Queen Mary completes renovations, maintains art deco elegance

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Queen Mary recently finished renovations on all 314 of its staterooms, including nine suites, in a significant renovation project that also included three of the ship’s restaurants, 18,700 square feet of meeting space and the Royal Wedding Chapel.

While the renovations modernize aspects of the ship, care was taken to preserve its art deco heritage.

“It was important for us to maintain the ship’s authenticity and historic appeal,” said General Manager Uwe Roggenthien. “But there are amenities that today’s traveler expects from a destination like the Queen Mary, and the renovation program meets those expectations.”

The stateroom renovations included adding flat screen TVs and iPod docking stations as well new bedding, curtains, carpets and refreshed decor.

In both the Queen Mary’s signature restaurant Sir Winston’s and the Promenade Cafe, menus were updated to embrace sustainable dining practices and interiors refurbished. A third restaurant was completely redesigned as a classic fish house and reopens today as the Chelsea Chowder House & Bar featuring a selection of chowders, kettle-cooked seafood dishes, brewed foods and specialty beers and increased capacity of 130 seats up from 85.

The Royal Wedding Chapel received a fresh coat of paint, new carpet, drapes and pews, while retaining the romantic charm that has made it a popular site for weddings. The chapel seats 150 guests, and the Queen Mary hosts an average of 150 weddings per year.

The ship’s three largest meeting salons—the Grand, Queen’s, and Windsor salons—and the Royal Salon and King’s View room were all renovated with new carpet and drapes chosen in consultation with an art deco art historian.