We choose this itinerary because it sailed to Asia where we've never been. The timing (end of January, 2020 to February 2020) was perfect. We'd never been on Cunard even though we've cruised many times. We chose this line as we'd heard wonderful things about it. We were pleased with the ship, her amenities, the service and entertainment. We had an auspicious start in Dubai with easy embarkation. Our room was clean and well appointed. We loved Dubai and our next port Oman on our second day. The excursion was well planned, informative and interesting. It was shortly after this that my husband started to have a cough and chest congestion. He saw the ship's doctor and received Amoxycillin, even though he explained that this wasn't going to do him any good. As he knew, the chest infection deepened, and he returned to the doctor's several days later. This time he was given Prednisone. Despite the antibiotics, he became quite ill, but since there was no Coronavirus testing onboard, we will never know whether he had it. When he went to the doctor's office, there were a lot of passengers coughing and sick, waiting for their appointment. There was a lady at the indoor pool who was obviously sick. No one stopped her or said anything even though she was in a public space and close to other people. We found out from a British couple that they had read on the Cruise Critic website, while waiting for their flight to Dubai at Heathrow to embark on the QM2, that Cunard had cancelled Hong Kong. No one had infomed any of the passengers of this turn of events until after we'd all boarded and the ship was well under way on this eighteen-day itinerary. As the days passed, the cancellation of Hong Kong was announced. Singapore was the new end destination. That port too was cancelled, along with all other Asian destinations. Needless to say, this was probably our only time in our lives that we would be able to visit Asia, therefore, a huge disappointment. After sailing twelve straight days without porting, we ended up in Freemantle/Perth, Australia. Since we had booked our own flights, we were able to use the ship's satellite phone without cost to change our flights each time. In hindsight, I wonder how many people actually were sick with the Coronavirus but there cannot be any statistics on that topic because there was no testing. My suspicion is that many were ill. The world cruise, we later found out, abruptly eneded in Freemantl/Perth after the ship had circumvented Australia. We loved the ship, the ballroom dancing, the lounges, the onboard planetarium and the evening shows. The Zumba classes were outstanding-the instructor, Debora, excellent. Yes, I would take another Cunard cruise. We had booked the Norwegian Fjords for July 3, 2020 but have since cancelled due to the uncertainty of the world pandemic this year. Read Less

I love the QM2 - it really is unique amongst all the ships I've sailed on. What I particularly like is the fact that it never feels crowded, and the passengers tend to be a mix of nationalities. After my experiences with 4009 (see below) I was moved to 6026 This cabin has a porthole and is towards the very front of the ship. I thought it was perfect. There can be some noise issues with the port exterior door on deck 7 slamming as it is directly above the cabin but it just needs them to fix the mechanism so it gently closes. Food was excellent, staff were brilliant throughout (shoutout to the waiters in the Commodore lounge who were all consistently excellent), entertainment variable, the choirmaster (Andrew Cavendish-Grey) hysterical and even the tours were reasonably priced. This cruise was affected by the very beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, so that our itinerary kept changing - first Hong Kong was cancelled, then all Asian ports but we were kept up to date and even though we ended up with a block of 12 sea days I never felt bored or that the high standards of the ship were slipping. Chris Foy one of the onboard Future Voyage Sales staff was outstanding and I'm booked on the QM2 Cape Town to Sydney cruise next year! Read Less

Excellent service and food, and world class shows. Entertained by Pam Ayres and educated by Lord Dannatt, or should that be the other way round? Special thanks to crew and staff, Roger, Chandra, Jane, Alex, Sid and many others. A great ocean liner - one of us gets sea sick on smaller ships but no problems on QM2. Enjoyed different venues each morning for coffee. Never actually went to the famous afternoon tea! Great laundry service which was included with our fare as we booked on the first day the cruise became available. Highlights; Suez Canal, Jordan, Naval display by HMS Montrose and helicopter, Oman, Children's charity art event, Captain Hashmi's Q&A - priceless, Koalas at Lone Pine, World Voyage Dinner at Melbourne. Had to miss a few ports because of the pandemic. Not all passengers were happy but that's life! Amazing organisation by Cunard when it came to the repatriation. Irritations; Pseudo faded carpet design in some corridors, regular cruisers. Read Less

What a disappointment. Destinations were changed at least three times and itineraries cancelled at the last minute due to the coronavirus. Independent travelers were treated like second class citizens and given NO ASSISTANCE whatsoever from the QM2's staff. Passengers were forced to pay thousands of dollars to change flights countless times. The ship offered NO help to those passengers who did not book flights with Cunard. What a rip off and what a scam Cunard runs. The ship is showing signs of wear and tear and the staterooms reflect this. The inside cabins had worn carpeting and the floor of the shower stall was filthy. The housecleaning staff were rude and disrespectful and did not maintain the rooms well. The King's Court buffet was mediocre at best. The selections did not vary often and vegetarian options were limited. In light of the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, good hygiene by staff and passengers was limited. Many people did not sanitize their hands and staff members did not change their gloves often enough. The on board entertainment was OK at best. A medley of performances were offered on a daily basis, but showtimes were quite late. A typical first show was after 8:45 PM and the second show was at 10:30. This made it impossible for those passengers who retired earlier. No consideration for guests with a different schedule. As stated earlier, service was horrendous. The staff that manned the customer service desk on Deck 2 were extremely arrogant. They offered virtually NO assistance to independent guests. Only those guests who booked their cruise and flight with Cunard were given assistance in a timely fashion. Other guest were left to remedy problems that arose on their own. Ports were eliminated from the itinerary due to the coronavirus outbreak. The ship only called on ports in Europe and the Middle East. Lisbon, Messina, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Dubai and Sri Lanka remained on the list. All others were cancelled and passengers were left on their own to shuffle and rearrange their travel plans three times!! Total disaster without any compensation provided by Cunard. Overall, a total disappointment. Paid a lot of money for such a short trip that was changed and altered. No compensation, no assistance and a total lack of respect for independent passengers. Avoid the QM2 at all costs! Read Less

We choosed this World cruise on Cunard for the itinerary and the ship It was a very special cruise because of the Corona virus. Everyone was disappointed by the cancellation of the ports. But we understood , it was more safe to not stop in Asia. It was the end of January and we can only thanks Cunard, to have taken this terrible decision so quick, we were one of the first ship to change our itinerary We were every time update by the Captain. During all the voyage we knew the true of all was what happening, and it's very important, because when a terrible sanitary situaion is as it was all the people are afraid and it's very important to trust. When i read the commentary of Jenni88, i think, we were not on the same ship! The crew was exceptionnal, very close to the passengers, the Purser's office helpt every body as much as they could.. We got rideway our money back of all the excursion booked . We never went before to South Africa, and we couldn't go, it was a special situation and we can't blame nobody. We were until the 16 of April on the ship so until Southampton. Even the last month, from Fremantle to Southampton, the crew was very helpfull and kind with all of us. , We were so lucky to be with a so serious company as Cunard, and we are tanksfull for, all the crew did for us. Today we are all back in good shape, not one passenger was infected. And a vepositive point ,a new world cruise to explore all the place, we couldn't reach. Well done Cunard. Read Less

COVID-19 has disrupted all cruises and cruise lines, even those that are COVID-19 free. Cunard’s QM2 is no exception. We missed ports. The voyage was cancelled very early in Fremantle, Australia. We remained COVID-19 free. However, in spite of the (early on) wishes of us passengers, Cunard always put the health of the passengers and the crew first. We all know that cruise liners are not all the same. But know that one can count on, and thus thank, is Cunard. Cunard by forethought, planning, sacrifices, top notch leadership at all levels, and a bit of luck has kept the three Queens COVID-19 free, and most passengers now back to their homes safely. What did they do? They acted early and did not hesitate or mumble. Cunard's Queen Mary 2, my ship, bypassed all ports in Asia in February before the world spread of COVID-19 (and the world pandec). After 18 days at sea, she circumnavigated Australia a country which when we started had zero infections, (when we left Australia had 15 reported cases). Cunard cancelled QM2's World Voyage in Fremantle March 15 and sent us all home by 16th. My ship, the QM2 is now steaming away to Southampton, her home port, and yes, having issues when refueling as some ports now have closed because these ports have many COVID-19 infections. The QM2 had zero infections, and she still has zero infections. Cunard's crew worked tirelessly to disinfect all surfaces, more than once a day. We received letters from the Captain, from the Physicians on board, from the President of Cunard at our door - outlining Cunard's plans for keeping all guests and crew healthy and reminding/requiring from us, healthy procedures. Trough-like sinks beside the buffet areas, extra hand sanitizers everywhere, crew squirting hand sanitizers whenever guests entered eating areas. In all of March there was not a sniffle to heard on the whole ship, no colds on the whole ship!! No passing of any cold "germs"!!. The disinfecting, all our healthy habits and the non-changing set of guests and crew were effective. And no guests booked, nor crew whose home country had infections where allowed to board the ship. The guests who had booked but were not allowed to embark had paid for their cruise, had flown to their embarkation port, had stayed in hotels - and no, they were not permitted to board and were turned back. Cunard must have (and still must be) losing a HUGE amount of money, HUGE. And of course there were disgruntled guests, blaming others for the missed ports, the extra health requirements, and then, the canceled voyage (“We have to sue them” was one such cry from a (very) small group). Yet, through all, Cunard’s bottom line was "the health, safety and wellbeing of guests and the crew are our priority". Cunard took not a step wrong. As we all hear our leaders put their spin on the pandemic, we can only hope that their priorities are similar. Three cheers for Cunard!!! (I am 76 years old, a Canadian, sailed with Cunard about six times (and two with Oceania), and am Diamond level but have no other association with Cunard).mi Read Less

Our 5th cruise on the QM2 and possibly our 40th cruise overall. The Queen has clearly lost her crown. The ship is aging and needs refurbishing. Seating in the Illuminations theater needs to be fixed so they stay upright, need to be reupholstered; the public areas need to be kept free of detritus and stray bits of food and/or personal effects; the food in the main dining room was absolutely abysmal with unimaginative menus and either over-salted, over spiced or overcooked depending upon the dish. The meat that was offered, no matter what form of meat, were cheap cuts of meat and the vegetables were of poor quality. Desserts were boring or bland and also uncreative. Specialty restaurant was excellent with wonderful choices, wonderful service and ambience but you do pay a bit for the meal, unlike the dining room where the cost of the holiday cruise is high but the food totally inedible. The overall hotel service was poor. Day excursions which were planned well in advance were canceled at the last minute with poor instructions given on how to redeem the cost. Help was nowhere to be found once in port if you needed to find your way to the day excursion transportation and no recognizable shuttle provided to easily get back to the ship. people with disabilities were ignored or shoved out of the way when getting on to or near the buses; simply dreadful operation overall. Caribbean is less than thrilling now because of civil unrest on some of the islands, too many megaships in each port at each time and in our case, ship staff unwilling to assist or not knowledgeable enough. As passengers we felt ignored or simply dismissed as being of any importance on the overall cruise. Only good thing about this ship is the well maintained well staffed and well stocked beautiful library. wish other ships had this as well, such as Celebrity Summit which did away with the library entirely.Shore excursions poorly handled with lots of misinformation by the staff and then corrected. Staff hard to find, rarely in their offices and never respond to any phone calls. Confusing directions for shore trips and shore vendors badly vetted in terms of their transportation. Staff on purser's desk very unfriendly and dismissive. We were so disappointed with this trip and the service, we decided to forgo thinking about rebooking a trip to Canada on her. 12 nights was way too long for such mediocre service and awful food, 14 nights would be an absolute nightmare. 7 nights might be passable if Carnival sells Cunard to someone else and Cunard recognizes some of the QM2's major issues. Read Less

Just before Christmas we returned to the Queen Mary 2, doing our very favorite itinerary, a Westbound Crossing. As this was a somewhat last-minute “live for today” splurge, we booked into the Queens Grill experience. Yes, we’ve enjoyed trips on the QM2 six times before and have done eight crossings (counting roundtrips as two) with more scheduled in May 2020 and 2021. Yes indeed, we love the ship and always feel like we’re returning home when we board. This time was no exception and it was great seeing many of our favorite staff - not surprisingly, mostly in the bars. But all of these trips were in Britannia class. (Mostly sheltered balconies on Deck 5 or not-too-obstructed ones on Deck 8). We feel at home in those cabins (I know exactly where to put our three large bags) and have enjoyed our meals in the most beautiful dining room on the seas, the Britannia Restaurant. 

The Queens Grill category was a wonderful step up from our usual experience. The standard QG “suites” are spacious and comfortable, with a bar and sitting area, a roomy walk-in closet and a bathroom spacious enough for two with deep whirlpool tub and shower. We were looked after by a cabin steward and butler. (The butler was mostly another steward, but was available should we want to host a party in our suite or make similar arrangements.) As usual on the QM2, they were impeccable. Seemingly magically slipping in to tidy our cabin as we left for breakfast or pre-dinner drinks. The Queens Grill was a wonderful experience. We loved having our table for two for all meals, including breakfast and lunch. (Especially breakfast. We prefer to be served, and I’ve always felt that morning is a time for routine - it was great having our waiter know that my husband wants coffee and tomato juice and I want pineapple juice and water, no coffee) The basic menu was the same as in Britannia, but the galley in the grills serves roughly 200 versus 2000. I suspect that some portions may be slightly larger. Additionally, there is a second menu of “A la Carte Items” including such items as Tempura Prawns for a starter and main courses like Beef Wellington, Lobster Thermador, and Rack of Lamb. They also encourage off-menu ordering (with advance notice at lunch or earlier) 

 Osman, the excellent Maitre d’ was always asking us if we wanted anything including caviar. I’m not a fan, but my husband is. He tried it one night and it’s not like the “old caviar” and was missing the “pop” - both textural and the expected burst of flavor. So he ordered it only once, but we saw the telltale toast racks flying around the dining room to other tables, nightly. For my birthday, we arranged for a starter of a large plate of chilled shellfish - prawns, lobster, crab. scallops and mussels. Our main course was an impeccable Beef Wellington, carved tableside and dessert was Crepes Suzette, flamed tableside as well. In fact, there was often a regular traffic jam of carts near our table, as a couple of nearby tables were regularly ordering specials - and they love setting things on fire up there! Service was impeccable also in the Grills Lounge across from the Grill. This also was where Afternoon Tea was served. The items seemed slightly superior to the offerings in the Queens Room (especially the clotted cream) and it was a relief to avoid the mad “Black Friday rush” as the doors open there. (Although the Queen’s Room is breathtaking with the chandeliers, string quartet and parade of liveried servers.)

I also loved the Concierge Lounge which, like the Grills Lounge, is available for both Queens and Princess Grill accommodations. The concierge was able to handle pretty much everything that the Purser’s Desk staff can handle, (plus excursions and planetarium tickets). Plus coffee, tea, and small snacks - including Afternoon Tea items. When the WiFi access point outside our cabin stopped working four days into the crossing, I found it convenient to take my laptop down the hall to take advantage of the speedy WiFi available there AND the comfy chairs. Of course, we spent time in our usual haunts. Commodore Club for the LGBT get-togethers and some quiet cocktails in the evening, Before dinner we split our time between our favorite Chart Room Bar (especially on formal gala evenings) and the Grills Lounge. And although lunch in the Queens Grill was delicious, we DID need to do the excellent Pub Lunch in the Golden Lion Pub once.

And, of course, we attended some excellent presentations by world-class lecturers in Illuminations. But wait there’s more (there’s always more on the QM2) - I made a whopping $35 playing blackjack in a couple of brief visits! 

Yes, it WAS a wonderful experience. But, is it like flying, where once you’ve flown First Class, it’d hard to go back to Coach? Well, there’s a BIIIIG difference between aircraft coach seating and QM2 Britannia cabins. We loved QG, but just booked Britannia cabin 8050 for a roundtrip crossing in 2021. There’s appropriate value in ALL of the categories, but “plain old Britannia” cabins and dining is very fine indeed. 

I’m already counting the days until our next crossings this coming May. Read Less

The checkin before boarding was efficient and fast. Stateroom cat. BF with balcony at the 11th deck was very confortable and large enough altough the bathroom was so small but functional. Britannia restaurant was great but meal was not so special: i never see foie gras or escargots! King's court buffet was great altough entries was always the same all the week long. Some waiters was unfriendly and arogant, which is unacceptable. The steward of our stateroom was also cheeky, and too familiar sometimes. He brought my suitcase into the stateroom while it was covered in red dust (?) and didn't even pass a rag. Same at thePursers office where staff was not very welcoming and did'nt make any effort when your mother tongue is not english (french) The quality of the staff was a real negative point of the cruise when you know you paid 4000€ for the week. The decoration of the ship is magnificent and chic without beeing too ostentatious. Entertainment was poor, as it was always the same show, same movies or same conference several time the week. Difficult to find a seat to eat at the golden lion pub, as a single person took a 4 seat table just to drink a beer for 2 hours, and waiters didn't say nothing. Unable to get a baggage tag with "Cunard" logo, (Easyjet or Ryannair does)... Never received a satisfaction questionnaire from Cunard... Read Less

The ship has become tired looking, in particular on the outside. The first impression is rusty and a tad shabby. It can now longer be described as luxurious (there are too many truly luxurious ships out there now). The passenger population consisted of a primarily older age group, with many of 70 years plus. A huge number were immobile, infirm and with conditions that led to emergency evacuations by helicopter, detours off route and subsequent delays, hospitalisation, a call for blood donations and one death. Too many Zimmer frames, mobility scooters, sticks and wheelchairs. The ship felt like a floating nursing home, rather than a luxury liner. This was an aspect which is not advertised in any of their marketing material or on their website, featuring only well-dressed models. Not to mention a nasty respiratory virus which was brought on board and spread very quickly, overwhelming the medical department. It was not what I wished for on a holiday. Shore excursions were oversubscribed, which made them less enjoyable. Some of the islands visited were still recovering from the devastation through a hurricane 2 years ago. The impact was that buildings were still in disrepair, shops had shut and the local population were intimidating and pestering in order to get ones custom. Generally I felt the calibre of passengers had changed. Only a few years ago this particular cruise had professional people as passengers and their families, who dressed and behaved the part. It has come down a lot in every aspect and at times it felt like the local Council Estate was on holiday. I saw women drinking from refillable bottles, hidden in their handbags, in the Ballroom. I saw miniature drinks bottles being hidden with only mixers being ordered. I could go on. It felt very downmarket. In the end I was glad to get off and get home. Read Less

Having been on the Queen Mary 2 a few times before we knew what to expect, excellent food, beautiful cabins, and wonderful crew. What a disappointment: the ship looked tired, there were stains on the carpets in our cabin, the shower nearly scolded me, bits of silicon was missing around the shower tray and taps around the sink, the food was so average KFC would have put them to shame, the entertainment 3rd rate, and the crew didn't look a happy bunch of people, most of the front line staff were so rude. The Christmas present was, Compared to the Queen Victoria previous years a let down to say the least (A pen set between the two of you) what if there were three people in your cabin?? Would we go on the Queen Mary 2 again, maybe if we wanted a transatlantic crossing yes but never again at Christmas. Lots of ships are coming out in 2020 and Cunard cannot live on its iconic name forever. Read Less

This was our second crossing on QM2, having sailed two years ago Westbound in December. The Atlantic in December *is* the destination for us as much as the QM2 herself, and neither disappointed. Perhaps because this was my second trip on QM2, I found the ship even more beautiful than I remembered. I noticed more of the details and the design and was constantly amazed and enchanted. So many beautiful "liner-y" public spaces to spend time in, it was a pleasure just moving through the ship. We spent a great deal of time in the Commodore Club for cocktails before and after dinner, and the Chart Room - my personal favorite. And of course the gallery on 3L was especially captivating on the days when we had "lumpy seas" as Captain Wells called them. The service from the Queens Grill through to all the public rooms was very warm and attentive, especially Rakesh who looked after us so good naturedly in the Commodore Club, making us always feel very welcomed. Osman and team in the Queens Grill ran a very tight ship as well, with near flawless service. There were a couple of gala nights were we arrived at the peak time and things were a bit backed up, but the room itself, and the floor show of all the table side preparations kept us more than entertain. We never went to any of the shows, as for us, dinner was the evening's show. I did attend the three lectures by Maureen Ryan the former Cunard social hostess who chronicled her career from the 1950s to the early 2000s and she was excellent. Likewise the jazz combo in the Chart Room each night was wonderful and the perfect accompaniment to the reasonably sized post-dinner martini and the dark Atlantic waters rushing by. The only negatives to the otherwise completely outstanding QM2 crossing were around the food: The menus and food execution were not really up to scratch.  We were in QG and found the food only about 4 out of five.  The service (thank you Osman and team!) and setting was fantastic,  but the variety of the menus and sometimes the execution was not up to par. This was especially true at breakfast, where not only was the menu very very pedestrian, but where they also struggled to poach eggs properly.    The menus were very tame, not even up to par with what I would call today's wonderful "modern British" fare. The food is more than adequate, but I guess especially in QG I would be looking for bit more flare and sophistication. Osman was very aggressive at offering us off menu items, which we took advantage of. Most were good to very good, but overall I would not sail on QM2 for the food. I had to keep reminding myself that I was on "Queen Mary 2" and not "Normandie 2" and that put things in proper perspective. The new menu in the Verandah does not do justice the beauty and sophistication of that space.  It's a gorgeous room, swanky and sophisticated, so it seemed a but incongruous to be eating steakhouse fare. The wine list by contrast was wonderful, and well stocked with a great range of old-world wines at reasonable process. Still, we've been back for almost 3 weeks now, and I have already had half a dozen dreams about the ship.  I am plotting our return at the first opportunity. I am a foodie normally, so despite the "meh" rating of the food, it speaks volumes that I cannot wait to be back aboard. It was absolutely brilliant, and how enormously lucky I felt to have experienced it. Read Less

This is a short review of Queen Mary 2 after having completed four Transatlantic crossings on her, with the most recent one being the December 8 to 15 2019 run from New York to Southampton. First, the ship. Queen Mary 2 is not a cruise ship. She is an Ocean Liner. What does that mean? It means she is built differently than cruise ships. She is longer for her width, her freeboard (the distance from the waterline to the lowest deck where water can enter the ship) is much higher, her hull thicker and her top speed is considerably higher than a cruise ship. In fact, one thing she is well known for is being able to handle rough seas very well. On the inside, I would describe her as being elegant in her décor and passengers have a lot of elbow room as her square feet per guest is one of the highest out there. Also noteworthy is how the ship’s interior is drenched in history and tradition. In some places it feels a little like a museum with informative wall coverings speaking of the history of Cunard Line, earned trophies and honors and even artwork everywhere telling the story of ships and the sea. Places like the Main Lobby and the Britannia Restaurant are huge and grand but still very tasteful. With that said, sometimes she does feel a bit compartmentalized. This is an after effect of her being built strongly as a seagoing ship, so engineering considerations came first. Second, the service from the staff is uniformly outstanding. They know their jobs, do them very well and their attitude is one of pride in their work and in their ship. They are also extremely approachable and friendly. It is not uncommon for staff to know the passengers and vice versa – this sort of ongoing friendliness is part of Cunard culture. Third, the food. To me it is very well prepared across the board. The selection does not always conform 100% to my tastes but it is very well made with quality ingredients. I especially enjoyed the Steak Diane in the Britannia, the Fish and Chips in the Golden Lion pub and in the Verandah steakhouse the Filet Mignon was excellent. Which brings me to a place named Sir Samuels and the Godiva chocolate everywhere. The hot cocoa there is decadent to say the least. Overall, to me the experience was simply wonderful. I HIGHLY recommend Queen Mary 2 with this qualification – you have to go into it understanding what she is and what Cunard is. Cunard is all about elegance and ambiance, about being steeped in history and tradition and yes, it is the line for ship buffs. It is not the line with on deck rave parties and ziplines in the middle of the ships. So if you are attracted to the aspects I mentioned then Cunard may be the fit for you. Read Less

What a horrible location. I have sailed on QM2 many many times and usually ask for a balcony cabin in the Forward Section of the ship. This time however I wasn't so picky and 11110 was my assigned balcony cabin. From the second night to the second to last (12 nites), the maintenance staff was doing work on the deck above me. Right above my cabin. The knocking and banging and dragging of deck chairs and hosing equipment were awful. Morning and night. 8:30 am every morning I would wake up to the sound of the men draaaging the stacks of lounge chairs over my cabin. Why can't the stacks of chairs be chained up near one of the center walls of the open deck? Complained EVERY DAY AND NIGHT. One night I was so aggravated I went up there and screamed at them to stop. They said they were very sorry, and the next night it happened again. Not to mention there is an overhang in this area of the ship so I felt like I was in a sheltered cabin. Oh, and on Deck 7 they were doing training of the equipment exactly below my cabin several mornings so how much fun I had drinking my coffee and listening to the training seminar. totally ridiculous! When I called the Pursers Desk to ask about moving to another cabin it wasn't until 4 days before we were to arrive back to NY I was contacted and told I could move to a cabin on Deck 8. Apparently the ship was full... No, it wasn't. By any means. The dining room menu only offers 3 courses, whereas in the past there were 5 courses to choose from - not that I am saying order all 5, but some nights, there were duplications of previous menus. As for the buffet, I wish I took pictures. Really gross presentations. Slop in a pan. Cabin service had a more extensive menu, so several nights I ate on my balcony. Which was lovely! The cruise itself, once I left the cabin (the balcony, really) didn't have any interesting Insight Lectures, and the shops that previously carried Harrod's Brand and other British vendors, along with interesting swag, now highlight Michael Kors, Furla, Ted Baker - the usual. My saving grace was their onboard Library - I love to read, so I spent a lot of time in the ship's ginormous library. Rene who worked there was a great help. No complaints there! The different ports were nice - easy to walk around. I was able to explore some of the Caribbeans smaller islands, which, for as many cruises as I have been on, I've never been to before - so LOVE the different islands. As for the ship itself, I am glad it is going into drydock - it has fallen into disrepair, and maybe a few months off the sea will bring a new more positive perspective to the staff that works on it. Everyone just seemed so tired. It would liken the staff, food quality and lack of really anything to do at sea just a step above NCL or Royal Caribbean. Read Less

We chose this cruise as a toe in the water before booking the transatlantic cruise. It was a complete disappointment, things we didn’t consider or were misinformed about by the Cunard booking line...no planetarium, the iconic afternoon tea, only on the second day despite boarding a 1pm and it was a “bun fight”, first come first served. You have to find your own seats, this encouraged a sharp elbows attitude, not pleasant. All this effort for a cup of tea, a pretty standard couple of fingers sandwiches and scone!! Shops and library and spa not open until after 5pm each day due to being at port. None of this was made clear at the time of booking in fact we were told the Planeterium would be open. The buffet in kings court is pretty good, the Britannia a la Carte restaurant is ok, I did find it really strange that they seat people all crowded together leaving empty areas. This meant it felt a little impersonal. We has asked for a table for 2, as had the couple in the next table, we were 2 inches apart and we’re served by the waiting staff as one table. This was thankfully not an issue as they were a lovely couple, however if they had been “a bore” it could have spoilt our evening meal. Especially, when we could see other free tables in unused areas throughout the restaurant. no fine china, no silver service, no pleasantries from staff, not much energy. Food pretty unexciting and tepid, tiny portion.. one new potato halved, one baton of carrot and two small broccoli florets. Finally found our departure time was 8:20am, we were told we would be able to stay on the ship until midday when we purchased the cruise. The real story is that we were awoken by the captain in a loud announcement over the tannoy at 7am. Left us feeling like we were being held to attention at the end on our bunks for a role call. A final attempt to leave on a positive we visited the Britannia for the breakfast “cold eggs Benedict” is no ones cup of tea!!, the waiter didn’t even apologise, just addressed another member of staff in a raised voice said “cold”. No interaction with us and no apology we made a hasty exit. All in all the bed was very comfy, but that’s about it! Room very uninspiring. This is the final note- on our return from “enjoying’ our breakfast, despite our belongings being in the room, the maid had already prepared the room for the next guests. We could have laid on the bed , put our luggage on it. Awful. Can’t honestly recommend QM2, glad we did this shorter taster cruise as I would have gone crazy on the transatlantic, When I to go to New York, it’s a plane for me! Read Less

The transatlantic crossing was part of a two ship round trip to USA, Bermuda and Bahamas. The first part was a faultless sailing on Celebrity Silhouette. All the crew were welcoming and friendly. so good I am going again with Celebrity next Year. Then what a change. The crew on Queen Mary could barely look at anyone. The captain was most unwelcoming and it filtered down from there. The guest services staff were curt at best. There were exceptions especially the MDR where our waiters were efficient and extremely friendly. The photographers were very helpful. Sir Samuels was extremely slow for service over 35 minutes for a coffee but the waiters were extremely pleasant. The ships layout is challenging we spent over 40 minutes wandering around the ship to find a place to sit for a drink. It is elegant but dark and claustrophobic . You were always aware of the number of people onboard it felt much busier than Ventura earlier this year. There was a literature festival organised by The Times with some great authors for talks and book signings but Cunard managed to make a pigs ear of this. A significant number of guests were unaware of the event which overtook the entire ship severely reducing the available activities especially the planetarium which upset many. Conversely those who had booked through The Times thought the events were purely for them and we should not be taking part in the events. This caused a them and us divide amongst passengers which was entirely down to Cunard’s bad planning. They did send out literature for this event on 28 October by which time a lot of passengers like myself had already left home. Why so very late as there were aware of the event over 12 months ago. I was fortunately advised of the event by my travel agent when I booked. The authors were charming and welcoming such a contrast to the Cunard staff. My inside cabin was comfortable, spacious and well looked after by my cabin steward. I would never sail with Cunard again unless I was unable to fly. It did provide an acceptable passenger ferry service. Read Less

Having only traveled in the past by air, automobile, or train, it was high time I tried a cruise, and a transatlantic cruise to me, seemed most adventurous. Seven days alone, afloat on the temperamental Atlantic, inside a large ship filled with strangers, filled me with mild anticipation and intrepid fearfulness of what lay ahead on my crossing. Was I to perhaps be cut off from the outside world completely, and at the mercy of mother-nature and her sudden outbursts? Was I to go overboard on some stormy night? Was the ship sturdy enough to endure the perilous high seas, and was the Queen Mary II as majestic and elegant as all the legends had told? I embarked at Southampton on November 3, 2019, and there were no lines or delays. It was a very simple affair and within 10 minutes I found my way to my stateroom which was on deck 4. I had an inside room with no views or balcony. The room was clean, tidy, and smelled good. The bathroom was small but sufficient and again, clean and smelled like it had been just been serviced. I put away my clothes and had a look around the room. The television was already on and tuned to the information channel explaining to me that later that day I would have to attend an emergency drill along with all the passengers and crew. This was a matter of great importance and mandatory. However, that was not until around 5 pm which gave me a couple of hours to explore the ship. I took my Daily Programme with me, which was provided to me every day and left outside my room in a small mail slot. It contained a detailed explanation of each day’s events, details of special events, and the opening closing times of the bars and lounges. I went down to the lobby and was wowed; the lobby was magnificent and elegant. The lighting and colors were well placed and very pleasant and the ambiance was much becoming of such a legendary ship which surpassed her grandeur. There are many places to eat on the QM2. I mainly frequented the buffet which was open most of the time day and evening and also late at night. The food was good for a buffet and if traveling alone it was more than sufficient to meet my basic appetite and dietary needs. Of course if one wished to dress up in a jacket or suite then the stateroom assigned dinning at the Britannia Restaurant was always there if you felt the need to dress formally and take part in the quintessence of fine dining on the QM2. Really though, I never felt like a lower class passenger because I did not like to dress formally. I knew the rules and abided by the ones that suited my whims. I found that attending formal afternoon tea at 3:30 pm everyday satisfied my desire to be a part of the upper crust (or in this case, scones). If you can’t stomach being asked 25 times in 15 minutes by numerous waiters if you wanted more tea or would like more cucumber sandwiches, then this would not be for you. However, each time I went to tea, I met a different solo passenger who I would pressgang and join for afternoon tea. I really enjoyed meeting many unique people with so many stories. I met an established author, a dancer, and an elderly old couple on their 20th cruise to name a few. In the evenings I would frequent the pub and then go to a show or movie. There was so much to do all the time that the days passed too quickly. Next time I go on the QM2 I will spend more time reading or relaxing as I always felt the need to attend the RADA workshop, or a lecture, or the planetarium, or the Royal Court Theatre, or the solo traveler’s coffee meet-up, or go to the internet lounge and connect to the outside world. There was also the night club which was usually quite sparsely packed. It was a fun place to mingle with like minded fellow passengers and it was definitely not a place to hook up. Most solo passengers were attached or married and were just there to let loose a little, have a few drinks and pretend they were 25 once again (without all the drama). The future of the QM2 cruises will more than likely change a little bit with the times, and a new younger crowd will eventually meld into the aging culture of the aristocratic idioms of a traditional crossing. I imagine that with more health conscious activities, a better gym, a faster internet, a more hip and younger crowd will slowly change the old stuffiness that still prevails somewhat. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed that old stuffiness; and that is why it will not entirely die out! It will change slowly and perhaps morph into something that appeals to the younger generation who don’t necessarily want to go on a Carnival Cruise and who may want something that has some class, allure, elegance and sophistication, not found elsewhere, especially on a cruise ship. To take cruise alone definitely does feel a little daunting at times. The reputation of the Cunard business model can seem a little off-putting and stuck in its ways. But I never really felt alone on the ship. I ended up feeling at one with my entire fellow passengers and crew. After all, we all had a combined experience and had survived the transatlantic crossing, all on board the beautiful Queen Mary 2. Read Less

My wife is mobility impaired and usually uses a wheelchair and so a lot of this report relates to the accessibility aspect of our two way Atlantic crossing on the QM2. We checked in about one hour early and that did not cause a problem. Embarkation at Southampton was easy and efficient although the postcode given on our e-tickets seemed to refer to a park in the middle of Southampton rather than the port. We had pre-booked parking and from arrival in our car to getting into our state room took about 40 minutes, the longest queue being security. We were directed to a special check-in area to one side of the terminal with low desks suitable for those in a wheelchair. Getting from quayside into the ship involves a lift and a bridge similar to that in airports with quite a few difficult to negotiate ramps. Staff (at both ends) on the way out seemed to have been instructed not to help those in a wheelchair manage the ramps and it was annoying to have to struggle to get the chair over the ramps with someone in uniform standing watching from a few feet away. Our cabin (6108 – not an accessible cabin) was larger than we had imagined. There were 50 coat hangers in the wardrobe plus a place we could hang those clothes we had brought on our own coat hangers. The shower / bathroom had a reasonably low step into it and the shower stool we had requested was already in the shower. We brought with us a couple of suction cup hand rails to affix to the shower walls (purchased on-line for under £10) and these worked very well. Generally the room was in good order although the carpet needed a steam clean. Our empty suitcases fitted under the bed although very deep suitcases would not and fellow passengers with these reported that storing them in their cabin was a bit annoying. We stored our folding wheelchair (and our walker) out of the way adjacent to the window – it is an “18 inch” wheelchair and thus too wide to go through the cabin door. We did have the opportunity to see an accessible cabin on the same deck and this had a wide door, a wet room and a lot of floor space although a porthole window (we had a sheltered balcony). We will try to get one of these next time because of the extra space. Our cabin steward lent us a very large rubber floor / door wedge to hold the cabin door open whilst we negotiated entering and leaving– we will bring our own on any future voyages. Our cabin was very quiet and we scarcely noticed the pounding of the runners on Deck Seven above. We did note during our 3 am corridor walks that cabins in the 6170 area seemed to have more background engine noise. We also could hear the TV of our neighbours if they had the sound turned up a bit. We used the free launderette on a few occasions, getting there just after 0730 is the key to a straightforward and hassle free wash ! There are numerous lifts throughout the ship (A and D are larger than B and C and there are also quite a number of smaller lifts that you have to use to go from Deck 3 to Deck 3 Lower. Most of the ship is disability accessible although some of the doors need holding open and there is one area on the very top to which a wheelchair cannot get. Food was as described in other reviews. We ate breakfast in our cabin most mornings and it arrived promptly within our chosen time slot - perhaps not always as hot as that at Kings Court but very acceptable. Kings Court food was good in a cafeteria sense (although with a disappointing limited veggie choice, too many dishes being nearly veggie but not totally) and that within the Britannia restaurant was very variable – never good, usually acceptable and occasionally terrible. I (a veggie) left my offering from the main menu one day because it was inedible (over boiled noodles and heat lamp dried vegetables and was then offered the special veggie menu from which one chooses 24 hours in advance. Although restricted in choice (7 offerings for 14 days), its quality was superior to anything else on offer. The crew were always willing to offer help with carrying trays, opening doors or patiently standing to one side as we progressed down corridors (unlike some of our impatient fellow passengers who behaved in an insensitive and / or disability blind manner). We learnt where the best (marked) spots in the presentation venues were for wheelchairs. You should note that these places in Illuminations are very good but some of those in the Royal Court on the upper level can very poor with a restricted line of sight. It was disappointing that some of our able bodied fellow passengers were unable to read the signs indicating certain seats were reserved for those with mobility issues. Generally the lectures and events were very good (we particularly enjoyed the Bridge Classes) and there was far too much on offer for us to be able to go to all we were interested in. We went to one evening show and were impressed with the enthusiasm and energy of the dance group. WIFI was slow and alcohol very expensive (as reported elsewhere - a G&T cost $11). Whilst the tap water was safe to drink, it tasted fairly awful, bottled water was expensive. We disembarked in Brooklyn for a few hours, the ship arrived on time at 0600 and disembarkation started around 0730. It took us 40 minutes to get from our cabin to outside of the terminal (note that there are few facilities within the terminal and no WIFI – it is really a large shed used for arrivals and departures and other things). We travelled in November and the sea was a little bumpy on the way out and smooth as a mill pond on the way back –the QM2 is sufficiently large to be able to ignore anything but the roughest seas. The five-hour time difference was dealt with by putting the clocks back an hour on five nights at 2 am westbound and forward at noon on five days eastbound. Before arrival in Southampton a note appeared in our State Room saying that we had been registered for wheelchair assistance on arrival – I am not sure if we did something to initiate this but it was very welcome and solved my worry about managing the wheelchair and our luggage out to curb side – it took only 15 minutes from being collected in the QM2 to leaving the car park. Overall I would say that staff and most of our fellow passengers did practically everything they could to minimise the challenges of caring for a companion in a wheelchair, often without being asked. In summary, we enjoyed our two way Atlantic crossing and would happily (and intend to) join the QM2 again. One just has to accept the very few negative aspects and enjoy the many positive ones. Read Less

We booked two weeks on the Queen Mary transatlantic as a “ get away from it all” luxury holiday. A few months after booking Cunard told us the Cheltenham Literary Festival would be on board on the return transatlantic trip - thought no more about it First week out to New York excellent - weather dreadful - but it is November in the Atlantic. However, food and service excellent, a range of interesting speakers that included a former Concorde Pilot, Colin Jackson famous athletic champion and an astronomer. Lots of variety and while the afternoon film selection was hit or miss, the fellow passengers great fun. Lunch in New York then boarded for the return week - what a difference in the passengers. Most were there for the literary festival - and I am sure they had a great time. Wearing their special lanyards, They were loud, rude and borderline openly racist. If you were not part of their festival they did t want to know. All the nice areas the previous week became like Surrey Golf Clubs with loud baying and shouting everywhere - including standing in the corridors late at night continuing their parties. Our table companions had to ring security about the noise late at night I know Cunard can’t do anything about the passengers - but there was nothing for those not involved with the literary festival to do. We went to one talk that sounded interesting to find everyone seated 20 minutes before start so ended up at back unable to see the supporting slides. The film selection was “ classic” - but Annie Hall 3 times in one day - really ???? We went to see The English Patient and almost fell asleep during the 20 minute literary introduction before hand Table companions who did attend some of the talks described them as hours of their life they will never get back The queues for booksigning stretched well into the lift / common areas - and if you dared ask them to move they were really rude - this from people who were carrying 10 to 12 books to get signed - almost felt sorry for the writers ! The lack of alternative entertainment for a full week at sea was not good - the planiterium was used for talks - and the trivia quizzes taken over by arrogant people who took it far too searioysly - first time ever marked wrong for spelling and paper returned with “ could do better” Fortunately Cunard have announced the dates for next years literary festival - if you are a normal cruiser - Do Not Go ! The quality of food remains excellent - along with the alternative dining options. We took the drinks package which was good value as it included coffees and fruit juices along with alcohol- it was the only thing that got us through the second week ! Read Less

We took this trip as part of our anniversary celebrations and it didn’t disappoint. Embarkation at Southampton was extremely smooth with the time taken from train station to cabin just over half an hour. Our first meal in the buffet restaurant was OK although getting a table was more difficult than usual as its the only facility open on embarkation day. We had been recommended the Britannia Club level by friends and this proved to be a very wise choice as the dining area was intimate and we could dine whenever we wanted. All the staff were extremely good and the level of service exemplary. We ate in the Britannia Club most of the time although we did try the Pub as well. The food in both was good rather than exceptional and probably not quite up to the anticipated 5 star standard. Speaking to other passengers who were frequent travellers on this ship there has been a slight decline in standard over the years. We thoroughly enjoyed many of the presentations on varied subjects as well. The nature of the trip and the entrance into New York harbour at dawn made up for any slight deficiencies. All in all a great trip on a good ship well worth doing. Read Less

Transatlantic in November, from Southampton to NY and back. Return leg coincided with Literature Festival at sea, which made the ship much busier and removed many of the more usual enhancement events including the Planetarium. Mostly a good experience - food, entertainment, service, ship, stateroom, embarkation, library, bars, afternoon tea etc all of a very high standard. Staff almost always friendly and helpful. Very comfy beds. Some niggles - drinks choice is good but expensive, then add 15% service. Gratuities per person per day added over and above (but you can ask on board to remove them). Spa pleasant but expensive and could do with a refresh decoratively in the main pool area. Queen`s room dancing on some nights marred by a frankly rotten male lead singer in the otherwise good band. Dress code is enforced, so take your jacket/tie/tux. Food and service in main restaurant (Britannia) is excellent - tried upgrading once but did not feel it was necessary. Gale force winds will make the ship rock a bit - but usually copes well with the swell. Had a great trip, and highly recommend the ship if you like sea days, a bit of formality, and don`t mind paying a little extra for drinks. Would definitely sail on QM2 again, in preference to the other 7 mainstream cruise lines that we have tried. Read Less

To sail Cunard was always my dream and after 12 cruises on other lines we decided to book for our 40th Anniversary. There were 6 in our party, ages 63 to 81 years in inside and balcony cabins. The ship was beautiful. The cabins well equipped and our cabin stewards could not have been better. The lecture series was very interesting and informative. But we were very disappointed in the food served in the Britannia Dining room and the Kings Court. In the Dining room the food was frequently over sauced, or dried out! It was poorly prepared and bland. I had a corn chowder where the husk was still attached to the corn kernels. The food of Kings Court was repetitive and uninspired. While there were many service attendants in Kings Court, getting them to pick up dirty dishes was a task! We did expect better from a “premium “ cruise line. Read Less

We are Platinum card members having been on all three queens several times. Our trips have always been good and so have the on board photographers. We did a mini cruise from Hamburg to Southampton with all the family for a seventieth and a fortieth birthday - so rather special. A rare treat to get the family all in one place. Smart attire evening photographs were so badly posed (not) that we rejected them. The Gala night photographs were out of focus - we were finally told this just before we debarked. We asked, during the evening, four times to see them and were told to return in 30 minutes. IF we had been told that they had gone in the bin earlier we would have had time to have them retaken. Now we have to drive 180 miles each way to meet up with the family to try and get more photographs done by a professional to recapture the special days. To add insult to injury, our complaints to Cunard have been ignored. No e mail no phone call - silence . Four weeks later having rung five times and finally a brief email today - our case is still being investigated and we still have got nowhere. Lovely cruises but total failure when it comes to after care of customers. It is out of Cunard’s control apparently. We await the photographer’s reply - 18 days and ... The menu was not quite as good as it used to be, one gets the feeling that there has been cost cutting . Our grandchildren were quite happy with their menu and amount. The waiters on this trip were not as good as the past, possibly because it was a short trip.The extra vegetables asked for arrived too late ...... As usual the entertainment was of a high standard though a bit loud for our grandson. Read Less

I wish we had been told this was a "Stars at Sea, David Garrett" cruise when we booked it. David Garrett is a German violinist who plays Metallica and ACDC to the violin (plus some other stuff). He has a small bunch of German fans who are crazy about him. The problem was I was expecting the usual Queen Mary 2 shows to be performed and had no idea that that wouldn't be happening. Instead, David Garrett performs 3 concerts and you get tickets to just one of those concerts, so basically on the 5 night cruise there's only one evening of entertainment. The David Garrett concert begins at 10pm and has a 30 minute interval. The concert finishes at 00:30am. There are four entrances to the theatre and no organisation. So when one section is full they don't tell people which section still has seats (remember this is a ticketed event). The German people will happily take 3 seats for 2 people because that's how they are and there's no one overseeing this. The food was also adjusted for the Germans on-board. It was ok, but not as good as other cruises I've been on. On the first night I ordered sirloin steak because I didn't like any of the choices and it was just ok. Comparing the steak between my last Celebrity cruise with the Queen Mary and it's disappointing that Cunard doesn't match up. Having said all that, it was my first time on the Queen Mary 2. I loved that the ship didn't feel crowded. I loved deck 7 for walking around the ship. I enjoyed the company we had in the restaurant in the evening. If I was travelling to New York and there was a good deal going, I would happily book to go on the Queen Mary again. Read Less

Always wanted to cruise on QM2 and we chose to do this for our Golden Wedding celebration. We booked a Princess Grill Suite. Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed our cruise sailing on QM2 did not come up to my expectation. The ship itself had a significant amount of rust showing on the superstructure and a number of the seating areas needed reupholstering. Our suite was quite spacious but there were stains on the carpet and on the settee. Bearing in mind the price we paid the on board credit was limited and there was no internet time included. The brochure suggests that dining in the ‘Grills restaurants make your every meal something extra special to savour.....’ . I’m afraid it wasn’t that special, whilst the food was good it was not extra special. We frequently had to ask for extra vegetables but All were steamed and lacked variety. The ship arranged shore excursions were very expensive for what was on offer and the onboard drinks were also expensive for the quantity of the drink served. Cabin staff, restaurant staff were great and couldn’t do enough to help you. The other admin staff were not as friendly. The theatre shows were the poorest we had seen on any cruise line we have sailed with, again not what I would have expected from the flag ship on Cunard. Read Less