Celebrities Aboard: How Queen Mary 2 is Creating a New Golden Age of Travel

Clark Gable enjoys a laugh with a Cunard officer aboard the first Queen Mary.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection

Travel used to be something glamorous. Press photographers would board every great ocean liner after it entered New York harbor, eager to photograph the famous actors, former kings and statesmen aboard.

Ambitious mothers might scrimp to afford an ocean crossing in First Class, hopeful that their beautiful young daughter would catch the eye of an aristocrat or millionaire. Perhaps you have your own family story of how Aunt Edna was always in the lounge on the Queen Mary so she wouldn't miss rubbing elbows with Clark Gable on a voyage in '49.

It's a wonderful romantic memory that Cunard Line, who had so many of those great liners, has worked hard to recapture. Since the debut of Queen Mary 2 in 2004 it's become apparent to me that the most expensive and ambitious liner in history has successfully enticed the Jet Set to cross the Atlantic in a more civilized manner.

I'll confess, I'm a really big fan of Queen Mary 2 and the experiences of myself and my clients has only caused it to grow. Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. She's an ocean liner in every sense: engineering, itineraries and ambiance. I will omit the superlatives for today because I want to share some photos that I've gotten a kick out of lately. These pictures show today's glitterati aboard today's most glittering ship. (Click to enlarge photos)


Actor Richard Dreyfuss (R) on the bridge with Commodore Warwick (L).
For this and following photos: Cunard Line (All Rights Reserved)


Actress S. Epatha Merkerson from Law & Order enjoys Manhattan views before setting sail from Cunard's new terminal in Red Hook Brooklyn.


Author Sir Harold Evans and his wife Tina Brown (founding editor of Vanity Fair) enjoy some fresh air on Deck 12 of QM2.


George Lucas accepts an award aboard QM2 from Commodore Warwick during the Cannes Film Festival.


Legendary screen siren Jane Russell sits in the Captain's chair.


Rocker Rod Stewart boards ship in Southampton.


Another Englishman, John Cleese, poses on Queen Mary 2's bridge.


Uma Thurman looks like she's already started to relax.