Skip to content

Queen Mary 2 on the transatlantic crossing: how rough does it get?

Queen Mary 2 keeps a scheduled liner service rather than a cruise rotation: roughly one 7-night crossing a month in each direction between Southampton and New York's Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, concentrated from April to December, departing around 17:00 and arriving seven mornings later at 06:30.

Key facts

  • Queen Mary 2 measures 148,528 gross tons and carries a moderate motion rating, with stabilizers fitted.
  • On this route it sails from Southampton, UK and New York (Brooklyn Cruise Terminal).
  • A typical in-season Transatlantic crossing sailing sits in the high motion band for the region as a whole.

Try Dizzout free. Put it on your phone before you go, so it is there when you need it. Drug-free, any headphones.Free · works with any headphones · no account to try

Download the app

Stop seasickness on your cruise. Free to try, no card needed. Or go straight to the App Store or Google Play.

When Queen Mary 2 actually sails here

Highlighted months are when Queen Mary 2 is scheduled on this route, per the sources below. For how the region itself behaves month by month, see the region guide.

Crossings concentrate from April through December, about monthly each way, with the occasional midwinter date such as the January 11, 2026 sailing. The autumn schedule alone lists westbound departures on September 6 and 20, October 23, November 10 and December 13, so late season dates, the rough half of the Atlantic year, are a routine part of the timetable.

Where this route starts

  • Southampton, UK
  • New York (Brooklyn Cruise Terminal)

Going on Queen Mary 2 on the transatlantic crossing? Set it up first

The bad hour on a ship is rarely the hour you planned for, and the shop on deck five is not where you want to be solving it. Dizzout is a drug-free app that plays precisely calibrated audio through any headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth, with relief in about 90 seconds. Free to try.

Before you need it: find out how prone you are

Take the free 2-minute test

Two minutes, no sign-up, and it ends with a drug-free plan to prepare.

Put it on your phone before you go

Try it free

Free to try, no card needed. Or go straight to the App Store or Google Play.

The cabin pick for this route

Midship on the lower passenger decks, 6 to 8, is worth real money here. There is no port day to reset mid crossing, so pick the cabin for the worst forecast day of seven, not the average one.

Frequently asked questions

How rough is a Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing?

+

It varies with the month more than anything. Summer crossings on Queen Mary 2 are often gentle; from October the North Atlantic storm track makes multi day swell normal. The ship was built as an ocean liner for exactly this run, which raises the comfort threshold without making the sea flat.

When is the Queen Mary 2 transatlantic schedule calmest?

+

June and July crossings sit in the statistically quietest Atlantic window. April, May and August are usually moderate. The November and December crossings on the schedule are the ones to prepare for seriously.

How long is the Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing?

+

Seven nights on the standard schedule, Southampton to New York or the reverse, with occasional 6, 8 or 9 night variants. That means seven consecutive days on open ocean with no sheltered legs at all.

Keep reading

Your next question, probably

Sources

Deployment details describe published schedules as of September 2026 and change season to season; always confirm the itinerary on the operator page before booking. Ship and route names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Seasickness sensitivity varies from person to person; this page is informational and not medical advice.