing addiction, the QM2 has two golf simulators at the Fairways.
In addition, don't miss the largest library at sea, with its own bookstore. If you have little ones - the Play Zone is a must. You can even have British nannies take care of your children. And believe it or not, the ship has its own kennel, in case you just can't bear to leave Fido at home!
If variety is your thing and you want to try something beyond your wildest imagination, then the QM2 is a must! She is big, she is grand and best of all..she is finally HERE!
