Vocally the singers were very good, and the dancers were among the best I've seen on a cruise ship.  I don't know what the technical term for this type of dance is, but one of the performers did an interpretive dance that was a cross between tap dancing and stomping, with incredible footwork.  It was acappella dancing and clapping to a rythmic pace set by the soloist dancer.  He put on quite a show and I enjoyed it very much, but I thought his performance would never end…he just kept going and going like the energizer bunny.  The overall floor show was very good, a bit long perhaps, but there certainly was a talented group of singers and dancers. The Royal Court Theater has very good sight-lines throughout the auditorium, and the stage has the potential for high-end production shows.  There is a sunken proscenium or orchestra pit that raises and lowers, which will be great when they use an orchestra.  The latest in high-tech lighting and sound equipment was installed in the Royal Court Theater aboard QM2, with the capacity for world-class stage and productions shows.  

 

A unique form of entertainment never before seen aboard a liner or a cruise ship, has been built into the Illuminations theatre which doubles as a planetarium.  A huge dome, or screen, in the middle of the room covers a portion of specialized chairs that can recline, so passengers can have a full-fledged planetarium experience.  Cunard Line had to get a special permit from the U.S. Coast Guard to install such a large domed screen for the planetarium, a structure that would normally require a number of sprinklers, which would have taken away from the visual effect.  It was about 6pm when we saw the highly anticipated planetarium show called “Infinity Express”, and I must have been tired from running around the ship, because I nearly fell asleep in the middle of the presentation.  It didn't help that the chairs are so comfortable.  The presentation itself was very good, and focused on some new discoveries in the continual search of the galaxies.   The only negative comment I have, is that there was too much use of the domed screen for what seemed to me a high-tech slide show.  I was anticipating more simulated visuals of stars, but it turned out to be more of a multi-media show with a combination of video, slides, and projected images.

 

Aboard QM2 there was an abundance of entertainment options typical of life on a cruise ship, like the usual casino action, night-club scene,  dancing, cabaret shows.  The G32 night club aft of the Queens Room was exceptionally popular for late-night dancing, and it was flat out a very cool room, with at least a dozen flat screen monitors overlooking the dance floor.  A haven for the younger thirty-something passengers, G32 also attracted many off-duty crew members.  Golden Lion Pub was also very popular in the evenings.  I didn't get a chance to experience one of the many lectures that are offered by the University of Oxford, but Cunard is known in recent years for having excellent speakers on a wide range of interesting topics.  Now, aboard the QM2, Cunard Connexions offers enrichment seminars and discussions with speakers from the University of Oxford.  It was once said aboard the QE2 that there are so many activities in the ship's Daily Program, that it would take several months to participate in all of the activities offered during any six-day crossing.  With the QM2 being nearly double in size to the QE2, there is more space for more activities, so passengers can look forward to nearly endless options to entertain one's self during a crossing or a cruise.               

 

Lounges & Public Rooms

One of the unique qualities of the ocean liners from the past were the many lounges to socialize in.  Vessels like the original Queen Mary, the Normandie, ss United States, or the Aquitannia, for example, had palatial interiors and many nooks to socialize, sit and watch the ocean pass by, or read a book. These were huge mansions at sea with beautiful lounges for passengers to immerse themselves in the good life as they often traveled from one continent to another.  Some of these liners had lounges and dinning rooms that soared two and sometimes three levels high, offering passengers a feeling that they were in a mansion or exclusive country club.  When traveling across the vast Atlantic ocean, a person can begin to feel very small, so passenger lines built ships with vast interiors as a distraction for guests to feel like they are in the comfort of a land-based mansion or palace.  Many cruise ships today have impressive lounges and dining rooms that are two and three levels high, as well as atriums that rise up more than eight decks, so one may ask…how does the QM2’s interiors differ from the cruise ships?  A great effort was made to design QM2’s public rooms and lounges to reflect the history of the ocean liner era, with decks Two & Three having taller eleven foot ceilings, and also the vast amount of simulated wood paneling throughout the ship.  There is an art deco theme that was integrated into the layout and décor of QM2, reminiscent of the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.  Some design features from the legendary Normandie can also be seen particularly in the long and wide corridor that stretches through the middle of the ship from the Royal Court Theatre to the Britannia Restaurant.  On the walls of this long corridor are large panels of artwork similar to what was once seen aboard the Normandie in the early 30’s.  With this long and wide thoroughfare stretching at least one forth the length of the ship, passengers have easy and uncrowded access to the Empire Casino, the Golden Lion Pub, the Chart Room, Champagne Bar, the Mayfair Shops, Grand Lobby, Purser’s Desk, Britannia Restaurant and the Royal Court Theatre.  A red with gold design carpet covers this long corridor offering a rich feeling that one may experience in a five star luxury hotel or even a royal palace.  One way to differentiate between the cruise ships and QM2 can be summed up in one word…”class”.  QM2’s interiors are of a solid and permanent construction, with a great deal of “upscale class” that permeates the many lounges, bars, and dinning rooms.

 

The Queens Room, located aft on Deck Three, is the perfect venue for cabaret shows, ballroom dancing and high-noon tea.  A very classy and comfortable lounge, the Queens Room boasts the largest dance floor on any passenger ship.  The wooden dance floor has a beautiful inlaid design imbedded in the flooring, and reflects the lighting from two chandeliers from above.  Similar to the First Class Lounge on the original Queen Mary, there are tall white columns on each side of the Queens Room that line a pathway for passengers to walk, in grand style, from the entrance of the room, forward, to the G32 night club, aft.  The centerpiece to the Queens Room is a bandstand with a royal purple curtain adorned with the signature QM2 logo on the front.  It was in this elegant room that Commodore Warwick, Master of the QM2, greeted the travel agents and media, that were aboard for this short, two-night cruise.

 

Just forward of the Queens Room is the Britannia Restaurant.  To go forward from the Queens Room you could either walk through the upper level to the Britannia Restaurant, or you could use the clever and delightful promenade, flanking each side of the ship, on the elusive Deck 3L.  This Deck 3L is not shown clearly on the deck plan in the brochure, but it is a wonderful passageway with large windows and a great view of the sea.  This deck basically passes under the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant, so passengers wishing to get to the Queens Room and the G32 nightclub, do not have to wander through the restaurant.  I thoroughly appreciated this Deck 3L passage because it was reminiscent of the promenades on the liners of the past.  The starboard side passage doubled as an art gallery, with beautiful paintings, and the port side passage was where the ship’s photographers display their photos of passengers.  Also not seen on the deck plan is an interesting, old fashioned, glass elevator, that transports passengers up and down just one deck from Deck Three to Deck 3L.

 

Perhaps the grandest room on the ship, is the Britannia Restaurant, set to regale in an era of dinning on the Atlantic, aboard one of the great liners of the past.  With it’s tall white columns, back-lit domed ceiling, sweeping staircase, and dark wood paneling, the Britannia Restaurant is like a time capsule replicating the days of when the original Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth were in their glory.  A beautiful room that evokes feelings of passion, romance, tradition and elegance, will certainly be a delight for passengers to dine in during a trans-Atlantic crossing, or a Caribbean cruise.

 

The Golden Lion Pub, is a very popular bar on the QE2, so it was a natural decision to create one aboard the QM2 as well.  Located on Deck 2, this particular bar or lounge was exceptionally popular and well used during our two-night cruise to nowhere. There was always something happening in the Golden Lion Pub, where passengers can order food, drinks, listen to a live band, and enjoy a great sea-view, while socializing and even dancing.  This particular room was meant to emulate the popular bar / restaurants, or pubs which are popular in England.

 

The Chart Room located on Deck 3, just above the Golden Lion Pub, is a very classy room with an art deco décor.  Again, passengers can order a drink, enjoy a great sea-view and listen to live music.  The Chart Room was packed both nights during our short cruise.  One of many watering-holes aboard the QM2, there is certainly no shortage when it comes to finding a place to relax with friends for a drink.  Just across the hall form the Chart Room, on the port side, is yet another bar called Sir Samuel’s, dedicated to Samuel Cunard, the founder of the Cunard Line. Perhaps one may consider this bar as a spill-over from the crowded and popular Chart Room.  With it’s own unique décor, Sir Samuel’s is a smaller, more intimate bar. Just forward of the Chart Room, and on the starboard side of the ship, is the Champagne Bar that overlooks the Grand Lobby.  The Golden Lion Pub, Chart Room, Sir Samuel’s, and the Champagne Bar are all strategically positioned just forward of the Britannia Restaurant, so passengers have a place to meet before and after dinner.    

 

The Commodore Club, on Deck 9, has a forward sea view, a view that was sadly removed from the QE2.  This room is elegant with a great view of the bow, and behind the bar is a brilliant model of the QM2. Just aft of the Commodore Club are two rooms, one is called the Boardroom, and the other is a classic smoking room like the old liners use to have, called Churchill’s.  Up two decks from the Commodore Club, Deck 11, is a quaint lounge called the Atlantic Room. This room also has an ocean view and an open-air observation deck.  For those who may want to find a nook onboard QM2 to play cards, make puzzles, or just sit quietly and read a book, this is the place.  It’s one of those rooms you have to search for to find…it’s not on the beaten path.  Three decks down, on Deck 8, is the very popular Library and QM2 bookshop.  This is the largest library at sea, where guests can browse through thousands of books, explore the internet, or read that mystery novel you’ve always wanted to read, but never had the time.  With a great view over the bow of the ship, cozy chairs entice passengers to sit and relax.  The bookstore is a shiplover’s dream, with loads of nautical books and books about ocean liners.

 

Another classic room, reminiscent from the trans-Atlantic liners, is a garden lounge, or on QM2, the Winter Garden.  This room is on Deck 7, and has the wicker furniture that was a staple on ocean liners.  The ceiling is hand-painted, and there is a wonderful mural on the aft-side of the lounge, behind a waterfall.  On those cool, blustery days on the Atlantic, the Winter Garden, with it’s piped-in bird sounds, is an extremely comfortable and relaxing room, and a contrast to the typical grayish-hue of the Atlantic ocean.

 

Go to the next page of this article