8 Things I liked About Cunard’s Queen Anne and Three Things I hated
The new Queen Anne cruise ship from Cunard is docked here in beautiful Flam, Norway. (Photo by John Roberts)
Queen Anne is Cunard’s new cruise ship, the first vessel to join the storied fleet in 14 years.
This created a lot of excitement for travelers who adore the three others Queens – Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and the world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2.
The more Queens the merrier!
I jumped on this new ship on its itinerary this summer in the Norwegian fjords.
Queen Anne carries up to 2,996 passengers, making it the largest in the Cunard fleet.
This new cruise ship joins the British line that is hugely popular with cruisers from the U.K. and, of course, shows off its English heritage in the design of the ship and onboard programming.
Afternoon tea and black-tie galas are a big deal on these voyages.
Our weeklong itinerary started and ended at the port of Southampton, England, with three sea days and visits to Bergen, Flam and Olden in Norway after crossing the North Sea.
We experienced beautiful coastal villages and stunning scenery as we sailed through majestic fjords.
There are a few new features onboard alongside some Cunard favorites. In this post, I’ll talk about what I liked about my cruise on Queen Anne and some that don’t quite work for me.
The 8 Best Things on Cunard’s Queen Anne Cruise Ship
1. The Pavilion and Wellness Cafe
The Pavilion is a two-deck space that encompasses the pool deck, restaurants and bars on Queen Anne. The roof can be closed to provide a comfortable space in all weather conditions. (Photo by John Roberts)
We had fantastic weather for five of our seven days, and these all were stacked at the start of the voyage.
This meant the main pool area, a two-deck-high space called The Pavilion was the natural centerpiece of the ship.
This is a gorgeous spot with wonderful seating areas and views of the ocean. Cruisers enjoy the main pool area on Deck 9 and the cozy couches and other seating on Deck 10 that overlook the pool deck.
Aside from the pool, there is a large screen that shows movies and sporting events. We were onboard during the Euro soccer championships, so we were able to enjoy a number of matches in The Pavilion on the big screen alongside other football fanatics.
Cruisers enjoyed the pool and hot tubs here in a relaxing environment. There always seemed to be plenty of loungers and daybeds available.
The Pavilion Grill feature burgers, brats, chicken sandwiches and fries. And the nearby Gelateria serves up to eight kinds of gelatos and sorbets (added charge).
There also is a large bar you can approach to order a drink or ask one of the cocktail servers to get you a beer, cocktail or soda.
On the higher deck in The Pavilion, there also is a bar and the Wellness Cafe. I think this is a wonderful addition because it offers a whole slew of healthy meal choices for breakfast or lunch.
The Wellness Cafe serves breakfast and an all-day menu with healthy bowls. You can build one to your own taste with items like quinoa, spinach, kale, edamame, roasted broccoli, hummus and baba ganoush and adding proteins such as chicken, salmon and tofu.
You also can get kombucha and cold-pressed juices, plus a variety of healthful sweet treats. This was one of my favorite places to come for lunch and sit in the comfy seating areas over the pool.
Daily events also take place in The Pavilion. You can find activities such as a silent disco night, as well as the movies and concerts shown on the big screen.
2. Sky Bar
Way up on Deck 14 at the front of the ship is Sky Bar. This is a sprawling open-air bar with cozy seating areas off to each side. It connects to more seating and conversation areas at the very bow of the ship.
You get wonderful views up here, and it’s a good spot for sailaways and sunsets.
A fun variety of deck sports also are available up here, with ping-pong, a pickleball/paddle tennis court, shuffleboard and golf activities. There is a putting green and driving range.
3. Thermal Suite
The thermal suite features a pool and many other experiences. (Photo by John Roberts)
Queen Anne's Mareel Spa and Salon features a nice thermal suite. This relaxing retreat is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and offers a variety of saunas, a steam room, shower experiences and thermal soaking pool.
Cruisers can book a pass to enjoy the thermal suite for the entire cruise for $179 (seven-day voyage) or spend $59 for a two-hour session.
4. Aranya
This pork belly sandwich was one of the delicious appetizers we had during our meal at Aranya. (Photo by John Roberts)
This Indian restaurant was our favorite dining experience on Queen Anne.
Aranya is one of two specialty restaurants located in spaces within the ship’s Artisans’ Foodhall buffet eatery. The dining experience comes with a $35 cover charge, and the menu lets you choose from fantastic appetizers such as softshell crab with masala frites, smoked chili pork belly and duck kebabs. Entrees include roasted wild turbot, tandoor roasted wild spatchcock poussin (chicken), spiced beef short rib, grilled lobster tail ($15 price supplement) or pot sealed biryani with lamb shoulder.
Look at this wonderful spread of dishes we enjoyed alongside our main courses. (Photo by John Roberts)
You get plenty of basmati rice, naan bread and dips for the table, too.
Colleen and I had a satisfying meal flavored with tasty spices that left us smiling.
5. Golden Lion
The Golden Lion pub is a large space that hosts a wide variety of activities during the cruise. (Photo by John Roberts)
This is the vibrant British pub on Queen Anne, and we spent as much time here as anywhere else.
The huge pub is home to many events throughout the cruise, with trivia, bingo, live music, darts competitions and sporting events on the TVs.
This was our first stop on embarkation day because we wanted to try the lunch menu (included in your fare). There is a daily special for lunch, such as cottage pie with braised beef shin and steamed lemon sponge pudding. The everyday menu features a smoked haddock scotch egg and beer-brined smoked ham hock fritters for appetizers and mains such as beer-battered fish and black pudding and apple sausage.
You also can order a Golden Lion burger or a gourmet three-cheese toastie for an added price. I liked the burger so much that I had it twice for lunches.
6. The “Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of)” Show
The highlight among all the entertainment was the Pride and Predujice show in the ship’s main theater. (Photo by John Roberts)
The ship’s Royal Court Theatre is home to a wonderfully entertaining production show that is a funny take on the classic Jane Austen love story.
This updated play by Isobel McArthur is an award-winner on London’s West End. It was an impressive display of acting by the five female cast members who played every part in the show, and this covers about a dozen characters. I enjoyed the sharp humor and mix of familiar hit songs that complemented the storyline.
7. Bright Lights Society
Noir is a delightful show that was featured in Bright Lights Society during our voyage. (Photo by John Roberts)
This is an intimate bar and lounge that serves as the venue for the show Noir.
This is a fun and interactive murder mystery. There were two showings per night in the club, so you had to make reservations to secure a seat. The audience is part of the adults-only show as you are transported to a 1940s- and ’50s-era speakeasy with live music, dancing and plenty of laughs as detectives work to solve a surprising murder.
8. The Promenade
This is a simple choice for a favorite, but as an active cruiser who loves to be outdoors, I love it when my cruise ship has an excellent promenade.
Deck 3 on Queen Anne features a complete walk-all-the-way-around promenade for walkers and joggers. The promenade has beautiful views to the sea (with benches to just relax out here, too), and it measures 2.5 laps per mile.
Colleen and I enjoyed going out for a nice walk around sunset a couple times during our voyage.
The 3 Things I Hated on Queen Anne
1. Ship Layout
The ship is pretty but has a few spots that are downright confusing when it comes to trying to get from one end to the other. This is especially true on the outside upper decks when crossing from the Sky Bar past the Pavilion and trying to reach the aft areas. You might find yourself walking through exclusive Grills Terrace, which is for suite passengers, or needing to go back inside to go down or up a deck to make your way through.
2. Wellness Studio
This seems like a wonderful addition, and I was excited to hear that Queen Anne offers an outdoor Wellness Studio (positioned atop the Pavilion space).
But it sits there for much of the day with equipment like yoga mats and foam rollers locked up and inaccessible to cruisers who might want to use them for an individualized workout or stretch session on their own schedule. The space is mostly wasted and accounts for the frustrating design of the outer decks that make the navigation of the ship a little tricky that I talked about just above.
You can only use this space if you have signed up and pay for a group class.
3. Artisans’ Foodhall Buffet
This buffet eatery was always crowded at breakfast and lunch, and that’s to be expected on a cruise, of course. However, the meal choices were mostly the same every day and of mediocre quality and taste.
Also, it takes far too long to get your plate filled while standing in long lines. This is exacerbated by the fact that you cannot serve yourself. Instead, a crew member will place your selections on your plate. This is good for hygiene, I realize, but I found that this whole process left me wondering why I was waiting in lines so long for a simple salad and average food.
The Panorama Pool area at the aft of the ship is a spectacular place to relax with all the views. (Photo by John Roberts)
Queen Anne has a lot more to enjoy on your cruise. The afternoon tea in the Queens Room is spectacular, and there are 14 dining options on the ship, with a mix of included and specialty eateries.
Live music and other entertainment fill the venues and a packed daily program.
To check out the all the features of the ship and what the staterooms look like, check out my video tours: