| QUEEN MARY 2 |
| CUNARD |
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THE FLOATING
PALACE
by Richard H. Wagner
(This article is reprinted with permission from the September 2004
issue of the New York Law Journal Magazine. © 2004 NLP IP
Company. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.
All rights reserved).
PALACE
by Richard H. Wagner
(This article is reprinted with permission from the September 2004
issue of the New York Law Journal Magazine. © 2004 NLP IP
Company. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.
All rights reserved).
Queen Mary 2 has been part of my life since Cunard Line Ltd.
announced in 1998 that it was going to build a successor to the
legendary Queen Elizabeth 2. Having made 71 voyages on QE2,
each step of the planning and construction of the new ship was of
keen interest to me.
My bias, I must confess, was that QE2 would be a hard act to
follow and I was skeptical about Cunard's newest ship. I had my
first opportunity to go aboard QM2 in New York after her first
transatlantic voyage in April. Soon after, I observed her in action
from the deck of the QE2 as the two ships sailed together to
England. I returned home on QM2.
Any doubts about the new ship gradually fell away, and I have
come to think highly of QM2.
On a recent summer's evening, while standing at the foot of Pier
92 and looking up at the immense bow of QM2, she suddenly came
alive. The longshoremen let go the lines that held her, her bow
thrusters started to churn the water and, with the help of two
azimuthal pods suspended below the stern that allow two of the
ship's four main propellers to turn in any direction, QM2 moved
sideways from the pier.
A blast from her whistle - - taken from the original Queen Mary -
- and she backed swiftly, without assistance, into the river. The
open decks were lined with travelers standing like sailors manning
the rails of a warship. Power, majesty, and perhaps, greatness.
Greatness is what Cunard wanted when they built the QM2. She
was to be the next in a line of a legacy of ships going back more
than 160 years that included the most famous of their times. If the
Cunard brand was to mean anything, this could not be just another
passenger ship. So Cunard invested more than $800 million to build
the QM2. But spending money is not enough to ensure greatness.
QM2 was built as an ocean liner - - the world's first in nearly 40
years. This fact in itself distinguishes her from almost all other
passenger ships operating today.
An ocean liner, with its strong hull and powerful engines, can
withstand bad weather and travel at nearly twice the speed of most
cruise ships. Thus, while cruise ships are best left to leisurely
circuits in the Caribbean or Mediterranean, an ocean liner can go
just about anywhere and get there in a reasonable time. QM2 not
only sails to the popular cruise destinations but she accomplishes
the incomparable Atlantic crossing, too.
Awesome Size
The most striking thing about QM2 is her awesome size. The
dimensions are about the same as a nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier. Her funnel had to be lowered so she could clear the
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and her stern protrudes more than 100
feet into the river when she is docked at Manhattan's Passenger
Ship Terminal.
But QM2 is not just another of the ever-larger condos-on-a-raft
now emerging from shipyards. Rather, she has the streamlined
bow and the graceful uncluttered lines of an Atlantic greyhound.
Ocean liners have been called "floating palaces" because of their
luxurious interiors. But in the early 20th century, the luxury was
limited to first class. Even in later ships, while the designers strove
to match the interiors of shoreside hotels, even first-class
passengers had to accept compromises dictated by space and the
need to work around the machinery that enabled a ship to travel.
There are no such compromises on QM2. The public rooms and
cabins could easily be transplanted to a five-star hotel. Even at sea,
the feeling is more like being in a building than on a ship. QM2 is
very comfortable.
Still, do not expect the Plaza or the Waldorf. Rather, the interior is
like a contemporary top-of-the-line hotel with good quality materials
used in a pleasant, but not particularly memorable, manner. While
most of the public rooms escape the glitz associated with many
cruise ships, it is unlikely any of QM2's decorations will follow
those of the Normandie into the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Dining On Board
QM2 has six restaurants. Each passenger is assigned to one of
the three main restaurants, based upon cabin category. Passengers
then have the choice of eating in the assigned restaurant , in one of
the alternatives, or in the cabin. Most are assigned to the Britannia
restaurant, which is built around a three-story atrium that borrows
ideas from the original Queen Mary, the Normandie and Titanic.
The food is good and, at dinner, the service problems that plagued
the maiden voyage have been resolved. At breakfast and lunch,
however, the restaurant is open seating and everyone arrives at
once with unfortunate consequences for the atmosphere. At these
meals, it is best to try one of the alternatives.
The most popular is the "King's Court" - - the name being a play
on the incongruous fact that this is a self-service food court on a
luxury liner. At the other end of the spectrum is the Todd English
Restaurant, where, for additional charge, inventive dishes developed
by the well-known Boston chef, from whom the restaurant takes its
name, can be tried in an elegant setting.
But the best alternatives are the small eateries scattered around the
ship, such as the Golden Lion, which, not surprisingly, offers
excellent pub food.
Entertainment for the Mind
QM2 has the swimming pools, fitness center, bars, casino, movie
theaters, stage shows, and dancing one expects on modern cruise
ships, and these are excellent. But where Cunard has excelled is in
entertainment for the mind.
The on board lecture program is run by Oxford University, with
first-rate speakers on history, science, and the arts. A troop from
the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts both performs and gives
acting lessons. And the ship boasts the largest library at sea, with
spectacular views over the bow. There is also a planetarium with
films similar to those at the American Museum of Natural History's
Hayden.
But no one is forced to do anything. There are no
over-enthusiastic hosts pressuring passengers to attend a belly-flop
contest at the pool. Moreover, even though there can be more than
2,600 passengers aboard, there are places to be alone and none of
the activities seem overcrowded.
Still, what makes a ship great is not her list of amenities or even
her size. Indeed, the Queen Elizabeth 2 is now the 79th largest
passenger ship, with much fewer facilities than many of her
competitors. Still, QE2 remains a household name whereas the
others are faceless giants.
Personality is what separates a great ship from an ordinary one - -
the indefinable aura that comes from a ship's crew, passengers,
traditions, and experiences. It is why some ships are fondly
remembered while others, with nearly identical technology, are soon
forgotten.
As a new ship, QM2 is still something of a blank slate. But there
is a quiet confidence about her, as if she is sure there are great
things ahead.
announced in 1998 that it was going to build a successor to the
legendary Queen Elizabeth 2. Having made 71 voyages on QE2,
each step of the planning and construction of the new ship was of
keen interest to me.
My bias, I must confess, was that QE2 would be a hard act to
follow and I was skeptical about Cunard's newest ship. I had my
first opportunity to go aboard QM2 in New York after her first
transatlantic voyage in April. Soon after, I observed her in action
from the deck of the QE2 as the two ships sailed together to
England. I returned home on QM2.
Any doubts about the new ship gradually fell away, and I have
come to think highly of QM2.
On a recent summer's evening, while standing at the foot of Pier
92 and looking up at the immense bow of QM2, she suddenly came
alive. The longshoremen let go the lines that held her, her bow
thrusters started to churn the water and, with the help of two
azimuthal pods suspended below the stern that allow two of the
ship's four main propellers to turn in any direction, QM2 moved
sideways from the pier.
A blast from her whistle - - taken from the original Queen Mary -
- and she backed swiftly, without assistance, into the river. The
open decks were lined with travelers standing like sailors manning
the rails of a warship. Power, majesty, and perhaps, greatness.
Greatness is what Cunard wanted when they built the QM2. She
was to be the next in a line of a legacy of ships going back more
than 160 years that included the most famous of their times. If the
Cunard brand was to mean anything, this could not be just another
passenger ship. So Cunard invested more than $800 million to build
the QM2. But spending money is not enough to ensure greatness.
QM2 was built as an ocean liner - - the world's first in nearly 40
years. This fact in itself distinguishes her from almost all other
passenger ships operating today.
An ocean liner, with its strong hull and powerful engines, can
withstand bad weather and travel at nearly twice the speed of most
cruise ships. Thus, while cruise ships are best left to leisurely
circuits in the Caribbean or Mediterranean, an ocean liner can go
just about anywhere and get there in a reasonable time. QM2 not
only sails to the popular cruise destinations but she accomplishes
the incomparable Atlantic crossing, too.
Awesome Size
The most striking thing about QM2 is her awesome size. The
dimensions are about the same as a nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier. Her funnel had to be lowered so she could clear the
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and her stern protrudes more than 100
feet into the river when she is docked at Manhattan's Passenger
Ship Terminal.
But QM2 is not just another of the ever-larger condos-on-a-raft
now emerging from shipyards. Rather, she has the streamlined
bow and the graceful uncluttered lines of an Atlantic greyhound.
Ocean liners have been called "floating palaces" because of their
luxurious interiors. But in the early 20th century, the luxury was
limited to first class. Even in later ships, while the designers strove
to match the interiors of shoreside hotels, even first-class
passengers had to accept compromises dictated by space and the
need to work around the machinery that enabled a ship to travel.
There are no such compromises on QM2. The public rooms and
cabins could easily be transplanted to a five-star hotel. Even at sea,
the feeling is more like being in a building than on a ship. QM2 is
very comfortable.
Still, do not expect the Plaza or the Waldorf. Rather, the interior is
like a contemporary top-of-the-line hotel with good quality materials
used in a pleasant, but not particularly memorable, manner. While
most of the public rooms escape the glitz associated with many
cruise ships, it is unlikely any of QM2's decorations will follow
those of the Normandie into the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Dining On Board
QM2 has six restaurants. Each passenger is assigned to one of
the three main restaurants, based upon cabin category. Passengers
then have the choice of eating in the assigned restaurant , in one of
the alternatives, or in the cabin. Most are assigned to the Britannia
restaurant, which is built around a three-story atrium that borrows
ideas from the original Queen Mary, the Normandie and Titanic.
The food is good and, at dinner, the service problems that plagued
the maiden voyage have been resolved. At breakfast and lunch,
however, the restaurant is open seating and everyone arrives at
once with unfortunate consequences for the atmosphere. At these
meals, it is best to try one of the alternatives.
The most popular is the "King's Court" - - the name being a play
on the incongruous fact that this is a self-service food court on a
luxury liner. At the other end of the spectrum is the Todd English
Restaurant, where, for additional charge, inventive dishes developed
by the well-known Boston chef, from whom the restaurant takes its
name, can be tried in an elegant setting.
But the best alternatives are the small eateries scattered around the
ship, such as the Golden Lion, which, not surprisingly, offers
excellent pub food.
Entertainment for the Mind
QM2 has the swimming pools, fitness center, bars, casino, movie
theaters, stage shows, and dancing one expects on modern cruise
ships, and these are excellent. But where Cunard has excelled is in
entertainment for the mind.
The on board lecture program is run by Oxford University, with
first-rate speakers on history, science, and the arts. A troop from
the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts both performs and gives
acting lessons. And the ship boasts the largest library at sea, with
spectacular views over the bow. There is also a planetarium with
films similar to those at the American Museum of Natural History's
Hayden.
But no one is forced to do anything. There are no
over-enthusiastic hosts pressuring passengers to attend a belly-flop
contest at the pool. Moreover, even though there can be more than
2,600 passengers aboard, there are places to be alone and none of
the activities seem overcrowded.
Still, what makes a ship great is not her list of amenities or even
her size. Indeed, the Queen Elizabeth 2 is now the 79th largest
passenger ship, with much fewer facilities than many of her
competitors. Still, QE2 remains a household name whereas the
others are faceless giants.
Personality is what separates a great ship from an ordinary one - -
the indefinable aura that comes from a ship's crew, passengers,
traditions, and experiences. It is why some ships are fondly
remembered while others, with nearly identical technology, are soon
forgotten.
As a new ship, QM2 is still something of a blank slate. But there
is a quiet confidence about her, as if she is sure there are great
things ahead.
QM2 leaving the Manhattan Passenger
Ship Terminal in July 2004.
Ship Terminal in July 2004.
QM2 taken from QE2 during transatlantic
crossing April 2004.
crossing April 2004.