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As we noted in the CND article, even though Queen Victoria hull was
originally intended to be a Holland America Vista-class ship, when it
became destined for Cunard instead, the line delayed delivery so they
could change the design and incorporate traditional Cunard features and
improve its sea-keeping for use on transoceanic voyages.
"It is a very true Cunard liner. It is taking the heritage of Cunard into the 21st century," Cunard CEO Carol Marlow told CND today. "It is very important for us that she is different from other cruise ships. This is part of our Cunard heritage going forward. We do hope people understand and appreciate the difference between her and other vessels with the height and the grandeur of the internal part of the ship." Marlow said that they improved the sea-keeping by lengthening the hull [from the Vista dimensions] by 11 meters, strengthening it, and strengthening the bow, among other things. They also redesigned the superstructure, and it is totally different. "This isn't a Vista ship at all," she said. "We have many double- and triple-high areas on the inside," Marlow continued. "We have a very different configuration of suites and cabins. [The ship has 127 suites and mini-suites,] so there is a far higher weighting of suites within the vessel. The style and decor is quite different as well. So it really is a very different vessel." "This is a Cunard ship through and through, and not anything else," Marlow declared. One of those triple-high areas is the Grand Lobby, shown at left.
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The 800-sea Royal Court Theatre was modeled after a West End theater. One of the new features are private boxes on the upper levels for Grill-class passengers. |
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The two-level Royal Arcade, offers 4,000 square feet of space for designer shops. Cunard says the design was inspired by London's Royal and Burlington arcades. |
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The Winter Garden is a conservatory located next to the outdoor pool on the top deck. The Winter Garden will be a comfortable place to relax in all climes. It's glass roof is fully retractable when cruising in clement weather. |
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Queen Victoria is full of Cunard traditions. The Queens Room is one. The double-height ballroom has a 1,000-square-foot dance floor. The room is used for nightly dancing (even formal balls) and afternoon tea (maybe the most important Cunard tradition). |
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A large library is another Cunard tradition. Queen Victory will have a
6,000-volume two-level library.
Queen Victoria will also house a Cunard museum called "Cunardia," and an adjacent Cunardia shop. |
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Todd English's Mediterranean cuisine has been a hit with passengers on Queen Mary 2, so his restaurant too will become a new Cunard tradition. The alternative dining venue will find a second home on Queen Victoria and be open to all passengers. |
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The main restaurant, however, will be the two-level Britannia Dining Room |
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Queen Victoria will have 616 staterooms and suites with private balconies. Shown at left is one of the standard balcony staterooms. |
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There will also be a number of standard oceanview stateooms where like this lady, you can wait for the Gadots. |
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There's something for everyone on Queen Victoria. For those who prefer not to have a window, there are a few (140) inside staterooms. |
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Another Cunard tradition kept by Queen Victoria is that of providing a
more intimate restaurant for suite and mini-suite passengers. The
passengers purchasing suites will dine in the Queens Grill (shown at
left), while those in mini-suites will have the similar Princess Grill
available to them.
With a nod toward the warmer climates where Queen Victoria will often be cruising, Cunard has created the Courtyard for outdoor dining by Grill passengers. There is also a private area for Grill passengers, called the Upper Grills Terrace, for sunning and relaxing. |
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Booking a suite, such as the one shown at left, entitles you to dine in the Queens Grill. |
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One of Queen Victoria's mini-suites is shown at left. |