Although the Queen Mary II - said to be the most opulent passenger liner in world - won't be setting sail until next year, the ship has already attracted the attention of throngs of tourists.
The port town of Saint-Nazaire, Brittany, where the vessel is currently being built, has seen the number of visitors from around the world rise into the thousands. Though a six-day cruise on the completed QMII will cost from £1,000 to £20,000, a two-and-a-half hour tour of the dry dock costs just £10.
"The ship being built here has been a real boost to the local tourist trade," said tourism spokesman Andrea Klose. "A ship is not just another industrial product, it is also the object of all kinds of dreams and a symbol of faraway destinations."
Described as a "floating palace", the £538-million liner will certainly be a dream come true for travellers with a taste for luxury. In addition to gourmet restaurants and penthouses complete with butlers, the ship's 17 decks will also feature hundreds of artworks and tapestries, a full-size theatre, the world’s only sea-going planetarium and a pub supplied by its own on-board micro-brewery.
Those wanting a place on the QMII's maiden voyage are out of luck, however – the January 2004 cruise from Southampton to Florida is already sold out.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
