Captain's view from the bridge

9:34am Friday 7th December 2007

Comments (9)   Have your say »

By Keith Hamilton »

• Play Video

HER name recalls the glories of the past, but Southampton's latest queen ushers in a 21st century Victorian age destined to voyage far into the future.

Queen Victoria, the newest addition to the rapidly growing fleet of ships based in Southampton, made her entrance into the city early today.

And these pictures show the view from the ship's on board web camera as she arrived in the city for the first time.

The arrival of the £300m luxury vessel now lights the fuse on five days of celebrations in the city including a royal naming ceremony, a firework extravaganza and a Victorian-style street fair and entertainment on the waterfront next door to her berth at the City Cruise Terminal in the Western Docks.

Just a few days ago, Cunard's next generation of cruise liner, left the Italian shipyard near Venice where she was built and began her journey through the Mediterranean, turning into the Bay of Biscay and then the English Channel for her scheduled arrival in Southampton.

With her dark grey hull and white superstructure topped by Cunard's traditional and iconic red funnel, Queen Victoria is the product of leading-edge maritime technology that makes her one of the most advanced and sophisticated vessels afloat.

Some quarters have questioned whether Queen Victoria should be classed as either a liner or a cruise ship but the company's president and managing director Carol Marlow is definite on the subject.

"Cunard Line ships do not sail on cruises, Cunard liners sail on voyages," she said.

It seems then that Queen Victoria is something of a hybrid. She will be taking her passengers on fabulous cruises but her hull has been strengthened to allow her to make transatlantic voyages thus giving her liner status.

Her exterior design, with row after row of outside cabins with private balconies, echoes other modern day ships but inside, Queen Victoria is, without doubt, truly stunning.

Every deck is an elegant combination of rich wood panelling, the luxury of marble. Ornate columns, the restrained colours of stained glass and the sparkle of thousands of pieces of crystal in the chandeliers all exude an atmosphere of warmth and welcome that other ships take much longer, if ever, to establish.

Reflecting the vessel's regal name, designers drew inspiration from Queen Victoria's favourite home, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

The ship's big set pieces of the public rooms include a two-deck high library containing 6,000 books, the Commodore Club facing forward looking out over the bow, the impressive Britannia Restaurant, a breathtaking theatre able to seat 830 people, the glamour of the ballroom and the exclusive cache of the ship's renowned grill rooms, reserved for passengers in the most sumptuous and expensive suites and staterooms.

All these areas are on a grand scale but it is in the extraordinary attention to detail that the quality and finish of the ship lies. Leather armchairs, deep comfortable settees, fine soft fabrics and carpets complement the quiet, understated elegance of the cocktail bars and lounges while fresh flowers add splashes of vibrant colour to Queen Victoria's decks.

Proudly flying the Red Ensign and with the name of Southampton Emblazoned on her stern, Queen Victoria will be officially named by the Duchess of Cornwall next Monday in front of a specially invited audience seated in a purpose built dockside auditorium.

All eyes will be on the duchess during the ceremony, the highest profile public engagement since she joined the top flight of the Royal Family, as she says the famous words: "I name this ship . . ."

In a wonderful twist of fate the naming will also take place in the presence of the Prince of Wales, the great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria.

Spectators in the nearby Mayflower Park will be able to watch the ceremony on a large screen which will be part of a Victorian style fair which will be staged to coincide with the celebrations for the new Cunarder.

For a few months, until November of next year when the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 is withdrawn from service, Cunard can boast, for the first time, a fleet of three Queens.

When QE2 begins her new career as a first class floating hotel in Dubai, it will leave just Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in service together but two years later, in September, 2010, another new Cunard vessel to be called Queen Elizabeth will join them in Southampton.

Keith Hamilton

Click HERE for Queen Victoria photo gallery