Home > Ocean Liners > Queen Mary 2 > QM2 Reviews > Jan 2004 - a day aboard QM2 by Clive Harvey & Friends
Day Visits On board the new Queen Mary 2
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 16:26:52 EST
From: CHarvey649 @ aol.com
Subject: On board Queen Mary 2
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
Guys, a warning, this is very long!
No, don't get too excited, I'm not actually on board now! However, I am just home from having spent the greater part of today aboard the new liner, and I thought you just might be interested in my impressions. I have purposely held back from all the recent discussions on the ship, and from going off and looking at all the various sites that have been mentioned that show photos of her, as I wanted to have a clear head and make up my own mind about how I felt about the ship. That said, I did look at those interior shots that briefly appeared, but as they showed so little they didn't colour my view one way or the other.
First view of the ship was from the mini-bus taking us from the station to the QEII terminal. She dwarfs the terminal, she is immense, one cannot fail but to be impressed by the sheer size of the ship. From that three-quarter bow view she looks uncompromisingly square. As we drew alongside the terminal there were little aspects of her design that excited, whilst others somewhat jarred. Nevertheless, being there was exciting. I can't believe that I'm typing that statement!
I'll try and give my impressions of the ship in the order of our tour: we were free to do a self-guided tour (it was about 10 am when we got aboard and we didn't disembark until after four). We entered the ship on Deck 3 into the Grand Lobby - the atrium. This is a handsome space, not awe inspiring, indeed one could almost describe it as being intimate! Its upper level is dominated by a bronze relief of the ship which is illuminated by changing coloured lights - this sounds tacky but isn't. To one side is the champagne bar, elegant and attractive but shielded from the embarking passengers by a row of plastic orange trees - I hope these are just a temporary abberation!
Moving aft we come to the Chart Room. This is without any doubt as far as I'm concerned, the most beautiful room on the ship, and one of the most beautiful shipboard rooms I've been in. Decorated in pale blues and with very simple decor it is very elegant. On the opposite side of the ship is Sir Samuels wine bar, which is an attractive space. Aft of this is the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant.
This really does have a grand ocean liner feel about it, and is very handsome. However, I wasn't impressed by the huge tapestry that dominates one end of the room. Its design seemed to me to be at odds with the gridded pattern on the ceiling dome over the centre part of the room.
Aft again, we come to the Queens Room Ballroom. It lacks that cool sophistication of the original Queens Room aboard the QE2, which became something of a design icon. This new room will never achieve that status. It is a comfortable room, and its outer edges are nicer than the centre. There are far too many design elements in the room screaming 'look at me!' That said, it has nice furniture, stunning lamps and elegant drapes but far too fussy bits and pieces on the ceiling, two very glittery cystal chandeliers over the dance floor - one would have been fine, and none would have been even better.
Aft of this is the G32 Nightclub, in my opinion, the less said about this room the better. It reminded me of Soviet cruise ship decor - and no Bruce it just isn't so chic, it was ghastly! A leap forward on this deck and we have the upper level of the Royal Court Theatre, all three of us thought it was just dreary.
Forward of that was Illuminations, planetarium/ lecture theatre/ cinema. Fabulous sculptures either side of the entrance, Mercury and Mars I think. However the room itself was nothing to get excited about.
On Deck 2 aft, is the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant. The moving forward we have the casino - not glitzy, but there is nothing much else one can say. On the opposite side of the ship is the Golden Lion pub. Well, I guess that in some rather run-down areas of Britain there may be pubs that look like this, but if you were/are a foreign tourist on your way to Southampton and you went into this bar I think that it would be enough to ensure that you never bothered to set foot in a pub once you arrived on these shores. Its horrid! Just don't go there, now I know that you will just to see if it is as nasty as I'm implying. The lower levels of the theatre and Illuminations are further forward.
Deck 7 aft. If you have spent a great deal of money on your accommodation aboard the ship you will be allocated to either the Queens Grill or the Princess Grill. They are all-but identical in decorative style but in different colours. They are elegant, tasteful and remarkably dull. Were I accommodated in a luxury cabin or suite I'd go and eat in the Britannia, it is opulent whereas the grills are just disappointing. There is really nothing special about them at all. Dull is the watchword for this end of the ship, as the adjacent Queens Grill Lounge is also dull, brown furniture and carpet, pale beige walls, some ineptly hung black and white photographs (too high and too far apart). The room does have an attractive bar and some lovely deco sofas with vivdly coloured pillows, and their colour should have been used a little more freely in the room. A large area in the centre of this deck is given over to the Kings Court casual dining area - read buffet. Mostly it is a sterile and cheerless place that I'davoid, though it does have some interesting bays that jut out onto the promenade deck that creat very nice intimate dining areas with an indoor/outdoor feel. This room has a lot of art work of a very questionable quality.
The Winter Garden, much discussed here on the list, after those pictures were briefly posted. It is worse, far worse than we could have ever imagined, tacky, tacky. Pinkish rattan furniture, some of which is covered in fabric of large pink flowers. The ceiling is painted to give the impression of being in the Palm House at Kew Gardens, and the aft wall has a lurid mural of flamingoes with a waterfall effect in front of it. Think of the Palm Court aboard Crystal ships, and then imagine those rooms on Speed!
Ahead is the Canyon Ranch Spa, gym and all that fitness stuff. Deck 8 aft, is the Todd English Restaurant. Quirky and eccentric are words that could be used to describe the decor. My companions were quite happy with it. I thought that it looked temporary, as though the next day you went to dine there and an entire new decorative look would have been installed. It reminded me of a shop window display: stylish, but only for a moment. Most of this deck is cabins but forward we have the Library and Book shop. The book shop was full of ocean liner books, I managed to squeeze myself in, although I was being told the shop was closed. However, as there were copies of my book, The Saxonia Sisters on the shelf I was happy! The staff were all smiles when I told them this and one person there was in fact from the company that prints Carmania Press books. The Library is both overwhelming and very impressive. It appears to be more a room to go to and chose a book, rather than a place to sit and read one, as there is limited seating.
Deck 9 forward, is the Commodore Club. Although forward facing it did not seem to be a daytime observation lounge, more a late night place. The walls are darkly panelled and much of the seating is in a deep burgundy shade, although some seating is in a pale colour. It is a very attractive room, and I am sure would be great at night. To one side, aft of this, there is a small lounge that looks like a suburban sitting room: it was very odd.
The open decks are vast, the pools look attractive, particularly the one under the magrodome or what ever they are calling it. Unfortunately there seems to be a lot of very nasty brown plastic patio furniture around, this kind of furniture is bad enough when it is white but when it is brown and therefore pretends to be wood it is particularly nasty.
We looked at the Balmoral and Windsor suites, aft, and were just stunned by them. I'd move in tomorrow (if they were not aboard the QM2). They are truly fabulous. Other cabins were Ok but really failed to impress us much.
Finally - congratulations on having got this far - the public rooms generally have a lovely air of spaciousness and grandeur without being oppressive. There are some very interesting and exciting pieces of art on board - and some crap as well. The ship has a very real feel, in most areas, of being a grand ocean liner. Yes, I really do think that they have carried it off. We had lunch on board and it was superb, probably the best piece of lamb I have ever eaten. I hope that Cunard can and will maintain this standard as I have a memory of only pretty poor food aboard QE2 - albeit years ago.
So, would I sail on Queen Mary 2? Yesterday I'd have said "No, she is far too big for my tastes." Now, having been aboard I'd say "Yes, if I wanted to cross the Atlantic, but not for a cruise". Like the QE2, she just does not strike me as being a cruise ship.
Well, there you have it. My impressions of a day aboard the Queen Mary 2. You may be surprised to know that I actually liked her far more than I had thought I would.
Clive
From: CHarvey649 @ aol.com
Subject: On board Queen Mary 2
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
Guys, a warning, this is very long!
No, don't get too excited, I'm not actually on board now! However, I am just home from having spent the greater part of today aboard the new liner, and I thought you just might be interested in my impressions. I have purposely held back from all the recent discussions on the ship, and from going off and looking at all the various sites that have been mentioned that show photos of her, as I wanted to have a clear head and make up my own mind about how I felt about the ship. That said, I did look at those interior shots that briefly appeared, but as they showed so little they didn't colour my view one way or the other.
First view of the ship was from the mini-bus taking us from the station to the QEII terminal. She dwarfs the terminal, she is immense, one cannot fail but to be impressed by the sheer size of the ship. From that three-quarter bow view she looks uncompromisingly square. As we drew alongside the terminal there were little aspects of her design that excited, whilst others somewhat jarred. Nevertheless, being there was exciting. I can't believe that I'm typing that statement!
I'll try and give my impressions of the ship in the order of our tour: we were free to do a self-guided tour (it was about 10 am when we got aboard and we didn't disembark until after four). We entered the ship on Deck 3 into the Grand Lobby - the atrium. This is a handsome space, not awe inspiring, indeed one could almost describe it as being intimate! Its upper level is dominated by a bronze relief of the ship which is illuminated by changing coloured lights - this sounds tacky but isn't. To one side is the champagne bar, elegant and attractive but shielded from the embarking passengers by a row of plastic orange trees - I hope these are just a temporary abberation!
Moving aft we come to the Chart Room. This is without any doubt as far as I'm concerned, the most beautiful room on the ship, and one of the most beautiful shipboard rooms I've been in. Decorated in pale blues and with very simple decor it is very elegant. On the opposite side of the ship is Sir Samuels wine bar, which is an attractive space. Aft of this is the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant.
This really does have a grand ocean liner feel about it, and is very handsome. However, I wasn't impressed by the huge tapestry that dominates one end of the room. Its design seemed to me to be at odds with the gridded pattern on the ceiling dome over the centre part of the room.
Aft again, we come to the Queens Room Ballroom. It lacks that cool sophistication of the original Queens Room aboard the QE2, which became something of a design icon. This new room will never achieve that status. It is a comfortable room, and its outer edges are nicer than the centre. There are far too many design elements in the room screaming 'look at me!' That said, it has nice furniture, stunning lamps and elegant drapes but far too fussy bits and pieces on the ceiling, two very glittery cystal chandeliers over the dance floor - one would have been fine, and none would have been even better.
Aft of this is the G32 Nightclub, in my opinion, the less said about this room the better. It reminded me of Soviet cruise ship decor - and no Bruce it just isn't so chic, it was ghastly! A leap forward on this deck and we have the upper level of the Royal Court Theatre, all three of us thought it was just dreary.
Forward of that was Illuminations, planetarium/ lecture theatre/ cinema. Fabulous sculptures either side of the entrance, Mercury and Mars I think. However the room itself was nothing to get excited about.
On Deck 2 aft, is the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant. The moving forward we have the casino - not glitzy, but there is nothing much else one can say. On the opposite side of the ship is the Golden Lion pub. Well, I guess that in some rather run-down areas of Britain there may be pubs that look like this, but if you were/are a foreign tourist on your way to Southampton and you went into this bar I think that it would be enough to ensure that you never bothered to set foot in a pub once you arrived on these shores. Its horrid! Just don't go there, now I know that you will just to see if it is as nasty as I'm implying. The lower levels of the theatre and Illuminations are further forward.
Deck 7 aft. If you have spent a great deal of money on your accommodation aboard the ship you will be allocated to either the Queens Grill or the Princess Grill. They are all-but identical in decorative style but in different colours. They are elegant, tasteful and remarkably dull. Were I accommodated in a luxury cabin or suite I'd go and eat in the Britannia, it is opulent whereas the grills are just disappointing. There is really nothing special about them at all. Dull is the watchword for this end of the ship, as the adjacent Queens Grill Lounge is also dull, brown furniture and carpet, pale beige walls, some ineptly hung black and white photographs (too high and too far apart). The room does have an attractive bar and some lovely deco sofas with vivdly coloured pillows, and their colour should have been used a little more freely in the room. A large area in the centre of this deck is given over to the Kings Court casual dining area - read buffet. Mostly it is a sterile and cheerless place that I'davoid, though it does have some interesting bays that jut out onto the promenade deck that creat very nice intimate dining areas with an indoor/outdoor feel. This room has a lot of art work of a very questionable quality.
The Winter Garden, much discussed here on the list, after those pictures were briefly posted. It is worse, far worse than we could have ever imagined, tacky, tacky. Pinkish rattan furniture, some of which is covered in fabric of large pink flowers. The ceiling is painted to give the impression of being in the Palm House at Kew Gardens, and the aft wall has a lurid mural of flamingoes with a waterfall effect in front of it. Think of the Palm Court aboard Crystal ships, and then imagine those rooms on Speed!
Ahead is the Canyon Ranch Spa, gym and all that fitness stuff. Deck 8 aft, is the Todd English Restaurant. Quirky and eccentric are words that could be used to describe the decor. My companions were quite happy with it. I thought that it looked temporary, as though the next day you went to dine there and an entire new decorative look would have been installed. It reminded me of a shop window display: stylish, but only for a moment. Most of this deck is cabins but forward we have the Library and Book shop. The book shop was full of ocean liner books, I managed to squeeze myself in, although I was being told the shop was closed. However, as there were copies of my book, The Saxonia Sisters on the shelf I was happy! The staff were all smiles when I told them this and one person there was in fact from the company that prints Carmania Press books. The Library is both overwhelming and very impressive. It appears to be more a room to go to and chose a book, rather than a place to sit and read one, as there is limited seating.
Deck 9 forward, is the Commodore Club. Although forward facing it did not seem to be a daytime observation lounge, more a late night place. The walls are darkly panelled and much of the seating is in a deep burgundy shade, although some seating is in a pale colour. It is a very attractive room, and I am sure would be great at night. To one side, aft of this, there is a small lounge that looks like a suburban sitting room: it was very odd.
The open decks are vast, the pools look attractive, particularly the one under the magrodome or what ever they are calling it. Unfortunately there seems to be a lot of very nasty brown plastic patio furniture around, this kind of furniture is bad enough when it is white but when it is brown and therefore pretends to be wood it is particularly nasty.
We looked at the Balmoral and Windsor suites, aft, and were just stunned by them. I'd move in tomorrow (if they were not aboard the QM2). They are truly fabulous. Other cabins were Ok but really failed to impress us much.
Finally - congratulations on having got this far - the public rooms generally have a lovely air of spaciousness and grandeur without being oppressive. There are some very interesting and exciting pieces of art on board - and some crap as well. The ship has a very real feel, in most areas, of being a grand ocean liner. Yes, I really do think that they have carried it off. We had lunch on board and it was superb, probably the best piece of lamb I have ever eaten. I hope that Cunard can and will maintain this standard as I have a memory of only pretty poor food aboard QE2 - albeit years ago.
So, would I sail on Queen Mary 2? Yesterday I'd have said "No, she is far too big for my tastes." Now, having been aboard I'd say "Yes, if I wanted to cross the Atlantic, but not for a cruise". Like the QE2, she just does not strike me as being a cruise ship.
Well, there you have it. My impressions of a day aboard the Queen Mary 2. You may be surprised to know that I actually liked her far more than I had thought I would.
Clive
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 15:15:08 -0000
From: "William Mayes" <mayes @ btopenworld.com>
Subject: On board Queen Mary 2, not quite as long as Clive's
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
I was on board Queen Mary 2 yesterday as well and mostly agree with Clive's comments.
The few with which I disagree are below, and I'll finish with a few more observations.
As always, personal views on anything differ.
I quite liked the Tapestry in the Britannia Restaurant. This room effectively spreads over three deck with the upper level of the room being tiered. We sat in the second tier of the upper level for lunch (I agree that the lamb was pretty good) but I think that anyone allocated to the top level (with its normal height ceiling) would be a bit disappointed, having walked through the loftier areas.
There was certainly too much going on in the decor of the Queens Room, but if it hadn't been full of visitors waiting to disembark it would have been easier to have seen if came close to working.
The forward end of the casino was rather elegant, with a mural and attractive ceiling recessed with some pleasant lighting. Rather wasted as a casino! That said, I was pleasantly surprised that the casino wasn't larger.
I didn't consider the Golden Lion Pub to be at all nasty, but it isn't really the place you'd find me drinking. It is so much like the so-styled English Pubs on other cruise ships and ferries. I guess that it's a bit like a highly polished version of one of the UK's big chain pubs. I don't often use them either.
We didn't get to see the Queens Grill, but thought the Princess Grill rather ordinary, and certainly without the style and intimacy of the Princess and Britannia Grills on the QE2.
I too would avoid the Kings Court. Sterile and cheerless are good words to describe this area. I also thought that this area seemed out of place and would be better near the open after deck, or one of the open decks at the top of the ship.
I thought that the Winter Garden was all right. No more no less. I also thought about what useful things could have been put in place of the enormous spa and fitness centre.
My first impression on entering the Todd English restaurant was 'why have all those chairs got protective grey covers on them? On closer examination it seems that they are not protective covers. The second impression was that of pretension. Virtually every alternative dining room I've seen exudes an air of pretentiousness. This one is no exception.
Clive didn't mention the Atlantic Room, another pleasant forward facing observation lounge and card room.
On the opposite side of the Commodore Club to Clive's 'suburban sitting room' was another attractive area, Churchills, the 'cigar room'.
There was a vast amount of wooden deck furniture on board, I didn't actually notice the plastic stuff. The open decks are large and plentiful, but I felt that the 3 flight outside staircases at the stern of the ship had the potential to be quite dangerous. The decks also seemed very slippery, even though they were dry. The partially enclosed observation area above the bridge was also a rather good idea.
We also saw the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth Suites at the forward end of the ship. These were exceptionally good.
One more negative has just sprung to mind. The lower balcony cabins, within the hull or lower superstructure have balconies that I can, unfortunately, only describe as nasty. They are small, claustrophobic, dark...... This space would have been much better incorporated into the cabin to give a larger 'outside' cabin.
If all of this seems negative, it is certainly not meant to be. There is so much about this ship that is good that it's easy to concentrate on the negative aspects, of which there are, in reality very few.
The ship is very big - too big really. Would I sail on this ship? Yes, no hesitation. I can't decide, though if I'd rather cruise or cross, but I guess that if I crossed I wouldn't later want to cruise. Maybe though, just maybe the ship has got something about her that would mean I'd be happy with either in any order.
Bill, in a wet Windsor, England just back from a QM2 photo shoot on a boat with the American Press group.
From: "William Mayes" <mayes @ btopenworld.com>
Subject: On board Queen Mary 2, not quite as long as Clive's
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
I was on board Queen Mary 2 yesterday as well and mostly agree with Clive's comments.
The few with which I disagree are below, and I'll finish with a few more observations.
As always, personal views on anything differ.
I quite liked the Tapestry in the Britannia Restaurant. This room effectively spreads over three deck with the upper level of the room being tiered. We sat in the second tier of the upper level for lunch (I agree that the lamb was pretty good) but I think that anyone allocated to the top level (with its normal height ceiling) would be a bit disappointed, having walked through the loftier areas.
There was certainly too much going on in the decor of the Queens Room, but if it hadn't been full of visitors waiting to disembark it would have been easier to have seen if came close to working.
The forward end of the casino was rather elegant, with a mural and attractive ceiling recessed with some pleasant lighting. Rather wasted as a casino! That said, I was pleasantly surprised that the casino wasn't larger.
I didn't consider the Golden Lion Pub to be at all nasty, but it isn't really the place you'd find me drinking. It is so much like the so-styled English Pubs on other cruise ships and ferries. I guess that it's a bit like a highly polished version of one of the UK's big chain pubs. I don't often use them either.
We didn't get to see the Queens Grill, but thought the Princess Grill rather ordinary, and certainly without the style and intimacy of the Princess and Britannia Grills on the QE2.
I too would avoid the Kings Court. Sterile and cheerless are good words to describe this area. I also thought that this area seemed out of place and would be better near the open after deck, or one of the open decks at the top of the ship.
I thought that the Winter Garden was all right. No more no less. I also thought about what useful things could have been put in place of the enormous spa and fitness centre.
My first impression on entering the Todd English restaurant was 'why have all those chairs got protective grey covers on them? On closer examination it seems that they are not protective covers. The second impression was that of pretension. Virtually every alternative dining room I've seen exudes an air of pretentiousness. This one is no exception.
Clive didn't mention the Atlantic Room, another pleasant forward facing observation lounge and card room.
On the opposite side of the Commodore Club to Clive's 'suburban sitting room' was another attractive area, Churchills, the 'cigar room'.
There was a vast amount of wooden deck furniture on board, I didn't actually notice the plastic stuff. The open decks are large and plentiful, but I felt that the 3 flight outside staircases at the stern of the ship had the potential to be quite dangerous. The decks also seemed very slippery, even though they were dry. The partially enclosed observation area above the bridge was also a rather good idea.
We also saw the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth Suites at the forward end of the ship. These were exceptionally good.
One more negative has just sprung to mind. The lower balcony cabins, within the hull or lower superstructure have balconies that I can, unfortunately, only describe as nasty. They are small, claustrophobic, dark...... This space would have been much better incorporated into the cabin to give a larger 'outside' cabin.
If all of this seems negative, it is certainly not meant to be. There is so much about this ship that is good that it's easy to concentrate on the negative aspects, of which there are, in reality very few.
The ship is very big - too big really. Would I sail on this ship? Yes, no hesitation. I can't decide, though if I'd rather cruise or cross, but I guess that if I crossed I wouldn't later want to cruise. Maybe though, just maybe the ship has got something about her that would mean I'd be happy with either in any order.
Bill, in a wet Windsor, England just back from a QM2 photo shoot on a boat with the American Press group.
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 11:44:09 -0000
From: "Ann Haynes" <amh @ annmhaynes.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: R.M.S. QUEEN MARY 2
Taken from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LinersList/
Hello fellow Listers. I have really enjoyed the latest exchanges about the QM being 'great', and now on reading Kevin in London's comment that he stayed in the Windsor suite on board, lucky man, I think I want to contribute. I recently wrote a review of my visit on board the ship in Southampton on 10th January, which will eventually go on the Passenger Ship Society web site. You all seem so knowledgeable about ships and I am learning such a lot (thank you), but I thought some of you might be interested in my visit. We've all seen some wonderful photographs, and I hope we will soon hear more about the Maiden Voyage, but for now I hope you enjoy this.
Ann
R.M.S. QUEEN MARY 2
My tour guide said "Welcome on Board Queen Mary 2" and that is exactly how I felt on Saturday 10th January 2004.
My excitement had started in 2002 when reading the original publicity and brochures from Cunard, then continued when I attended a lecture by Mr Stephen Payne describing how he had designed the vessel, then by knowing that friends were to travel on the Maiden Voyage from Southampton in England to Fort Lauderdale in America on 12th January 2004. The publicity pictures and web-site views increased my excitement and suddenly it was Boxing Day in England (26th December 2003) and the new Cunarder was due to arrive in her home port of Southampton. I was there!
On Boxing Day my first view of the new ship was a flash of Cunard red sending a tingle of excitement down my spine as she appeared out of the rain and mist in Southampton Water. I was on board Blue Funnel's "Solent Cat" and for the next three hours our Captain ensured that we all had excellent views of the ship. We met her in Southampton Water, accompanied her up to the turning basin, and then back to her berth at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal. She looked so huge at 236 feet high, and her Bridge seemed on a level with the top of the quayside cranes. It was a wonderful occasion and I was very excited to be part of the flotilla welcoming the largest, longest, tallest, widest, grandest ocean liner ever.
On the day of the Naming Ceremony 8th January 2004 I drove down to Southampton's Mayflower Park to watch it on the big screens in the Park, along with hundreds of others. A lady from BBC Radio Solent asked me where I had come from. When I told her 84 miles from Berkshire, and why, she asked if I would like to come to her radio car and be interviewed. I said yes, thank you, and we subsequently chatted about "Queen Mary 2", my interest in ships and liners, Union-Castle Line, what a great day it was for Britain's maritime heritage, Mr Stephen Payne the designer, about Commodore R W Warwick being Master of the ship, about friends from the Steam Ship Historical Society of America being passengers on the Maiden Voyage, and how I was looking forward to going on board myself. I know that everyone in the Park felt that we had been present at a very special moment in Britain's maritime heritage, with Cunard's new liner being named, in front of so many distinguished guests, in her home port by Her Majesty The Queen.
Climbing the gangway on 10th January to board the "Queen Mary 2" was a remarkable feeling, especially when I entered the Grand Lobby area on Deck 3. This is the first major space passengers see upon boarding the ship. Above me was the atrium, extending through six decks, giving an impression of elegant light and warmth, and I loved the ambience of it. The most amazing sight was the gold-coloured bronze relief of the ship high up against one wall. Everything was eye-catching and I think the Grand Lobby really sets the tone for this fantastic ship. There are five sets of lifts from this Deck, so I went up to Deck 12.
Located on Deck 12 is The Pavilion, which is an indoor/outdoor area, thanks to the Magrodome sliding glass roof. The area features the Pavilion Pool and two whirlpools, open teak deck space, and a Boardwalk Café at the aft end. I was told that the Dog Kennels were situated nearby, a facility only offered by one other vessel - the "Queen Elizabeth 2". The view of the funnel and two ship's whistles (one from the first Queen Mary and the other a specially-made replica) through the glass roof was an unexpected treat. I remember hearing the noise from them several times on 26th December, as did everyone within a 10-mile radius I'm told!
Also on this deck are two golf simulators - Fairways - and shuffleboard areas marked out. Passenger cabins are located in the forward half of this deck.
On Deck 10 I visited the spacious and light Suite Q5 and Junior Suite P1, whose passengers dine in the Princess Grill. On this deck are the upper storeys of the Grand Duplex and Duplex Apartments at the aft end.
Deck 9 has more accommodation, including the Balmoral Grand Duplex and the Sandringham Grand Duplex, said to be the most lavish and magnificent suites afloat. The two-storey Balmoral and Sandringham Duplexes each have 2,249 square feet of sweeping living quarters with extensive balcony and spectacular views over the stern, and include a fully stocked bar, dining area for eight, dressing room, interactive plasma screen TV and home office corner. Upstairs, the master bedroom has private exercise equipment, a second TV, two marble 'his and hers' dressing rooms with connecting bathrooms with separate whirlpool bath and shower. There is a guest bathroom with shower downstairs. The 1,471 square feet Windsor and Buckingham Duplexes, and the 1,566 square feet Holyrood Duplex are similar to the Balmoral and Sandringham, but with slightly smaller staterooms and balconies. Lovely colour schemes, views and facilities should ensure a memorable time on board in this accommodation.
On Deck 9 are the Commodore Club Lounge, the Boardroom and the Cigar Lounge, which I was not able to visit, but offer wonderful panoramic views.
Deck 8 has more accommodation, plus the Todd English restaurant. This serves contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, for those who fancy a change from their assigned restaurant. The decorations I saw in the Reception area seemed to have a Moorish influence, in great contrast to the Duplexes I had just viewed. Dining alfresco is also possible, with access and views out to the Terrace Pool. Deck 8 also has The Library and The QM2 Bookshop, which I would love to have visited, but I am sure they will have the best maritime publications available to read and buy!
Deck 7 offered the chance to visit the Princess Grill. This has single seating for 178 guests, is decorated in silver and reserved for those who occupy P grade staterooms on board. The furnishings were very elegant in style, but I thought the red, turquoise or blue colour schemes all in the one room to be somewhat divisive, perhaps intentionally. The etched glass was most attractive and I admired the Art Deco styling of the mirrors. Black and white photographs of New York long ago made an attractive addition to the room.
Deck 7 also has the informal but huge Lido restaurant. By day this serves breakfast and lunch buffet style. It is transformed in the evenings into four different dining areas: La Piazza (Italian), The Carvery (British), Lotus (Asian) and Chef's Galley, which is a demonstration kitchen. It is an interesting concept, with an abundance of unappealing but hygienic-looking stainless steel in the vast serving areas.
On this deck was an alluring sight: the 360-degree Promenade Deck, at 2,034 feet long. It is wide enough to allow a deck chair and four people walking abreast of each other. The sight of all those new teak wood steamer chairs brought another tingle to my spine - just imagine being able to walk around the whole Promenade Deck at will! I couldn't see a maker's name on the steamer chairs, but they made a memorable sight against the ship's rails.
Walking forward brought me to the Winter Garden, with a design said to be based on the conservatory at Kew Gardens. Two hundred and seventy guests can enjoy events like classical concerts and afternoon tea here. My eye was drawn by the trompe d'oeil painted ceiling, then by the somewhat noisy waterfall down one wall. The falling water drew the eye to the brightly coloured painting behind it, of parrots and jungle leaves. The artificial agapanthuses in front of the waterfall were a pretty and eye-catching blue, but the central area generally looked rather 'busy' to my eye. The furniture placed at the outer edges of this room looked comfortable and appropriate and the overhead ceiling fans around the room brought an echo of days in a hot climate, before air-conditioning became the norm on ships at sea.
Further forward on Deck 7 is the largest health spa afloat - the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, complete with another small waterfall between decks. Fifty-one Canyon Ranch personnel, working in 20,000 square feet over two decks, are responsible for the thalassotherapy pool, massage and skin care treatment rooms, an aromatic steam room, a therapy pool, a Finnish sauna, gym and fitness centre, a relaxation lounge, a thermal suite and 20 treatment rooms. I felt quite overwhelmed with this area, until my eye was caught by the design of a hand-dryer in one of the rest rooms. I hope I was meant to be amused by the quirky design of this item - I loved it!
Deck 6 has the Minnows pool aft, and accommodation in grades C1, D3, and D1 staterooms; these are standard inside or outside staterooms of 194 square feet, with dual-height coffee table for in-room dining. D1 staterooms feature views into the atrium below, and to other passengers who might be looking out of their window across the atrium space. B4 Premium Balcony staterooms offer 269 square feet including a panoramic hull balcony with loungers and tables. Cunard point out that 953 (72.7%) of staterooms feature balconies and 77.6% of staterooms are outside.
My tour took me next to Deck 2, through the aft entrance of the Britannia Restaurant. This is one of the most impressive spaces on board and I found it most attractive. It seats one thousand, three hundred and forty-seven guests in two sittings, and is situated on two levels but actually spans the space of three storeys. There is a central forward staircase, so one can 'sweep in' with great style from the port or starboard side and down the central stairs, and be under the overhead lighting well. This coloured deck-head is lovely and reminded me of those in the First Class Dining Saloons of Union-Castle Line Mailships of the early 1900s, which were truly beautiful.
There are classic columns, a delightful frieze and the largest tapestry ever to go to sea, hanging at the aft end of the Restaurant. It is designed by Amsterdam-based Barbara Broekman, who said her inspiration for the ship in the tapestry came from a 1930s era poster for Holland America Line, whose image captured best for her the Art Deco style which the overall design of "Queen Mary 2" was trying to emulate. The tapestry is a complex abstract of layered images, and is memorable.
The Lower Grand Promenade is reached via the main forward entrance (lower level) of the Britannia Restaurant. Along here I enjoyed looking at the bas-reliefs of the Four Seasons along either side. The unique design of the ship means that the uptakes from the Engine Room have been split. This allows for the placement of the public rooms to each side, offering sea views, as well as two main central arteries on Decks 2 and 3 - the Lower and Upper Grand Promenades. I walked forward on the port side through the Empire Casino, which features 115 slot machines and 11 gaming tables in quite a small space, and has its own bar. On the starboard side is the Golden Lion Pub, styled after a traditional British pub with lots of dark coloured furnishings and patterned red carpet, which will serve traditional lunchtime food.
Further forward along the Lower Grand Promenade I stopped at the Purser's Office to hand in some Bon Voyage cards for friends travelling on the Maiden Voyage, and the staff were happy to check the stateroom numbers and assure me that the cards would be placed in the rooms.
I then saw the entrance to the Royal Court Theatre, which is the main showroom on board. It is decorated in red and seats 1,094 over two levels. I was told that it features 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 that can drop and rise level with the stage to extend the performing area and a video wall as a background set.
Outside the Theatre I walked into ConneXions, a dedicated college-at-sea, in a seven-room area that offers a programme of education and dedicated courses on a variety of subjects offered via the Oxford Discovery Programme. It features two computer-learning centres, a business centre and can be linked to the Planetarium and the Main Theatre.
From here I went up a spiral staircase to Deck 3 which brought me to the entrance to Illuminations, the first and only planetarium at sea. The room seats 473 and can also double as a cinema or a television studio. At the entrance are two attractive and large sculptures of Jupiter and Mercury. I saw and enjoyed just a very short display of the planetarium show, and found it a fascinating experience, with a definite "wow" factor.
Walking aft again on Deck 3 brought me to the glittering Mayfair Shops. I continued down the Upper Grand Promenade and came to Sir Samuel's Wine Cellar Bar, which seats 60 and is named after Sir Samuel Cunard who founded the company in 1839.
Over on the starboard side I loved visiting the Chart Room Bar, reminiscent of the one on "Queen Elizabeth 2", and found it equally attractive in a very understated way. Etched glass pictures on the walls of this large area were delightful. This lovely room earned another "wow"! The Chart Room Bar offers access to the Champagne Bar.
Stairs down to Deck 3L led me through a photo gallery called Images, which becomes a fine art gallery when the photo gallery is closed.
Stairs up again took me to Deck 3 and the entrance to the beautiful Queen's Room, the ship's ballroom with a capacity for 562 passengers. It is an eye-catching formal room with a dramatic arched ceiling, crystal chandeliers and excellent ocean views on both sides. I found it very comfortable, very stylish, with lots of eye-catching details, including the arch over the orchestra stage. A welcome glass of Champagne at this point meant that I had time to enjoy the ambience of the room, and drink to the success of this fantastic new Cunarder: "Queen Mary 2", before I reluctantly went ashore.
I loved visiting this fantastic new ship, and feel that Cunard should be congratulated for their achievement. She is a huge vessel, with fascinating public rooms and cabins, lots of beautiful decorations to see and enjoy, lots of wonderful maritime art such as Captain Stephen Card's paintings, the Barbara Broekman tapestry, and the memorable bronze relief of the ship. All the staff I met during my visit seemed happy to be there, and offered every help and kindness to everyone. I imagine that when "Queen Mary 2" sets off on her Maiden Voyage it will be the most wonderful experience, and I am sure we all wish this amazing liner a long and illustrious maritime life on her cruises and Trans-Atlantic crossings.
Ann Haynes ©
From: "Ann Haynes" <amh @ annmhaynes.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: R.M.S. QUEEN MARY 2
Taken from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LinersList/
Hello fellow Listers. I have really enjoyed the latest exchanges about the QM being 'great', and now on reading Kevin in London's comment that he stayed in the Windsor suite on board, lucky man, I think I want to contribute. I recently wrote a review of my visit on board the ship in Southampton on 10th January, which will eventually go on the Passenger Ship Society web site. You all seem so knowledgeable about ships and I am learning such a lot (thank you), but I thought some of you might be interested in my visit. We've all seen some wonderful photographs, and I hope we will soon hear more about the Maiden Voyage, but for now I hope you enjoy this.
Ann
R.M.S. QUEEN MARY 2
My tour guide said "Welcome on Board Queen Mary 2" and that is exactly how I felt on Saturday 10th January 2004.
My excitement had started in 2002 when reading the original publicity and brochures from Cunard, then continued when I attended a lecture by Mr Stephen Payne describing how he had designed the vessel, then by knowing that friends were to travel on the Maiden Voyage from Southampton in England to Fort Lauderdale in America on 12th January 2004. The publicity pictures and web-site views increased my excitement and suddenly it was Boxing Day in England (26th December 2003) and the new Cunarder was due to arrive in her home port of Southampton. I was there!
On Boxing Day my first view of the new ship was a flash of Cunard red sending a tingle of excitement down my spine as she appeared out of the rain and mist in Southampton Water. I was on board Blue Funnel's "Solent Cat" and for the next three hours our Captain ensured that we all had excellent views of the ship. We met her in Southampton Water, accompanied her up to the turning basin, and then back to her berth at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal. She looked so huge at 236 feet high, and her Bridge seemed on a level with the top of the quayside cranes. It was a wonderful occasion and I was very excited to be part of the flotilla welcoming the largest, longest, tallest, widest, grandest ocean liner ever.
On the day of the Naming Ceremony 8th January 2004 I drove down to Southampton's Mayflower Park to watch it on the big screens in the Park, along with hundreds of others. A lady from BBC Radio Solent asked me where I had come from. When I told her 84 miles from Berkshire, and why, she asked if I would like to come to her radio car and be interviewed. I said yes, thank you, and we subsequently chatted about "Queen Mary 2", my interest in ships and liners, Union-Castle Line, what a great day it was for Britain's maritime heritage, Mr Stephen Payne the designer, about Commodore R W Warwick being Master of the ship, about friends from the Steam Ship Historical Society of America being passengers on the Maiden Voyage, and how I was looking forward to going on board myself. I know that everyone in the Park felt that we had been present at a very special moment in Britain's maritime heritage, with Cunard's new liner being named, in front of so many distinguished guests, in her home port by Her Majesty The Queen.
Climbing the gangway on 10th January to board the "Queen Mary 2" was a remarkable feeling, especially when I entered the Grand Lobby area on Deck 3. This is the first major space passengers see upon boarding the ship. Above me was the atrium, extending through six decks, giving an impression of elegant light and warmth, and I loved the ambience of it. The most amazing sight was the gold-coloured bronze relief of the ship high up against one wall. Everything was eye-catching and I think the Grand Lobby really sets the tone for this fantastic ship. There are five sets of lifts from this Deck, so I went up to Deck 12.
Located on Deck 12 is The Pavilion, which is an indoor/outdoor area, thanks to the Magrodome sliding glass roof. The area features the Pavilion Pool and two whirlpools, open teak deck space, and a Boardwalk Café at the aft end. I was told that the Dog Kennels were situated nearby, a facility only offered by one other vessel - the "Queen Elizabeth 2". The view of the funnel and two ship's whistles (one from the first Queen Mary and the other a specially-made replica) through the glass roof was an unexpected treat. I remember hearing the noise from them several times on 26th December, as did everyone within a 10-mile radius I'm told!
Also on this deck are two golf simulators - Fairways - and shuffleboard areas marked out. Passenger cabins are located in the forward half of this deck.
On Deck 10 I visited the spacious and light Suite Q5 and Junior Suite P1, whose passengers dine in the Princess Grill. On this deck are the upper storeys of the Grand Duplex and Duplex Apartments at the aft end.
Deck 9 has more accommodation, including the Balmoral Grand Duplex and the Sandringham Grand Duplex, said to be the most lavish and magnificent suites afloat. The two-storey Balmoral and Sandringham Duplexes each have 2,249 square feet of sweeping living quarters with extensive balcony and spectacular views over the stern, and include a fully stocked bar, dining area for eight, dressing room, interactive plasma screen TV and home office corner. Upstairs, the master bedroom has private exercise equipment, a second TV, two marble 'his and hers' dressing rooms with connecting bathrooms with separate whirlpool bath and shower. There is a guest bathroom with shower downstairs. The 1,471 square feet Windsor and Buckingham Duplexes, and the 1,566 square feet Holyrood Duplex are similar to the Balmoral and Sandringham, but with slightly smaller staterooms and balconies. Lovely colour schemes, views and facilities should ensure a memorable time on board in this accommodation.
On Deck 9 are the Commodore Club Lounge, the Boardroom and the Cigar Lounge, which I was not able to visit, but offer wonderful panoramic views.
Deck 8 has more accommodation, plus the Todd English restaurant. This serves contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, for those who fancy a change from their assigned restaurant. The decorations I saw in the Reception area seemed to have a Moorish influence, in great contrast to the Duplexes I had just viewed. Dining alfresco is also possible, with access and views out to the Terrace Pool. Deck 8 also has The Library and The QM2 Bookshop, which I would love to have visited, but I am sure they will have the best maritime publications available to read and buy!
Deck 7 offered the chance to visit the Princess Grill. This has single seating for 178 guests, is decorated in silver and reserved for those who occupy P grade staterooms on board. The furnishings were very elegant in style, but I thought the red, turquoise or blue colour schemes all in the one room to be somewhat divisive, perhaps intentionally. The etched glass was most attractive and I admired the Art Deco styling of the mirrors. Black and white photographs of New York long ago made an attractive addition to the room.
Deck 7 also has the informal but huge Lido restaurant. By day this serves breakfast and lunch buffet style. It is transformed in the evenings into four different dining areas: La Piazza (Italian), The Carvery (British), Lotus (Asian) and Chef's Galley, which is a demonstration kitchen. It is an interesting concept, with an abundance of unappealing but hygienic-looking stainless steel in the vast serving areas.
On this deck was an alluring sight: the 360-degree Promenade Deck, at 2,034 feet long. It is wide enough to allow a deck chair and four people walking abreast of each other. The sight of all those new teak wood steamer chairs brought another tingle to my spine - just imagine being able to walk around the whole Promenade Deck at will! I couldn't see a maker's name on the steamer chairs, but they made a memorable sight against the ship's rails.
Walking forward brought me to the Winter Garden, with a design said to be based on the conservatory at Kew Gardens. Two hundred and seventy guests can enjoy events like classical concerts and afternoon tea here. My eye was drawn by the trompe d'oeil painted ceiling, then by the somewhat noisy waterfall down one wall. The falling water drew the eye to the brightly coloured painting behind it, of parrots and jungle leaves. The artificial agapanthuses in front of the waterfall were a pretty and eye-catching blue, but the central area generally looked rather 'busy' to my eye. The furniture placed at the outer edges of this room looked comfortable and appropriate and the overhead ceiling fans around the room brought an echo of days in a hot climate, before air-conditioning became the norm on ships at sea.
Further forward on Deck 7 is the largest health spa afloat - the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, complete with another small waterfall between decks. Fifty-one Canyon Ranch personnel, working in 20,000 square feet over two decks, are responsible for the thalassotherapy pool, massage and skin care treatment rooms, an aromatic steam room, a therapy pool, a Finnish sauna, gym and fitness centre, a relaxation lounge, a thermal suite and 20 treatment rooms. I felt quite overwhelmed with this area, until my eye was caught by the design of a hand-dryer in one of the rest rooms. I hope I was meant to be amused by the quirky design of this item - I loved it!
Deck 6 has the Minnows pool aft, and accommodation in grades C1, D3, and D1 staterooms; these are standard inside or outside staterooms of 194 square feet, with dual-height coffee table for in-room dining. D1 staterooms feature views into the atrium below, and to other passengers who might be looking out of their window across the atrium space. B4 Premium Balcony staterooms offer 269 square feet including a panoramic hull balcony with loungers and tables. Cunard point out that 953 (72.7%) of staterooms feature balconies and 77.6% of staterooms are outside.
My tour took me next to Deck 2, through the aft entrance of the Britannia Restaurant. This is one of the most impressive spaces on board and I found it most attractive. It seats one thousand, three hundred and forty-seven guests in two sittings, and is situated on two levels but actually spans the space of three storeys. There is a central forward staircase, so one can 'sweep in' with great style from the port or starboard side and down the central stairs, and be under the overhead lighting well. This coloured deck-head is lovely and reminded me of those in the First Class Dining Saloons of Union-Castle Line Mailships of the early 1900s, which were truly beautiful.
There are classic columns, a delightful frieze and the largest tapestry ever to go to sea, hanging at the aft end of the Restaurant. It is designed by Amsterdam-based Barbara Broekman, who said her inspiration for the ship in the tapestry came from a 1930s era poster for Holland America Line, whose image captured best for her the Art Deco style which the overall design of "Queen Mary 2" was trying to emulate. The tapestry is a complex abstract of layered images, and is memorable.
The Lower Grand Promenade is reached via the main forward entrance (lower level) of the Britannia Restaurant. Along here I enjoyed looking at the bas-reliefs of the Four Seasons along either side. The unique design of the ship means that the uptakes from the Engine Room have been split. This allows for the placement of the public rooms to each side, offering sea views, as well as two main central arteries on Decks 2 and 3 - the Lower and Upper Grand Promenades. I walked forward on the port side through the Empire Casino, which features 115 slot machines and 11 gaming tables in quite a small space, and has its own bar. On the starboard side is the Golden Lion Pub, styled after a traditional British pub with lots of dark coloured furnishings and patterned red carpet, which will serve traditional lunchtime food.
Further forward along the Lower Grand Promenade I stopped at the Purser's Office to hand in some Bon Voyage cards for friends travelling on the Maiden Voyage, and the staff were happy to check the stateroom numbers and assure me that the cards would be placed in the rooms.
I then saw the entrance to the Royal Court Theatre, which is the main showroom on board. It is decorated in red and seats 1,094 over two levels. I was told that it features 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 that can drop and rise level with the stage to extend the performing area and a video wall as a background set.
Outside the Theatre I walked into ConneXions, a dedicated college-at-sea, in a seven-room area that offers a programme of education and dedicated courses on a variety of subjects offered via the Oxford Discovery Programme. It features two computer-learning centres, a business centre and can be linked to the Planetarium and the Main Theatre.
From here I went up a spiral staircase to Deck 3 which brought me to the entrance to Illuminations, the first and only planetarium at sea. The room seats 473 and can also double as a cinema or a television studio. At the entrance are two attractive and large sculptures of Jupiter and Mercury. I saw and enjoyed just a very short display of the planetarium show, and found it a fascinating experience, with a definite "wow" factor.
Walking aft again on Deck 3 brought me to the glittering Mayfair Shops. I continued down the Upper Grand Promenade and came to Sir Samuel's Wine Cellar Bar, which seats 60 and is named after Sir Samuel Cunard who founded the company in 1839.
Over on the starboard side I loved visiting the Chart Room Bar, reminiscent of the one on "Queen Elizabeth 2", and found it equally attractive in a very understated way. Etched glass pictures on the walls of this large area were delightful. This lovely room earned another "wow"! The Chart Room Bar offers access to the Champagne Bar.
Stairs down to Deck 3L led me through a photo gallery called Images, which becomes a fine art gallery when the photo gallery is closed.
Stairs up again took me to Deck 3 and the entrance to the beautiful Queen's Room, the ship's ballroom with a capacity for 562 passengers. It is an eye-catching formal room with a dramatic arched ceiling, crystal chandeliers and excellent ocean views on both sides. I found it very comfortable, very stylish, with lots of eye-catching details, including the arch over the orchestra stage. A welcome glass of Champagne at this point meant that I had time to enjoy the ambience of the room, and drink to the success of this fantastic new Cunarder: "Queen Mary 2", before I reluctantly went ashore.
I loved visiting this fantastic new ship, and feel that Cunard should be congratulated for their achievement. She is a huge vessel, with fascinating public rooms and cabins, lots of beautiful decorations to see and enjoy, lots of wonderful maritime art such as Captain Stephen Card's paintings, the Barbara Broekman tapestry, and the memorable bronze relief of the ship. All the staff I met during my visit seemed happy to be there, and offered every help and kindness to everyone. I imagine that when "Queen Mary 2" sets off on her Maiden Voyage it will be the most wonderful experience, and I am sure we all wish this amazing liner a long and illustrious maritime life on her cruises and Trans-Atlantic crossings.
Ann Haynes ©
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 10:50:11 EST
From: cruiseaz @ aol.com
Subject: Report: QUEEN MARY 2 is "outstanding"
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
I spent the night on board QUEEN MARY 2 yesterday and would say that if anything is the key word for it is "outstanding" -she is wonderful, very ocean liner like, and I love the art deco feel and the reflections of the original Queen Mary. The other key word is perhaps "understated" - which is fine by me for many days at sea at a time. It is very obvious that Joe Farcus had absolutely no role to play in this ship's decoration and the criticisms I have seen are actually fairly minor. Nothing stuns and nothing surprises - but nothing annoys and nothing grates either - and what a relief that is. This ship is really quite outstanding and will be very successful. She has the right feel in the right areas.
By the way, I think the friezes in the two main corridors are fascinating. I had a chance to look them over while waiting for an upgrade at the Purser's Office. We finally got a living room, dining room table for six, two-deck high wall-to-wall windows with power drapes, king size bed, three bathrooms, wide screen plasma tv, sitting balcony on the upper level, bathtub jacuzzi with a view of the ocean, butler's pantry, balcony looking astern, binoculars, walk-in closet. Yes, as we were kept waiting for an hour and a half for our stateroom (the note from check-in just said "Upgrade to Q Class"), we were upgraded all the way to the Windsor Suite! So I am completely unable to talk about what the normal cabins are like (what a disappointment).
I loved the ship, I loved the decks, I loved all the steamer chairs and wooden pool chairs, the terraced decks aft and I particularly loved the wonderful forward viewing area below the bridge, from which one can see exactly the same view as Commodore Warwick does when he stands on the bridge wings! The bridge also has viewing windows in the back by the way, which can also be curtained to obscure the view.
There are two forward-facing lounges, the Commodore Club with its excellent model of the QUEEN MARY 2 behind the bar (a somewhat smaller space by the way than the original room on which it is based on the QUEEN MARY) and the smaller Atlantic Room, which is more like a card room, as well as the Library itself - fantastic. I didn't visit the ranch as I don't spa.
The Queen's Room is a bit Hollywood Bowl but it is a great ball room in comparison to QE2 and the adjacent G32 (the ship's hull number) Nightclub is okay - I liked it - I think things are a lot different when viewing this ship by night as opposed to by day.
The heritage of QE2 is also maintained by having the Chart Room in the same sort of space as the Golden Lion Pub, one above the other, echoing back to the old QE2 arrangement, except in QM2 the Chart Room is above while in QE2 the Golden Lion is above, deckwise. Only those who had travelled QE2 would notice. Unlike some, I rather liked the Winter Garden, although the hard surfaces on the port side walkway fore and aft tended to accentuate noise and chatter.
I loved getting around this ship, the corridors and stairways are fantastic, sometimes reminiscent of the old QUEEN MARY, sometimes of QE2, but the flow is excellent and for such a large ship she is much easier to get around than the rather chopped up QE2. The arrangement of the lifts is also good as getting from deck two to deck twelve is ten decks and even someone like me who uses stairs as much as possible was forced to resort to the lift fairly often on this ship. The central lift well was quite handy - surprisingly it's the same sort of arrangement as COSTA VICTORIA. The stairs and passageways and their decoration are excellent as far as I am concerned and some of the criticism I have read has probably been a bit petty - considering that this ship has been built at all - and as another lister said, decorations can be replaced. I particularly loved all the ship portraits in the stairwells and lifts and wish I had had more time to see them all. I was several times delayed just looking at the fascinating black and white Manhattan photos in the corridors on our deck nine.
Near the Pursers Desk there is a painting of QM2 and QE2 together and the QE2 does begin to look a little more like the AQUITANIA with her very tall funnel in comparison to the QM2, whose BRITANNIC proportions I find myself getting used to.
The dining rooms are great too - the Grills are understated but comfortable and with views onto the promenade deck. The Britannia restaurant is fascinating as it has a Gallery running right through it but out of sight. In the three-level upper area, the top level is one deck above The Gallery, while the lower level is below it - a very interesting use of space and I only finally understood this when going aboard. The lower level of three in the top deck has a balcony view down onto the lower level, which stretches the whole 140-foot width of the ship! This does not show up in the deck plan but look at the side profile of the ship - there are three decks of windows and the upper and lower rectangular windows are the upper of three levels on the upper level and the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant, while the middle level of round what I call "Royal Caribbean" windows is actually an art gallery threading its way through the sides of the restaurant on either side of the ship as a passageway.
If I have any criticisms at all, they are minor - one slightly annoying, one quite amusing. The annoying one is one particular aspect of the huge food court on deck seven (I usually refuse to serve myself anything other than an outdoor breakfast or maybe a hamburger by the pool when I am on a ship) and the neat fact that some of the artwork is not Cunard at all - but French Line - which I find terribly amusing.
1. Specifically what I object to in the food court (so-called King's Court) is the brushed aluminium serving areas - the seating areas are fine and some have great views out onto the open promenade. But they might have found a way of hiding the brushed aluminium - it is just a little too much reminiscent of institutional cafeterias or even Home Line's ATLANTIC. A little mosaic tile would have made these areas look much warmer in my view, but perhaps the real culprit is the USPH.
2. This is really not a criticism as it is quite humorous - those French builders managed to sneak in some French Line right under the noses of Cunard it seems - even someone of Stephen Payne's knowledge it seems - but perhaps Cunard thought that capitalising on some of the famous CGT ships that had been built at St Nazaire would not be such a bad idea after all. The huge tapestry by Barbara Broekman in the Britannia Dining Room of an ocean liner leaving Manhattan is most definitely a French Line ship! It's the bridge (and not the funnel) that makes it look like either the PARIS or an earlier FRANCE, or perhaps the LAFAYETTE! Also, on deck seven amongst the historic displays is a photo of a Lego model of an ocean liner with black hull and red funnel with black top - no, not a Cunarder but ILE DE FRANCE in her three-funnelled days! This slight Gallic twist is amusing.
This ship is a real winner! Just as a bonus we got to see the CARONIA sail past us, leaving Southampton later than scheduled and Grimaldi's 12-passenger GRAN BRETAGNA arrive, both at night. Then in the morning sister company P&O's AURORA sailed by on her way in, slightly late, and gave us a proper salute. The first time for me to have heard that wonderful QUEEN MARY whistle!
- Kevin in London, in haste so excuse any errors or omissions
From: cruiseaz @ aol.com
Subject: Report: QUEEN MARY 2 is "outstanding"
( Copied from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/linerslist )
I spent the night on board QUEEN MARY 2 yesterday and would say that if anything is the key word for it is "outstanding" -she is wonderful, very ocean liner like, and I love the art deco feel and the reflections of the original Queen Mary. The other key word is perhaps "understated" - which is fine by me for many days at sea at a time. It is very obvious that Joe Farcus had absolutely no role to play in this ship's decoration and the criticisms I have seen are actually fairly minor. Nothing stuns and nothing surprises - but nothing annoys and nothing grates either - and what a relief that is. This ship is really quite outstanding and will be very successful. She has the right feel in the right areas.
By the way, I think the friezes in the two main corridors are fascinating. I had a chance to look them over while waiting for an upgrade at the Purser's Office. We finally got a living room, dining room table for six, two-deck high wall-to-wall windows with power drapes, king size bed, three bathrooms, wide screen plasma tv, sitting balcony on the upper level, bathtub jacuzzi with a view of the ocean, butler's pantry, balcony looking astern, binoculars, walk-in closet. Yes, as we were kept waiting for an hour and a half for our stateroom (the note from check-in just said "Upgrade to Q Class"), we were upgraded all the way to the Windsor Suite! So I am completely unable to talk about what the normal cabins are like (what a disappointment).
I loved the ship, I loved the decks, I loved all the steamer chairs and wooden pool chairs, the terraced decks aft and I particularly loved the wonderful forward viewing area below the bridge, from which one can see exactly the same view as Commodore Warwick does when he stands on the bridge wings! The bridge also has viewing windows in the back by the way, which can also be curtained to obscure the view.
There are two forward-facing lounges, the Commodore Club with its excellent model of the QUEEN MARY 2 behind the bar (a somewhat smaller space by the way than the original room on which it is based on the QUEEN MARY) and the smaller Atlantic Room, which is more like a card room, as well as the Library itself - fantastic. I didn't visit the ranch as I don't spa.
The Queen's Room is a bit Hollywood Bowl but it is a great ball room in comparison to QE2 and the adjacent G32 (the ship's hull number) Nightclub is okay - I liked it - I think things are a lot different when viewing this ship by night as opposed to by day.
The heritage of QE2 is also maintained by having the Chart Room in the same sort of space as the Golden Lion Pub, one above the other, echoing back to the old QE2 arrangement, except in QM2 the Chart Room is above while in QE2 the Golden Lion is above, deckwise. Only those who had travelled QE2 would notice. Unlike some, I rather liked the Winter Garden, although the hard surfaces on the port side walkway fore and aft tended to accentuate noise and chatter.
I loved getting around this ship, the corridors and stairways are fantastic, sometimes reminiscent of the old QUEEN MARY, sometimes of QE2, but the flow is excellent and for such a large ship she is much easier to get around than the rather chopped up QE2. The arrangement of the lifts is also good as getting from deck two to deck twelve is ten decks and even someone like me who uses stairs as much as possible was forced to resort to the lift fairly often on this ship. The central lift well was quite handy - surprisingly it's the same sort of arrangement as COSTA VICTORIA. The stairs and passageways and their decoration are excellent as far as I am concerned and some of the criticism I have read has probably been a bit petty - considering that this ship has been built at all - and as another lister said, decorations can be replaced. I particularly loved all the ship portraits in the stairwells and lifts and wish I had had more time to see them all. I was several times delayed just looking at the fascinating black and white Manhattan photos in the corridors on our deck nine.
Near the Pursers Desk there is a painting of QM2 and QE2 together and the QE2 does begin to look a little more like the AQUITANIA with her very tall funnel in comparison to the QM2, whose BRITANNIC proportions I find myself getting used to.
The dining rooms are great too - the Grills are understated but comfortable and with views onto the promenade deck. The Britannia restaurant is fascinating as it has a Gallery running right through it but out of sight. In the three-level upper area, the top level is one deck above The Gallery, while the lower level is below it - a very interesting use of space and I only finally understood this when going aboard. The lower level of three in the top deck has a balcony view down onto the lower level, which stretches the whole 140-foot width of the ship! This does not show up in the deck plan but look at the side profile of the ship - there are three decks of windows and the upper and lower rectangular windows are the upper of three levels on the upper level and the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant, while the middle level of round what I call "Royal Caribbean" windows is actually an art gallery threading its way through the sides of the restaurant on either side of the ship as a passageway.
If I have any criticisms at all, they are minor - one slightly annoying, one quite amusing. The annoying one is one particular aspect of the huge food court on deck seven (I usually refuse to serve myself anything other than an outdoor breakfast or maybe a hamburger by the pool when I am on a ship) and the neat fact that some of the artwork is not Cunard at all - but French Line - which I find terribly amusing.
1. Specifically what I object to in the food court (so-called King's Court) is the brushed aluminium serving areas - the seating areas are fine and some have great views out onto the open promenade. But they might have found a way of hiding the brushed aluminium - it is just a little too much reminiscent of institutional cafeterias or even Home Line's ATLANTIC. A little mosaic tile would have made these areas look much warmer in my view, but perhaps the real culprit is the USPH.
2. This is really not a criticism as it is quite humorous - those French builders managed to sneak in some French Line right under the noses of Cunard it seems - even someone of Stephen Payne's knowledge it seems - but perhaps Cunard thought that capitalising on some of the famous CGT ships that had been built at St Nazaire would not be such a bad idea after all. The huge tapestry by Barbara Broekman in the Britannia Dining Room of an ocean liner leaving Manhattan is most definitely a French Line ship! It's the bridge (and not the funnel) that makes it look like either the PARIS or an earlier FRANCE, or perhaps the LAFAYETTE! Also, on deck seven amongst the historic displays is a photo of a Lego model of an ocean liner with black hull and red funnel with black top - no, not a Cunarder but ILE DE FRANCE in her three-funnelled days! This slight Gallic twist is amusing.
This ship is a real winner! Just as a bonus we got to see the CARONIA sail past us, leaving Southampton later than scheduled and Grimaldi's 12-passenger GRAN BRETAGNA arrive, both at night. Then in the morning sister company P&O's AURORA sailed by on her way in, slightly late, and gave us a proper salute. The first time for me to have heard that wonderful QUEEN MARY whistle!
- Kevin in London, in haste so excuse any errors or omissions