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Royalty at sea: Queen Mary 2 makes her debut
Jay Clarke , Miami Herald
Published 02/08/2004
I rode a city across the sea, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the world's newest, biggest and most expensive passenger ship.
The maiden voyage of Cunard Line's $780-million Queen Mary 2 may have been the most anticipated cruising event since the release of Titanic, the movie. But did it live up to the Entertainment Tonight hype? Not surprisingly, that would depend on whom you ask.
Some passengers literally called it the "trip of a lifetime." Others complained that it didn't live up to glam expectations.
For my wife and me, a long-time cruise writer for the Miami Herald, the QM2 proved to be as royal as its name in most respects.
On our two-week voyage from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., we ate in nine of the 10 dining venues and lolled around a couple of the five swimming pools. We shopped in chic boutiques such as Hermes and Dunhill's, listened to Oxford University experts discuss subjects as diverse as Harry Potter and fake fossils, and even got a glimpse of far-off galaxies in the world's only planetarium at sea.
Sure, the ship has teething problems, even a couple that may require serious rethinking. That's to be expected on any new ship. All maiden voyages are essentially shakedown cruises: The ship is new, and the staff, still getting acquainted with its facilities, is unaccustomed to serving nearly 2,600 passengers who have high expectations.
In the main, though, the QM2 proved to me that it's a worthy successor to Cunard's famed trio of regal liners -- the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, both retired, and the Queen Elizabeth 2, which now will sail primarily in Europe. More important, our voyage proved that for those with time and money, a transatlantic crossing by ship is still a glorious way to go.
Cunard's newest liner retains the storied ambience of the earlier Queens while providing all the modern bells and whistles that today's cruise passengers demand.
It is a massive but beautiful ship, its sleek profile announcing its ocean-crossing design.
Inside, the ship's decor is a play of muted neutral tones with dark wood trims in most areas, with somewhat whimsical artwork that doesn't seem apropos of the ship's stature.
On the other hand, the two-tiered Brittania dining room is a luminous space, and the Illuminations Theater evokes Art Deco style with its bronze columns, metallic bas-reliefs and rich dark wood walls.
Just as regal is the Grand Promenade, a high and wide thoroughfare in the heart of the ship that is lined with large bronze murals and carpeted, fittingly, in red. The Queens Room, a much beloved venue on the QE2, is another space attuned to the ships of old. While this one retains the distinctive two-level floor of the original, it also is graced with two massive crystal chandeliers.
Not nearly as attractive, in my opinion, is the main showroom, the Royal Court Theater. With black walls, blue neon in its ceiling and a proscenium of ironwork backlit by a shifting rainbow of lights, its decor seemed discordant.
The QM2 also offers unusual amenities, including a much-ballyhooed planetarium, outdoor movies and a restaurant where the chef regales diners with a step-by-step demonstration of how each dish is prepared. Other innovations include the first seagoing Canyon Ranch spa, Veuve Cliquot champagne bar, Hermes and Dunhill's shops and Todd English restaurant.
The vaunted cuisine of the Queens is in good hands as well, with choices ranging from pan-roasted turbot on creamy artichoke polenta at the elegant Todd English restaurant, created by the Boston chef, to bangers and mash in the Golden Lion Pub. Opinions varied about cuisine served in the Queens Grill -- reserved for the highest-paying cruisers; the Princess Grill -- also restricted to passengers in higher-class cabins, and the two-seating Britannia. All feature menus designed by megachef Daniel Boulud.
But the Queen Mary's most valued asset is its aura of prestige and grand lineage.
"We collect Queens," said Christine Patton of Boston, traveling with her husband, Tony. As a young woman, she said, "I went over the Atlantic in first class with my mother and came back on the Queen Elizabeth." The Pattons have since sailed on the Queen Elizabeth 2. "And now," she added proudly, "the Queen Mary 2."
She proved the point made by famed marine historian and author John Maxtone-Graham, who was aboard to give several absorbing lectures on ocean liners to standing-room-only audiences.
"This ship has a certain cachet," he said. "It has enormous magical appeal to many, even those who never will sail on it."
That was revealed the moment we pulled away from the dock at Southampton to the roar of thousands of spectators and an electrifying fireworks salute.
Maiden-voyage passengers ran the gamut from budget watchers in 194-square-foot cabins to mansion moguls staying in duplex apartments.
One couple we got to know had booked a basic inside room ("That way we can go on more cruises") while another occupied a $16,000 penthouse and owned three residences ("Come visit us -- we have a guest cottage on our property.")
Inevitably on a ship named after a British royal, QM2 passengers were quick to make comparisons to Cunard's earlier Queens. Most of those aboard had sailed on the QE2, and at least two I met had traveled on all three previous Queens.
"The QM2 is as good if not better than the QE2," said Christine Patton. Jane Card of Kennebunkport, Maine, agreed.
"The QM2 has more character than the QE2," she said.
"Would we go again on the QM2? Absolutely," said Ellie Antoniuk of Northampton, Pa., who said she was happy with the food, the activities and with her inside room ("I've got plenty of space.") Others were not so taken with the new vessel.
"The QE2 is much better, has much better service and organization," said Bob Benger of Naples, Fla., who said he had sailed on the QE2 "at least" 10 times.
"I wouldn't sail on the QM2 again," declared James Davis of Boston, a veteran of QE2 and Seabourn cruises whose "premium" balcony turned out to be simply a cutout in the steel hull on the QM2.
"When you sit on the balcony, you can't see anything but sky," he said, "and our bathroom is the size of a Boeing 747 toilet."
Another common complaint was poor service. Many passengers said food in the Brittania dining room came to the table late or cold or both.
"The food is fantastic, the service not," said Bob Barnofsky of Port Charlotte, Fla. After waiting 45 minutes for the wine steward in the main Brittania restaurant, he got this message from his waiter: "The wine person said to tell you she was too busy and can't take your order." That's not just slow service, that's nonservice with an attitude.
Because the ship and its staff are new, some problems were expected in that area, especially since 70 percent of the crew was new to cruising.
Time and experience are creating the cure, however. "Every day I see the staff gaining confidence," said Thomas Rennesland, the ship's hotel manager.
Two weeks at sea could be boring on a small ship, but on the QM2, we had plenty of options.
Historian John Maxtone-Graham told stories about the Titanic and other liners of yesteryear.
Also in the Illuminations theater, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art presented short plays, among them a charmingly abridged version of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Ernest."
Later in the day, Illuminations was transformed into a planetarium. An enormous half-round screen of aluminum dropped down from the ceiling, the seats below it reclined at the touch of a lever, and suddenly the night sky appeared overhead, projected on the dome by six projectors.
"The concept is fabulous," said passenger Bob Card of Kennebunkport. He said the planetarium programs were too basic. "They need to be up to the standard of Oxford" -- the famous university that conducts the lecture series on board on subjects such as global politics, fiction, history and nature.
E venings were elegant affairs. Five of our 14 nights specified formal wear, and this transatlantic crowd took to that dress code like ducks -- or should we say penguins? The ship's dining rooms, lounges and casino teemed with tuxedoed men and ladies in sleek outfits -- scenes reminiscent of the heyday of the ocean liners from the 1920s into the 1950s.
Entertainment in the main Royal Court Theater leaned toward British favorites, with Dame Shirley Bassey, the legendary singer, pounding out songs from her '60s heyday early in the cruise. But the night before the ship docked in Fort Lauderdale, the emphasis shifted: American Idol star Ruben Stoddard took the stage to give passengers a rousing send-off.
Passengers can watch movies any time on their cabin televisions or at certain times in the Illuminations Theater, but the QM2 offers a more novel approach: Movies Under the Stars. On pleasant evenings, passengers gather on the open deck to watch movies projected on the white bulkhead wall. On still another evening, we dropped in at the G32 late-night club, where the band played music rarely heard on the earlier Queens -- reggae and rock.
With the average age of Queens' passengers 60-plus, late-night clubs have never scored big. But having a late-night disco catering to younger passengers is an important cog in Cunard's plan for the QM2, which it hopes will capture a younger customer base. And at least one passenger thinks they have a good shot at doing just that.
"Those expecting the same experience as the QE2 are not going to get it," said Lowell Simpson, a rare-book seller in Babylon, Long Island. "This is a much more open ship, a little daunting for a lot of older people. I think the ship will work to attract younger people." That's precisely the kind of talk Cunard officials want to hear. It's the reason the QM2 puts on a sort of balancing act at sea: maintaining ties to its illustrious forebears while offering the latest in facilities, technology and trendiness.
Thus, along with such traditional venues as the elegant Queens Room and Winter Garden lounges, the QM2 also devotes a lot of space to its Kids Zone -- playrooms for three categories of children overseen by five supervisors. I didn't expect to see many, if any, children aboard this maiden voyage and was surprised to learn that 32 were on board.
Another concession to modern life: Dining is much less stratified than on the earlier Queens. While the new ship retains the traditional Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants, it offers many dining alternatives for those who seek more contemporary styles.
We were charmed by the innovative Chef's Galley, a 35-seat space where a chef, in person and via television monitors, demonstrates step by step how the meal is prepared.
This is the only venue on board for which an extra charge, $30 per person, is made, but that includes champagne, red and white wine.
Cunard hopes its approach of appealing to both the traditional ocean-liner crowd and the less conforming baby boomers will make the QM2 a winner.
No one can say for sure, but my educated guess is that its success as a transatlantic liner is assured. Its winter gig as a Caribbean cruise ship is another matter. Cruise passengers, I suspect, are more concerned with fun and games than with history and style.
"People love a new ship. Logo-mania, I call it," said John Maxtone-Graham. "For a year or two, the QM2 will have an edge . . . cachet and curiosity. The problem will be the long haul. I think, essentially, this is a ship for transatlantic crossings."
The test began Saturday, when the QM2 started its winter run of Caribbean cruises.
"We'll see what happens out of Port Everglades," said Thomas Rennesland, the ship's hotel manager, who is in charge of all guest matters. "It's a different guest mix: a vacation market, not transatlantic."
© Copyright 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
Published 02/08/2004
I rode a city across the sea, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the world's newest, biggest and most expensive passenger ship.
The maiden voyage of Cunard Line's $780-million Queen Mary 2 may have been the most anticipated cruising event since the release of Titanic, the movie. But did it live up to the Entertainment Tonight hype? Not surprisingly, that would depend on whom you ask.
Some passengers literally called it the "trip of a lifetime." Others complained that it didn't live up to glam expectations.
For my wife and me, a long-time cruise writer for the Miami Herald, the QM2 proved to be as royal as its name in most respects.
On our two-week voyage from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., we ate in nine of the 10 dining venues and lolled around a couple of the five swimming pools. We shopped in chic boutiques such as Hermes and Dunhill's, listened to Oxford University experts discuss subjects as diverse as Harry Potter and fake fossils, and even got a glimpse of far-off galaxies in the world's only planetarium at sea.
Sure, the ship has teething problems, even a couple that may require serious rethinking. That's to be expected on any new ship. All maiden voyages are essentially shakedown cruises: The ship is new, and the staff, still getting acquainted with its facilities, is unaccustomed to serving nearly 2,600 passengers who have high expectations.
In the main, though, the QM2 proved to me that it's a worthy successor to Cunard's famed trio of regal liners -- the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, both retired, and the Queen Elizabeth 2, which now will sail primarily in Europe. More important, our voyage proved that for those with time and money, a transatlantic crossing by ship is still a glorious way to go.
Cunard's newest liner retains the storied ambience of the earlier Queens while providing all the modern bells and whistles that today's cruise passengers demand.
It is a massive but beautiful ship, its sleek profile announcing its ocean-crossing design.
Inside, the ship's decor is a play of muted neutral tones with dark wood trims in most areas, with somewhat whimsical artwork that doesn't seem apropos of the ship's stature.
On the other hand, the two-tiered Brittania dining room is a luminous space, and the Illuminations Theater evokes Art Deco style with its bronze columns, metallic bas-reliefs and rich dark wood walls.
Just as regal is the Grand Promenade, a high and wide thoroughfare in the heart of the ship that is lined with large bronze murals and carpeted, fittingly, in red. The Queens Room, a much beloved venue on the QE2, is another space attuned to the ships of old. While this one retains the distinctive two-level floor of the original, it also is graced with two massive crystal chandeliers.
Not nearly as attractive, in my opinion, is the main showroom, the Royal Court Theater. With black walls, blue neon in its ceiling and a proscenium of ironwork backlit by a shifting rainbow of lights, its decor seemed discordant.
The QM2 also offers unusual amenities, including a much-ballyhooed planetarium, outdoor movies and a restaurant where the chef regales diners with a step-by-step demonstration of how each dish is prepared. Other innovations include the first seagoing Canyon Ranch spa, Veuve Cliquot champagne bar, Hermes and Dunhill's shops and Todd English restaurant.
The vaunted cuisine of the Queens is in good hands as well, with choices ranging from pan-roasted turbot on creamy artichoke polenta at the elegant Todd English restaurant, created by the Boston chef, to bangers and mash in the Golden Lion Pub. Opinions varied about cuisine served in the Queens Grill -- reserved for the highest-paying cruisers; the Princess Grill -- also restricted to passengers in higher-class cabins, and the two-seating Britannia. All feature menus designed by megachef Daniel Boulud.
But the Queen Mary's most valued asset is its aura of prestige and grand lineage.
"We collect Queens," said Christine Patton of Boston, traveling with her husband, Tony. As a young woman, she said, "I went over the Atlantic in first class with my mother and came back on the Queen Elizabeth." The Pattons have since sailed on the Queen Elizabeth 2. "And now," she added proudly, "the Queen Mary 2."
She proved the point made by famed marine historian and author John Maxtone-Graham, who was aboard to give several absorbing lectures on ocean liners to standing-room-only audiences.
"This ship has a certain cachet," he said. "It has enormous magical appeal to many, even those who never will sail on it."
That was revealed the moment we pulled away from the dock at Southampton to the roar of thousands of spectators and an electrifying fireworks salute.
Maiden-voyage passengers ran the gamut from budget watchers in 194-square-foot cabins to mansion moguls staying in duplex apartments.
One couple we got to know had booked a basic inside room ("That way we can go on more cruises") while another occupied a $16,000 penthouse and owned three residences ("Come visit us -- we have a guest cottage on our property.")
Inevitably on a ship named after a British royal, QM2 passengers were quick to make comparisons to Cunard's earlier Queens. Most of those aboard had sailed on the QE2, and at least two I met had traveled on all three previous Queens.
"The QM2 is as good if not better than the QE2," said Christine Patton. Jane Card of Kennebunkport, Maine, agreed.
"The QM2 has more character than the QE2," she said.
"Would we go again on the QM2? Absolutely," said Ellie Antoniuk of Northampton, Pa., who said she was happy with the food, the activities and with her inside room ("I've got plenty of space.") Others were not so taken with the new vessel.
"The QE2 is much better, has much better service and organization," said Bob Benger of Naples, Fla., who said he had sailed on the QE2 "at least" 10 times.
"I wouldn't sail on the QM2 again," declared James Davis of Boston, a veteran of QE2 and Seabourn cruises whose "premium" balcony turned out to be simply a cutout in the steel hull on the QM2.
"When you sit on the balcony, you can't see anything but sky," he said, "and our bathroom is the size of a Boeing 747 toilet."
Another common complaint was poor service. Many passengers said food in the Brittania dining room came to the table late or cold or both.
"The food is fantastic, the service not," said Bob Barnofsky of Port Charlotte, Fla. After waiting 45 minutes for the wine steward in the main Brittania restaurant, he got this message from his waiter: "The wine person said to tell you she was too busy and can't take your order." That's not just slow service, that's nonservice with an attitude.
Because the ship and its staff are new, some problems were expected in that area, especially since 70 percent of the crew was new to cruising.
Time and experience are creating the cure, however. "Every day I see the staff gaining confidence," said Thomas Rennesland, the ship's hotel manager.
Two weeks at sea could be boring on a small ship, but on the QM2, we had plenty of options.
Historian John Maxtone-Graham told stories about the Titanic and other liners of yesteryear.
Also in the Illuminations theater, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art presented short plays, among them a charmingly abridged version of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Ernest."
Later in the day, Illuminations was transformed into a planetarium. An enormous half-round screen of aluminum dropped down from the ceiling, the seats below it reclined at the touch of a lever, and suddenly the night sky appeared overhead, projected on the dome by six projectors.
"The concept is fabulous," said passenger Bob Card of Kennebunkport. He said the planetarium programs were too basic. "They need to be up to the standard of Oxford" -- the famous university that conducts the lecture series on board on subjects such as global politics, fiction, history and nature.
E venings were elegant affairs. Five of our 14 nights specified formal wear, and this transatlantic crowd took to that dress code like ducks -- or should we say penguins? The ship's dining rooms, lounges and casino teemed with tuxedoed men and ladies in sleek outfits -- scenes reminiscent of the heyday of the ocean liners from the 1920s into the 1950s.
Entertainment in the main Royal Court Theater leaned toward British favorites, with Dame Shirley Bassey, the legendary singer, pounding out songs from her '60s heyday early in the cruise. But the night before the ship docked in Fort Lauderdale, the emphasis shifted: American Idol star Ruben Stoddard took the stage to give passengers a rousing send-off.
Passengers can watch movies any time on their cabin televisions or at certain times in the Illuminations Theater, but the QM2 offers a more novel approach: Movies Under the Stars. On pleasant evenings, passengers gather on the open deck to watch movies projected on the white bulkhead wall. On still another evening, we dropped in at the G32 late-night club, where the band played music rarely heard on the earlier Queens -- reggae and rock.
With the average age of Queens' passengers 60-plus, late-night clubs have never scored big. But having a late-night disco catering to younger passengers is an important cog in Cunard's plan for the QM2, which it hopes will capture a younger customer base. And at least one passenger thinks they have a good shot at doing just that.
"Those expecting the same experience as the QE2 are not going to get it," said Lowell Simpson, a rare-book seller in Babylon, Long Island. "This is a much more open ship, a little daunting for a lot of older people. I think the ship will work to attract younger people." That's precisely the kind of talk Cunard officials want to hear. It's the reason the QM2 puts on a sort of balancing act at sea: maintaining ties to its illustrious forebears while offering the latest in facilities, technology and trendiness.
Thus, along with such traditional venues as the elegant Queens Room and Winter Garden lounges, the QM2 also devotes a lot of space to its Kids Zone -- playrooms for three categories of children overseen by five supervisors. I didn't expect to see many, if any, children aboard this maiden voyage and was surprised to learn that 32 were on board.
Another concession to modern life: Dining is much less stratified than on the earlier Queens. While the new ship retains the traditional Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants, it offers many dining alternatives for those who seek more contemporary styles.
We were charmed by the innovative Chef's Galley, a 35-seat space where a chef, in person and via television monitors, demonstrates step by step how the meal is prepared.
This is the only venue on board for which an extra charge, $30 per person, is made, but that includes champagne, red and white wine.
Cunard hopes its approach of appealing to both the traditional ocean-liner crowd and the less conforming baby boomers will make the QM2 a winner.
No one can say for sure, but my educated guess is that its success as a transatlantic liner is assured. Its winter gig as a Caribbean cruise ship is another matter. Cruise passengers, I suspect, are more concerned with fun and games than with history and style.
"People love a new ship. Logo-mania, I call it," said John Maxtone-Graham. "For a year or two, the QM2 will have an edge . . . cachet and curiosity. The problem will be the long haul. I think, essentially, this is a ship for transatlantic crossings."
The test began Saturday, when the QM2 started its winter run of Caribbean cruises.
"We'll see what happens out of Port Everglades," said Thomas Rennesland, the ship's hotel manager, who is in charge of all guest matters. "It's a different guest mix: a vacation market, not transatlantic."
© Copyright 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.