Remastered QM2 Makes US Debut
Cunard’s flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2 sailed into its US homeport, Brooklyn, on July 6 after a significant refit costing in the region of US$132 million.
The refit was conducted in the Blohm + Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, one of the only shipyards in the world large enough to hold Queen Mary 2. It was a 24-hour-a-day operation, with more than a million man hours put into the refurbishment, during a 25-day period.
Highlights include:
- Redesign and refurbishment of the Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites and restaurants, as well as Britannia staterooms, the latter to be fully completed by the end of the year;
- The addition of 30 further Britannia Club staterooms, 15 Britannia single staterooms and five Britannia inside staterooms;
- Redesign of key public spaces and restaurants, including the transformation of the former Winter Garden into the Carinthia Lounge, the introduction of The Verandah as the ship’s new specialty restaurant, and the complete refresh and restructuring of the Kings Court, the ship’s popular buffet area;
- And as befitting the flagship of the Cunard fleet, a complete repaint of the ship exterior and significant technical enhancements and structural changes.
As the only passenger vessel to carry dogs and cats, Queen Mary 2 also expanded its kennel service during the multi-million dollar renovation. Pet travel has soared in the US over recent years and due to increased demand, Cunard has added 12 new kennels for a total of 24.
“The remastering of Queen Mary 2 continues the transatlantic tradition by the thoughtful contemporizing of the product for today’s discerning traveller, while maintaining the refined design aesthetics and service standards that are deeply based in British style and refinement,” said David Noyes, CEO, Cunard. “The remastering is a testament to Cunard’s attention to detail, incorporating inspiration from our past that continues to propel the powerful Cunard story, which we think will strongly resonate with today’s travellers.”
The vessel has since set sail for Southampton, continuing its schedule of iconic transatlantic crossings.
Pictured, Richard Meadows, centre left, president, Cunard, North America, Captain Christopher Wells (c) and David Noyes, centre right, CEO, Cunard, joined by Cunard Kennel Masters, cut a ribbon to unveil the remastered kennels on the Queen Mary 2, the only passenger liner to carry pets. (Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Cunard)
