For over 60 years, there has 
    been a Cunard "Queen" sailing the oceans. Queen Mary 2 will be the first 
    such liner built in a generation, and the worthy heir to the company's 
    160-year heritage. As envisioned in the artist's rendering above, she will 
    embody all the thoroughbred characteristics of her forebears: the generous 
    thrust of her raked prow, the stepped superstructure both fore and aft, the 
    lean dimensions that allow for greyhound speed whilst traversing the North 
    Atlantic. Seen from the outside, she will look like what she is: a 
    purpose-built craft for sailing rapidly between points on the globe.
    Within her hull, however, QM2 will hide a multitude 
    of delights as spectacular and pleasurable as they are innovative and 
    ingenious. Stepping aboard, guests will enter a realm of sweeping spaces and 
    grand designs the likes of which have not been seen for decades. Passengers 
    will enjoy a generosity of spaciousness that rivals or surpasses that of 
    ultra-luxury small ships. Just 2,620 guests will sail on this 
    150,000-gross-ton vessel. They will stroll the broad, one-third-mile-long 
    teak promenade deck that encircles the entire ship, stopping to talk with 
    friends relaxing on traditional steamer chairs. They will enter a lobby that 
    towers over three decks high, graced with a sweeping grand staircase and 
    monumental works of art. They will travel in accommodations that vary from 
    the merely commodious to the shamelessly extravagant. The standard cabins 
    will measure 194 square feet, and most include an eight-foot balcony. In 
    all, three fourths of the ship's cabins have balconies, and 77% are sea-view 
    cabins. All the way aft, there are five Duplex Apartments overlooking the 
    sea from two-story glass walls. At over 1,600 square feet, these include two 
    levels, a private gym, a generous private balcony, and butler service. As on 
    QE2, the accommodation selected by the guest will be matched with a sea-view 
    dining venue. Higher categories will dine in grill rooms, and lower 
    categories will share a truly opulent dining room, again towering over three 
    decks high, with its own grand staircase and tiered seating to create both 
    open and intimate dining spaces.
    To fill the pleasant days at sea, onboard 
    activities will be staged in a number of innovative and inviting venues. 
    Seven multi-purpose classroom facilities that can be sized to accommodate 
    differently sized classes will comprise a College At Sea, with expert 
    instruction in a wide variety of subjects, such as computer skills, 
    languages, art and wine appreciation, cooking, and more. An auditorium will 
    feature a section that will adapt to become a full-scale planetarium, where 
    star shows, courses on celestial navigation, and other visual spectacles can 
    be presented. QM2 will have a large library, a bookshop, and a coffee shop. 
    Like her sister QE2, QM2 will boast a true ballroom, with an orchestra for 
    dancing. A magnificent Spa will include one of the ship's five swimming 
    pools, and together with the adjacent Winter Garden, will provide a health, 
    fitness, and relaxation area of over 25,000 square feet. Numerous smaller 
    lounges, alternative dining venues, and specialized rooms will also welcome 
    travelers during oceanic crossings and other fascinating voyages.
    QM2 is being built in the Alstom Chantiers de 
    L'Atlantique shipyard in Sainte-Nazaire, France. This is the same yard that 
    built the  
    France 
    (now the Norway),  
    Normandie,  
    
    Ile de France and some of the other great 
    liners of the past. At a total estimated cost of $780 million USD, she will 
    also be the most expensive ship ever built. She is expected to enter service 
    in January 2004.