Cunard’s Queen Victoria

Incredible though it may seem, Cunard’s Queen Victoria has been in service for a decade. Passengers have enjoyed the plush interiors that rekindle the era of the great transatlantic liners, but it’s time for a makeover. In June Cunard will invest £34 million on a major makeover for their 90,000-tonne ship that has become a firm favourite. The update will see a large section of the aft decks removed to be replaced by a larger lido sun deck. Windbreakers, more sun loungers as well as luxury cabanas will be added to accommodate sun worshipers, while a shaded area will be extended for al fresco dining. Full bar service will also be provided throughout the day and into the evening when there will be live entertainment.

With its glass canopy and unimpeded sea views, the Winter Garden will be given an update. Five of Queen Victoria’s elegant Penthouse Suites will be completely redesigned to maximise space and give a more elegant ambiance. The new suites will feature floor to ceiling windows and doors, private balcony plus marble bathrooms with whirlpool baths.

43 new staterooms will be created in the new section created at the stern of Queen Victoria which will increase the capacity to 2,074 passengers. New flat screen televisions plus tea and coffee making facilities are going to be added to all staterooms which will also have new fabrics and carpets. Queen Victoria will also get a Britannia Club restaurant that has proved so popular on sister ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2. Located in the space of the former Chart Room, the new restaurant will be constructed alongside the main Britannia restaurant situated on Deck 2.

True to her Cunard lineage, Queen Victoria offers a range of accommodation from the ample to the opulent. Passenger cabins boast light wood tones and cabinetry with clean, simple lines emphasising the bedding and rich wood headboards. When the ship entered service there was an outcry that there was not enough storage space – especially in the Britannia-grade staterooms but since then the problem has been rectified by the addition of long drawers fitted under the beds. For more details of cruises aboard Queen Victoria call 0800 484 0370.