Seven days aboard Queen Mary 2 an ocean-filled adventure
Strong demand for vessel’s enjoyable transatlantic crossings this year
Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean is one of my favourite pastimes. You might not think that seven days without a single port of call can be enjoyable, but on board Cunard Line‘s (cruise.center/ cunard/) iconic Queen Mary 2, it is seven days of non-stop fun, entertainment and grandeur, served up out on the open sea.
Queen Mary 2 inspires all sorts of superlative comparisons. She is the only modern transatlantic ocean liner afloat. She is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, with the largest ballroom at sea, the largest library at sea, and one of the grandest dining rooms afloat: the sweeping, 21/2-storey Britannia Restaurant. What you have is up to you; the grand entrances are on offer by default, courtesy of the room’s dual sweeping staircases.
Cunard has just kicked off Queen Mary 2’s 2018 transatlantic season, hot on the heels of the ship’s successful world cruise. Queen Mary 2 is the only ship in the world to maintain a regular transatlantic service across the Atlantic between New York and Southampton, with the occasional cruise that starts or ends in Hamburg, Germany, or Cherbourg, France. It is a tradition that Cunard has been cultivating for 178 years now, alive and well aboard Queen Mary 2.
I’ve written in the past of my love — because it is that — for this ship and this cruise. And I’m not alone. Cunard is reporting strong demand for its transatlantic crossings this year, even into the sometimes-stormy winter months.
“Over the past year, Cunard has seen an incredible demand for our product and experience from regions around the world, with double-digit growth within the North American market,” said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice-president of Cunard North America. “The unique opportunity to step away from day-to-day life and feel inspired, enriched and revitalized is one of the reasons passenger feedback continues to be among the best in the industry.”
I have to be honest: I’ve sailed across the Atlantic three times now onboard Queen Mary 2, and not once have I ever come close to being bored. There is simply too much to do. I get up early in the morning to go for a walk around the ship’s teak promenade deck before heading for breakfast, and I am up late into the evening, listening to music in the Chart Room Lounge, having a drink in the beautiful Commodore Club on Deck 9 forward, or participating in a raucous game of trivia in the Golden Lion Pub.
Days are filled with dance classes, spa visits, and some of the most interesting guest lecturers I’ve ever heard on a cruise. The white-gloved Afternoon Tea in the Queen’s Ballroom is practically a prerequisite for any true crossing aficionado (try the scones — they’re delightful), as is a trip to the 2,000-strong title on-board library. Did I mention Queen Mary 2 has its own planetarium? That’s a fun diversion, too.
If you don’t believe me, take it from Ed Sheeran, who took the time to write parts of his recent album onboard QM2, as she’s affectionately known. Ditto for director Wes Anderson (Grand Budapest Hotel; Isle of Dogs); Francis Ford Coppola, and musician James Taylor, who have all made the crossing.
You can even take your fourlegged friends on a transatlantic crossing, with specialized kennels (and a dedicated kennel master) that oversees a small collection of dogs and cats. There’s even a faux fire hydrant installed on-board the ship’s upper decks, near the kennels, to make dogs feel right at home.
This year, Cunard has assembled a great collection of themed transatlantic voyages, including the hugely popular Transatlantic Fashion Week voyage (M833, Sept. 2-9); and the World Space Week crossing (M838, Oct. 7-16) that features lectures and insights from six different guest lecturers, including an Apollo flight controller, an astronaut, and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Queen Mary 2 also plays host to a special genealogy-themed transatlantic crossing on Nov. 4; a crossing with the National Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 18 this year or Sept. 15, 2019; and a selection of Cartoonist at Sea voyages with famed illustrators from The New Yorker.
With all this on offer, who needs ports of call?
Happy cruising.