View of the New York City skyline from the Queen Mary 2 departure; New York, N.Y.

By combining beautiful design, seamless integration of technology and extraordinary standards of service, the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship is a palace of pleasure. Not just the tallest, widest, and grandest of vessels — it's also the one that cares the most about its passengers.

• Weighing in at 150,000 gross tons, the Queen Mary 2 is 1,131 feet long and towers 23 stories above the waterline. It holds the title of the biggest ship in the world.
  
• The Queen Mary 2 offers various packages designed to fit different budgets.
  
• Butler service is included with all of the ships 15 luxury suites and apartments.
  
• Guests are given pagers to notify staff of any requests they might have while away from their suites.
  
• Reservations for the Todd English restaurant can be made after boarding the ship, but act quickly; it will fill up. The menu was developed with the help of famed restaurateur Daniel Boulud and features many of his recipes.
  
• It takes five days for the QM2 to travel from New York City to Southampton, England.
  
• All suites and three-fourths of the ship's staterooms feature private balconies.

(Special thanks to the Queen Mary 2 staff: Maureen Ryan, Ryan Rouse, Jacqueline Hodgson, Sheena Moore, Jean Marie Zimmermann, Commodore Ronald Warwick)

Travel + Leisure magazine's Heidi Mitchell offers packing advice for your next cruise:

• Pack what you'll need for each day based on your planned activities.
  
• Formal wear is not a necessity, but transatlantic voyages tend to be more upscale.
  
• If you don't own a tuxedo, you can rent one aboard the ship.
  
• Sarongs are great to pack because of their versatility.
  
• If you forget something, there are shops aboard, but you might not find your favorite brands.

Resources

Queen Mary 2
800-7-CUNARD (reservations)
www.cunard.com

Travel + Leisure magazine
www.travelandleisure.com