My tour guide said "Welcome on Board Queen Mary 2" and that is exactly how I felt on Saturday 10th January 2004.

My excitement had started in 2002 when reading the original publicity and brochures from Cunard, then continued when I attended a lecture by Mr Stephen Payne describing how he had designed the vessel, then by knowing that friends were to travel on the Maiden Voyage from Southampton in England to Fort Lauderdale in America on 12th January 2004. The publicity pictures and web-site views increased my excitement and suddenly it was Boxing Day in England (26th December 2003) and the new Cunarder was due to arrive in her home port of Southampton. I was there!

On Boxing Day my first view of the new ship was a flash of Cunard red sending a tingle of excitement down my spine as she appeared out of the rain and mist in Southampton Water. I was on board Blue Funnel's "Solent Cat" and for the next three hours our Captain ensured that we all had excellent views of the ship. We met her in Southampton Water, accompanied her up to the turning basin, and then back to her berth at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal. She looked so huge at 236 feet high, and her Bridge seemed on a level with the top of the quayside cranes. It was a wonderful occasion and I was very excited to be part of the flotilla welcoming the largest, longest, tallest, widest, grandest ocean liner ever.

On the day of the Naming Ceremony 8th January 2004 I drove down to Southampton's Mayflower Park to watch it on the big screens in the Park, along with hundreds of others. A lady from BBC Radio Solent asked me where I had come from. When I told her 84 miles from Berkshire, and why, she asked if I would like to come to her radio car and be interviewed. I said yes, thank you, and we subsequently chatted about "Queen Mary 2", my interest in ships and liners, Union-Castle Line, what a great day it was for Britain's maritime heritage, Mr Stephen Payne the designer, about Commodore R W Warwick being Master of the ship, about friends from the Steam Ship Historical Society of America being passengers on the Maiden Voyage, and how I was looking forward to going on board myself. I know that everyone in the Park felt that we had been present at a very special moment in Britain's maritime heritage, with Cunard's new liner being named, in front of so many distinguished guests, in her home port by Her Majesty The Queen.

Climbing the gangway on 10th January to board the "Queen Mary 2" was a remarkable feeling, especially when I entered the Grand Lobby area on Deck 3. This is the first major space passengers see upon boarding the ship. Above me was the atrium, extending through six decks, giving an impression of elegant light and warmth, and I loved the ambience of it. The most amazing sight was the gold-coloured bronze relief of the ship high up against one wall. Everything was eye-catching and I think the Grand Lobby really sets the tone for this fantastic ship. There are five sets of lifts from this Deck, so I went up to Deck 12.

Located on Deck 12 is The Pavilion, which is an indoor/outdoor area, thanks to the Magrodome sliding glass roof. The area features the Pavilion Pool and two whirlpools, open teak deck space, and a Boardwalk Café at the aft end. I was told that the Dog Kennels were situated nearby, a facility only offered by one other vessel - the "Queen Elizabeth 2". The view of the funnel and two ship's whistles (one from the first Queen Mary and the other a specially-made replica) through the glass roof was an unexpected treat. I remember hearing the noise from them several times on 26th December, as did everyone within a 10-mile radius I'm told!

Also on this deck are two golf simulators - Fairways - and shuffleboard areas marked out. Passenger cabins are located in the forward half of this deck.

On Deck 10 I visited the spacious and light Suite Q5 and Junior Suite P1, whose passengers dine in the Princess Grill. On this deck are the upper storeys of the Grand Duplex and Duplex Apartments at the aft end.

Deck 9 has more accommodation, including the Balmoral Grand Duplex and the Sandringham Grand Duplex, said to be the most lavish and magnificent suites afloat. The two-storey Balmoral and Sandringham Duplexes each have 2,249 square feet of sweeping living quarters with extensive balcony and spectacular views over the stern, and include a fully stocked bar, dining area for eight, dressing room, interactive plasma screen TV and home office corner. Upstairs, the master bedroom has private exercise equipment, a second TV, two marble 'his and hers' dressing rooms with connecting bathrooms with separate whirlpool bath and shower. There is a guest bathroom with shower downstairs. The 1,471 square feet Windsor and Buckingham Duplexes, and the 1,566 square feet Holyrood Duplex are similar to the Balmoral and Sandringham, but with slightly smaller staterooms and balconies. Lovely colour schemes, views and facilities should ensure a memorable time on board in this accommodation.

On Deck 9 are the Commodore Club Lounge, the Boardroom and the Cigar Lounge, which I was not able to visit, but offer wonderful panoramic views.

Deck 8 has more accommodation, plus the Todd English restaurant. This serves contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, for those who fancy a change from their assigned restaurant. The decorations I saw in the Reception area seemed to have a Moorish influence, in great contrast to the Duplexes I had just viewed. Dining alfresco is also possible, with access and views out to the Terrace Pool. Deck 8 also has The Library and The QM2 Bookshop, which I would love to have visited, but I am sure they will have the best maritime publications available to read and buy!
Deck 7 offered the chance to visit the Princess Grill. This has single seating for 178 guests, is decorated in silver and reserved for those who occupy P grade staterooms on board. The furnishings were very elegant in style, but I thought the red, turquoise or blue colour schemes all in the one room to be somewhat divisive, perhaps intentionally. The etched glass was most attractive and I admired the Art Deco styling of the mirrors. Black and white photographs of New York long ago made an attractive addition to the room.

Deck 7 also has the informal but huge Lido restaurant. By day this serves breakfast and lunch buffet style. It is transformed in the evenings into four different dining areas: La Piazza (Italian), The Carvery (British), Lotus (Asian) and Chef's Galley, which is a demonstration kitchen. It is an interesting concept, with an abundance of unappealing but hygienic-looking stainless steel in the vast serving areas.

On this deck was an alluring sight: the 360-degree Promenade Deck, at 2,034 feet long. It is wide enough to allow a deck chair and four people walking abreast of each other. The sight of all those new teak wood steamer chairs brought another tingle to my spine - just imagine being able to walk around the whole Promenade Deck at will! I couldn't see a maker's name on the steamer chairs, but they made a memorable sight against the ship's rails.

Walking forward brought me to the Winter Garden, with a design said to be based on the conservatory at Kew Gardens. Two hundred and seventy guests can enjoy events like classical concerts and afternoon tea here. My eye was drawn by the trompe d'oeil painted ceiling, then by the somewhat noisy waterfall down one wall. The falling water drew the eye to the brightly coloured painting behind it, of parrots and jungle leaves. The artificial agapanthuses in front of the waterfall were a pretty and eye-catching blue, but the central area generally looked rather 'busy' to my eye. The furniture placed at the outer edges of this room looked comfortable and appropriate and the overhead ceiling fans around the room brought an echo of days in a hot climate, before air-conditioning became the norm on ships at sea.

Further forward on Deck 7 is the largest health spa afloat - the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, complete with another small waterfall between decks. Fifty-one Canyon Ranch personnel, working in 20,000 square feet over two decks, are responsible for the thalassotherapy pool, massage and skin care treatment rooms, an aromatic steam room, a therapy pool, a Finnish sauna, gym and fitness centre, a relaxation lounge, a thermal suite and 20 treatment rooms. I felt quite overwhelmed with this area, until my eye was caught by the design of a hand-dryer in one of the rest rooms. I hope I was meant to be amused by the quirky design of this item - I loved it!

Deck 6 has the Minnows pool aft, and accommodation in grades C1, D3, and D1 staterooms; these are standard inside or outside staterooms of 194 square feet, with dual-height coffee table for in-room dining. D1 staterooms feature views into the atrium below, and to other passengers who might be looking out of their window across the atrium space. B4 Premium Balcony staterooms offer 269 square feet including a panoramic hull balcony with loungers and tables. Cunard point out that 953 (72.7%) of staterooms feature balconies and 77.6% of staterooms are outside.

My tour took me next to Deck 2, through the aft entrance of the Britannia Restaurant. This is one of the most impressive spaces on board and I found it most attractive. It seats one thousand, three hundred and forty-seven guests in two sittings, and is situated on two levels but actually spans the space of three storeys. There is a central forward staircase, so one can 'sweep in' with great style from the port or starboard side and down the central stairs, and be under the overhead lighting well. This coloured deck-head is lovely and reminded me of those in the First Class Dining Saloons of Union-Castle Line Mailships of the early 1900s, which were truly beautiful.

There are classic columns, a delightful frieze and the largest tapestry ever to go to sea, hanging at the aft end of the Restaurant. It is designed by Amsterdam-based Barbara Broekman, who said her inspiration for the ship in the tapestry came from a 1930s era poster for Holland America Line, whose image captured best for her the Art Deco style which the overall design of "Queen Mary 2" was trying to emulate. The tapestry is a complex abstract of layered images, and is memorable.
The Lower Grand Promenade is reached via the main forward entrance (lower level) of the Britannia Restaurant. Along here I enjoyed looking at the bas-reliefs of the Four Seasons along either side. The unique design of the ship means that the uptakes from the Engine Room have been split. This allows for the placement of the public rooms to each side, offering sea views, as well as two main central arteries on Decks 2 and 3 - the Lower and Upper Grand Promenades. I walked forward on the port side through the Empire Casino, which features 115 slot machines and 11 gaming tables in quite a small space, and has its own bar. On the starboard side is the Golden Lion Pub, styled after a traditional British pub with lots of dark coloured furnishings and patterned red carpet, which will serve traditional lunchtime food.

Further forward along the Lower Grand Promenade I stopped at the Purser's Office to hand in some Bon Voyage cards for friends travelling on the Maiden Voyage, and the staff were happy to check the stateroom numbers and assure me that the cards would be placed in the rooms.

I then saw the entrance to the Royal Court Theatre, which is the main showroom on board. It is decorated in red and seats 1,094 over two levels. I was told that it features a proscenium stage which extends into the audience, state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting, a revolving platform and lifts on stage for elaborate sets, an orchestra pit that can drop and rise level with the stage to extend the performing area and a video wall as a background set.

Outside the Theatre I walked into ConneXions, a dedicated college-at-sea, in a seven-room area that offers a programme of education and dedicated courses on a variety of subjects offered via the Oxford Discovery Programme. It features two computer-learning centres, a business centre and can be linked to the Planetarium and the Main Theatre.

From here I went up a spiral staircase to Deck 3 which brought me to the entrance to Illuminations, the first and only planetarium at sea. The room seats 473 and can also double as a cinema or a television studio. At the entrance are two attractive and large sculptures of Jupiter and Mercury. I saw and enjoyed just a very short display of the planetarium show, and found it a fascinating experience, with a definite "wow" factor.

Walking aft again on Deck 3 brought me to the glittering Mayfair Shops. I continued down the Upper Grand Promenade and came to Sir Samuel's Wine Cellar Bar, which seats 60 and is named after Sir Samuel Cunard who founded the company in 1839.

Over on the starboard side I loved visiting the Chart Room Bar, reminiscent of the one on "Queen Elizabeth 2", and found it equally attractive in a very understated way. Etched glass pictures on the walls of this large area were delightful. This lovely room earned another "wow"! The Chart Room Bar offers access to the Champagne Bar.

Stairs down to Deck 3L led me through a photo gallery called Images, which becomes a fine art gallery when the photo gallery is closed.

Stairs up again took me to Deck 3 and the entrance to the beautiful Queen's Room, the ship's ballroom with a capacity for 562 passengers. It is an eye-catching formal room with a dramatic arched ceiling, crystal chandeliers and excellent ocean views on both sides. I found it very comfortable, very stylish, with lots of eye-catching details, including the arch over the orchestra stage. A welcome glass of Champagne at this point meant that I had time to enjoy the ambience of the room, and drink to the success of this fantastic new Cunarder: "Queen Mary 2", before I reluctantly went ashore.

I loved visiting this fantastic new ship, and feel that Cunard should be congratulated for their achievement. She is a huge vessel, with fascinating public rooms and cabins, lots of beautiful decorations to see and enjoy, lots of wonderful maritime art such as Captain Stephen Card's paintings, the Barbara Broekman tapestry, and the memorable bronze relief of the ship. All the staff I met during my visit seemed happy to be there, and offered every help and kindness to everyone. I imagine that when "Queen Mary 2" sets off on her Maiden Voyage it will be the most wonderful experience, and I am sure we all wish this amazing liner a long and illustrious maritime life on her cruises and Trans-Atlantic crossings.

Ann Haynes, January 2004