Ship Reports - Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria’s sleek outline and distinctive red and black livery make it instantly recognisable as Cunard’s liner. Elegant and stylish, every room is lavishly furnished and once onboard, passengers can choose from a wide range of restaurants and bars, plus daytime and evening entertainment.

Anita and Isabelle from our Mere Green branch and Debbie, Sheila and Graham from our Lichfield branch were invited to take a sneak preview of Queen Victoria in December 2007 before she set sail on her maiden voyage. Read their report to find out more, or to book your cruise call 0121 250 2201 or 01543 412768.

Embarkation

We arrived at our dedicated car park in Southampton and joined one of the shuttle coaches to the cruise terminal to check in. Embarkation was on Deck 3 and we then made our way to the Lido, which is a bright and airy casual dining room with a wonderful display of historic Cunard images. The Lido serves buffet style breakfasts and lunch and for the evening it becomes two bistro style restaurants offering authentic dishes from around the world. We enjoyed drinks and canapés here before starting our self guided tour.

Our first impressions of the ship from the quayside was that it wasn’t the most attractively designed ship, however, once on board we immediately took a liking to the design which was spacious, light and airy, with bright artwork. Throughout the ship there are 7,000 specially commissioned paintings plus many pieces created by British designers.

Children’s Facilities

We proceeded to Deck 11 which features a play zone for children (ages 1 to 12). The area is run by qualified nannies and activities include arts and crafts, board games and sports. Although the area was not open for inspection, we peeped through the windows and it seemed to have all the latest equipment with an indoor and outdoor play area.

Cabins

The Queens Grill accommodation is beautifully decorated in natural shades with high quality fittings, impressive sea views and a concierge or butler service.

We viewed the stunning Carpathia Suite (Grade Q2 7070) which is one of the two Master Suites onboard. It has 1,100 square feet, a butler or concierge service, a well stocked bar, in-suite dining from the Queens Grill, daily fresh fruit, fresh flowers, personalised stationery and a concierge pillow menu.

We also visited a Queen Suite (Q6 7078/7080), which was slightly smaller at 508 – 771 square feet, but still offers two beds, bath with shower, living area, a balcony and a butler and concierge service. The Princess Grill accommodation features private balconies, beautifully decorated living areas and twin beds which can convert to a double. The advantage of staying in the Grill range of cabins is that there is a beautiful Tuscan style courtyard where guests can have pre or post dinner cocktails and afternoon tea. Also in this area you can dine alfresco, but this is on a first come basis as it only accommodates 40 passengers.

A standard inside cabin (D4 grade 7118/7112) and a balcony cabin (A3 7121/7123) were also available for us to view. These were roomy and well equipped and decorated in soft tones. Next we made our way to the Winter Garden conservatory on Deck 9. This area has a retractable roof and is light, airy and filled with greenery. On this deck there are two swimming pools and the Royal Spa, which offers a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere with gold and bronze sculptures dotted around. The area houses several treatment rooms offering various treatments and massages, plus a well equipped gym and a beautiful Hydra pool.

We then made our way to Hemispheres, a circular bar with floor to ceiling windows offering panoramic views. In the evening this room has a relaxing atmosphere where passengers can enjoy piano and jazz music.

The Commodore Club on Deck 10 is furnished in the elegant style of the old world liners. The décor includes murals of past Cunard liners and there are two impressive ship models at the entrance. It has a nautical theme and (the floor has a compass design) there are plenty of cosy areas with leather sofas and club chairs. There is an extensive Martini menu and the club serves hot and cold canapés. Live music is performed from late afternoon to early evening.

Public Areas

We then proceeded to tour the public areas of the ship, starting with the Britannia restaurant which covers Deck 2 and 3 and offers two fixed dining options as well as breakfast and lunch. A string quartet or harpist performs for the first hour of dining. The upper and lower levels accommodate 878 diners with the focal point being an illuminated 10 foot tall globe.

The Chart Room is a public space with a nautical theme and 77 seats for relaxing.

Café Carinthia is an elegant space offering guests a selection of teas and coffees plus Danish pastries and sandwiches.

Todd English Restaurant offers guests the opportunity to experience the cuisine of leading chefs in a refined and elegant setting with Waterford crystal and Wedgwood china tableware. This restaurant has a surcharge of $20 for lunch and $30 for dinner.

The Grand Lobby is the central point of the ship and from here you have easy access to the public rooms.

The Queens Room is a beautiful and elegant Victorian style ballroom with a magnificent chandelier, ornate frescos and balconies. Here is the setting for two timeless Cunard traditions; afternoon tea served by white gloved waiters and traditional ballroom dancing.

The Library is remarkable. It features a spiral staircase to the upper floor and as you would expect, the walls are lined with every imaginable type of book.

The Royal Arcade, a shopping parade inspired by London’s Burlington and Royal Arcades, features a grand staircase, rich green marble and a chiming clock centre piece.

The Golden Lion Pub is a traditional English pub right down to the tabletop blackboard menus advertising the day’s pub fare, which includes fish and chips. There is a wide selection of ales and you can keep up to date with the latest news and sports on the plasma TVs.

The Royal Theatre is most impressive. It covers three decks, has 16 private boxes and can accommodate 48 guests with cocktail tables. White gloved ushers serve drinks, sweets and savouries and you can also go backstage after the performance to meet the cast. The ambience of the theatre is very much that of a 19th century theatre with rich fabric dressing the stalls. The stage is enclosed by a deep red curtain and murals frame the walls. You can understand why this was left until the end of the tour, as it was truly spectacular.

Summary

We all felt that the Queen Victoria is an elegant and beautiful ship with a friendly and intimate atmosphere. It encapsulates all that is Cunard and we believe that all QE2 aficionados will cross over to Victoria without hesitation.