A Visit Onboard Cunard's Majestic Queen Mary 2
Yesterday, Cunard hosted a group of bloggers to tour the magnificent Queen Mary 2 while it was briefly docked at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The 1,132 feet long ship had arrived that same morning and was scheduled to leave for England at 5:00 pm. For those of us who were fortunate enough to experience this incredible vessal, it was both breathtaking and awesome--in terms of scope and scale. Cunard is the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award winner for Best Caribbean Cruise Line.
We started off our visit with cocktails and appetizers with Commodore Bernard Warner, who joined Cunard in 2005. Commodore Warner's 43-year-long career began with the British Merchant Navy. He spends a total of seven months a year at sea on the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria. When asked what his most memorable experience has been to date, he explained it was watching the total eclipse of the sun in 2007 off Aruba. "It was raining and cloudy that day, but we were able to find a gap in the clouds, so we had a clear view," he said, pointing out that astronomers from all over the world had booked the cruise specifically to witness the event. "The totality lasted 3 1/2 minutes," he added.
Warner said the recent eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano which disrupted air travel for days was a boon for the company, which offers a six-day-long Transatlantic cruise to Southampton, England from Brooklyn, New York. "We were completely full," he says.
When asked about how rough the trip can be out on the open ocean, Warner explained that the ship has two sets of stabilizers. Even in the roughest of seas, he said, the ship moves gently, providing a comfortable experience even for the passengers who are prone to sea sickness.
Even though the capacity of the ship allows for a maximum of 3,056 passengers, Warner explained he often recognizes repeat guests. He recalled a British couple he has met on several occasions who have taken 25 world cruises with Cunard. "They have spent 2,500 days on our ships," he said.
It is easy to see how one can fall in love with the ship. Although it is only five years old, it celebrates Cunard's long history and the many glamorous guests it has hosted over the years. Larger-than-life black and white photos of such Hollywood stars as Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Charlie Chaplin, while guests on Cunard ships, adorn the walls. The decor of the ship has a contemporary art deco feel.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur, Todd English, whose empire includes Olives, Figs, Tuscany and Beso, was visiting the ship for the afternoon, checking in on his namesake restaurant. The New York City-based chef explained he created 150 different recipes for the restaurant with dishes constantly rotating so every voyage is a different experience for passengers. "It is wonderful to be affiliated with Cunard," English said.
Jean-Marie Zimmermann was also introduced to our group. Zimmermann is Executive Chef and Global Culinary Ambassador of Cunard Line. Zimmermann oversees all of Cunard's restaurants, which includes a staff of 300 chefs. There are are 10 different restaurants aboard the Queen Mary 2 while the Queen Victoria offers eight restaurants. Cunard is focused on providing a gastronomic experience for its passengers, he explained. "Cunard is more culinary than it has ever been before," he said. "We are not a normal cruise ship. We now compete with the best hotels in the world."
The tour also included a visit to Illuminations, which is the ship's full scale planetarium. The room, which also functions as a grand cinema and a 500-seat lecture hall, was spectacular. Its plush velvet seats reclined allowing us to comfortably view a film about cosmic phenomena that was produced by New York's American Museum of Natural History. The film, which was narrated by Robert Redford, is one of six different productions featured at the planetarium.
We stopped by the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, where guests can indulge in massages, treatments and facials. The aqua-therapy pool was spectacular and inviting (see below). It was hard to believe we were on a ship.
Leaving the Queen Mary 2, I couldn't help but feel envious of the passengers who had just boarded the ship for its Transatlantic crossing. Although our visit was merely a glimpse of a Cunard experience, I can now better understand why this ship is considered by many to be the most magnificent ocean liner ever built.
Cunard Line hosted me on board the Queen Mary 2 to learn more about the legendary Transatlantic Crossing experience, but the opinions expressed are my own.
When asked about how rough the trip can be out on the open ocean, Warner explained that the ship has two sets of stabilizers. Even in the roughest of seas, he said, the ship moves gently, providing a comfortable experience even for the passengers who are prone to sea sickness.
Even though the capacity of the ship allows for a maximum of 3,056 passengers, Warner explained he often recognizes repeat guests. He recalled a British couple he has met on several occasions who have taken 25 world cruises with Cunard. "They have spent 2,500 days on our ships," he said.
It is easy to see how one can fall in love with the ship. Although it is only five years old, it celebrates Cunard's long history and the many glamorous guests it has hosted over the years. Larger-than-life black and white photos of such Hollywood stars as Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Charlie Chaplin, while guests on Cunard ships, adorn the walls. The decor of the ship has a contemporary art deco feel.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur, Todd English, whose empire includes Olives, Figs, Tuscany and Beso, was visiting the ship for the afternoon, checking in on his namesake restaurant. The New York City-based chef explained he created 150 different recipes for the restaurant with dishes constantly rotating so every voyage is a different experience for passengers. "It is wonderful to be affiliated with Cunard," English said.
Jean-Marie Zimmermann was also introduced to our group. Zimmermann is Executive Chef and Global Culinary Ambassador of Cunard Line. Zimmermann oversees all of Cunard's restaurants, which includes a staff of 300 chefs. There are are 10 different restaurants aboard the Queen Mary 2 while the Queen Victoria offers eight restaurants. Cunard is focused on providing a gastronomic experience for its passengers, he explained. "Cunard is more culinary than it has ever been before," he said. "We are not a normal cruise ship. We now compete with the best hotels in the world."
The tour also included a visit to Illuminations, which is the ship's full scale planetarium. The room, which also functions as a grand cinema and a 500-seat lecture hall, was spectacular. Its plush velvet seats reclined allowing us to comfortably view a film about cosmic phenomena that was produced by New York's American Museum of Natural History. The film, which was narrated by Robert Redford, is one of six different productions featured at the planetarium.
We stopped by the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, where guests can indulge in massages, treatments and facials. The aqua-therapy pool was spectacular and inviting (see below). It was hard to believe we were on a ship.
Leaving the Queen Mary 2, I couldn't help but feel envious of the passengers who had just boarded the ship for its Transatlantic crossing. Although our visit was merely a glimpse of a Cunard experience, I can now better understand why this ship is considered by many to be the most magnificent ocean liner ever built.
Cunard Line hosted me on board the Queen Mary 2 to learn more about the legendary Transatlantic Crossing experience, but the opinions expressed are my own.
