PACKING FOR CUNARD CRUISE takes a bit of effort. For one thing, there are black-and- white balls and themed gala nights, like the Roaring Twenties.
I’ve always prided myself on my ability to pack a carry-on for just about any trip. But, with a couple of cocktail dresses and pairs of heels – along with outdoor gear and hiking boots for Norway – I had to admit defeat and make a last-minute trip to a department store to buy a rather large suitcase for my voyage on the Queen Mary 2
The iconic British cruise line is one of the few that has a dress code, and there are at least two gala evenings on every seven-night voyage. Men can even rent a tux or pick up a bow tie from one of the ship’s boutiques. Fortunately, the Grill suites come with a walk-in closet, so there’s plenty of room for all those heels – and hiking boots.
Grand lobby on board the Queen Mary 2. PHOTO: Cunard
There’s no pressure to dress to the nines if you don’t want to. But wearing ripped jeans or yoga pants would seem sacrilegious in QM2’s split-level art deco lobby, with its grand piano, sweeping staircase and bellhops decked out in red and gold. Or while sipping Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée among the elegant wood furnishings of the Champagne bar. Or while listening to a live orchestra in the Queens Room – the largest ballroom at sea, dripping with crystal chandeliers – while ordering a Queen Mary 2 cocktail made with Cunard’s very own 3 Queens Gin. Or while searching for the secret Homer Simpson homage among the ship’s 5,000 pieces of bespoke artwork.
The Laurent-Perrier Champagne Bar onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 features Champagne tasting flights. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cunard/Christopher Ison
While the original Queen Mary is retired, QM2 hearkens back to the glamour and romance of the Golden Age of Travel. It feels as though you might brush past Frank Sinatra or Audrey Hepburn in the corridors – just a few of the famous faces that have made Transatlantic crossings with Cunard. “We do pay homage to our history a great deal with the themed balls and the dress-up nights. It’s all part of Cunard and who we are and what we stand for,” says Amanda Reid, QM2’s entertainment director. “That air of elegance and sophistication permeates around the ship, and the guests absolutely love it.”
It attracts modern-day celebrities, too. Ed Sheeran recorded his third album, Divide, in a temporary recording studio on QM2. Meryl Streep starred in the movie Let Them All Talk, which was filmed during a Transatlantic crossing. And, before entering service in 2004, QM2 was christened by none other than HRH Queen Elizabeth II.
Cunard Line got its start in 1840 by Canadian Samuel Cunard in Halifax as a Transatlantic liner service. Since that time, the company has launched nearly 180 ships and even served in the Second World War, when the Queens were used as troop carriers. Queen Mary was dubbed the “Grey Ghost,” with her impressive speed and size as an ocean liner, transporting thousands of troops during the war.
Today, QM2 is the world’s last remaining ocean liner, which means she has a thicker hull that slices through water in rough seas – so she’s incredibly smooth, even at fast speeds. When she launched in 2004, she took over sailing the regular Transatlantic route formerly operated by Queen Elizabeth 2.
RECOMMENDED: Postcard From Antarctica: A Journey into the Heart of the Ice and Wilderness
I travelled aboard QM2 on a Norwegian fjords itinerary, which offered plenty of time off the ship to explore Norway’s towering fjords, colourful towns and the country’s oldest Viking stave church. But the ship is well equipped for longer Transatlantic passages when you don’t have an opportunity for excursions. “It’s part of the ship’s identity,” says Reid. “Before the onset of air travel, the only way to get from one side of the Atlantic to the other was by ship. Southampton to New York is a bit of a journey, so the idea was to make it special.”
That tradition continues. There are daily enrichment lectures by historians, explorers and other guest experts in the Illuminations theatre, which transforms into a full-sized planetarium. The opulent Royal Court theatre hosts musicals and revues, and – available exclusively onboard QM2 – tailored theatrical performances by the famed Royal Shakespeare Company.
Royal Court Theater on Queen Elizabeth. Photo: Cunard
Then there’s the 20,000-square-foot spa and health club, which was recently re-launched as Mareel Wellness & Beauty, co-created by Cunard and wellness pioneer Canyon Ranch. The spa concept features ocean-inspired treatments and an aqua therapy centre that includes a hydrotherapy pool, meditation room and sound therapy.
Mareel’s redesigned hydro pool on the Queen Elizabeth. Photo: Cunard
In the tradition of Transatlantic crossings, there’s even a kennel onboard, complete with a Liverpool lamp post and New York fire hydrant to make pooches feel at home.
Cunard ships have several stateroom categories; the Queens Grill suites are the largest and most prestigious, furnished in a modern art deco style. They come with a personal butler, pre-dinner canapés and personalized stationery, plus access to the private Queens Grill restaurant. The same goes for guests staying in Princess Grill suites, with access to the private Princess Grill restaurant.
RECOMMENDED: How to Pick a Cruise to Match your Travel Personality
If you’re staying in a Grill suite, you have a dedicated table throughout your voyage, which means you can dine whenever you want (no early or late seatings). You also have access to a private Grills lounge, outdoor terrace and dedicated concierge service. But even the main Britannia Restaurant is downright grand, with a balcony-style mezzanine, linen tablecloths and white-gloved waitstaff serving five- course meals on Wedgwood fine china. “All of our crew go through our White Star Academy, which makes us unique,” says David Shepherd, QM2’s hotel general manager. “And training is always Ongoing.”
The Queen Mary 2’s Princess Grill Suites feature a bathtub, walk-in closet, sitting area, plush bed and large balcony. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cunard
That White Star service is obvious throughout, from Cunard’s 14 bars and clubs, to its 10 cafés and restaurants – and especially during afternoon tea, a daily ritual onboard. Accompanied by a tinkling piano or string trio, the white-gloved service includes classic scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam (but don’t miss the red- and-black Cunard macarons).
Service reigns. Best of all, with private transfers available to and from the ship, you don’t have to worry about hauling around a rather large suitcase that’s pushing airline weight limits. If you’re going to be sailing on a Queen, it’s worth the effort to feel like one. cunard.com
