Queen Victoria Review
Rating by category
Additional details
As a solo traveler I had hoped that this cruise would be enjoyable, it wasn’t. A lot of the time I felt that the ship was too crowded and it could be difficult to enjoy everything it had to offer. For instance, the sun loungers. Plenty of them, but most draped with towels even though no one was using them. Obviously people would bag their lounger and keep it all day.
The lido restaurant, often I had to eat later than I wanted to as there were no free tables. The staff were efficient at clearing the tables but the layout of the food areas was confusing. It would be better if the service area was more thoughtfully laid out. Lots of people seemed to be walking around looking for things.
The cost of drinks on board was very high, not unlike London hotel prices. Fair enough, however, I was charged an exorbitant £25 for a large glass of Cloudy Bay wine in the restaurant! Plus all drinks carry an extra 15% service charge, and then they leave space for another gratuity. All this when you are also paying a “one off” service charge of $161 per person for the fortnight.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Spacious if a little tired. I took my own hairdryer (I’m fussy!) and I would advise anyone taking electrical items to also take an extension lead. The socket was situated on the desk and because my Dyson hairdryer has a thick area where the cord goes into the plug, I was unable to plug it in. The extension lead was definitely needed.
The bathroom was compact, as is to be expected. Perfectly serviceable though. The shower was far more powerful than I had expected and there was always plenty of hot water too. The toiletries were excellent and I had I known would not have bothered packing shampoo and conditioner.