QUEEN VICTORIA DAY VISIT
Review of Cunard Queen Victoria by SLUFFM (17 Dec 07)
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Overall Rating
I was lucky enough to invited to visit the “Queen Victoria” in Southampton on Saturday 8th December 2007! This was just a few days before the ship was named by The Duchess of Cornwall in a very lavish ceremony attended by many celebrities and “Big Names” from the cruise industry and beyond!
We entered the ship on deck 4 in the Atrium and I was immediately hit by the ships proportions! Having been on the QM2 it’s a bit of a shock to see this new smaller Cunarder! However the furnishing and general finish of the ship where impeccable! We were greeted warmly by Cunard staff and the red uniformed bell-boys in their pill box hats – very smart! It reminds you of generations past, the splendour and opulence of the old ocean going liners!
From the atrium we walked past a very elegant atrium bar and then through the photo display area, which is very bright and open, great for viewing those shots taken by the ship photographers! We then carried on up in the lifts to deck 9, where we proceeded in the Lido! This is the informal dining area of the ship and is very light and airy with lots of windows to both sides giving spectacular views of the surrounding scenery! At this point we were treated to lovely little canapés and a glass of champagne, all served by the highly polished waiting staff! Very nice!
We then climbed a few flights of stairs and made our way up to deck 11 where we caught a glimpse of the children’s facilities. The Zone and The Play Zone are split either side of the ship and cater for the differing ages of children that may be onboard. Even though not open for us to look around the general feeling of these two areas is one of great facilities for all ages! Brightly coloured rooms with all manner of toys, games and activities!
We then proceeded up the stairs to the private grills area! This is where you will find both the Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants, but also a beautifully appointed, if small, grills lounge, a private outdoor grills terrace for sunbathing and a lovely area called “The Courtyard” which is open to the elements and can be used, for grill guests only, for alfresco dining! It’s a very special little place with a beautiful fountain and very ornate old style street lights dotted around! This area can also been hired by grills guests for private functions! The 2 restaurants are both exactly the same in size and furnishing style, but each have their own colour of upholstery! The small 2 seater sofas with plump cushions is a lovely idea and give a very different feel to the areas! I loved the art deco stained glass around the inside walls, again a feeling of the grand liners of years past!
We then proceeded back down to deck 9 to view the Winter Garden, which is a very open and bright area, reminiscent of a large conservatory. It has a retractable roof that enables you to enjoy this area in all weathers. This are then leads outside to the Pavilion Pool area which is furnished with many sun beds, a large outdoor heated pool and 2 hot tubs. There is also a bar here. We then entered the Spa area and pas the Hydro Pool at which point we all wished we had brought our swimming gear to have a dip, it looked very inviting. There is a very restful and calming area for relaxation to one side of the pool. We then toured the complete Royal Spa and saw many treatment rooms and the large and very well equipped gym. There is a very long list of treatments available from hot stone massage to acupuncture to teeth whitening, and much, much more. At the rear of deck 9 there is another outdoor pool with another a further 2 hot tubs. This area has magnificent views out over the rear of the ship.
Up one more deck to 10 and we found ourselves outside Hemispheres, the nightclub. However I think this would also be a very nice spot to sit and relax during the day as it is high up and overlooks the pavilion pool area. This is probably the most contemporary area on the ship, with an amazing modern glass chandelier in the centre and beautifully hand crafted wooden floor underfoot. There is a bar area and small stage area, which at the time we were in there was being used by a very accomplished jazz trio. I particularly enjoyed this area of the ship. I thought it had a very nice feel to it and I could see myself spending many long evening here after the show. After Hemispheres we wandered around to the Churchill Cigar Lounge and then into the Admirals Lounge, before going into the Commodore Club. This is a lovely lounge with plenty of seats, very reminiscent of the “Crow’s Nest” on the P&O Aurora and Oriana! High up, with fantastic views over the bow of the ship. It has a lovely blue and buttercup yellow theme which is very calming.
Then we moved onto viewing some of the cabins on deck 7. The first we saw was a Princess Suite grade P1. To be honest I thought it was a bit small and passengers would do well to spend a bit more money and upgrade to a Q7 or Q6, which in my opinion are considerably larger. The P1 was however well appointed with a large double bed and large sitting area. 2 flat screen televisions, one for the bedroom area and one for the lounge, and not a bad sized bathroom with full bath with shower over. There was also plenty of hanging space.
Next we saw a Q2, the Carpathia Suite to be exact. If you have the money, do it! This was a very large suite with separate lounge, dining area, bedroom, walk in wardrobe, bathroom with spa bath and separate walk in shower (which could fit 2 people very easily), separate lavatory and dressing room. It also had a very large balcony with loungers, chairs and a table. These suites come with full butler and concierge service, a stocked mini bar, daily fresh fruit, fresh flowers and the chance to eat from the Queens Grill menu in the privacy of your own suite. Wonderful!
Then we looked at the Q6 grades which in my opinion are fantastic value for money, as they are reasonably large and not much more that the P1 grades. They have a very nice lounge area which is separate to the bedroom and has access to the balcony. The bedroom has a large window which looks out onto the balcony. The bathroom had separate bath and shower and there was a separate smaller room for the lavatory, which lead onto a small dressing room which has double sinks. This in turn leads back out to the sitting area, so the lavatory is accessible from both areas. Lounge and bedroom.
We then continued on to the rear of the ship and got to see the Aquitania Suite which is one of 4 grand suites onboard. This suite is 2,131 square feet and it feels like it. It is absolutely cavernous. It has all the attributes and amenities of the Q2 but on an even larger scale. The balcony alone is bigger than my flat, and has fantastic views over the rear of the ship.
Lastly we viewed the A3 balcony cabin which was a very comfortable size and had lovely furnishings, like all the other staterooms and then the D4 inside, which if you want to go on this ship and are on a bit of a budget, are perfectly adequate. Just a note to say, that over 70% of cabins on the Queen Victoria have a balcony.
We then went down onto deck 2 to start looking at some of the public areas. Our first stop was the Britannia restaurant which is a large eatery on 2 levels. It has an amazing sculpture in the centre of a rotating globe which is phenomenal. It has a real deco feel to it. This restaurant is fixed dining, early and late for all guests from grades D8 up to A1.
From here we walked thorough he chart room bar and lounge area which has a complete wall of display cases on one side, full of Cunard memorabilia. This links in with the Cunardia museum onboard. The next area is Café Carinthia which is a really nice place for coffee and patisserie. It is and elegant art deco lounge which also serves prepared sandwiches at lunch times, and tortes and gateaux late afternoon.
Across the atrium from Café Carinthia is Todd English which is Cunards signature speciality restaurant, which first appeared on the QM2. It is an intimate and stylish venue with quite a few covers, maybe a few too many, but is furnished and decorated to a high standard. The use of voile panels and some leather seating make it feel sumptuous and decadent.
Next to Todd English is the 2 storey Library which has a wonderful wooden spiral staircase between the 2 floors. The selection of books is vast and very varied. The carpet has woven into it the signatures of the world’s most significant literary figures and is a lovely touch to this beautiful library.
The Cunardia Museum is a very clever idea and will have rolling exhibits throughout the year. There is a small shop here selling memorabilia and artifacts.
Continuing forward we came to the Queens Room which is a beautiful ballroom with a very large dance floor and stage. Perfect for the formal night parties and ballroom dancing, but also a nice place to take afternoon tea, with the addition of a string quartet or maybe a harpist this is one of the most decadent times of the day and should NOT be missed.
Also on this deck is The Royal Arcade shopping area, which has a large array of shops selling everything from Cunard teddy bears to perfumes to fine art work to chocolates, and much more. I’m sure you could spend many hours perusing the jewelry or clothing lines.
The Golden Lion pub is a great place to hang out with lots of nooks and crannies and is dark wood and button back leather chairs, just like a really nice old pub. There was a brilliant New Orleans style jazz band practicing whilst we were in here, with their colourful jackets and hats they made for a very entertaining few moments. You can also go here for lunch. They serve things like bangers and mash and fish and chips. It’s brilliant!
Further on you come to the Empire Casino which has a good variety of machines and tables for your fun and enjoyment.
The final stop on our trip was the Royal Court Theatre which was magnificent. It is the first theatre at sea to have private boxes and they are lovely. My only comment is that the glass safety panels are curved and you do need to a little bit careful where you sit otherwise your view of the stage is obscured by the glass. The company, were in the middle of rehearsing the show and I have to say it was of a very high standard and to top it all the stage is mechanical which makes for a very entertaining experience.
Overall I would have to say that I really enjoyed looking at the new Cunarder and was surprised by its understated elegance. I did think it may have been a bit more “Wow”, but in fact it gives the impression of cruising from a bygone era, with the art deco fixtures, fittings and furnishings. It certainly has a classic look to it although the ship itself is reminiscent of many large vessels these days.
To sum up, as a seasoned cruiser, I would choose to cruise on the Queen Victoria as I know that the levels of service one receives with Cunard are very high and what makes a cruise and a cruise ship are the small touches and little surprises that a new classic ship can bring to the running!
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