The Queen Mary 2, a prestigious ocean liner, arrived in Durban on Thursday as part of her 110-night World Voyage, which visits 30 ports. As Cunard’s flagship, the Queen Mary 2 is the only vessel in the world to offer scheduled passenger crossings between Europe and North America.
According to Shaun McCarthy, Managing Director at Whitestar Cruise & Travel, Cunard’s South African representative, Queen Mary 2 is more than just a cruise ship; she’s a living piece of maritime history. This will be one of several visits she has made to South Africa over the years, but this year seems especially significant. Not only is she marking important milestones, but out of roughly 300 to 350 cruise ships in operation today, about 150 of which are classified as luxury vessels, she remains the only true ocean liner in the world.
Queen Mary 2’s Milestones
Queen Mary 2 celebrates two milestones this year: She completed her first-ever transit of the Panama Canal in January, passing under the Bridge of the Americas and marking a historic milestone in her service history. Later, in November, she will commemorate her 450th Transatlantic Crossing, a testament to her enduring legacy. The landmark passage through the Panama Canal saw Queen Mary 2 navigate the canal’s new locks, providing guests a rare and memorable experience journeying between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Upcoming Voyage
Following her trip from Cape Town to the UK later this month, Queen Mary 2 will embark on a dedicated season of Transatlantic Crossings between May and December 2026. The ship, which can accommodate 2,695 guests and 1,253 crew members, will depart Cape Town on April 13 for Southampton for the final sector of her 2026 World Voyage, which ends on April 30.
For more information on the Queen Mary 2 and her voyages, visit the Cunard official website or check out the Wikipedia page on the Queen Mary 2.
Some of the key features of the Queen Mary 2 include:
- A gross tonnage of 151,400 tons
- A length of 1,130 feet
- A beam of 135 feet
- A draft of 32 feet
- A top speed of 30 knots
