Cunard's Iconic Queen Mary 2 Makes Québec Debut After Extensive Remastering

Refit Includes New Staterooms, Expanded Kennels, New Dining Venues

QUÉBEC CITY, Québec, Oct. 3, 2016 /CNW/ -- Queen Mary 2 rolled out the red carpet for Quebec to debut the newly remastered Queen Mary 2. The ship gave a royal welcome to the city's most famous pet, Daphnie, Le Château Frontenac's canine ambassador.   

Cunard's flagship ocean liner sailed into Quebec today to debut its significant refit costing in the region of $132 million. The luxury liner has been lovingly remastered with new contemporary interior designs and guest experiences, many of which take their design inspiration from the original Queen Mary, which debuted into service 80 years ago. As the only passenger vessel to carry dogs and cats, Queen Mary 2 has expanded its kennel service during this multi-million dollar renovation, adding 12 new kennels for a total of 24. In addition, the ship extended the kennel area, adding an owner's lounge, new pet playground, and expanded the outdoor area to accommodate an historic British lamppost and American fire hydrant so canines from both sides of the pond feel at home. A full-time Kennel Master takes care of daily pet responsibilities including feeding, walking and cuddling the pets onboard.

Cunard's pet-friendly policy dates back 176 years to the maiden voyage of the Britannia in 1840 when the ship sailed with a cow to provide fresh milk for passengers. Famous canines such as Rin-Tin-Tin, Elizabeth Taylor's pampered pups and the Duke of Windsor's dogs traveled on Cunard, and to continue that tradition, Boston's top Instagram dogs joined Cunard on board the ship to test out the new, expanded kennels.

The refit was conducted in the Blohm + Voss Shipyard, in Hamburg, one of the only shipyards in the world large enough to hold Queen Mary 2. It was a 24-hour a day operation, with over one million man hours put into the refurbishment, during a 25-day period.

The Remastering Features:

• Redesign and refurbishment of the Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites and restaurants, as well as Britannia staterooms, the latter to be fully completed by the end of the year
• The addition of 30 further Britannia Club staterooms, 15 Britannia single staterooms and five Britannia inside staterooms
• Redesign of key public spaces and restaurants, including the transformation of the former Winter Garden into the Carinthia Lounge, the introduction of The Verandah as the ship's new specialty restaurant, and the complete refresh and restructuring of the Kings Court, the ship's popular buffet area
• 12 additional kennels and other enhancements
• And as befitting the flagship of the Cunard fleet, a complete repaint of the ship exterior and significant technical enhancements and structural changes

Queen Mary 2 will overnight in Quebec and then depart for Saugerties on October 4 as part of a 10-day Canada/New England sailing round-trip from New York.

For more information about Queen Mary 2, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Agent, call Cunard Line toll-free at 1-800-728-6273, or visit www.cunard.com.  

About Queen Mary 2
Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues a 176-year legacy of transatlantic travel. Queen Mary 2 achieved her 200th transatlantic crossing in July 2013. Iconic luminaries, political figures and celebrities from the Golden Age of Ocean Travel to the present day have sailed with Cunard and aboard Queen Mary 2.

About Cunard
Defining true excellence at sea with 176 years of legendary voyages, Cunard is the operator of luxury ocean liners Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth that are renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment. Cunard has long been synonymous with the quest for new discoveries since the company's first paddle-wheeled steamer, Britannia, crossed the Atlantic in 1840.Today Cunard offers the only regularly scheduled transatlantic liner service and continues the legacy of world cruising which it began in 1922.

World's Leading Cruise Lines Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Seabourn and fathom. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

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For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Jackie Chase, Cunard Line, 661-753-1035, [email protected]
Maria Andriano, MGA Media Group, 212-251-1015, [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414657  
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414644

SOURCE Cunard Line