Queen Victoria

The 2007-built MS Queen Victoria cruise ship is of the same design as MS Queen Elizabeth (2010) and has as fleetmates the Cunard liners RMS Queen Mary 2 (2004) and the fleet's newest boat (2024-built) Queen Anne.

The vessel (IMO number 9320556) is currently Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310624000) and registered in Hamilton.

History - construction and ownership

Cunard Line is a British-American cruise brand, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Cunard is headquartered in Southampton (England UK) and is among the world's oldest passenger shipping companies. In 2015, Cunard Line celebrated its 175th anniversary.

The 2074-passenger ship Queen Victoria joined Cunard's fleet in December 2007. The vessel is of the same design as Vista-class Carnival ships but is slightly longer. It is the smallest Cunard ship. Vessel's construction started on May 12, 2006, and was launched on January 15, 2007 (float-out).

Onboard facilities include 7 restaurants and 13 bars, ballroom, show theatre, 3 swimming pools. The bow has heavier steel plating to be able to do Transatlantic crossings. Queen Elizabeth has almost the same design as the fleet-mate Queen Victoria (Vista-class modified) - though QM2 cost about USD 300,000 per berth. What distinguishes both Cunard liners is the more angled stern, compared to the vertical QE. Victoria also lacks covered games deck (present on Elizabeth).

During ship's 2017 drydock refurbishment (May 5 - June 4, done by Fincantieri in Palermo Sicily Italy), ship's passenger capacity was increased (from 2410 to 2489) by adding a whole new aft deck section to the vessel. Read more in the "wiki" section below.

Decks and Cabins

Cunard Queen Victoria staterooms (1037 total) include 126 Suites, 591 Balcony, 147 Oceanview and 138 Inside cabins, in all 9 types and 34 categories. The ship has 20 wheelchair-accessible and 9 studios (single-occupancy cabins). The largest are the Grand Suites (2130 ft2 / 198 m2 plus 970 ft2 / 90 m2 terrace).

Cabin types include Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia, Suites (Grand, Master, Penthouse, Queens, Princess), Standard Balcony staterooms, Outside and Interior (no-windows). Most cabins (Britannia Balcony) are sized 190-420 ft2 / 18-39 m2, with cabin balconies sized 70 ft2 / 7 m2.

The boat has 12 decks (all passenger-accessible) of which 7 are with cabins. Of all staterooms, 86% are outside, with 71% of them with step-out balconies.

The public rooms are located on lower-level decks- Decks 2 and 3. Unlike Queen Mary 2, no central circulation access can be seen on Queen Victoria- the main corridors are on the port side. The ship has a similar staircase to the grand lobby as on Queen Mary. Deck 1 (the lowest passenger deck), holds the lowest levels of the 3-storrey Lobby and Royal Court Theatre. The mid-level of Royal Court Theatre, Golden Lion Pub, casino (fairly large, no smoking), Queen’s Room, Chart Room bar (adjacent to Britannia Restaurant, excellent for a quiet drink before dinner), Todd English restaurant and lower levels of the Britannia Restaurant and the library, are on Deck 2. On Deck 3 are the top levels of the Royal Court Theatre, Midships Lounge, Royal Arcade and the upper level of the library. Decks above contain passenger cabins. The Health Club and spa, Lido Restaurant, Winter Garden lounge and two outdoor pools are on Deck 9. The Commodore Club (a large observation lounge, with ocean views and late-night room for interactive entertainment), Hemispheres nightclub and Churchill Lounge (which is for smokers) are on Deck 10. The Princess and Queen’s Grill with their lounge and open courtyard, are on Deck 11.

Theoretically, MS Queen Victoria is a classless ship, but passengers are actually separated (like on all Cunard liners) as their onboard dining locations are according to their cabin's category/cruise fares paid. Britannia Restaurant is for regular cabins, Princess Grill - for junior suites, and the Queen’s Grill is for deluxe suites. All the other public rooms are free to be used by all passengers. The so-called Grill Passengers (dining in Queen’s and Princess Grill) have two private areas on Decks 10 and 11- Grills Terraces.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Three main dining venues are available on QV. Passengers who occupy the most expensive cabins (grades Q1 to Q7) are allowed to dine at Queens Grill. The other luxurious accommodations (grades P1 to P4) are assigned to Princess Grill. For those who booked from inside staterooms to cabins with balconies, the dining space is Britannia Grill. It is a traditional ship restaurant which along with the Grills is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Britannia is set-seating for dinner (from 6,00p.m. to 8,30p.m.) and open-seating for lunch and breakfast. It is Cunard’s tradition, passengers who dine at the Grills have assigned tables for dinner, lunch, breakfast and can also dine during restaurants’ opening hours at any time.

Britannia Restaurant, located in the stern of Queen Victoria, has windows on the lower level which offer a nice sea view, on the upper level you will see the promenade deck. A good choice of options is available for each meal (for dinner in particular). The spa menu has a lighter option for each meal. The alternative restaurant as on Queen Mary 2, is Todd English. Lunch involves a cover charge of $20 per person and is served from midday until 2,00p.m. The dinner service fee is $30, available from 6,00p.m. until 9,30p.m. Book a table in advance- it is worth every cent. Food is great, service- attentive. The Lido is ship’s buffet area (but the least successful dining venue). With its perfect panoramic views, it offers 450 indoor and outdoor seating and standard self-serve buffet. Dinner is served there for passengers who need a casual alternative to the main dining (from 6,00p.m. to 11,00p.m. with waiter service). Available snack service through wee hours. In-cabin food service on QV is available 24 hours a day at no extra charge. The menu depends on whether you travel in Britannia (with limited number choices) or Grill accommodations. Continental breakfast could also be served to your cabin with a good choice of options. The pride of Cunard Line is the Afternoon Tea - a ceremony, performed from 3 pm until 4:30 pm every day in Grills Lounge and Queens Room. Waiters with white gloves serve tea from a big table in the center of the room, then serve scones with jam and sandwiches.

A variety of delicious dishes from fine ingredients is the reason why Cunard cuisine is respected. In the Queens Grill, you may enjoy intimate dining and choose between 142-seats if you are among the passengers in suites and top accommodation grades, or Princess Grill with 132 seats if you are in middle-class accommodation grades. Traditional pub food is served in the Golden Lion Pub. Another alternative dining spot is the Todd English Restaurant, with its classic English dining salon and Mediterranean cuisine served.

When you book you may request a sitting. The Britannia restaurant has two for dinner - at 6 p.m. and at 8.30 p.m. Princess Grill and Queens Grill do not have sittings - when they are open, you can dine any time you choose. A note for confirmation sitting and table number will be left in your stateroom when you board. Lunch and breakfast do not require allocated tables or sittings.

During the day, passengers definitely tend towards country club casual dress code. At night, even when it isn't a formal-designated evening, people dress anyway. There are three dress codes in the main restaurants after 6 p.m. each evening - which one applies each night you will be told in pre-voyage documentation and daily program in your stateroom: Formal (men - dinner jacket with a black tie or dark business suit; women- evening dress); Semi-formal (men- jacket and a tie; women - cocktail dress/trouser suit); Elegant casual (men - a jacket, tie is optional; women - skirt, dress or trousers). Shorts and T-shirts or shorts are not permitted!

Follows the complete list of Queen Victoria restaurants and food bars.

• Todd English Restaurant (Lunch and Dinner only specialty restaurant at surcharge PP, reservations-only)
• Verandah Restaurant (French specialty restaurant at a surcharge)
• Britannia Restaurant (1351-seat, 2-level Dining Room; serves open-seating Breakfast and Lunch. Dinners are waiter-served, with 2 assigned sittings at 6 or 8:30 p.m.)
• Lido Restaurant (450-seat buffet-style restaurant for Breakfast and Lunch; In two of its sections are offered itinerary-inspired dishes for dinner)
• Winter Garden Lounge (supper club/formal dining venue; features gourmet food and Afternoon Champagne Tea)
• Queens Grill Restaurant (142-seat, for Queens Grill Suite guests; with regular and an “a la carte” menu)
• Princess Grill Restaurant (132-seat, Princess Grill Suite guests only; open-sitting, with the same menu as at the Queens Grill)
• The Courtyard Restaurant (40-seat; serves Grills staterooms guests only).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Queen Victoria is a true Cunarder, flauntingly upholding their famous inheritance and traditions. With gorgeous marbles, woods, plush carpets, rich fabrics, and soft furniture, this cruise liner merely exudes elegance. The vessel's many diversions and distractions assure you are as thoroughly entertained and completely relaxed as you could wish to be, with all the majestic, stupendous magnificence people could imagine from a luxurious Cunard ocean liner, combined with an airy, modern atmosphere. As cruisers embark, they find the dramatic 3-tier Grand Lobby, with its superb staircase and eye-catching artwork that offer an exclusive taste of life.

The principal venues for onboard entertainment are the Queens Room and the Royal Court Theatre. The Royal Court Theatre, which is three-deck-high, is in traditional style with red velvet and has the design of a classic opera house. It is the venue for lectures, concerts and large-screen movies, too. The featured twenty private boxes can be booked for shows at $50 per couple. This includes champagne and finger sandwiches and bubbly in the box. Maybe the most beautiful public room on board QV is the Queens Room on Deck 2- the setting for cocktails, balls, concerts, dance classes, and afternoon tea. Cafe Carinthia, the Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar and the Chart Room Bar, all on the starboard side of Deck 2, attract passengers with warm, brown and yellow colors. Just aft of the theatre is located a bar. Commodore Club observation lounge is situated on Deck 10 with huge wall-to-ceiling windows. Next door is the small Churchill’s Cigar Lounge for smoke and drink with friends. The Hemispheres night club on Deck 10 is best for those who want to go on the ballroom dancing when finished in Queens Room. Passengers may attend Cunard Book Club literary discussions which are led by the librarian. On selected voyages on board come members of Royal Astronomical Society to teach about space and lead star-gazing nights. QV offers computer learning programs in the Apple Learning Centre. Courses in Apple iStudy on iMac computers teach basic computer skills, movie making, photo editing, new technology as Facebook and iPads.

Live jazz is played in some of the lounges and bars. There are also bands and solo entertainers onboard. In the Queens Room, Big Band nights are held. A glass-roof Winter Garden lounge and two-story library with spiral staircase add to ship's beauty. The Library is two-deck-high with 6,000-book facility and two librarians. You could also buy maritime-related books from a separate bookshop, as well as maps and stationery. The Pavilion Pool is a high-volume disco and nightclub.

The Royal Spa and Fitness Centre of Cunard offers stunning ocean views, relaxation places, wonderfully appointed healing rooms and relaxing therapies, as well as a scenic glass-encased Fitness Centre. The Royal Health Club and Spa includes a beauty salon, a gymnasium with ocean view and aerobics area, Thermal Area- steam rooms and sauna, body treatment rooms, relaxation area, rasul chamber for Hammam-style steam and mud bathing.

Queen Victoria is not a ship that specially caters to families with children. But if you decide to take your children, they must be at least two years old for the itineraries of 2012, to be able to participate in nursery programs without your supervision. On Deck 10 you can find children’s playroom with lots of toys, and The Zone, which is specially designed for teenagers with computer games. Both rooms feature enough outdoor deck space.

Cunard cruise ship weddings, ceremonies, and onboard parties could be held in some of the QV's lounges. There is no onboard chapel on the QV ship.

Follows the complete list of Queen Victoria lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Royal Court Theatre (830-seat, 3-deck, with a giant movie screen; hosts high-tech visual programs, grand musical productions, and shows, as well as theatrical spectacles, performances by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)
• iStudy (Cunard ConneXions; separate meeting rooms featuring Internet computers); Internet Centre
• Grand Lobby Atrium (with a grand piano, grand sweeping staircase, interior glass-wall lifts)
• Golden Lion Pub (116-seat traditional British pub bar; features a large selection of the UK and international beers, large-size TVs, live entertainment, small dance floor)
• Casino (222-seat, 6000 ft2 / 610 m2; with 115 slots and 11 gambling tables, served by Casino Bar)
• Queens Arcade (quiet area for relaxation with panoramic views)
• Cunardia (nautically themed museum); Cunardia gallery; Clarendon Fine Art gallery; Images Gallery (photo gallery)
• Cunard ConneXions (a complex of 3 rooms which host onboard events)
• Chart Room (cocktail bar with live jazz)
• Queens Room (2-level formal dancing ballroom; hosts evening dancing parties and daily dance lessons)
• Veuve Cliquot (Champagne Bar); Cafe Carinthia (patisserie, specialty teas and coffees bar); Midships Bar & Lounge
• Royal Arcade (boutique shops, top name brands)
• The Alcove (a quiet room with a big jigsaw puzzle); Card Room
• Royal Spa & Fitness Centre (size 20000 ft2 / 1860 m2, 2-level; with a Spa, Thalassotherapy Pool, Thermal Suite, Finnish and Herbal Saunas, Treatment Rooms, Relaxation Lounge, Aromatic Steam Room, Beauty Salon)
• Fitness Centre (Gym Room and Weights area; with exercise bikes, Elliptical machines, treadmills, steppers, rowing machines, yoga mats; has Aerobics Room for classes)
• The Library (with a large book selection - over 6000 volumes); The Book Shop
• Pavilion Pool (with 2 Whirlpools and poolside Bar); Lido Pool (with 2 Whirlpools, Bar and Grill)
• Commodore Club (indoor observation lounge with panoramic windows and live piano music)
• Admiral’s Lounge (premium liquors)
• Churchill’s Cigar Lounge (smokers room with a selection of fine liquors and cigars)
• Hemispheres (glass-domed observation lounge, doubles as disco nightclub)
• The PlayZone (indoor/outdoor kids area for children 7+ yo); The Zone (for children 8 to 12 yo); Teen Zone (teenagers club area)
• Games Deck (glass-domed; with tennis court, shuffleboard, croquet, quoits, giant chess, golf simulators, first time at sea complimentary fencing lessons)
• The Terrace (private outdoor area, Grill passengers only); The Grills Lounge (Grill Suites guests only).

Itineraries

Queen Victoria itinerary program is based on a “World Cruise”, roundtrip from Southampton UK, plus one-way itinerary segments, offered by Cunard each year. QV also sails in Europe (Canaries, Mediterranean and UK mini cruises), leaving from Southampton.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Cunard paused MS Queen Victoria for 2+ years (March 2020 through June 2022), and scheduled the ship's restart for June 5th.

Queen Victoria is Cunard Line's 2nd new liner by year built, with its "Cunard Queens" sisterships Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary 2. By the Spirit-Class design, the Cunard Victoria ship is similar to the liners Arcadia (P&O UK), Princess' Coral and Island, and Costa's Luminosa and Deliziosa. Carnival Corporation ordered this vessel for Holland America Line, but before the construction was completed it was re-assigned to Cunard Line.

This Cunard liner was named after Queen Victoria (1819-1901, the Empress of India). The ship's godmother is Camilla Parker (Duchess of Cornwall). Fun fact about the naming ceremony is that the champagne bottle thrown at the hull didn't break, which is generally considered a very bad omen. However, another bottle was thrown just seconds later and the second time everything was successful. Fortunately, no serious accidents have been reported on the cruise ship, so far. The maiden voyage was along Northern Europe (10-day itinerary December 11-21).

Unlike traditional Cunard liners, Queen Victoria is not an ocean liner (based on propulsion system and hull design). The vessel has a reinforced bow and higher freeboard to handle North Atlantic Ocean's weather extremes. The ship has the very first true theatre at sea (with private boxes) and the largest ballroom (Queen Victoria At Sea).

On December 15, 2010, Cunard's first female captain - Inger Olsen (born on Faroe islands) - took command of the cruise ship. In October 2011, the vessel changed its registry/flagstate from the UK to Bermuda, which allows cruise wedding ceremonies to be held on the ship. The word "Southampton" on the stern was replaced with "Hamilton".

Operated each year and starting in January, Queen Victoria World Cruise deals are among the industry's most anticipated. Compared to other companies, Cunard's world voyages offer affordable prices and visit popular destinations and big seaport cities around the world.

Prices started from GBP 14000 / ~USD 18200 / ~EUR 15400 per person (Britannia Inside stateroom at double occupancy).

MS Queen Victoria refurbishments review

Queen Victoria's drydocking in 2022 (May 2-19) was at Harland & Wolff shipyard (in Belfast, Northern Ireland).

During drydock refurbishment 2017 (May 5 through June 4, done by Fincantieri in Palermo Sicily Italy) were installed additional 43x Britannia Club staterooms, as well as single-occupancy cabins. According to Cunard Line, the decision was based on passenger demand.

• A total of 18 balcony cabins plus 15 inside cabins were added on decks 6, 7, 8, 9. The new interior staterooms were added in the aft deck sections of decks 5, 6, 7, 8.
• 5 new Penthouse Suites were also added.
• The total number of staterooms was increased from 1004 to 1037,
• These deck plan changes also reflected on the ship's max passenger capacity, which was increased from 2410 to 2489.
• Refits and enhancements were also done to several of the ship's most popular public spaces (including Lido Sun Deck, Winter Garden, Britannia Club Restaurant). All staterooms were upgraded with large flat TVs plus tea-coffee making facilities.

The 2017 refurbishment cost Cunard ~GBP 30 million (USD 40M). The increased passenger capacity was accomplished by adding to the ship a whole new aft deck section.

The boat's drydock in 2015 (December 2014 - January 2015) resulted in no major deckplan changes, excepting the new single cabins added on deck 2. The drydocking was at Bohm+Voss Shipyard (Hamburg Germany) and included mainly maintenance works on the hull and propulsion (Azipods bearings changing). Drydock works were done by almost 2000 people working on the ship (~600,000 man-hours). The refit (as upgrades and renovations) featured:

• a total of 9 single cabins (8 Oceanview, 1 Interior) were added on deck 2 (portside) taking some space from the casino.
• over 20,000 m2 of new carpeting (in all public spaces) along with updating the wall paneling
• 3100 new mattresses (in all cruise cabins and suites) along with new sheets and towels
• tea/coffee pantries were installed at the Britannia dining room
• floor renovation in the ballroom Queen's Room
• More awnings were added on Lido Deck 9 (around the pools), increasing the shaded seating/relaxation areas.

Cunard World Cruise 2022 (Queen Victoria)

Cunard's World Voyage 2022 on Queen Victoria was a 108-day roundtrip from UK (Southampton) also bookable as a 97-day itinerary (Fort Lauderdale to Southampton) and features a Panama Canal transition. The world cruise 2022 (January 10 through April 29) visits 30 ports, 19 UNESCO Sites and offers overnights in the port cities Sydney NSW, San Francisco, Cape Town South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong. Visited destinations include Bermuda, USA (Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, Honolulu), Caribbean (Aruba, Panama), Costa Rica, Mexico, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns), Papua New Guinea, Philippines, China (Hong Kong), Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, Spain-Canaries (Tenerife).

Queen Victoria World Cruise 2022 is bookable either as a full voyage (108-night) or in 6 shorter segments (Fort Lauderdale-Southampton, Singapore-Southampton, Cape Town-Southampton, Southampton-San Francisco, Southampton-Sydney Australia, Sydney-Hong Kong).