Key Aspects:
- Cunard Line has unveiled plans for a major, three-week dry dock renovation for Queen Victoria.
- Classic onboard spaces, such as the Grand Lobby and Queen’s Room, will see extensive upgrades.
- The 2,061-guest ship will also see new spaces added, such as new staterooms and the popular Pavilion Wellness Cafe.
Every queen needs the occasional beauty sleep and wardrobe changes. Cunard Line just revealed plans and details to spruce up its own queen, the 90,049 gross ton Queen Victoria, in an extensive dry dock this autumn.
Cruise Hive has learned that the nearly twenty-year-old ship, first launched in 2007, will enter dry dock at Damen Shiprepair in Rotterdam, Netherlands from October 17, 2026 until November 5, 2026. Damen Shiprepair has worked with Cunard Line for many years and previously oversaw the dry dock renovations of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth in 2025.
During her almost three-week transformation, the 2,061 guest capacity ship will be upgraded and enhanced, introducing new spaces and updating old classics. Cunard President, Katie McAlister, reflected on the cruise line’s second-oldest ship and expressed excitement for the coming upgrades.
“Queen Victoria has always held a special place in the hearts of our guests…,” said McAlister.We are thrilled to have the opportunity to refine the experiences and spaces she offers, with every decision approached with deep respect for the heritage and charm that make her who she is.
Queen Victoria will see some of her signature common spaces get a major facelift, including a refreshed Grand Lobby to greet guests with an immediate and elegant wow factor upon boarding. The ship’s Queens Room, which hosts Cunard’s afternoon tea as well as live music and gala evenings, will also see a refresh.
Other spaces seeing major enhancements will be Cunard’s Grill Suites, luxurious suites offering a royal experience and premium benefits, including priority embarkation, exclusive menus, and a dedicated concierge. Both Queens Grill and Princess Grill Suites will receive upgraded designs, with new furnishings and detailing.
New Onboard Spaces
Besides the refreshed spaces onboard, Queen Victoria will also receive some new additions. The vessel will introduce eight extra Britannia staterooms. Three of these new staterooms will be from a new premium category: Britannia Deluxe Oceanview.
These new staterooms, which are now officially open to bookings, will feature floor-to-ceiling windows, promising panoramic ocean views. While the ship returns to service on November 7th, bookings for the new Britannia Deluxe Oceanview staterooms are open for sailings from November 11, 2026 onward.
In another exciting move, Queen Victoria will become the third Cunard ship to receive the Pavilion Wellness Cafe. First introduced on Queen Anne upon her launch in 2024 and subsequently added to Queen Elizabeth in 2025, the Pavilion Wellness Cafe offers a wellness-focused, plant-based menu for breakfast, lunch, and dining throughout the day.
No official word yet on whether Cunard will add the popular eatery to their fourth and oldest ship, the 149,215 gross-ton Queen Mary 2, to round out the fleet. However, if this addition to Queen Victoria is any indication, it seems likely that the Pavilion Wellness Cafe may be on its way to Queen Mary 2 when she is scheduled for dry dock in early 2027.
Queen Victoria will return to service November 7, 2026. Her first sailing after her three-week renovation will be a four-night, round-trip Zeebrugge and Cherbourg sailing from Southampton, UK.
