On Sunday, Cunard captured dramatic photographs of Captain Kevin Oprey, Master of Queen Mary 2, standing beneath the flagship’s soaring hull a mile off the coast of Bali during the ship’s World Cruise in her 10th anniversary year.

The amazing images by James Morgan show Captain Oprey surveying the scene from the top of Queen Mary 2’s bulbous bow, an underwater projection that minimizes the creation of bow waves around the waterline when the ship is under way.  Two safety craft were standing by during the photo shoot, but Captain Oprey remained sure-footed throughout.

As she continues on her 2014 World Cruise, Queen Mary 2 will make her 10th port of call at Sydney on Friday 14 March after circumnavigating Australia.  She will then head north towards Shanghai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Singapore before turning west for Sri Lanka and Dubai. Next, she will enter the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and return to Southampton, England, on 9 May to mark her 10th anniversary of becoming Cunard’s magnificent flagship.  Sister ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will join in the exuberant celebrations.

At 151,200 tons, Queen Mary 2 is the largest and most expensive ocean liner ever built, accommodating 2,620 passengers and 1,253 crew.  In her first 10 years of service, following a spectacular naming by Her Majesty The Queen on 8 January 2004, Queen Mary 2 has undertaken more than 420 voyages, including over 200 Transatlantic Crossings, and has called at 182 ports in 60 countries.

She remains the longest, tallest, widest ocean liner ever built, as well as being the most famous and fastest passenger ship in operation today.