Hello from Southampton and Cunard’s new Queen Anne cruise ship, the fourth ship to join the fleet of this classic British cruise line and the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag.
Cunard has been operating for 184 years and is one of the most historic cruise lines in the world. All of its ships are named after former British monarchs, and the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria are already in service.
And the Queen Anne, with 14 decks and a capacity of 3,000 passengers, is the line’s first new ship in 14 years.
My video shows off the pools, promenade deck and sweeping staircases of this world-class ship, as well as one of the most elegant suites on board, complete with its own butler and an exclusive restaurant.
Queen Anne exudes understated opulence and the film begins in front of its iconic funnel before exploring its two main pools (one has a retractable glass roof), as well as its promenade deck and classic card games.
The Queen Anne, which has a top speed of 40.7 km/h (25 mph), can carry 3,000 passengers.
MailOnline Travel’s Jo Kessel (above) spends the night on the Queen Anne ahead of her maiden voyage to Lisbon
Jo’s room is a Queens Grill Suite (above), one of the most prestigious and sought-after cabins on the ship.
Jo says her room (above) “has the feel of a private residence and comes with its own butler, a sumptuous bathtub and elegant Penhaligon toiletries.”
The position of Jo’s room at the back of the ship “gives her an incredibly wide and deep balcony.”
There are shuffleboards, a putting green and a state-of-the-art pickleball court, a nod to the fact that this is currently the fastest growing sport in the UK, as well as the US.
Images then move to the ship’s Grand Lobby, which harkens back to the golden age of cruising with its Art Deco design and elegant, sweeping staircases.
The lobby has a new design concept called the “Cabinet of Curiosities,” which displays collectible items and artifacts, including replicas of royal rings and tiaras. There’s even one of Princess Diana’s infamous sapphire engagement ring, which Kate now wears.
And Queen Anne has many other elegant and traditional touches, from the red uniforms her bellboys wear to her drawing room and library.
The Pavilion: a space that has a swimming pool, as well as a central stage and a large LED screen for outdoor theater.
Jo meets Cunard’s first captain, Inger Thorhauge (left), a native of the Faroe Islands and one of the traditional bellhops.
Jo puts her testing skills to the test on Queen Anne, who she says “exudes understated opulence.”
Queens Grill suite guests have their own exclusive restaurant (called Queens Grill), which is the pinnacle of fine dining at sea, says Jo. She likes the duck liver parfait; lobster bisque; celery and apple salad; grilled south coast lemon sole (left); vanilla cheesecake and finally a cheese board
Having launched so many iconic Queens, it is fitting that Cunard welcomes its first female captain, Inger Thorhauge, a native of the Faroe Islands. It was an absolute honor of her to know her.
Another honor was spending the night in a suite at the Queens Grill, one of the most prestigious and sought-after staterooms on the ship. It has the feel of a private residence and comes with your own butler, a sumptuous bathtub and elegant Penhaligon toiletries. And its position at the back of the boat gives it a fantastically wide and deep balcony.
Queens Grill Suite guests have their own exclusive restaurant (called Queens Grill), which is the pinnacle of fine dining at sea. The menu includes a six-course feast and the food is so excellent that I order every dish available: duck liver parfait; lobster bisque; celery and apple salad; grilled south coast lemon sole; vanilla cheesecake and finally the cheese board. It’s hard to move afterward, but every delicious bite is worth it.
The film then looks at some of the ship’s stunning bars, all designed in a round shape to make them more sociable. One of the line’s signature spots is its ‘Queens Room’ (all four Cunard ships have one) and Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux is in the Queen Anne’s while I’m there. He has started a new partnership with Cunard, in which he has designed some of their menus. She will also have her own pop-up restaurant on board.
In the video, he talks about how important good ingredients are and how Cunard puts a lot of attention and time into sourcing superior quality food.
The end of the video is all about entertainment, from live music to an ambitious and brilliantly staged full-length production of Noel Coward’s play Brief Encounter in the line’s first two-story theater. This show encompasses everything that Queen Anne represents: she is elegant, sophisticated and likes to let her hair down. And there’s no better way to end a day on board than with an evening boogie.
The writing: Jo’s film shows the luxurious library on the ship, which arrived in the UK for the first time this week.
Queen Anne is the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag and the fourth ship to join the current Cunard fleet.
Throughout her first season, Queen Anne will sail from Southampton on itineraries to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands and the Norwegian Fjords.
Set sail today for Lisbon, Portugal. Visit www.cunard.co.uk.
For more videos from Jo visit her YouTube channel. go with jo.
Michel Roux, owner of the two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche restaurant in London, has developed an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant and a new menu for the Queen Anne pub, the Golden Lion (above)
Interior of the Grand Lobby aboard the Queen Anne. It features the largest curated collection of art at sea, with 4,000 works of art by painters, photographers and illustrators adorning its decks.
Guests can enjoy ocean views from the Panorama Pool Club (above), which features a central pool and whirlpools.
Cunard’s new ship Queen Anne has entered UK waters for the first time, making a grand entrance to its home port of Southampton.
