Cunard has announced an extensive refurbishment of Queen Mary 2, with 31 additional staterooms and major upgrades planned across accommodation, restaurants, wellness facilities, retail areas and the ocean liner's distinctive kennels.
The flagship will enter dry dock at Damen Shiprepair Brest in France on 31 March 2027 and is scheduled to return to service on 9 May. The programme gives the ship a 40-calendar-day refit window.
Cunard says the work will preserve Queen Mary 2's recognisable Art Deco identity while updating the ship for a new generation of passengers.
Queen Mary 2 to gain 31 new staterooms
The refurbishment will add 16 Princess Grill Suites and 15 Britannia-category staterooms, increasing the liner's accommodation capacity and placing particular emphasis on Cunard's premium Grill product.
Every existing Grill Suite will also be refreshed with new interiors, furnishings and finishes. Cunard says newly designed bathrooms with premium, spa-inspired features will be introduced throughout the Grill Suite categories.
The Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants will receive corresponding updates, retaining their exclusive character while renewing the décor and passenger experience.
Kennels to be expanded and redesigned
Queen Mary 2's kennels — the only dedicated kennels operating at sea — form an unusually prominent part of the project.
Cunard plans to increase their capacity, redesign the animal accommodation, refurbish the owners' lounge and enlarge the outdoor walking area. The facilities allow passengers to travel with dogs and cats on selected transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York.
The exact number of additional kennel spaces has not yet been announced.
Mareel spa and Illuminations among major upgrades
Mareel Wellness & Beauty will be transformed during the dry dock, creating an updated spa and relaxation environment. The ship will also receive a new collection of luxury stores intended to provide a more boutique-style retail experience.
Illuminations, which combines a theatre, cinema, lecture venue and the largest planetarium at sea, will undergo a major digital upgrade. Cunard says the new technology will support more immersive presentations beneath the venue's dome.
Further work will create additional outdoor deck space for passengers. Traditional deck games will remain, alongside paddle tennis and pickleball.
Original designer returns to shape new interiors
The design vision is being led by Chris Finch, one of Queen Mary 2's original designers. Cunard says the scheme draws on classic Hollywood glamour while retaining the British traditions and maritime character associated with the ship.
Illustrator Tanu Vasu has produced a collection of commissioned artwork showing the intended atmosphere of the refurbished liner. The illustrations allow Cunard to present the design direction before completed interior photography becomes available.
Cunard president Katie McAlister described the project as a significant investment intended to refine the ship while respecting the features already valued by its passengers.
Major investment in Cunard's flagship
Delivered in 2004, Queen Mary 2 was built specifically for regular North Atlantic service and remains the world's only ocean liner operating scheduled transatlantic crossings.
The vessel underwent its most extensive previous transformation in 2016, when accommodation and public spaces were redesigned and the kennels were expanded. Further work has been completed during later maintenance periods, but the breadth of the 2027 programme makes it one of the most substantial upgrades in the ship's career.
The new project covers both revenue-generating accommodation and some of the liner's most distinctive passenger facilities. Adding Princess Grill Suites also increases the proportion of premium inventory available on future voyages.
First post-refit cruise departs Southampton
Cunard's published schedule shows Queen Mary 2 returning to service from Southampton on 9 May 2027.
The first voyage after the dry dock is a three-night short break to Zeebrugge, with the Belgian port call scheduled for 11 May before the ship returns to Southampton on 12 May.
The line has not announced any delay to the return date. As with any major dry-dock project, the programme and individual design details may be refined as work progresses.