Although very experienced travellers (88 and 80) we had never done a cruise so decided on a 10 day one on the QM2 from Shanghai to Hong Kong via Japan and South Korea. Embarkation was efficient and we were on board early enough to have a snack and a coffee in the impressive Carinthia Lounge before returning to our cabin (Cunard prefer to call it a stateroom but that I think is pretentious). Our three suitcases had been delivered and we spent the afternoon unpacking and stowing. The king size bed (an excellent sleeper with fine Egyptian cotton sheets) took up most of the available room bur we were impressed with the amount of hanging and drawer space. Empty cases under the bed. A two seater divan, small desk and a large wall mounted TV (Sky News UK, BBC World, ABC Australia included) completed the living area. Small attached bathroom with tight but very good shower). Balcony which got little use because of the winter temperatures. Eating of course was one of the priorities and we had requested a table for 6 and the second sitting starting at 8.30 pm in the main Britannia restaurant which was later than we would have liked but preferable to the early 6 pm one. We were fortunate in having at our table two couples travelling together from the UK who made us very welcome. Entertaining company. Overall we found the food in the Britannia of a high standard, not gourmet but very acceptable. Plenty of choice and although some servings were small a request for a repeat or something additional was always quickly met agreeably. As good as we expected and we're experienced foodies. Although I knew from my research wine prices were high this didn't stop us having our usual two glasses of red with dinner plus for me, as a treat, a brandy or a port to finish. It has to be said however that Cunard give the impression of gouging in the way they price their wines. They are outrageous. A x5 mark up on retail prices seems to be the base line. A huge wine list, one of the most comprehensive I've seen, 98% priced beyond what I was prepared to pay. Very good table service from waiters who stayed with us and got to know our likes and dislikes. Most days we had breakfast in the Britannia and liked the way the maitre d would ask each morning 'alone or interesting people?'. Provided we weren't near the closing time we opted for the interesting people and on virtually all occasions joined people, mainly from the UK, which resulted in good lively conversation. We ate lightly for lunch and on two occasions for dinner, in the Kings Court buffet which we found of a very high standard. Plenty of choice but more informal, less comfortable seating. The entertainment in the Royal Court Theatre varied from outstanding (most nights) to so-so on a couple of occasions. Quality beyond expectations. The lectures too were first class especially one by the designer of the ship itself (brilliant). Gym, library, Golden Lion pub (excellent cod and chips for lunch), Commodore Club, the Chart Room, The Carinthia Lounge (excellent sherries. and Spanish wines by the glass in the evening for a pr-dinner drink), all good. The one disappointment was the white glove Afternoon Tea service in the Queens Room, a poor presentation. We joined the QM2 to spend on our time on her so we stayed on board at the three ports of call. The weather was poor and we preferred the comforts of a relatively empty ship. Tipping: we paid the US$11.50 per day as recommended plus small cash amounts to our dinner waiters, wine waiter and cabin attendant. Despite giving high marks for our ten day experience the cruise ended on a bad note with both my wife and I coming. down with a dose of the Cunard cough which developed into serious chest infections. Not Cunard's fault but not surprising considering the number of passengers who were coughing and sneezing. Just the luck of the draw. At least the steps to prevent the spread of nanovirus worked with no outbreaks recorded. Would we do it again? No. We had a great time but we didn't catch the cruise bug. Very glad we did it and highly recommend the QM2 experience. But please do your homework first and don't have unrealistic expectations. Oh and don't hesitate to take a couple of bottles of your favourite wine aboard to have in the cabin or at the table (US$ 20 per bottle corkage, a big saving). There was no check on embarkation. Good travelling with good luck. Read Less

Never having done a cruise before we chose the Queen Mary because we wanted luxury. We certainly got that. We had a Princess Grill suite and loved the dining experience that we got with it. Every meal was superb and the waiting staff were so friendly and very professional. We chose to sit on a large table with six other diners and found them to be great company. Each meal was leisurely and sociable. There weren’t enough hours in the day to participate in all the activities available but we did as many as we could. We went to the evening show every night and played whist in the afternoons. Did several of the quizzes and made new friends. The week just flew by and I wished we had booked longer. Cunard arranged our transfer from and to the airport and organised a first class meal at the airport in HongKong before our departure. We only did one organised tour in Vietnam and found it a bit rushed. In Hong Kong we did our sightseeing by ourselves and took advantage of the free shuttle service laid on by Cunard. Read Less

We cruised recently on the Queen Mary 2 from Dubai to Hong Kong Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner. She is the largest ocean liner ever built, having served as the flagship of the Cunard Line since succeeding the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2004. As of 2019, Queen Mary 2 is the only passenger ship operating as an ocean liner. A key point is that the Queen Mary as a liner travels the trans-Atlantic route for the majority of the year, Southampton to New York, but also does an annual World voyage as a cruise ship. Our cruise was part of that annual voyage from Southampton to Japan and back. The public areas are very opulent and there are many inside options for activities and eating areas. However, being a liner there are not many outside eating areas, and the poolside seating is limited and in the evening non-existent. As we travelled through tropical countries it would have been good to be able to savour the balmy evenings on sea days and after leaving port. We particularly enjoyed the Planetarium sessions and the guest lecture series. Craft sessions, Zumba, chair aerobics and line dancing were also available on the frequent sea days. We were in a cabin on deck 5 and found the décor and fittings tired; with the carpet needing a good clean and the cracked tiles in the bathroom replaced. It is obvious that the British class system is very alive and well on QM2. There were several deck areas and restaurants on the ship that were out of bounds for the majority of the passengers. Areas that didn’t seem to have much patronage despite covering significant areas of the ship. The entertainment changes frequently with speakers, comedians and other entertainers either joining or leaving the ship at many ports. The entertainment from Dubai to Singapore was excellent, but from then on it was mediocre for some reason. The size and draught of the QM2 meant that may times we couldn’t dock at the cruise ship terminal and ended up at a working port. These ports were often a distance from the nearest town. For instance Doha, we docked about a 50 minute drive from the town, similarly in Chan May which was about 45 minutes from the town. Because these were working ports, we needed to shuttle to the port gate to meet our tour, designated taxis were sometimes allowed on the port but charged to get to the gate. Several of these ports seemed to be maiden visits and much was made of the ceremonies that took place. But as a passenger, it used up valuable shore time travelling to the nearest point of interest and they were unattractive, messy places. The major disappointment with Cunard and QM2 is that they will not tender wheelchair passengers. We have tendered safely many times with other cruise lines, but with Cunard wheelchair passengers have to step over a 45cm gap unassisted to be able to tender. I observed a lift to the tender platform and there are wheelchair accessible ramps into the tender, and a space where wheelchairs could be parked. But wheelchair passengers are discriminated against and denied going ashore at tender ports. My observations were that many of the elderly walking passengers were more unsteady on their feet and more likely to fall while transferring. Whereas, a wheelchair passenger is safe in their wheelchair and can be easily wheeled onto the tender. Subsequently we will never travel with Cunard again. There were no shore excursions that could be undertaken with a wheelchair. The only offering was a vehicle at a huge cost in several of the ports where we could follow a tour and maybe gain access to the attraction. Therefore, we organised our own shore excursions but trying to get times of arrival and departure at all the ports proved to be a mission. I achieved it finally only by contacting Cunard via their Facebook page. But finding out which part of the port, which berth or gate proved impossible. Thankfully the tour guides we employed were able to use their initiative and local knowledge to find us. But in many cases they were not allowed onto the ports. So where we had organised a wheelchair accessible taxi we had to carry my husband into a taxi to get to the port gate and then lift him out of the taxi. Not a pleasant experience for everyone, in high temperatures and humidity. Finally in Singapore, one wheelchair accessible taxi was provided in the rotation to transport wheelchair passengers to the Marina district. On the way back to the ship we were thankfully provided with a wheelchair accessible bus and loaded in three wheelchairs for the trip back to the ship. In summary I think QM2 should stick to trans-Atlantic crossings and leave cruises to designated cruise ships that are designed for cruising. If you are in a wheelchair definitely don’t cruise with Cunard. Read Less

Excellent for special diets ie lactose free gluten free etc Good standard of food overall No where to eat outside. Very disappointing Kings court food area feels like motorway service station No basketball Main Sunbathing decks obscured by lifeboats Entertainment in the main theatre generally good Embarkation procedure in Dubai was a nightmare. Disorganised. Took 7 hours! We were given a bottle of basic red wine by way of apology but we felt complaints had fallen on deaf ears Drinks on board eye wateringly expensive but we were able to bring a bottle of gin and wine on board No proper deck to exercise/walk a circuit in the sunshine Sea day activity programme variable. Some good days some not Canyon ranch spa charging 58 dollars for a haircut or gel nails. Also 28 dollars for gel removal Excellent art lectures On board shops very expensive Ship totally unsuitable for children Planetarium is excellent and most unusual to find at sea Overall ship is quite dated. More suited to the elderly Air con is very cold outside your cabin. We needed more warm clothes in the ship especially the theatre. Read Less

We chose this cruise for three reasons: 1. it stopped at many ports/countries we had never visited, 2. we wanted to be away for much of the Canadian winter. 3. we've travelled on Cunard, QM2 in the past and enjoyed the luxury and amenities it has to offer. It's been 4 years since the shipped was refurbished, and while still beautiful, she'showing the wear & tear in some areas (carpet in the Grand Lobby Hall had pulled away and created a walking hazard, especially for guests who had mobility issues. The only port that was not satisfactory was Goa, India. It is a commercial/industrial port, not set up to receive the travelling public. The whole process for getting the VISA was troublesome, and the process to clear immigration was disgustingly long and poorly organized. You can't expect seniors to have to stand in line, some up to 2 hours, for Immigration Inspection. On-boarding 4 Officers to clear 2700 passengers was ridiculous! Suggest Cunard take this port off their itinerary, unless the India Officials are prepared to make better accommodations and arrangements. Also, the calibre of the lecturers was fantastic, especially Judith Hinchcliffe, the Forensic Odontologist. Her presentations were AMAZING. Also, Roy Hunt, who presented on the lives of legendary musicians, Berlin, Gershwins, Hammerstein & Sinatra was wonderful, taking us down memory lane Read Less

The boarding experience was delayed as the ship was not berthed at its regular dock as it was undergoing maintenance. We arrived 2 hours earlier than requested on the ticket so weren’t surprised about inevitable delays. We were on board by 1pm after arriving at 11am but were asked not to arrive until 2pm so all in all very successful. Every cruise I have been on since 1992 I have encountered moaning whingers generally in the older age category. Sadly this cruise was no exception. Some passengers complained the portion sizes were too small, some passengers complained the ship was too big (I completely failed to sympathise with that one). How can you complain about an itenery which is printed in the brochure? Yes if to set out to look for things to complain about then you will find them. For me this trip was one of the most amazing in my life, highlights were visits to Corinth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Phuket, Colombo, Penang and most amazing of all Singapore. Lowlights were Goa which wins my prize for being the filthiest place on the planet and the Indian government force you to buy an Indian visa at great expense even if you choose to stay on the ship. The ship is now 15 years old and there have been some changes since the maiden voyage which I was lucky enough to be on. The palm court (possibly the least successful room on the ship) has been transformed into the Carinthia Lounge which now feels like a proper space befitting a 5 star hotel. It’s previous incarnation was a rather tacky Las Vegas styled theme of a palm court which failed to convince me. The kings Court buffet area has been redesigned although personally I preferred the original arrangement of 4 separate themed dining zones offering different cuisines. Also the 2 glass lifts that used to arrive here from the grand lounge have been completely removed which is a real shame. I suppose the intention was to increase seating capacity but to my mind it wasn’t worth all the expense to gain a few extra tables. The insights lectures were absolutely fantastic celebrity guest speakers included Michael Parkinson, Peter Snow and Reza Muhhamed alongside about 8 other guest speakers and port lectures. Subjects were wide and varied. Entertainment was excellent with the usual singers, dancers, musicians, cabarets, comedians and a group on board developing a musical called AmDram for production in London. With so many sea days I was concerned about having enough to do but the real challenge was prioritizing what’s I wanted to do as often I wanted to go to several events at the same time. Dining room service was excellent and food good, our waiter Caesar quickly learned our preferences and used to bring me 2 steaks every time I ordered after I asked once if I could have a large one (I think they now employ accountants in the kitchen to slice up the meat). The portion sizes are carefully controlled to minimize wastage which I don’t object to. If you are particularly hungry the top tip is to order a main course in lieu of a starter. The carpets in many areas have been changed. Foolishly a pale cream carpet has been fitted to many passenger cabins. Not surprisingly these show every spot of coffeee, tea or bodily fluids which inevitably end up getting spilled on them. I asked to have my carpet shampooed after arrival which helped although in reality it’s time to replace these carpets again and sack whoever authorized their installation in the first place. The main cabin corridor carpets used to be a deep beautiful swirling design of red, black and cream. Sadly these have all been replaced with something much inferior which reminds me of a printer that has run out of ink halfway through printing a page. Much more suited to a cross channel ferry than a luxury liner. I wonder if this is P&O management interference. It would be so much better to have the original carpet designs and quality reinstated everywhere (the accountant has been at work here too penny pinching I fear) The Queens Room remains beautiful and I opted to attempt to learn ballroom dancing in here (1215 on every sea day) These were very popular and I grasped the cha cha but failed at the quick step ! Outside deck areas are extremely generous and you NEVER fail to find a deck chair or sun bed in a quiet spot (deck 12 or 13 good for this) all decks are covered in teak and immaculately maintained. The deck chairs themselves would benefit from overhauling. Another stupid decision what to varnish these rather than to oil them. The cabins are a good size, ours 11137 had a glass balcony screen. Cabins on deck 4,5 and 6 are “sheltered” which in essence means solid steel below the handrail. I would have preferred a made to order facility in the buffet, this could easily be accomplished in the chefs galley perhaps noodles or Indian dishes prepared. At the end or our cruise in Singapore we very much wanted to stay on for longer. We had a great table of 10 in the dining room and it was sad to say goodbye. Read Less

Boarded for the first leg of the World cruise, Southampton to Dubai. Embarkation was 2 1/2 hours; very poor. Ship was tired and dirty. Carpets were threadbare and stained. Entertainment was generally poor. Drummer was brilliant as was the trumpeter soloist and the juggler. Opera Boys did too much silly talking and not enough singing. Singers and dancers were far too loud; many left the theatre Food was very disappointing especially evening meal in Brittania. Tiny portions of tough meat and virtually no vegetables. Overall, food was monotonous and tasteless. Managing the guests for excursions was shambolic. The Entertainment Manager did not keep guests informed. I complained to the Hotel Manager who agreed with most of what I said and gave me a $150 credit. On return home I emailed Mr Palethorpe, Cunard Vice president, who did not reply. So I emailed Customer Services who also failed to reply. Cunard are trading on the past and have lost the plot. Read Less

This was our first time aboard the QM2 or any other Cunard ship, but we are very seasoned cruisers in other cruise lines. We were really excited in anticipation of our crossing and the next 17 days aboard the QM2, since the second leg of our cruise was the beginning of thieir World Cruise which normally shows the cruise lines best efforts since the world cruise caters to seasoned and most likely repeat customers. We were in a Queens Grill suite Q5 which placed us almost at the top of the accommodations list. Embarkation went seeemless since indeed there was a line for the Queen’s Grill suites and in no time we were aboard. We had seen videos and pictures of similar cabins to ours but still it was not like walking in. The suite was much smaller than what we were used and it had less amenities. The bathroom only had one sink, no separate shower, no separate commode area. Closet and storage spaces were adequate. Our luggage arrive ñd increadible promptly after we checked which impressed us. Shortly after checking in the butler speared and gave us a Craps course on the suite and told us that we could order up to bottles of liquor complimentary but anything else would have a charge. This is not what we are used to since the cruise lines we were used to travel we could order as many different kind of liquor that we wanted and they were provided. We were excited about sailing out of NY harbor, although we have done is before, it’s always exciting sailing past the Satutye of Liberty. We were a couple of hours late leaving because of minor problems. We had a liquor package that allows to get any free drink that we wanted as long at it did not cost more than US$12 each. We ordered our first drink and promptly found out that the drinks were based on one ounce of the liquor, the bar tender measured the actual ounce. Have you a a “one ounce” drink lately? The bartenders do knit know what free pouring means. We learned fast that we had to tell the bartenders that we were in the under $12 drink program and if you asked them for a two ounce drink or larger, we could get it but the bartender would have to ring it as you had multiple single drinks that felt into the less than $12 pricing. Also you had to give your cruise card every time you order a drink and you have to sign a receipt every time. Total pain in the rear. We are used to travel in cruise lines were all drinks are inclusive so we never had to signed for anything other than when we boarded and registered our credit card for incidentals. In order to get a “decent” or “normal” glass of wine at dinner or lunch your sommelier has to charge you to single glasses since one ounce of wine doesn’t go very far. Another thing we did not like were the assigned tables. We sat in the same table for 26 days, breakfast, lunch or dinner as long as we are in the Queen’s Grill. There cannot be any expontinuity even if you meet new people during the voyage who are in the same Queen Grill category since it’s almost impossible to orchestrate the one time dinner without a major reassignment. On the very positive side the food in the Grill was outstanding and the maitre d’ came over at lunch time to find out if we wanted anything special, not in the menu, for dinner. We order caviar, beef Wellington, crepe Suzette’s, etc. All beautifully cooked and most of the special dishes prepared at the table including flambé at table side. We tried eating in other Venus but they were ver hective specially the huge King’s Court were there are all sorts of buffers but you had to fight other people to reach the buffet table or if you wanted an omelet or poached eggs you had to stand on a cue. The QM2 is two ships in one the Grills passenger and the rest of the passengers. Keep in mind that one can cross the Atlantic for less than $2,000 per person and you have the ability to have 6 or 7 meals a day plus all the shows, lectures, etc. We found out the hard way when we went to popular-we’ll-known lectures and/or featured entertainer that we could not wait till the last minute since people start curing up long before the starting time and we were in standing room. I could go on but I think you can get the drift of my experience. We were extremely disappointed with the QM2 experience. We had dreams of great ocean liners experienced that we have seen in the movies but it was really no very pleasant experience. QM2 allure, reputation and lore is bigger than the actual experience. We would not go back aboard this ship again, but if I were forced to go back I would take a crossing and that’s it. In our 26 nights aboard we noticed that the crossing lecturer, entertainers, etc. where global in orientation once we left Southampton to Dubai the lectures, entertainers etc, were very British-centered and you had to be able to understand their accents in many cases. Read Less

Overall, it is difficult to imagine anyone who is executing the overall shipboard experience better than Cunard and their flagship Queen Mary 2. From the big pieces, ship design and maintenance, to the fine details, cool towels and ice water waiting for guests returning from ashore, everything was executed brilliantly. We were on the Christmas holiday sailing roundtrip from New York in a sheltered balcony stateroom and we took our meals in the Britannia Dining Room at the late sitting. Some areas that may be most interesting for those considering a voyage. EMBARKATION Absolutely seamless. We arrived via car service at the pier and were through check-in, had our photo snapped, dropped off our hand luggage in the room and were eating in the Kings Court in less than 30 minutes. Our luggage was delivered before 4PM. STATEROOM Our sheltered balcony was well-appointed, with more than adequate storage. The room was spotlessly clean and in overall excellent condition. There were two minor issues, we had some very warm but not hot water for about 24 hours, but the problem was documented and corrective action taken and our room was able to be cooled just adequately, but didn't really offer the ability to make it delightfully cool. FOOD Food in the Britannia Dining room was outstanding. The menu had a very broad and deep offering with diverse flavors always on display. Portions were perfectly sized for a multi-course meal and the service was attentive and professional. One of Cunard's signature benefits is lunch served daily in the dining room, even on port days, which we found very pleasant. The Kings Court was recently refreshed and the new layout is far superior to the previous version. While the overall selection may be slightly smaller than what is available on other ships, the quality of the individual dishes is outstanding and there certainly are dishes to suit a wide variety of tastes. We only had breakfast from room service, but the food arrived fresh and the order was correctly filled. It is a luxurious option to have a hot meal delivered in the morning. ENTERTAINMENT Cunard is unparalleled in their breadth of onboard entertainment. The guest lecturers were world class, the evening entertainers very good to exceptional and the days offered so many options that it would be all but impossible to take it all in. SHIP Queen Mary 2 remains unique among ships offering cruises. She feels more like a grand stately hotel than anything, but maintains a great maritime heritage. Despite the large number of passengers, the ship never felt crowded. Overall cleanliness and condition were absolutely marvelous. The crew's care and attention to detail was evident everywhere. ITINERARY While it was not the critical factor in our choosing this journey, the round trip out of New York and stops in Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten make for a great variety of experiences and of course it all begins and ends in one of the world's greatest cities. SUMMARY Cruising with Cunard is different than anywhere else. There is a formality and refinement that just isn't prominent elsewhere. This leads to a great environment that isn't stuffy or boring, but refined and thoroughly enjoyable. Between the magnificent ship, the fabulous food, the superior service and the warm waters of the Caribbean in December, this was a marvelous journey. Read Less

If you have a Disability like me with wearing an Air-Cast Boot and partly blind with a cane the staff won't help you and not even at the terminal in Brooklyn, NY. This was for embarkation and I was alone traveling. The cabin was very nice and the Cabin boy I had was wonderful. He made sure everything was well stocked. The Britannia Restaurant is very nice and my dinner companiens are wonderful and glad they sat with me at the table. I each gave them a box of Fudge to say Thank You. However QM2 knew I was a vegan and they did not bother to get products for me. The Chef did not even know what yams are.! Makes you wonder.? Staff in the Britannia very stuffy as they did not want to smile most of the time. The Entertainment was fantastic and the Dancers amazing. Went to afternoon Tea and they served products with Nuts in and had an allergic reaction and medical and staff did not care and took me 2 days to recover. One day I asked for toast and on the side I had mold on. Service from the staff very Rude and talked about guests behind your back in own language that I can understand. No Ports of shore as went right to Southampton from Brooklyn, NY As for Disembarkation was the same problem as staff did not care if you have a Disability. After I got off my bags went on the floor and yes I cried. The security in Southampton are wonderful and they helped me since QM2 staff could not care. In my opinion I would never go back on the QM2 due to the problems and staff. Read Less