She is the only true ocean liner in active service today, and she’s coming to Durban and Cape Town this month.
Purposely built to cross the Atlantic Ocean, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 remains the only ship in the world that offers scheduled, regular passenger crossings between Europe and North America.
As part of her current 110-night World Voyage, which visits 30 ports, Queen Mary 2 will be arriving from Singapore in Durban on 9 April and docking in Cape Town on 12 April. The ship, which can accommodate 2 695 guests and 1 253 crew members, will depart the next day for Southampton for the final sector of her 2026 World Voyage, which ends on 30 April.
Queen Mary 2 celebrates two milestones this year: She completed her first-ever transit of the Panama Canal in January, passing under the Bridge of the Americas and marking a historic milestone in her service history. Later, in November, she will commemorate her 450th Transatlantic Crossing, a testament to her enduring legacy.
The landmark passage through the Panama Canal saw Queen Mary 2 navigate the canal’s new locks, providing guests a rare and memorable experience journeying between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
From 10 to 17 November this year, a special commemorative voyage aboard Queen Mary 2 will offer guests a dedicated celebration. The programme brings Cunard’s storied history to life through performances, interactive experiences, and themed events, complemented by Cunard Insights talks from a maritime historian and a special gala dinner.
While Durban will be a day visit, Cape Town is among the select destinations on the 2026 World Voyage itinerary offering an overnight stay, giving guests the opportunity to fully explore the Mother City.
For local travelers or international guests seeking a shorter 17-day voyage, limited cabins may still be available for this segment of her global journey, departing from Cape Town.
Passengers will have the chance to experience the vast open ocean, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and a journey through changing climate zones as Queen Mary 2 makes her way from warm African waters to the cooler North Atlantic on the way to the United Kingdom.
“Queen Mary 2 is more than just a cruise ship; she’s a living piece of maritime history,” says Shaun McCarthy, Managing Director at Whitestar Cruise & Travel, Cunard’s South African representative. “This will be one of several visits she has made to South Africa over the years, but this year seems especially significant. Not only is she marking important milestones, but out of roughly 300 to 350 cruise ships in operation today, about 150 of which are classified as luxury vessels, she remains the only true ocean liner in the world.”
Unlike conventional cruise ships designed for calm, port-focused itineraries, Queen Mary 2 is engineered to handle the challenging conditions of the North Atlantic with ease. Her reinforced hull, deeper draft and superior stability allow her to glide through rough seas more smoothly, which enables the journey itself to be just as memorable, if not more so, than the ports she visits.
As one of the largest ocean liners ever built, there is an exceptional sense of space onboard, designed not for capacity, but for comfort, elegance and the full experience of ocean travel. Because she was built for extended days at sea, Queen Mary 2 offers wide decks, expansive public rooms and a natural flow that enables guests to move effortlessly throughout the ship. From the wraparound promenade to quiet corners for reading or relaxing, the generous space creates a calm, unhurried atmosphere, allowing passengers to truly unwind and enjoy the journey itself.
But don’t let her size fool you: Queen Mary 2 offers many personal experiences, from private dining in elegant restaurants to spa treatments, enrichment lectures or relaxing with a book in the library. Guests can visit the art gallery and enjoy cozy evenings in its classic lounges, not to mention a visit to the only planetarium at sea. Also unique to Queen Mary 2 are dedicated kennels that allow guests to travel with their pets on Transatlantic Crossings only.
Whether guests are in the mood for complete relaxation or something more active, you can find it.
The ship also features a theatre with West End–style shows, live music and ballroom dancing, as well as a fitness centre, multiple swimming pools as well as tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a jogging track with stunning ocean views, and a variety of dance and fitness classes.
Following her trip from Cape Town to the UK later this month, Queen Mary 2 will embark on a dedicated season of Transatlantic Crossings between May and December 2026.
For those in South Africa who might be planning a cruise to / from local shores next year, Cunard’s Queen Victoria will return to South African waters mid-April 2027, on her 109 day-World Voyage from 10 January – 30 April.
“Whether you are a seasoned cruise traveler or considering your first cruise holiday, experiencing the world aboard a Cunard ship offers a travel experience unlike any other,” says McCarthy.
Queen Mary 2 will be docking at Durban Harbour on 9 April. She is then expected to sail into Cape Town around 05:30 on the morning of 12 April, where passengers will be greeted to Table Mountain at sunrise.
For more information, go to https://whitestar.co.za.