Queen Mary 2 Cabins to avoid + tips for choosing the best cabin for you

Considering a cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2? Pick the perfect cabin with my cabin guide and some tips on how to pick the right one.

Whether it is your first cruise or fiftieth, choosing a cabin is not easy. Pick the wrong location and it can ruin your whole cruise.

I certainly felt the pressure when I took my first cruise and have made a few mistakes when booking since. While they didn’t spoil my cruises too much, I definitely learnt a few lessons about what cabins and locations to keep away from where possible.

So, to help you avoid the same mistakes I did, I’ve put together this guide to cabins to avoid on the Queen Mary 2 and some tips on what to consider before choosing a cabin. 

My cabin guides are designed to give an idea of what you should consider when choosing a cabin along with some tips on how to pick the perfect one for you.

At a Glance: Queen Mary 2 Cabins to Avoid

Below is a quick list of cabins you might want to steer clear of when selecting your cruise accommodation. Read on for more details why these cabins may not be the best choice.

• Cabins above public areas such as entertainment venues, dining areas, pool decks, 
• Cabins underneath or on promenade decks 
• Cabins near lifts and stairwells
• Cabins with connecting doors
• Cabins near crew areas
• Cabins near anchors or the engine room
• Cabins at the front and rear of the ship (if you suffer from seasickness)
• Cabins without a view (if you like a view)
• Cabins near smoking areas (if you are a non-smoker or sensitive to smells)

Overview of Cabins on Queen Mary 2

Before I get into the detail of the cabins, here is a brief overview of the accommodation onboard. There are 1,360 cabins on the Queen Mary 2, of which there are six different categories.

• Britannia Inside 
• Britannia Ocean view 
• Britannia Balcony (including sheltered balconies)
• Britannia Club Balcony
• Princess Grill Suite
• Queen Grill Suites

Within each of these categories, there will be good and bad locations depending on your requirements. However, whether you are solo cruising or traveling with family and friends there will be a cabin for you.

Cabins to Avoid on Queen Mary 2

Choosing the right cabin on a cruise ship is quite a personal thing. Everyone has different preferences and requirements. What is a deal breaker for some may not bother others.

Some cabins that you might think are ones to dodge could come with a cheaper fare and therefore be worth a comprise. Having more money for another cruise is never a bad thing! Alternatively, there may be some cabins that you want to stay away from as their disadvantages would spoil your cruise too much.

Before you choose a cabin it is worth having a think about what is important to you and what you are happy to compromise on if necessary.

Cabins in noisy areas

With space at a premium on cruise ship, it’s no surprise that some cabins will be in areas where there could potentially be some noise disturbance. Depending on your tolerance for noise you may want to avoid cabins in the following areas…

Cabins near, above or below entertainment venues 

One of the great things about cruising is the choice of entertainment onboard. Queen Mary 2 is no exception to this. You can spend the night dancing around the ballroom, catching a show in the theatre or listening to live music in many of the bars. While that all sounds fantastic, you won’t want to hear all that from your cabin.

Trust me on that.

I had a cabin directly underneath the Queen’s Ballroom and could hear the thud of the music from my cabin for two out of three nights I was onboard. Luckily it quieted down around midnight and didn’t disturb my evenings too much but it is an area of the ship I’d avoid on my next cruise. 

Cabins underneath the pool deck 

Cabins located directly under the pool deck may be disturbed by the setting up of the sun loungers or pool equipment such as the pumps or filter system.

The sun loungers are put out early in the morning and packed away in the evening. If you are an early riser this might not be much of an issue but if you like your sleep this area is probably best avoided just in case. During the day you may also hear your fellow passengers moving sun loungers around. However, if you are out and about this shouldn’t be as much of an issue. 

Cabins underneath the promenade deck

The Queen Mary 2 has a magnificent promenade deck. Wandering around the teak floored deck or sitting on a deck chair looking out to sea are highlights of a cruise on this elegant ship. 

Three laps equal a mile and you’ll often see people strolling or jogging around it while enjoying the sea views or getting some exercise in. Depending on how heavy-footed people are there is a chance you may hear the thud of footsteps in cabins below this deck.

Cabins underneath the buffet

Cabins that are directly under Kings Court (the buffet) may be affected by some noise. During the day this could be from the kitchen setting up at meal times or by heavy-footed passengers. At night there is a risk of hearing noise while the area is being cleaned and maintained.

Cabins with interconnecting doors 

There are a number of interconnecting cabins on the Queen Mary 2. This type of cabin is a great option if you are travelling with family or friends. If you are not, they are worth avoiding as they tend to be more susceptible to noise. You may find you can hear your cabin neighbours talking or noise from the TV should they watch it. 

I once had a room in a hotel that was adjoined to the room next door and I could hear the music from the mini party they were having and every word they said. I ended up having to call reception at 1 am as I couldn’t sleep. Take it from me it was no fun so that style of cabin is one to give a wide berth.

Cabins near lifts and stairwells

Cabins near the lifts can be troubled by noise from the lifts themselves or by the people using them. That said, I once had a cabin directly behind the lifts and was a little worried that it would be noisy. But I actually didn’t hear a thing. It was also very handy being so close to the lifts. So I think this one may depend on how sharp your hearing is.

Cabins near crew areas

The crew are the heroes of the cruise industry. They seem to work all hours of the day and always with a smile on their face. It is definitely not a job for the fainthearted. With all the work needed to keep a cruise ship running, cabins near crew areas or passageways may be disturbed by the coming and going of the crew as they go about their work.

Cabins near the anchor or engines

The engines and anchor are two pretty essential things for a cruise ship but cabins near both can be affected by the noises they make.

On one of my cruises where one of the destinations was a tender port, I got a fright when the anchor was lowered early one morning. It took a good few minutes to work out what it was. Thankfully, I was already awake thanks to the fog horn blaring every few minutes but if I had been asleep it would have woken me up. 

On cruises with a with a lot of tender ports, the noise from the anchor is likely to be more of an issue than cruises where you will be docked at the port a lot. It is not always clear where the anchors are located but generally they are at the front of the ship. You’d think that higher decks may escape some of the noise but I was on deck 12 and the noise of the anchor dropping was still pretty loud.

Engine noise can also be a bit troublesome. The engine room is generally located towards the back of the ship, somewhere between mid-aft and aft on the lower decks. As you might expect, cabins near the engine rooms are susceptible to noise and vibrations.

Cabins if you like a view 

Cabins with an obstructed view

Many people who cruise like to enjoy the sea views. There isn’t anything much better than sitting on your balcony enjoying a drink & taking in the view. If this is you then you’ll want to avoid cabins with an obstructed view.

These are cabins where something is blocking the view, usually a lifeboat or part of the ship’s structure. That said, not all obstructed balconies are equal. Some may be only partially obstructed and some may be fully obstructed. 

A plus to these types of cabins is that they are often cheaper than a cabin with unobstructed views. So, with a little research, you could bag yourself a cabin with only a slightly blocked view and save yourself some money. 

Cabins with a sheltered balcony and steel front

The Queen Mary 2 has sheltered balcony cabins on decks 4,5 and 6. These are cabins where the balcony is cut out from the hull of the ship and are low down, close to the water. 

The cut out is very high and they are steel fronted rather than glass fronted. You can’t sit on the balcony chairs & enjoy the view. However, if you stand up the view is fine. One tip is to put a couple of cushions on the chair to give you a bit of height.

If you just like some natural light and fresh air in your cabin, this style is often the cheapest way to get a balcony cabin. 

Inside Cabins

This one is a bit obvious but if you like a view on a cruise don’t book an inside cabin as you won’t have a window let alone a balcony. That said, some inside cabins have a picture view window that overlooks the atrium on the QM2. So a view of sorts. 

Cabins if you are not a fan of rough seas 

If you suffer from seasickness or just don’t like feeling the ship’s movement then you’ll want to avoid cabins at the front (Forward) and rear (Aft) of the ship. Depending on the sea, it can get a bit bumpy in those locations at times.

Cabins if you value your privacy 

The Queen Mary 2 has a number of Atrium View cabins. These are inside cabins but are slightly unusual in that they have a picture window that overlooks the striking Grand Atrium.

Having a read of a few cruise forums and groups it appears that the window in these cabins looks directly into the window opposite. To get around this, you can keep the curtain and blinds closed but that kind of goes against the point of having a cabin with a window.

There is also a risk of hearing noise from the atrium, particularly if there is an event or live music in the lobby. The lights are always kept on as well so you may find you are keeping the curtains or blinds closed a lot of the time. 

Cabins to avoid if you are sensitive to smells 

If you have a strong sense of smell then there are a few areas of the ship you’ll want to stay away from when booking a cabin.

The most obvious of which is cabins near the smoking areas. For non-smokers, the smell of cigarettes wafting over may not be particularly pleasant. You may also want to avoid the kitchen and restaurant areas in case you pick up any food aromas. 

Tips for Choosing a Cabin

Don’t let the above put you off cruising with Cunard or on the Queen Mary 2. There will be the perfect cabin for you onboard. However, before you book, it is worth considering what is important to you and what is not. Make a list of your must-haves, your that would be nice and your definitely not. Then you can use this to find the right cabin. 

Things to consider include

• The length of your cruise. Are you cruising for a few days or a few weeks? Would you be comfortable in a particular cabin style for that length? 
• The destinations you are visiting. Are they scenic ports where you might want to enjoy the view from your balcony?
• The number of port stops your cruise has. Will you be off the ship most of the day and not in your cabin?
• Are you likely to be spending most of your time out of your cabin exploring and enjoying the ship and its facilities?
• Are you a night owl or early bird? Will you be using the late-night venues or having lots of early nights?
• Is easy access to particular facilities important to you?
• Whether you suffer from seasickness or not. 
• Are you travelling with children?  Do you want to avoid long walks to and from the kids club and facilities?
• Are you travelling with family or friends? Do you want adjoining cabins or do you want to put a bit of distance between them and you?
• Can you put up with a little noise or will it ruin your cruise?

The Last Word

In some ways there are no cabins to avoid on the Queen Mary 2. It all really comes down to your own preferences. By doing a little bit of research and studying the deck plans before you book your cruise you can arm yourself with enough knowledge to pick the perfect cabin. Whatever your requirements.

You may also like…

• Cunard Drink Packages – From coffee to cocktails
• Cunard Dress Code – What to wear on your cruise
• Queen Mary 2 sheltered balcony cabin review