The rms queen mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner owned by Cunard Line. She has been the flagship of the company since 2004.
The ship has a lot to offer passengers who choose to take her on a cruise. It offers spacious cabins, great dining and unparalleled entertainment.
Built in 2004
Queen Mary 2 was built in 2004 by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Cherbourg, France. It was designed to complement the liner Queen Elizabeth 2, which had entered retirement in 2008 and was the last ocean liner of her type still in service.
QM2 was designed to offer a passenger experience that would meet modern expectations and fulfill the legacy of the legendary ocean liners, while also being able to deliver on Cunard’s current commitments to safety and comfort. She is a large and powerful ship, with a gross tonnage of 148,528 and a berth capacity of 2,600 passengers.
She was named by Queen Elizabeth II on 8 January 2004, before entering passenger service a few days later. She has appeared in many film and television productions, including the National Geographic Channel’s documentary Megastructures about her construction and the pilot episode of the TV series Mighty Ships. She is currently the only remaining transatlantic liner in regular service, with regularly scheduled sailings from Southampton (England) to New York City’s Brooklyn Terminal.
Launched in 2003
In 2003 rms queen mary 2 was launched, and was the largest passenger ship to ever sail the high seas. Her hull was floated out on 21 March 2003, and she christened in Southampton later that year. To power the beast, four Wartsila 46 engines with a combined output of 67.2 MW were used to propel her across the water.
She also was the first ship to have a helipad, and the largest of her time was spent on an epic voyage of a life-time, spanning over three months, with stops along the way including Athens and Tokyo. She also saw the launch of a number of other innovations, including an augmented reality display that let passengers control the ship’s functions using their smartphones. For example, one of the rms queen mary 2’s more notable achievements was delivering the world’s first copy of J. K. Rowling’s book ‘Harry Potter and the half-blood prince’ to the United States in a locked steamer trunk.
Refit in 2016
Cunard’s flagship rms queen mary 2 has undergone a significant renovation and is now back in service. Its staterooms, restaurants and public areas have all been updated.
The ship’s winter garden has been re-birthed as the Carinthia Lounge, and the King’s Court buffet area has also changed. In addition to its stateroom upgrades, rms queen mary 2 features new entertainment venues like the Planetarium and the great Queens Room, White Star service, and much more.
In 2016, the rms queen mary 2 spent 25 days in dry dock at Blohm + Voss for an overhaul that cost $132 million. The work included major renovations of staterooms and public spaces, as well as regularly scheduled technical maintenance like painting the hull and checking the four Rolls-Royce “Mermaid” propulsion units.
The city aims to have enough critical repairs completed this year so that rms queen mary 2 can resume regular operation, although it’s not certain how much of the ship will be accessible to visitors when the work is complete. To keep the public informed, the city has created a Queen Mary Updates webpage with information about the ship’s history, economic impacts on the city and short- and long-term preservation goals.
Current position
Queen Mary 2 is currently undergoing refurbishment in Long Beach, California. The ship is undergoing major repairs and upgrades, which include improving her bulkheads and bilge pump system.
During its lifetime, rms queen mary 2 has made more than 7,800 crossings across the Atlantic. It is the only ocean liner that regularly sails between Southampton, England and New York City, United States.
She has served as the flagship of Cunard Line since 2004. As such, she is one of the world’s most famous cruise ships.
The current QM2 has a much wider draft than her predecessors and a beefier steel structure, which is designed to withstand the rough conditions of the North Atlantic. She also features a large number of staterooms, including several suites and balcony cabins. She is also equipped with an array of amenities and entertainment.