We chose Victoria again as it was going to Rio de Janeiro including a long trip along the Amazon. We started from Southampton and flew back from Rio. The ship carried on finally returning to Southampton. On board all food in the Britannia, Lido and Verandah restaurants was excellent. Staff service in all areas was also excellent. The ship's condition was very good overall and for those yet to travel on Victoria, the theatre is very good, the Commodore lounge is very comfortable, the Queens room is adequate for dancing and serves traditional tea in the afternoon. We've also cruised on Elizabeth which is virtually identical. Our criticisms are few and technical. Air-con around the ship needs some maintenance and better management. It varies as you move around the ship with some areas always being too cold (wasting energy?). The air-con in our cabin was not set correctly centrally and couldn't be adjusted enough with the cabin Stat. When we complained it was fixed within 2 hours with much higher air-flow and the centre zone setting was set correctly. Why was it set incorrectly when we started the journey? Someone is not doing their job? The theatre now has additional expensive show light fittings to the point of absurdity. This was over-used during most shows together with too much 'theatrical haze' to make the light beams 'show'. This excess detracted from some of the shows themselves. A higher level of lamp replacement is needed in areas with low lighting such as the Commodore lounge. Trying to read the drinks menu when several of the lamps overhead have failed is not easy! Despite these small issues the ship is superb and I don't agree with the last review about the Atlantic crossing. In Jan it was a bit rough but not as bad as in Elizabeth 2 years ago. Also the engine problem near Bermuda was short-lived. We will happily travel on Victoria or Elizabeth again and in the same middle area cabin. Read Less

The service in the Britannia restaurant was as great as always. But the weather across the Atlantic was dreadful. We were late into Bermuda and Port Canaveral. The Churchill cigar lounge was full of cigarette smokers and resembled the Dog and Duck pub rather than an intimate cigar lounge as it is advertised. Day activities were poor and because of the weather the decks were often closed. Entertainment was average in the evening but the ballroom dancing was good as the music has reverted to music you can dance to. Weather forecasts by the Captain every day were very inaccurate. We stayed on in Fort Lauderdale at the Marriott Pompano. We wished we hadn’t bothered as this is a transient hotel that caters for business functions, air crew and people boarding a cruise ie one nighters. Poor choice Cunard. We will never sail the Atlantic again in January with Force 9-10 winds. It was my wife’s 60th birthday and Cunard not organise the correct day for the gifts in the room that I had arranged. The ship also experienced engine trouble, listed at one point and in summary this was our worst Cunard cruise. Read Less

A mini cruise to celebrate my wifes 65th Birthday on her favourite ship. CPS were as usual first class,luggage and car whisked away in an instant. Booking in and embarkation was faultless,10 minutes from entering booking hall to being on the ship. Suite 7030 was really nice,the only disappointment was that due to our late booking Guarantee Suites only were available and we were allocated a disabled suite,now, had we been disabled I would have been more than happy but being able bodied the lack of a Jacuzzi bath,my wife particularly loves that perk and a separate changing area was disappointing and on a long cruise there could be an issue with a lack of storage space, a ramp was fitted to the balcony but if you didn't open the door fully then a part of the ramp does not drop flush,it stands up and is a really dangerous trip hazard,as we both found out! I do admit to feeling that having booked a QG suite we were not getting 100% of the luxury we have enjoyed in the past. Our Butler,Alex recognised us straight away as we have met him on previous cruises and his memory of our likes was amazing,nothing is too much trouble for him or Richie the Under Butler. Quality of the afternoon Canapes has improved vastly since our last QG experience. We were very happy with our table in the QG restaurant,a nice table for two by the window,the service was as usual impeccable though there has been a noticeable lowering of standards,the Caviar starter is now a joke compared to a few years ago, and having to order certain items at lunch time for dinner and those items mostly being for two,which means if your partner does not like Chateaubriand,Lobster etc,then you have to hope it pops up on the menu as ordering off menu now seems to be frowned upon,QG is still very good,but not what it was!! Entertainment was great,the main productions were excellent,the Jazz Band in the Golden Lion amazing,the Harpist a joy and the Queens Room Dance Band truly first class. We attended the lecture by Mary the Cunard Hostess on the old Queens which was very good and being an aviation enthusiast the talk by David the Lightning pilot was very interesting. Noticeable was the number of people ignoring dress codes but the vast majority dressed up and the two formal nights felt like the old Cunard. Hamburg was very nice to stroll around,not too cold and good to stretch our legs. Disembarkation was fast,smooth and painless. All in all a very nice mini cruise which we really enjoyed, penny pinching is now noticeable across most cruise lines unfortunately now affecting Cunard and before I forget the age old lament on Cunard,extortionate drinks prices, but Cunard still remains our favourite as long as the penny pinching does not go too far!! Read Less

Chose cruise on recommendation. Brittania Outside with Balcony on Deck 4. Cabin nice but not exceptional, shower particularly small. Steward did a good job. Corridors on several of the lower decks were at times smelly and were well in need of re-decoration. Main public areas were much better but our biggest criticism was more related to other guests. Commodore Bar at times almost empty and half the guests snoozing or playing scrabble or other board games. I am 82 but at least I am active. Dinner companions however were excellent, shared table for 6. Main Dining room food mediocre, some very poor quality sourcing of produce, steaks which were uneatable etc. The only credit could be to the dessert kitchen team. Lido Buffet much better but still does not reach the standards of other cruise lines (see below). The much aclaimed ballroom, excellent if you are a professional dancer, must have been made for those who frequent Blackpool and Torquay but not for those who want to just dance close. We did however find during the last couple of days The Yacht Club disco. My partner and I will probably not return to Cunard. I would much rather have the activity and much busier venues on Celebrity Cruise ships also at a somewhat more realistic price, Read Less

We decided on Cunard as P&O have gone so far downhill,it’s not an option anymore. We are lucky enough to have suites when we cruise and boy do Cunard treat you well. The cabin at the back of the ship was clean and spacious. We dined in the queens grill,where you have your own table and nobody else ever sits there,it’s yours for the duration.The waiter we had was second to none and the more we got to know him,the more we had a great laugh with him.The food was excellent, I pre ordered as I’m pescatarian but also have a wheat intolerance,they did however slip up once and gave me a naan bread,which when I asked if it was wheat free,the waiter came over and whisked it off my plate,they couldn’t apologise enough,I think the chef was given a talking to but neither my husband or myself ever had a bad meal. Even the buffet was excellent,we had lunch there some days,again,on P&O it was a battlefield,I think some people think the food is going to run out and it was horrific,the shoving and pushing but on Cunard there was none of that,it was a delight,just a different clientele altogether. Being in a queens grill you also have a private bar area,which is fabulous,free coffee and usually plenty of room,we used this a lot Drinks are a little overpriced but when you add up the free coffee and the complimentary drinks in your cabin then it does even out,we got as much bottled water as we wanted and there was soft drinks and lager too The ship itself was spotless,not much in the way of shops unfortunately,in fact there was very little We have already booked for next Christmas and New Year and can’t wait Read Less

went on this Cruise with my elderly Mum as her companion , and though i might not be your typical cruiser in some way , i'm 53 and been on various other cruises ( princess-5 , P&O-3 , FredOlsen-2 , etc ) , so not a newbie as far as cruising goes , the getting on board all seemed to go smoothly enough , though that's helped by the fact , mum asks for wheelchair/mobility assistance at the port which after an initial short wait for a wheelchair assistant means we bypass the check in Que and Que at security , initial thoughts of the ship all looked very nice , and in general in it all looked Nice , we went on the pre Christmas cruise so all the decorations were out around the ship , but it wasn't the Xmas cruise , so alot cheaper and thankfully none of that fake happy Xmas salutations from fellow passengers .. Passengers were mainly Brits , with a selection of international guests in the mix , mainly southerners who i find unfriendly , stiff , snobby , and rather cold , did meet some friendly cruisers around the Pub area , which i didn't expect to frequent , if it wouldn't have been for my mum wanting to do quizzes and having the pub lunch which was Ok , and a nice change from the hustle of the buffet or the crappy restaurant .. speaking of the restaurant , i think this would be my biggest criticism , we had a nice balcony cabin so was in the main dining room area , i advised at booking Gluten free , so generally have to order the meal the day before as i have done on previous cruises ( no problem ) , but on this ship it just seemed pointless , as whatever i ordered i was just given whatever that dish was off the menu , like they couldn't make me a GF version of this or that , i had to order something marked as GF , the other point about the food is the quality and quantity , on other ships i've complained about being given small portions ( like a child's portion ) , i'm aware this is a thing these days but i'm an adult and i want an adult sized portion , on other ships ( Princess and P&O ) this wasn't a problem they'd scale up the portion to whatever size i wanted and would bring extra vegetables in a dish , however the waiters / kitchen crew just seemed unable to do this , i ordered a larger meal with extra veg as a side , and on 2-3 nights it was like they lost my order and ignored it , i was just handed the small portion , and after complaining , a waiter came over after 10 or so minutes , to serve onto my plate a few bits of Veg , like i was on rations , i asked them to put the dish on the table but was ignored and he tried to offer my mother the rest of the Veg without checking if i had enough , i further complained and asked for a dish of potatoes , where my annoyance turned to incredulity when a waiter came back after a while to spoon onto my plate 2 small new potatoes , to which i responded only TWO ! , to which he replied i can go get you another , to which i replied " Are you sure Cunard can afford it ! " .. the whole thing seemed ridiculous ! , the food was pretty poor to start with and to be palmed off with these small little plates of poor food , with no regard for what i'd ordered , i viewed as a joke , so after 2 or 3 nights of this i went to the Buffet either on my own or sometimes with my mum , which tbh for me spoiled the cruise somewhat .. also some thing that didn't help was , we'd asked for a table for 2 , but it was so close to the next table for 2 , we may as well have been on a group table , the reason i dislike group tables is often the conversation will be dominated by some opinionated Bloke , unfortunately , even though the guy on the next table thought he was being friendly , he ( guess what ) tried to dominate the conversation between himself and 3 women , OK i could stand that to a point but he and his wife practically chastised me for turning up late one evening to dinner , i have a chronic health condition and needed the toilet , and being British was too polite to tell them to mind their own business .. so after that and the impotent waiters , i never returned to the dining room .. the Buffet was on the whole was OK , not the best i've been to ( princess ) but was Ok , never seemed to be overpopulated in the evening , and the Gluten / FreeFrom section was better than i've previously encountered on other ships ... i could usually pick my way through to find something or a combination of things i wanted , but felt pretty puzzled by the amount of raw fish and sushi that seemed to get put out every day , which seemed to be pretty much untouched and presumably wasted but yet the restaurant food was being rationed out , very odd .. so other things , the staff in general were all very good , some seemed to be over worked while others didn't seem to do a thing , i'm talking about so called Hosts , who just seemed to hang around the door of the theater being friendly ( are they being paid ? ) .. The entertainment was all abit hit and miss tbh , the Musical guests were on the whole pretty good , special mention to JAZZ clarinetist Kenny martin , who seemed to inspire the resident theater band to up their game to back him , i often get the feeling the bands they have on these cruise ships are just sort of winging it , just doing enough , and their level of performance depends on the band leader whipping them into shape or just letting them do the minimum , both bands were Ok/good on this ship , except the night the theater band played a R&B set in the Pub , which was pretty good / i enjoyed .. the other entertainment was Ok , it was nice to listen to a harpist for instance around the atrium area in the evening but didn't manage to get to the piano recitals in the afternoon , and there wasn't as much classical music as i'd been led to believe , which was a shame , though inevitably there was my usual pet hate of the show company of young averagely talented kids pretending to be entertainers / doing a west end show pastiche / rip off , i caught one of their performances by accident , thinking i was going to see a comedian , and saw a second rate rat pack tribute , the old guy in the pub doing Sinatra on the karaoke the night before had more swagger and talent , though the way these kids seem to swagger around the ship , anyone would think they are west end stars .. my biggest complaint with the show company was a lack of passion , again just going through the motions , though listening to the other (clueless) passengers i don't think they noticed .. other area's ? , the crows-nest bar was nice but too quiet and cold , the other lounge upstairs with dancey sort of music and band was Ok , but as is often the case the upper level bar/lounge area's are under populated by people who don't seem to realise they even exist , so lack atmosphere .. the winter garden lounge on the top deck somewhere was good but often abit cold , usually showing sports on various screens .. the ballroom , the queens room ? , was a lovely space , but unless you were an experienced dancer it seemed like it wasn't for you , as it was dominated by a small clique who seemed to dominate the seating around the dance floor , which there wasn't enough of , we went there one night to see Kenny Martin with the queens room band and the seats hadn't been set out like they had been for the piano recitals in the afternoon , so had to move seats around which got various dirty looks from the ballroom clique so went upstairs to the balcony to get away from them .. other criticisms , the sauna in the ladies changing area was Ok but not hot enough , seemed to turn itself off , when i mentioned this to the desk , i was told it'd probably gone off on the timer , which on a day at sea mid afternoon , isn't good enough .. also on the last night at a film show there was background music playing and i had to go to the sound desk to point this out and get them to turn it off , the sound tech seemed unaware this was happening , not good enough , spoilt the opening ten minutes of the film , also i saw 2 different comedy shows and on both occasions the house lights were on during the show , i chatted to one of the comics in the buffet and he told me , they were supposed to be on around the stage so he could interact with the audience but not for the whole theater , again incompetent tech staff , not good enough .. my only other criticism which will no doubt go over the heads of 95% of anyone reading this is the WiFi , because of my M.E. / chronic fatigue condition , i'm pretty sensitive to WiFi ( Headaches , dizziness , insomnia , tinnitus ) , sorry folks it isn't totally harmless , it's microwave radiation that is being transmitted around all corners of the ship , and there was no where to get away from it , by the end of the trip i was pretty happy to be getting off and going home , as i felt totally Wi-Fried .. so would i recommend this ship ? , it was nice in parts but the restaurant food was crap and most of the passengers were cold and unfriendly , which for me kinda over shadowed alot of the better things .. so probably not for me again .. 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After a slightly stressful summer holiday we booked this 10 night cruise for a relaxing time and to try out Cunard. Embarkation at Southampton was easy and we were on board in time for lunch in the golden lion pub. We were incredibly lucky with the weather as for the whole cruise the seas were fairly calm, for November and December in the bay of biscay and near Portugal and southern Spain. We enjoyed two sea days on our way down to la Coruña, and enjoyed afternoon tea in the queens room, and drinks in the commodore club. Food in the mdr, by and large met our expectations, we splurged on the verandah statehouse one night. The quality of food in the buffet was superior to other lines, even if it was sometimes hard to spot a free table. Captain and senior officers were pleasant, our waiters in the mdr did an excellent job, we were a little disappointed with the service from our steward which was tbh pretty poor. We found there was lots to do, I enjoyed the watercolour classes, the casino, a few interesting talks, and the whisky tasting masterclass. We thought the shows in the theatre were poor, though being 35-40 we get that we are not in Cunard usual demographic. We did our own think in the ports. La coruna we’d been to recently so just went for a walk, Cadiz is stunning a beautiful city and love to return and explore. Malaga we did the hop on hop off bus to explore the town which was fine, we enjoyed the Castle and the beach areas. In Gibraltar we were only in port for half a day, so we did some shopping on the high street. Followed by a photo shoot in the early afternoon on board. Lisbon, we bought tickets for the hop on hop off bus, I don’t think we experienced the city as we were both not wowed. Though we loved the sail in and sail out. In summary we would love to book again soon. Read Less

Bucket list cruise to see Northern Lights. We were very fortunate that we did indeed see this spectacle as it is by no means a certainty. The days we were there the probablity was good at 30% ! We saw them on one of our trips out (ships topur from Tromso) , saw them from the deck in Tromso but no one saw them in Narvik (we went on pre-booked independent trip booked online in the uk before we travelled) to compare the (expensive ) ships tour in Tromso with a less expernsive trip in Narvik. The independent trip was not great. We can absolutely understand not seeing the lights but this tour was poorly organised, very uncomfortable (school type minibus very cramped, hard suspension and blue interior lighting that disturbed our eyes.) The driver got lost and nearly ditched us doing a 3 point turn on a snowy road. When we arrived at the predetermined destination -about 2 hours drive and into Sweden there was a lot of light pollution even though the journey there was pitch dark. Not sure why we went this far. They did provide hot drink (Hot Ribena) and a pancacky thing. The ships tour in Tromso was much better overall. Tip: Book v early as a lot of the tours were sold out well in advance and Cunard were unable to access more spaces. Dining was in Britannioa reastauarant 2nd sitting on a shared table of 6 including the three of us. We purchased the commodore selection wine package v expensive at $715 but as we are not normally big drinkers we tend to splash out on holiday .. 12 bottles for 12 nights for 3 people was fine but at 715 $ a bit over priced. Good , decent wines though so no real complaint. My wife and son have special diets- gluten AND lactose free (a bit of a challenge.) However this was handled fantastically , with no "mistakes" at all. The head waiter was exeptional. They would pre order next days dinner the night before and it was done with so litle fuss that you would be hard pushed to even realise. The kitchens then prepared the exact same meals as everone else minus gluten and dairy.- even making notoriously difficult things like yorkshire puddings or souffle. On the nights when we were not dining on board they sent menus to our cabin to( select next nights choices) and had them collected by room service on our return to ship at 2am The standard of entertainmnent on board was fantastic Something for everyone. Music all over the ship including, jazz, string quartet, cocktail pianist, piano recitals, harp and ships own band / orchestra. The theatre shows were equally v high standard including west end style musicals, comedians, violinist and a "cirque de Soleil type show. I also joined the ships guest choir which was great fun. Ther was so much going on in the way of lectures and demonstratiopns that we split up to do different things andf compare notes later,. That way we didnt feel as if we had missed any. Even then we ended up sometimes having to choose betwen diffeent happenings, The ships tours off ship were all excellent- though some had been cancelled due to road closures and there was limited capacity on ohers so book early. We went on the Fiord trip from Alesund which was excellent, the ships northern lights tour from Tromso, the tromso highlights tour which again was ecellent and well paced. My son went on the High speed RIB trip in Tromso which he rated ecellent. The cable car trip in Narvik was good but the stuff we saw on the trip before reaching the cable car was less interesting. The ships photographers were better than we have had befopre but as expected on the pricey side. They also ran out of the photo albums as this particular company has now lost the contract for future cunard cruises so were "destocking" cunard branded products. Overall then a fantastic experience and a real bonus seeing the spectacle . We are not huge drinkers but even so felt that they are too expensive $12 + 15% for a cocktail just a tad overpriced. We would highly recommend booking with Cunard (we have!) Japan in May and Iceland in June. (more bucket list stuff. Read Less

Cruise to Canaries for winter sun, spoilt by below average food. We cruised on Cunard 5 times, two on Queen Elizabeth, One on Queen Mary and Two on Queen Victoria. The last on Queen Victoria and never again. We have cruised many times mostly with Oceania and Regent Seven Seas. Our last two cruises have been with Cunard on Queen Victoria in a Princess grill suite and MSC Bellissima in the Yacht Club. We would like to make comparisons between the two.1 low10 high Suites QV 7. MSC. 9(would be 10 but the walk in wardrobe was on the small side) Drinks package QV wine package $299 for 6 bottles of wine. MSC all drinks including in suite spirits, beers,soft drinks and snacks. Wine far superior Service QV 7. MSC. 10 Dining QV 2 (Roast pork covered in barbecue sauce which was inedible, a sandwich was offered as an alternative.table water was very chlorinated and bottled water was chargeable.) MSC. 8 Embarkation QV. 6. MSC 10 ( personal butler assisted at port to suite on board) Disembarkation QV 6 MSC 10 (personal butler assisted from suite to port) Lounge QV. 7. MSC. 10 ( drinks and snacks all day) I think that Cunard are outdated with their insistence on Jackets for men every night. We have had 24 cruises on Oceania and never taken a jacket since the first cruise. Read Less

Our 2018 Cunard cruise was a short, 3 day trip trying out the Britannia Club restaurant on Queen Victoria, so our last experience of the Britannia restaurant was in 2017 on Queen Mary 2. Having found that experience pretty disappointing (see my review on here), I was hopeful that the improvements suggested by our Club dining last year might have also worked their way into the main restaurant. I am very pleased to say that was the case! Cunard has re-worked the menus fleet-wide since 2017 and I found the choices far more inspiring than 2 years ago, often having trouble deciding what to order because so many of the choices appealed, particularly the main courses. There are 8 main course options, of which two are always fish or seafood-based and 2 vegetarian. Lamb was featured far more prominently than on previous cruises and poultry offered across the fortnight included turkey (twice), goose, squab pigeon, guinea fowl, partridge and of course chicken. Fish mains included salmon several times, sea bream, sea bass, barramundi, cod, plaice, scallops (twice), langoustine risotto, crab cannelloni (divine), mac & cheese with king prawns, lemon sole, lobster tail and Goan seafood curry. The starters, soups and salads are under a single heading on the menu but you can order what you like. It was good to see that the excellent consommés are still offered on many evenings. The dessert range had also had a make-over and I was delighted that souffles were offered on 4 nights (chocolate soufflé twice, pistachio and my all-time favourite Cunard pudding, lemon vanilla soufflé with limoncello sauce). In all, there were six desserts, including a low sugar option, an ice cream selection and the spa dessert, as well as cheese. We often asked for one of the ice cream choices to accompany our chosen pudding and Shailendra, our fantastic waiter, was happy to arrange that. He was able supported by Abner - both these gentlemen couldn’t do enough for us and they really helped to make our dining experience memorable. Shailendra was especially helpful to my partner who likes his food to be on the plainer side - he often asked for the vegetables from one dish to be served with the meat or fish from another one. We were given a copy of all of the menus on the penultimate evening. Our sommelier, Marko, was one of the best we’ve had on Cunard and was excellent at anticipating our requests. We were on a table for two on deck two of the restaurant - two lovely Australian ladies on the adjacent table provided great company. As usual, we had chosen second sitting - this trip was notable for the fact that a large area in the centre of the restaurant remained completely empty throughout the two weeks - Shailendra explained this was because so many people had asked to switch from late to early sitting. As a consequence, whilst second sitting was quite leisurely, first sitting was apparently frenetic with extra people squeezed onto tables set for six and eight. We went to the Commodore Club for pre-dinner drinks pretty much every evening and were very surprised by how quiet it was compared to previous cruises: we almost invariably had a window table and whereas the CC is often standing room only from about 7.30 until second sitting, there was always space to sit somewhere. I discovered my new favourite cocktail - “The Commodore’s Cure”, inspired by Sir James Bisset. It’s made with Pol Roger champagne and unfortunately for our onboard accounts, was something like $24 plus the 15% gratuity! Hot canapés were served each evening around 7.45 and consisted of two meat, two fish and two vegetarian offerings. We had dinner in the Verandah one evening - we enjoyed the meal very much and the portions were huge. I ordered the Rhug estate lamb cutlets which I enjoyed but the waiter and restaurant manger insisted that I would not be charged for my meal because they said there was too much fat on the cutlets and not enough meat. I said I was very happy to pay because I didn’t think there was a problem with them - however, I appreciated the gracious gesture which seemed to sum up the overall attitude of the crew we encountered. We didn’t go to the evening shows because generally they aren’t our thing, but I went on my own to “The Flyboys” - they perform mostly modern songs in the big band/swing style, with a touch of humour. I thought they were a breath of fresh air and really enjoyed their performance. During sea days, we both enjoyed classical guitarist Ben Kearsley’s concerts in the Queens Room - Cunard really excels at live music and cocktail pianist Lisa Harman in the Commodore Club was another highlight. Aside from Ben’s concerts, we mostly read, enjoyed the outside decks or watched the waves on sea days - there was a big programme of Cunard “Insights” lectures but again they didn’t appeal to us. We had afternoon tea in the Queens Room 3 times - it’s just a nice thing to do with the tables laid and musical accompaniment and most days we had coffee sitting at the bar in the Chart Room - the bar tenders there were excellent and got to know our preferences quickly. Cabin-wise, it was exactly what we were expecting - a few knocks around the edges after more than 10 years of service but kept very clean by Francis, who efficiently dealt with our requests: we asked if firmer pillows could be provided and for the underbed drawers to be cleared of their contents of spare duvets. We used the ship’s laundry a couple of times - our clothes came back beautifully pressed and it really was worth the money (I got the Diamond World Club member discount after we had spent our onboard credit). The voyage navigation channel was pitiful - far less useful and interesting detail than on either QM2 or QE and it stopped working altogether for about 24 hours when the ship’s call to Barcelona was cancelled due to the ongoing independence protests there. Fortunately, Cunard substituted Valencia instead and having not been there, we spent an enjoyable few hours in the old town - shuttles were laid on for this purpose. A port guide was also provided and Cunard even managed to arrange some tours at very short notice, so I thought the situation was handled very well. On a related point, I did appreciate that all of the port guides for the cruise were available in our cabin on embarkation - a thoughtful touch. Were there any negatives about this cruise? Not really - the internet was very slow, but to be honest, I just used it for checking emails and a bit of news browsing (normally I avoid news whilst I’m away but I wanted to know whether the UK was still going to be in the EU by the time we landed in Gibraltar...) It was also a bit irritating that the senior officers’ party seems well and truly relegated to the mornings on one of the final sea days (I don’t want cocktails at 11.15). All the cocktail parties are now much shorter than they used to be: the welcome aboard ones are just 30 minutes and the World Club and senior officers’ parties 45 minutes. We only went to the World Club party this time - we had a souvenir photo taken as I have been celebrating a significant birthday this year. I purchased future cruise deposits whilst on board, so look forward to booking a further trip for 2020 - I hope Cunard keeps up the improved standards we saw this time. If you made it this far, thanks for reading and I hope you found it useful! 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Chose this cruise as we love all the dancing aboard Cunard lines. This was our second, the first being 17 days on Queen Elizabeth. Had not been to the Canary Islands so it was a good fit. We had an ocean view as compared to a balcony last time and all was well. Room steward was great as always and room was clean and comfortable. Could not see the difference in cost being worth it on this 12 day trip. I think the main dining was OK but not great. Service was good but a little unorganized compared to last time. Never asked for second slice of bread and hardly filled an empty water glass. My wife is gluten intolerant and they prepare everything on the menu for her which other lines only have restricted menus. Did miss the shrimp cocktails as they were not ever there and the lobster tail was breaded? Only attended a few shows as most were with the ships compliment and not acts brought on. The few acts were good but I would rate as below average as a whole concidering they used their own talent most nights, Ballroom dancing was good but I would have enjoyed more than one afternoon tea dance.. Upstairs club was great as was the party band(very varied in their different types of music) Also had a 60's review band that played in auditorium and in the Queens ballroom the last night. Ports were interesting and all were walk off into the local city. We did not do any excurions as the ports offered nothing we hadnot already done. We just enjoyed walking around and sampling the local areas, and were usually back on board by 1-2pm. Overall an enjoyable trip though I prefered Queen Elizabeth Read Less

This was a back to back cruise coming off the Mediterranean & Adriatic cruise. We wanted to see what the Canary islands have to offer and it was a delight. We enjoyed the experience of the beautiful greenery and 585 metre high expose sea cliffs in Madeira island, the collapsed gigantic volcanic Caldera Taburiente in La Palma island, the ride up to 3550M of the tall volcanic mountains Mt Teide in Tenerife island at 3718M above sea level and another 4000 metres below sea passing through the rolling clouds below us at 1600M and finally, the fun camel ride and coach tour of the moonscape of Lanzarote island. The experiences were all new and exciting for us. The shore excursion Pilgrim walk of the Santiago de Compostela in La Coruna was very ordinary. That's just me. 4Km and no scenic views. The other 300,000 annual walkers must have found some spiritual enlightenment along the 100Km to 700Km walk. Good for them. At least, I have seen the image of St James inside the Church. While waiting for the return, we enjoyed on our won, some fresh Galician seafood cuisine in a nice restaurant opposite the Church and the service was very friendly. Read Less

Cruise covered a wide span and interesting ports of call. Some were new and some were old. We just immersed ourselves in the beautiful localities whenever we can. Also, the weather was favourable at this time of the year. Hence, it was a popular cruise. See pictures attached of the ports visited, Cartagena, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Venice, Cagliari, Gibraltar and La Coruna. Lots of on varied on board activities from morning to midnight that suit different people. We liked dancing and so, we enjoyed it very much. Picked up a few tricks from Shane and Jessica, the dancing instructors. They show cased some great performances during the voyage. Our Guernsey dining companions loved table tennis, paddle tennis and etc and so they are up the decks whacking the balls against their competitors whenever they could. Another Southampton dining companion, preferred to read and walked around the promenade decks and critique the paintings on sale. She is an art restorer and knows more than we do. One day, we tried foil fencing. We had so much laughter playing Errol Flynn and the white jackets and fence were great for pictures. Each to our own taste and liking. And we enjoyed sharing jokes and trips and going to the shows together when we could. The musicals were very enjoyable even though we have seen some before on earlier cruises. QV premiered one musical which most of us felt, that it was excellent. The dancers were definitely very good. The singers were a little too loud for some and were probably let down by the sound system which is preprogrammed and hard to control. But when they sing softly, it is just so beautiful. The NZ lady singer Lara for the Queens Orchestra Room, definitely can belt some lovely old favourite songs to everybody's liking. Look, even the gentleman head of the Royal Court Theatre Orchestra can sing some nice jazzy tunes when they play jazz at the Golden Lion pub. Save your money visiting the touristy French Quarter in Louisiana, USA. Food and service was very good throughout the voyage but definitely, we are missing the lobsters on the 5 formal nights bar one. Lobsters is standard for formal night on all the previous Cunard cruises this year. Common man, we paid good money for this voyage and surely, this serving of lovely marine crustacean is not indulgent, particularly when you are sailing the Med from one end to the other and up the Adriatic. That is just about my only gripe. We gotta have one, for the laugh, anyway. Overall, we have been lucky to have a good voyage, scenery, food, dining companions, weather but not enough lobsters for formal nights Read Less

We chose this ship because it was recommended by a friend. The ship is a good size ship and we expected Cunard to be of a high standard. Cabin - good size.good size balcony. excellent housekeeping. Buffet - good selection at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was hit and miss as to whether the hot food was hot, tepid or cold. Bread - cheap supermarket bread which I would not consider buying at home. I had a sandwich one day, the bread was so dry it was like cardboard. On another occasion the bread was damp and one morning it was frozen in the middle. Britannia restaurant - veggie - mean portions, tepid food on tepid plates, Poor quality food. I had to insist on having hot food on hot plates. The talk of the ship was the noticeable cut backs from last year and the limited choice of food at dinner, the quality of food and the small portions. Pretentious titles of some of the dishes. The other main topic of conversation was the price of drinks. A pint of beer around 7 dollars. Some cocktails were around 12 dollars with a 15 percent surcharge on top!! Read Less

We went on the Queen Victoria Voyage du Vin cruise for 14 days September 2019 and in our opinion everything was better than last year. The Britannia Restaurant food was beautifully presented and the service was excellent. Thank you to Olesha and Victor. The Lido Restaurant was very good and the staff were very helpful and efficient. The place to go for delicious omelettes to order. Our Stateroom was beautiful and very comfortable. The Stateroom was kept spotless and I appreciated the turn down each evening. I think there were more activities on offer than last year and I enjoyed flower arranging and singing in the choir. I was really impressed by the music on board everything from flamenco guitar, a reggae and R&B band and a former member of the Drifters with amazing backing singers. I thought the Port and Shore excursions were well organised and informative. Our favourite destinations were La Spezia and Palma. We are looking forward to our next cruise on the Queen Victoria. Read Less

We have been in the QG on Cunard many times and always enjoyed ourselves, so chose a Q4 cabin again. The cabin is spacious, with a lovely large balcony for lounging in the sun, separate bath and shower, and gorgeously comfortable beds. The pillow Concierge service enabled us to have goose down pillows, and they had complied with my request for blankets rather than duvets, which I had made in advance. Throughout, the cabin was serviced frequently and efficiently. Embarkation and disembarkation were both efficient, helped by the priority for the Grills. We were in our cabin before noon on the first day, and left the ship at 8.05 on the last. The ship herself is lovely. By modern standards she is not that big, but always feels serene, peaceful, and spacious, never crowded, so the voyage was truly relaxing. There were various lectures, which I didn't attend, preferring to watch the sunny sea from our balcony, but my spouse enjoyed the ones on space. I did attend the passenger choir, which all four Cunard singers gave up their time to rehearse, surely beyond the call of duty. The only show I saw was Top Hat, which was completely brilliant, singing, dancing, sets, costumes. We were lucky throughout the cruise with the gorgeous warm dry weather which obviously enhanced our enjoyment of the ports, most of which we had visited before. The only trip we went on was to a vineyard in Mallorca, which was most enjoyable. The service in the QG was excellent, but I have to say the food was somewhat inconcisistent. Most of the things we had were very nice. But, twice my husband was served very tough meat, once venison, once lamb, such that he did not feel like eating it. They were deeply apologetic, and offered something different, but that really should not happen. Also some of the menus were odd. One evening there were two tofu main courses out of five, which seems decidedly strange. Many other things we had were delicious, but not everything. Read Less

This 14 night voyage is my 13th cruise with Cunard and it is a few years since I have written a review. However, as this cruise was one of Cunard’s ‘special event’ and themed voyages and the longest single cruise I have done, I think its time to share my thoughts again. At only 26 and 29 years old my husband and I are quite a bit younger than the stereotype Cunard passenger, however we enjoy the ambiance; dressing for dinner; the formality and the tranquility that a Cunard voyage provides. Indeed, with the addition of options such as the Gin & Fizz Bar Cunard is very much on trend and I feel many of my own generation are missing out. Embarkation and disembarkation was efficient and painless; in 13 cruises we have never had a bad experience in this area. We were on board by 11.30am. This cruise was the 2019 Voyage du Vin with guest speakers including Oz Clarke. We enjoyed a conversation with him and Cunard's Beverage Manager in the Commodore Club one night; they were engaging and approachable. There were a series of wine themed talks and events and overall, these made a pleasant addition to the Mediterranean itinerary. Many of the events were at an additional cost but those that we partook in were worth the additional spend. We are very interested in wine; it is a stroke of luck that this cruise was made the Voyage du Vin after we booked it. We would certainly consider booking a themed cruise again after the experience. This was our first time on Queen Victoria in nearly 4 years with Queen Elizabeth being our favourite ship. I was very excited to see her after her major refit a couple of years ago. The extra and more varied seating options on deck are a welcome addition and the Britannia Club restaurants looks very stylish and comfortable. I have already mentioned the Gin & Fizz Bar; we spent a lot of time here in the evenings. It is a new and innovative concept with an exceptional range of cocktails to complement the wide range of gins and sparkling wines. The move towards specific menus in specific venues around the ship adds variety and choice and is preferable to me to the generic bar menu that existed when we first travelled with Cunard. I would particularly recommend The Mary Rose cocktail. Bar prices are frequently mentioned in these reviews. I have no issue with Cunard’s prices; they are not dissimilar to London bar prices or indeed bar prices at a more average bar elsewhere in the UK. And remember Cunard use larger U.S. measures. The variety of canapes and nibbles served with drinks continues to impress again especially in the midships Gin & Fizz Bar. The food and service in the Britannia Restaurant was generally good throughout. There were some surprisingly good dishes such as ravioli with salmon caviar and some more average dishes. My lobster was a little tough one evening but was still very nice. Overall the food was pleasing, and we ate there all but one nights. We normally dine in the Verandah some nights however I am still of the opinion the Steakhouse concept is just not in keeping with the Cunard brand; we tried it QM2 and hated it feeling that it represented a major reduction in standards compared to the old Verandah menu. That said, I don’t eat beef and love elegant French cuisine. We didn’t try the Verandah this time. I feel that service aboard was very good; it wasn’t outstanding, just consistently good and reliable. Our cabin steward was faultless and the purser’s desk quick and efficient. Occasionally the sommelier was a bit slow in the restaurant or drinks took a while to come in bars at busy periods. Perhaps a couple of extra sommeliers or bar waiters in those areas would have improved this, but it really wasn’t a major issue and I am picky about service. It was interesting talking to other guests though that have travelled with different lines and feel that Cunard’s service is always better. We took several Cunard shore excursions for ease and peace of mind. We found all of them good value for money. We could possibly have done something similar ourselves for less but the avoidance of hassle and not having to worry about getting back to the ship was worth the additional expense of booking an excursion. The wine themed tour with tasting whilst in Vigo, where we visited the Albarino wine region was particularly good; it felt authentic with almost free flowing tasting and plentiful nibbles with the wine! There were a few niggles such as the air conditioning in our room not being very good; it was never so bad we actually got around to complaining so I can’t hold that against them. The Royal Court Theatre Vocalists were not great but the dancers were good. The hydrotherapy pool jets intermittently didn’t work in the first half of the cruise and the showers were cold, and indeed one morning the pool was empty. What was more surprising was that the spa staff didn’t know it was empty until we told them! Each time we mentioned an issue however it was fixed. We ate Alfresco one night for a small cover charge; the food was good and would have made a lovely change being able to watch a Mediterranean sunset had they not started jet washing and buffing the deck whilst we were eating. Obviously, this destroyed the ambiance. The maitre’d appreciated this and we were not charged. Clearly this was a communication issue between departmental managers. Despite these little problems I would give this voyage 4.5/5 stars overall. We had a wonderful time and I would happily book a similar voyage again. The combination of good food, good drinks, good service and excellent weather has made another memorable cruise. I can now start counting down the days until my next cruise of QE next year. A few notes regarding the ports of call. Vigo, Palma and Barcelona were all interesting and pleasant. In La Spezia we went to Florence and were disappointed; far too busy and polluted to properly explore its' history. In Cannes we went to Monaco. we absolutely loved Monaco; despite it being pricey I would recommend Cafe de Paris for lunch especially the profiteroles dessert. The Gothic quarter of Barcelona was very interesting and I highly recommend the little wine bar opposite Santa Maria del Mar. Finally Gibraltar was good; I recommend walking the Mediterranean Steps if able as it affords excellent views even when a bit cloudy. Read Less

U.K. Cruise – Queen Victoria – August 2019 Pre cruise in London We stayed at the Holiday Inn Kensington High Street. The staff was wonderful and the location was perfect -BUT- the rooms were tiny tiny tiny! We did not have room for our luggage. We got them to move us in what turned out to be a handicapped room which was adequate. The breakfast was included and was wonderful. We took the Original Tour, hop on hop off bus and had a great one-day tour of London (which was extremely busy!) We did not get on the included river cruise because it was just too busy. We had lunch in Leicester Square which was great (Belle Italia) Cunard transfer to Southampton We took an Uber from Kensington to Victoria Coach Station (15 pounds) and were bused to the port. Boarding was a breeze because we arrived at about 2:30 and most had boarded already. We went straight to our room and one of our bags beat us there! Amazing. The other arrived shortly after we did and we were able to unpack and get ready for muster drill. The ship Queen Victoria is what I would call understated compared to other ships we have been on. Classy but not flashy. The pools are very small and there are almost no loungers that are in a covered area. This was not too much of an issue for this trip as it was cool, but would be an issue on warm weather trips. We used the Chart room bar for pre-dinner drinks. It was fine. The dining room is standard design, nothing special. The theater was the best we have seen on any ship. We were able to sit in a private box for every show! We generally did not have dessert or coffee with dinner (6 p.m.) so we were able to arrive at the theater early and get the private box. Our cabin was a standard balcony cabin. Very small but adequate shower. Lots of storage space. (more than our hotel room in London!) Service on the ship was, with some exceptions, quite cold and impersonal. Most “good mornings” sounded like an obligation rather than a true greeting. The bartender in the chart room was great. The waiters were below average the room steward was just adequate. We expected for the price we paid to get super service…..we didn’t. Food Dining room was good but they had no items that were available every day (needed!) Some menus just did not have anything that we really wanted. Good food, again. Not outstanding. The Lido buffet was quite good. They had a good variety that changed every day. I think it was one of the best buffets we have seen. We did not see a grill facility although there may have been one. Theater and Entertainment Most of the shows were very good. The ships singers and dancers were hit and miss (as usual). We went to the show most every night. There was lots of dancing in the Queens Ballroom (which is gorgeous) but we did not partake except for the last evening. Ports Newcastle – we did not go on tour. We just went to the adjacent shopping mall (free shuttle) Edinburgh – After the tender in Newhaven we took a bus to the town center and met with previous cruise friends who live close by. We did a Hop on Hop of bus first, then we climbed the Scott Monument to get great views of the city (and the Queen Victoria at anchor). WE had a pub lunch and coffee at the Dome. A great day in a great town. Invergorden – We stayed in the small town and walked about. We had a complimentary tea and biscuit at the church and bought some souvenirs. Greenock – We decide not to go to Glasgow and instead stay in Greenock. The Inverclyde Tourist Group provided us with a free bus tour of the area which was very enjoyable. We saw the town hall and a local church as well as magnificent views of the whole area from high in the hills. Belfast – We booked Allen tours to take us around Northern Ireland. We saw the “troubles” area (which seem to continue!) then we went to The Dark Hedges, Bushmills, and the Giants Causeway and were back on the ship in time for our 6 p.m. dinner. Allen’s tours were efficient and friendly and 1/3 they cost of the ship’s tours. Liverpool – again. Cruise friends met us at the pier and took us up to Lancashire for the day. We got to meet their family in Burnley (and visit Smackwater Jack’s!) We had a nice British lunch and then got a brief tour of Turf Moor where the Premier League Burnley Clarets play. We toured an old mansion and got to see some Narrowboats at the Barrowford Locks. They took us to the Preston Train station and we rode the train back to Liverpool Lime Street station where we walked back to the ship. Saint Peter Port Guernsey – This was a great stop as the weather got nice and warm! We tendered into the town and walked about looking at the shops. The town and the island are beautiful. Southampton – We had a Cunard transfer to Victoria Coach Station Post cruise in London We stayed at the Park Plaza Victoria. The rooms were very nice and the breakfast the next morning was Full English. We went the Victoria Palace Theatre to see “Hamilton” that evening. The show was magnificent but the seats in the grand circle were too small for even a small human being! I am glad the show was so good because my wife and I were uncomfortable the entire time. WE booked a car to take us to Heathrow for the trip back to Canada Read Less

This was our 3 rd cruise aboard a Cunard ship. Booking was made through Cunard/Hamburg. Service here is in need of getting used to it. Very impersonal for the class we booked. A mere call center processing. Never beforehave I received such poor service in this section. We were even forced to print out our own luggage tags. I am willing to spend the money - but I am not willing to accept the lousy Cunard travel agency service. ( asserted Service ??? ) Also I am fed up with wasting my time on the phone trying to get connected for what they call service. Cheap Internet attitude. I was very disappointed and upset. Cunard Southampton did not even bother answering my letter regarding this issue. The service in the Queens Grill was very good again. Very attentive. Quality of food and beverage also very good. The whole atmosphere in the restaurant is inviting. The sameapplies for the Afternoon Tea Service. Laundry service also very good. Excursion service aboard the ship also lacks an attitude. Personally I do not like guided tours. Take a taxi instead and speak to the locals. Shops here are not very inviting. Variety very small. Many items are of very poor quality -sold at premium prices. After returning to Southampton again we were invited to a Windsor tour. Here we have to emphasize the very good support given by the bus driver and our tour guide. Thank you Port service was fast and effective. Most members ofthe staff are well trained. Read Less

Normally we don't like many sea days but we'd never been with Cunard and never been to Iceland and we got a good deal so we decided to book. We both really enjoyed it as the food was excellent, the service great and the ship elegant with lots of public spaces. We're not fans of dressing up in the evening so didn't attend any gala dinners and had to avoid most public spaces from 6pm as we weren't in smart enough attire (we were asked to leave one of the bars at 6.15pm once as we had jeans on, there are casual bars but we went back to our cabin instead and stopped buying cocktails). We ate mostly in the Lido and had plenty of choice all the time and it was good quality. We only ate once in the dining room as 6pm is too early but the 8.30pm sitting was too late plus I'm not keen on having to dress smartly every night. Loved the food in the Red Lion and the choice in the Chart Room and the barista coffee was passable. I can't comment on the entertainment as we don't normally go to any or partake in most activities (there wasn't an option to say not applicable in the ratings) but we did like some of the guest speakers during the day. The gym isn't good if you like to do lots of weights. There are dumbbells but only two benches and the machines aren't worth using (they try and cover multiple exercises with one machine) and there's no lat pull down machine, Smith machine etc which other ships of this size have. It does open at 6am which is perfect. The ports were interesting. We booked independent tours for each port apart from Dublin which we did on our own. There isn't an not applicable option for shore excursions in the ratings so my 1 isn't realistic as we didn't do any. Read Less

Queen Victoria is a wonderful ship offering excellent entertainment options and an amazing dining experience. It does have some problems, as does every ship I've sailed on, but overall I think you'll enjoy your experience. First of all, it is not a young person's cruise. The average passenger on my cruise was 70+ years old. If you have trouble with elderly people walking very slowly in front of you and stopping suddenly for no apparent reason, you may be frustrated at times. At the height of the summer cruise season for families, there were hardly any children on board. Secondly, It is largely a British clientele, which I found charming. The average cruiser was well educated and well mannered. No line jumpers of chair hogs, which was refreshing. I could strike up a conversation with almost anyone I met and found most of them interesting. However, if you want to shoot the breeze about NASCAR, baseball and the NFL, you may be disappointed. Check-in was smooth on the dock, but scattered and unprofessional on board. No one met us in the lobby. There was no sign telling us where to go. We were boarded on the open deck three and had to find our own way inside. Even inside, no one greeted us or offered to help us find our cabin, lunch, etc.. We had to ask! Talk about a bad first impression. It got better after that. We had a suite and were dining in the Queens Grill. Our butler met us at the door (Suite 7050), took our alcohol orders for the in-room bar, showed us how to work everything in the room and walked us to the elevators to show us how to access the private Queen's Grill dining room. She was amazing throughout the cruise. She set up a cocktail reception in our room for a half dozen guests (the complimentary appetizer platter was huge and delicious). Lourdes took care of last minute laundry requests and kept our suite spotless. She also restocked the bar any time we were running low. The suite has a boxy crowded configuration which made the room seem much smaller than it was. There were plenty of electrical outlets with both American and British sockets. We had no problem keeping two cell phones, two tablets and two fitbits charged. The love seat is fine. There is adequate storage space and the butler stowed our empty luggage so we wouldn't have to worry about it. TIP: Don't remove your stateroom luggage tags. You'll need them to find your luggage at disembarkation! The balcony was large enough for a table and three chairs plus two loungers. The bed was very comfortable, however they do not use typical American sheets, on board, but rather European duvets. Very comfortable, but not what I'm used to. The bathroom was functional, with a private toilet room and a private room for showering and bathing, The tub was jetted and offered a very relaxing bath with bubbles. The towels were not soft at all, The teri cloth material made for the worst towels I've experienced in 25 cruises. The suite's bar was stocked with loads of teas, coffee and cookies. My wife and I each chose a brand of alcohol. I requested Crown Royal, even though it was not on the list offered by Cunard. The butler made it happen! The fridge was stocked with Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7-Up, tonic nd soda water, Carlsberg Beer and plenty of water, Again, our butler replenished our bar twice a day! We dined in the Queen's Grill, which is the best dining experience on the seas, in my opinion. The menus are very similar to those in the Princess Grill and Britania Dining Room. The difference is we were invited to order off the menu at every meal, and the dining staff did their best to accommodate us. Among the items I ordered off the menu were: Caviar, shrimp cocktail, Dover sole, chateaubriand, lobster, veal parmasean, fettuccine Alfredo, pistaccio ice cream, french onion soup and several different salads. Basically, the sky's the limit, if they have the ingredients on board, The tables are close together. My wife and I were seated at a table for two, but conversed easily and often with diners at nearby tables. When we wanted privcy, we were left alone. However, we all became instant friends. Here's a tip: Be the first to say hello to someone and do it early in the cruise! Coincidentally, one gentleman, at a six-top next to us, turned out to be a Cruise Critic member I had conversed with on line! He and his wife were positively charming! I found the entertainment on board to be excellent. The big production shows were good, but not amazing, Headliners like the magician and acrobatic dance team were marvelous. And it seemed on any given night there were six or more venues offering music and fun. I've never experienced such a wide variey of musical enterrtainment on any ship I've sailed. It truly was a highlight of th cruise.And it meant fewer crowds. We never had a problem finding a table or a seat in the showroom for the late shows. The only bummer was the Grills Lounge never had live entertainment. The enrichment activities were a disappointment. Cunard offers wine tasting seminars on its web site. High end wine seminars. However, after pre-booking a very expensive tasting, we got on board to learn the wine seminars were canceled. In fact our sommelier told us they han't done the high end wine tastings in six months. Cunard refused to credit the money from my canceled wine tasting to my shipboard account and told me I'd have to try to get refunded when I returned home. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SEVICE on that! Tip: Do NOT PRE-ORDER WINE TASTINGS! There were 3 speakers on board. One was a retired fighter pilot, who offered some fun anecdotes about his flying career. The other two sounded so boring, I cannot even remember them. I believe one woman was discussing the film career of an actor I've never heard of. We did not use Cunard for shore excursions. We booked everything independently. I suggest you consider private independent shore excursions as well. Remember, every group tour moves as fast as its slowest member. Everyone else has to wait on the slow poke. You may only have one shot to visit some of these ports. Do you relly want to wait on that last person? Additionally, Cunard builds profit into its excursions. The independent tours are almost always cheaper. Cruise Critic has an excellent section devoted to independent tours. Disembarkation for this cruise was difficult, because we got off in Kiel. It is an hour+ drive to Hamburg from there. It's pricey and difficult to reach the airport in time to make flights to the USA. Many people opted to spend an extra day in Hamburg. Don't take the negative aspects of my review as an indication I was disappointed. I was not. I will definitely cruise Cunard again if I can find the right itinerary. And I will definitely book Queens Grille for the dining experience. These reviews are supposed to help future cruisers prepare, I hope I have! Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was going somewhere we always wanted to visit. Also, we got a Queens Grill cabin for the price of a balcony, so the value was there. With the included drinks package, we thought we had gotten a great deal. We sailed from Hamburg on July 16th, our first day being a sea day. The ship is very pretty, but a bit tired. Could use some sprucing up. The carpets were worn in many spots, and you could see rust all around the ship. Our cabin, 5190 was on the back of the ship and had a very large balcony. However, compared to other cruise lines, the suite was quite small. I was shocked by just how small it was. We sailed HAL two years ago and our suite was easily twice the size. Queens Grill dining made up for the tired ship and small cabin however. The dining room was beautiful and the food and service amazing. Anything you want you can have. It is never too much trouble, and offered with a smile. Everyone who works there seems to really care about the passengers. What a great experience. The included drink package comes with one caveat. Any drink over $12 will be charged in its entirety. Most popular drinks on the ship are priced at $12.50. Makes the package not much of a perk. The one shore excursion we took through the ship almost had a mutiny it was so bad. People were leaving in droves, and everyone complained about it. It was boring and hot. The guide was not very good at what he did, and almost everyone could not wait until it was over. As an example, they took us to a pier for a break and there were only two restrooms. We spent the entire time waiting on line. We saw only one show, which was ok. Most of our evening time was spent either in one of the lounges, or sitting on our balcony watching the ship move. Since it got dark so late, we really enjoyed it. Also, the included liquor supplied in Queens Grill didn't run up our charges. Considering all of these issues, we did have a good time. I would say I am only 60/40 as to whether I would cruise on Cunard again. With the dressing up, the state of the cabins and the boring evening entertainment, perhaps it is time to try one of the smaller luxury lines. Read Less

We decided to take this cruise to celebrate my son's 18th birthday, which was on the date of departure. We were upgraded to Princess Grill (for a cost) and I was beside myself with excitement, having been on the old QE2 some time back. We are Celebrity afficionados, but we were excited to see what one of the Queens would be like. I found it a mixed bag to be honest. The Princess Grill suite was a real disappointment; nothing like a lowest grade Celebrity Sky Suite, and certainly not in line with suite expectations. The service from the steward was great, but no contact from the concierge at all. We had a lovely greeting with strawberries, fresh fruit and sparkling wine, which really set the mood. The Princess Grill restaurant was good. Lovely service, fabulous wine list. The food on the first night was indifferent; gritty scallops and a very tough steak. The restaurant redeemed itself on other meals, but I can't say that it met the expectations at this level, and certainly not at the price point that they would normally charge. The ambience in the restaurant was good, and no hint of the snobbery that others sometimes refer to. The gym was very good, and it was fun to play table tennis with the kids also. Lastly, the atmosphere on the ship was, for me, dead. Very little nightlife if you aren't into ballroom dancing. I felt the age demographic was much, much older than expected. Perhaps it's the itinerary. None of this would stop me travelling with Cunard again, as overall the ship is in good condition and the service was excellent, but I'd have to think hard about the class, the itinerary, and my travelling companions. My daughter can't wait to get back on Celebrity in a few weeks for Alaska! Read Less

Just come back from one of the best Cruises we have ever been on.We decided to try a new Cruise line for our Journey to Norway and Iceland and went with "Cunard" Queen Victoria.Having never been with Cunard we were a bit apprehensive especially about the more Formal side of the Cruise. Embarkation at Southampton was the quickest we have ever done,from getting off the Coach to stepping onto the Ship less than 20 mins!!!!The Ship was everything Cunard(White Star Lines) stands for,taking us back to the heady days of the majestic Liners of the 40s and 50s.we were met by the Staff in White Bell Boy Uniforms,the Staff friendly and welcoming.The Interior was impressive with Wood,stained Glass,Iron works on stairs,Atrium was beautiful and the 3 Violinists playing were Icing on the cake The Inside Cabin was slightly bigger than other Cruise lines we have been in,bottle of Champagne waiting,Dressing Gowns and slippers and very Clean and Tidy. The Food was very good in all areas,Buffet Breakfast and Lunch had lots of variety,and dinner was again very good and varied and waiters were very attentive.Entertainment was great,Shows at night were varied,and something for everyone.Guest Speakers were also excellent especially Lord Digby Jones(very entertaining) All the Staff very very nice and nothing seemed to much trouble,Neil our Entertainment Manager was great as were his Staff. Although we were a bit worried about how Formal the Ship was especially having to wear a Jacket in Dining Room on all non Formal nights,it wasn't as bad as I feared.Of Course you can dress down in certain areas of Ship ie Golden Lion Pub and Lido Buffet areas so it was not that Formal as I had feared. On the downside Drinks were very expensive and had 15% Gratuties added on ,Spa Treatments also very expensive,but we didn't indulge too much in any of those so just beware as Drinks packages are always a bit pricey. Itinerary was very Good,Olden and Alesund in Norway, Akeyuri,Isafjordur and Reykavik in Iceland and Stornorway in Outer Hebrides. Overall this was one of our best Cruises we have done,and have to say Queen Victoria is one of the best Ships we have sailed on,we will be definitely booking Cunard again Read Less

We set off on this cruise in a state of trepidation.....would we manage the formal evenings with two under 30s?, would the food be mediocre? would the service be lacking? Well we were blown away! I wondered if I should write this review as this ship was so amazing that I didnt really want to share! Anyway here we go.... Food in Britannia restaurant was better than Celebrity, ...halibut, turbot, lobster in a week. Lovely Japanese options including an excellent miso soup, Italian pasta we couldn't fault, tea and coffee and home made marshmallows and chocolate creams to finish. Breakfast in Britannia was excellent, go there if you can. Afternoon tea......what can I say...lovely. Lido restaurant was a full step ahead of other cruise lines, you really didn't think you were in "motorway services". Tea and coffee for breakfast served to your table, no battling with teapots etc etc Room steward, excellent nothing too much trouble. Take on a bottle or two, top up at a port call......you need to do this as alcohol is extortionate! So service better than someone like Celebrity. Formal nights were a breeze, do as you will. Just join in, fellow passengers are lovely! Never worry you will find somewhere to sit on this ship wherever you are, seats and beautiful sitting areas a plenty. Don't forget the library, amazing! Any downsides? She can be a little noisy but not enough to spoil your holiday. Please don't tell anyone about this beautiful ship...keep it a secret please? Read Less