HAMBURG, Germany -- The iconic Queen Mary 2 resumed trans-Atlantic service on Tuesday following a massive, 23-day makeover at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Germany.
Billed as a “remastering,” the overhaul was the famed Cunard ocean liner’s most extensive refurbishment to date, utilizing some 300 40-foot containers’ worth of fittings, 6,500 pieces of new furniture, 4,000 new works of art, and including Blohm and Voss employees, the ship’s own crew and outside contractors, the round-the-clock efforts of over 5,200 workers.
After 12 years of summer crossings and long winter voyages chalking up 1.78 million miles, the Queen Mary 2 was primed for a stem-to-stern tune up. In addition to having its propulsion machinery overhauled and just about every inch of hull and superstructure blasted and recoated with some 2,721 gallons of marine grade paint, the 1,132-by-131 foot liner got 50 new cabins while numerous public areas were modified or completely rebuilt.
During a brief visit to the ship on the 9th day of the refit, a USA TODAY representative saw massive cranes hoisting eight prefabricated, Finnish-built blocks to house 35 cabins (30 Category A2 Club Balcony Staterooms and 5 Category IF Standard Insides) on Deck 13.
Throughout the liner, as hammers pounded, saws buzzed and workers in hard hats hauled construction materials between job sites, remaining works of art, railings and paneling were wrapped in protective plastic. The majority of carpeting had already been removed, exposing steel decks and insulation, all prior to the installation of some 438,091-square-feet of newly woven carpeting, some of it sporting patterns replicated from the Queen Mary 2’s 1936-built namesake, now preserved as a hotel and attraction in Long Beach, California.
To make way for the new cabins on the top of the ship, two sports courts were being moved further aft while the Deck 13 wading pool and two Jacuzzis will be jettisoned. More cabins also were being added to the interior of the ship, including six cabins for solo travelers (Category KC Singles) featuring circular picture windows that are replacing a photo gallery on Deck 3 and nine more cabins for solo travelers (Category KB Singles) that will be occupying what was once the aft portion of the Empire Casino on Deck 2. These are the ship's first cabins for solo travelers.
For many of the QM2’s single guests who have had to pay a supplement to occupy a standard cabin, the addition of cabins for solos is welcome news. On the flip side, the now 2,961-passenger ship’s new cabins will claim both open deck and interior space, although the passenger space ratio still will remain at a generous 50.16.
All of the accommodations were being overhauled with new soft fittings, the addition of 1,305 tea kettles and a muted gray color scheme. Work on top category Queens and Princess Grill staterooms was scheduled to be completed by Tuesday, but some Britannia class staterooms won’t be transformed until year’s end.
The once too similar-looking Queens and Princess Grills were getting complete makeovers. The Princess Grill will sport a new Regency-inspired look with blue accents versus the Queen’s Grill, will which will boast a slightly more upscale, Art Deco vibe with eggshell tones offset by deep blue and crimson highlights.
Todd English, the extra-tariff specialty dining venue with menus curated by the Boston-based celebrity chef, was being replaced with the Verandah Restaurant, a French eatery that is a popular staple aboard the QM2’s fleetmates, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. Inspired by the grills on the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the QM2’s Verandah is now located on aft Deck 8 overlooking the ship’s stern.
Many loyal fans of the ship will be pleased that the often congested King’s Court buffet restaurant on Deck 3 has been expanded with a more open floor plan to improve traffic flow. It also has received reconfigured serving stations that can be used for cooking demonstrations. Meanwhile, the three deck tall Britannia Restaurant, one of the loftiest dining rooms at sea, has been enhanced with new paintwork and all new soft fittings.
During USA TODAY's visit, an underutilized venue, the Winter Garden, was being completely rebuilt into the Carinthia Lounge. Named for two of Cunard’s past liners, it will offer light breakfast and lunch, afternoon tea and tapas-style dinners with musical accompaniment.
In the Royal Court Theater, a new 22-foot wide, high definition LED screen was being installed to enhance the production shows and all of the cushions were being replaced. At the same time, the Canyon Ranch Spa had been stripped to the steel framework awaiting new paneling, tile work and lighting.
In the Grand Lobby atrium, the two panoramic lifts had been removed to facilitate better passenger flow. Other popular spaces such as the Commodore Club observation lounge, the Veuve Clicquot champagne bar, Chart Room bar and even the Golden Lion Pub (renowned for its authentic fish and chips) were getting renewed soft fittings and/or furnishings.
Even the ship’s four-legged passengers are benefiting from the upgrading, with the addition of 10 kennels for a new grand total of 22. Priced per crossing at $1,000 for a lower and $800 for an upper, they are often booked up to a year in advance. Passengers can visit their pets in a completely restyled kennel lounge that will boast colorful murals by Karen Katon Oprey, daughter of the ship’s popular Captain Kevin Oprey, who was overseeing much of the makeover.
The final price tag for the refit, the largest in the history of Cunard parent company Carnival UK and estimated in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, will be revealed on Thursday. At the same time, the Queen Mary 2’s ranking as one of the world’s most celebrated and esteemed passenger ships should be assured for many years to come.
