MS Queen Victoria

MS Queen Victoria is a Cunard Line cruise ship named for Queen Victoria, the former British monarch. The vessel is part of the Vista class and is closely related in basic design to other cruise ships built for companies within the Carnival Corporation group, including Queen Elizabeth. At approximately 90,049 gross tons, Queen Victoria is the smallest of Cunard's operating Queen ships described in the reference material. The ship was developed after Carnival transferred an earlier Vista-class order from Holland America Line to Cunard. That initial hull was subsequently reassigned and became the P&O Cruises ship Arcadia. Cunard then commissioned a new vessel from the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The replacement design was enlarged and adapted to incorporate features associated with Queen Mary 2, while retaining the economic advantages of a Vista-class cruise-ship platform. Its keel was laid in May 2006, and the completed ship was floated out in January 2007. After sea trials, Queen Victoria reached Southampton in December 2007 and was formally named by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Queen Victoria is not a traditional ocean liner in the structural sense used for heavily plated transatlantic ships. Its hull is primarily that of a modern cruise ship, although the bow incorporates heavier plating and the vessel has a high freeboard. Cunard has nevertheless presented the ship through a liner-oriented design language. Its interiors draw on the company's historical style, combining formal public rooms, traditional maritime references and contemporary cruise amenities. The ship includes the Royal Court Theatre, a casino, the Golden Lion Pub, Queen's Room, library, formal dining spaces, a Winter Garden with retractable glass roofing, multiple lounges, pools, a health club and spa, and the Commodore Club and Yacht Club nightclub. A defining element of the onboard product is Cunard's graded dining arrangement. Passengers generally dine in Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill or Queen's Grill according to their accommodation category. Queen Victoria also provides private outdoor areas for Grill passengers. The Royal Court Theatre was notable for incorporating private boxes, while the library was designed over two levels with a connecting spiral staircase. The ship entered service in December 2007 with a ten-day northern European maiden cruise. It then undertook a Canary Islands voyage and a 107-day world cruise. One of the best-known moments in its early service was the January 2008 meeting in New York Harbor with Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2, accompanied by fireworks near the Statue of Liberty. Later Cunard rendezvous brought the three Queen ships together in New York, Southampton, Lisbon and Liverpool for anniversaries and other commemorations. Queen Victoria has experienced routine operational incidents, including a 2008 collision with a pier in Malta after a thruster or throttle malfunction and several reported norovirus outbreaks. These events did not end the ship's service. In 2017 it underwent a major refit that added and refurbished accommodation and public areas, including a Britannia Club restaurant, updated Chart Room, refreshed Winter Garden and Yacht Club spaces, and a new outdoor pool area. The vessel continues to represent Cunard's premium, tradition-led cruise proposition, combining formal service and heritage styling with the itinerary range and amenities of a modern cruise ship.

Queen Victoria originated in Carnival Corporation's effort to allocate a Vista-class ship among its cruise brands. An earlier order associated with Holland America Line was transferred to Cunard, then reassigned again and ultimately completed as P&O Cruises' Arcadia. Cunard subsequently ordered a new vessel from Fincantieri in 2004. The replacement design was longer and larger than the earlier concept and increased passenger capacity while incorporating features that had proved successful on Queen Mary 2. Construction began with keel-laying on 12 May 2006. The ship was assembled from prefabricated steel blocks containing structural elements, cabling and ductwork. It was floated out on 15 January 2007 after a ceremony involving a bottle of Prosecco and the traditional placement of coins beneath the radar mast. Queen Victoria left Venice for sea trials in August 2007 and was handed over to Cunard before arriving in Southampton on 7 December. On the same day, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, named the vessel. The christening bottle initially failed to break, but a backup bottle succeeded. The maiden voyage began on 11 December 2007 as a ten-day northern European cruise. A Canary Islands voyage followed, and the ship then embarked on a 107-day world cruise. On 13 January 2008, Queen Victoria crossed the Atlantic in tandem with Queen Elizabeth 2 and met Queen Mary 2 in New York. The event created a rare gathering of three Cunard Queen ships near the Statue of Liberty and included fireworks. The ships later met again in Southampton after a schedule change. Operational incidents during the early service period included a norovirus outbreak on a December 2007 voyage and a collision with a pier at Malta in May 2008 after a malfunction affecting maneuvering equipment. The ship remained operational after repairs, although it missed a port call. Additional norovirus outbreaks were recorded on voyages in 2010 and 2018. Queen Victoria continued to operate long-distance and world-cruise itineraries. It participated in several Cunard rendezvous: a three-ship meeting in New York in January 2011, a Diamond Jubilee gathering in Southampton in June 2012, a Lisbon meeting connected with Queen Mary 2's tenth anniversary in May 2014, and a major 175th-anniversary celebration in Liverpool in May 2015. The Liverpool event included a synchronized maneuver by the three ships and a Red Arrows flypast and attracted large crowds along the River Mersey. In late 2011 the ship's registry changed to Hamilton, Bermuda, and the Southampton lettering on the stern was replaced by Hamilton. The change supported the ability to conduct weddings aboard the ship. Cunard also announced Inger Klein Olsen as Queen Victoria's captain in 2010, making her the line's first female captain. A major refit took place in May 2017. The work added cabins toward the stern, refreshed existing accommodation and public rooms, introduced a Britannia Club restaurant and updated the Chart Room, Winter Garden, Yacht Club and outdoor pool area. Queen Victoria's service identity remains tied to Cunard's heritage-focused premium cruise model: formal dining tiers, classic décor, large public rooms, entertainment and spa facilities, and itineraries spanning regional cruises, crossings and world voyages.

• 2017

  Major refit

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  The ship received refreshed public rooms, new dining facilities, additional cabins and an updated outdoor pool area.

• 2015

  Cunard 175th anniversary gathering

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  The three active Cunard Queen ships gathered in Liverpool for the line's 175th anniversary celebrations.

• 2011

  Registry transferred to Bermuda

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  Queen Victoria changed registry to Hamilton, Bermuda, supporting onboard wedding ceremonies.

• 2010

  Third world cruise completed

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  The ship completed its third world cruise and welcomed the appointment of Inger Klein Olsen as its incoming captain.

• 2008

  First three-Queen rendezvous

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  Queen Victoria met Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2 in New York during its first world cruise.

• 2007

  Ship floated out and named

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was floated out in January, completed sea trials in August and was named in Southampton in December.

• 2007

  Commercial service begins

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  Queen Victoria began its maiden cruise on 11 December.

• 2006

  Keel laid

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  The keel of the new Queen Victoria was laid at Fincantieri on 12 May.

• 2004

  Cunard orders a new Vista-class ship

  [1]MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org

  Cunard ordered a new Fincantieri-built vessel after an earlier Vista-class hull allocation was reassigned to P&O Cruises.

A premium Cunard cruise experience built around British maritime heritage, formal service, traditional décor, graded dining and worldwide itineraries on a modern Vista-class ship.

• Cruise ship · 2007

  Queen Victoria cruise voyages

  Queen Victoria operates as a premium passenger cruise ship offering regional cruises, European itineraries, transatlantic crossings and long-duration world voyages. Its onboard proposition combines accommodation, dining, entertainment, recreation and shore itineraries under the Cunard brand.

• Cruise accommodation · 2007

  Britannia accommodation and dining

  Britannia is the standard passenger accommodation and dining tier. The associated public spaces provide the principal mainstream cruise experience, while the later Britannia Club restaurant offers an additional dining option for eligible guests.

• Premium cruise accommodation · 2007

  Princess Grill and Queen's Grill

  The Princess Grill and Queen's Grill tiers serve passengers in higher-category suites. They provide differentiated dining and private or semi-private spaces, including Grill terraces, reinforcing Cunard's traditional separation of accommodation and service levels.

• 2015Cunard 175th anniversary Liverpool celebration

  United Kingdom

  Queen Victoria joined Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth in Liverpool to mark 175 years of Cunard history.

  Outcome. The synchronized river maneuver, ship formation and Red Arrows flypast drew an estimated 1.3 million spectators along the River Mersey.

  Source
• 2012Diamond Jubilee Royal Rendezvous

  United Kingdom

  The three Cunard Queen ships assembled in Southampton as part of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

  Outcome. The gathering reinforced the association between Cunard's Queen ships and British royal and maritime symbolism.

  Source
• 2011New York Royal Rendezvous

  United States

  Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 met in New York for a second three-ship Cunard gathering.

  Outcome. The event used fireworks and an illuminated Empire State Building to create a large-scale heritage marketing moment.

  Source
• 2008First Royal Rendezvous

  United States · United Kingdom

  Queen Victoria crossed the Atlantic with Queen Elizabeth 2 and met Queen Mary 2 in New York, creating a highly visible gathering of three Cunard Queen ships.

  Outcome. The rendezvous became a prominent expression of Cunard's fleet heritage and was accompanied by fireworks near the Statue of Liberty.

  Source

• 2017

  Major onboard refurbishmentOther

  Background

  Cunard refreshed the ship's accommodation, dining and public spaces during a major overhaul.

  Action taken

  The refit introduced or updated Britannia Club, the Chart Room, Winter Garden, Yacht Club, cabins and the outdoor pool area.

  Aftermath

  The ship returned with refreshed facilities and an expanded premium onboard offering.

  Source

• 2011

  Registry changed to BermudaStrategy

  Background

  Cunard sought to enable weddings to be conducted aboard its ships.

  Action taken

  Queen Victoria changed its registry to Hamilton, Bermuda.

  Aftermath

  The ship became eligible to host weddings under the new registry arrangement.

  Source

• 2004

  Cunard adopts a modified Vista-class platformStrategy

  Background

  The cost of constructing Queen Mary 2 at a premium per-berth level encouraged Carnival and Cunard to use a more economical Vista-class basis for the next Queen ship.

  Action taken

  Cunard commissioned a modified Vista-class vessel from Fincantieri, enlarging the design and adding features associated with Queen Mary 2.

  Aftermath

  Queen Victoria entered service as a modern cruise ship with a strong liner-inspired visual and service identity.

  Source

1. 1MS Queen Victoriaen.wikipedia.org