When Cunard designed and built Queen Mary 2, they made her the largest, longest, tallest, widest, and most expensive ocean vessel ever built up to that time. She is one of the last of the classic ocean liners and a magnificent vessel. With a passenger capacity of 2,620, QM2's size allows a great variety of passenger amenities. For those who want to be pampered and rejuvenated, the ship features the Canyon Ranch SpaClub®. Athletes can play basketball or virtual reality golf, and a state-of-the-art gym includes a separate weight room. The Cunard ConneXions SM is almost like a college at sea, and she even has some features new to cruising such as a planetarium and a look at marine history in the Maritime Quest Exhibit. Guests can even bring their dog along and board him in an onboard kennel.

Evenings on the Queen Mary 2 are elegant, and the ship plays host to formal gatherings with after dinner entertainment including dancing in the largest ballroom at sea, jazz in the Commodore Club, a casino, cabaret singing in the Chart Room, and West End-calibre shows in the Royal Court Theatre.

Some of the traditional Cunard hallmarks are found throughout the Queen Mary 2 - sweeping staircases, soaring public rooms, a grand ballroom, and a 360° promenade deck. A space ratio of 57.25 makes her one of the roomiest vessels anywhere, and the ship has 14 decks of sports facilities, shops, bars, lounges, 5 pools and no fewer than 10 restaurants. With one staff member per couple, a very high level of service can be expected. For guests who prefer a balcony, three-quarters of the QM2 staterooms have them and some of the lavish two-story duplexes even have their own private exercise equipment.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub

It is not surprising that one of the most luxurious ocean vessels ever built features a Canyon Ranch spa. This highly acclaimed health resort company has elevated the spa experience to an entirely new level offering life-changing programmes, 24 treatment rooms, a thalassotherapy pool with deluge waterfall, a whirlpool, thermal suite with both herbal and Finnish saunas, reflexology basins and an aromatic steam room in an incredible 20,000 square foot breathtaking facility.

Planetarium - Illuminations

Take a virtual ride into outer space, view the stars and other visual spectacles or take a course on celestial navigation in Illuminations, QM2's full-scale planetarium. It also functions as a grand cinema, a 500-seat lecture hall and even a broadcasting studio.

Cunard ConneXions

QM2's cultural enrichment program includes seven classrooms and a 500-seat auditorium where you can attend workshops, seminars and lectures. Learn about the world's finest cultural hotspots - New York and London or attend classes ranging from fashion to foreign languages, watercolour techniques to period furniture. Guests can try film making, join a discussion of British comedy, or compare MoMA and the Tate.

Personal Butler and Concierge Service

Concierges attend to guests in all of the Grill Accommodations, while the Queens Grill categories also feature private butler service.

Play Zone/The Zone

The Play Zone is a well-run activity centre for children 2 - 7 years old and a separate facility, The Zone, provides hours of supervised entertainment and activities for children 8- 12 years old. The area is equipped with a variety of toys and activities from board games to computer terminals with all kinds of learning adventure to keep children fully occupied whilst adults can enjoy some quality time alone.

Dining

Lavish dining is one of the many highlights of the Queen Mary 2 experience with vastly expanded menus and venues. There are 10 restaurants in all and as with the historical tradition of ocean liners, each QM2 stateroom is matched with a reserved table at a sea-view restaurant, complemented by the largest wine selection afloat.

• Britannia Restaurant - stunning 3-story main dining restaurant with a grand sweeping staircase.

• Princess & Queens Grill Restaurant – A special dining room for those in the higher class suites serving delicious creations long acclaimed by food critics as the finest dining experience at sea.

• Todd English – All p assengers can make reservations at the Todd English restaurant and enjoy delectable Mediterranean cuisine - al fresco if they choose.

• Kings Court - a good choice for a casual breakfast or lunch. At night it is transformed into four intimate dining venues: an Asian restaurant, an Italian trattoria, the Carvery, and the Chef's Galley, where guests experience one of the most unique epicurean adventures anywhere.

• Golden Lion Pub - Fine lagers, ales and pub snacks are served in this charming British pub where you can enjoy a pint and watch televised sporting events.

• Boardwalk Cafe – A casual eatery near the pool which is great choice for lunch. Winter Garden - Proper British afternoon tea can be taken in the Winter Garden or Queens Grill Lounge.

Passengers will find rich, traditional furnishings and premium amenities such as a fluffy bathrobe and slippers in their accommodations aboard Queen Mary 2. They can receive and send e-mails, choose from dozens of movies, review a seminar they might have missed or sign up for shore excursions - right from the comfort of their stateroom through the interactive television. Nearly 80% of staterooms have ocean views and over 94% of these feature spacious balconies.

All staterooms include standard amenities such as interactive TV with multi-language film and music channels, data port outlet, refrigerator, hair dryer, bathrobe and slippers, a safe and 110/220-volt outlets.

FACTS & FIGURES

• Length: 1,132 feet

• Beam: 135 feet

• Beam at Bridge Wings: 147.5 feet

• Draft: 32 feet 10 inches

• Height (Keel to Funnel): 236.2 feet

• Gross Tonnage: Approximately 150,000 gross tons

• Passengers: 2,620

• Crew: 1,253

• Top Speed: Approximately 30 knots (34.5 mph)

• Power: 157,000 horsepower, environmentally friendly, gas turbine/diesel electric plant

• Propulsion: Four pods of 21.5 MW each; 2 fixed and 2 azimuthing

• Strength: Extra thick steel hull for strength and stability for Atlantic crossings

• Stabilizers: Two sets

• Cost: Estimated $800 million dollars

To help picture the size of such a large vessel, here are some comparisons about Queen Mary 2, she is:

• Five times longer than Cunard's first ship, Britannia (230 ft.)

• 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary

• More than twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall (550 ft.)

• 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall (984 ft.)

• 3.2; times as long as Westminster Tower (Big Ben) is high (310 ft.)

• 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building is tall (1248 ft.)

• More than three times as long as St. Paul's Cathedral is tall (366 ft.)

• As long as 41 double-decker London buses (31 12; ft. each)

• Whistle is audible for 10 miles