Cunard's Iconic Queen Mary 2 Makes Boston Debut With Extended Kennel Area

BOSTON, MA - Queen Mary 2 gave a royal welcome to Boston's top Instagram dogs, Nacho (@NachoDogg) and Bear (@KnoxandBear), who enjoyed the new kennels on the Remastered ship at Boston's Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.

CunardCu's flagship ocean liner sailed into Boston today to debut its significant refit costing in the region of $132 million. The luxury liner has been lovingly remastered with new contemporary interior designs and guest experiences, many of which take their design inspiration from the original Queen Mary, which debuted into service 80 years ago. As the only passenger vessel to carry dogs and cats, Queen Mary 2 has expanded its kennel service during this multi-million dollar renovation, adding 12 new kennels for a total of 24.

In addition, the ship extended the kennel area, adding an owner's lounge, new pet playground, and expanded the outdoor area to accommodate an historic British lamppost and American fire hydrant so canines from both sides of the pond feel at home. A full-time Kennel Master takes care of daily pet responsibilities including feeding, walking and cuddling the pets onboard.

Cunard's pet-friendly policy dates back 176 years to the maiden voyage of the Britannia in 1840 when the ship sailed with a cow to provide fresh milk for passengers. Famous canines such as Rin-Tin-Tin, Elizabeth Taylor's pampered pups and the Duke of Windsor's dogs traveled on Cunard, and to continue that tradition, Boston's top Instagram dogs joined Cunard on board the ship to test out the new, expanded kennels.

The refit was conducted in the Blohm + Voss Shipyard, in Hamburg, one of the only shipyards in the world large enough to hold Queen Mary 2. It was a 24-hour a day operation, with over one million man hours put into the refurbishment, during a 25-day period.

The Remastering Features:

• Redesign and refurbishment of the Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites and restaurants, as well as Britannia staterooms, the latter to be fully completed by the end of the year

• The addition of 30 further Britannia Club staterooms, 15 Britannia single staterooms and five Britannia inside staterooms

• Redesign of key public spaces and restaurants, including the transformation of the former Winter Garden into the Carinthia Lounge, the introduction of The Verandah as the ship's new specialty restaurant, and the complete refresh and restructuring of the Kings Court, the ship's popular buffet area

• 12 additional kennels and other enhancements

• And as befitting the flagship of the Cunard fleet, a complete repaint of the ship exterior and significant technical enhancements and structural changes

About Queen Mary 2

Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues a 176-year legacy of transatlantic travel. Queen Mary 2 achieved her 200th transatlantic crossing in July 2013. Iconic luminaries, political figures and celebrities from the Golden Age of Ocean Travel to the present day have sailed with Cunard and aboard Queen Mary 2.

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, The Only Cruise Ship That Lets You Bring Fido

A bulldog poses for a picture on the deck of the Queen Mary 2. Photo by Cunard Cruise Line.

For true animal lovers, the hardest part of traveling is leaving your four-legged friend behind. When Gemma Whitehouse, director of the philanthropic organization, Amanzi Travel, had the opportunity to live in Vancouver for a year, leaving her black labs, Boo and Manzi, home in England was simply out of the question. Not wanting to deal with the hassles of flying, she took advantage of a unique program offered on Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, the only cruise ship to allow pets onboard.

Cunard has a long history of being a pet-friendly line, having hosted canine celebrities from Rin Tin Tin to Elizabeth Taylor’s puppies. QM2 features a fully equipped onboard kennel, with space for 12 dogs, a playroom and designated outdoor walking areas. The line doesn't allow pets free rein on the ship, but it does offer owners four visiting sessions a day, including a long one in the afternoon, during which dogs can play with their owners on deck.

Kennel fees range from $500 for dogs under 25 pounds, to $700 for larger dogs. Fees for cats, which need two kennels, cost $1,000. Weight restrictions apply, and mastiffs, greyhounds, Great Danes and other large breeds are not allowed. Cunard also requires rabies vaccination paperwork, a recent tapeworm treatment and a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved pet certificate.

Though thrilled to be able to travel with Boo and Manzi, Whitehouse was also anxious, since her dogs had never been in kennels before. Cunard provides everything a pet would need, including: beds, food, blankets and even scratching posts for cats. Still, Whitehouse found herself nervous. She packed her dogs' beds and some toys, along with a thunder shirt -- a compression vest used to calm high-anxiety dogs during storms -- for nervous Boo, in order to give them familiar smells.

Once Whitehouse boarded, any lingering doubts she had were quickly put to rest by Jojo, the kennel master.

According to Whitehouse: "Boo and Manzi made friends with all the other dogs onboard, and were super friendly to the other passengers. But, to be honest, I think their best friend on the cruise was Jojo, since he fed them. Typical Labradors!"

When Whitehouse arrived in New York with Boo and Manzi a year later for her return cruise, Jojo greeted them on the dock with a big smile. Too excited to behave, Boo and Manzi pulled their leashes right out of Whitehouses' hands to rush over and greet their old friend.

Whitehouse with Boo and Manzi.

Contributed By Thomas Faddegon
BonVoyageMag.com
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