The Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 is currently in Hamburg undergoing a complete refurbishment. The ship, which entered dry dock on May 27, will have its restaurants, cabins, and public areas renovated, and will also undergo mechanical maintenance.
Blohm+Voss will be in charge of carrying out this renovation, the largest since the QM2 entered service and the sixth time that it has been responsible for remodeling it.
The ship will undergo a renovation of its most popular areas, such as the restaurants and the Kings Court lounge, where some elevators have been removed to increase space, reduce overcrowding at the buffet, and improve passenger flow. The Winter Garden will be replaced by the Carinthia Lounge, enhancing the quality of its breakfasts, lunches, and coffees. The Mediterranean restaurant, Todd English, will be replaced by the contemporary French cuisine of The Verandah Restaurant.
The Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia Restaurant, Golden Lion, and Veuve Clicquot will also be updating their image and menus. New stores for Michael Kors, Aspinal, and Barbour will open, and part of the photography gallery will be replaced with a wine cellar where sommeliers can enjoy a variety of wines.
This refurbishment will also affect the cabins. A total of 50 cabins, located on deck 13, will be updated, and 30 Britannia Club balconies will be added. In addition, 15 single rooms will be added, and the areas and services for dogs traveling on the QM2 will be expanded.
The engineering work and mechanical maintenance include upgrades to the bridge and fuel tanks. It will also be upgraded for environmental protection with the installation of four new scrubbers and their corresponding exhaust gas filters. The four pods and stabilizer systems will be serviced, and the three bow thrusters will be removed and serviced. Finally, an environmentally friendly paint finish will be applied.
The ship's dry-dock stay is scheduled to end on June 21st, with an eye toward its transatlantic crossing two days later, which will take it from Southampton to New York. Cunard continues to invest in expanding its fleet and routes. So much so, in fact, that the shipping company may revive the iconic Liverpool to New York route.
