The Queen Mary 2 is one of the most remarkable ship’s in passenger service.
This ship is a one of a kind ocean liner, built in the 21st century.
Today, the QM2 is the last true liner left in service,
and the only ship to regularly offer scheduled transatlantic crossings. She’s over 345m long,
41 metres wide and 149,210 gross tons; but despite her massive size, I think you’ll
agree she looks so good, with a well-balanced profile created by her designer Stephen Payne.
So come with me on board QM2, and together we’ll explore her decks,
public rooms and accommodation… but first, let me introduce myself
Hello and welcome back to my channel. If you don’t know me, my name’s Chris Frame and I’m a
maritime history author and lecturer, I speak on board cruise ships and also at maritime museums
around the world. I’m also the co-host of the Big Cruise Podcast, you can find all the details
in the description below. If you’re interested in cruising, cruise ships or maritime history I think
you’re going to like it here, so hopefully you’ll subscribe at the end of the video.
We start our tour of Queen Mary 2 at the Grand Lobby. This is where most passengers
will board the ship. The lobby has entries on Deck 2 and Deck 3, and regardless of
which deck you enter the ship from you’ll be welcomed into the central hub of the ship.
For today’s tour we’re entering the lobby on Deck 2. Twin staircases lead up to Deck 3,
while the nearby B stairway offers lift access between the various passenger decks. On the
starboard side of Deck 2, you’ll find the Purser’s Office as well as the shore tour office, while the
port side is home to the Empire Casino, which offers gaming tables, slot machines and a bar.
The upper level of the Grand Lobby is found on Deck 3. It is home to the QM2’s shopping
promenade, the Mayfair Shops. Here you can find various designer brands, which have changed from
time to time throughout the ship’s career. There’s also duty-free alcohol and a Cunard logo shop.
On the starboard side, the Champagne Bar is an elegant space decorated with large paintings
of celebrities who have travelled onboard Cunard liners. This space includes art-deco
style lighting as a nod to the original Queen Mary. It leads through to QM2’s chart room bar.
The chart room takes its name from the same space aboard the QE2,
but on QM2 it is far bigger than its namesake. The inner walls are adorned with glass charts
showing nautical routes taken by the great ocean liners. Towards the aft,
a semi-circular bar serves drinks throughout the day and into the evening. There’s a band stand,
and a piano, allowing the room to come alive at night, with live music played here every evening.
The centre of both Deck 2 and Deck 3 have a large, double height walkway.
This space is truly impressive and helps connect the various passenger areas.
The double height ceilings really show off the scale of the ship.
On the port side of Deck 3, just opposite the Chart Room, Sir Samuel’s is QM2’s wine bar,
and is named after one of Cunard’s founders, Sir Samuel Cunard. For a while,
it was co-branded with Godiva chocolates. At Sir Samuel;s, there are baristas on hand if
you prefer coffee over wine. There’s also lots of comfy seats and great views of the ocean.
Heading aft and you’ll find the entry to the Britannia Restaurant. Photos and
videos don’t do this space justice. It is a stunning multi-storey main dining room
where everyone with a Britannia-grade cabin gets to eat. The restaurant can be accessed
from Deck 3 and Deck 2 below, and is arranged in a tiered design with four distinct levels.
The large well on Deck 3 offers a beautiful view of the giant tapestry on the aft wall,
depicting a stylised ocean liner with a modern Cunard funnel.
Just aft of the Britannia, QM2’s Queens Room is the largest ballroom at sea,
and also home to the largest dance floor at sea. The space can be accessed from the D-stairway,
by transiting the Britannia on Deck 2, or via Deck 3 L, but more on that in a minute.
The Queens Room is crowned by two massive chandeliers, and a stage where the QM2 orchestra
play for dancers each evening. The Queens Room is home to Cunard’s famous afternoon tea, with the
space aboard QM2 being decorated in artwork that pays homage to HM. Queen Mary who the original
RMS Queen Mary of 1936 was named after. As QM2 is named after the first Cunard Queen Mary, HM.
Queen Mary – queen consort of King George V – has an important role in the newer liner’s heritage.
The Queens Room leads into the ship’s nightclub – G-32 – so named because the QM2’s build number at
Chantiers de l’Atlantique was G-32. It is split over two levels, has a modest
dance floor and plenty of seating as well as a bar – the last one to close in the evenings!
So now we’re on Deck 2 aft, but we need to get forward of the Britannia restaurant.
Here’s where Deck 3L comes in handy. Accessed on the Starboard side, the long, wide corridor
is actually home to QM2’s art gallery. Huge porthole-style windows offer beautiful views,
and as you transit the space, you’d really have no idea that there were people sitting above you,
below you and next to you in the Britannia restaurant, that this deck bypasses.
Forward of Britannia on Deck 2, the Golden Lion Pub is the QM2’s classic English-inspired pub.
It’s a signature Cunard space, perhaps best executed aboard QM2 due to the high ceilings,
comfortable seating, and amazing views from the large windows. The pub is also home to live music,
quizzes, and trivia, and has imagery depicting various members of the Royal Family on the walls.
Opposite the Pub, QM2’s photo gallery occupies a space that was once part of the casino.
This is because the original photo gallery was on Deck 3L portside – however that area
was converted into cabins when QM2 was refurbished in 2016.
Heading forward and you’ll find yourself back in the Grand Lobby,
so we will keep going forward to discover the rest of the ship.
The next space is the QM2’s Royal Court Theatre. This large show lounge also spans
both Deck 2 and Deck 3. The lower level is great if you want to get a front row seat,
or have a drink during the show, as there are roaming waiters stationed here during showtime.
The upper level on Deck 3 has no drinks service but does offer nice views down onto
the large stage. I was thrilled to lecture in this space in 2023, as the theatre has a
fantastic giant LED screen which is perfect for showcasing images of the great ocean liners.
Forward of the Royal Court, ConneXions is the QM2’s enrichment zone.
Various meeting rooms, small lecture venues and a computer learning centre can be found here.
There’s also tea, coffee, water, and juices available. The space is wonderfully cluttered
with Cunard history and heritage that forms part of the Maritime Quest history trail – so you can
get lost here for several hours absorbing the rich maritime heritage of Cunard Line.
Illuminations is found at the very forward end of Deck 2 and Deck 3. This is QM2’s planetarium – the
first of its kind at sea and still the largest planetarium to ever be installed onboard a
ship. The large domed ceiling retracts when the planetarium isn’t in use, and the space becomes
QM2’s main lecture venue – and I’ve presented many maritime history lectures in this wonderful space.
There is excellent sight lines with no obstructions, making this a fantastic space
for presentations; the room also doubles as QM2’s cinema with both 2D and 3D movies shown here.
Deck 7 is where you’ll find many more entertainment facilities.
At the forward end of Deck 7, there’s a fantastic forward observation deck. It is
here where the ‘captains cufflink’s’ are stored – which are actually spare propeller blades,
designed specifically for QM2’s advanced Rolls Royce Alston Mermaid Podded Propulsion
System – try saying that three times fast! I’ve explained how all this works in another
video where I interviewed QM2’s designer Stephen Payne – links in the description!
Deck 7 is also where you’ll find QM2’s amazing, awesome, wide, long, teak wood,
wrap around boat deck. This is a truly fantastic space, with shade offered by the overhanging
lifeboats and comfortable steamer deck chairs, so you can relax and watch the world go by.
Inside, the Gym is found at the forward end of Deck 7.
It has all sorts of equipment from treadmills, to cross trainers to rowing machines and weights.
Interestingly, this is perhaps the only gym at sea where designers realised tall people exist,
so there’s plenty of head height when standing on the equipment – unlike so
many other cruise ships... (quack) I’m looking at you Vista class!
Just aft of the gym and the Mareel spa facility is a place that everyone should try at least once.
It used to be branded Canyon Ranch and is a fantastic complex with a wonderful thalassotherapy
pool, saunas, steam rooms, treatment rooms and a relaxing lounge area with views over the decks.
The Carinthia Lounge is found behind the spa facility.
This place is really interesting as when the ship first entered service it was a winter
garden – it was never really well used and generally disliked by most of the passengers
aboard. However, after a refurbishment in 2016 it has been transformed into a bright and airy,
welcoming café with baristas on hand – and these days you’ll struggle to find a seat.
So it just goes to show what some bright colours and coffee can do for a space!
Having transited the café you’ll enter the Kings Court just aft of the B stairway.
This is the QM2’s buffet restaurant and features ample seating space with lots of
little break out areas that have views over the boat deck. There’s a central buffet amidships,
while a second buffet area can be found towards the aft end of the Kings Court, along with the
Chef’s Galley which is a bar and burger bar by day, and a specialty dining venue by night.
The very back of Deck 7 is home to some of the most exclusive spaces onboard.
Here’s where you’ll find the Queens Grill restaurant – the highest rated restaurant
on the ship, as well as the Princess Grill which is also very well regarded.
Grill’s guests have access to a small concierge facility,
as well as the Grills Lounge, which is also found at the aft end of Deck 7.
So let’s head out to the deck and make our way up to Deck 13. The aft decks on QM2 are terraced,
and spectacular. There’s heaps of space, great views and the aft end of the ship is home to two
of the QM2’s swimming pools. Minnows is found on Deck 6 near the kids club facility known as The
Zone, while the main terrace pool is found on Deck 8 and has a nearby bar known as the terrace bar.
Just inside from the Terrace bar is the Verandah restaurant
which is Cunard’s extra tariff restaurant.
It’s a steakhouse that shares its name with the highly sought after Veranadah grills found on the
original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, and offers lunch and dinner menus at a set price.
If we walk through Deck 8 and head all the way forward, we’ll find the Library and Bookshop.
This is a signature feature of Cunard’s ships that was first introduced onboard QE2. Today,
it is best executed aboard QM2 and the maritime history skew
of the book collection certainly pleases those of us who love ships and the sea.
The Commodore Club is found just one deck above the Library and was the first Commodore Club
designed by Cunard, with the room having since become a signature space across the fleet.
QM2’s Commodore Club is the smallest design of those currently at sea,
but it is also the most enchanting as it’s intimate atmosphere is really nice. There’s
a giant model of QM2 behind the bar, and windows that overlook QM2’s impressive bow.
I sat here watching the waves crashing onto the bow during a 2019 transatlantic crossing,
and it was glorious. A boardroom and cigar lounge can be found just off the Commodore Club.
QM2 has a forward facing observation deck on Deck 11 just under the bridge, that provides
excellent views for sail ins and sail aways as well as being a fun place to stand and watch
the ocean while the ship is at sea. Just behind the observation deck you’ll find the Atlantic
Room which is a small lounge that gets used for various functions during the cruise or crossing.
If we head up to Deck 12, the Pavilion Pool and Bar are great places to hang out as there’s table
tennis tables, a large pool, twin whirlpools and a bar. They’re located under a glass magrodome which
can retract, though in all times that Is have sailed with QM2 I’ve only ever seen it open once,
but on the plus side, it keeps the air nice and warm and the pool temperature is good.
A teakwood deck runs along both sides of the ship on Deck 12 and steps up
to Deck 13 where there is a small golf driving range and a paddle tennis court.
QM2 used to have a basketball court when she entered service,
but sadly this has been sacrificed for more cabins located on the forward end of Deck 13.
On the topic of cabins, QM2 has four cabin categories onboard.
Queens Grill are the most expensive and luxurious cabins on the ship.
They range from generous balcony suites to extravagant two storey penthouses
with bathrooms about the same size as the entertainers’ cabins – or there abouts!
The Princess Grills are also very nice, all coming with balconies
and plenty of space to relax and luxuriate in your own private room.
The best of the Britannia cabins are known as Britannia Club. These balcony rooms have
the most space of the Britannia grade and occupants are welcome to dine in the
Britannia Club annex of the main Britannia restaurant, accessed by the D stairway.
Most passenger cruising or crossing on QM2 will have a Britannia grade room.
These are the most plentiful and varied category of cabins aboard and range from
balcony cabins to inside rooms, all with access to the Britannia dining room.
[Music]
QM2 is a remarkable ship, and I hope this brief tour of the last
great ocean liner gives you some idea as to why she is so loved by so many.
[Inspirational Music]
Thanks so much for watching and I hope you found this video interesting. If you
did please don’t forget to give it a like, and if you’re interested in this kind of content,
or you like maritime history, please consider subscribing and check out my back catalogue.
Thanks once again for watching, and until next time I hope to ‘sea you onboard.’
[Inspirational Music]