In the spirit of her predecessors, the 2,620-passenger QM2 evokes a feeling of grandeur and elegance, while at the same time featuring contemporary style and amenities and the latest technological innovations.
The first ocean liner to be built since QE2, she features classic Cunard hallmarks such as sweeping staircases, expansive promenades, stylish restaurants and public rooms of an imposing scale.
The sheer size of the vessel - 150,000 tonnes - has enabled the line to create a space ratio per passenger of 57.25, making her among the grandest of the world's larger passenger ships.
QM2 has been built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, the birthplace of such famous liners as Normandie, France and Ile de France. Because she is a prototype of such unique design, the $800 million project has employed teams of naval architects, engineers and maritime experts, including the marine interior design firms of SMC-Tillberg and design team, both based in London.
The liner's handsome, traditional exterior lines are complemented by stylish interiors that carry the grace and elegance of a bygone era into the future. Facilities include 1,310 fully equipped staterooms and suites, nearly three quarters of which will have private balcony, and a variety of passenger spaces, from a majestic, three-storey dining room to intimate bars and lounges to the first sea-going planetarium.
On the technical side, the powerplant includes two gas turbines and four diesel engines. More than two-thirds of this energy is used to power a state-of-the-art Mermaid Pod Propulsion System, comprised of two fixed and two azimuthing pod units. The powerful new system provides a speed of nearly 30 knots with low noise and vibration levels and maximum manoeuvrability.
