After his first trip on QEII some years back, Matthew Lonsdale commented on the Cunard Heritage thus: ‘ It is certainly most alive, as we saw it, in the Queen’s Grill. And coincidentally, and – almost! – quite seriously, when BMW took over Rover, they also saw all the values of the Rover brand as being embodied in the grille. This became a vital part of the design brief for the award-winning Rover 75. Big truths often arise from small details.’

Now, in the grand Cunard tradition, Queen Victoria is poised to put her own stamp on the Cunard Grills, affording travellers the opportunity to experience a golden age of travel in the same memorable way that royalty, heads of state and celebrities have done for generations.

A butler to unpack luggage, champagne served in Waterford glasses, fresh orchids and personalized stationery are among the hallmarks of the Cunard Grills. When she enters service in December 2007, Queen Victoria will offer all this and more.

Her Queens Grill and Princess Grill, a pair of exclusive dining rooms and their corresponding Grill-category accommodation, will be located on Deck 11, and will share the concierge-staffed private Grills Lounge, as well as the exquisite Grills Courtyard for al fresco dining and afternoon tea, and exclusive Grills Upper Terrace on Deck 12, where staff will provide towels, Evian spritzes, fresh fruit, sorbets and tea sandwiches to sun-seeking guests.

Access is by private lift and the Grills themselves are enclosed by gently curving panoramic glass walls on the seaboard side and cantilevered above Deck 10 over the side of the ship.

A combination of art deco and classic design will distinguish the exclusive 132-seat Princess Grill and142-seat Queens Grill restaurants. During the day, the entire length of the dining rooms is illuminated with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. At night, the rooms will be bathed with soft lighting from decorative glass up-lights creating a golden glow around the room. The finest Wedgwood bone china, Waterford crystal, sterling silverware and Fili d’Oro Italian premium linens complete the scene, creating an elegant atmosphere.

Extensive menus will be dedicated to the day’s diverse specialties and much loved a la carte accents such as Lobster Thermidor, Dover sole, and Chateaubriand. In the Queens Grill, the menu functions merely as a guide because, in grand Cunard tradition, the staff takes pleasure in accommodating any request, on or off the menu, if available.

Grill guests who prefer to dine outside will be able to book a table on the Grills Courtyard, featuring seating for 40 on a first-come, first-served basis. The Courtyard will also offer pre- and post-dinner cocktails and afternoon tea. In the Grills Lounge, guests will enjoy traditional afternoon tea, full bar service, pre- and post-dinner cocktails and drinks with after-dessert chocolates accompanied by live entertainment.

The Q1 – Q7 Queens Grill stateroom suites feature butlers who have been trained to the exacting standards of the International Guild of Professional Butlers, standing ready to assist with unpacking and packing, to uncork the requisite bottle of French Champagne on departure and serve en-suite canapés every evening, among other duties.

Decorated in light woods and neutral shades of beige accented by nautically-inspired artwork, the Queens Grill accommodation includes Grand and Master Suites, Penthouses and Queens Suites ranging in size from 508- to 2,121-square feet. Meanwhile the P1 – P4 Princess Grill stateroom suites range in size from 335- to 513-square feet.

Queens or Princess Grill accommodation entitles its occupiers to single-seating dining; access to the private Grills concierge and priority embarkation and luggage delivery with separate Grill check-in, Fili d’Oro fine linens, duvet and pillow concierge, flat screen TVs, whirlpool bathtubs, daily abridged newspaper, shoe shine service, terry cloth bathroom and slippers, and selection of fine bath amenities.

Grill accommodation on Queen Victoria could well be worth consideration for those who normally choose to travel on the smaller more exclusive ships of the luxury lines. They might like to enjoy some of the benefits of traveling on a larger ship, and the innovations of this, the newest Cunarder. These will include the first private viewing boxes at sea in the Royal Court Theatre, the first Cunardia museum exhibit at sea, housing Cunard artifacts and memorabilia along with the first two-storey, library at sea featuring an elegant spiral staircase.

They might also wish to experience, if only once, the elegant public rooms, many on a grand scale two or three decks in height featuring rich wood paneling, intricate mosaics and gleaming chandeliers, not mention a colonial-style conservatory complete with a retractable glass roof.

Queen Victoria’s first season is selling fast, so to join her, call us on 020 7734 4404