#cunard180

I recently uploaded a new video about the Queen Elizabeth 2. QE2 is a famous ocean liner that sailed for Cunard Line from 1969 to 2008. The QE2 sailed 5.8 million miles, carried 2.5 million passengers and called at hundreds of ports during its cruising career.

In 2008 QE2 left her cruise ship career behind, and has been a floating hotel in Dubai, opening in 2018.

Video: https://youtu.be/NdHfj04oLV0

I first sailed aboard QE2 in 1995, and this was the voyage that sparked my passion for Cunard and Ocean Liners.

In this tour of Cunard’s QE2, you can check out all her major public spaces - from the top of the ship on Signal Deck right down to the waterline on Seven Deck.

We start the tour on Signal Deck and Sun Deck, home to QE2’s penthouse suites. At the aft of Sun Deck, check out the QE2 Funnel Bar. This bar was added during QE2’s 2004 refit, after Queen Mary 2 replaced QE2 on the North Atlantic service.

At the forward end of QE2’s boat deck, you’d find the highest rated restaurant at sea. QE2’s Queens Grill was a special place that catered to those passengers who occupied the penthouses and suites aboard the ship. The QE2’s Queens Grill Lounge was just aft of the Queens Grill, on the Starboard Side. On the port side, you’d find the Boardroom where you could host meetings and even arrange conferencing with the office on land. Amidships on Boat Deck, you could access the Balcony level of the QE2’s Theatre. It sat atop the main theatre level, which was accessible from Upper Deck. This is where I did my first Cunard maritime history lectures. QE2’s shopping promenade is found towards the aft of Boat Deck. The shops surrounded a well that looked down over the QE2’s Grand Lounge. Towards the end of QE2’s career, the shopping promenade included the only seagoing branch of Harrods, as well as souvenir stores and duty free boutiques. Exiting the shops via revolving doors and you’ll find yourself at the QE2 Sports Centre, which featured a paddle tennis court, golf driving range, putt putt and shuffleboard as well as nice views of the ocean. The Crystal Bar spans the full width of the ship and was my favourite bar aboard QE2. It was added during the 1994 refit and was modelled after the First Class observation bar on the original RMS Queen Elizabeth. From here, staircases led down to QE2’s Princess Grill and Britannia Grill located on Quarter Deck.

We also check out the QE2’s Mauretania Restaurant and QE2’s Caronia Restaurant - where HM. Queen Elizabeth II dined when she was aboard the ship.

The QE2’s Princess Grill retained much of its original interior from when the ship entered service. This was, originally, The Grill Room – and reserved for the wealthiest passengers aboard the ship.

QE2’s Britannia Grill dates back to the 1994 refit. It’s rich tones and exclusive atmosphere made the space popular with repeat guests. This restaurant displayed a model of RMS Britannia, the first liner built for Cunard.

Amidships on Upper Deck, the Golden Lion Pub is located on the starboard side. This space was originally the Theatre Bar but was completely recreated in 1994 to become the first Golden Lion pub aboard a Cunarder. On the port side, the QE2 Casino was decorated in an art-deco style with traditionally style slot machines as well as gaming tables. The QE2's Yacht Club is found at the very aft of Upper Deck. It too was created in 1994 replacing a much smaller space that shared the same name.

Located just forward of the D Stairway, the QE2's Caronia restaurant was a famous space aboard QE2. Starting its life as the Columbia restaurant, this was originally the First Class dining room aboard QE2. It was here that HM. Queen Elizabeth II as well as HM. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother dined during visits to the ship.

QE2's Chart Room was a very popular space, and prior to 1994 was known as the mid ships Bar.