Onboard Review: Queen Anne—Cunard’s Newest Queen Starts Her Reign

SHIP ARIALQueen Anne—Cunard’s Newest Queen Starts Her ReignBy Lisa SimundsonStanding at the dock in Southampton, Cunard’s newest ship in 14 years stood 14 decks and 236 ft. tall as her first guests came aboard in a quintessentially English drizzle. The 3,000-passenger Queen Anne was ready for her debut, wowing a group of international travel advisors and media, including Recommend.
Design of Queen Anne’s distinctive look began in 2018 in the British port town of Liverpool, home of the Cunard archives—the first Cunard ship launched a transatlantic sailing there back in 1840—blending distinct Cunard touches of Art Deco and maritime accents. “We started by presenting a project that epitomized Cunard,” Creative Director Adam Tihany told an audience gathered in the panoramic Commodore Club, Cunard’s signature cocktail bar. “Heritage, style, storytelling, craftsmanship and innovation were the pillars composing the DNA of
the project.”LOBBY Other members of the design team, including David Collins Studio, Richmond International, Sybille de Margerie and art consultancy Double Decker, brought their own perspectives to the table, contributing original looks that flowed from one space to another. “You have to reinterpret the designs from the past,” noted Lewis Taylor, Design Director of David Collins Studio. “Cunard is known for the Golden Age of travel back in the Twenties, and that’s the feeling we wanted to recreate.” This vision infuses every nook and cranny aboard the Queen Anne, but nowhere more than in the ship’s Grand Lobby, which Taylor calls the “beating heart of the ship.” Of course, a grand lobby needs a grand staircase, and Queen Anne’s sweeping staircase is no exception, with a winding descent through a triple-height atrium backlit by a gleaming brass mural. The mural is just one of an astonishing 4,300 original works of art, called the “largest art collection at sea” by Melita Skamnaki, co-founder of Double Decker, who curated the ship’s sculptures, tapestries and mixed-media canvases. “Every space reflects Cunard’s style and has the feeling of Cunard,” Lee Powell, Cunard Brand VP told the group. “The designers worked collaboratively so all the rooms fit together seamlessly. We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved.”THE PAVILLIONRelaxation by DesignWhen it comes to aesthetics, design may be everything, but everything isn’t design. From the captain down to dedicated stewards and the housekeeping teams, an expert staff delivered immediate service with maximum friendliness and fuss. Meanwhile, multiple decks of food and drink kept libations and nibbles going from morning to night, with specialties from the Mediterranean, India and Asia savored by the group, not to mention culinary highlights from Queen Anne’s home country: plenty of beef dishes and afternoon tea. The Pavilion Wellness Cafe was a popular spot for many throughout the day, with smoothies, mocktails, cold-press juices, sustainable fish and meat options and vegetarian/vegan choices among the menu items. Before or after a healthy repast, the Mareel Wellness & Beauty Spa offers such rejuvenating treatments as cryo-body therapy and thermal pools. As passengers buzzed about the ship, deciding what to do first became the challenge, with activities galore including deck games, pickleball and fitness classes by day, and live music and theatrical performances by night. SPA But eventually all decks lead to The Pavilion, a 2-story entertainment center—also designed by the David Collins Studio—offering both live and pre-recorded musical selections from across the globe, which passengers can enjoy while lounging, snacking or swimming in the sparkling pool. Onboard movie nights are nothing new in cruising, but Cunard takes it a step further here with independent film shorts selected specifically for Queen Anne passengers by the British Film Institute. A retractable glass-dome roof, engineered by the same architect who created the Louvre’s glass pyramid, keeps the fun going in any weather.SUITERooms With a ViewpointNot that you’ll be using them very often, but spacious staterooms and suites offer every comfort, including plush bedding and textiles, classic wood furniture, private balconies, in-room coffee and U.S.-adapted outlets. Among the suite choices, Recommend enjoyed the Princess Grill Suite, boasting both indoor and balcony views, luxe robes and slippers, reserved table seating and anytime-you’re-hungry dine-in service. Other suite choices include the Queens Grill and Master Suites featuring personal butler service. Following her sister ships, Queen Anne also offers a variety of Britannia staterooms—inside, oceanview and balcony.PLATE OF FOOD Queen Anne departed on her first voyage Friday, May 3, on a 7-night sailing to Lisbon via La Coruna and then the Portuguese city of Lisbon on May 7. Following that was a 14-night voyage to the Canary Islands, an itinerary that will be repeated on two festive Christmas sailings this year, featuring the volcanic landscape of Lanzarote or the coastal town of Fuerteventura. Queen Anne’s debut year also includes 7- to 19-night Mediterranean summer sailings as well as summer and early fall sojourns to Northern Europe, with 3- to 14-night itineraries to Iceland, Norway and Denmark. Contact InformationCunard: onesourcecruises.com/onesource/login

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