Cunard Line’s 90,049gt/2007 built Queen Victoria will enter the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg in January 2015 for a multimillion pound refit. Following the success of the Queen Elizabeth’s recent refit at the same yard, the Queen Victoria’s make-over will create nine single staterooms on the ship for the first time, re-modelled from part of the ship’s casino.

In addition, carpets are being renewed throughout and large flat-screen TVs, mostly 32” or above, are being installed in all passenger staterooms while in the ship’s informal Lido restaurant, waiters will in the future serve hot drinks at all meals. As on Queen Elizabeth, sun awnings will be erected on the open area near the stern Lido pool and on both sides of the Grills Upper Terrace area near the top of the ship to offer more shade on deck. In the shopping area on board the footprint is increasing significantly whilst on the technical front, scrubber technology is being installed aboard to match that now aboard the Queen Elizabeth in line with the company’s commitment to minimising its environmental impact. This involves the installation of a filtration system for the exhaust gas from the ship’s engines.

The dry-docking is being brought forward as a bearing on one of the ship’s propulsion units will need replacing prior to her previously scheduled dry dock in December 2015. Cunard will make cruise history in 2016 when the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth all depart Southampton on 10th January 2016. They will also return together on 10th May 2016 after completing their world voyages.