Sheltered Balcony Cabin Pictures and Honest Review – Queen Mary 2

If you are taking a cruise on the Queen Mary 2 you may be wondering if a sheltered balcony cabin is a good option for you.

Sheltered balcony cabins on Queen Mary 2 are cheaper than standard balcony cabins, so it is certainly an option worth considering!

This review is based on sheltered balcony cabin number 6237.

What is a Sheltered Balcony?

A sheltered balcony on a cruise ship is a balcony that is set into the side of ship instead of being open to the air.

Sheltered balconies are common on older cruise ships or those which are designed for sailing in poor weather conditions.

One advantage of the sheltered shape is that the balcony provides extra privacy for guests.

The Queen Mary 2 has multiple sheltered balcony cabins because she is an ocean liner designed for transporting guests long distances, often in bad weather.

Sheltered Balcony Cabin Size

The size and design of QM2’s balcony cabins is typical of an inside cabin in the industry.

The majority of balcony cabins are roughly 180 sq ft, and this cabin is 195 sq ft.

To learn more about how the size of cabins compares across cabin grades, check out this post:

How Big Are Cruise Ship Cabins? 27 Examples, All Cabin Types

The cabin is made up of the following:

• A Bed (Can be a Double or Twins)
• A Desk
• A Sofa
• A Small Table
• Drawers and Closet Space
• TV
• Phone
• A Fridge
• Tea and Coffee Making Facilities (Kettle)
• Bin/Trash Can

The balcony cabin felt very comfortable and spacious.

Cabin Design

The Queen Mary 2 was built in 2003 and this is reflected in the design.

The warm tones and wood do date the ship but I thought the design of the cabin was fine. Cunard are going for an elegant, timeless, classy feel, rather than a more modern design.

Some of the artwork in the cabins was not to my taste, but it’s impossible to have artwork that suits everybody!

The cabin had lots of mirrors which made the space bright and airy. Two were above the bed, one above the desk and one by the bathroom.

I Loved The Beds

The beds were incredibly comfortable and we all slept well on the cruise. I was cruising with family and friends and everyone agreed that the beds were very comfortable.

The bedding felt of high quality and the pillows were very soft.

Which Plug Sockets Are There in Balcony Cabins On The Queen Mary 2?

There are 2 UK and 2 US plug sockets in the balcony cabins of the Queen Mary 2.

All plug sockets are located on the desk, and there are no USB sockets. Other cabin grades may have extra sockets.

If you are ever in doubt about which plug sockets a cruise ship has, check out this searchable table:

Complete Cruise Ship Plug Socket Guide: Search by Ship

On many modern cruise ships, you’ll find USB sockets by the beds but QM2 doesn’t have any sockets like this. She was built in 2003 and this is reflected in the design of the cabin.

Also in the cabin was a kettle with two mugs, two glasses and, on occasion, even biscuits!

The TV showed a variety of shows in multiple languages. I watched a cooking show, a movie and a show about the rainforest. The quality wasn’t always great, but it definitely wasn’t the worst I’ve had at sea.

Was There Enough Storage?

We found there to be enough storage in the cabins.

There was a bedside table for each bed, which had a small drawer and a lower storage area.

There were only four large drawers (and three small drawers) in the cabin, which wasn’t many, but this was made up for by all the hanging space in the wardrobes.

Cunard are a cruise line that focuses heavily on formal wear, so it made sense that we would need more hanging space. To learn more about Cunard’s dress codes, check out this post:

Cunard Dress Code – (Mens, Womens, Childrens, Real Examples 2021)

The Bathroom Was Basic But Functional

The bathroom was a standard size with a toilet, sink, and shower. There were a couple of shelves in the corner as well as extra storage below the sink.

There was nothing particularly exciting about the bathroom but it was always very clean and functioned well.

Good quality Shampoo, soap, body wash, and body lotion were provided.

For some reason, there was a bottle opener beside the toilet, and I’m still not too sure what is above the toilet roll. A soap dish?

The shower was a good size and was fairly powerful. There was a shower curtain instead of a screen, which I know many people don’t like, but I didn’t mind.

Often, on cruise ships, the water from the shower leaks into the main bathroom. I didn’t find that to be a problem onboard QM2.

The Cabin Was Nearest Staircase D

The location of our cabin was just below the buffet. We could get to our cabin from staircases C or D.

We found this to be a good cabin location, we were fairly close to most of the main public areas but we did hear some noise coming from the stairs and elevators.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Our Balcony Design

The balcony itself was very spacious and had two chairs and a table.

The door to the balcony was hinged instead of the traditional sliding door that you find in most cruise ship balcony cabins.

This did mean that we heard other guests slamming the door more than we otherwise would.

We enjoyed the privacy of the cabin and could use the space even though the weather wasn’t great outside.

Due to the shape of the balcony, the sun didn’t come onto the balcony so it wouldn’t be great for sunbathers, but many people prefer not to sit in direct sunlight.

Another disadvantage is that you can’t lie in bed and watch a sail in. Unless you are standing up, you can’t see the full view (because of the lack of glass barriers that you’d find in other balcony cabins).

What is The Difference Between a Standard Balcony and a Sheltered Balcony on The Queen Mary 2?

The sheltered balconies on the Queen Mary 2 are usually bigger than the standard balconies and are cheaper.

Sheltered balconies are protected on all sides and built into the ship’s hull, standard balconies are open to the air and elements.

Moving from a protected balcony cabin to a standard balcony cabin is considered an upgrade by Cunard.

Would I Recommend This Cabin?

I would recommend the sheltered balcony cabins on the Queen Mary 2. We paid less than standard balconies and enjoyed the increased privacy.

We would often have six or so friends over for pre-dinner drinks and we could all comfortably fit into the cabin and on the balcony.

The cabin was spacious and clean, and we were very happy in there.

To see the cabin in more detail, check out this video next:

Before You Go

Have a look at the cheapest inside cabin onboard Queen Mary 2 here:

I Cruised in The Cheapest Cabin on the World’s LAST Ocean Liner – Queen Mary 2

Find out the difference between cruise ships and ocean liners here:

Ocean Liners, They Still Exist: Here’s Everything You Need to Know