I was given the opportunity to spend the day in Southampton on board the Queen Anne cruise ship learning about all things Cunard. From the moment we arrived at the terminal, the day was off to an easy start. The car park is very conveniently located just across the road from the ship with members of staff directing you where to park. We walked up to departures and were taken straight onto the ship with no fuss. When you arrive at the terminal your luggage will be taken from you and dropped off at your cabin later in the day. The terminal building was well organised and didn’t feel too busy. Once on board, we began a full tour of the ship after enjoying some delicious coffee and pastries.
The Cabins
There are a range of cabins available on board Queen Anne starting with the inside cabin and going all the way up to a Queens grill suite. All the cabins are spacious, well designed, clean and felt very cosy. The inside and ocean view cabins are standard but perfect for someone who doesn’t plan on spending much time in the cabin. The club balcony cabin is a good option, it has double or twin beds, small seating area, desk, private balcony and bathroom with a shower. If you are looking for a bit more luxury then you could opt for a grill suite.
I think the Princess Grill was my favourite. It is a similar design to the club balcony but with a bit of extra living space. In the Princess Grill cabin you will find a full size sofa, chair, coffee table, desk and extra storage space. When booking one of these cabins you will also have access to dine in the Princess Grill restaurant which is a smaller restaurant reserved only for Princess Grill guests. The final cabin category I want to mention is the Queens Grill. To me this cabin felt like having your own living room at sea. There is a lounge area with balcony, separate bedroom with a window, a bathroom which has both a bath and a shower and a sun lounger on the large balcony. Queens Grill guests will also dine in the private Queens Grill restaurant.
Dining
As mentioned above, guests staying in Princess or Queens Grill cabins will dine in the exclusive Princess and Queens Grill restaurants. The main dining room for other guests is the Britannia Restaurant. This is a classy, elegantly designed restaurant where you will also experience the famous traditional white star service. The menus in all main dining rooms will change throughout the cruise. Another popular restaurant which is perfect for lunch is the Golden Lion pub. This is also included in your cruise fare and serves traditional British pub food and drink from a menu designed by Michelin star chef, Michel Roux. The Buffet restaurant is also open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are also some speciality restaurants available to book either on board or through your voyage app. These include a steakhouse, Indian, Asian and Mediterranean restaurants. It is cheaper if you book these in advance prior to sailing. Complimentary afternoon tea is also served every afternoon.
Entertainment
The entertainment venues were some of my favourite places on the ship. In the main theatre there will be a show every night. They use this space to host West End style productions and each show will be performed twice nightly but be sure to get there early if you want to guarantee a good seat. In the theatre they will also have guest speakers throughout the cruise. The Queens Room is a smaller entertainment venue where they have music and dance performances. As well as the shows, you will also have the opportunity to take part in ballroom dancing so make sure you bring your dancing shoes! The bright lights society is another small entertainment lounge where the crew will perform interactive shows. The cast will involve the guests in the story telling so it’s a great experience that is not available on all Cunard ships but make sure you chose a seat in the back if you don’t want to get too involved.
Another one of my favourite places on the ship is the Pavilion. This is the pool area with a retractable roof so it can be enjoyed in all climates. Unfortunately, it was raining while I was on board in Southampton so the roof was closed but it still felt bright and airy. I loved this space because it felt calm and relaxing. The pool is only small but there are also a few hot tubs and plenty of comfy loungers. There is also a large screen and stage where they will occasionally show movies. You also have the Wellness cafe, Pavilion Grill, Gelateria and bar right there so it’s perfect for a lazy day at sea.
In summary, the Queen Anne is a great addition to the Cunard fleet and it’s good to have her in Southampton from time to time so that you don’t have the airport hassle that comes with flying to meet a cruise ship. I think the ship has such a nice relaxing yet sophisticated feel to it. I was only on board for a few hours but already it had started to feel like a home away from home. You will never go hungry and you will never get bored with all the unique entertainment options but you can also be as much involved with what’s going on as you like. Nothing is ever too much trouble for the staff on board.
