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A new wellness-themed cafe and upgraded cabins have been added to Cunard’s Queen Victoria cruise ship following a three-week refurbishment.
The 2,000 capacity vessel entered the Damen Shiprepair dockyard in Rotterdam for a revamp last month and has emerged with new features this week.
Guests will find new regal decor in the Grand Lobby as they embark.
The iconic Queens Room, famous for ballroom dancing and afternoon teas has new floral borders inspired by the Royal Palaces as well as Queen Victoria’s beloved orange blossom jewellery that was gifted to her by Prince Albert.
Butterflies also feature in the design, offering a subtle nod to the Royal Family’s longstanding commitment to the natural world.
The refurbishment has introduced eight additional Britannia cabins, including three in a new premium category, Britannia Deluxe Oceanview, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows designed to maximise ocean views.
New furnishings have also been added to the ship’s Princess Grill and Queens Grill Suites and their dedicated restaurants
Passengers will also find The Pavilion Wellness Café on the pool deck. A new venue, introduced on sister ships Queen Anne and Queen Elizabeth, offering breakfast, lunch and daytime dining centred around plant-based cuisine alongside sustainably sourced meat, fish and dairy options.
The ship’s new features were shown to guests for the first time this week as she embarked on a 16-night cruise from Southampton to Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
The ship will embark on her 109-night world cruise on 10 January 2027, calling at 32 ports including Hong Kong, Sydney and Cape Town, alongside maiden calls to Dakar, Senegal, and Durban, South Africa.
Paul Ludlow, president of Cunard, said: “Queen Victoria has long been loved by our guests for her timeless elegance, distinctive character and uniquely warm atmosphere. This transformation has been carefully designed to celebrate those qualities while introducing thoughtful enhancements that reflect the expectations of today’s luxury traveller.
“Whether guests are enjoying the reimagined Queens Room, relaxing in our enhanced Grill Suites or dining at The Pavilion Wellness Café, every aspect of the refurbishment has been created to enrich the experience on board. We are delighted to share this first look, and look forward to welcoming guests on board for Queen Victoria’s next chapter.”
The upgrade comes as Cunard has revealed designs for a major refurbishment for Queen Mary 2 next year.
The cruise ship, which is the world’s only ocean liner, will enter dry dock at Damen Shiprepair Brest in France in March 2027 for a two-month upgrade.
The Queen Mary 2 makeover will introduce 31 new cabins, new interiors and expanded spaces on the pool deck, in the restaurants, as well as the onboard spa and famous kennels.
Read more: How family-friendly is a Cunard cruise?