What’s New on the QE2

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2, the most famous and sometimes the most maligned ship in the world, was in the news again recently for not passing a sanitation inspection (though it passed on reinspection). Now Cunard is promoting recent renovations that seem more successful than the last make-over in late 1994, with its “exploding toilets” incident.

The QE2 is still queen of transatlantic crossings, with 20 cruises a year between New York and Southampton from April to December.

Unique on QE2 is a library with a full-time professional librarian, and a dentist you can book to clean your teeth, as we did not long ago.

This year, the QE2 has reduced its passenger capacity from 1,814 to 1,500 by turning some of the smallest inside cabins previously occupied by passengers into storage areas or crew quarters. This has enabled all five shipboard dining rooms to become single-seating restaurants, so that all guests can be served at the same time rather than at two staggered seatings. Before, only passengers in higher-priced cabins assigned to the first-class dining room and grill rooms enjoyed single seatings.

Another change is that transatlantic crossings have been extended to six days instead of the usual five, allowing the captain to reduce speed, making for a smoother (and, fuel-wise, more economical) crossing.

Other changes, such as new carpeting, upholstery and wall coverings in restaurants, public areas and cabins, will probably be noticed only by veteran QE2 passengers.

Cunard has gotten rid of three older vessels in the fleet: the Cunard Countess, sold in October to Indonesia’s Awani Cruise line; the Sagafjord, also sold in October to Boston-based Saga International Holidays to operate as the Gripsholm; and the former Cunard Dynasty, leased to Majesty Cruise Line to become the Crown Majesty.

With only five ships in its fleet, Cunard has decided to focus on upscale vacationers, emphasizing showy packages such as the Connoisseurs’ Collection, now in its second year in conjunction with posh tour operator Abercrombie & Kent.

The Ultimate Conveyance package, for example, combines a crossing on the QE2 with a luxury rail tour in Scotland aboard the Royal Scotsman. The 12-day program, departing New York Aug. 1, costs from $8,750 to $11,480 per person, double occupancy, with the transatlantic crossing preceding the rail journey in the Highlands. The 13-day version, departing Sept. 3, begins with an overnight in London, followed by the Royal Scotsman program round trip from Edinburgh and concludes with the QE2 crossing from Southampton to New York. Prices range from $9,130 to $11,860 per person, double occupancy, depending on the shipboard cabin category selected. Both programs are limited to a maximum of 24 passengers. Prices include one-way air transportation between London and 18 major American gateways, including Los Angeles.

Another 14- or 15-day package combines the QE2 crossing with a London and Paris tour culminating in a ride from Paris to Venice aboard the Venise-Simplon-Orient-Express. Departures are scheduled Sept. 16 and Oct. 13, and are priced from $11,090 to $13,720 per person, double occupancy.

The new six-day crossings are priced from $1,995 to $9,940 per person, double occupancy, including one-way transatlantic air fare. Eastbound crossings from New York are scheduled for Aug. 1 and 18, Sept. 4 and 16, Oct. 13 and Dec. 9. To get a free color brochure, see a travel agent or call Cunard at (800) 221-4770.

Slater and Basch travel as guests of the cruise lines. Cruise Views appears the first and third week of every month.