Design details for the upcoming refurbishment unveiled as the ocean liner set sale on her 450th Transatlantic Crossing

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SANTA CLARITA, Calif., Nov. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Luxury cruise line Cunard has unveiled the design vision for Queen Mary 2’s interiors, which will welcome guests when the world’s only ocean liner returns to service in May 2027 following a significant refurbishment. The reveal coincided with the ship’s departure from Southampton on November 10 for her 450^th Transatlantic Crossing.

Queen Mary 2 will emerge from refit with refreshed interiors expressing a distinctive, timeless design language: Cunard Deco. Rooted in Cunard’s unrivaled transatlantic heritage, Cunard Deco brings together the cinematic glamour of Hollywood’s golden age and the grandeur of Cunard’s regal lineage, balanced with the understated confidence of British style.

The refurbishment will introduce new Grill Suites accommodation, an elevated wellness offering and refreshed guest spaces, while preserving the ship’s distinctive Art Deco identity and her place as the icon of transatlantic glamour.

Bringing the creative vision to life, Cunard has collaborated with acclaimed illustrator Tanu Vasu on a bespoke collection of newly released illustrations. Offering the first look at how some of Queen Mary 2’s most iconic spaces will be reimagined, the illustrations capture the spirit, craftsmanship and design language behind the transformation.

Designed by London-based studio AD Associates, the interiors draw directly from Cunard’s historic archive and the decorative arts of the original Queen Mary, creating a rich visual narrative that connects Britain and America, past and present, across the Atlantic.

As the flagship of the Cunard fleet and the only ship in the world offering regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York, Queen Mary 2 holds a special place in maritime history. The 2027 refurbishment represents Cunard’s continued investment in the future of luxury ocean travel.

Paul Ludlow, President of Cunard, said: “Queen Mary 2 holds a unique position within our fleet and remains one of the most recognizable ships in the world. Our focus is on protecting and celebrating everything that makes her so special, while making considered enhancements that will further elevate the onboard experience. We are confident these improvements will ensure Queen Mary 2 continues to set the standard in luxury ocean travel for years to come.”

A Tapestry Woven Between Two Continents

The design process began at Cunard’s archive in its spiritual home of Liverpool, where designers immersed themselves in original drawings, ornate schemes and artworks from the 1936 RMS Queen Mary, transforming the decorative arts of the 1930s into a modern design language for the ship. The redesign will cover every grade of accommodation, from Britannia staterooms to the Grand Duplex Queens Grill Suites, as well as the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants and the Grill Suites Lounge.

Cunard Deco brings together refined British elegance and the transatlantic glamour of the crossing between Southampton and New York. Cunard has crossed the Atlantic since 1840, and Queen Mary 2 has sailed this route since 2004.

AD Associates approached the ship as a tapestry woven between two continents, Britain and America, with a warp and weft of design and storytelling: the warp bringing structure, steel and order, and the weft carrying stories, style and memories.

Where the threads cross, stories emerge in custom carpets, wallcoverings, screens and artwork, many of them drawn from the 1936 liner. Each Grill Suites space has its own story, united by a scallop shell motif, a historic emblem of safe passage across the sea.

Its distinctive fanned shape, which echoes tide lines and horizons, takes a different form in each space: the iconic bow of Queen Mary 2 cutting through the Atlantic in the Queens Grill Suites; a cinematically symmetrical design inspired by the Manhattan skyline in the Princess Grill Suites; and a peacock-fan-inspired design in the Grill Suites Lounge. The latter draws on the social promenade aboard the original Queen Mary, known affectionately to guests as ‘Peacock Alley’, where fashionable travelers would stroll, meet, see and be seen.

Embroidery and bespoke artwork add further layers of storytelling. In the Princess Grill Suites, embroidered headboards depicting cityscape silhouettes share the subtle stories of transatlantic travel, while printed panels in the bathrooms reinterpret Leslie MacDonald Gill’s map of the Atlantic, which hung in the first-class dining room of the original Queen Mary. Gill’s map included a working clock, and the hands in the new artwork are stopped at 4.33pm, the moment Queen Mary first left Southampton in May 1936.

Chris Finch, Founder and CEO of AD Associates, said: “The process of exploring Cunard’s archive in Liverpool, with the drawings and decorative arts of the 1936 Queen Mary, gave us both inspiration for the designs and stories to build meaning behind those creative choices. A guest might not know that the clock design in their suite stopped at the minute Queen Mary first set sail, but once they do, they never look at the room in the same way.”

Celebrating British Craftsmanship

The refurbishment celebrates the crafts of Cunard’s 1930s liners, including marquetry and cabinetmaking. It also brings together the skills of British suppliers, among them the world-renowned manufacturer of luxury carpets, Ulster Carpets, a Royal Warrant holder that weaves for royal residences such as Buckingham Palace.

Designing for the sea is different from designing on land: every fabric, finish and carpet must meet the highest marine standards, and AD Associates’ creative team will bring 20 years’ experience in luxury hotel design to the project. Many of the ship’s existing timbers, stone floors and fittings will be kept and restored, reducing waste and preserving her original craftsmanship.

450 Crossings and a New Chapter for an Icon

Queen Mary 2 departed Southampton on November 10 for her milestone 450^th Transatlantic Crossing. To mark the occasion, the voyage features the 450 Club, an immersive and theatrical program that celebrates the history and enduring appeal of transatlantic travel through events across the ship.

Queen Mary 2 takes her name from the original RMS Queen Mary, which made her maiden voyage 90 years ago in 1936, and the new interiors bring that liner’s decorative arts back to the Atlantic. The redesign responds to growing demand for luxury travel with a sense of history and occasion, as more travelers choose the journey itself over the destination.

The ship will enter dry dock at Damen Shiprepair Brest in France on March 31, 2027, before returning to service on May 9, 2027.

For more information about Cunard, visit www.cunard.com.

Notes to Editors 

Media can download high-resolution illustrations and images of Queen Mary 2’s designs HERE.

Illustrations by Tanu Vasu depicting the proposed new interiors aboard Queen Mary 2. Some elements have been creatively interpreted and may differ from the final designs.

For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Cunard: cunardpublicrelations@cunard.com 

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About Cunard

Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840.

The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment, and outstanding White Star service. From a partnership with a two-Michelin starred chef, to inspiring guest speakers, to world class theatre productions, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round world voyages, destinations sailed to also include Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East and Australia.

There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and new ship, Queen Anne, which entered service in May 2024. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton, UK and is part of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company with a portfolio of cruise lines operating in over 800 ports & destinations worldwide. (NYSE: CCL).

About Damen Shipyards Group – Oceans of Possibilities 

Damen Shipyards Group has been in operation for over ninety-five years and offers maritime solutions worldwide, through design, construction, conversion, maintenance and repair of ships and ship components. By integrating systems we create innovative, high-quality platforms, which provide our customers with maximum added value. 

Our core values are fellowship, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and stewardship. Our goal is to become the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder, via digitalisation, standardisation and serial construction of our innovative vessels and through use of circular materials. 

Damen operates 35 shipyards and 20 other companies in 20 countries, supported by a worldwide sales and service network. We deliver in the region of 160 vessels per year, with a total production value of over 3 billion euros. We offer direct employment to approximately 12,500 people. In all that we do, our aim is to ensure a positive impact on the local environment and society. 

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SOURCE Cunard