Cruise News Daily Newsfile
March 23, 2009

She's Nobody's Twin

Many areas of Queen Elizabeth will be reminiscent of other Cunard liners. Passengers will enter via the three-deck-high Grand Lobby, which will be finished in light mahogany and marble. It will be crowned with an art deco chandelier from the era of the first Queen Elizabeth. Two-deck-high artwork will be one of the room's focal points at its place on the landing of the lobby's sweeping staircase. Plaques detailing the captains who have served on the two previous Cunard 'Elizabeths' will celebrate the continuation of the 'Elizabeth' name, and a third plaque will record over time the names of the future masters of the new Queen Elizabeth. 

Follow along on our tour of Queen Elizabeth with deck plan in PDF format so you can zoom w-a-y in.

Similar to the one on Queen Victoria, Cafe Carinthia is just off the Grand Lobby on Deck 2. Cunard says it will be the place to be seen, but while you're being seen, you can enjoy one of the pastries or a cup of premium tea or coffee. 
The Royal Court Theatre is at the forward end of Decks 1, 2 and 3. It will be decorated in regal blue and gold. Like the one on Queen Victoria, it will have private boxes where they can enjoy champagne and petit fours or chocolates in their box during intermission. If they need anything during the show, they can summon a waiter with a pull on a (silent) velvet bell cord. 
A bit aft of the theater on Deck 2 is the double-deck Queens Room. The ballroom with its crystal chandeliers and a 1000-square-foot dance floor, will display a photographic collection of Cunard's Royal ship naming and will also display the original Royal Standard given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, when she came to name the original Queen Elizabeth back 1938.
Passengers will find the Midships Bar, named after the one on the original Queen Elizabeth, on Deck 3. The walls will be decorated with artwork typical of the 1930's and 1940's, and cabinets will display memorabilia from the original ship. 
The nautically-themed observation lounge, the Commodore Club is a favorite with Cunard passengers and will be located forward on Deck 10.
The Yacht Club will be located just aft of the Commodore Club (in the space occupied by Hemispheres on Queen Victoria) and will feature 270-degree views. The lounge, named after the one on QE2, will be used for activities during the day and dancing at night. 
The Royal Arcade will feature 4,000 square feet of shopping. Cunard says a "notable sculpture" will be the centerpiece on the staircase. 
Like its counterpart on Queen Victoria, the two-story library will feature a spiral staircase and house a 6,000-volume collection of books. 
On Queen Elizabeth, Cunard will continue its policy of pairing a restaurant with the accommodation categories. The Britannia Restaurant will be the ship's main dining room, located at the aft end of Decks 2 & 3 with a dramatic view of the ship's wake through double-deck-high windows. It was designed to evoke memories of classic ocean liners via its art deco decor. 
Passengers traveling in suites will dine in the Queens Grill (shown above) and the Princess Grill, both located on Deck 11, cantilevered over the sides of the ship for breathtaking sea views through the curved floor-to-ceiling windows. Both restaurants will feature single seating (where passengers may arrive at any time during the evening, and their same table will be waiting for them).  
A new addition will be the Britannia Club for passengers who want to travel in something smaller than a suite (the top balcony category), yet experience a single-seating type of dining, similar to that offered suite passengers. The concept made its debut on Queen Mary 2 and has been extremely popular. Queen Elizabeth's Britannia Club Restaurant occupies the space of the Chart Room on Queen Victoria. 
The Garden Lounge on Queen Elizabeth replaces Queen Victoria's Winter Garden on Deck 9. It was heightened and will be the location of an occasional evening "Supper Club" with musical entertainment and dancing. The palm-filled conservatory feeling was inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens. 
The Garden Lounge opens out onto the Pavilion Pool amidships. 
The Games Deck is a new area at the forward end of Deck 11 and is named after its predecessor on the original Queen Elizabeth. It will offer paddle tennis and introduce croquet and lawn bowling under a canopy to shield players from the sun. 

Cruise News Daily Home
CND Newsfile Index

90323