Queen Mary 2 captain reveals the top blunder travellers make
The captain of the world's only ocean liner has revealed the biggest mistake passengers make before boarding.
Queen Mary 2 - with Captain Tomás Connery at the helm - called into Sydney this week as part of an annual world voyage.
It's the world's only remaining ocean liner, as well as the biggest ever built.
READ MORE: Planning to travel in 2026? Here's your guide to every new travel requirement Aussies need to know
Overpacking and bringing too many cases is a top cruise mistake. Getty
In an interview with 9Travel, Tomás, from Ireland, says passengers make the same blunder the most - overpacking.
"People always bring too many dresses or whatever," he says.
"I've known guests for world cruise to bring 64 suitcases, for three months."
He also explains why Queen Mary 2 - which was launched in 2003 - is not a cruise ship but an ocean liner.
READ MORE: Couple who have done 36 cruises say the best cabin on a ship may surprise you
"There's a few differences," he says.
"One is they take the scheduled routes from the North Atlantic, between Southampton and New York, so we leave Southampton at 6.30pm, seven days at sea we will arrive into New York seven days later, no matter what the weather is.
Queen Mary 2 called at Sydney. Supplied
"It's designed with powerful engines, it has four stabiliser fins to keep it very steady, and an iconic bow.
"So no matter what the waves coming towards us we can cut ourselves through and we always make time."
READ MORE: The best bucket-list hike in Australia is a 7km walk with panoramic views
He also says the vessel's size compared with the number of guests offers them more room than typically on a cruise ship.
"Other ships there could be 10,000 people on board but here we see only 2700," he says.
"No matter where on the ship you actually have space to relax."
READ MORE: The best things to do in Melbourne this weekend as F1 fever takes over
While cruising with the historic liner is generally associated with older people, Tomás says that's not always the case.
He says the average age on the 108-day world cruise - which is taking in Asia, Australia and Africa on a trip from Southampton in the UK - is 64.
"We have a lot of younger couples doing honeymoons on board, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go around the world for honeymoon," he tells 9Travel.
Writer Anna Funder with Queen Mary 2 Captain Tomas Connery and the Cunard Bellhops. Supplied
"When we do the North Atlantic in the summertime the age drops down to 55 on some of the voyages.
"We get a lot of younger people on who always want traditionally to do it."
As for on board traditions, he says key among them is getting dressed up in formal wear.
"Put your ball gown on, gentlemen can get into the tux, there's not many places nowadays that allow you to get dressed up," he says.
On a personal note, he describes sailing into Sydney Harbour - where the ship stayed for two nights, as "iconic."
"There's not many places in the world this ship can actually dock downtown," he says.
There are only 11 Australian passengers on board the world cruise.
In celebration, Cunard - the British luxury cruise line and ocean liner operator - asked Aussies to write letters to passengers on board, with Australian author, Anna Funder, launching a pen pal exchange in Sydney.
The letter writing is inspired by Cunard's 185-year legacy of carrying letters across oceans from the red Royal Mail post boxes onboard ships.
Meanwhile, the Queen Mary 2 is famously the only ship which allows dogs on board, on their own deck.
It has 24 kennels available to pet owners for select transatlantic voyages, which are air-conditioned and contain an adjoining sea deck for pets to stretch their legs in the ocean air.
