Name: Queen Mary 2 Age: A newborn Nationality: Citizen of the world Claim to fame: The largest, the longest, the widest, the tallest ship in the world.
WHEN Queen Mary 2 set sail from the English port of Southampton for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 12, she was given a warmer sendoff than Titanic received almost a century ago. Queen Mary 2 is after all the world’s largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger vessel! And thank goodness, that unlike Titanic, Queen Mary 2 arrived at her destination safe and sound after two weeks, despite having to face rough weather at the beginning.
Led by a tugboat that shot red and blue water into the air, the Cunard Line’s ship pulled into Port Everglades, next to Fort Lauderdale on the morning of January 26th, with about 2,600 passengers on board who paid anywhere from about $2,800 to $37,499 for the first trip. A procession of Coast Guard and Navy vessels escorted the Queen Mary 2, as hundreds of people lined the shores and nearby high-rises to get a look at the $800 million ocean liner. More than a dozen law enforcement and television helicopters hovered overhead and a small plane tagged a banner reading “Fort Lauderdale welcomes QM2” circled above.
On its maiden voyage, the ship sets a number of records for passenger vessels — largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive. Queen Mary 2 is 1,132 feet long — more than twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall — and 236 feet high, about the height of a 23-story building. It weighs about 151,400 long tons — the rough equivalent of 390 fully loaded 747 jets. There are 1253 officers and crew onboard the ship and it is no wonder as they have to look after — besides the running of the ship — six restaurants, 14 bars and clubs, a library, theatre, pools, a disco and casino. There are 22 elevators and the 1,310 cabins, including duplexes with private gymnasiums and penthouses with butler service. Artists representing 128 countries have been commissioned to provide more than $5 million worth of art. QM2 is the only ship to boast a planetarium and its whistle is audible for ten miles and was originally on Queen Mary.
QM2’s first year will see the ship sail 17 trans-Atlantic crossings. The year will also see QM2 offer nine Caribbean cruises, a voyage to Brazil’s Rio and back, five European cruises and two taking in Canada and the East Coast of America. These cruises range from four to fourteen-days.
The ocean liner joins an illustrious list of massive passenger ships. The Queen Elizabeth 2 — whose trans-Atlantic route will be taken over by the new ship in April — was built in 1967. The original Queen Mary was launched in 1934 and is now a tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach, California.
WHEN Queen Mary 2 set sail from the English port of Southampton for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 12, she was given a warmer sendoff than Titanic received almost a century ago. Queen Mary 2 is after all the world’s largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger vessel! And thank goodness, that unlike Titanic, Queen Mary 2 arrived at her destination safe and sound after two weeks, despite having to face rough weather at the beginning.
