The biggest floating hotel in the world
January sees the inaugural cruise of the Queen Mary 2, the latest regally named, superlative-inviting liner to grace Cunard's fleet. Size comparisons with football pitches and the Empire State Building aside, the Queen Mary 2, with 17 decks, is a whopper by anyone's reckoning. Not only is it the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger ship ever built, the hotel rooms and the food and beverage offerings aren't bad either.
With 1,310 cabins, the Queen Mary 2 is effectively the largest floating hotel in the world, catering for as many as 2,620 guests. Passengers on the ship's 12 January maiden passenger voyage from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale in Florida will have a choice of accommodation options ranging from "standard" cabins to truly grand penthouses and duplex apartments, with features such as gyms and butlers. The different cabin types on the Queen Mary 2 have corresponding dining room options similar to those on its long-serving sister ship, the QE2. About three-quarters of the cabins have balconies and boast sea views.
The wide range of dining venues includes a restaurant run by celebrity chef Todd English, while renowned chef Daniel Boulud has been brought in as culinary consultant. Alongside the raft of discos, pools and casinos, the Queen Mary 2 features the largest wine collection at sea, and fans of the grape will even be able to learn about wine appreciation and cooking, among other things, at the College At Sea, which is based around seven multipurpose classrooms.
One thing the Queen Mary 2 isn't is cheap. Ticket prices for the inaugural transatlantic crossing start at £2,449 per person, double occupancy - and for that you get an inside cabin on the lower deck that doesn't even have a porthole, let alone a balcony. Hiring the grand duplex apartment for the same two-week voyage will set you back a cool £26,839 per person.
But before you reach for the chequebook, it's worth noting that, despite the hefty price tags, the maiden voyage has been sold out for some time. One option (that could also save you a few pennies) is to swing by the original Queen Mary - still operated by Cunard, these days it functions as a hotel and tourist attraction in Long Beach, California.
The launch of the Queen Mary 2 isn't just a boon for cruise fans, though, as it offers a raft of career opportunities for employees. Recruitment firm Berkeley Scott has filled 895 hospitality positions in the Queen Mary 2's 1,411-strong crew, and is recruiting half that number again for the relief crew. The company has received more than 4,000 external applications for hospitality positions so far, with the recruitment process for the relief crew to continue through January.
In terms of the career opportunities and perks on offer, a life on the ocean wave is well worth considering, as George Robertson, team leader of cruise and seasonal recruitment at Berkeley Scott, explains.
"The attractive part is it's four months on and two months off," Robertson says. "The salary is tax-free; you're meeting a lot of people and travelling to the four corners of the world; your meals and accommodation are paid for - as is travel to and from the ship. It's a good opportunity to save a lot of money."
But Robertson is quick to point out that it's not for everyone, as it takes a special sort of person to cope with seeing the same passengers day in, day out, and spending so long away from home and dry land. "The ideal candidate will be flexible, with a good personality, a good command of English, and have 12-18 months' experience in the position they're applying for," he says. While experience of working on a ship isn't required for entry-level positions, it is for some mid-management and senior positions.
One heartening piece of news for applicants and potential candidates who missed the boat on this occasion is that, at any one time, there's a steady stream of new seafaring vessels entering service and looking for hospitality staff. Robertson says he and his team are only too happy to look at candidates' CVs and offer advice. "If they don't have the right experience, we can help them get to where they want to be," he says.
In March, Berkeley Scott will start recruiting for the 1,000 or so positions on the next Cunard liner, the Queen Victoria. Indeed, it has recruited for 12 ships that entered service this year, with 11 more due next year, including the Queen Mary 2.
So, if your career is all at sea, you may be able to find peace in the galley and advance your career at the same time.
Food & beverage
Dining will be a particular highlight for passengers on board the Queen Mary 2, as they will be able to enjoy dishes created by New York chef Daniel Boulud, writes Louise Bozec.
Boulud, owner of Manhattan's much-heralded restaurant Daniel, is the culinary adviser for the ship and has been working with Cunard's chefs to design its menus. Boulud is keeping tight-lipped about his creations and isn't prepared to divulge details of the menus in advance of the ship's launch. However, he stresses that the Queen Mary 2 won't be offering dishes from his restaurant.
"It's not about having my menu and my food on the cruise ship," Boulud says. "I'm working in close contact with the chefs, but at the end of the day I'm just an adviser, I'm not running their business."
He adds: "I asked the chefs to send me a whole list of dishes that they were planning to offer. I eliminated about 30%, changed about 60% and kept about 10% that I thought were good."
In preparation for the launch, Boulud has sent two key staff from Daniel - executive chef Patrice Martineau and executive chef of catering Mattheu Frey - to work on board. Meanwhile, Carl Winkler, executive chef of the Queen Mary 2, has gained a valuable insight into the Boulud way, working alongside the chef in New York.
Boulud intends to rotate his chefs so that they each experience a stint of working aboard the luxury liner. The chefs will then report to him from their travels. Boulud will also join the ship, but only for a short period, in the new year. "I'm not going to be on all the cruises," he jokes.
The Queen Mary 2 will have three classes of dining rooms, based on cabin type: the 1,351-seat, three-storey Britannia, and the increasingly exclusive Princess Grill and Queen's Grill.
In all, there will be 10 restaurants, including the Todd English, which will be operated by the US celebrity chef of the same name.
Facts & figures
The Queen Mary 2:
Is 345m (1,132ft) long.
Weighs 150,000 tonnes - more than twice that of her sister ship, the QE2.
Will cater for 2,620 passengers.
Will have 1,411 crew.
Has a top speed of about 30 knots (34.5mph).
Cost about £550m to build.
Will start its maiden voyage on 12 January 2004, on a 14-day cruise from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Has a whistle that will be audible for 10 miles.
For more information on the Queen Mary 2, go to www.cunard.co.uk/Qm2i.
Job opportunities
As befits the largest floating hotel in the world, catering for 2,620 guests, the Queen Mary 2 has a wide variety of employment opportunities, from food and beverage manager, and hotel director, to restaurant and bar jobs, various housekeeping roles and even butlers.
Anyone interested in opportunities on the Queen Mary 2 or other cruise ships - or simply looking for advice on pursuing a career in the sector - can contact Berkeley Scott on 01483 791291 or e-mail: cruise@bsgplc.com.
Up-to-date information on positions through the company is available on the website, www.greatcruisejobs.co.uk.
Recruitment firm Berkeley Scott has filled 895 hospitality positions in the Queen Mary 2's 1,411-strong crew.
Accommodation
Standard cabins are 194sq ft, and most have balconies.
De luxe cabins feature balconies and measure 291sq ft.
The 78 suites include balconies and measure 388sq ft.
There are six 570sq ft penthouses, featuring balconies, and with butler and concierge services.
The four de luxe penthouses overlooking the bow measure 861-1,076sq ft.
The five duplex apartments measure more than 1,650sq ft, arranged over two floors. They feature gym facilities, a balcony, and butler and concierge service.
Still too small? The Queen Mary 2 offers guests a number of options to link suites with penthouses and the duplex apartments, for extra decadence.
