Moving to America by sea on Queen Mary 2

Every year families relocating to the United States choose to sail rather than fly. Queen Mary 2’s transatlantic crossing takes seven nights from Southampton to Brooklyn, New York, arriving early in the morning. It lets you take far more luggage than an airline, and it is one of the few ways to bring a dog or cat without putting them in an aircraft hold. We get you, your cases and your family from your door to the ship.

Get your fixed fare to Southampton

✓ TfL-licensed operator · licence 11588
✓ Fixed price per car, luggage included
✓ Flights tracked · 60 min free airport waiting
✓ Driver details sent before you travel
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours

Why movers choose the crossing

Luggage: Cunard has no set limit on the number of bags, as long as they fit in your stateroom, and no single item may weigh more than 23kg. Compare that with two checked bags on most transatlantic flights.
Pets: QM2 has onboard kennels, currently 24 places per crossing. They sell out, often close to a year ahead, so book the kennel before you plan anything else.
No jet lag: the clocks move an hour most nights, so you arrive in New York adjusted and ready to start.
A calmer goodbye: a week at sea between your old life and your new one.

Check Cunard’s current luggage, kennel and embarkation rules before you book, and make sure your US visa or green card paperwork is in place. See the US State Department for visa guidance. We are a transfer company, not an immigration adviser.

Getting to the ship with a household of luggage

This is where most relocation plans come unstuck. A train to Southampton with eight large cases, a pet carrier and children is hard work, and a normal car will not fit it all. We plan the transfer around your load:

Executive MPV for up to 6 passengers and plenty of cases. Most relocating couples and small families book this.
9-seater for up to 8 passengers, or fewer people with a very large amount of luggage.
16-seat minibus for extended families or when you are taking almost everything with you.

Fixed fares start from £146 from the Heathrow area and £176 from central London, with the MPV at +£15. We collect from your home, a hotel or a family address anywhere in London and the South East. We drop you at the correct terminal, whether that is Ocean, QEII, City or Mayflower. Queen Mary 2 usually uses Ocean or QEII, and Cunard confirms yours before sailing.

Book your terminal transfer

Travelling with a dog or cat?

Tell us about your pet when you book, including size, carrier and whether it travels in the cabin area of the car, and we will confirm the right vehicle before accepting the booking. Allow extra time: kennel check-in at the terminal is separate from your own.

Flying in to sail?

If you are relocating from elsewhere in the UK or Europe and flying into London first, stay the night before near Heathrow or in central London and we will collect you from the hotel on sailing day. See pre-cruise hotel to Southampton. Moving as a big group? See group cruise transfers.

Your relocation-by-sea timeline

12 months out: book the crossing and a kennel if you have a pet.
6 to 3 months out: sort your US visa or green card and ship large furniture separately.
1 month out: book your Woodford transfer and tell us your bag count.
Sailing day: your driver arrives at the agreed time, loads everything and drives you to the terminal.

Moving across on a winter Queen Mary 2 crossing

Queen Mary 2 makes regular transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York, and a relocation does not always fit neatly into summer. New jobs, school terms and visa dates often mean sailing in autumn or winter, when the North Atlantic is livelier and the drive to the ship happens on a dark, cold morning. That is a lot to manage on the day you leave the country. Having one car collect you, your relocation luggage and, where relevant, your dog, and take you directly to the terminal, removes one big variable.

Packing for a winter move is bulkier than packing for a holiday. You will want coats and boots for the crossing and for arrival in New York, on top of everything else you are taking for the new life. An MPV seats six with room for four large cases, and for heavier loads there are larger vehicles on our group page. If you are travelling with a dog, the car is warmed before loading, so your pet is not sitting in a cold vehicle while the cases go in.

Heated car for people and pets on a cold departure morning.
If you fly in to join the ship, the driver tracks your flight through winter delays.
No hauling relocation cases between trains during engineering works.
Vehicle size matched to coats, boots and moving luggage, at a fixed fare.

If you return to the UK for a family Christmas after the move, our airport transfers cover Heathrow and Gatwick arrivals, and the Southampton to London chauffeur route links the port and the capital.

Questions

Do you run transfers for Queen Mary 2 crossings in the winter months?

Yes. Queen Mary 2 makes regular transatlantic crossings, and we take passengers to the ship in every season, not only in summer. For a winter move, tell us your sailing, your pickup address, the number of cases and whether a pet is travelling, and we will confirm a suitable vehicle and a fixed fare before the day.

We are flying in to Heathrow to join Queen Mary 2. What if winter weather delays our flight?

Your driver tracks the flight, so if fog or storms push your landing back, the pickup simply moves to the new time and the driver is there when you walk out of arrivals. If the delay starts to cut into check-in time, we will tell you early. For a winter relocation, flying in the day before the crossing gives a sensible cushion.

How much luggage can I take on Queen Mary 2 when relocating?

Cunard sets no limit on the number of bags as long as they fit in your stateroom, and no single item may weigh more than 23kg. Check Cunard for current rules.

Can I take my dog to America on Queen Mary 2?

QM2 has onboard kennels, currently 24 per crossing, and they often sell out close to a year ahead. Book through Cunard as early as possible.

Which vehicle do I need for a relocation to the ship?

An executive MPV suits most couples and small families with lots of cases. A 9-seater or 16-seat minibus suits bigger families or very large loads. Tell us your bag count when you book.

How much is a transfer from London to Southampton for Queen Mary 2?

Fixed fares start from £146 from the Heathrow area and £176 from central London, with the MPV at +£15.

Can you take my pet in the car to the terminal?

Tell us about your pet when you book, and we will confirm the right vehicle before accepting the booking.