The excitement that awaits on board Queen Mary 2

Donna and Julie, Senior Travel Consultants at our Tonbridge & Hythe shops, squeezed every ounce out of their 7-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on board Cunard’s gorgeous flagship, Queen Mary 2. Determined to get the absolute most out of their time, they packed in the onboard experiences and soaked up the shore-based activities. Here Donna tells us all about her and Julie’s time:

“Neither of us had seen or sailed on a Cunard ship before, we were expecting a very formal, traditional atmosphere, mainly for older clientele, but we could not have been more wrong! Even though there were a few formal nights, taking part is totally optional, plus there was a really varied age range on board, with bars and entertainment aimed at such a wide range of passengers. I was surprised at how fantastic the facilities for young children were - for parents wanting some time to themselves whilst on board, the childcare facilities are brilliant, split into three age groups, 2 to 7 years, 8 to 12 years and 13 to 17 years. The daily planner also showed arranged get togethers for solo travellers and people from the LGBTQ+ community - there really is something for everyone!

We were both very impressed right from the moment we stepped on board. Queen Mary 2 is such a gorgeous, spacious ship, with much more of a relaxed and less formal vibe than we were expecting. There are so many places to enjoy whilst on board, from the sun loungers on the decks, to the largest library at sea, or just in your comfortable cabin. Ours was a BY Britannia Balcony and was lovely, with tea and coffee making facilities, good quality air con, very comfortable beds and plenty of storage space. The service was excellent throughout the ship; the staff were always on hand to assist.

We enjoyed spending time at so many of the amazing places on board, trying out as much of what QM2 had to offer as we possibly could:

• The Titanic virtual reality experience - once we got fitted with our headsets and controls, we got to ‘wander around’ The Titanic! It was so awesome to explore the various decks, peek in the different cabin classes and check out the public areas and boiler room of such an infamous ship. It also felt a bit of an eerie and spooky encounter, knowing its’ tragic history.

• We spent quite a lot of time at the fantastic venue G32, the on-board two-storey night club, named after Queen Mary 2’s shipyard hull number. We danced until the early hours, with what can only be described as the best band I’ve seen whilst on a ship. We had a fun evening here for the Silent Disco, as well as joining in the Singalong – an onboard choir experience, where one of the theatre singers took us through our paces. We started with just a la la la la la la la la la to start and were then handed our song lyrics and as a group, attempted ‘Thank you for the music’ and ‘Sweet Caroline.’ Were we any good? No! Did we all have fun? You bet!

• There was more singing at Karaoke, plus Line Dancing, Quizzes and Lectures.

• For a spot of (well earned) relaxation we chilled out in the pools and hot tub, as well as visiting the Spa.

• The Afternoon Tea Dances are a beloved tradition, hosted in the grand Queens Room ballroom and accompanied by the most amazing live orchestra. Julie and I attended 2 of these, and for me, it was by far the best activity on board. The tables all laid out so beautifully, the waiters wearing their white gloves, and presenting stunningly prepared sandwiches, cakes, teas and coffees all whilst we sat enjoying watching the guests participating in the formal dancing. Words cannot describe how much of an emotional rollercoaster this was for me. I cried numerous times as it was just so lovely to be a part of!

• There was a Sailaway Celebration leaving Olden, and of course the glitzy Gala Evening, where we got our best frocks on.

• We also watched two of the evening shows in the Royal Court Theatre, with the ship's company performing top quality singing and dancing.

So many of the activities we took part in on board were included, and as you can see, we had a wonderful action-packed time, so the Cunard fare represents excellent value.

As for the food and drink – let’s just say I wish I’d packed my gym clothes! We were allocated the Britannia main dining room but also enjoyed a meal at the Steakhouse at the Verandah. Both restaurants were lovely, but my favourite onboard was actually the Kings Court buffet! We ate lunch there a few times and twice for evening meals, and of all the cruises I have done, this was the best buffet I have ever experienced at sea. Julie’s top dining choice was the Steakhouse at the Verandah, for the fabulous steaks, seafood and brilliant service. We also enjoyed room service one night, and the pasta served was very tasty, so if you are having a lazy day and want to chill in your cabin, room service is a great option.

With all of this, who needs to actually step off the ship?! But we did! Our itinerary called at Stavanger, Skjolden, Olden and Hardangerfjord, with many excursions available. At Olden we went up the Loen Skylift, one of the steepest cable cars in the world, lifting you a thousand metres almost straight up! The views from the top were so magnificent, this excursion is not to be missed.

Julie had convinced me to be brave, and in Stavanger we did a thrilling High Speed Rib Adventure. Although a little apprehensive at first, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Julie was super excited as this was something she had wanted to do for a long time. Surrounded by steep mountain walls, brimming with waterfalls and dramatic geological formations, once again the views were breathtaking. We both had such fun and thankfully neither of us fell in the water!

We were very lucky to be in Stavanger for Norway’s National Day and got to see parades, marching bands, brilliant traditional costumes, and an abundance of flags and locals celebrating, which was very special.

Another amazing feature of Queen Mary 2 was just how smooth the sailing was. She has been designed and built for Transatlantic crossings, with enhanced stability systems, and having sailed to Norway twice before, I can honestly say I’ve never been on a smoother sailing! I couldn’t even tell we were moving a lot of the time.

The whole trip was exceptional. For me, as someone who has done quite a lot of cruising, I had a fantastic time experiencing what Cunard and Queen Mary 2 has to offer, people may feel that Cunard is more traditional and formal, but as mentioned previously this could not be more wrong! As Julie says, Cunard is not traditional, it’s iconic! Cunard celebrates everything about its rich sailing heritage but offers a very modern cruising experience that is welcoming, entertaining and inclusive to all guests lucky enough to sail with them.”