The album was awarded 4 stars in an Allmusic review by Alex Henderson who states "Donaldson continued to command a loyal following when he entered his 70s; the improviser had just turned 73 when Relaxing at Sea was recorded... it was obvious that he could still play the heck out of his alto... Although it falls short of essential, Relaxing at Sea Live on the QE2 is a solid, pleasing addition to Donaldson's huge catalog".[4]
Track listing
All compositions by Lou Donaldson except as indicated