Cunard’s Queen Victoria (MS Queen Victoria) is one of the line’s “Queens”, a classic cruise liner, and we spent a week on board: a western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Rome. Below is what the ship is really like, from the cabin and the restaurant to the gala nights, plus the port days in Ibiza, Cagliari, Sicily and Sorrento.
| Weather | 20°C |
| Local time | 10:25 |
| Visa | Schengen |
| Language | English on board |
| Internet | eSIM guide |
| Currency | Euro (€) in port |
What we used on the sea days and in the evenings. Food has its own section below.
the question I get asked most
We had two full days at sea and never went ashore. The question I get asked most is whether you get bored on board for a whole day. You don’t, honestly.
There are bars, theatres, live music and entertainment spaces, two swimming pools, hot tubs, sports areas, a spa and a big gym, so you don’t have to drop your training on holiday.
after dinner
After dinner we went up to the pool. You put on headphones and dance; it’s called a silent party, and the atmosphere was something else.
and the world cruise map
There’s even a two-storey library, joined by a spiral staircase.
Next to it hangs the map of the ship’s world cruise: you go round the whole world on a cruise ship, about 112 or 115 days. That one is on my own list.
a theme every time
On gala nights they tell you the theme in advance. Ours was smart outfits with a touch of yellow or red, and everyone dressed for it.
There was also a 1920s night, and the whole ship turned into the decade. This was as close to the 1920s as we could get; I was born in ’95, I can’t go any further back.
a show every evening
The theatre is huge. Every evening there are special events, shows and musicals.
If that still isn’t enough, the yacht club and the disco carry on late; the entertainment really doesn’t stop.
on board
One corner of the ship is a shopping arcade with duty-free shops.
play areas on board
Back on board one afternoon I spotted the play areas for children. You can leave the kids there and enjoy the ship yourselves; worth knowing if you’re travelling as a family.
We boarded in Barcelona and left in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome. Four port days and two full sea days in between.
first port, day 2
In Ibiza the ship docks a little way out of town. Ferries run from the cruise terminal to the main harbour, €7 return.
We wanted the coves and beaches too, so we took the small boats; the all-day pass works out cheaper. We were nine people from the tour and got a group price, €22 each, with a red band on the wrist. It was incredibly hot and humid that day; everyone was dripping.
To stay nearby:
Sardinia, day 4
In Cagliari the port is right in the city; you walk off the ship and into town. We had breakfast at the buffet first, then went ashore.
The best thing about Cagliari is how close the old town is to the sea: you walk around the historic centre up top, come straight down and jump into cool water. We were back on board by late afternoon and watched the city fall behind us.
To stay nearby:
day 6, Messina port
The ship docked in Messina in the morning. We had a quick look around Messina, then went on to Taormina.
Taormina became one of our favourite places, for the views and for the food; what we ate there is in the food section.
To stay nearby:
two moments without going ashore
Leaving Messina, the ship sails right through the Strait of Messina: mainland Italy on one side, Sicily on the other, and you in the middle.
On the way to Salerno we passed Stromboli. It’s a volcanic island and we watched it erupt from the ship; it went off again right while I was talking, as if it had waited for the camera.
day 7, Salerno port
The ship docks in Salerno. After breakfast we took a bus to Sorrento.
On the way there are viewpoints over the Amalfi Coast; we stopped at one and just took in the view.
To stay nearby:
day 8, Civitavecchia port
The ship docks in Civitavecchia, Rome’s port. On the last day we saw a few of the big sights in Rome, then went shopping at Castel Romano and on to the airport.
To stay nearby:
shopping on the way to the airport
On the way to the airport we stopped at the Castel Romano outlet. They don’t really let you film inside the shops.
Most brands are there: North Face, a big Nike store, Timberland, Columbia. T-shirts were around €20, and there’s about 10% tax-free back on top.
No hotel to think about on a cruise: the cabin is home for the week. Below is what's in a Queen Victoria cabin and how the cabin service works.
The ship sails at night while you sleep. Unless you arrive in Barcelona a day early, you don’t need a hotel.
layout
First thing, we went to our cabin; it was home for the week. Bed, a little sofa corner, TV, fridge, everything you need. In the bathroom, towels, shampoo and lotion were all ready.
cabin service
Cabins are cleaned twice a day. When you come back at night the bed is turned down with chocolates on it, and the next day’s programme is on the desk. We were genuinely comfortable.
Meals are included: the Lido buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the main restaurant’s menu changes every day. What we tried: pizza at the Lido, three courses in the restaurant, afternoon tea, the late-night buffet and breakfast in the cabin; ashore, cannoli and gelato in a brioche in Taormina and tiramisu in Rome.
Meals on the ship are included. The last two cards are from the ports.
the ship’s buffet
We were starving after the journey, so the first stop was the Lido, the ship’s buffet. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and included in the fare: pizza, pasta, meat, fish, salads, desserts, you name it.
You can grab a ready pizza or write the one you want on a little card and order it fresh.
reservation and dress code
Besides the buffet there’s a proper restaurant; you reserve ahead and there’s a dress code, trousers and smart clothes. They told us it was close to fine dining.
We had a starter, a main and a dessert. The menu changes every day and you can eat as much as you like. Honestly, we loved it.
with a little ceremony
Afternoon tea starts with a small ceremony; they pour the tea at the table and bring little snacks, with music in the background.
for the hungry
If you get hungry at night, a snack buffet is set up between 10 pm and midnight: penne arrabbiata, rice, desserts, hot dogs. It closes at 12, just so you know.
room service
One morning we treated ourselves and ordered breakfast to the cabin, in bed with the sea outside. English tea with milk, of course.
Sicily day
We’d tried cannoli in Venice and in Rome before; I think the one in Taormina was the best. Then gelato Sicilian style, in a brioche bun.
last day, a quick stop
Time was short in Rome, so the fastest option was Pompi for a tiramisu.
A port day on foot with lunch back on the ship; our Cagliari day cost us almost nothing.
Our Ibiza day: the ferry into town €7 return, the all-day beach boat pass €22, plus an ice cream or a coffee.
With a guided excursion the tour sets the budget; Taormina, Sorrento and Rome are where most people book one. Prices are behind the links on the port cards.
Figures are per person for one port day. Meals on board are included; the cruise fare, flights and drinks packages are not.
These are amounts we paid on this sailing (the Ibiza ferry and beach boat).
On a cruise most of your spending happens on port days. The figures below are what we paid on this sailing;
Cruise fare: prices depend on the season and the cabin type; extras such as drinks packages are charged separately.
Tours and tickets: shore excursions are optional; tour prices are behind the links on the port cards.
Food: meals on board are included; ashore you only pay for snacks.
The sailing starts in Barcelona and ends in Civitavecchia, Rome’s port, so you fly into one city and home from another. We landed in Barcelona, our guide met us at the airport and a coach took us to the port.
On the last morning the ship docks in Civitavecchia; central Rome is about 80 km away. We spent the day in Rome by coach and went on to the airport.
You hand your bags over at the port and forget about them: you board, and the bags arrive at your cabin. The ship leaves Barcelona in the afternoon (cunard.com), so if you have time on boarding day you can see a little of the city first. See Barcelona tours before boarding Ad
The two things that change the plan most: the port list and the dress code.
check your own dates
Our Queen Victoria cruise itinerary was Cunard’s “Italy and Spain, 7 Nights”: Barcelona, Ibiza, sea day, Cagliari, sea day, Messina, Salerno, Civitavecchia (cunard.com, checked 2 October 2026). Voyages sold under similar names can call at different ports, so if you’re comparing 7 day Mediterranean cruise options, check the port list for your own dates.
restaurant and gala nights
The restaurant asks for trousers and smart clothes, and each gala night has its own theme. For a week, bring at least two or three smart outfits.
you can explore on your own
In every port the ship and tour companies sell excursions, but you don’t have to buy them; the port cards above show how we got around each place ourselves.
what’s included
Meals in the buffet and the restaurant are included; extras such as drinks packages are charged separately. Prices depend on the season and the cabin type.
water and a hat
Ibiza was hot, humid and sticky; everyone was soaked. Take water and a hat on port days.
Cunard says she carries 2,059 guests and 913 crew (cunard.com, checked 2 October 2026). She's about 294 metres long and around 90,000 gross tons (Fincantieri, the yard that built her).
The Queen Victoria cruise price depends on the season and the cabin type, inside, outside or balcony. For that you get the luxury Mediterranean cruise side of it: meals in the restaurant and the buffet are included; drinks packages and other extras cost more. Check current fares on cunard.com.
The fleet is Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne (cunard.com, checked 3 October 2026). Besides the Mediterranean there are Baltic, Norwegian fjords and Adriatic voyages; see cunard.com for dates and routes.
Spring and autumn, going by the season chart above. In summer the ports get hot and humid, as our Ibiza day showed.
For us, yes, and for a reason we did not expect. That's the one thing I'd add to other Queen Victoria cruise ship reviews: before boarding I thought the ports and cities were the main event; it turned out the time on the ship was the holiday itself.
Prices were checked on site or with official sources. Prices and opening hours can change, so confirm with official sources before you go.
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