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What is it like to cruise on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship - Here is our Review!

We cruised on the Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship in September 2021 on one of the first cruises from the UK. Here we describe our experience on board which will give you an insight into what cruising with Cunard is really like.

We booked our cruise on the Queen Elizabeth using my Blue Light Card  which gave us a discount and a fantastic price of £369 for the 4 nights cruise. In this post we describe our experiences on board this ship so you can decide if a Cunard cruise on the Queen Elizabeth is for you.

Relevant reading –

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Cunard Dress Codes – What to pack for a Cunard Cruise

Cunard Cruises WiFi Packages – How much do they cost?

Cruising at Christmas with Cunard – What do the ships look like?

Embarkation and our first day on board - Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship Review

After a very slick testing experience and embarkation process at Southampton, we were on board by 1530. 

As we walked on to the ship we were welcomed by staff in traditional Cunard Uniform and a stunning peacock floral display. Looking around the beautiful wooden interior of the ship it certainly felt like we had been taken back to a different era of cruising.

We had booked a guaranteed standard balcony cabin and had been allocated a cabin on deck 8 towards the aft of the ship. To comply with the safety regulations we headed to our cabin to watch the safety video and report to our muster station which was really easy to do. First impressions of the cabin are really good, spacious with a sofa and decent sized balcony and lots of storage. We filmed a cabin tour which can be found at the end of this post.

After a walk around the top deck we met our friends at the Commodore Club situated right at the front of the ship on deck 10. A stunning lounge full of Cunard pictures and nostalgia. 

As we hadn’t eaten since breakfast we  decided to go and find a snack. We headed  to the Golden Lion Pub which serves food but it was fully booked. So we went to the buffet to be told it had just shut at 4pm. We headed to the restaurant to also be told that food had finished there too and there are no other options for dining on the ship until 6pm. This was disappointing and a first for us as food on all our other cruises has never been hard to find!

While we were in the Britannia restaurant we decided to see where our table was for dinner and found that even though we had linked our bookings with our friends we were not sat on a table for 4 but 2 tables for 2 which were only inches away from another table. There were no closing of tables to promote social distancing that we had experienced on our previous cruises post pandemic. 

We decided to try to speak to the Maitre’d to see if we could change to a table of 4 but unfortunately this proved impossible. We asked the staff in the restaurant if we could speak to someone and we were told in a very rude and dismissive manner that we couldn’t be helped and that we had to come back at 6om. After such a frosty response we decided to find someone else to speak to and was met with not only another rude response but also a shrug of the shoulders, and told to come back at 6. In all the 25 cruises (with the exception of MSC Opera in 2018!) we have been on we have never been spoken too like this. Appalled and pretty angry we decided to head to a bar!

At the aft of the ship on deck 9 is the Lido Pool. Here there was a celtic duo Shane Moran and Cameron Ross performing who were very good and we enjoyed a drink in the sunshine. Unfortunately the wind picked up and we were getting cold so we heading inside and found the Gin and Fizz bar. Must say after our dealings with the disappointing dining staff the bar service we recieved at both these venues was exceptional which was a relief. 

6pm arrived and we returned to the Brittania restaurant and spoke to a lady at the entrance. We explained our concerns regarding our allocated table but were told that she couldn’t change it maybe we could sort it out tomorrow….a little exasperated we asked were there any other tables available at all in the whole restaurant that we could be moved too and after a few minutes she did reluctantly come up with a solution and we were allocated an empty table for the 4 of us.  That was hard work but we got there in the end!

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Our table 515 was next to the window over looking the promenade and our waiter Dave was a delight. We enjoyed a fabulous meal, starters of Rissoto of Wild Mushroons, Crab and Shrimp Skagen, Roasted Cauliflower Soup. Mains of  Medallions of Pork and Palliard of Beef went down a treat. For dessert we had Sticky Mango Rice and Chocolate Marquise. We must say our actual dining experience as we sailed away from Southampton in the Britannia was superb and we left there very contented and full.

After dinner we found the Queens Room where house band Alchemy were playing. What a fabulous venue this is. We had a lovely time, listening to the band and watching some fabulous dancers too. So good to see dancing is back!

Excellent service in the Queens Room too and we had our first Perfect Serve Gins – Queen Victoria – which were delicious! The Bloody Mary’s were good too. 

Then we went to the Golden Lion Pub to watch the live music and the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra were playing. Well we thought Cunard would be a quiet, stuffy affair but how wrong were we, the pub was rocking! Singing and playing a selection modern and old hits they had the majority of people in their feet. It was such a fun end to a fabulous night.

Believe it or not it was now nearly 0100 and Paul sniffed out some food. The  Lido Buffet has snacks which are available until 0100 and Paul enjoyed a Cheese, Tomato, and Pesto panini and Chocolate pudding. Thankfully I spotted some cookies which I took back to the cabin ready for day 2!

After a disappointing start to the day, we have had the best evening and laughed so much with our friends Deb and Steve. Service has been exceptional and our first day definitely ended on a high.

Entertainment on board Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship Review

I woke up at 0700 just in time to see the end of a lovely sunrise and managed to drag Paul out of bed 2 hours later in time to make it to the Lido for the buffet breakfast before it closed at 10:30. The choice and standard of food available was excellent, we both had a cooked breakfast with Paul finishing with what he described as the the most chocolaty chocolate muffin he’d ever had.

We then headed to reception to change some reservations as the app was being a tad unresponsive. This was quickly resolved so we then went to find the garden lounge which was showing the football. This was a decision that Paul would later regret as his beloved spurs sank to a miserable 3-0 defeat.

However, on a positive note the Garden Lounge is a lovely venue on deck 9, mid ship, just between the Lido Buffet Restaurant and the Pavillion Pool. We received fabulous service by Gary and Bogden with the added bonus of bowls of crisps and nuts provided with drinks.

Bingo was next, and our investment of $30 won us nothing! So we decided to try our luck at the quiz. Unfortunately another poor result with a dismal 11/20.

It was now time to get ready for the Black and White Gala Night. We put on our finery and went to the Britannia Restaurant for dinner. Starters of Madeira Duck Parfait and Golden Beetroot were delicious. I went for Beef Wellington which was cooked perfectly and Paul had venison with roast vegetables and creamy cabbage which he throughly enjoyed. The meal was finished with an excellent lemon soufflé with lemoncello sauce, and a chocolate brownie and service was excellent throughout.

With dinner done it was time for the Top Hat show at the Royal theatre. It was an enjoyable show but we were eager to get to the Queens Room as soon as it finished to watch the Big Band.

Big Band Night in the magnificent ballroom was such a wonderful experience. A 12 piece orchestra played Big Band Tunes from a bygone era and it was just magical. The dance floor filled up with excellent dancers and the professional dancers on the ship put on spectacular performance too. This was a very special moment!

Up next was Shaun and Cameron the Celtic Duo who were not only fabulous musicians but very funny too!  It was their last night on the ship as they were getting off in Liverpool tomorrow, which was a shame as we would of loved to see them again.

After a late night wander around the lit up Lido and Upper Deck we decided to have one for the road at the Commodore Club. A very stylish and comfortable area, with the added bonus of bring entertained by Clarolyn Maier, a very talented pianist and singer who covered Hits of Broadway to the Great American Songbook.

After such a fantastic night, we couldn’t resist a little visit to the late night snacks at the Lido, where again the little pies and paninis went down well.

We are loving our time on the Queen Elizabeth and can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship Review - Liverpool and our third day on board.

I woke at 0530 to find we had already arrived in Liverpool. Unfortunately the sky was drab and grey, so no sunrise photos to be had. However it was great to look just to the right and see the iconic Liver Building! 

On the Queen Elizabeth you can have breakfast delivered to your cabin free of charge. You just need to tick the items on the menu card and indicate the time you want it and hang it on the door by 0100.  Our breakfast arrived as requested at 0930 and was thoroughly enjoyed.

We are planning on uploading a full tour of this beautiful ship to our You Tube Channel so after our leisurely breakfast we started filming some footage. We got as far as deck 2 and spotted Deb and Steve in the Golden Lion Pub. Feeling it would be rude not to say hi, we popped in. Steve pointed out that there were 6 types of Bloody Mary’s on the menu. Not needing a lot of arm twisting we sampled one each and they were superb.

We dragged ourselves away from the pub and filmed some more for our ship tour and headed off to afternoon tea, we had booked this at reception the previous day as our app was not playing ball. 

We had heard such good things about the afternoon tea on Cunard but have to say we were fairly underwhelmed by what was on offer. No afternoon tea stand just a menu with a choice of sandwiches and cakes that came on small plates. The service was quite cold too. There wasn’t anything particularly wrong with anything but it was just not what we expected, we could have gone to the buffet and got exactly what we had been served. Talking to friends there are occasions where afternoon tea is served in the Queens Room with Silver Service but unfortunately that didn’t happen on our cruise.

The other frustrating thing was the dining room was virtually empty but they still sat two other couples about two feet away from our table. We understand it is more convenient for staff but with post covid social distancing being encouraged elsewhere, we thought this was a bit odd.

It was nearly time for sail away so we headed back to our cabin. We had a small bottle of bubbly as a welcome gift, every cabin receives one on Cunard. Deb and Steve bought their bottle up too and we enjoyed a sail away with bubbles from Liverpool on our balcony. 

As we were sailing out to sea we went to the Lido deck as a Saxophonist and DJ were playing a set. It was great music to listen too but a little bit nippy. We were all given blankets and had a fab time! 

For dinner we headed to our usual table 515 and again recieved fabulous service from Dave and Michael. We started with Salt Beef Hash and Horseradish, followed by White Radish and Asian Slaw Salad. Then mains of Lemon Sole and Spinach, Feta and Mushroom Strudel. All just simply delicious. The sun was starting to set so I went for a walk around the decks to capture some photo’s while Paul enjoyed a warm Bakewell Tart and Vanilla Custard. 

I met Paul, Deb and Steve in the Garden Lounge so we could watch the Dixieland Band. Great tunes from the deep south kept us entertained. Next stop was the  Yacht Club on deck 10 where Amethyst Duo were playing. This is another a beautiful venue with a huge chandelier in the centre that changes colour.  

On the daily programme we noticed there was a quiz due to start in the Golden Lion Pub so decided to head to deck 2 to join in but unfortunately the pub was packed and there were no seats available. 

We walked next door to the Queens Room where the Orchestra where joined by the vocalists Jack and Ester. In hindsight we were so glad we couldn’t get in the pub as we had a wonderful end to the evening. There was a table for 4 free just to the side of the orchestra which gave us a fabulous view of the dance floor and of the band. 

Playing popular songs in the style of the different genres of dances, they even inspired us to get up and Waltz! We had been practising in our small kitchen at home, we didn’t disgrace ourselves but we definitely need more practice! 

The orchestra are just superb, they play such diverse music and are such fun to watch. We just loved the trombone version of Macerana! Tonight was such a fabulous night. 

By the time the entertainment finished it was the early hours again and guess what the boys were peckish! So up to the late night buffet which we just managed to catch before it closed where they enjoyed  pannini tuna melts and a cheese platter.

Cruising with Cunard has surprised us in so many ways and unfortunately this cruise is going way to fast.

Cunard Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship Review - Our last day on board.

We put the alarm on for 8 so we could get up for breakfast but quickly turned it off and woke up at 10! Still the Coffee and Godiva chocolates which are left on our bed each evening started the day well. 

John Peters was doing a talk this morning called ‘Tornado Down’. For those that don’t know of John he came to the worlds attention in January 1991 during the first Gulf War when his bruised and battered face flashed onto television screens around the world. His description of his experience was horrific, how he managed to keep mentally positive and how we can overcome even our worst fears and nightmares, is a true lesson to us all in what is important in life. It was an emotional and thought provoking presentation and I am glad I had some tissues in my hand bag! Cunard have enrichment talks every day and we are so glad we got the chance to see this. He was actually in the Theatre but the talk was televised throughout the ships bars and lounges which was great. 

Lunch today was in the Golden Lion Pub. Paul and I both had Ploughman’s lunch and Deb and Steve both had Fish and Chips, which we all agreed was really tasty, The food in the pub is all included at no extra charge, it does get very busy so we recommend getting in early. 

As it was our last day on board it was sadly time to pack. Suitcases that you want to be taken off the ship have to be outside your Cabin between 5pm and 11pm. 

Packing done the boys decided that we should have another go at the bingo, as today was Snowball Jackpot Bingo Finale. So we headed to the Garden Lounge on deck 9. After a very tense time, we had 1 number on two tickets to win the jackpot of $760…..alas a lady on the next table got her number before us and won! 

Next up was the quiz where we scored a respectable 15, but sadly missed out on  winning a Cunard pen! Feeling a bit peckish the boys popped to the Lido restaurant and came back with a pepperoni pizza and some cakes and scones from the Lido Buffet Restaurant next door. It all went down very well.

After the fabulous evening we had last night we all decided we wanted to get to the Queens Room early to get our front row seats by the band for Dancing in the Streets.While we were waiting we decided to play Crib, after a tense time the score was 1:1 then the band started! 

The Band with Jack and Ester played and sang hits of Motown, Soul and just really great party music. The dance floor was packed with everyone strutting their stuff, and the four of us happily joined them. The band did 4 sets over 3 1/2 hours and even after all that the whole of the Queens Room, including us were shouting for more.  It was such a fun night that had sadly come to an end. 

Hungry again we paid our last visit to the late night snack buffet. More pies and cheese plates were consumed, as we all discussed what a fabulous time we had all had!

Our Verdict of our Cruise on the Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship - Will we cruise with Cunard again?

Our cruise on the Queen Elizabeth has been full of surprises. After a frosty start we all agreed that we had had a very enjoyable time on board. The ship is elegant and sophisticated and takes you back to a bygone era which we loved. We knew that the standard of food and service was going to be excellent but what surprised us the most was the variety of entertainment on board and how much fun it was. We also filmed a vlog series on board which you can watch below.

We also were very impressed with the cabins that we booked. We stayed in a standard balcony cabin and our friends booked a deluxe inside cabin and you can have a look around both of these cabins in the videos below.

We had such a great time on the Queen Elizabeth that we have booked another cruise on this ship for December, we are also planning a transatlantic cruise on the Queen Mary 2 too! We are looking forward to seeing what this ship will look like at Christmas and we can’t wait to be back on board!

View more video blogs on YouTube > > >

Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship Review - Cabins

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our Cunard You Tube Playlist here .

Visit Cunard’s Website Here.

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Cunard Queen Elizabeth Deck Plans & Reviews

Cunard Queen Elizabeth

Activities & entertainment

• Aerobic Area
• Afternoon Tea
• Art Classes *
• Ballroom Dance Classes
• Bridge Classes
• Card Room *
• Champagne Afternoon Tea *
• Darts Competitions
• Deck Quoits
• Fencing Classes
• Fitness Classes *
• Gala Evening Balls
• Golf Competitions
• Hair Salon *
• Hot Tubs (4)
• Hydropool *
• iPad and Computer Workshops *
• Needlework & Knitting Corners
• Onboard Movies
• Royal Court Theatre (Middle)
• Royal Spa & Fitness Centre *
• Royal Spa Treatment Rooms *
• Scavenger Hunts
• Shuffleboard Competitions
• Solo Travelers Get Togethers
• Thalassotherapy Pool *
• Thermal Suites *
• Wellbeing Seminars
• Children's Outdoor Area
• Teens' Outdoor Area
• The Play Zone
• Nightly Live Music
• Onboard Lectures
• Passenger Talent Shows
• Queens Room
• Royal Court Theatre
• Bar - Pool Bar *
• Admiral's Lounge *
• Garden Lounge *
• Midships Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Lido Restaurant - Casual
• Churchill's Cigar Lounge - Cigar Bar
• Café Carinthia - Coffee and Wine *
• Golden Lion - English Pub *
• Lido Grill - Fast Food
• The Verandah Restaurant - French *
• Britannia Club - International
• Britannia Restaurant - International
• Commodore Club - Martini Bar *
• Lido Bar - Pool Bar *
• Grills Lounge - Suite Guests
• Grills Terrace - Suite Guests
• Princess Grill - Suite Guests
• Queens Grill - Suite Guests

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

• Excellent 69
• Very Good 43
• Terrible 32
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• English ( 202 )
• Japanese ( 2 )
• Norwegian ( 1 )

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Cunard Queen Victoria Deck Plans & Reviews

Cunard Queen Victoria

Activities & entertainment

• Aerobic Area
• Afternoon Tea
• Art Classes *
• Ballroom Dance Classes
• Bridge Classes
• Champagne Afternoon Tea *
• Connexions 1 *
• Connexions 2&3 *
• Cunard Royal Spa & Fitness Centre *
• Darts Competitions
• Deck Quoits
• Fencing Classes
• Fitness Classes *
• Gala Evening Balls
• Golf Competitions
• Hair Salon *
• Hot Tubs (4)
• Hydropool *
• iPad and Computer Workshops *
• Needlework & Knitting Corners
• Onboard Movies
• Royal Spa & Fitness Centre *
• Scavenger Hunts
• Shuffleboard Competitions
• Solo Travelers Get Togethers
• Sports Deck
• Thalassotherapy Pool *
• The Book Shop *
• Thermal Suites *
• Wellbeing Seminars
• Children's Outdoor Area
• Teens' Outdoor Area
• The Play Zone
• Nightly Live Music
• Onboard Lectures
• Passenger Talent Shows
• Queens Room
• Royal Court Theatre
• Royal Court Theatre (Middle)
• Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Bar - Nautical bar *
• Bar - Bar *
• Midships Lounge - Atrium Bar *
• Lido Restaurant - Casual
• Winter Garden - Casual bar *
• Churchill's Cigar Lounge - Cigar Bar *
• Admiral's Lounge - Clubby Lounge *
• Golden Lion - English Pub *
• Lido Grill - Fast Food
• The Verandah Restaurant - French *
• Britannia Club - International
• Britannia Restaurant - International
• Commodore Club - Martini Bar *
• Chart Room - Nautical bar *
• Lido Bar - Pool Bar *
• Pavilion Bar - Pool Bar *
• Grills Lounge - Suite Guests
• Grills Terrace - Suite Guests
• Grills Upper Terrace - Suite Guests
• Princess Grill - Suite Guests
• Queens Grill - Suite Guests
• Bar - Verandah Bar *

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

• Excellent 44
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• English ( 141 )
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• French ( 1 )

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Cunard Line

Courtesy of Cunard Line |

Find a Cruise on Cunard Line

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Cruising with Cunard

Cunard's three ships – Queen Mary 2 , Queen Elizabeth  and Queen Victoria (with a fourth set to launch in 2024) – receive praise for their stylish accommodations and elegant facilities, including upscale dining areas and opulent ballrooms. Keeping with its legacy as a traditional, old-world ocean liner, U.K.-based Cunard Line is one of the only luxury cruise lines to offer secluded dining areas for select passengers, meaning guests staying in standard staterooms dine in a different restaurant than passengers staying in suites. Outside the luxurious lodgings, you can enjoy lounging and dining options like the Golden Lion pub and a specialty steakhouse restaurant on all three ships.

Cunard offers one-way, round-trip and transatlantic sailings to major cities across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and Australia and the Pacific Islands. Available shore excursions depend on the cruise's itinerary and duration (future voyages range from two to 123 nights). Excursions include a Sydney Harbour Bridge climb in Sydney , traditional Portuguese tile painting in Lisbon, Portugal , and more. What's more, all of Cunard's ships feature a casino, a spa, an art gallery and a wide range of enrichment programs, such as art classes, ballroom dance tutorials and lecture series.

Pros & Cons

Old World style appeals to travelers seeking traditional cruising experiences

Variety of cabin classes and specialty restaurants to choose from

Complimentary educational programming, including dance lessons, film screenings and a lecture series

Some onboard amenities and shore excursions cost extra

Ships lack contemporary activities and amenities of mainstream competitors

Specialty beverages, including soft drinks and alcohol, are not included in cruise fare

• Expert Rating » 4.0
• Traveler Rating » 4.1
• Health Rating » 4.0

Cunard Line has been ranked based on an expert evaluation of the line's level of luxury, as well as an assessment of user reviews and health ratings.

• # 9 in Best Cruise Lines for the Money
• # 9 in Best Cruise Lines for Couples

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Cunard Line Ships

Queen Mary 2

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Victoria

Before You Book

• If you book a cruise directly with Cunard, a 15% deposit is required at the time of booking.
• Cancellation policies vary by cruise length. To see Cunard's policy, visit the line's  website .
• If you have a disability, it is recommended that you inform the cruise line as soon as possible after booking. Guests can contact the medical team at 800-728-6273.

Before You Board

• All passengers are required to be on board at least one hour before the cruise's departure. Guests are advised to arrive at the embarkation time noted on their final documents.
• You must attach a Cunard Line tag to each piece of luggage. Luggage labels will be available to print from the My Cunard passenger resource center.
• You can prebook and pay for shore excursions as early as one year before your scheduled departure date.
• Cunard recommends routine vaccinations for travelers heading to specific ports of call. The cruise line suggests that travelers contact their personal physician, the Department of Public Health or the World Health Organization (WHO) for a list of recommended vaccinations.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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First photos: Inside Queen Anne, the stunning new cruise ship from Cunard

Call it a new era for Cunard , the storied cruise brand that operates the famed Queen Mary 2 .

As I saw last week during a brief visit, the 184-year-old shipping company's first new vessel in 14 years, the 2,996-passenger Queen Anne , is more contemporary in its look and feel than the line's three older ships.

It also offers venues that embrace the latest trends of travel and cruising in a way that Cunard ships haven't done before.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Now on its maiden voyage, a seven-night trip from Southampton, England, to Spain and Portugal, the $600 million vessel offers more choice in dining and entertainment, more wellness options and more of a focus on onboard celebrations than earlier Cunard ships.

That said, it's also a vessel that holds true to Cunard's longtime point of view — a nod to tradition and elegance that harks back to the grand old days of ocean liner travel.

Here's a first look at the new Queen Anne and its most notable features, mostly in photos. I only had a few hours to explore the vessel before its maiden voyage with passengers. But I'll be aboard a full sailing of the ship later this year for a more in-depth review.

A top deck for all seasons

There's no doubt about it: Queen Anne is the new reigning monarch of the Cunard fleet when it comes to operating in inclement weather — something Cunard ships do often as they circle the world.

At the center of Queen Anne's top decks is The Pavilion, an enormous central pool area that — unlike any other Cunard ship — is topped with a retractable glass roof designed to keep poolgoers warm and dry on cold and rainy days.

It's a retractable glass roof that is not only functional but beautiful — a showpiece for the ship.

Soaring higher and feeling airier than the typical magrodome (as such retractable glass roofs on ships are called), the giant structure above the pool was created by Martin Francis, the United Kingdom-based design wizard who figured out how to make the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum stay up.

Francis' design uses less steel and more glass than has been the norm for such magrodomes in the past. As I saw during my visit, that allows in a lot of light, even on the dourest of days. It was pouring rain, but the space still felt cheery.

At night, the entire space transforms into a theater under the stars, with dimmed lighting and seating reoriented toward a giant screen.

In addition, one deck up overlooking the pool (and still under the dome), a combination juice bar and cafe (The Pavilion Wellness Cafe) serving healthy dishes awaits health-minded passengers — part of a bigger wellness focus at Cunard.

The Pavilion, meanwhile, is much more than just a covered pool area. Underneath the dome — in addition to a pool, three whirlpools and lounge chairs — there is a bar, a grill for poolside food, a gelateria and a stage for entertainment. The stage will be the home of live and prerecorded "Performances at The Pavilion" musical events.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Cunard ship

It's a something-for-everyone approach that is part of Cunard's wanting to offer more options and more "activations" on its top decks.

I loved the versatility of the space as well as its design, particularly the mesmerizing blue-and-white checkered tiling of the pool area and the scalloped edge of the deck above — both nods to the art deco design that has been a hallmark of Cunard ships.

Queen Anne's top decks are also home to a forward observation deck with lounge chairs, a paddle tennis court, a putting green and table tennis, and the Sky Bar, an open-air bar with soaring views (an area that was difficult to tour and photograph during my visit due to pouring rain).

The observation deck will be more of a destination for passengers than the much smaller games decks that have occupied the top fronts of Cunard's last two ships — in part because of the inclusion of the outdoor bar, which is something Cunard traditionally hasn't built into forward deck-top areas.

The paddle tennis court in the area doubles as a pickleball court, something no Cunard ship has ever had.

Both The Pavilion pool area and observation deck are open to all passengers, as is a second pool area at the back of the ship. There also is an open-air deck area toward the middle back of the ship that is exclusive to passengers staying in the top cabins, known as Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites (more on that in a moment).

A bigger observation lounge

If you're already a Cunard fan, you know that the forward-facing observation lounge — the Commodore Club — is a hot spot on its ships. So you'll surely be excited to know that Cunard has really gone all out with the Commodore Club on Queen Anne.

As I saw during my visit, the Commodore Club on Queen Anne is by far the biggest Commodore Club on any Cunard ship, including Queen Mary 2 (which is a bigger ship than Queen Anne).

Notable features of the Commodore Club on Queen Anne include a "bar in the round" at its back that is designed to be a place to meet new friends; a stage for live entertainment that will include band music, string instrument performers and pianists; and a seemingly endless, 270-degree wall of glass offering views of the sea.

In addition, Queen Anne's Commodore Club is part of a larger complex of adult venues at the top of the ship that also includes the ship's cigar lounge, known as Churchill's; its library; and an expanded area for onboard weddings and other shipboard celebrations.

New wellness spaces

Cunard is leaning into the wellness trend with a new-for-the-line, glass-enclosed Wellness Studio that is just past The Pavilion Pool (it sits under the same glorious glass dome that covers that venue).

While it still wasn't quite done during my visit, the allure of the space was already clear. Even on a rainy day, it was bathed in light and afforded stunning views.

The space will be used for yoga, Pilates, Zumba and line dancing during the day, and there are plans for ballroom dancing classes at sunset.

The Wellness Studio is part of an expansion of wellness areas that also includes the healthy-eats cafe and juice bar in The Pavilion area mentioned above.

The idea, in part, was to get all of the fitness classes that the line normally offers in its fitness area on the inside of the ship up to the top deck, where participants can enjoy natural light and views of the sea all around.

That said, Queen Anne still has a good-sized fitness center and a spa with a thermal pool complex in a lower part of the vessel.

While I didn't see it during my visit, the spa is designed to impress with heated loungers, experiential showers, a reflexology footpath with textured stones, a cold room (a first for Cunard), a large steam room, a Himalayan salt sauna and a traditional sauna. There's also a relaxation room and a wellness suite.

The ultimate Grills zones

If you're a Cunard regular, you know about the Grills. They're the two exclusive restaurants on every Cunard ship for passengers staying in suites.

On Queen Anne, these upscale spaces — the Queens Grill and Princess Grill — come with access to what is the ultimate exclusive retreat area ever conceived for a Cunard ship.

Known as the Grills Terrace, it's a sprawling private outdoor lounge area spans the width of the ship and has plush lounge chairs, two stunning infinity whirlpools overlooking the ocean and waiter service for your every need.

The Grills Terrace sits just above the Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants, which are loaded with tables for two (in response to customer demand). That's a big change from the designs of earlier Grills on Cunard ships that often had lots of bigger tables where passengers sometimes were assigned seating with strangers.

In between the two Grills is what just may be my favorite spot on the ship: the Grills Lounge. It's a stunningly designed hideaway bathed in natural light from a skylight that is for the exclusive use of Grills passengers. I love the curvy chairs upholstered in luscious peacock blue fabric surrounding a circular chartreuse seating area. Just behind is a bar that is exclusive to Grills passengers.

The space also has a concierge to help with your every need.

The Queens Grill and Princess Grill dining rooms are open to passengers staying in Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites, respectively. Queens Grill suites are the biggest suites on the ship, starting at 507 square feet. Princess Grill suites (one of which is shown above) measure 302 square feet.

More dining venues

Cunard has never been known for ships that offered oodles of dining options. But that's changing with Queen Anne — and in a big way.

Queen Anne boasts 15 different places where you can grab a bite, more than double the number on the line's other ships.

The options include Aji Wa, a new restaurant concept for Cunard that serves what's billed as a contemporary take on Japanese cuisine and is home to the Sushi and Sake bar. Also new for Cunard is Aranya, an Indian eatery.

Both are extra-charge specialty restaurants, as is Queen Anne's high-end steakhouse, Sir Samuel's — another new concept. A fourth specialty eatery that is new for Cunard, Tramonto, serves Mediterranean dishes meant to be shared.

These four specialty restaurants complement the traditional Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia and Britannia Club restaurants, which are the main eateries for passengers (assigned based on cabin category).

Other places to dine include the Golden Lion pub, a mainstay of Cunard ships. On Queen Anne, it features a new pub menu designed by renowned chef Michel Roux (who also created an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant). The menu will eventually be rolled out to Golden Lion pubs across the Cunard fleet.

Designed to capture the essence of a traditional British pub with lots of red leather, green leather and wood tone finishes, window mosaic work, banquet seating and a grand bar, the Golden Lion pub on Queen Anne is also notably bigger than sister venues on other Cunard ships.

It's also home to a wall of eclectic art that its designers say offers a nod to the quirkiness of Britain today.

In addition to classic British pub dishes reimagined by Roux and a new Cunard beef burger, the pub offerings will include Cunard brand craft beers and a Bloody Mary menu.

In addition, Queen Anne passengers are able to eat in casual comfort at the Artisans' Foodhall, a new take on the traditional buffet eatery on Cunard ships. It features active food stations instead of traditional self-serve buffet lines.

At each of the stations, a chef is standing by to make a dish just for you, and there are also pre-plated dishes available to grab and go.

The Artisans' Foodhall is also the first casual buffet eatery on a Cunard ship with its own bar, located right in the middle of the room.

Classic Cunard spaces with a twist

As is typical for Cunard ships, Queen Anne features a Grand Lobby with a cascading staircase that makes you feel like royalty as you descend into the ship's interior areas for the evening. But it's a Grand Lobby with a more contemporary design.

Instead of the traditional ocean liner-of-old look of the Grand Lobbies found on Cunard's three other vessels, the space has a fresh modernity with Art Deco-inspired white-and-black marble floors, glass railings and a modern take on the showpiece murals that are a staple of Grand Lobbies on Cunard ships.

Another classic Cunard venue getting a tweak on Queen Anne is the Queens Room, the grand ballroom where Cunard fans traditionally have danced the night away to big band music.

With clusters of modern ball lamps hanging from its ceiling, evoking planets floating in the sky, and a stunning, multicolored marquetry wood floor as a counterpoint, it has a dreamy, make-believe quality that is unlike anything seen before on a Cunard ship.

A large digital screen behind its semicircular stage and high-tech lighting add to its much more modern feel.

The Queens Room is also rounder in its design and more open to its surroundings. Its top level, in particular, is open to an area of boutique stores and the passing traffic of passengers moving between the front and back of the ship.

The Queens Room and surrounding shopping area are curvy in their layouts, with fewer straight-lined walls than you'll find on earlier Cunard ships. It's something of a signature for the design of Queen Anne's public spaces.

Bars, in particular, often are built in a circular motif, a deliberate change from earlier Cunard ships that is aimed at encouraging drinking passengers to interact with each other.

Among the most striking spaces on Queen Anne is the Chart Room, a lounge area with semicircular seating arranged across colorful carpeting with bold circular patterns.

With dark paneled walls and crystal chandeliers, it has an Art Deco sensibility while also feeling contemporary in its design.

Forward of the Grand Lobby and Queens Room, passengers also will find the ship's casino (called Room 1840) and main theater (dubbed the Royal Court Theatre).

The latter venue spreads across two decks.

Bottom line

Queen Anne is ushering in a new era for Cunard with a more contemporary look and feel than the three other vessels in the line's fleet and a broader array of venues that tap into recent trends in cruising. It's the first Cunard ship to have a wide range of alternative dining options with new-for-the-line restaurants focused on Indian, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. It's also the first Cunard ship with a top-of-the-ship wellness studio for yoga, Pilates, Zumba and other class-based wellness activities, and it offers several other new wellness offerings. These are all things that Cunard plans to carry through to the older ships in its fleet over the coming years as it revamps the vessels during dry docks.

Still, Queen Anne continues to hold true to what Cunard has long been about — that respect for tradition and elegance that evoke the grand old days of ocean liner travel. Whether you're a longtime Cunard fan or someone eyeing your first cruise with the brand, this is a vessel you'll want to try.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money on vacation
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Cunard added a 4th luxury cruise ship to its famous fleet — see what it'll be like on the new Queen Anne

• Cunard  welcomed its fourth ship and newest in 14 years, the 2,996-guest Queen Anne.
• The 114,000-ton vessel has amenities like an Indian restaurant and pool under a retractable glass roof.
• Queen Anne's 2024 itineraries, primarily in Europe, start at $300 per person for a two-night cruise.

Cunard has operated 249 ships throughout its 184 years in operation, including the famous Queen Mary and Queen Mary 2. But it's been 14 years since the cruise line has launched a new vessel — until now.

Luxury cruisers , meet Queen Anne. It's Cunard's latest 2,996-guest ship, replete with 4,300 art pieces, archery, and the company's signature high-end flair. Its arrival was so highly anticipated that every cabin on its May 3 maiden voyage was fully reserved in minutes, the BBC reported.

The Carnival Corp. brand may be storied, but that doesn’t mean it’s past its prime.

Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, recently told the BBC that its bookings have grown 25% since the beginning of 2024 and are now the best they've been in a decade.

So it should come as no surprise that several of Queen Anne's 2024 itineraries are almost sold out.

Cunard isn’t in the business of building bigger.

Luxury cruise lines are beloved for their small-ship experience. Cunard is no different.

The new 114,000-ton cruise liner is the company's second-largest, although it can carry more guests than any of its other ships.

However, at a 2,996-guest and 1,225-crew capacity, Queen Anne is still tiny compared to the mass-market cruise industry's newest ships , the largest of which can carry 10,000 people.

Queen Anne's cabins are divided into four categories, listed from most to least luxurious: Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia Club, and Britannia.

Despite being the cheapest option, the Britannia accommodations have high-end amenities like sparkling wine, Penhaligon toiletries, and tea and coffee machines.

That's nothing compared to the most luxurious Queens Grill suites, where guests get amenities like pillow menus, stocked mini-bars, a butler, fruit, and pre-dinner canapes.

Forget the sparkling wine — Queens Grill travelers get a bottle of Champagne.

Cabin categories are especially important for Cunard, not for reasons you might expect.

Besides how luxurious your hotel room at sea is, your cabin influences where you have breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Guests in the Princess Grill suites dine at the Princess Grill restaurant, while Britannia Club guests stick to the Britannia Club restaurant, and so on.

Guests in the higher-end Princess and Queens cabins also get a pretty sweet bonus: an exclusive lounge with infinity hot tubs.

Regardless of your cabin, the 14-deck ship has plenty of areas for all guests to relax under the sun.

For example, the Pavilion. It's one of Queen Anne's go-to places for an afternoon swim, nighttime movie viewing, silent disco, and not-so-silent live music, all under a retractable glass roof.

The ship's pool club also has plenty of lounge seats for a more traditional pool deck experience. For something indoors, head to the drawing and game rooms instead.

Like every new cruise ship, Queen Anne has a pickleball court.

But unlike every new cruise ship, it also has archery — coaches, bows, and arrows included.

Travelers looking for a less intense afternoon can instead try their hand at the putting green, shuffleboard, or quoits.

Not confident in your athletic abilities? Don't worry — there's a bar nearby, too.

If you lose your pickleball match, you can retail therapy your pain away at Queen Anne’s high-end stores.

Travelers have been splurging big on their cruise vacations . On Queen Anne (and with help from one of the ship's personal shoppers), this could include a Bremont watch or Chanel makeup.

Or, do as cruisers do: Eat and drink the pain away.

The ship has 15 eateries. Unfortunately, you'll have to pay extra for the Mediterranean, Indian, Japanese, steakhouse grill, alfresco, and British restaurants.

Thankfully, the food hall-style buffet, room service, and cabin-assigned dining rooms are included in the fare.

Feeling peckish in the afternoon? Afternoon tea is held in the Queens Room, the same venue that hosts events like ballroom dancing and Cunard's signature black-tie galas.

Of course, a cruise wouldn’t be complete without a casino, spa, and nighttime shows.

Queen Anne is showing two new productions, including an adaptation of the classic British film "Brief Encounter."

For more casual entertainment, the ship also has a "show bar" helmed by a variety of musicians and entertainers.

For a more relaxing afternoon, try the spa's cryotherapy, "experience showers," and salt saunas.

Afterwards, to keep the wellness trend going, grab a healthy bite at the veggie and "sustainably sourced protein"-forward Wellness Cafe. Its kombucha bellinis are technically good for you, right?

Cunard is beloved for its regular transatlantic cruises on its Queen Mary 2 ocean liner.

In 2025, Queen Anne will embark on its first three-month around-the-world cruise. However, for the most part, it's not scheduled for repeat long-haul journeys .

Instead, in 2024, the ship will be homeported in Southampton, UK and travel on two- to 19-night itineraries across Europe.

The cheapest way to experience the new ship is a two-night summer cruise from Southampton to Hamburg, Germany, which currently starts at $300 per person.

But if money is no problem, the 18-night roundtrip Hamburg cruise during Christmas and the New Year might pique your interest — and your wallet. The itinerary's luxurious Queens Grill suites start at $19,350 per person.

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