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By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY
England's Queen Elizabeth II will kick off a new era in luxury cruising today when she christens the first new ocean liner in three decades and the largest one ever built. (Audio: Queen Elizabeth christens the Queen Mary 2)
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 is more than twice the size of its predecessor, the Queen Elizabeth 2, and can carry up to 2,620 passengers, an anomaly in today's luxury cruise market of boutique ships in the 200- to 600-person range. "This is really something different," says Mike Driscoll, editor of industry newsletter Cruise Week. "It almost has as much capacity as all the other luxury ships combined." Being unveiled in a ceremony in Southampton, England, the ship is designed to reinvigorate the tradition of elegant trans-Atlantic crossings, which faded with the Jet Age. Stretching 1,132 feet, nearly as long as four football fields, it will offer amenities such as the first planetarium at sea, a Veuve Clicquot champagne bar, Chanel and Dunhill shops and a "pillow concierge" offering nine kinds of pillows. The largest spa at sea will be run by industry leader Canyon Ranch, famed chef Daniel Boulud designed the menus, and Britain's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts heads up shows. Still, some wonder if luxury can be delivered on such a mass scale. "That's the great unknown," Driscoll says. Another question mark is whether Cunard can continue to fill a ship this big after the initial excitement wears off. Travel agents say bookings have been stronger than expected. But to succeed, the line will have to maintain the momentum without resorting to the steep discounting that has plagued the rest of the industry. Prices start around $1,500 a person for six-night trans-Atlantic crossings and rise to as much as $25,000 a person for the most luxurious suites. Cunard president Pam Conover says the success of the ship's predecessor, the Queen Elizabeth 2, proves the demand for lazy, six-day crossings of the Atlantic. And the grandeur of the new Queen Mary 2 will draw an even bigger pool of voyagers. "In today's fast-paced world, to be able to take six days off to relax is very appealing," she says. Security will be tight Monday when the Queen Mary 2 sets sail on its 14-day maiden voyage to Fort Lauderdale. But Cunard says that, contrary to weekend news reports, it hasn't received terrorist threats against the ship. |
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