Our First (Upgraded) Voyage!
Cunard’s Queen Victoria sailed from Southampton to the British overseas territory of Bermuda then on to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Click here for TripAdvisor reviews on the ship.
For years I’d wanted to try cruising and it just hadn’t happened. So when our 30th wedding anniversary came around we decided it was time. I spent hours on the internet researching which cruise, where and if I could get it at a good price and the choice was never ending. Where to start??
Because we wanted transatlantic to fit in with our other travel plans our search soon narrowed it down. For the dates we wanted Cunard’s Queen Victoria was perfect for our maiden voyage.
Checking my trusty Tesco Clubcard points I decided that the spending limits were too restrictive. You do get £30 of Cunard vouchers for every £10 of Clubcard points but there is a spend limit with Cunard of £810 per booking and they can’t be used for their Early Saver or Saver Fares.
Booking Process
Booking 4-5 months ahead we couldn’t find anyone offering a better price on the Victoria than Cunard themselves using their early saver option. We chose the option without the returning flight because we were continuing on from Fort Lauderdale. To see how we used our loyalty points to upgrade our flight home click here.
Now, as a cruising newbie I had no idea where in the ship I wanted to be and what to expect. I needed help. David has a tendency towards claustrophobia so a basic inside cabin wouldn’t work and neither would one with a porthole. He needs to be able to get out into the fresh sea air.
I did look longingly at the Princess and Queen Grills accommodation I admit. But once I’d finished daydreaming and reality checked the bank account then Cunard’s Queen Victoria basic balcony was clearly the one for us.
The Cunard representative on the phone guided me easily through the booking process with advice about where we would be more comfortable. She was so helpful and patient with me making sure we had a stateroom fairly close to the lifts for accessibility.
Health Issues
Having two types of Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Asthma, I need to be warm and comfortable, so traipsing along miles of corridors with the aforementioned Mr Claustrophobia isn’t our idea of heaven. Cunard recommended a stateroom that was mid-ship where there is less ‘rock and roll’ which helped to allay any fears about being stricken with mal de mer!
Destination
In Winter, Florida is the perfect haven for me. Read our article on Florida getaways here. Not too humid with lots of warm sunshine so exactly where I wanted to be. Bermuda was on my bucket list so having it as a port of call really excited me. But whilst counting the weeks to our departure we were in for a lovely surprise.
A Christmas Surprise!
Just before Christmas we received a letter from Cunard telling us they were changing our cabin number. I was a little concerned as we’d chosen our original cabin very carefully – midship and not too far from the lifts.
Going online to see Cunard’s Queen Victoria deck plan I was stunned to see we had been put in a Princess Grill Suite! I couldn’t believe it. It must be a mistake.
I couldn’t bear the suspense of waiting until Sailing day and then being disappointed so I called them. It was true! We had been upgraded.
Upgraded? But How?
I have my own theory on this. When I phoned Cunard to book our passage I jokingly mentioned that any upgrades would be gratefully accepted. To my surprise the staff member said if we were happy to upgrade (happy? we’d be ecstatic!!!) she would put a note on our account in case any became available. We hadn’t received upgrades on any travel before so I thought nothing more of it. I honestly didn’t think first timers would get an upgrade.
Looking back I’m convinced that booking directly with Cunard rather than a third party agent helped. It’s common sense that they will give their own customers first priority on just about everything. Asking about an upgrade when booking was obviously a good move too judging by the response. I was literally joking when I said it but it’s now part of my standard booking conversation.
The following year Cunard had a special promotion offering a free cabin upgrade to everyone who booked with them. I’m guessing if they’ve done it once they may well do it again so watch out for their cruise deals .
Princess Grill
We sailed from Southampton on Cunard’s Queen Victoria in early January, across the Atlantic to Bermuda then on to Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale where we disembarked.
Our stateroom was beautiful. Spotlessly clean with champagne, strawberries and chocolates to welcome us aboard. It was cosy and warm with a full bathroom stocked with Penhaligons Quercus toiletries, a dressing area and a safe. The fridge was fully stocked with drinks, Godiva chocolates and Pringles. The only thing missing was tea and coffee making facilities but I believe MS Queen Victoria has been remastered since our voyage to include these. The bliss of waking up on a Sealy Cunard mattress and having your morning cup of tea or coffee just the way you like it is a wonderful start to your day. In the meantime though for this voyage we had room service.
Feeling Special
Apart from having a butler and assistant butler we had the privilege of dining in the Princess Grills Restaurant for every meal on deck eleven. Access to this deck is reserved only for Grills passengers and to take the lift to this deck you have to put your room card into a slot on the lift panel. Other passengers could only travel to deck ten. It was a very special feeling but at first it did feel a little awkward doing this in front of other people.
The Maitre d’ knew us by name from the first evening and we had the same waiter (Nittin) and Sommelier (Roberto). They treated us with courtesy and respect and nothing was too much trouble for them. We were thoroughly spoiled. The food was out of this world. I haven’t experienced such exquisite presentation and flavour and with the exception of our last night I made a point of trying something different every evening. You are so cosseted the thought of leaving all this wonderful cocoon of service and cuisine behind at the end of our voyage wasn’t welcome.
Accessibility
Ships aren’t really wheelchair friendly places but if your mobility issues aren’t too severe they’re easy to get around. There’s always somewhere to stop for a sit down and having a room near the lifts is always a good idea. You can take a service dog with you for free. However if your dog or cat is travelling with you because you can’t bear to be parted then you have to pay. There are on-board kennels and areas to exercise them along with an owners lounge.
Cunard’s Queen Victoria’s Comfort Level
If you have health conditions that require warmth and comfort you’ll be pleased to know that even in January the ship is warm and cosy throughout. The mattresses on the beds have been created specifically for Cunard and they are so comfy. Thankfully Sealy will sell them to the general public. When we got home I went straight online and bought one for myself!
Shopping and Spending On Board
Thankfully we got a free on board spend of $325 each for our voyage but even so drinks and goods on first impression seemed expensive. At various intervals Cunard posts your bill under your door and ours were looking a bit scary. We highly recommend buying a soft drinks package at the very least.
Tobacco and alcohol from the duty free shop on board is a reasonable price. We didn’t go for the wifi package as it looked expensive so we had a bit of a technical detox. However, after nearly fainting at the size of the bill by the end of our voyage there was some soothing relief.
The on board exchange rate Cunard work on is $2 to £1 meaning our $1100 bill after taking off our joint complimentary $650 was only £225. Something to bear in mind for next time and not bad for 11 nights of partying.
Overall Opinion and Cost
For our 11 nights on board Cunard’s Queen Victoria we paid £1149 each for a balcony stateroom with shower only and $325 each on board spend. Had we paid for our Princess Grill Stateroom the cost would have been around £2300 each with only a $120 spend.
There’s no doubt that our upgrade made our Cunard experience a very special one but without the upgrade we can still highly recommend everything about our cruise. For TripAdvisor reviews of the ship click here.
The one word of advice here is to book directly with Cunard – even if you see it cheaper via a third party. Tell them and you may get a pleasant surprise at what they will offer you. Happy Sailing Folks!