Queen Mary 2 - The Last Great Ocean Liner
About Queen Mary 2 - The Last Great Ocean Liner
Home Port: Southampton, UK
CAPTAIN: Mr. P. Philpot /Mr. C. Wells /Mr. A Hashmi
ALL CRUISES CANCELLED until November 2020
Queen Mary 2 - The Last Great Ocean Liner Description
Queen Mary 2 is Cunard’s flagship and the most magnificent ocean liner ever built. A Transatlantic Crossing to or from New York on this incredible ship is a holiday like no other but her cruises from Southampton are also very special.
RMS Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner. She was the first major ocean liner built since Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1969, the vessel she succeeded as flagship of the Cunard Line. The new ship was named Queen Mary 2 by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004 after the first RMS Queen Mary, completed in 1936. Queen Mary was in turn named after Mary of Teck, consort of King George V. With the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 from active duty in 2008, Queen Mary 2 is the only transatlantic ocean liner in service running between Southampton and New York, although the ship is often used for cruising, including an annual world cruise.
At the time of her construction in 2003 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Queen Mary 2 was the longest, widest, and tallest passenger ship ever built, and with her gross tonnage of 148, 528 also the largest. She no longer holds this distinction after the construction of Royal Caribbean International's 154, 407 GT Freedom of the Seas in April 2006. Although later cruise ships are larger, Queen Mary 2 remains the largest ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship) ever built.
Queen Mary 2's facilities include fifteen restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre, and the first planetarium at sea. There are also kennels on board, as well as a nursery. Queen Mary 2 is one of the few ships afloat today to have remnants of a class system on board, most prominently seen in her dining options.
Queen Mary 2 is the flagship of the Cunard Line. The ship was constructed to eventually replace the ageing RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, the Cunard flagship from 1969 to 2004 and the last major ocean liner built before the construction of Queen Mary 2.
Queen Mary 2 has the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) title conferred on her, as a gesture to Cunard's history, by Royal Mail when she entered service in 2004 on the Southampton to New York route.
Queen Mary 2 is not a steamship like many of her predecessors, but is powered primarily by four diesel engines, with two additional gas turbines used when extra power is required; this integrated electric propulsion configuration is used to produce the power to drive her four electric propulsion pods as well as powering the ship's hotel services.
Like her predecessor Queen Elizabeth 2 she is built for crossing the Atlantic Ocean, though she is regularly used for cruising; in the winter season she cruises from New York to the Caribbean on ten or thirteen day tours. Queen Mary 2's 30-knot (56 km /h; 35 mph) open ocean speed sets the ship apart from cruise ships, such as Oasis of the Seas, which has an average speed of 22. 6 knots (41. 9 km /h; 26. 0 mph); QM2's normal service speed is 26 knots (48 km /h; 30 mph)
On 12 January 2004 Queen Mary 2 set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the United States, carrying 2, 620 passengers under the command of captain Ronald Warwick, who had previously commanded Queen Elizabeth 2. Warwick is the son of William (Bill) Warwick who had also been a senior Cunard officer and the first captain of Queen Elizabeth 2. The ship arrived in Southampton late from her maiden voyage after bow doors which covered the thrusters failed to shut in Portugal. During the XXVIII Olympics Queen Mary 2 sailed to Athens and docked at Piraeus for two weeks for use as a floating hotel, serving the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, French President, Jacques Chirac, former United States President George H. W. Bush, and the US Olympic men's basketball team. Queen Mary 2's passengers have also included jazz musician Dave Brubeck, comedian and actor John Cleese, actor Richard Dreyfuss, author and editor Harold Evans, director George Lucas, singer Carly Simon, singer Rod Stewart, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, and financier Donald Trump.
If you like to talk with other cruisers or you are planning a cruise on QUEEN MARY 2 and are looking for recommendations, OR you just want to plain stalk Her every move then do join this group! We keep updating Her position as often as we can, we do this by keeping up with Her webcam and Her GPS locator when She comes to port. If that wasn't enough, our admin team are all experienced cruisers on Her and we even have one member of admin who worked on board CUNARD's SAGAFJORD, VISTAFJORD and QE2! So rest assured we know what we are talking about! We look forward to welcoming you to the page!
Reviews
Evening everyone, as some maybe aware Mary had to be diverted this afternoon to safely evacuate a medical emergency. The patient was safely lifted and we hope they are recovering well in hospital in Ireland. Mary will still be able to make up the delay time over the course of the week and arrival in New York is unchanged -Rob-
Good afternoon everyone! Current position since departing Southampton yesterday evening en route to New York. Arriving Sunday morning -Rob-
'Queen Mary 2' passing Ryde Pier, en route to New York this evening. - (Tony)
Image Screenshot from Isle of Wight Webcams
Good evening everyone! Now turning round in the Southampton harbour and en route to New York. For those who maybe curious as to why Mary was here today, city terminal is closed due to a lorry damaging the gate and Ocean Terminal is closed for maintenance. Mary will arrive in New York next Sunday morning -Rob-
Good morning everyone! Here we are in Southampton, here she will remain until late afternoon before leaving for New York -Rob-
Good evening everyone! Current position en route to Southampton arriving tomorrow morning -Rob-
Good morning everyone! Current position since departing New York nearly a week ago and arrival to Southampton will be tomorrow morning -Rob-
Not Queen Mary 2 but my mum and dad have just returned from Queen Elizabeth and she is being prepared for her refit. Sh will depart for France this afternoon and her refit will make improvements to the ship and her public areas -Rob-
Image from Sally Hockley - Taken in Adelaide during the 2018 World Voyage. - (Tony)
With thanks to John Little who greatly describes her final night in Southampton. Thank you to everyone who submitted their memories of our beloved QE2 but this one is just too powerful to ignore -Rob-
Sail Away 11 November 2008.
She slipped her berth and reversed towards Mayflower Park where throngs had gathered to bless her and say their goodbyes. Well wishers and passengers waved their flags, cheered and thousands of cameras flashed to capture this special moment in the li...fe of their great liner. It was testimony to her popularity and the love they had for the ship that so many lined the banks of Southampton Water that evening 10 years ago. She was their ship, their icon, their piece of history which, for most, they would never see again. It was humbling to be on board and have the honour of witnessing this moment in history, not only Queen Elizabeth 2, but the city of Southampton her home port.
Spectacular fireworks lit the night sky for ages and their blaze faded as the ship’s propellers began to push her forward to her destiny. Slowly the ship approached Berth 39/40 where she had docked so regularly. The dock was lined with dancing search lights and again she was greeted with the explosions from fireworks. This was quite an emotional experience as one finally appreciated this old lady would never see her home again. The ship’s fog horn blasted saying her goodbyes which echoed across the city for the last time.
The ship continued on her way accompanied by a flotilla of small vessels each with groups wanting to see ‘their’ ship for as long as they could. Clearly there was ongoing communications between passengers on the QE2 and their friends and relatives on the accompanying vessels. Fellow passengers shared their stories of their experiences on board QE2 with great affection. Flags and torches waved continuously. In addition, torches, bonfires, fireworks and flares continued from the shorelines of the south coast and the Isle of Wight.
The November evening got colder and the sky darkened as we left the twinkling lights of the United Kingdom. But for Queen Elizabeth 2 she was leaving behind a great legacy and, for many passengers, crew and friends, many warm and happy memories.
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Good morning everyone! Current position since departing New York yesterday evening, there’s still some time remaining to post about your favourite memory on QE2! Winner will be chosen at midday day today -Rob-
'Queen Mary 2' is now pulling away from Brooklyn and is heading back to Southampton. Arrival is next Sunday at 06:00. - (Tony)
The lines are castoff and QE2 sails into the Southampton night for the last time to begin her retirement who was there? What was the atmosphere like? This is the prize for best memory shared of QE2 it is a Queen Mary 2 inaugural year medal. I unfortunately never got to experience what a true greyhound liner she was but my heart has been forever stolen by her. I hope to one day return and gaze upon her again as I did in 1998 -Rob-
http://youtu.be/xMz4X7jgg7Q 10 years ago today the RAF said their own special thank you to the QE2 for her assistance in the Falklands War. A harrier jump jet subtly bows toward her then departs. Later that evening at 19:15pm her lines were castoff one final time and voyage to retirement began ❤️ -Rob-
So as said, today is the 10th anniversary since our beloved QE2 left Southampton for the final time to retirement in Dubai. What are your memories of her 40 years service under Cunard? Remember the best memory will win a prize connected to Queen Mary 2! We’d love to hear anything of the time you had aboard! (Ps a photo of 8yr old gazing at bewilderment at her) -Rob-