Onboard Queen Anne... and spotting Santa in July!

Queen Anne is the newest ship in the Cunard fleet and offers a fantastic blend of the timeless style and elegance you’d expect of this heritage cruise brand, but with sleek new additions. Rebecca, from our Lymington shop, enjoyed a 7-night cruise to Norway, and was thrilled to finally enjoy the Cunard experience that she has booked for her customers so many times!

“Upon boarding Queen Anne, I was struck by her elegance and how lovely it was to see staff dressed in traditional attire – a real hark back to the golden era of cruising. Having a good look round the ship I was struck by how much space there was and, despite the number of people on board, it never felt crowded. I was surprised by the variety of passengers, from multi-generational families to couples and solo travelers. Queen Anne clearly has something to offer everyone.

I had a BD Grade Balcony Cabin located on deck 5. The cabin comfortably accommodated twin beds, a sofa and dressing table. There was plenty of wardrobe space and a lovely soft dressing gown was provided, which was very welcome. A bottle of bubbles was in our room to enjoy – which we did!

The large indoor pool was a lovely space to enjoy a drink, with a burger bar and a Wellness café, both of which had some delicious offerings. The Library, Commodore’s Club and the Chart Room offered opulent seating areas, with lovely views and a quiet space for passengers to sit and enjoy. The Queen’s Room had plenty of varied activities day and night, and at 3 o’clock each day, this was the place to come and partake in a delightful Afternoon Tea. This was included in the cost of the cruise and was a lovely way to enjoy fine sandwiches and delicious cakes – very yummy! Dotted around the ship plenty of bars were available to get a drink, and no waiting time was ever encountered. There were such a vast number of areas that you could relax in - it never felt overwhelming, despite having nearly 3000 people onboard.

As well as dining in the main restaurants, Britannia or the Artisan Food Hall, you could book and pay an additional charge to experience a meal in one of the specialty restaurants, with prices ranging from $35 to $65 dollars. I took the opportunity to sample as many as I could, and they all offered a great variety of dishes. With wine to complement the dishes, each evening was a dining experience to relish.

As well as the large pool in the Wellness Area to enjoy, there were also had a couple of hot tubs on the aft deck for passengers to soak up the gorgeous weather that we were lucky enough to experience. Having ventured down to see the sumptuous spa, it did not disappoint! If you wanted to attend fitness classes or enjoy the gym these were easily accessible, and they had lots to offer, with something for all abilities.

The staff were always warm and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. The cruise had a real relaxed feel - during the day, fellow passengers wore casual clothes and in the evening the majority took the opportunity to dress up smartly. We had two themed nights whilst on board, and it was lovely to see everyone’s varied outfits. To save a trip to the ironing boards in the laundry room, I found that a crease release spray worked well and was easy to use.

Evening entertainment had plenty of variety, from comedy to a singer and a dance show from the entertainment team. We were lucky enough to attend a show called Noir which was fun and interactive. I also enjoyed various bar quizzes in the Golden Lion, which has a fun, pub-like atmosphere.

Our first port of call in Norway was Kristiansand and we disembarked to enjoy a stroll around the local area, exploring the cathedral and local cafes.

We then moved onto Oslo where we docked overnight. Here we enjoyed an informative escorted tour to a local glasswork, where we watched a glass blowing demonstration and then had time to wander around and sample tea and cake. We also stopped by the Olympic Holmenkollen ski slope and marveled at its size – not something I would want to do!!

Our second day in Oslo saw us venture off the ship to take a stroll around viewing the various monuments and grand buildings. A local drink was enjoyed outside a café, we went to the Opera house and enjoyed the views from the roof. Our last port of call was Skagen – the most northern point of Denmark where the Baltic Sea meets the North Sea coming from the opposite direction. The two seas of different density meet but do not mix. Whilst walking through Skagen we encountered a parade of Santas – most unusual for the middle of July!

Being able to experience Queen Anne firsthand was such a fantastic opportunity, sampling all that she has to offer. I feel that she would appeal to so many customers as she has fantastic itineraries and a host of opportunities on board. Despite the fact she is slightly more modern than her sister ships, you still feel you are enjoying the quintessential experience of cruising with Cunard.

You can talk to Rebecca at Lymington, or to find your local shop click here.

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