QUEEN ELIZABETH
June 25, 2022 | Alaska Cruise – Day 2: At Sea
Day 2 of our Alaska cruise aboard Queen Elizabeth (Cunard Line) was spent at sea on June 25, 2022, as we sailed north from Vancouver toward Alaska. Our first full day aboard provided time to explore the ship and its public spaces before reaching Glacier Bay the following day.
Our first full day aboard Queen Elizabeth was spent at sea on June 25, 2022, as we sailed north from Vancouver toward Alaska. After boarding at Canada Place the previous day, Day 2 gave us an opportunity to settle into the ship, explore her public spaces, and photograph many of the interior details that distinguish Cunard's 2010-built Queen Elizabeth. Our next destination was Glacier Bay, where the scenic portion of the Alaska itinerary would begin on June 26.
Built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone, Italy, Queen Elizabeth combines the facilities of a modern cruise ship with design elements and traditions influenced by Cunard's long passenger-ship history. Her dark hull, white superstructure, and red-and-black funnel provide an immediate visual connection with the Cunard fleet, while spaces such as the Queens Room, Royal Court Theatre, Commodore Club, library, and Grills areas carry that identity throughout the ship.
A sea day was particularly well suited to experiencing these spaces. With no port call scheduled, the ship itself became the destination for the day. This gallery documents our first full day aboard and forms the second chapter of our June 24–July 1 Alaska voyage.
Information List
Name: Queen Elizabeth
Operator: Cunard Line
Ship Type: Cruise ship
Builder: Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy
Keel Laid: July 2, 2009
Float Out: January 5, 2010
Delivered: September 29, 2010
Named: October 11, 2010
Godmother: Queen Elizabeth II
Maiden Voyage: October 12, 2010
Class: Vista Class
Length: Approximately 964 feet / 294 meters
Beam: Approximately 106 feet / 32.3 meters
Gross Tonnage: Approximately 90,900 GT
Guest Capacity: Approximately 2,081
Passenger Decks: 12
Service Speed: Approximately 21.7 knots
Maximum Speed: Approximately 23.7 knots
Registry During This Voyage: Bermuda
Port of Registry: Hamilton
IMO Number: 9477438
Voyage: Q220
Cruise: Seven-night roundtrip Alaska cruise from Vancouver
Cruise Day: Day 2
Date: June 25, 2022
Location: At Sea
Previous Day: Vancouver, British Columbia
Next Destination: Glacier Bay, Alaska
Personal Voyage: Traveled aboard Queen Elizabeth
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
Queen Elizabeth was built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone, Italy, for Cunard Line.
Her keel was laid on July 2, 2009, and she was floated out on January 5, 2010.
Fincantieri delivered the completed ship to Cunard on September 29, 2010.
Queen Elizabeth II officially named Queen Elizabeth at Southampton on October 11, 2010.
The ship departed Southampton on her maiden voyage the following day.
Her introduction created a three-ship Cunard fleet consisting of Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen Elizabeth Name:
The present Queen Elizabeth is the third major Cunard passenger ship associated with the Queen Elizabeth name.
The original Queen Elizabeth entered service in 1940 and became one of the defining express ocean liners of the twentieth century.
Queen Elizabeth 2, commonly known as QE2, entered service in 1969 and maintained Cunard's passenger and transatlantic traditions for nearly four decades.
The current Queen Elizabeth continues the historic name in modern cruise service rather than operating as a traditional express ocean liner.
Her appearance, interiors, artwork, and shipboard traditions maintain deliberate connections with Cunard's earlier passenger ships.
Design and Features:
Queen Elizabeth is based on the Vista-class cruise-ship platform and is closely related to Queen Victoria.
Her exterior incorporates Cunard's traditional dark hull, white superstructure, and red-and-black funnel.
Interior spaces use Art Deco influences and references to Cunard history while providing the facilities expected aboard a contemporary cruise ship.
The ship was designed for worldwide cruise service and has operated itineraries across Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, Alaska, and other regions.
Her combination of traditional Cunard styling and contemporary cruise-ship design is particularly evident throughout her public rooms.
Our First Full Day Aboard:
June 25 was Day 2 of our seven-night Alaska cruise and our first complete day aboard Queen Elizabeth.
We had embarked at Vancouver's Canada Place on June 24.
With no port call scheduled for Day 2, we spent the day aboard as the ship sailed north toward Alaska.
The sea day provided an opportunity to explore and photograph areas of the ship that would be more difficult to document during busy port days.
Our next destination was Glacier Bay National Park on June 26.
Exploring Queen Elizabeth:
Much of this gallery focuses on the interior and public spaces aboard Queen Elizabeth.
Sea days allow passengers to experience the ship differently from days organized around shore excursions and port calls.
The absence of a destination ashore places greater emphasis on the ship's lounges, restaurants, open decks, entertainment spaces, and other public areas.
For Ocean Liner Photography, the day provided an opportunity to document the design and atmosphere of the ship as part of the larger Alaska voyage.
The Library:
Queen Elizabeth includes a two-level library, continuing Cunard's tradition of maintaining substantial libraries aboard its passenger ships.
Wooden shelving, curved railings, and traditional decorative details give the space a character distinct from many contemporary cruise-ship interiors.
A decorative stained-glass-style ceiling feature forms one of the visual focal points of the room.
The library is one of several spaces aboard Queen Elizabeth designed to reinforce the ship's connection with Cunard's established passenger-service traditions.
Queens Room:
The two-level Queens Room is one of the signature public spaces aboard Queen Elizabeth.
It serves as the ship's ballroom and is used for dancing, afternoon tea, receptions, and other events.
Ballroom dancing has remained closely associated with the Cunard experience across generations of the company's passenger ships.
The scale and traditional styling of the Queens Room make it one of the clearest examples of Cunard's historic influence on the ship's interior design.
Other Public Spaces:
The Royal Court Theatre provides the principal venue for stage productions and entertainment.
The Commodore Club is positioned high on the ship and provides forward-facing views.
The Golden Lion continues the British pub concept found aboard other Cunard ships.
Britannia Restaurant serves as the principal dining room for Britannia-category passengers.
Princess Grill and Queens Grill provide dedicated dining for passengers traveling in the corresponding Grill accommodations.
Together, these spaces help give Queen Elizabeth a distinctly Cunard identity despite her modern cruise-ship design.
At Sea Toward Alaska:
Our June 25 sea day carried us north from British Columbia toward Southeast Alaska.
The transition from Vancouver to Alaska formed the first traveling portion of the cruise after embarkation.
Rather than focusing on a port or scenic destination, Day 2 centered on the experience of being aboard Queen Elizabeth.
The following day would shift the focus dramatically from the ship's interiors to the natural landscape of Glacier Bay.
Our 2022 Alaska Cruise:
We boarded Queen Elizabeth in Vancouver on June 24 for Cunard Voyage Q220.
The itinerary was a seven-night roundtrip Alaska cruise from Vancouver.
After our Day 2 sea passage, the voyage continued to Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Ketchikan.
A second sea day on June 30 formed the southbound portion of the itinerary before our return to Vancouver on July 1.
The individual galleries from the voyage document both Queen Elizabeth and the changing destinations encountered throughout the week.
Complete Cruise Itinerary:
Day 1 – June 24: Vancouver, British Columbia – Embarkation and departure
Day 2 – June 25: At Sea
Day 3 – June 26: Glacier Bay, Alaska – Scenic cruising
Day 4 – June 27: Icy Strait Point, Alaska
Day 5 – June 28: Sitka, Alaska
Day 6 – June 29: Ketchikan, Alaska
Day 7 – June 30: At Sea
Day 8 – July 1: Vancouver, British Columbia – Arrival and disembarkation
Continuing to Glacier Bay:
Day 2 concluded as Queen Elizabeth continued north toward Alaska.
Glacier Bay National Park was the destination for Day 3 on June 26.
Unlike the sea day, Glacier Bay would place the surrounding landscape at the center of the experience through scenic cruising rather than a conventional port call.
The Glacier Bay gallery continues the chronological record of our Alaska voyage.
Ocean Liner Photography Voyage Series:
This gallery documents Day 2 of our June 2022 Alaska cruise aboard Queen Elizabeth.
The master Alaska cruise page provides the overview of the complete June 24–July 1 voyage.
Day 1 documents embarkation and departure from Vancouver.
Day 2 focuses on our first full day aboard and the ship's public spaces while sailing north.
Day 3 continues the series with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay.
OLP Social: Our first full day aboard was spent sailing north from Vancouver toward Glacier Bay, with time to explore and photograph the ship during our Alaska cruise.
OLP Social 2: Built by Fincantieri in Italy, she was delivered in September 2010 and named by Queen Elizabeth II the next month, beginning another chapter in Cunard history.
OLP Social 3: At 964 feet long and 90,900 gross tons, she carries about 2,081 guests across 12 passenger decks, with plenty of the ship to explore on our first day at sea.
OLP Social 4: Her Art Deco styling, ballroom and two level library carry Cunard’s passenger ship traditions into a modern cruise ship built for voyages around the world.
