Cunard Queen Anne ship review

Grand pianos, a sweeping staircase and porters wearing white gloves are just a few of the signs that Cunard knows how to give its guests the royal treatment.

Its newest ship, Queen Anne, has all the glamour of the roaring 20s. All that’s missing are men dressed in tuxedos, smoking cigars. But wait, it has those too – as there’s a cigar lounge on deck 12.

Cunard has epitomised glamour ever since the line was established, attracting famous passengers from Charles Dickens to Judy Garland. So when I am invited to Queen Anne’s launch, I make sure I pack some sparkle.

Cunard's continued mantra

When the Canadian timber merchant Sir Samuel Cunard founded the eponymous line in 1840, its fleet treated guests to the luxuries of the time – back then, cows were kept on board to provide fresh milk each day.

But Cunard was humble too; rolling up its dinner jacket sleeves to transport horses and later troops during the Crimean War, Second World War and Falklands War. It also helped rescue survivors of the doomed Titanic in 1912.

By the 1950s, screen goddess Rita Hayworth, playwright Sir Noel Coward and Hollywood mogul Walt Disney were enchanted by the line, while in the 1990s it lured music stars including David Bowie and Rod Stewart.

Today the line has a fleet of four ships: its flagship Queen Mary 2 – the only ocean liner to regularly cross the Atlantic – alongside Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and now Queen Anne.

Queen Anne: A new golden era of travel

Inspired by the line’s heritage, Queen Anne’s design pays homage to nostalgia – think 19th- century craftsmanship, a lion and crest on the hull and golden columns resembling a 1920s hotel lobby.

Mum of two Muireann Bolger says, “Queen Anne is luxurious, glamorous, elegant. Everything is gleaming in gold and bronze. It harks back to the golden age of cruise travel in the 1920s and 1930s – I love the distinctive Art Deco décor, like the wallpaper with its oriental vibe and the curvy lights that remind me of organ pipes.”

The ship’s creative director, Adam Tihany, has worked on luxury hotels around the world, from The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles to Four Seasons Hotel DIFC in Dubai.

So too has interior designer Sybille de Margerie, whose projects include Mandarin Oriental Paris and whose studio is responsible for the ship’s boutiques, spa and Queens Room.

Spread over decks two and three at the heart of the ship, the Queens Room features celestial orbs suspended from a ceiling of stars, with a stage backed by a golden landscape motif. It’s the place to go for daytime dance lessons and afternoon tea, followed by gala evenings, aerial shows and live music after dark.

David Collins Studio – whose credits include The Wolseley, Claridge’s and Harrods’ Fresh Market Hall in London – is behind the Grand Lobby on deck one, a stunning space featuring a curved staircase, marble floor and a mural that tricks the eye.

Queen Anne's suites and cabins

The ship offers staterooms and suites to suit all pockets, ranging from 13 to 134sq m, and even the most modest – Britannia Inside – comes with a king-size bed, complimentary room service and a welcome bottle of sparkling wine.

For more space, choose a Britannia Balcony or Britannia Club Balcony stateroom so you can sit in the sun in private, or treat yourself to a Princess Grill Suite, which grants access to the Princess Grill restaurant.

The Queens Grill Master and Grand Suites, meanwhile, feel more like apartments, with the largest balconies on board and a separate dining room – though you’re also guaranteed a table in the exclusive Queens Grill. Other special touches include a pillow menu, walk-in wardrobes and marble-lined bathrooms with sea views.

Muireann adds, “I appreciate the fine details, like the products in the bedroom and bathrooms by Penhaligon’s – a royal warrant holder – which feel luxurious against your skin.”

Queen Anne: Dining at sea

Once I’ve checked in, it’s time to explore Queen Anne’s restaurants – and with 10 to choose from, that’s no easy feat.

Double Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux has designed the menu for the Golden Lion, a British pub on deck two that serves familiar dishes alongside real ale.

Here you can slink into a leather banquette to watch live sports, join in a quiz or order a bloody Mary and grab the mic for karaoke.

Loyal Cunard guests will notice four new eateries. Deck nine is home to Indian restaurant Aranya and Mediterranean-style Tramonto, which serves dishes on marble tables amid a gold-and-blue colour scheme. The Japanese restaurant Aji Wa and Sir Samuel’s steakhouse, named after Cunard’s founder, are one deck up.

At lunch I browse the 16 food stations in the Artisans’ Foodhall, which serves dishes ranging from crab and clam spaghetti to apple crumble and custard. When night falls, I pull up a seat in the Britannia Club restaurant, which stretches over two storeys.

Muireann adds, “The Britannia Club has a refined ambience, sumptuous wine and delicate cuisine that tantalises the tastebuds, such as lemon sole with Baltic prawns, samphire and creamed leeks.”

Keeping fit: Queen Anne's facilities

Like Queen Mary 2, Queen Anne will make transatlantic crossings, but its host of activities means there’s no chance of being bored on sea days.

Want to work out in the sun? Then power-walk the promenade on deck three – two laps of the ship is about a kilometre. You can also do yoga, Pilates or high-intensity interval training in the Pavilion Wellness Studio, which is flooded with natural light during the day and softly illuminated at dusk.

Queen Anne is also home to one of the biggest gyms I’ve seen on a ship, although I give it a miss in favour of the spa’s hydrotherapy pool and Himalayan salt room – which you can read about in World of Cruising’s September issue.

When it’s time to unwind, guests can play pickleball, shuffleboard or golf on the sundeck’s putting green; soak in a Jacuzzi or swim in one of the pools. The main pool, in The Pavilion, sits beneath a retractable glass dome designed by the architect behind the Louvre Pyramid.

The same space also hosts silent discos, live music and an open-air cinema screening 10 films a month - selected by the British Film Institute (BFI).

Onboard cultural activities

Queen Anne’s cultural activities are as refined as its décor. As well as watching BFI and blockbuster films, you can browse 2,000 volumes in the ship’s library and enjoy more than 4,000 artworks – the largest art collection at sea.

Among them you’ll find ‘Tales of Cunard’ by the conceptual still life photographer Aaron Tilley, a piece inspired by the golden era of transatlantic travel and featuring vintage crystal sculptures, jewellery and a 1936 model of the famous Cunard liner Queen Mary.

There’s more to see at Clarendon Fine Art on deck two, which showcases pieces by LS Lowry and Pablo Picasso alongside contemporary artists.

Muireann adds, “The ship is ideal for couples, a girly trip away and culture enthusiasts because it has an interesting curated collection of antiques; art, history and fashion books in the library; and a gallery lined with artwork by the likes of Banksy, Mr Brainwash and Salvador Dali.”

Art fans can also paint watercolours in a games room that has the ambience of a private club after dark.

Queen Anne: The ultimate drama Queen

As well as listening to after-dinner speakers, guests can play backgammon, chess, cards or do puzzles. Alternatively, you can attend a lecture or see a show at the Royal Court Theatre.

Designed by Richmond International, whose projects include Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, this magnificent performance space features a chandelier, a velvet curtain and 835 velvet seats – enough to rival any West End theatre.

I watched Noel Coward’s 1936 play Brief Encounter (taken from the one-act play Still Life) – adapted by director Emma Rice, who won an Olivier Award for it – but depending on when you sail, you might catch Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of), a fresh take on the Jane Austen classic by Broadway producer David Pugh.

Charlotte Keesing, a director at luxury brands association Walpole, also saw the play. She says, “I’m a first- time cruiser – I’ve only ever been on ferries before – and I’m blown away by the attention to detail; the crew consider everything you need. But the partnerships and collaborations are what make Queen Anne – such as the West End show Brief Encounter and the captain’s suits and bell boys’ uniforms, which were created by a female Savile Row designer.”

Partygoers can celebrate into the night at Bright Lights Society or Room 1840. Named after its eyecatching light installations, the former is decked out in gold and sapphire blue. Come here to dance, or to watch cabaret, burlesque and shows that embrace the senses. Room 1840, meanwhile, is a cocktail bar and casino with slot machines and roulette. Not sure how to play? They’ve thought of that, too, and the space hosts gaming lessons in the afternoons.

When you need to wind down, order a martini in the Commodore Club and appreciate its 270° views. Alternatively, head to Churchill’s cigar lounge – in your tuxedo, of course.

Get onboard!

Check out the Cunard voyages on World of Cruising.