Queen Mary 2 Cruise Reviews - Reviews

It's not a cruise ship... it's an ocean liner. It's the only one of its kind. Similarly-sized cruise ships (RC, Norwegian) take about 3800-4100 passengers. The QM2 takes 2700, and there are 1300 crew, a ratio of nearly 2:1. All that should tell you something. You are shrouded in luxury from start to finish. Options for having more raucous fun range from the dance club and the pub, the latter of which is rife with trivia, bar games, and karaoke nights. There's a small Casino, three major pools, one of which is indoor, endless bars, food outlets, and entertainment that includes a FREAKIN' PLANETARIUM. Only one at sea! I mention all that stuff first because everyone seems to think Cunard is all about quilting parties and ballroom dancing. Yeah, there's plenty of that too, but it is NOT the only outlet for fun on the ship. We are a mid-30's married couple, we are by no means wealthy, and we absolutely love Cunard. 3QUEENS4LYF! Upselling is minimal on Cunard, and I think that's important. The main restaurant, Britannia, is amazing - there's no real need to go to any of the alternative dining options, although a very reasonable $17.50/person will get you an alternative if you must. Filet, leg of lamb, lobster tail, veal confit, beef Wellington... just a few examples of the dishes we enjoyed. And the menu is COMPLETELY different every night. Chefs work hard here. The buffet, the most casual option, is spectacular as far as buffets go. I'd say the food from the buffet on Cunard is better than ANY food on an ordinary ship. Fine cheeses, sushi/sashimi, prime rib, Indian food, seafood... it's not replicated anywhere else on ships at the same price point.  12 nights, no flight necessary, an inside stateroom on the cheap, and an unforgettable vacation. Best Caribbean vacation I've ever been on by a mile.

I will echo some of the sentiments others have. The ship is beautiful. They did an amazing refurb. It’s immaculate. Cruise ship service and cleanliness is always good but QM2 is stunning. She looks brand new still. The cruise was fun, but it lacked the “always things going on” that the more mainstream lines offered. Additionally I found the nightly shows to be a bit dull. The lectures were interesting but I craved some cirque du soilel or dancers and singers by the end of the sailing. The dining room was crusty. Food in dining and buffets was top notch by cruise standards though. I did it once. I won’t do it again. But it was a great fun experience crossing the Atlantic by ship.

Travelled from New York to Southampton, my first ever cruise & I loved every bit of it. The total relaxation of it, the laid back atmosphere.

Overall, the service was a very high level, from the cabin steward, the dining room staff, all the bartenders and the purser's desk.  The choices on the menus were extensive, the portions reasonable and the food wonderful.  We especially enjoyed the lectures and the shows.  It was too quick a week!

Great ship with far more activities than we expected. We were never bored on the Tran-Atlantic crossing. The Grill rooms have nice balconies and better food options.

One of the most beautifull ships! It is not a cruise ship it is a real Atlantic Liner. I just love it. Best way to realise how beautifull this liner is, is to be in heavy sea on the Atlantic and sailing with 20knots through 10m waves.

Where to start?  The QM2 exceeded our expectations by a country mile.  The food (Princess Grille) was excellent, daily afternoon tea superb (the scones and clotted cream are among the best I've ever had), room service prompt, and overall service was easily Michelin-level with a genuine hospitality. 

Many charming passengers to meet, many of us even 6 months after still regularly keep in touch.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy myself, as I'm not old and stuffy.  However, I can't wait to go again on this boat, on this route.  There's something about a liner versus a cruise and the panache that Cunard can deliver when on their A-game.

QM2 rides the seas well, my parents struggled to get around to lectures and stuff as it can be a long walk and up and down stairs to get to places. It's the usual Cunard standard on things, afternoon tea was fine - except for the distance to the location. Overall I think this is a decent ship if the itinerary is where you want to go. I find Cunard tend to rush around the World and not give you time at the locations, this is especially true when you look at their World Cruises, far too many sea days and not enough ports, but that's just my opinion and obviously others will like that concept.

We loved this cruise on QM2; it was our second time on the ship.  Contrasting it with our last cruise (Norwegian Breakaway), the ship does not feel crowded in its public rooms or elevators.  There are not endless announcements or crazy parties at the pool.  The entire two weeks were completely relaxing. 

The food was delicious with a lot of variety,  Because one of us required gluten-free food, we were given the next day's menus so that we could choose an item which was then prepared GF. 

On the down side, the entertainment was less than stellar.  While the performers were very good, the material was lacking.  Also, the planetarium was broken. 

Overall, we would sail on Cunard again. 

WOW this has been an amazing vacation in so many ways. Booking through United  Cruises went better than we expected and they gave us a great rate. And cruising on such an iconic ship was amazing, the food, services, on board activities, the Britannia Restaurant and even King's Court where we ate our breakfast or lunch, the lectures and the entertainment were top notch!! This is a ship that caters to an older crowd so you don't have the excitement and business a Carnival or Royal Caribbean cruise has BUT the lectures and the evening shows we thought were amazing!

We have two main concerns that keep me from giving this cruise 5 starts, first the nursery on bard the ship. The manger Chris was great, so nice and professional but the British nannies there didn't seem very friendly and interested in spending time with our 1 year old (not sure why, there were so few kids on board on our cruise!)  so the baby didn't like it there much and  we didn't leave her in the nursery very often. We missed several shows because of that or took turns going to the shows which was tough but it worked! The second concern is the high gratuity charged on the final bill for all three of us. We are Americans, we always tip for good service, OK so we tipped personally everyone who was nice and helpful to us and our baby and we felt the extra tip was excessive and imposed on us. We chose not to contest or remove it from the bill because it felt awkward doing it and I know some of the people working there make little money  but it just didn't feel right spending 700 dollars in tips on that ship (the tips we gave PLUS the ones Cunard charged us at the end!) That's just too much and we did go over our set budget for this vacation. Otherwise, we met amazing speakers and had a great vacation.

Are you sure you were on Queen Mary2? There is no 'class' system, but if you just pay a bit more for Grills class then those areas are exclusive to you. We have taken several voyages on QM2 and have never found fault with the Cunard standard level which is far superior to many cruise lines.Cunard rewards we regulars -'Cunarders' - as most cruise companies do by way of loyalty club rewards. Incidentally only the lower level balconies are enclosed (sheltered). Most importantly QM2 is NOT a cruise ship, she is a liner and the standard of service reflects this, we Cunarders like this. Maybe you would be happier with another line?

We sailed from Southampton to NYC, leaving on 5, Nov. The crossing was mostly smooth due to the QM 2's size and stabilizers since we did encounter Force 9 + winds. Our two dogs enjoyed meeting new friends and we enjoyed meeting a visiting with their owners. The service and food was 5 Stars and we met a few more fellow travelers in the Golden Lion and other venues. There's nothing like the ambiance aboard her. The entertainment was also very enjoyable. We've NEVER been disappointed by the QM2!

 We took this trip making the assumption that we could experience the fall colors on the eastern seaboard. The fact is the boat does not go any way near the trees. Fortunately there was lots of entertainment to compensate. The lectures were varied and informative and the theater seats very comfortable. Be prepared to forgoe shore trips when the tide is low or the weather very wet.

Right from the start you can tell this ship is different.  We heard a dog barking.  I figured it was a drug sniffing dog or something.   Well then we saw the dogs.  They were passengers.  They have there own deck and their own chef.   Every day I went up to put the dogs.  

You notice the difference as soon as you step aboard.  Several ships officers were standing there to welcome us aboard.   You don't see that on other ships.  

About half of the passenger were British.  We met some interesting people who were form England. 

The shows were great.  Also the library was really really great.   Much better than the Brilliance of the Seas library.  They even have a planetarium.   

They had a good band on board.  They have a laundry room with no charge. You don't get that on the Brilliance of the Seas.   

The only negative is they closed the hot tup at 10 pm.   There  is not much to do at night.   They shut things down.   The Brilliance of the Seas kept a hot tub open all night.   

They need more things for the night owls and early risers. 

That would make the Voyage even better.  

- For some years while we were in college and after, my (now) wife and I talked about crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary. Life and money and sensibility intervened. Alas, the ship did not wait for use and eventually retired and went to live in Long Beach, California.

- We are now retired and were finally able to take a trip on the "new" Queen Mary II.

- For us it was truly elegant and real treat. Although we cannot afford another trip on this wonderful ship, we are so glad we able to sail on her once.

If you are looking for a relaxing, enjoyable mode of transport to England, this is the route to take. Good food, nice people, and much more were offered aboard the QM2. This is definitely a cruise for older adults who want to be pampered. This is not the cruise to take for a much younger crowd. I am at the age to appreciate this type of traveling and would do it again.

A beautiful british Liner to cross and recross the Atlantic. With Christopher Wels as Captain and very british passengers. You must like it. The Shows, the Britannia Restaurant, the Buffet-Restaurant, the Afternoon-Tea-Time, the Library, all is very nice, and very british. The best to test your Love for Cruise .

We enjoyed our time on the Queen Mary 2.  This was our second ocean crossing with Cunard and it is a great way to travel and relax.  There were some wonderful lecture series. We did choose not to attend most of the entertainment just because we did want to mostly lay around and read, but the feedback from others was they really enjoyed the shows. Did not have a bad meal!  Portions were good and a great selection.  We felt our sheltered balcony room was perfect for  this type of trip.  We will do future voyages on the Queen Mary 2.  No jet lag, no tight seats! 

My wife and I regularly travel back and forth from NY to Southampton with our 2 Terriers. The experience has been 5 Stars each and every time. The dogs love it, too. The Kennel Masters have all been outstanding, with Oliver edging out others only by a small amount. With an endeavor as ambitious as moving that huge city on the water around the world, usually with only overnight (or shorter) stops in port to re-stock and re-fuel, it's a wonder they are able to maintain the amazing high quality of the experience and keep the staff in what appears to be a perpetually cheerful mood. We highly recommend the experience and look forward to the future.

Cunard is overcharging singles which makes travelling with them out of the question .  the trip was extremely overpaid for the services they provided, starting with cabin stewards being overworked because of personnel cuts, the food was good but not up to the former standards, the tours while very pricey were not very good, the cabins show the 11 years of the vessel.  All in all, I will no longer travel Cunard because I can do it for much less with Princess for the same type of voyage.