Cunard Line has announced a delay in Queen Victoria‘s return to service, which has resulted in the cancelation of all sailings from April 22 up to and including May 24, 2022. The ship’s new return to service date is June 5, 2022.
Queen Victoria Not Returning to Service on Planned Date
It had originally been planned that the Vista-class Queen Victoria would resume sailings in April from Southampton, offering a variety of European itineraries including short voyages to Amsterdam as well as longer Baltic Explorer, Iberia, and British Isles routes.
Because the ship will remain on hold a bit longer, five voyages have been canceled. The ship’s planned return to service is now her June 5, 2022 sailing, a 16-day one-way voyage from Southampton, UK to Hamburg, Germany, looping through the Mediterranean with ports of call in Spain, Italy, Gibraltar, and more.
The announcement posted on Cunard’s website states that the ship “will be staying in the Caribbean for longer than planned before her dry-dock” but there are no details given about what will happen to the ship during that dry-dock.
At the moment, Queen Victoria is near Barbados, where she has been for some time to help house crew members and mitigate COVID-19 isolations. It is likely that the dry-dock before her return to service will be very minor, with some deep cleaning and refreshment to ensure she looks her best to welcome passengers aboard once again.
Options for Booked Guests
Guests on the five now-canceled sailings have several options available. Guests may choose a full refund, or a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) of 110% of the value of the fare paid. Taxes, fees, and other pre-paid purchases such as gifts, drinks, shore tours, and dining options will still be refunded.
The FCC may be used on any Cunard Line voyage, including future Queen Victoria sailings in 2022 and 2023, as well as “new voyages that we introduce in the future.” This could be an exciting option for guests hoping to sail on the line’s new ship, Queen Anne, which will debut in 2024 – if bookings for that new ship become available while the FCC is still valid.
FCCs may also be used to upgrade other existing bookings, or to purchase flights, hotels, or land tours through Cunard.
Guests who prefer the full refund option must fill out an online form to request it, while the FCC option will be processed automatically.
The website also advises guests that the “automated system may, over the next few weeks, issue an invoice that will reference cancelation fees. Please disregard this and be assured that you will not incur any fees as a result of this cancelation.”
Future Sailings Unaffected
While these few cancelations are undoubtedly a disappointment to passengers who had been looking forward to sailing on this iconic ship, her future sailings from June 5 are unaffected by this brief delay in her return to service.
Similarly, there are no changes to any sailings aboard Cunard’s other ships at this time, as both Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth have already successfully returned to service.
