Inside Cunard’s £850 million Queen Mary 2 – the longest, tallest and most expensive ocean liner ever built

Travel writer Jo Kessel filmed her two-night journey on one of the world’s most iconic ships. The images show her exclusive Princess Grill Suite (one of the highest category cabins on the ship) and the benefits that come with it. Plus, it has the inside scoop on the ship’s planetarium, its library of 10,000 books, and a specialty cocktail called the “Transatlantic Love Affair.”

Luxury British cruise line Cunard is one of the world’s most prestigious and chic. The flagship is the £850 million Queen Mary 2, which remains the longest, tallest and most expensive liner ever built.

It is also of the world only ocean liner – designed to carry passengers across thousands of miles of wide, open Atlantic Ocean. All other ships in the cruise industry are ships, not liners.

Cunard’s very first ocean liner was Britannia, built in 1840. There have been several incarnations over the centuries, the most recent of which was the 2,691-passenger Queen Mary 2 (QM2) – its predecessor was the Queen Elizabeth 2. The line is constantly updated and refreshed and a few years ago the QM2 got a £90 million facelift.

Sailing in every cabin on the QM2 is a bucket list experience. But the most exclusive accommodation is ‘Grill’ suites – luxury cabins with their own VIP lounge, sundeck and restaurant. Eager to see what it’s like to stay in an expensive cabin on one of the world’s most iconic ships, I checked into a Princess Grill suite, hoping to capture it on camera.

Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only ocean liner – designed to carry passengers across thousands of miles of wide, open Atlantic Ocean

The video begins exploring the outside of Queen Mary. The upper deck on most cruise ships has a central pool, but not on the QM2. While there are pools – five in total – the open deck at its core is devoted to classic cruising games like quoits, shuffleboard, and paddle tennis, all of which are great fun to play.

Queen Mary’s mainstay is the famous seven-day transatlantic crossing between Southampton and New York. That’s why the ship has such a unique design, with a wider-than-normal wraparound promenade and a huge space on the top deck for passengers to stretch their legs.

Occasionally the ship does sail elsewhere. Mine was a two night mini cruise from Southampton to Hamburg. From there the ship continued to the Norwegian fjords before returning to the Atlantic crossings.

One of five swimming pools aboard the 2,691-passenger Queen Mary 2

The ship’s open deck is dedicated to classic cruising games such as quoits, shuffleboard (upstairs), and paddle tennis. Jo says they are ‘all great fun to play’

A few years ago, the Queen Mary 2 got a £90 million facelift, reveals Jo

The QM2 is a historic ship whose classic interior harks back to times gone by. The footage reveals the sweeping staircases of the grand atrium – it’s impossible not to channel your inner Kate Winslet as you float down them. Equally impressive is the huge wooden library, complete with 10,000 books. The late Queen Elizabeth II (who is godmother of this ship) found this space particularly inspiring when she toured the ship before naming it in 2004.

In the days of the Titanic, passengers sailed first class, second class or steerage. And while even Queen Mary’s cheapest cabins are quite stylish these days, the first-class cabins really offer a taste of how first-class could be. Ditto my Princess Grill suite, which is where the video goes next.

It’s incredibly spacious, decorated in royal red and blue, with a walk-in closet and oversized balcony. If only it came with Leonardo di Caprio! However, it has other benefits, including access to an exclusive lounge, sun terrace and restaurant.

Jo describes her Princess Grill suite as “incredibly spacious, decorated in royal red and blue, with a walk-in closet and oversized balcony.”

Jo says the huge wooden library, complete with 10,000 books, is “impressive.”

Cunard has a reputation for being a glamorous, elegant line whose passengers love to dress up for dinner and the film shows me getting ready for a gala evening – it’s a pleasant change from jeans and a T-shirt.

But could the exclusive restaurant reserved for Princess Grill suite guests really be superior fine dining? The answer is a resounding yes. A rack of lamb sizzles in the skillet, a specialty I should have ordered earlier in the day. Not only was the artistry of preparing ‘a table’ a feast for the eyes, but the dish was also a treat for the taste buds. It was melt in the mouth fantastic; ditto the pancakes Suzettes for dessert.

The rest of the video provides a snapshot of the many activities available to make the most of a day at sea. There are many dance classes on the schedule – I tried the line dancing in the Queen’s ballroom, which made my heart beat faster. A sit-down was then in order, and the ship’s planetarium is the most popular ticket. It is the largest at sea and is the perfect place to sit back and contemplate not only our star universe, but how incredible it is that a liner even has a planetarium!

Cocktails are also a Cunard classic. The most famous is the ‘Transatlantic Love Affair’ served at the Commodore Club. Ingredients are sherry, gin and prosecco. The piece de resistance is when the bartender puts light on it.

“Cunard has a reputation for being a glamorous, elegant line whose passengers love to dress up for dinner,” says Jo

The ship has a wall of fame with the Hollywood greats who have sailed it (and its predecessors)

Afternoon tea, pictured, is served by white-gloved waiters and accompanied by a harpist

Jo says the ship’s planetarium, pictured, is the “perfect place to sit back and reflect not only on our star universe, but how incredible it is that a liner even has a planetarium”

Then there’s afternoon tea, served by white-gloved waiters and accompanied by a harpist. The signature scones with clotted cream are divine.

There is a romance about the Queen Mary 2 that no other ship manages to capture. This is classic cruising at its best and life on board often feels like a scene from a movie. Indeed, the ship has a wall of fame with the Hollywood greats who have sailed it over the years (and its predecessors), from Clark Gable to Elizabeth Taylor to Charlie Chaplin. Better yet, this is a ship that knows how to party and that’s where the movie ends, with some boogying at the nightclub followed by a Broadway-style high-octane theater show.

Two nights is a good taste, but I wanted more. And the good news is that there is more at stake. Stay tuned for Cunard’s brand new ship Queen Anne, coming to our seas in May 2024.

For more videos from Jo, visit her YouTube channel, Go with Jo.