Coming Attractions: Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 to Make 200th Transatlantic Crossing

Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 will mark a major milestone on her July 6, 2013 voyage from New York to Southampton, achieving her 200th Transatlantic Crossing in her ninth season since entering service in 2004. The milestone will be commemorated with various activities and special speakers and performers on board to add to the celebratory mood.

“Sailing a Transatlantic Crossing aboard our flagship Queen Mary 2 is a luxury travel experience like no other,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “And now with 200 Crossings under her belt, the grandest ocean liner in the world has proven to be the icon of the new golden age of ocean travel across the Atlantic.”

As part of the Cunard Insights on board enrichment program, Stephen Payne OBE, who was largely responsible for the overall design of Queen Mary 2, will present a fascinating perspective on her construction. Stephen also will be the guest of honor at an evening gala on board, which will include a commemorative dinner with a special menu. In addition, BBC newsreader and Classic FM presenter Nick Owen will lecture on board.

Also adding to the festivities will be 16 musicians, plus a band leader and vocalist, from the world-renowned Juilliard School of Dance, Drama and Music. The group will perform as a jazz orchestra providing a selection of Big Band, Swing, and Glenn Miller style music and smaller ensemble pieces. Other Juilliard performances will include an evening event in the Royal Court Theatre with full orchestra and vocalist, an afternoon tea dance, lunch time jam sessions featuring an ensemble in the Chart Room, and a late evening ensemble in Illuminations. The band leader and members of the orchestra will also give two jazz master class lectures and a live Q&A.

Queen Mary 2 is still the largest, longest, tallest, widest, and most expensive ocean liner ever built. She is also the fastest passenger ship in the world. In the course of the flagship's 200 Transatlantic Crossings, Cunard estimates that passengers have consumed:

• 8.4 million cups of tea
• 980,000 scones
• 481,000 bottles of champagne
• 644,000 eggs
• 960,000 litres of milk

Queen Mary 2 Sails From New York City

In total, Queen Mary 2 has served 22.4 million meals and sailed over 600,000 nautical miles during her first 200 Crossings. These figures do not take into account her annual World Cruise or her sailings to the Canaries, Fjords, Iceland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, around Britain, up to Montreal and Quebec in Canada, or among the Caribbean islands.

Looking at Cunard’s earlier vessels, Queen Mary (1936-1967) crossed the Atlantic 1,001 times; Queen Elizabeth (1940-1968) crossed 896 times; and Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969-2008) crossed 812 times.

Transatlantic Crossings aboard Queen Mary 2 offer time to leisurely explore the ship’s extensive on board amenities and activities, including lectures through the award-winning Cunard Insights program; stargazing in the only planetarium at sea; white-gloved afternoon tea served in the Queens Room or a spin around the dance floor during a Royal Nights themed ball; taking in a performance or workshop by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or perusing 8,000 volumes in the largest library at sea.

Special promotional fares for the 200th Transatlantic Crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 on the 6 July 2013 voyage are available. For more information, visit Cunard.com.

Images Courtesy of Cunard Line