Berlitz Guide to Cruising

Overview

Queen Victoria flies the British Red Ensign for the ship’s UK registry and is aimed at both the North American and British markets. Unlike Queen Mary 2, it can transit the Panama Canal (useful for long voyages)
Although basically the same platform and layout as the “Vista” series of ships (examples: Arcadia, Carnival Legend, Costa Atlantica, Oosterdam), the Cunard version has an additional passenger deck, a specially strengthened hull lengthened by 36ft (11 meters), giving the ship more of an “ocean liner” feel- although it’s more of a cruise ship and a dramatically modified interior layout.
Outdoors facilities include a promenade deck you can almost walk around (the forward section is for crew only), with several deck lounge chairs with comfortable Cunard-logo cushioned pads (good place to read a book). One open deck has a life-sized chess board.
Queen Victoria also has a classy interior layout that takes the best and most favourite public rooms, bars and lounges aboard QM2 and from the now retired Queen Elizabeth 2 and sets them into a high-tech ship designed to offer both transatlantic and trans-pacific crossings (but with a maximum speed if 23.7 knots) as well as squeeze through the Panama Canal and offer a mix of cruises and long voyages.
The interior decor is best termed “traditional” in Cunard speak, with many of the public rooms finely decorated in Edwardian/Victoria styles, with a delightful wrought-iron balustrading on the staircases and in some of the bars. Most rooms have fine wood (veneer) panelling and decorative accents like wrought-iron horseshoe shaped stairways, scrolled woodwork and etched glass panels.
Other features include a majestic three-deck high Grand Lobby with a sweeping staircase, sculpted balconies and other elegant decorative touches and a Cunardia floating museum who glass cabinets display models of former Cunard Ships, old menus and daily programs. A shop sells memorabilia.
Several public rooms are two decks high; these include the gold beige Queens Room, with a large, proper wooden ballroom dance floor (it measures about 1,000 sq ft/93sq meters) above are two huge ceiling-mounted chandeliers. The bandstand is fronted by a large proscenium arch, while cantilevered balconies line the room’s side. Traditional British afternoon tea is served in this art deco-style grand room.
The Royal Arcade is a cluster of seven shops including Harrods, Royal Doulton and Wedgwood, set in an arcade like environment. At the forward end is a horseshoe shaped staircase, above which is a magnificent British-made chiming pillar clock made by Dent of London – the company that created Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament and the official clockmaker to Queen Victoria herself, since 1841.

Some other venues worth noting: The Library is a stunning two-deck-high wood panelled 6,OOO-book facility with two full-time librarians, and book shop selling maritime- related books, maps and stationery but there are few chairs to sit and read in. It's a great place to meet people, quietly.
Golden Lion Pub-a must aboard a Cunarder. This one lies along the starboard side, and is a good gathering place.
The Commodore Club acts as an observation lounge, with its ocean views on three sides. The adjacent Churchill's Cigar Lounge, on the starboard side, is a haven for smokers. Chart Room Bar, a conservatory with central fountain, greenery, and pool with a retractable glass dome roof. Hemispheres, positioned aft of the mast, overlooking the wood-decked Pavilion Pool. There's also a large casino. Art works worth more than $2 million, including original etchings by the liner's namesake and her husband Prince Albert, adorn various walls. The layout is a little disjointed on the uppermost decks. Note that access between the aft deck and the pool area and winter gardens can be gained only by going through the bufffet area. This makes for congestion at the self-serve buffet as people are constantly passing through.
The onboard currency is the UK pound. A per person, per day gratuity is charged to your onboard account, and a 15% gratuity is added to all bar and wine accounts.


Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2009

Ship Facts

Large (Resort) Ship: 90,000 tons
Lifestyle: Premium
Cruise Line: Cunard Line
Former Names: none
Builder: Fincantieri (Italy)
Original Cost: $390 million
Entered Service: Dec 2007
Registry: The Bahamas
Length (ft/m): 964.5/294.0
Beam (ft/m): 105.9/32.3
Draft (ft/m): 26.2/8.0
Propulsion/Propellers: diesel-electric
(63,400kW)/pod propulsion (2)
Passenger Decks: 12
Total Crew: 900
Passengers
(lower beds/all berths): 2,014/???
Passenger Space Ratio
(lower beds/all berths): 44.6/???
Crew/Passenger Ratio
(lower beds/all berths): 2.2/???
Navigation Officers: British
Cabins (total): 1,007
Size Range (sq ft/m): 143.0–2,131.3/
13.2–198.0
Cabins (outside view): 864
Cabins (interior/no view): 143
Cabins (for one person): 0
Cabins (with private balcony): 718
Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 20
Cabin Current: 110/220 volts
Elevators: 12
Casino (gaming tables): Yes
Slot Machines: Yes
Swimming Pools (outdoors): 2
Swimming Pools (indoors): 0
Whirlpools: 5
Self-Service Launderette: Yes
Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No
Library: Yes
Classification Society: Lloyds Register



OVERALL SCORE: NYR (OUT OF A POSSIBLE 2,000 POINTS)
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008