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This Cunard Common Places Their Model-New Ship To The Take a look at

I imagine I can convey a singular tackle Cunard’s new ship, Queen Anne. I’ve been on 23 Cunard cruises and spent 210 nights throughout their fleet, together with most not too long ago, 14 nights on board Queen Anne. This gave me ample time to completely check out their newest cruise ship. I used to be eager to find if, as some imagine, Cunard is making an attempt to chase individuals like me away from Cunard with their new ship and substitute me with new and youthful cruisers, or whether or not they’re simply making an attempt to supply one other ship for me as a daily Cunard cruiser to expertise.

A Reinvention?

I needed to see if Queen Anne was a complete reinvention for Cunard. The quick reply isn’t any. The ship, venues, program, and the vibe are very a lot the prevailing Cunard. However there are some key adjustments, that I’ll discuss later, and these may have a big effect on who the ship will in the end attraction to.

First, the ship isn’t distinctive nor totally different. It’s based mostly on the Pinnacle class ships utilized by Holland America. Though, it does have a 23-metre part added within the center to create what they’re calling the Halifax class. So, not like competing strains like Movie star, who added a very totally different model of ship to their fleet with the Edge class to attraction to a distinct viewers, it is a very conventional cruise ship model and structure within the mildew of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria.

Nonetheless, after I stepped on board, I noticed an enormous shift in feel and appear from any of its sisters.

Gone are the darkish closely Artwork Deco liner impressed designs of the remainder of the fleet. I walked into a up to date décor ship which to me regarded similar to many different ships from different strains. It was a shock at first, simply how far faraway from the standard darker and apparent Artwork Deco Cunard décor it was. I noticed some nods to Artwork Deco right here and there, however I felt it was so like many different ships lately. That is maybe not shocking, as a result of its general inventive director was Adam Tihany, who can be behind ships for Seabourn and Silversea. Nonetheless, there have been three totally different design homes engaged on it.

As soon as I obtained previous the shock of how onerous that they had tried to make Queen Anne not appear to be different Cunard ships, I quickly got here to see it was Cunard in just about each different method. Each iconic Cunard venue that I do know from the opposite ships is on board Queen Anne, with surprisingly few additions and improvements. I’ll discuss these later, as some are extra profitable than others.

Iconic Cunard Venues

What exists that’s on all the opposite Cunard ships?

First, it has a Grand Foyer, a 3-deck atrium. Like different ships, it has an enormous ship mural with a number of venues, bars, outlets, restaurant, and the purser’s deck dotted round it. I felt it lacked a few of the drama of the opposite ships, however over the course of the 14 days, I did come to love it. And the venues round it did create some buzz and focus.

It has the Queen’s Room, which is an iconic venue throughout the opposite ships. I discovered this a bit disappointing, and my view didn’t change. On the opposite ships, the Queen’s Room is a grand, dramatic area. It is a bit understated and is surprisingly plain when it comes to décor, with not sufficient seating when busy.

There may be an higher space with extra seating, the place you may look down into the Queens Room and onto the dance flooring. That has actually divided individuals. It’s round in form, and whereas some individuals I spoke to disliked it, saying it was proscribing and cramped,  I spoke to others a part of a Ballroom Dancing Group Cruise on board, they usually rated it extremely.

Both method, there’s ballroom dancing each night time to a 10-piece band, and hosts leisure some nights by visitor entertainers. What it has, which the opposite ships don’t, is a good-sized, devoted bar.

One other iconic venue is the Golden Lion Pub. It is a larger, extra inviting area, with a very good vary of leisure. Issues like trivia, bingo, and music. It has, I believe, an pointless addition of some extra cost dishes, that are executed in partnership with a UK chef, Michael Roux Jr., along with the included gadgets. It’s a good venue and was highly regarded.

Queen Anne additionally has all the prevailing iconic lounges and bars I do know from the opposite ships.

There’s the Commodore Membership, overlooking the bow of the ship, which was a well-liked venue within the evenings, when there’s stay music enjoying. It’s properly laid out, with cubicles and teams of seating areas which made it really feel intimate.

There’s a Carinthia Lounge. It is a nice venue. Those that have been on Holland America Pinnacle class ships will know this area because the Grand Dutch Café. However it’s method larger – that is the place a part of the added part is.  It’s principally a espresso store, though it’s also possible to get different drinks right here, and has numerous included breakfast and snack gadgets through the day.

One other iconic venue on Queen Anne is the Chart Room Bar. It is a fairly dramatic area with some good crystal chandelier results across the bar. There’s a number of seating and music at night time.

Additionally they have the Churchill’s Cigar Lounge subsequent to the Commodore Membership. This one might be the starkest and least uninspiring in comparison with the opposite ships.

When it comes to different ordinary Cunard venues, there’s the Royal Courtroom Theatre. Though a giant theatre, it lacks the drama and styling of the opposite ships. It mainly appears to be like like a contemporary cinema, to be slightly bit impolite.

Nonetheless, it’s a reasonably good theatre with comfy seats and good know-how on the stage for the reveals. However, it does have poor sight strains within the entrance part.

After all, Queen Anne has one other Cunard icon, the library. This isn’t as huge or as spacious, nor appeared to have as many books as the opposite ships. Nevertheless it’s a pleasant area and was actually fashionable.

It additionally has one other key iconic function, which is a full promenade deck. Nonetheless, this was divisive, as a result of for a lot of the deck, as you stroll round, the view of the ocean is blocked by lifeboats. It isn’t a teak deck and there’s nearly no deck chairs and locations to sit down out as a result of there simply isn’t room.

It even has what has turn into a regular Cunard function, the Clarendon Artwork Gallery, though after all, that’s a industrial proposition.

So, Queen Anne has all of the venues that Cunard travellers like me are used to.

The opposite iconic factor of notice is that Queen Anne retains the traditional Cunard class-based system. Although it’s clear from how they execute it on Queen Anne that they’re additionally making an attempt to push the road to really feel slightly extra premium and enhance the variety of premium fare-paying passengers. Extra on that later.

Cunard Class System

Let me briefly clarify the Cunard class-based system. It has 4 and the grade of cabin you guide determines which restaurant you eat in. You dine in Britannia Restaurant if you’re in inside, oceanview and common balcony cabins. Britannia Membership Restaurant is for these in additional well-appointed and premium balcony cabins. You dine in Princess Grill if booked in a mini-suite, and Queen’s Grill if in a collection.

The way in which I typically clarify it, is consider the totally different lessons on an airline. Britannia is financial system, Britannia Membership financial system plus, Princess Grill is enterprise class, and Queen’s Grill is firstclass.

One thing that struck me about Queen Anne versus the opposite Cunard ships is that they’ve considerably elevated the numbers within the extra premium Britannia Membership and Princess Grill lessons. The Britannia Membership Restaurant is a big restaurant in comparison with the opposite ships, whereas these in Princess Grill are double the quantity on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. Queens Grill has the identical variety of individuals.

Like many cruise strains, Cunard has used Queen Anne to shift the board in the direction of greater fare paying passengers.

There have been different indicators of making an attempt to look extra premium. For instance, the outlets across the Grand Foyer are very up-market. They included a Cupboard of Curiosities part, showcasing replicas from Garrard Jewellers, of a few of the British Royal Household tiaras and Princess Diana’s engagement ring.

The outlets additionally featured costly Faberge Eggs, Rolex watches and so forth. There may be then a separate a part of the ship the place the extra common outlets are. They’re making an attempt to create, I believe, the sense of premium-ness.

Two extra factors I needed to make earlier than exploring some adjustments Cunard made I discovered attention-grabbing is that, first they don’t have any solo cabins, regardless of retrofitting them on the others.

And second, on their different ships, the Britannia Restaurant is a dramatic and sumptuous venue as a result of heavy Artwork deco styling. On Queen Anne, whereas a putting venue, it’s no extra so than some other aggressive line fundamental eating room. I discovered that disappointing.

Queen Anne Variations

I need to give my ideas on what Cunard have added, improved, and reimagined in comparison with their different ships.

Shiny Lights Society

First, probably the greatest issues that they’ve launched is a brand new leisure venue known as the Shiny Lights Society. It’s a cabaret venue, which turns into a disco later at night time. They maintain modern and enjoyable cabaret model reveals in right here that are included within the fare however require reserving.

The reveals embrace Noir, a homicide thriller with viewers participation, which I even obtained concerned in. And Fizz, which was a enjoyable love story. The reveals are tongue-in-cheek, excessive power, and nice enjoyable. Some nights, after they’re not performing, they’ll have a few of the music duos carry out in right here.

Wellness

They’re leaning extra into Wellness. The Mareel spa and health centre has, not like most cruise strains and their different ships, been placed on Deck One. The health club itself is larger than the moderately disappointing gyms on their different ships, with a cardio, weights space and spin studio.

The spa is massive and features a hairdressing and nail salon and huge thermal space, with thermal baths and saunas.

They’ve just a few different wellness-focused areas across the ship with the Pavilion Wellness Café, which serves wholesome choices for breakfast and lunch. Above that’s the Pavilion Wellness Studio. It’s a massive, moderately stark venue the place they maintain lots of the health lessons like stretching, yoga and HIT lessons.

Dealing With Extra Passengers

Queen Anne carries extra passengers than some other Cunard ship (3000 passengers) which is nearly 1,000 greater than Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, and 300 greater than Queen Mary 2. Nevertheless it didn’t really feel crowded and busy. The ship has been designed to scatter the venues just like the bars and lounges across the ship, so it unfold and dispersed individuals.

Out on the deck, there’s many areas and locations dotted throughout to sit down and sunbathe, together with a number of exterior bars with the Sky Bar and the Cabana Bar along with the bars on the swimming pools.

There have been many nooks and crannies, and attention-grabbing areas to seek out.

The larger ship additionally means they’ve improved some venues in comparison with their different ships, like including the Drawing Room within the Grand Foyer together with an even bigger recreation room.

Speciality Eating

Nonetheless, one thing I believe works much less properly is the better give attention to specialty eating. I do know it’s huge on different cruise strains, nevertheless it’s by no means been a giant focus for Cunard.

They’ve 4 speciality added-cost eating places. Sir Samuels Steakhouse which replaces the Verandah. Aji wa, which is subsequent to it, which is a Japanese restaurant, which serves gyozas, sushi, bao bun sort stuff. Tramonto, which is extra Mediterranean, and Aranya, which is a extra spicy, nearly Indian-style venue.

I discovered included eating on Queen Anne, like on all Cunard ships was good, and after going to one of many specialty eating places I cancelled the others as a result of I felt there was no have to do it. However they’ve dialled up specialty eating. They’re mainly normal repetitions of what different cruise strains have. There’s nothing notably modern there.

Artisan Meals Corridor

They’ve theoretically tried to be modern with the buffet restaurant, which is known as the Artisan Meals Corridor. It’s simply the Kings Courtroom buffet with a distinct identify.

They haven’t gone so far as cruise strains like Virgin or the meals corridor on Norwegian, which have gone into very particular nearly branded meals stations. It’s their ordinary buffet restaurant with one other identify.

One change is that the meals is served by the workers, though there’s some dialogue about whether or not that may change over time.

Reimagined Venues

They’ve elevated some normal venues on the ship. The pool decks are a bit extra themed and look good.

The Pavilion is the most important pool with a roof which opens and closes. Round it they’ve the Pavilion Bar, Pavilion Gelateria, Pavilion Wellness Café, and the Pavilion Grill, which serves scorching canine and hamburgers. It appears to be like good with the black-and-white tiles and with seating and loungers.

On the rear is the Panorama Pool Membership. Though I’m not fairly certain why it’s known as a membership. There’s a small stage, some seating and naturally loungers. It’s a pleasant space with a bar and excellent for heat climate cruises.

They have a a lot better area for the Shore Excursions and Future Cruise Gross sales too.

They’ve renamed the on line casino to Route 1840, which is the 12 months that Cunard got here into being. Like different ships it’s small, displaying they anticipate this to be a principally UK passenger ship. It’s principally going to be crusing and based mostly out of Southampton doing no-fly cruises. It has a pleasant bar space.

Queen Anne additionally has, which many individuals shall be more than happy to know, visitor laundry rooms, that are free to make use of on all cabin decks.

Speaking of cabins, they’re a giant enchancment on the extra dated ones on the remainder of the fleet, particularly the bogs with good-sized showers and glass doorways. There are some divided views on the quantity of storage, notably within the Britannia cabins although.

Instructions

By the best way, on the decks with cabins, the designers have inbuilt alerts to assist passengers discover their method across the ship. There are arrows within the carpets, which direct you in the direction of the closest raise. Every of the 4 raise areas are colour-coded so the carpets level you to a specific colour-coded set of lifts. My Mum, who actually struggled to seek out her method round a ship, would have actually preferred this.

So, Queen Anne whereas inside appears to be like totally different, it has all the long-lasting and normal Cunard venues, with few additions and improvements. However what about this system? Is that this a really totally different and new Cunard, making an attempt to speak to a distinct Cunard consumer and traveller?

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Queen Anne Program

The reply once more isn’t any. It’s completely, 100% the identical Cunard program.

They nonetheless have the costume code, and most of the people on gala nights have been sporting tuxedos and glamorous robes. It’s nonetheless very a lot a costume up and costume code sort of viewers. Visitors not wanting to try this may costume down and use the Artisan Meals Corridor, Golden Lion Pub, Shiny Lights Society, and the on line casino.

If I present you the each day program, it appears to be like just like the each day program from any Cunard ship.

It options the grand each day afternoon tea within the Queen’s Room, ballroom dancing each night, themed balls (Black-and-White, Masked and Roaring ’20s Balls), dance lessons, chair-aerobics, trivia, stay music within the lounges and massive give attention to enrichment.

There have been nonetheless 4 visitor audio system. A star speaker and three others speaking about historical past, tradition, geography, politics, and so forth.

When it comes to the theatre reveals, they’re making an attempt to replace the theatre reveals nevertheless it’s not dramatic adjustments general. That they had a regular cruise song-and-dance present, known as “Let’s Dance”. Then “Temporary Encounter”, a remodeling of the Noel Coward play, and a contemporary tackle Jane Austen known as “Delight and Prejudice*(*Form of)” with pop classics. There have been a number of visitor entertainers with comedians telling the standard jokes you all the time hear by cruise ship comedians, Present and previous West Finish singers, boy teams, violinists, and so forth.

Most I spoke to did really feel the quantity of leisure was good, loved the reveals and caliber of visitor entertainers.

Who Is Queen Anne For?

I got here away asking based mostly on all that is who’s Queen Anne actually for? Me as a daily Cunarder, or is it speaking to new individuals?

I believe it’s designed principally for the present Cunard traveller. It’s additionally prone to be quite a lot of that crowd as a result of the ship is taking up Cunard’s no-fly itinerary from Queen Victoria, and all have been planning to change to Queen Anne, as Queen Victoria goes to be doing extra fly cruising.

I did speak to many who have been making an attempt Cunard for the primary time, notably from Movie star. They have been attracted by a brand new fashionable ship and a reinvention of Cunard. Most have been disenchanted, however not with the ship. They preferred it because it was fashionable and trendy, however discovered this system to be a bit uninteresting and stuffy.

The leisure was not as modern and on the market or boundary pushing, because it maybe is on Movie star.

The youngsters’ golf equipment, known as The Zone, continues to be small. They haven’t actually opened huge new areas for Youngsters Golf equipment to speak to households.

I did use the analogy through the journey that I felt slightly bit like Cunard had charted a ship and have been working their program on it. It’s a brand new feel and appear, however nonetheless a really conventional Cunard expertise with little modified. I loved my time on board and got here to like the ship, as I obtained to realize it.

In the event you’re anticipating one thing totally different, you then’re not going to get it should you go on Queen Anne. In the event you’re in search of a extra up to date fashionable ship to strive a Cunard expertise and venues for the primary time, you’re going to seek out it on there for certain. It’s a nice choice for anybody eager to strive Cunard.

 

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