On 26th December 2003 the 148,528gt/2003 built Queen Mary 2 made her maiden arrival at her home port of Southampton. The ship was named by Her Majesty The Queen on 8th January 2004 and since then the Queen Mary 2 has undertaken a total of 419 voyages including over 200 Transatlantic Crossings and called at 182 ports in 60 countries.

Since becoming Cunard’s flagship she has remained unchallenged as the world’s largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive ocean liner ever built and the most famous and fastest passenger ship in operation today. In her first ten years of service the QM2 has sailed the equivalent of three times to the moon and back and has carried over 1.3 million guests. Prior to heading to Southampton for her tenth anniversary the ship was caught in the Polar Vortex storm that brought severe cold and treacherous conditions to part of the U.S.A including New York. Over half a metre of snow fell onto the ship whilst she was alongside for 18 hours with the departure for Southampton being delayed to give her passengers extra time to make it to the terminal in the abysmal weather.

The delayed six night voyage got underway around 0100 on 4th January for a speedy return home to ensure arrival at Southampton on 10th January. The QM2’s major 10th Anniversary celebrations will begin on 9th May 2014 when all three ships of the Cunard fleet will arrive together in their homeport of Southampton and sister ships Queen Victoria (90,049gt/2007) and Queen Elizabeth will salute the flagship’s first ten years.