Flight Centre Cruise Expert Jessica Quaid recently experienced life onboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, cruising from Fremantle to Adelaide over four nights. Having previously done a similar itinerary, she was welcomed by a new stop in Busselton, on the southwest tip of Western Australia!
Suites Fit For Royalty
Stepping on board the ship is absolutely gorgeous! Having just undergone a 90 million pound refurbishment in the last 12 months, the ship looks very tidy and really lovely. We had a gorgeous Balcony cabin, which was a great size and had a spacious bathroom with shower too! We had a sheltered balcony, which did limit the view a little, so if you sat on the deck chairs you could only really see the sky, but it was still great to have the natural light and fresh air in the cabin and to be able to stand and look at the view in port and at sea.
High tea time on the Queen Mary 2. (Image: Cunard)Gourmet Delights
We ate at the buffet every morning, which had great variety and plenty of fresh food. The bakery on board produces the most amazing fresh bread and pastries, which we sampled plenty of! We had lunch in the buffet once too which was fine, but did have a few meals in the Golden Lion pub which was good, hardy pub food! The main dining room was great for dinner each night, with a bit of variety and delicious meals. We also dined at the specialty restaurant the Verandah one evening which was amazing and well worth it. From the decor to the service, to the incredible food, it was well worth the extra money for a standout experience.
RELATED: Want to cruise futher? How about Canada and Alaska
Dress To The Code
During the day the dress code is very casual, which I know a lot of people worry about. Anything goes really and if you want to keep it casual for the whole cruise, you can eat at the buffet or order from the extensive room service menu too! Come the evening, the dress code does come in to play, with men expected to wear a dinner jacket (but you can take it off and have it on your chair as soon as you are seated) and tie is optional, and women are expected to be in smart attire. The formal night was quite formal, but lots of fun to dress up for and have a photo or two around the ship too!
Entertainment never looked as good as in the ballroom onboard the QM2. (Image: Cunard)Let Them Be Entertained
I enjoyed reading by the pool, playing bingo and trivia in the pub as well as the nightly shows and even some karaoke too! There are plenty of quiet spaces around the ship to sit and relax but also plenty of activities to participate in if you would like to – including lectures from guest speakers, knitting, the planetarium and dance classes to name a few.
RELATED: Looking for more cruise adventures? Here are our top 10
The 90 million pound refurbishment transformed the QM2 into a new age luxury ship. (Image: Cunard)Final word
I would recommend the Cunard cruise line wholeheartedly. The ship looks great and the food was excellent too. The demographic is a little older on board and the entertainment is directed at that market, but anyone wanting a nice, quiet getaway with good food and relaxing atmosphere would surely enjoy their time on board.
For more information on cruise deals, or to book a cruise with Jessica, you can get in touch with her at Flight Centre Cottesloe.
Cottesloe Central, 460 Stirling Highway, Peppermint Grove, WA, 6011
Phone: (08) 6104 1200/ 0402 480 498
