Why I Wouldn’t Recommend This Balcony Cabin on Queen Mary 2 (Full Cabin Review)

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

When I took a Transatlantic cruise, my parents had a balcony cabin on deck 11. This is a review of that stateroom.

This review is based on balcony cabin number 11005 onboard Queen Mary 2

Balcony Cabin Size

Balcony cabins on Queen Mary 2’s deck eleven are spacious compared to most within the industry.

Deck eleven balcony cabins are on average, 270 ft2 / 25 m2

Average balcony cabins are roughly 180 sq ft/ 16.7 m2

To find out more about the sizes of cruise ship cabins and make comparisons, read the article below:

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 Oval 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 when we first arrived. It got less comfortable as the voyage went on…

Cabin Design

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

The warm tones and wood date the ship, but I thought the cabin’s design 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.

We Loved The Beds

The beds have been incredibly comfortable in all the Queen Mary 2 cabins I have stayed in.

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

Unfortunately, we hit some stormy weather. My parents didn’t sleep very well, due to the movement and vibration in the cabin.

They were often woken by excessive noise as the front of the ship pitched and rolled in the high seas. This is to be expected on a winter Transatlantic crossing, though!

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 bed. 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 daily biscuits!

The TV showed a variety of programmes in multiple languages. The quality wasn’t always great, but it definitely wasn’t the worst I’ve had at sea.

They were able to use the “screen mirroring” option to watch programmes they had downloaded onto a tablet computer.

They also showed the “Insight lectures” on TV that took place in the “illuminations” venue. This was great, as I got to see some lectures when I had missed actually going to them.

Most of the lectures were fascinating – and a better option than watching most of the TV programme choices!

The cabin itself showed some signs of its age – stains on the carpet and sofa etc, but this didn’t affect their enjoyment of the cruise at all.

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 wardrobes, which wasn’t much.

There were two areas of hanging space in the wardrobes, but the area closest to the door appeared to be designed for people bringing suits or dresses hung in suit bags. There were spaces to hook the coat hangers into, but no actual coat hangers in that area. They ended up using that space for shoes and suitcases.

Cunard are a cruise line that focuses heavily on formal wear, so it made sense that they would provide more hanging space. To learn more about Cunard’s dress codes, check out this recently updated 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. Possibly a soap dish?

The shower was a good size and was reasonably 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. They didn’t find that to be a problem – but in my atrium-view cabin on deck 8, the shower tray filled up with water very quickly and didn’t drain efficiently.

The Cabin Was Nearest To Staircase A

The location of the cabin was at the front of the ship. Staircases A & B were best for reaching it. We did find that the lifts/elevators were far less busy at staircase A, as few other guests had cause to be right at the front of the ship.

It was also close to the two panoramic lifts and the observation deck at the front of the ship. It would have been great in good weather, but the observation deck was often closed due to the stormy seas.

Would We Recommend This Cabin?

The honest answer – no.

The location of the cabin was the issue.

If you were sailing on a different itinerary or in the summer months, our issues probably wouldn’t have been any problem. This cabin wasn’t great for a winter Transatlantic crossing.

We originally booked a centrally located, obstructed-view cabin in the middle of deck 6. (Our view would have been obstructed by a lifeboat.)

We were happy to receive an “upgrade” shortly before the sailing. However, in hindsight, we wished we had ticked the box to say we didn’t want to be moved or “upgraded”.

The position of the cabin turned out to be a problem as the voyage went on.

When we sailed across the Atlantic, we had 6-metre/20-foot waves, and the movement of the ship could be felt very badly in this cabin.

It got to the point where my Dad had to come down to my Atrium-View cabin (centrally located on deck 6) to lie down during the day because he felt so seasick in his own cabin.

Cabin location really does make a huge difference if you are prone to seasickness. Find out more about that here:

What is The Best Cabin Location on a Cruise For Avoiding Seasickness? (I’ve Tried Them All!)

Although it was great to have a view of the New York Skyline when we first boarded, they really didn’t use the balcony at all once the ship sailed.

It was cold, wet and rough outside – and it was hard to even open the balcony door because of the wind!

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

You may have seen “Sheltered Balcony” cabins offered on the Queen Mary 2, and wondered whether they would be a good option.

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 sheltered balcony cabin to a standard balcony cabin is considered an upgrade by Cunard. In the winter, at least, I wouldn’t agree…

Sheltered balcony cabins are found on the lower decks – four, five, and six. If you are closer to the waterline, you are likely to feel far less of the ships movement if the weather gets rough.

I would recommend the sheltered balcony cabins on the Queen Mary 2. They are cheaper than standard balconies and you can enjoy the increased privacy, whilst still getting a useable outside space.

Before You Go

Find out more about choosing an obstructed view cabin, and why they offer great value for money here:

The Truth About Obstructed View Cabins – (Photo Examples & How to Find One)

Find out my top tips for preventing and treating seasickness here – I certainly used most of these on this Transatlantic crossing!

13 Actionable Tips to Prevent and Treat Seasickness on a Cruise