Cunard Line has reported a technical malfunction affecting one of the Queen Mary 2’s four Mermaid pod propulsion units during her current 12-day Norway and Northern Lights voyage. The transatlantic liner, which departed Southampton on November 7th, 2025, and is scheduled to return on November 19th, is continuing its itinerary with operational adjustments while engineers address the issue.
According to accounts from guests aboard, one of the ship’s propeller nacelles is not functioning as intended. Cunard stated that the vessel remains fully capable of safe navigation, though speed and maneuvering parameters have been modified to accommodate ongoing maintenance work.
The voyage has undergone several changes to ensure schedule stability. The ship’s departure from Southampton was delayed due to the initial technical inspection, and while the northern segment of the itinerary remains intact, the call at Hamburg on November 17th has been cancelled. Instead, Queen Mary 2 will dock at Bremerhaven to facilitate passenger exchanges, with shuttle transport arranged between the two ports for embarking and disembarking guests.
Cunard has confirmed that a revised shore excursion program is being organized for passengers transiting through Bremerhaven. Travelers affected by the itinerary change are being contacted individually with updated arrangements. Despite the propulsion issue, Queen Mary 2 continued to sail north toward Trondheim, with further calls planned at Tromso and Alesund as part of her scheduled Norwegian voyage.
For more Queen Mary 2 incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.