When it was launched in 2004, specifically for the Southampton to New York transatlantic route, the purpose built Queen Mary 2 was then the largest passenger ship but has since been superseded by behemoths such as Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. It still however, retains the title of the largest ocean liner. This brings into focus the distinction between a cruise ship and an ocean liner.
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| Queen Mary 2 taken from Windward Bay, Antigua |
Characteristics of an Ocean Liner
- Designed to transport passengers between two points
- Deep draught to increase stability
- Built very strongly to withstand the harsh sea conditions (eg the steel used to construct the Queen Mary 2 hull is 40% thicker than that used for regular cruise ships)
- Bow is long and tapered in order to cut through waves
- Very fast (top speed of Queen Mary 2 is 30 knots compared to a top speed of 22 knots for the Oasis of the Seas)
- Life boats are typically positioned much higher above the water line to avoid waves reaching them
The Queen Mary 2 left Southampton on Dec-15 for its last Westbound crossing for the season arriving in New York on Dec-22. It then embarked on its Christmas cruise to the Caribbean which includes stops in St.Thomas (Dec-26), Antigua (Dec-27), St.Kitts (Dec-28), St.Maarten (Dec-29), British Virgin Islands (Dec-30) and New York. (Jan-3). After completing the Eastbound crossing back to Southampton on Jan-10, the Queen Mary 2 will then embark on its annual World Cruise.
While it would have been great to have the ship docked in St.John's, the trek to Falmouth and the photo opportunities it provided was well worth the effort.
While it would have been great to have the ship docked in St.John's, the trek to Falmouth and the photo opportunities it provided was well worth the effort.
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