NOTES: -I'm not saying that a new ocean liner industry will rise and be popular, I'm just saying that maybe in 10 year's time, we'll see 3 or 4 ocean liners plowing the seas of the world. They'll offer an alternative to flying for people like me and countless others who are willing to spend more money and time to get to their destination. I'm not saying ocean liners will ever "compete" with air travel. -The newer Cunard ships: MS Queen Elizabeth, MS Queen Victoria, and MS Queen Anne are all cruise ships, and are not built to the strength and ocean liner standards as RMS Queen Mary 2. -Why didn't I mention seasickness or the rolling of the ship? -Because the Queen Mary 2 is the most stable ocean liner ever built. The ship has never experienced violent rolling in the 20 years she's been in service. In this very comment section, are some folks who sailed on QM2 as she plowed through hurricane Sandy in 2012, and they were surprised how smooth the voyage was. She's so steady that many folks who claim to get seasick on most voyages, often report that they didn't feel that way on QM2 even when they sailed through a storm. -Yes, while currently Queen Mary 2 takes a week to get across the ocean, she was built to cross the ocean in 4.5 days. They slowed her down only in recent years, because passengers want to enjoy their crossing, and the current clientele is not in a rush to cross the Atlantic. BUT SHE CAN DO IT FASTER than a week.

The biggest difference between Queen Mary 2 and any other passenger ship in service. When Hurricane Sandy hit the East coast in 2012 all other cruise ship either hunkered down or moved locations away from New York harbor. Queen Mary 2 ploughed through Sandy at 20+ knots as if it wasn't even there.

I don’t necessarily think if the ocean liner made a comeback, they would have to be as large or fancy as the QM2. Heck, even a ship with just practical, comfortable interiors, good internet, decent affordable food and a good service speed would be far better than any airliner.

Alex, you have confirmed what I have always believe. Ocean Liners will never cease to exist. There will be another Ocean Liner. I just know. I hate planes myself. My last flight was a total disaster. Ocean Liners all the way!

It wouldn't shock me if Cunard did two identical but smaller ocean liners (QE2 sized) in the next 10-15 years. Like you said, the demand is there. And it would give them a lot more flexibility over having a single ocean liner in the fleet (once QM2 is retired).

I wouldn’t get on a cruise ship if you paid me; however, an ocean liner is a different story. I’ve been a student of maritime history for decades and know a few things. My one regret is not taking advantage of an offer that I saw in the paper in Atlanta about 25+ years ago. I saw an ad which listed passage to Europe on the Concord with a return trip to NY on the QE2 for 5K. I was too young for such extravagance. I should have sold my soul at the time and taken the opportunity.

I sailed home to New York from Southampton on QM2 this past July. In addition to everything you mentioned Alex, the best part about coming home on a ship is NO JET LAG! I was fresh as a daisy at disembarkation and ready to go!

Alex, I am in complete agreement, and I will add that for business travellers, being at sea was a problem because they were somewhat cut off from the world. Ships now boast business centers and higher speed internet connections, so being at sea does not mean missing meetings or being unable to attend to work. Having sailed the Atlantic many times on QM2, I can promise you that she will be your favorite way to cross the pond - after enjoying this sort of trip, modern air travel seems almost indecent. I will always choose a liner, and I agree there will be more of them!

I feel you man. Us here in the railfan community see it the same way. Planes only get you there fast, but at the expense of comfort, experience, being able to get to know your vehicle, and to also enjoy the journey to the destination. Too much instant gratification.

Remotework has become so much more common that if they just get wifi to the ship in middle of the ocean, even more people could have time to spend a week in the ship. Like do their work on laptop and then chill on the ship

Ocean liners are also better for the environment, and with the increased focus on environmental issues in recent days I think Cunard is well positioned to capitalize on it with their luxurious yet reliable liner service. I sure hope they put more ships in service - it would mean I can finally visit Europe!

I really hope that the Ocean Liner industry make a come back😔

Interesting points. One note, the reason for the increase in QM2's crossing time wasn't because passengers wanted to spend more time at sea, it was actually to reduce fuel costs, although I'm sure the passengers don't mind the extra few days at all! I completely agree that Queen Mary 2 will not be the last ocean liner built. As you say she's a very popular (and profitable) ship. However, not sure if the market is large enough for more than maybe two liners on the transatlantic run. Also don't think any existing cruise line besides Cunard could pull it off because part of the appeal for many is the nostalgia and the incredible 180+ years of Cunard history. It is fun to imagine a future where ocean liners are seen as a viable and affordable alternative to air travel though, so here's some crazy dumb speculation on what a modern express liner might look like: Speed: To be competitive with jets, two liners would need to be built, one to travel from North America to Europe while the other travels in the opposite direction. The new liners would need to have a service speed of at least 50kts to enable them to cross the N. Atlantic in ~60hrs. They would depart on Friday evening at 6pm and arrive at 6am on Monday so passengers wouldn't miss a working day or need to take time off work. Between weekends they would reverse course at a slightly more leisurely speed. Size: The ships would need to be quite large for two reasons. First, sheer mass goes a long way in reducing ship motions which would be critical for convincing people worried about getting seasick to travel by ship over air. Second, to take advantage of economies of scale. The ships would probably end up similar in size to QM2, 350m L, 40m B, 10m T. At that size you can probably fit 6000 passengers. It would be much more crowded compared to QM2 and much less luxurious, but also much cheaper and way more comfortable than flying. Powering: To propel a large ship at 50kts would require enormous amounts of power and fuel. The propulsion side would probably require ~300MW, and the hotel load would be ~30MW, so ~330MW total. A diesel-electric system similar to QM2 wouldn't be economically viable and emissions regulations would probably hasten the ships obsolescence. Nuclear power is the obvious choice, but it would add at least $2 billion to the building costs and, currently, nuclear-powered vessels are prohibited from entering both New York and Southampton. Commercial Small Modular Reactors may help to bring down reactor costs, and regulations can be changed, so nuclear power is probably the way to go. Pods won't work. The most powerful pods are capable of around 25MW, so you would need 12 pods to get to the required 300MW. That's not happening. Shafts and a rudder would be required. The ship would probably end up with a turbine-electric arrangement like SS Normandie. Cost and Economics Reactor costs would need to drop significantly for this to make any kind of economic sense. Rough guess, each ship would cost somewhere in the region of $3 billion assuming a reactor can be built and installed for around $1 - $1.5 billion. As for expenses, it would probably cost, per passenger, per trip $50 for food, $100 for salaries, and another $100 for various other things, so $250 total. The ships would be very competitive cost-wise if you could sell tickets at $500 pp. A lot of money can be made from onboard purchases, so per person, per trip, the ship could generate ~$300 in revenue. If the ship completes 90 voyages per year and is at 90% capacity on average, it would take 20 years for each ship to turn a profit.

I for one would definitely prefer an ocean liner to a jet in any situation that wasn't pure business. I think you're right Alex, and the rise of remote working/video conferencing drastically reduces the need for jet travel as well.

I’m praying what you’ve said will come true someday, I’d love to see ocean liners make a triumphant comeback from near extinction. It would also be a huge weight off many ocean liner fanatics shoulders who have to correct someone who calls the Titanic “a cruise ship” because it would spread more awareness of the MASSIVE DIFFERENCE between the two.

I sincerely believe that the return to using civilized conveyances, meaning ships and trains, would raise the level of collective joy in the world considerably. Thank you again, Alex, for another excellent and uplifting video. It's always a good day when we see a new one from you!

I love the concept of flying and fly world wide, but I'd love to take extra time off from work and sail on an actual ocean liner to reach my destination.

I think this is a very real possibility as much as I know. Safe and reliable ocean liners can keep up with the changing times. Travel needs of the world and allow people to slow down a little bit and enjoy the trip, which is a good excuse in and of itself. It's probably worth it for all the reasons here. "Getting There is Half the Fun"-- That line makes more sense now than ever or will be if it's done right, especially as Cunard is owned by fun-loving Carnival. And agree that higher speed rail is another land-based solution to the airliner clogs and chaos.

I crossed in February 1959 on the Queen Elizabeth,we were battened down in a storm that made it into the newspapers, but we still got across in five days.

This would be a dream come true if it happened, I really hope it does

I would love to see the return of high speed trail & ocean liners as regularly scheduled options as alternatives to flying. I don't mind flying but I definitely don't enjoy it. I would certainly use it if, for example, I had a friend in the hospital or something like that. But, given a choice, I would rather do anything else.

It would be nice for a return to Ocean Liners. Where they lack in travel time (which even then, is only a few days for the fastest ships) the ability to have privacy, space, comfort, room to move about. I had a similar hope with airships, which granted, are far from likely like ocean liners, due boosts many of the same advantages. More comfortable, privacy, still relatively quick, and arguably superior compared to passenger liners. Looking at Ocean Liners though, I due hope they take inspiration from the style and ideas of the past, including SS United States, Normandy, France, Queen Mary, etc.

I would love to see a future with more ocean liners! Thank you for this video, I totally agree with you

As a staunch aviation enthusiast, I don't believe oceanliners are going to ever compete on price and convenience. However, I do believe their renaissance is going to happen more on the 'experience' side of things for those that have the time to sail on them. I think the Millennial and Gen Z digital nomads is a market oceanliners can tap into if they haven't already. I would gladly take an oceanliner knowing I have ample space to both work (with good Internet access) and relax whilst going to my next destination.

I've always said that it would be neat if a cruise company or some other Maritime company came out with a new ocean liner that had the classic lines and profile of elegant liners from the 50s and 60s but still had all the modern amenities that today's ocean going passenger would expect with some vintage stuff added for history nerds xD

This is a nice comforting thing to know that Cunard will most likely make a successor to The Queen Mary 2

I think the argument to be made is the modeshare of ocean liners is currently virtually zero, so even a tiny increase in modeshare will be a hufe increase in absolute numbers.

I agree 100% with you Alex.

After flying to Europe several times and to Hawaii, the dreaded part of the vacation is the flight. Anything but first class is very unpleasant. However for competitive prices compared to a first class flight, you can take the Queen Mary 2 and cross the Atlantic with good food and entertainment and no jet lag. We sailed in rough seas but the Queen Mary was smoother than big cruise ships in wind from the sides and much more stable than the cruise ships in rough Seas, and I do love the big cruise ship total experience. Going west I would be happy with a repositioning Cruise for One Direction; the Queen Mary is my Top Choice forgetting to Europe and back.

OceanLinerGang>AirLinerGang

One thing I like about dystopian could-bes like The Hunger Games, specifically the most recent prequel, is that it shows not everything will progress how we expect. I read a blog series last year that talked about how they CAN’T fly because of a medical condition, I believe. And they talked to others aboard who said they prefer this mode of travel because of many of the reasons you mentioned about air travel. I’ve heard the question of would you rather travel above the storm rather than through it. But I’ve also considered the chances of survival in the two different scenarios. Trains are becoming more popular and I’m seeing KZfaqrs highlight the experience more and more and more and more. But I never thought that ocean liners could become somewhat normalized again for a similar, post-pandemic reason. And you know. With communication becoming easier and more rapid, work more remote and less static in a lot of instances, I can see other life factors becoming less important, like how fast to get somewhere. It’s exciting to think that ocean liners might see a resurgence.

What an informative video! I think it would be great if ocean liners increased in popularity as an alternative to flying. (They would be my preference over air travel). My uncle and aunt went to Europe at least twice during the 1960s on the SS United States, and thoroughly enjoyed their time in transit, as well as their European travel experiences. I enjoyed learning about the differences in construction on the ocean liners versus that of cruise ships. My dad rode the QM to Europe in WWII and was astounded at both the smoothness and the speed of the ride. It contrasted greatly with his experience returning home in January on the North Atlantic, in a smaller Liberty ship (and during a bad storm, besides!). He wondered if he had survived the war only to drown on the way home- but thankfully, they made it safely back. However, it wasn’t the pleasant experience had on the QM on the way over. Thanks for another excellent video! P. S. On the “cons” of flying you can add to the list that sometimes suitcases go on vacation to a different destination than their owners do! : /

I agree with everything you said! I'll be going to Europe on the QM2 for the 8th or 9th time in May. I love the ship, and despise flying, so I'm happy to pay the extra cost. Then I take trains everywhere! 😁

ALSO, to elaborate on the 'cruise liens jumping on the proverbial ship', someone once said that, Seabourn could've just been White Star Line. Seabourn has always seemed to me like sort of an outcast in the Carnival group, Carnival, HAL, etc, have some history to them to justify them existing as Carnival Group subsidiaries, Seabourn seems like it just, existed, got absorbed, no history at all.

Tbh hearing about the que alone for the crossing, just hearing about that makes me think they really need another one, or hell even three, would really help work through that que and make the wait shorter and such

I know everyone has their own opinion on the subject of the return of the Oceanliners and that's nothing bad, I think it would certainly be possible to bring back the Oceanliner in a similar style to Clive Palmer's Titanic II, which was never built, only as cruise ships, of course it's harder that way enforce a concept, many people only want balcony cabins and probably don't like this old-fashioned grandma style and then also the new safety rules Solas where on some ships you can't avoid installing something like a safety deck. But the advantage would be, in my opinion, since many cruise ships these days are more the destination and not the ports and people who live there. Instead of using the Oceanliners more as cruise ships, one could bring these things back to the foreground instead of the ship itself, it would be clear It's definitely not bad to have at least a few modern rooms with the help of a safety deck like on the Titanic II so that the passengers don't get completely bored. And you could definitely use areas like 3rd class as a museum to give people more understanding of what it was like in these classes back then and to show a little something about immigration to other countries thanks to these ships.

A lot of people enjoy the ride, providing you have the extra time on your vacation. Voyage is well worth the time! The amenities are sensational ! You will never have so much fun, in such a short amount of time!

I was so lucky to go with my Mom twice on the QM2 to visit my brother in Rhode Island.....its a beautiful liner!

Another thing that should happen for an ocean liner return is for them to also be a bit like a ferry too so people can bring their cars along (definitely can see it as an option between Australia and New Zealand)

This is echoed somewhat in the use of ferries in Europe, SE Asia and Japan. Sure, you can fly some cheap carrier for $5 from here to there but then there’s all the add-on extras, airport hassles etc.. But there’s a sizeable market of people who’d rather enjoy the journey, bring along their baggage or pet or even your car on the same vessel. The latest ferries are very good, comfortable and with good quality eating and entertainment and feature family friendly cabins, pet-friendly exclusive cabins, great cabins and facilities for those with disabilities etc. I’m sure many here have also seen the ultra-luxury ferries they have in Japan also. Yep, I can see a weekly return trans-Atlantic schedule having a good business case for Cunard or someone else. I’d jump at the chance to go on liner Matson-style from Hawaii to San Francisco or LA too.

I do believe that the Seabourn Pursuit and Venture (new ships from 2022 and last year) from the Seabourn Cruise Line have some kind of ocean liner design in them or they were simply inspired by the Queen Mary 2. You should do a video about that ships. Really lovely liners!!

Brilliant and a careful analysis! I fully agree that Ocean Liners will return with more sustainable eco friendly means of transporting large numbers of people more safely and efficiently than airlines.

Alex, I really do hope you get the opportunity to come across the pond on the QM2, I for one would be happy to take you around and show you HMS Victory, HMS Belfast, SS Great Britain etc etc. we’ve booked to go QM2 this summer to the Norwegian fiords and I really want to make another trans Atlantic crossing on QM2 aswell. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help with accommodation and transportation when your plans are confirmed.

Cunard also has the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, both which took it in turns to sail in and out of Sydney Harbour when they first hit the water. They have also just launched the Queen Anne, so now there are four ships in their fleet. Ocean liners are here to stay.

I dont know why but i feel ocean liners being more safe than airplanes

The time issue is the single biggest obstacle for me opting to travel to Europe via ocean liner. My vacation time is limited and I don't have 7 days to spare for an trip aboard an ocean liner (or 14 days if I roundtrip it). Then there's the issue with right now, NYC-Southampton is the the only option. Having said this, taking the trip on the QM2 or another future ocean liner is on my bucket list, probably when I'm retired and have all the free time in the world to take months-long trips into Europe.

Our school went down to see the QE2 being launched, it was great! 1967 I think.

Yeah, not everyone likes planes. Some people are even afraid of flying, and they certainly shouldn't be barred from traveling if they want to (I believe Moist Critical is one of those who has that fear, so if Charlie really wants to cross the pond, he can take a ship). It is possible that a technological shift could make ocean liners more popular, and airliners less. Maybe people will appreciate the longer crossing more, as it will allow them to take a bit of a break. Maybe there will be a resurgence in interest in ocean liners like _Titanic_ , and people will again wonder what it was like to cross aboard a ship. This would certainly cause a surge in _QM2_ 's passenger numbers. I would certainly like to do the transatlantic crossing at least once, but I don't know what I'd do while in Britain yet. That requires some planning.

A few months shy of a year ago, I took a cruise to Alaska. My 1st cruise ship. I flew from Phoenix to Seattle and the ship was the best part. A few weeks ago I flew to Maui from Phoenix. I wished I was on a cruise ship.

I am surprised they haven't already built another one. With how poplar QM2 is they could do one in each direction. Having just one in my opinion is also a strategic approach, to maximize profits .

I can see Ocean liners being made as Anchor ships for a cruise fleet. Ships that are 100% guaranteed will be on time and ready to sail on schedule every time all the time. QM2 has just been that reliable and to ignore QM2's track record is insanity at its' finest. I think the problem has mainly been for the money to have a really nice Ocean liner you could have an Oasis of the Seas, and the Military reason of sponsoring the construction of an Ocean Liner so that in full war scenarios to be made into troop ships(like how the SS United States was contracted to be built) has been made mute by the Air forces' and Navies' ability to transport metric tons of supplies and troops when need be. However I think what you've pointed out with QM2 maybe why even Cunard maybe thinking of getting a few more Ocean liners. As you pointed out the reliability to always be on time and the fact a dedicated fan base has developed for QM2 I could see maybe Carnival (Cunard's parent company now) maybe making a few more that would be top of the line and be as I mentioned Anchor ships of the cruise fleet.

You’re absolutely right on my life. I would love you cross the ocean in an ocean liner, but it does get pricey, and I would love to spend more time at my other destination when I get there instead of turning around and come back but travel in the ocean and make a round trip back thinking about it would be quite fun and experience of a lifetime would never forget

Happy Bday QM2!

Fascinating as always! 😁

Amazing video as always, and very interesting!!! 💯🛳

I also hate flying. Not so much the flying, I rarely go more than an couple of hours, but the airports. They're miserable places indeed. I do actually think we may end up seeing a comeback of sorts, and I think long term nuclear powered ocean liners may be the future. Nuclear reactors on ships are nothing new, even _a few_ civilian ships have used them. Here's why: with fuel oil getting more and more expensive, and many people wanting to be more environmentally friendly, I think it makes sense to have a zero emission means of transport, even from just a marketing strategy. The issues are that a) nuclear power has really bad PR. Modern breeder reactors are nothing like the old soviet ones in Chernobyl, but people are squeamish. b) red tape, which is partly related to my first point. I can see lots of ports refusing them initially c) safety concerns, because accidents can happen and there are sadly nefarious people in the world and d) money. Lots and lots of money. Cruise ships can easily cost $1bn, a nuclear aircraft carrier of similar size (if not comfort) is upwards of $13bn. Granted there's a lot of expensive naval hardware in that price, and I doubt an ocean liner is going to need that many Aegis missiles. But even so, expensive. But I can easily see such a ship doing 35-40 knots, if not more. It'd be clean, fast, cheap to run, quiet, and it's range would only be limited by the amount of supplies it can carry.

Hi Alex :)) I think its a big possibility they will start traveling by sea more because the airways are getting so congested with planes. I think as the population increases they are going to have to find new ways of travel.

The QM2 is actually cheaper than an airline ticket here in Canada with any remote bit of comfort, which is insane to me.

Another thoughtful and enjoyable insight, thank you Alex. I personally have an interest in the past travel option of voyaging on a cargo liner, not on the north Atlantic route but to the Orient maybe. I understand that the experience and accommodation on these vessels was both relaxing and comfortable. In addition there was the opportunity of seeing exotic ports enroute to your ultimate destination (bland container terminals excepted). I don't know if such a thing still exists in the modern world (perhaps you do), but I cannot think of a more pleasant prospect given one has the time to devote to it.

Hi Alex, First??? Great watch to enjoy before work. Still trying to make it to the RMS Queen Mary for a tour but something always comes up.... Would comment more but have to hit the road.... mike

An Ocean liner may be a better choice for around the world cruises than a cruise ship. The really long stretches can be shortened by the ships speed, and people joining for part of the trip can expect more reliable port dates. The North Atlantic run is likely to remain a favorite route for scheduled service, especially if Iceland's Volcanoes act up again.

Once in a while I travel from the US to Spain, and on my most recent trip I took a cruise ship repositioning from Florida to the Mediterranean for the summer. I’ll be doing this again this year. Granted most people won’t have this kind of time flexibility, but it proves to me there is a niche market demand for this kind of travel. For me, there’s not much better than getting there slowly and relaxing on the high seas as we inch closer to the destination day after day. Of course I have to book a one way flight back to the states and they charge out the wa-zoo for those, but what can you do…

We have stayed in Europe 5 months at a time in the summer months since retired three years ago (my main destination is Greece). We fly there in May and for the past two years, and returned by cruise ship that is on a relocation cruise back to Fort Lauderdale. My wife and I absolutely love it. It is a great way to relax, even though is much more expensive, we plan to do this for the foreseeable future. We have not been on the QM2 yet but I would like to try her out one of these years. Another huge plus traveling this way, you meet so many great people.

Has someone that hates flying and modern cruise ships are just a horizontal skyscrapers ..THE WORLD NEEDS ANOTHER AND MORE OCEAN LINERS.

planes have NO LIFEBOATS if it crashes. ships have ALOT OF LIFEBOATS if it sinks. plus ocean liners look epic :)

Another con for airliners for anyone in the creative industry is the sever luggage restrictions. I'm just getting started in photography & blogging and dread to think how I'm going to travel internationally with all the necessary kit. I'd quite happily take a liner to get around.

Fantastic video!!! Yes it would be awesome if ocean liners returned!!

Ocean Liners are a classic. I read somewhere that they plan on restoring the original Queen Mary to its former glory for future voyages. That would be awesome to see!

Great your documenting more modern ships. Like I have said I visited Queen Mary Long Beach throughout the 1980s. I was at New York for the 2004 arrival of Queen Mary 2. I crossed the Atlantic on QE2 in 1997. I am very happy for your future QM2 trip. It is interesting that it is doing so well. I have sailed several times on QM2 and crew years ago more than once told me it was nearly empty on Atlantic crossings and they viewed it as a mistake. I have also sailed many times on the Princess Ship you display and it very is a very competent Atlantic Crosser. I am sure QM2 will show you a great time. However should the ship encounter an Atlantic Storm you may well be terrified with trauma. Bon Voyage!

You are so right about the air travel. As pathetic as it gets, there's simply no alternative to it with it's speed and capabilities. Air Lines can see it as a monopoly as ... time is money. Hence, luxury cravers like us have no option. With airplanes here to stay for eternity, I awe to be a pilot but not suffer as passenger. I am glad to know that ocean liners are in demand and would feel grateful if QM2 gets a running mate. That being said, this was another fantastic video with top notch voice over. Keep up the great work!

If Long Beach decided tomorrow morning there gonna take 2 dozen yarrow boilers and stuff them back in the queen, I’d hope on her with out a shadow of doubt and cross the Atlantic before getting in a plane

I was always infatuated with Ocean Liners, especially the dedication of their crew and the sophisticated designs of the vessels themselves to ensure the safety of their passengers to cross the sea. Cruise Ships, Ocean Liners, etc. are more safer in my opinion. If a ship was sinking, it would still take time to completely plunge in the sea depending on the damage, and with modernized and efficient lifeboat procedures, you would have more than enough time to board a lifeboat and get to safety. Furthermore, if you didn't manage to board a lifeboat but manage to survive the sinking of the ship, you still have a chance to be rescued by a nearby lifeboat before you are claimed by the freezing cold water. While in a plane, if it was falling out of the sky, you are basically trapped in the cramped spaces of the airplane with little to no options to improve your chances of survival, leaving you no choice but to wait and pray out of fear of your highly-likely demise.

I would love to take an ocean liner some day 😀 By the way, I have a suggestion for some research you may be interested in. I saw a YT video about the steam ships that used to transport passengers on the Great Lakes U.S. My dad told me that after he graduated from college (1940s) he worked on one of these ships before marrying my mom and moving to CA. Sounds interesting!

Going to europe in june. On the way home we are taking queen mary 2. So excited.

I've done the transatlantic 3 times, 2 westbound, 1 east. I'm booked for a round trip next spring. Flying out of JFK is a nightmare. An inside cabin costs about as much as a business class flight, but food (Cunard is above reproach!) room service, shows, entertainment is all included. And yes, you MUST plan ahead. Every sailing I was on was a full ship.

I literally made a community post 2 days ago asking whether the Queen Mary 2 is truly the last ocean liner. Time to watch the video now.

Went to Junior Year abroad in Amsterdam in 1970 on the Statendam, returned on the France, still the best experience of travel I've ever had...

Well done Alex! With you 100%!

6:45 *second worst. A friend of mine once went somewhere via Amtrak. It was just as bad as flying coach, but the experience lasted a Hell of a lot longer.

Based off of the numbers the Ocean Liner insustry can make a pretty good comeback with more modern technology and faster ships, Ocean Star Line has already started planning the first ocean liner to be bulit in over 20 years.

I believe many of these ideas, and feel like they could actually come back, at least I hope

I definitely want to go to America on the QM2 sometime

I hope to see a new golden age of ocean liner within my lifetime. Traveling the world onboard a floating palace with my own private room or suite.

Awesome video alex

A cruise ship is my nightmare but an ocean liner? I would totally consider an old-fashioned 30 knot liner (with good Internet) over an airplane. Couple of days of serious concentrated work versus the nightmare of airports, TSA, miniature seats, crap "food"... And the recovery time needed to get over the pain of a being six foot human being shoved into a seat built for a Hobbit for 12 to 16 hours.

I’m also putting this out there, but a once a week packed voyage is more profitable than a once a day flight, because airlines especially of late, are suffering and massively unprofitable. In an ocean liner on the scale of QM2, you can put thousands across the sea in a matter of days, in absolute luxury and comfort, and not only is that just lovely, but planes really can only be so big compared to the fuel costs. You can pack in about a hundred on a flight, and honestly that’s on a good time, but your fuel use is always uneconomic. Ships are increasingly economical, especially mid size and smaller ships. You don’t even need a mega liner, you could have a could triads of thousand passenger count liners making crossings every few days.

I completely agree that Ocean Liners could be another means of transportation within a decade or so, when the flight experience gets worse.

My wife and I are going on our honeymoon aboard the QM2 for a transatlantic voyage in October! We are far from wealthy, that's why its a 3 year gap between the wedding and honeymoon lol

If Titanic II is ever completed I can sure see a boom in the whole Ocean crossing industry And yeah, plane service today is a far cry from their 1960s counterpart which had some high quality food and leg room space, no wonder ocean liners might get a comeback

Just found your channel. Excellent content. Thank you. Hear, hear for the continued availability of alternative travel to the airplane. I’ve come to loathe air travel, the whole song and dance around it, as well as its actual limitations. Example: I was on a flight from the US to Europe earlier this year. Half an hour into the flight, we entered turbulence and had to sit the next 5hrs, until about 1hr was left. Until then: No drink. No food. No bathroom visits. Sure, we made in about 45 mins of flight time, but honestly, who cares? I live in Europe, so I’ve the option of very good train travel, and use it whenever possible. A good, dependable sea route; 3-5 days of travel? Sounds good to me.

I was just saying, I'd rather take a boat to get overseas than a plane. The problem nowadays is it takes 7+ days just one way because transatlantic voyages really are for cruising instead of transport. If they introduced express liners again that took less time, I'd be up for it!

Ocean liners need to return, I need this in my life, I hate flying!

The QE2 is the ideal size and the ultimate in ocean liner design. She is still around too!

Super Video. I booked first for my trip to New York one way Ticket on QM2…after relooking my vacation plans, as I was previsouly in New York, I booked the return (roundtrip) to Hamburg, to avoid the 6-7 hours in a Metal Tube called plane. I welcome directly a New Ocean Liner with a regulary schedule with QM2 on weekly base. Than you can spend a few days in New York or the States and come back with the liner. Long live the Golden Âge of Travel 🎉….Hoping it comes soon.

Ships are also way more ecological per person transported by plane And I personally dont care at all about a "luxury experience" I can't afford it anyways but I'd love a low cost transatlantic line that would just get you there with decent enough comfort

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME! I do hope your hunch is correct. With all the vids on passenger meltdowns, I think some people will want an alternative. I think ocean liners are so classy

Completely agree with you mate love your videos, and happy to say I’ll be doing two trips on the QM2 this year after 20 years of dreaming I’m saving for it, transatlantic voyage at the end of June and Norwegian cruise in November hope you manage to do it one day soon as well.

You forgot to mention that since the Titanic disaster atlantic liners needed some of iceclass regulations reinforcements to their hull. All commercial ships operating in the Northern Atlantic need it. Cruiseships almost never operate in iceclass conditions. One out ot the ordinary cruiseship made headlines in 2020. The MSCV Resolute is a compact cruise ship that was build with an Artic iceclass 3 hull. She was specific build for artic cruises and as scientific research/supply vessel for the North and South artic during summertimes. A Venuzuelan military patrol boat shot at here ice hull armour and when those rounds bounced of tried to stop here by raming ram cracked open and sank 🤣

Anything over a plane, ANYTHING. Planes are giant sardine cans where you have to sit for 8 hours or more in a single space with people you don't want to be sitting with, meanwhile on a ship, you can just go somewhere else, like your cabin, or just anywhere else.

With modern alternate fuels (heck maybe even a thorium-msr) these are a viable and much cleaner alternative to flying, the QM2 only uses 3% per passenger of a jet AND can transport 10x the people.. speed needs to go faster but also remember that we can work from home much more. I would take a liner over a jet any day! They would need 3 or 4 to make a twice a week crossing possible but they would be popular. Maybe not do seperate classes but basic to luxury accommodations and additional fees for more luxury dining options and you have a winner.