Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 Refurbishment Will Introduce New Grill Suites, Elevated Wellness Offerings, & More

Cunard has revealed plans for a multi-million-dollar refurbishment of Queen Mary 2, starting at the very end of March 2027 and lasting the entire month of April. When the ship returns to service on May 9, 2027, it was feature new Grill Suites, an elevated wellness offering, enhanced retail spaces, and refreshed guest areas.

The design vision, led by Chris Finch, one of Queen Mary 2’s original designers, draws on the cinematic glamour of classic Hollywood, balanced with the refinement of British lineage and tradition. The result will be a design that feels renewed while remaining instantly recognizable as Queen Mary 2.

“Queen Mary 2 is more than a ship, she is an icon of modern luxury travel and the only true ocean liner in the world,” said Katie McAlister, president of Cunard. “This is a significant investment in Queen Mary 2, and every decision has been approached with deep respect for her heritage, her character, and the sense of occasion that only Queen Mary 2 can offer. We are not reinventing what guests love about her; we are refining it beautifully and ensuring she carries it forward.”

“We’re committed to modernizing our fleet,” Cunard’s senior vice president of commercial for North America and Australasia Liz Fettes added, speaking directly with TMR. “We, as a brand, have always been committed to that and I think travel advisors know that. We might now have new ships every year, but we do constantly modernize the fleet, evolving with the times of luxury travel.”

Accommodations and Public Spaces

Thirty-one new staterooms will be added across the ship, including 16 new Cunard Princess Grill Suites, with the remaining 15 new cabins in the Britannia category.

Additionally, every existing Grill Suite will be refreshed with new interiors, furnishings, and finishes. Newly designed bathrooms will be introduced across all Grill Suite categories, with an all-new look and spa-inspired features.

Fettes pointed out that the upper stateroom and suite categories, across the fleet, are always the first to sell out, so having 16 more Princess Grill suites is something travel advisors can really take advantage of.

The Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants will also be refreshed.

While the refurbishment will see new accommodations added – and the ship’s capacity, therefore, increase – Fettes insisted clients won’t feel it.

“The way our public spaces are, our lobby, the Britannia dining room, it’s all very grandiose. It’s meant to have a large amount of space. By design, it won’t ever feel crammed… It’s not going to impact the guest experience at all. It’d going to be an enhancement and improvement.”

Outside, guests will be able to enjoy additional outdoor space, with spots to relax and watch the sunset. Classic cruise deck games, along with paddle tennis and pickleball, will continue to be part of the Queen Mary 2 experience.

Queen Mary 2 Kennels

Queen Mary 2’s famous kennels, the only dedicated kennels at sea, will also be enhanced. Improvements will include redesigned kennels, increased capacity, a refurbished owners’ lounge, and an expanded outdoor walking area, further elevating the experience for guests crossing the Atlantic with their pets.

Fettes pointed out the kennels are particularly well-liked among travel advisors because their popularity forces clients to book their Queen Mary 2 sailings more than a year ahead of sailing. She advised advisors to start reaching out to clients now who maybe have been wait listed in the past.

“It’s an in-the-know thing, right? You want to position that as quickly as possible to your guest,” she said.

Wellness, Retail, and Entertainment

Mareel Wellness & Beauty will be transformed as part of the refurbishment, creating an updated space designed to revive, refresh, and restore. 

A new collection of luxury stores will also be introduced, bringing a boutique-style shopping experience to the ship.

Entertainment venues will also get enhancements. Illuminations, the largest planetarium at sea, will receive a major digital upgrade, delivering more immersive, state-of-the-art experiences beneath its dome.

The Royal Court Theatre will continue to host West End and Broadway productions, while Cunard’s Insights program will continue to welcome notable speakers and cultural figures on board.

Queen Mary 2 is the only ship in the world offering regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York. It remains the flagship of the Cunard fleet.

New suites and staterooms went on sale on May 18, 2026, for voyages departing from May 2027.