Unlike some compatriots and friends who tend to pass off ocean-liner cruises as boring and uneventful, they appeal to me big time, for various reasons:
For starters, you don’t have to schlep around suitcases day in and out. More often than not, on-board service surpasses that offered by the best land-based hotels. With every conceivable convenience at your doorstep, you can enjoy a variety of activities and entertainment, even grab the opportunity to learn more about astronomy, chess and bridge, or get up to speed with the latest digital technologies, cooking and art classes. But if you really want to chill, you can park yourself on a deck chair with a book or simply watch life passing you by.
Even if you insist on maintaining your daily workout, you can sweat it out in a state-of-the-art fitness centre, followed by a relaxing spa or sauna session. Moreover, when the ship docks at the different destinations en route, you can disembark, either going on one of several organised excursions or exploring the town or city at leisure. Boring?
I rest my case.
When friends suggested we join them on the maiden voyage of the new Queen Elizabeth around the British Isles (with substantial discount and perks for early-bird bookings), we jumped at the opportunity. And we weren’t disappointed.
Travelling on this magnificent vessel for a full 12 days and experiencing much of what it has to offer was probably the closest to heaven I will come in my earthly lifetime. The sterling service, the comfortable and stylish accommodation, five-star meals and the huge crowds the liner lured to every port along the way to witness the splendour of the new Cunard progeny gave us a wee taste of Royal life itself.
Sporting a slender and stately bow and characteristic black and brick-coloured funnels like its predecessors, this latest addition to the Cunard fleet – the third in the line’s 171-year history to carry the name Elizabeth – is thoroughly royal, with all the pomp and circumstance associated with the British monarchy.
After swiftly moving through the registration queue at Southampton’s Mayflower terminal on a sunny Friday afternoon, we embarked at the triple-height Grand Lobby which, with its monumental marquetry panel on the sweeping staircase depicting the port bow of the original Queen Elizabeth, already had us in awe.
Spanning two-and-a-half decks and 5.6m high, the panel – in which a variety of woods from around the world was used – is the focal point of the lobby and is the largest screen made by the company of the renowned British craftsman Viscount David Linley, the son of the late princess Margaret and the photographer Lord Snowdon.
Next we were whisked off to our “stateroom”, where a complimentary set of plush white dressing gowns, courtesy of our travel agent, and a bottle of Champagne welcomed us.
Decked out in the same art deco style as the rest of the ship, crisp white and gold trimmed bedding, all the amenities one could wish for and a cosy “lounge” and balcony to boot, the accommodation was as comfortable as it gets, setting the right mood and tone for a pleasant, relaxing voyage.
Besides the 1 046 staterooms – of which 738 feature balconies – the upper decks (only for the seriously rich and famous) accommodate a further 127 Grills suites, twinned with dining in the exclusive Grills restaurants and offering the ultimate in suite accommodation. All in all, there are nine types of staterooms and suites, which include penthouses and grand, master, queen and princess suites.
When the QE soon afterwards weighed anchor and with a few low-key whistles bade the large crowd at the port farewell, heading towards Scotland amid popping champagne corks and toasts, the excitement among the more than 2 000 passengers (from more than 30 countries) and 1 000 crew (many of whom are enterprising young South Africans) was palpable.
Our first evening meal in the stately Britannia with its exclusive sea view at the ship’s stern, and an impressive staircase linking the upper and lower sections of the restaurant, raised our spirits even higher, thanks to the excellent service, food and drink, as well as interesting tidbits shared by our friendly Portuguese maître d’, Philippine waiter and Mauritian sommelier, each with years of experience on Cunard vessels. Not once over the 12-day cruise did the standard of the meals and service slip; instead, the memorable farewell dinner that ended the voyage was the proverbial cherry on top.
Spending the entire Saturday at sea gave us ample time to explore the ship and get our first taste of the variety of entertainment in the impressive three-deck Royal Court Theatre with tiered seating for 832 guests, complete with private boxes.
Another main attraction is The Queen’s Room with its high ceiling and crystal chandeliers, where passengers, young and old, regularly pack the 93m2 floor to dance the night away. In the afternoons, the venue is often used for recitals by renowned musicians, while tea, complete with finger sandwiches and freshly-baked scones, is also served there by white-gloved waiters.
In addition, the QE houses a shopping arcade second to none (where you can even hire a tuxedo for formal on-board events), a well-stocked art gallery and a selection of bars and clubs to suit all tastes.
The English-styled pub, the Golden Lion, for example, was the perfect venue to watch all sorts of sporting events on television, while the Lido restaurant, with its sumptuous buffet selection on deck 9, was a regular haunt for breakfast and lunch.
The two-tiered library with its collection of more than 6 000 books in solid wooden book cases and impressive leaded glass ceiling andiStudy, a joint venture by Cunard and Apple, where you had to scramble to secure a place to learn more about various new technologies including iPads, iPods, iPhones and iMovies, were other favourite venues.
Other fascinating features of the QE are the museum-like Cunarders’ Gallery, where captioned black-and-white photographs of previous Cunard celebrity guests are prominently displayed, and the “Cunard Place”, with its fine selection of memorabilia where you can spend hours tracing interesting aspects of the Cunard history. Even the original brass bell of Queen Elizabeth II has found a home here.
Of the cities and towns visited en route – Edinburgh, Invergordon, Glasgow, Liverpool, Dublin, Cork and St Peter Port – Liverpool took the laurels: not only for organising the unforgettable The Magnificent Elizabeths’ Commemorative Concert in the cathedral in honour of its three Elizabeth ships – the first launched by the Queen Mother in 1938, the second in 1967 and the third named by Queen Elizabeth in October last year – but also for the spectacular send-off and fireworks display that evening. Also for meticulously preserving the memory of The Beatles, perhaps the city’s most famous sons, for all to enjoy.
Apart from the memorable cathedral concert, which got full marks in my book, QE also got my vote for something far more mundane: every deck sports a fully-equipped launderette, where we could have our washing and ironing done – at no charge – before disembarking in Southampton for the next leg of our holiday.
Likewise, Captain Chris Wells received the thumbs-up for being such a cool, composed and quirky captain.
Not so cool for us, however, was the all-too-often formal dress code… but that, I suppose, comes with the territory.
You can get the latest news, stories and video clips of the Cunard ships – Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – on the following websites and via the Cunard blog at www.wearecunard.com
Twitter: twitter.com/cunardline
YouTube: youtube.com/wearecunard
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