Hello from Southampton and from Cunard’s new Queen Anne cruise ship, the fourth ship to join this classic British cruise line’s fleet and the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag.
Cunard has been operating for 184 years and is one of the world’s most historic cruise lines. All its ships are named after former British monarchs, with Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria already in service.
And the 14-deck, 3,000-passenger Queen Anne is the line’s first new ship in 14 years.
My video takes in this world class vessel’s pools, promenade deck and sweeping staircases as well as one of the poshest suites on board, which comes with its own butler and exclusive restaurant.
Queen Anne oozes with understated opulence and the film begins in front of its iconic funnel before exploring the two main pools (one has a retractable glass roof) as well as its promenade deck and classic deck games.
Queen Anne, which has a maximum speed of 40.7kph (25mph), can carry 3,000 passengers
MailOnline Travel’s Jo Kessel (above) spends the night on Queen Anne ahead of her maiden voyage to Lisbon
Jo’s room is a Queens Grill suite (above), one of the ship’s most prestigious and sought-after cabins
Jo says her room (above) ‘has the feel of a private residence and comes with its own butler, sumptuous bath tub and posh Penhaligon toiletries’
The position of Jo’s room at the back of the ship ‘gives it a fantastically wide and deep balcony’
There’s quoits, 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 U.S.
The footage then moves to the ship’s Grand Lobby, which harks 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 has a display of collector’s items and artefacts, including replica royal rings and tiaras. There’s even one of Princess Diana’s infamous sapphire engagement ring, now worn by Kate.
And Queen Anne has lots of other classy, traditional touches, from the red uniforms worn by its bellhops to its drawing room and library.
The Pavilion – a space featuring a swimming pool as well as a central stage and large LED screen for open-air theatre
Jo meets Cunard’s first-ever female captain, Inger Thorhauge (left), who hails from the Faroe Islands, and one of the traditional bellhops
Jo puts her putting skills to the test on Queen Anne, which she says ‘oozes understated opulence’
Queens Grill suite guests have their own exclusive restaurant (called the Queens Grill), which is the pinnacle of fine dining at sea, says Jo. She enjoys duck liver parfait; lobster bisque; celeriac and apple salad; grilled south-coast lemon sole (left); vanilla cheesecake and finally a cheeseboard
Having launched so many iconic Queens it’s fitting that Cunard is now welcoming its first-ever female captain, Inger Thorhauge, who hails from the Faroe Islands. It was an absolute honour to meet her.
Another honour was spending the night in a Queens Grill suite, one of the ship’s most prestigious and sought-after cabins. It has the feel of a private residence and comes with its own butler, sumptuous bath tub and posh Penhaligon toiletries. And its position at the back of the ship gives it a fantastically wide and deep balcony.
Queens Grill suite guests have their own exclusive restaurant (called the Queens Grill), which is the pinnacle of fine dining at sea. On the menu is a six-course feast and the food’s so superb that I order every course available: duck liver parfait; lobster bisque; celeriac and apple salad; grilled south-coast lemon sole; vanilla cheesecake and finally the cheeseboard. It’s hard to move afterwards, but it’s worth every delicious bite.
Next, the film looks at some of the ship’s dazzling bars, which have all been designed in the round to make them feel more sociable. One of the line’s flagship venues is its ‘Queens Room’ – all four of Cunard’s ships have one – and Michelin-star chef Michel Roux happens to be in the one on Queen Anne while I’m there. He’s begun a new partnership with Cunard, which has seen him design some of its menus. He will also have his own pop-up restaurant on board.
In the video, he talks about how important good ingredients are and how Cunard puts a lot of thought and time into sourcing superior food.
The video’s finale 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-ever two-deck theatre. This show embraces everything Queen Anne is about – it’s classy, sophisticated and likes to let down its hair. And there’s no better way to end a day on board than with a late-night boogie.
The write stuff: Jo’s film showcases 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 Cunard’s current fleet
Throughout her maiden season, Queen Anne will sail from Southampton on itineraries to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands and the Norwegian Fjords.
She sets sail today for Lisbon, Portugal. Visit www.cunard.co.uk.
For more videos from Jo visit her YouTube channel Go with Jo.
Michel Roux, who owned the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche in London, has developed an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant and a new menu for Queen Anne’s pub, the Golden Lion (above)
Interior of the Grand Lobby on board Queen Anne. She features the largest curated collection of art at sea, with 4,000 pieces of art by painters, photographers and illustrators adorning her decks
Guests can enjoy sea views from the Panorama Pool Club (above) – which features a central pool and whirlpools
Cunard’s brand-new ship, Queen Anne, has entered UK waters for the first time, making a grand entrance into her home port of Southampton
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