Queen Mary 2 - Balcony Cabin Review
Here is my review of stateroom 11014 on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
I recently sailed on Cunard’s iconic flagship, the Queen Mary 2, for the first time, embarking on a two night Jurassic Coast voyage from Southampton. As this is such a well loved ship, I was excited to get onboard and see how well she has been maintained over the last 20 years.
In this article I share real photos from my exact cabin, explore its pros and cons, and suggest ways that it can be improved by Cunard in the future.
Britannia Balcony Stateroom Fact File
Size: 228-472 sq. ft
Category: BF
Dining: Britannia Restaurant
Amenities: Complimentary breakfast in bed, half a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, daily turndown service with chocolates
Introduction to Cunard’s Queen Mary 2
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Queen Mary 2 is a cruise ship. She’s actually the world’s last ocean liner, built for traversing the Atlantic Ocean in comfort and style. Due to this she has lots of features that modern cruise ships lack, including cosy nooks in hidden corners, fully equipped kennels, and an enormous library.
In total, the Queen Mary 2 is equipped to carry a combination of 2691 passengers and 1173 crew, with a total of 14 passenger decks. As well as being the last ocean liner in existence, she’s also the largest, measuring 1132 ft in length and 148,528 gross tonnes.
Something unusual about this ship is that she operates on a class system, which means that different stateroom categories are granted access to increasingly intimate dining rooms. Those staying in the standard Britannia Staterooms can dine in the impressive Britannia Restaurant, while Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill guests all have access to their own exclusive restaurants, in addition to the main dining room.
About My Cabin
I booked cabin 11014, which is a Britannia Balcony Stateroom located towards the forward end of deck 11, in the hope that it would have fantastic views of the Dorset coast. We ended up sailing during a record breaking heatwave in the middle of June, and I was delighted to find that the air conditioning in the cabin was fantastic, as it was throughout the ship.
But it wasn’t just the air conditioning that I loved.
The room was immaculately clean and decorated with a modern yet classic feel. It’s clear that this room has been renovated in recent years, and while we did spot a few scuffs in places, there was very little wear and tear. After doing some research, it seems that this class of stateroom was refurbished throughout the ship in 2016, when Cunard replaced the carpets, curtains, and added the grey sofa.
We also had a kingsize bed, which was really comfortable, and the pillows and bed linens felt lovely and soft. I was particularly pleased with the wardrobes, which were located in the entryway, and had lots of space. They could easily contain enough clothing for two people on a week’s transatlantic voyage.
Overall, I felt like the cabin was modern and well maintained, with a balcony that felt spacious compared to others I’ve had on newer ships.
While I was really pleased with our room, this is an old ship, and I did feel there were some things that could be improved in the future.
The first, and this is an obvious one, is the bathroom. Many of the bathrooms on the Queen Mary 2 feel dated, and have presumably not been refurbished for many years. Despite this, I found that everything in the bathroom worked perfectly and was very clean, but it’s something I hope Cunard changes in future refits.
It would also be nice to see things like plug sockets installed on each side of the bed, as well as USB charging points.
Note that while Penhaligon body wash, shampoo and body lotion are all provided, conditioner is only available on request from your cabin steward.
Next, the television. Although it was modern and a good size, we struggled to find anything we wanted to watch. It would be great to see a smart television in the rooms with lots of on demand content to choose from - similar to those used on P&O ships, which are owned by the same parent company as Cunard.
The final thing that I would want to change about our cabin was the amount of additional fee drinks that were provided in our room. None of the drinks on the tray or in the fridge were complimentary, and as we had no intention of buying them, they took up a lot of space.
If I was sailing on a longer cruise I would probably ask the cabin steward if they could remove these so that we could make the most of the space - particularly in the fridge. As we were only onboard for two nights, there didn’t seem like much point, as it would just create extra work for the steward.
Final Thoughts
So, would I recommend this stateroom on the Queen Mary 2?
My answer is absolutely, yes. I found it to be very comfortable and surprisingly modern when considering her age. The location boasts great sea views and I loved sitting out on the balcony watching the world go by.
You may not want to book this cabin if you get seasick and are sailing on a transatlantic voyage. Although we didn’t feel any movement during our Jurassic Coast sailing, this might be different when navigating rougher seas, when the higher cabins are likely to feel more movement. If this is something that worries you, then you should book a stateroom on one of the lower decks.
Similarly, if you don’t want to dine in the large Britannia Restaurant, then it might be worth booking one of the higher class of cabins for access to the more intimate Queens Grill, Princess Grill or Britannia Club restaurants.
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Queen Mary 2 Ship Review (to come)
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