Ski season in Park City, Utah, is right around the corner, and with it comes a new Hyatt hotel that’s sure to be the talk of town.
Scheduled to open Nov. 20, Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is the debut property of Deer Valley East Village, an expansion of Deer Valley Resort. Deer Valley East Village will feature 3,700 acres of new skiable terrain with new lifts and runs, new private residences and hotels, as well as shopping, dining outlets and more.
At the Grand Hyatt, 400 rooms and suites will be available to folks looking to hit the slopes in the winter or enjoy Utah’s lush summers. Rooms are fresh and sleek, with 55-inch TVs, Nespresso machines and spa-inspired bathrooms — plus, they come in a variety of configurations to fit different needs and groups.
Or, to really spread out, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences are available.
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Bars and restaurants at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley are under the direction of chef Marc Marrone, chef Viktor Merenyi and mixologist Frank Maldonado (of NYC’s Employees Only fame). Remington Hall, serving rustic American food, will be the hotel’s signature restaurant, while the Remington Lounge will feature Maldonado’s iconic cocktails.
Double Blacks will offer coffee and cafe-style food (think: breakfast sandwiches and croughnuts); the Living Room will serve as a family-friendly apres-ski spot; and Hidden Ace, a community-focused bar, will offer drinks and live music.
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Other highlights of the hotel include a heated outdoor swimming pool with three hot tubs, a spa (in a phased opening), a kids club with a dedicated “hangout hub” with games and activities, and, since the resort is pet friendly, a dog run and specialty dog menu.
How to book
As a World of Hyatt Category 6 property, award rates at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley start at 21,000 points per night for off-peak dates. During peak ski season, expect to spend 29,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
With the seasonality of a ski resort, looking for cash rates is a bit of a roller coaster experience. In November, rooms can be found for under $300 a night, but fast forward to January and weeknight rates fluctuate from $600 to over $1,000 per night.
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With the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you could actually snag two nights at this new Grand Hyatt by earning 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening and up to another 30,000 more bonus points by earning two bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn one bonus point on up to $15,000 spent.
Southwest Airlines passengers will board red-eye flights for the first time ever beginning this February.
It marks a major scheduling shift for the carrier — one that comes amid a raft of other changes at Southwest as part of an operational shake-up meant to improve profitability.
Southwest’s first tranche of red-eyes will begin Feb. 13 on five routes. Each will land at its destination on the morning of Feb. 14.
By mid-April, Southwest’s red-eyes will be flying on a total of 20 routes — including five from Hawaii to the U.S. West Coast.
It’s an efficiency play by Southwest. The company said that adding the overnight flying — which will put planes in the air during hours that Southwest has typically parked them — will add the capacity equivalent of about 18 aircraft to its 2025 schedule.
Southwest detailed the decision during an investor presentation Thursday. It described the move as one that will “drive revenue without additional aircraft or headcount.”
So, where will customers find the new red-eye flights?
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) will be Southwest’s top red-eye hub on the East Coast, with the airport set to have overnight arrivals from six destinations by early March.
Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) will have the largest bank of eastbound red-eyes, with flights bound for five destinations. The airport will also receive three of Southwest’s five overnight flights from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland.
Scroll down for a list of all 20 of the red-eye flights Southwest plans to phase in between Feb. 13 and April 8. (The routes are grouped by airport, each listed only once by departure from west to east.)
That’s because Amex points transfer to Hawaiian miles at a 1:1 ratio (though they are subject to a federal excise tax offset fee of 120 points or 60 cents per 1,000 points transferred). Thus, you can now transfer Amex points to Hawaiian and then transfer them to Alaska miles, one of the most valuable airline currencies out there.
Even better? These transfers process instantly, even though the FAQs indicate they could take up to 72 hours.
Here’s what you need to know about this new option.
How to transfer miles between Alaska and Hawaiian
If you’re sitting on a balance of Hawaiian miles (or recently transferred Amex points to the airline) and want to convert them to Alaska miles, start by visiting this Points.com page. Start by selecting the program to which you want to transfer miles, which in my case was Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
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From there, follow the prompts to sign in to both your Alaska and Hawaiian accounts.
You’ll then be taken to a screen to confirm the number of miles you want to transfer. There’s a handy slider to use, though note that transfers must be in increments of 50 miles.
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I opted to transfer my entire balance of 1,200 Hawaiian miles, and after I clicked Continue, I was asked to confirm the transfer amount.
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You’ll then see a confirmation page, indicating that the transfer was successful.
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As noted above, these transfers process instantly, as I was able to immediately see the 1,200 miles in my Alaska Mileage Plan account.
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Just note that your profile information in your two accounts must match, so double check that if you run into any issues.
This is an exciting new development for members, and it comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Transportation codifying important consumer protections as a condition of the merger. Alaska Mileage Plan has a ton of terrific sweet spots, and prior to this, the only transferable currency that offered transfers to Alaska Airlines was Bilt Rewards. Now, holders of select American Express cards have the ability to effectively earn Alaska miles by first transferring to Hawaiian Airlines and then moving them to Mileage Plan.
This also makes Hawaiian’s cobranded cards even more appealing, as the welcome offers on those cards are now effectively Alaska miles. In addition, cardmembers can transfer (and receive) Hawaiian miles from any other member of the program, with no limits and no fees. This offers valuable flexibility in sharing miles among friends and family members.
You can now transfer miles between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, which effectively means you can convert American Express Membership Rewards points into Alaska Mileage Plan miles. As a full member of the Oneworld alliance, Alaska offers some fantastic redemptions at attractive prices — especially in light of recent changes to British Airways award rates (a long-timer Amex transfer partner).
While we usually don’t recommend making speculative transfers from credit card programs to airline currencies, this new development may be enough to do so.
Wyndham Rewards is welcoming fall with not one but two promotions. And they’re stackable, so you can potentially save money and earn bonus points on your next paid stay.
Wyndham Rewards promo: Stay 2 nights, earn a free night
The Mining Exchange. WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS
When you stay two nights at participating hotels worldwide, you’ll earn 7,500 Wyndham Rewards bonus points per night, up to 15,000 points total. That’s on top of the points you normally earn during your stay. Plus, if you are a Wyndham Rewards Earner cardmember, you will earn an extra 5,000 bonus points, which is on top of the points you already earn for using your card.
For example, if you have the Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card, register for this promotion and pay with your card, you’ll not only earn 6 points per $1 spent on your Wyndham hotel stay, but an extra 5,000 bonus points.
To take advantage of this promotion, book your stay by Jan. 16 and complete your stay by Jan. 20, 2025.
You must be a Wyndham Rewards member and register for this promotion before booking your qualifying stay. You can register and join the program on Wyndham’s website.
The information for the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Although many hotel programs have switched to dynamic pricing, Wyndham Rewards still uses an award chart. Properties cost 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 points per night, depending on the location and rates. If you max out this promotion and earn 15,000 points, you could redeem them for two free nights at some of the following hotels:
Super 8 by Wyndham Colo. Sprs. Garden of the Gods
La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Bakersfield South
Days Inn by Wyndham Joelton/Nashville
Ramada by Wyndham Mexico City Santa Fe
On the other hand, you could redeem 15,000 points for one night in more popular tourist destinations like big cities and ski resorts:
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham New Orleans Downtown
Wyndham Altra Cancun. KRISTY TOLLEY/THE POINTS GUY
Wyndham is offering another fall promotion starting Oct. 7, 2024. Anyone who books a paid stay at participating properties can get the following discounted rates:
Stay one night, get 10% or more off
Stay two consecutive nights, get 15% or more off
Stay three or more consecutive nights, get 20% or more off
For more information, visit this page (it will officially go live Oct. 7). You’ll need to book your stay by Nov. 3 and complete it by Dec. 31, 2024.
This promotion is open to both Wyndham Rewards members and nonmembers. However, since joining the program is free and will allow you to take advantage of the other promotion, as well as earn Wyndham points, you may as well join this hotel loyalty program if you haven’t already. You can stack the two promotions, so you could save 20% or more on your fall stay and earn enough bonus points for at least one free night while you’re at it.
Wells Fargo Rewards has added a seventh transfer option to its growing list of airline and hotel partners. Consumers can now transfer their reward points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Virgin Red at a 1:1 ratio.
There is no minimum transfer amount, so you could transfer as little as 1 Wells Fargo Rewards point to become 1 Virgin point. However, transfers are not reversible, so be sure you find flight availability or have a use for the points before transferring.
In our September 2024 valuations, TPG values Virgin points at 1.4 cents each and Wells Fargo Rewards points at 1.6 cents each.
The Virgin programs are closely intertwined, with a single Virgin points balance shared between them. So whether you transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club or Virgin Red, once you link your two Virgin accounts, the single Virgin points balance will show in both, and you can easily redeem the points through either program (with many of the same rewards available through both).
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Virgin points can be redeemed for a wide range of rewards, including upgrades on Virgin Atlantic, flights with Virgin or its SkyTeam partners (including Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines), Virgin Atlantic Holidays (vacation packages), concert tickets, food tours and duty-free products.
Should you transfer your Wells Fargo Rewards points to Virgin?
While redeeming points for flights operated by Virgin Atlantic comes with steep carrier-imposed surcharges, Flying Club uses a peak and off-peak award chart, unlike other airline programs, which price flights dynamically. So, while you may be charged more than $2,000 for a round-trip business-class flight from the U.S. to the U.K., it’s always best to double-check the cash fare against the award ticket price to see if it’s worth redeeming your points.
You can also use Virgin points to book SkyTeam partner awards, such as international flights from the U.S. to Europe on Delta. Booking a one-way Main Cabin Delta flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club should cost you 15,000 points plus around $200 in taxes and fees. Though the unavoidable fees can be a bit steep, Delta may charge triple the amount of SkyMiles for that same flight.
Plus, if you fly Delta from the U.S. to other European destinations outside of the U.K., the taxes and fees are significantly lower, though it will cost you more Virgin points.
Again, it’s always best to compare multiple programs to see which offers the best value. For example, if Virgin Atlantic Flying Club charges 30,000 points to fly from JFK to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) on a Delta-operated flight in Main Cabin, and Delta SkyMiles charges 110,000 miles for that same flight, it’s a better deal to book through Flying Club than through SkyMiles.
We recommend checking and finding availability before transferring your points or miles.
Though Wells Fargo offers several types of credit cards, including cash rewards cards, you can currently only earn Wells Fargo Rewards points with the following cards:
It’s great to see the Wells Fargo Rewards transfer partner list slowly but surely growing with the addition of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red.
Hopefully, a big player like Air Canada Aeroplan or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer will be next to be added to the transfer list. A Wells Fargo card may not have been at the top of the list to add to your wallet, but the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card is a solid new contender in the transferable points space with a generous welcome bonus, impressive category bonuses and an increasingly valuable list of transfer partners.
Using Delta Air Lines SkyMiles can be complex and frustrating due to frequent changes and a lack of award charts. However, once you accumulate enough miles and gain the necessary knowledge to navigate the program, you can extract significant value from them.
Historically, Delta has offered flash sales, with round-trip tickets to Mexico and the Caribbean costing as little as 14,400 SkyMiles.
While it requires effort to understand and utilize SkyMiles effectively, many consider Delta’s inflight experience to be the best among domestic carriers — as does the data powering TPG’s annual report on the best U.S. airlines (Delta took the top spot for the sixth straight year in 2024).
Here are five key things you need to know about Delta SkyMiles to maximize their value.
Delta has no published award chart
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Delta removed award charts from its website in 2015. To get an idea of the approximate number of miles required for a future award flight, you must search for your desired route on different dates or use Delta’s calendar search function. However, it’s important to note that the numbers can change daily as Delta prices its award flights dynamically.
For example, a domestic flight that costs 7,500 miles one day could be almost twice the price a few days later. Here are the varying prices over one week for a short flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
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The difference can be even more significant on international routes, especially in premium cabins. Within a week, one-way premium economy flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Sydney Airport (SYD) range from 170,000 to 495,000 SkyMiles.
Finding availability with award programs can be challenging. Still, without set prices, these significant variances force you to plan your trip around availability rather than your desired schedule.
Finally, with no fixed prices, last-minute SkyMiles award tickets function like revenue tickets: They tend to be significantly more expensive.
This is a major drawback to collecting SkyMiles compared to other legacy carrier miles.
That said, it’s worth noting that you can reticket most Delta award flights (excluding basic economy awards) when the price drops. Many times, this can be accomplished right in the Delta app.
If you want to change a basic economy award ticket, you will be charged a cancellation fee in miles. This fee — 9,900 miles for domestic travel (within the United States and Canada) and 19,900 miles for international travel — is deducted from the value of your ticket, and the remaining miles will be deposited back into your SkyMiles account.
Adding segments on Delta flights can lower your award ticket price
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Surprisingly, longer flights can sometimes result in lower award rates for a Delta award ticket. Delta tends to have limited competition on routes originating from its main hubs.
For example, flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in economy class will cost you 37,000 miles.
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When you shift your origin to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), which is served by more carriers, the prices drop significantly — with many itineraries connecting in Detroit:
Given the high redemption rates for Delta-operated flights in premium cabins, a good use of SkyMiles might be to redeem them on partner airlines. After all, this holds true for redemptions using American Airlines AAdvantage miles and Air Canada Aeroplan points.
Redeeming SkyMiles for Virgin Atlantic-operated Upper Class flights to the United Kingdom and beyond is a reasonable use of SkyMiles. While redemption rates are much higher than Virgin’s Flying Club charges for the same flights, you won’t be hit with Flying Club’s four-figure carrier-imposed surcharges. So, if you have a large balance of SkyMiles and want very little out-of-pocket cost, this could be a good use.
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With no award chart, prices vary, but great deals can be found on partner airlines that don’t touch the United States. This business-class itinerary flying a combination of China Airlines and Air France is only 80,000 miles plus around $28 in taxes and fees, an incredible deal for around 15 hours of flying time in premium cabins.
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Delta offers SkyMiles promotions
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Delta routinely offers SkyMiles sales where it will reduce the price of certain award seats it operates itself.
For example, you can book round-trip flights to Europe for as low as 54,000 SkyMiles plus minimal taxes and fees. We have also previously seen round-trip offers from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) for just 44,000 miles plus $40 in taxes and fees, a terrific deal for long-haul flights to Asia.
Keep an eye on Delta’s SkyMiles sales page to find these deals, and if you see a great price, book immediately.
You can earn Delta elite status without ever flying
Here are the requirements for SkyMiles elite Medallion status in 2024 (to enjoy through 2025). Here’s how many Medallion Qualification Dollars you’d need to earn:
There is no limit to how many MQDs you can earn from spending on the cards, so you could potentially earn elite status just from swiping your Delta Amex card.
Note that all four of these cards also include a 15% discount on Delta-operated award flights when you redeem your SkyMiles and pay the taxes and fees with the card. This doesn’t apply to partner tickets.
One of the easiest ways to earn lots of Delta SkyMiles is through cobranded credit cards — including welcome offers and earning on everyday spending. Currently, American Express issues four personal Delta cards and three business cards.
You can transfer Membership Rewards points to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. However, to offset the federal excise tax, you will pay a fee of $0.0006 per mile (up to a maximum of $99), so the transaction will be more expensive.
Bottom line
Delta SkyMiles remains a solid choice for Delta travelers. We continue to find value in using SkyMiles for domestic flights and in potentially booking partner SkyTeam award flights.
However, SkyMiles aren’t the currency to hold if you’re looking for aspirational or long-haul premium-cabin awards, as you will find much lower redemption rates through other programs.
Specifically, you can earn 1 MQD per base dollar spent on hotel bookings and car rental reservations booked by Sept. 30 through the Travel Extras portal for travel completed by Oct. 31.
Here are the details.
Earn Delta MQDs on hotels
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During this promotion, you’ll earn 1 MQD per dollar spent on hotel stays booked through Delta’s travel portal. This is in addition to the redeemable SkyMiles (members earn a minimum of 2 miles for every $1 spent on the base hotel rate) you ordinarily earn for every dollar spent at most hotels.
The promotion’s terms state that you can only earn on the base cost of the hotel room before taxes and fees are charged at the time of booking.
3,476 SkyMiles (worth $41.71 based on TPG’s September valuations)
Earn Delta MQDs on rental cars
Additionally, you’ll earn 1 MQD per dollar spent on the base car rental rate for every completed rental booking.
You will not earn MQDs on charges like taxes, one-way rental fees, fuel services or tolls. Additionally, when booking cars through Delta’s portal, you can earn bonus SkyMiles with rental car partners and if you hold elite status with Delta.
For example, Hertz is a partner of Delta, and if you decide to book a rental car with this company through Delta, basic SkyMiles members will earn 4 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals. Additionally, depending on your Delta elite status, you can earn 5 to 8 miles per $1 spent on qualifying rentals.
Therefore, if you decide to book a Hertz rental car at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) through Delta’s portal, here’s how many MQDs and SkyMiles you can earn on a three-day-long rental with the current promotion:
136 MQDs
544 SkyMiles (worth about $6.53 based on TPG’s September valuations)
Before you book, make sure to read the full terms and conditions of this promotion. One of the most important things to note is that you can only earn MQDs if your name appears on the credit card you pay with. Delta will not credit MQDs if the first and last names on the card do not match the information on the SkyMiles account.
After you complete your travel, it can take up to eight weeks to receive the MQDs.
This promotion is another way to earn Delta status without flying. By earning MQDs through non-flight activities outside one of the airline’s cobranded cards, this promotion sets a new precedent for Medallion status. Delta appears to be sending emails to SkyMiles members in batches with this promotion — we hope to see more ways to earn MQDs like this one in the future.
Editor’s note: TPG’s Gene Sloan accepted a free trip from Cunard to get an early look at Queen Anne. The opinions expressed below are entirely his and weren’t subject to review by the line.
Are you thinking of a cruise on Cunard‘s new Queen Anne? Be warned: It’s not like any Cunard ship you’ve seen before.
The storied cruise brand’s first new vessel in 14 years is notably more contemporary in its look and feel than the line’s three other ships, including the iconic Queen Mary 2.
It also offers venues that embrace the latest trends of travel and cruising in a way that Cunard ships haven’t done in the past.
As I’ve seen on two visits to Queen Anne since it debuted four months ago, including a weeklong stay in September as it sailed the Norwegian coast, the $600 million vessel offers more choice in dining and entertainment, more wellness options, and more of a focus on onboard celebrations than we’ve ever seen on a Cunard ship.
That’s no small thing, given that Cunard has fielded 149 ships in its 184-year history.
Still, even as Queen Anne ushers in a new era for Cunard, it’s a vessel that holds true to the traditional values at the core of the line — particularly a formality and elegance that harks back to the grand old days of ocean liner travel.
Overview of Queen Anne
Queen Anne docked at Geiranger Fjord, Norway. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Queen Anne is the new belle of the ball when it comes to Cunard ships. Unveiled in May, it’s far younger and more up to date than the three other ships in the Cunard fleet, which range from 14 to 20 years in age. It also has a smorgasbord of new-for-the-line dining and entertainment venues that tap into the latest trends in hospitality.
Unlike other Cunard vessels, for instance, Queen Anne features a wide array of extra-charge eateries, ranging from a Mediterranean cuisine venue where the dishes are sprinkled with African and Arabic influences to one of the first contemporary Indian restaurants on a cruise ship.
That’s on top of the four relatively formal main restaurants that have long been at the core of the Cunard dining experience (one each for each class of onboard cabins — if you’re in a Britannia-class cabin, your main eatery is the Britannia Restaurant; if you’re in a Princess Grill suite, your main eatery is the Princess Grill).
Queen Anne also has a broader array of entertainment options than past Cunard ships, including an all-new cabaret venue that is home to a murder mystery theater show for part of every cruise.
Like all Cunard ships, it’s a vessel that maintains longtime ocean liner traditions such as gala evenings where passengers wear black tie and ballgowns and nightly dancing in a grand ballroom (something you no longer find on most ships).
But alone for now in the Cunard fleet, Queen Anne aims to bridge the gap between such traditions and a more contemporary sort of cruising — not just in the venues it offers on board but in its overall look and feel.
It’s been a change that hasn’t been without controversy. Some Cunard regulars have mercilessly (and sometimes hilariously) panned the ship at online review sites, citing both the new look and what they say are obvious design flaws.
Queen Anne also clearly has suffered from teething pains in its first four months at sea, with Cunard fans reporting listless service, mediocre food in some eateries and uninspired entertainment. These are all things that I saw, too — so much so that I’m hesitant to recommend that passengers book this ship just yet. While lovely, it’s not quite ready for prime time.
That said, if Cunard can work out the kinks over the coming months, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.
What I loved about Queen Anne
The new look
Queen Anne has a more contemporary look than past Cunard ships. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Put me down as firmly in the camp that loves the new look. Make no mistake, I have long enjoyed the ocean liners-of-old design of Cunard vessels. Sailing on the Atlantic-crossing Queen Mary 2, in particular, is like stepping onto the movie set for “Titanic,” which definitely has an appeal. Combined with Cunard’s focus on old-style tradition and elegance, it has given Cunard something unique in the world of cruising. But that doesn’t mean the brand has to be forever stuck in the past.
In my view, which admittedly isn’t shared by some Cunard fans, Cunard has artfully updated its design and onboard offerings for modern-day cruisers in a way that doesn’t lose the tradition and elegance for which its ships have long been known.
Get your British on at Queen Anne’s Golden Lion pub. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Like all ships operated by United Kingdom-based Cunard, Queen Anne has a particularly British feel. It’s a vessel where mushy peas and fish-and-chips (along with other British culinary favorites) are on the lunch buffet not just once a sailing but every day, and afternoon tea is a major event. It’s also a ship where one of the busiest drinking spots is the (very traditionally English) pub.
But beyond such Britishness in food and drink, it offers a uniquely British style of prim and properness that is perhaps Queen Anne’s most distinctive feature. It is a ship, for instance, where even on nights when the dress code is a relaxed “smart” casual, most passengers arrive for dinner in a jacket, some in full coat-and-tie. It’s a vessel where you generally don’t see people being loud or garish or otherwise inappropriate.
For American cruisers increasingly aghast at the way some passengers behave (and dress) on mass-market American vessels, where anything-goes American values rule the day, it can be wonderfully refreshing — a throwback to what cruising was across the board not all that long ago. Of course, for some Americans, it might come off as just plain stuffy.
What I didn’t love about Queen Anne
The hard-to-navigate top deck
Locked doors make getting across the top deck of Queen Anne difficult. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Getting around the top deck of Queen Anne is easy — if you’re staying in a top suite. Otherwise, it’s like navigating a maze. That’s because a significant chunk of the middle of the top deck is devoted to a private sunning area for the swells in top suites. If you’re not booked in such a suite (and thus do not have the secret keycode to enter and cross this elites-only zone), you can’t easily get from the sunning and sports deck areas at the front of the ship to the pool area at the back. The only way to do it is to descend into the interior of the vessel and walk across its already congested buffet restaurant (called the Artisans’ Foodhall).
This, in turn, adds to the congestion of the buffet, which itself has design flaws (most notably, its self-serve drinks stations are inexplicably located along the crowded walkways through the eatery, such that you’ll smack right into people pouring hot coffees and teas as you work your way across the space).
The crowds
Passengers wait in line for tea-time snacks at Queen Anne’s buffet. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Queen Anne is more packed with people than Cunard’s three other vessels, in a way that affects the experience. Seats are hard to come by for some shows, and the crew seems more harried than usual. The cabin experience is also diminished in some cases.
The numbers tell the story: At 113,000 gross tons, Queen Anne is 24% bigger than Cunard’s last new vessel, the 14-year-old Queen Elizabeth. But Cunard has jammed 44% more cabins (and thus 44% more people) onto the vessel. Queen Anne holds 2,996 passengers at double occupancy (two passengers per cabin), up from Queen Elizabeth’s capacity of 2,081 passengers at double occupancy. Notably, this drops the ship’s “space ratio” of space (measured in hundreds of cubic feet) to passengers to just 37.8, which isn’t a great number. By comparison, Queen Elizabeth has a space ratio closer to 44. The line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 has a space ratio around 56.
The spotty service
I truly was excited to sail on Queen Anne, as I’ve long loved the elegance and refinement of Cunard vessels. I figured Cunard’s first new ship in 14 years would set a new benchmark for the brand. Alas, what I experienced on board was a vessel that wasn’t quite functioning right, mostly in the area of service.
I’ve sailed on more than 200 ships in 30 years of writing about cruising, including lots of just-out-of-the-shipyard vessels, and I’ve rarely encountered one where the crew members seemed as untrained and indifferent as they seemed on Queen Anne. It wasn’t in every space. The servers in the exclusive restaurant for Princess Grill passengers were fabulous, catering to my every need. The bartenders at the casino bar (Room 1840) were a delight. But in many other venues, I regularly encountered crew who didn’t seem to know what they were supposed to do or how to interact with passengers. Some venues also just didn’t have enough staff to function properly.
Queen Anne cabins and suites
The bed area in a Princess Grill suite. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Queen Anne has 28 cabin and suite categories — a large number. But finding the right cabin category for you isn’t as complicated as that number might make it seem. As is often the case on cruise ships, many cabin categories on Queen Anne are essentially the same, with the exception of where the rooms are located.
For instance, there are nine categories of balcony cabins, all basically the same in size and decor. The only differences among most of them are whether they are located at the front, middle or back of the ship and whether they have a clear or obstructed view.
Similarly, there are five categories of ocean-view cabins (those with a window but no balcony) and six categories of windowless inside cabins. The only difference between them is location.
There are eight categories of suites, some of which also are essentially the same except for their locations.
All that said, when booking accommodations on Queen Anne, it’s important to know that the type of cabin you book will have a significant impact on your cruise experience beyond what you’ll experience in your room.
Unlike most lines, Cunard still operates with an old-school class system, where passengers dine and lounge on ships in different places depending on their cabin category.
Most of Queen Anne’s 1,498 cabins — including all inside and ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are what’s known as Britannia cabins. When you book passage in one, you’ll dine in the ship’s cavernous Britannia Restaurant at night (when not at an extra-charge specialty restaurant) and only have access to the non-elite lounge areas of the ship.
For those wanting something more exclusive (and willing to pay for it), there are three higher tiers of accommodations with ever-greater levels of pampering and perks:
Britannia Club cabins. These 162 balcony cabins are similar to standard balcony cabins but come with access to a more intimate private restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Princess Grill suites. A big step up from Britannia Club cabins, these 127 rooms — all suites — come with concierge service and access to an exclusive lounge area (the Grills Lounge) and a restaurant (the Princess Grill) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, you’ll get access to a spacious private outdoor sun deck called the Grills Terrace.
Queens Grill suites. These 65 suites are the ship’s finest accommodations. Measuring 484 to 1,440 square feet, they come with butler service, concierge service, upscale touches such as fresh flowers, and access to an elegant private restaurant (the Queens Grill) for all meals. In addition, you get access to the same Grills Lounge and Grills Terrace as those staying in the Princess Grill suites.
My room was a Princess Grill suite, and the exclusive private areas that came with it really were wonderful. I particularly loved my special access to the Grills Lounge, a stylish bar and lounge space. Filled with curvy chairs upholstered in luscious peacock blue fabric, with a striking circular chartreuse seating area as a focal point, it served as a quiet escape from the ship’s bustling public areas.
A striking seating area within the only-for-elites Grills Lounge. BELINDA LUKSIC/FOR THE POINTS GUY
One deck up, the private Grills Terrace was a similarly serene and uncrowded oasis for decktop lounging that felt a world away from the busier public areas atop the ship.
Like all Princess Grill suites, my room measured about 300 square feet, including its balcony area. That’s quite large for a cruise ship cabin, and it was room enough to contain everything I could want in a cabin for a week at sea: a king bed that could be split into two single beds, a built-in desk area, a separate built-in cabinet hiding a miniature refrigerator, a seating area with a sofa and chair, built-in closets, and a bathroom.
For the most part, I was happy with my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. While it wasn’t inordinately high-end in its finishings, it had a clean-lined, contemporary look that felt modern and up to date. A recurring circular motif in its carpeting, lighting and mirror gave it a whiff of an art deco feel, one that was augmented by the room’s red and gold accents (a nod to Cunard history, as they are two of Cunard’s signature colors).
While surprisingly small in relationship to the overall size of the room, the bathroom in my Princess Grill suite was modern and bright, with a well-thought-out layout that made the most of its limited space. I particularly liked the relatively large walk-in shower and ample shelving space for toiletries — a sign that its designers understood what matters most to cruisers (unlike the designers of the poorly laid-out bathrooms on the new Seabourn ship that I just tested a few weeks ago).
If my Princess Grill suite had a flaw, it was in the lack of adequate storage in the room. Given the formality of Cunard ships, which requires that passengers pack elegant eveningwear (think ballgowns and tuxedos) in addition to everyday clothing, the storage needs for Cunard passengers are higher than for passengers on some other lines. Cunard ships (and Queen Anne in particular) also often make longer sailings that require more clothes.
While there was enough storage in my room to pack away everything my companion and I brought for a weeklong sailing, it would have been tight if we had been on one of the ship’s longer two-week sailings. I can’t imagine how it’ll work for passengers on the monthslong around-the-world sailings that are planned for the vessel starting in January.
One detail of the room I truly loved was the placement of large nightstands with large drawers on each side of the bed where I could hide away all my electronics and their cords, books, papers, glasses and the like. Bedside storage at this level is increasingly rare on ships. What’s more, each of the nightstands was topped with a U.S.-style 110-volt outlet, a British-style 220-volt outlet, and both USB-A and fast-charging USB-C ports. Bravo, Cunard, for knowing how to keep us charged.
Other Queen Anne cabin tidbits:
Every cabin has a small hair dryer that works with the ship’s specific current. Leave yours at home.
Rooms have nicely wide personal safes that can hold even a big laptop.
There are Cunard-red “Do Not Disturb” magnets to stick to your door when you don’t want to be disturbed. Flip them over, and a steward will make up your room. It’s not a sophisticated system, but it works.
Cabin televisions offer a wide range of movies on demand at no extra charge, a nice touch (some of Cunard’s competitors charge as much as $11.99 to watch a movie).
The Princess Grill suites seem like a sweet spot to me when it comes to the higher-end accommodations on Queen Anne. They get you the same exclusive access to private indoor and outdoor lounge areas as the higher-priced Queens Grill suites and access to a private restaurant, too, but at a significantly lower price point.
That said, if you’re looking for the ultimate in Queen Anne swankiness, you’ll find it in the Queens Grill suites.
The best suites on Queen Anne
The two largest Queens Grill suites, called Grand suites, measure an astounding 1,440 square feet — nearly five times the size of my Princess Grill suite. They boast a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a large living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.
Also impressive are the ship’s four Queens Grill Master suites, which measure 896 square feet. They also feature a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.
The remainder of the Queens Grill suites are split between Queens Grill Penthouse suites, which measure 501 to 527 square feet, and slightly smaller Queens Grill suites, which measure 484 to 500 square feet. Each has a bedroom, a bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living area, and a private balcony.
In addition to fresh flowers, Queens Grill suites come with personalized stationery, fresh fruit daily, predinner canapes and a complimentary minibar, including alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.
As noted above, Queen Anne’s designers have packed a lot more cabins on Queen Anne than on earlier Cunard ships, and they did it in part by shrinking the size of some cabins. While standard balcony cabins on Queen Anne are just a tad smaller than balcony cabins on the line’s past two new ships (236 square feet versus 239 square feet), the differential with Princess Grill suites is more noticeable.
Princess Grill suites measure 335 square feet on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria — about 10% more space than my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. Princess Grill suites on the line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, measure a far more generous 381 square feet.
At the Queens Grill level, there are notably no two-deck-high duplexes measuring more than 2,000 square feet on Queen Anne, as you’ll find on the Queen Mary 2, which remains Cunard’s reigning monarch for over-the-top accommodations.
Cunard has never been known for having ships that offered lots of dining options, but that changed notably with the debut of Queen Anne. It boasts 15 different places where you can grab a bite — more than double the number on the line’s other ships. It also offers quite a few bar options, including several new-for-the-brand venues.
Restaurants
As on all Cunard ships, the dining scene on Queen Anne revolves around four main restaurants: Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill — only one of which you will experience during any given cruise.
In keeping with Cunard’s old-fashioned class system of dining, you’ll be assigned a table in one of the four eateries for the duration of your cruise based on the type of cabin you book.
The cavernous Britannia Restaurant is the main eatery for passengers in most cabins. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
The vast majority of passengers — those in the least expensive windowless inside cabins, ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are assigned to the least intimate of the four eateries: the expansive, two-level Britannia Restaurant. It’s packed with close-together tables that can hold 596 people at a time — a banquet hall sort of number.
Dinners on the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant take place during two fixed seatings each night, while the second level is reserved for diners on an open-seating plan (arrange this in advance). Breakfast and lunch have open seating.
Passengers who pay up for one of 162 premium balcony cabins will be assigned a table in the more intimate Britannia Club restaurant. It’s designed to hold up to 339 passengers and doesn’t turn over tables for multiple seatings. If you book this class, you have a specific table in the eatery that is available whenever you want to dine during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours.
The more intimate Queens Grill on Queen Anne is for passengers in top suites. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Even more intimate and upscale are the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants, which are assigned to passengers staying in suites. The Princess Grill is for passengers booked in the ship’s 127 smaller suites, known as Princess Grill suites. The Queens Grill is for passengers in the ship’s 65 biggest suites.
In the Princess Grill and Queens Grill, as with the Britannia Club restaurant, you’ll have a specific table that is available to you whenever you want it during dining hours.
Among the four main eateries, I only was able to experience the Princess Grill, as I was staying in a Princess Grill suite. Serving mostly classic Continental cuisine, it offered a refined dining experience with top-notch service, as you’d expect from an eatery reserved for passengers in top suites. Elaborate dishes such as chateaubriand and Dover sole meuniere (the latter expertly deboned and plated tableside) were available every night, as were such showy desserts as bananas Foster and cherries jubilee that were flamed tableside — a throwback to first-class travel during ocean liner days.
In addition to the four eateries above, Queen Anne also has a wide range of alternative dining options — something that isn’t the case with other Cunard ships.
These include four new-for-the-line extra-charge dining concepts: Aranya, an Indian eatery; Tramonto, serving Mediterranean dishes; Aji Wa, a Japanese restaurant; and Sir Samuel’s, a steakhouse.
I tried nearly all these new restaurants while on board and, alas, was disappointed with them all for varying reasons.
Both Aranya and Tramonto, which came with upcharges of $35 and $20, respectively, seemed like eateries added to the ship as afterthoughts. Both were in carved-out corners of the buffet area, and they had the ambience you might expect from such a location. From my table at Aranya, I looked out over a sad landscape of empty tables and a trolley cart with glasses in the buffet. Tramonto’s ambience was better, thanks to the addition of a built-in wine cabinet blocking the buffet view. But it still suffered from being aside one of the main thoroughfares into the buffet.
Foodwise, the 38-seat Aranya was the biggest disappointment. The “carefully crafted spice-led journey” that it promised was almost devoid of spice across much of its (very limited) menu. A turbot wrapped in banana leaf came out dry. The one choice of naan that was available (plain) had the consistency of cardboard. It was nothing like the fabulous Indian eateries you’ll find all over the ship’s home country (for a similar cost, my companion and I feasted on truly wonderful Indian cuisine in London just the night before boarding).
Aranya also was plagued by servers who seemed only half awake (one server tried to fill our water glasses with tap water twice in five minutes, even though we clearly told her the first time we were drinking sparkling water).
The cuisine at the 38-seat Tramonto wasn’t quite the disaster it was at Aranya, but too many dishes at this venue arrived cold, tasteless or otherwise underwhelming, and the servers were inattentive, even absent at times.
Both Aranya and Tramonto suffered, I suspect, from not having their own kitchens on-site. It appeared that waiters at both outlets were walking out of the eateries periodically to head to the buffet kitchen to grab dishes. They also apparently had to travel long distances to get drinks, as the eateries had no bars of their own. Our charge for sparkling water at Aranya posted as coming from the Panorama Pool Club bar, suggesting that our server had to walk to the back of the ship to get it.
Aji Wa, the Japanese eatery, had a much better atmosphere and served lovely sushi and other Japanese dishes. Its main flaw was disorganized service. During one of two visits, we sat at the sushi bar, ordering small sushi plates directly from the chef (as instructed) a couple at a time. Alas, nobody cleared these dishes away as we finished them, such that dirty dishes were piling up all around us by the end of the evening. We then sat for 20 minutes waiting for someone to notice we were done and bring us a bill. We finally got one, but just for our drinks. We had to wait again for a second bill for the food portion of the meal — a separation of charges that surely makes sense to someone in the accounting department at Cunard’s U.K. headquarters but, of course, is nonsensical to the customer.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to try Sir Samuel’s, Cunard’s new signature steakhouse. The eatery was unavailable for the entire week I was on board due to a private event that was being held in the space.
Other places to dine on Queen Anne include the Golden Lion pub, a mainstay of Cunard ships. On Queen Anne, it features a tasty new pub menu designed by chef Michel Roux Jr., who owned London’s Le Gavroche restaurant, the first U.K. restaurant to receive three Michelin stars. (He also created an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant.) I particularly loved the steak-and-ale pie. It looked underwhelming on the plate but was fabulously rich and yummy.
You’ll pay up to $11 a plate for lunch at the Golden Lion, but it’s a worth-it upcharge. Some items, such as the quintessentially British Scotch eggs, are available at no extra cost.
In addition, Queen Anne passengers can eat in casual comfort at the Artisans’ Foodhall, the ship’s buffet. It features active food stations instead of traditional self-serve buffet lines, with a chef standing by at each station to make a dish just for you — a nice upgrade. There also are preplated dishes available to grab and go. The array of dishes is more limited than on some mass-market ships, but I never had trouble finding something to suit my taste.
That said, for something fast and casual, my favorite outlet, hands down, was the new-for-Cunard Wellness Cafe on the second level of the ship’s Pavilion pool area. Part of Cunard’s expanded focus on wellness, it offered no-extra-charge, built-to-order healthy food bowls that were not just tasty but beautifully plated. You could pick from a long list of healthful items such as edamame, kale, quinoa, roasted broccoli and charred cauliflower and top it all with grilled salmon and other proteins, as well as fresh dressings such as miso, lime and ginger. It was the one new eatery on Queen Anne that was a clear home run.
Eat there, and then blow your calorie count at the nearby Pavilion Gelateria, which serves massive extra-charge gelatos starting at a very reasonable $2.50 for one flavor. The Pavilion is also home to a grill for no-extra-charge burgers and hot dogs.
You’ll also find small bites available from morning to night at the Carinthia Lounge. Located off the Grand Lobby, it’s a European-style coffee bar by day with lovely handmade pastries and other elevated breakfast bites at no extra charge. At night, it morphs into a wine bar that serves artisanal cheese and charcuterie sourced from small producers for an extra fee (on my sailing, $6.50 for a selection of three cheeses or meats).
The Carinthia Lounge also serves oysters on the half shell at night ($6.50 for three oysters) and a few other small snacks that pair well with wines.
Room service is available day and night with several solid options including the same Michel Roux-designed burger you can get in the Golden Lion pub. That said, many of the better items come with an upcharge, which isn’t always the case with room service menus on ships. The burger will set you back $11, while the room service steak — from the ship’s Sir Samuel’s steakhouse — will cost you $25 to $29, depending on whether you order a sirloin or filet. With an added lobster tail, the plate cost jumps to $40 to $44.
Bars
The bar at Room 1840. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
If you’re heading out for a drink in the evening on Queen Anne, you’re probably heading to one of two places: the Commodore Club or the Chart Room.
Located at the top of the ship overlooking the bow, as it is on all Cunard ships, the Commodore Club is the hot spot for drinks in the evenings, and for good reason. It’s an elegant and inviting space with an impressive martini menu, friendly bartenders and lively entertainment (on my sailings, a pianist who took requests and played to the crowd).
The Commodore Club is such a popular venue on Cunard ships that the line has made it bigger than ever on Queen Anne, even bigger than its counterpart on Queen Mary 2, which is a far bigger ship.
Just off the Grand Lobby, the Chart Room is the main bar and lounge for the ship’s lower-deck interior areas. It has a creative list of specialty cocktails themed around the signs of the zodiac (I loved the Leo-themed Natural Leader cocktail, made with pisco, lemon juice, raspberries and elderflower syrup) and the stylish art deco-inspired decor.
A third major drinking spot in the interior of the ship is the Golden Lion pub, which is just down the hall from the Chart Room past the Queens Room — the ship’s ballroom. It’s definitely the place to go for a pint of beer and a chat or a full-blown pub meal. Just be warned that it sometimes morphs into a karaoke club at night and is often taken over by trivia and bingo sessions, which sort of wrecks the cozy British pub ambience. In my view, it’s a space that suffers from mission creep, though people who love karaoke, trivia and bingo with a side of John Smith’s bitter ale surely will disagree.
Another option for a drink in the afternoon or evening is the Carinthia Lounge. As mentioned in the dining section above, it’s a coffee bar by day but morphs into a wine bar as the day goes on. It has a wonderfully diverse wine list that includes things like Hungarian furmint, a wine you don’t normally find at cruise ship bars.
Alas, as an evening drinking spot, the Carinthia Lounge suffers a bit from a ho-hum setting along a sometimes busy corridor through a shopping area — the reason, I suspect, for why it wasn’t drawing much of a crowd at night when I was on board. It also closes down early. It’s much more popular during the day when it functions as a coffee bar.
A main thoroughfare for passengers runs right through the Carinthia Lounge. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Note that the Carinthia Lounge is one of the venues on Queen Anne where the servers seem particularly out to lunch. You apparently get to order just one coffee here, after which your server will disappear, never to be seen again.
Yet one more bar option, one that is something of an unexpected gem, is the bar attached to the ship’s casino, Room 1840. Most casino bars on ships are dreary places you don’t want to visit unless you’re in the casino to gamble. But the Room 1840 bar is both striking in its design and home to a fabulous cocktail menu focused on Negronis (in addition to a classic gin Negroni, you’ll find creative variations on the Campari-infused elixir made with everything from double-oaked whiskey to tequila).
The Room 1840 bar is also one of the few bars on the ship where you’ll find proper oversize ice cubes for cocktails such as Negronis — something that is standard at any semidecent cocktail bar on land but sorely missing from most Queen Anne bars (to be fair, this is a flaw not just with Queen Anne bars but bars on most cruise ships).
And, no, Room 1840 isn’t smoky. Unlike on most ships, you can’t smoke in the casino on Queen Anne.
Behold, a Negroni served with a properly large ice cube — something you won’t find at most bars on Queen Anne. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
In addition to the above, there are small interior bars attached to the Queens Room, the Bright Lights Society cabaret theater, the Artisans’ Foodhall and the Sir Samuel’s steakhouse. But none of them are venues you’d necessarily visit specifically for drinking. They are more bases for the waiters serving these various areas.
On the outside decks of the ship, you’ll find bars at all the main sunning and pool areas, including at the front-of-the-ship sports deck (known as the Observation Deck) and at the back-of-the-ship Panorama Pool Club. One of the outdoor venues, Cabana, is a new-for-the-line rum-focused venue touting 50 different brands of the drink.
Queen Anne activities
As is typical for Cunard ships, the top decks of Queen Anne are mostly devoted to relaxing pool and sunning areas. This isn’t a ship where you’ll find lots of family-friendly decktop amusements such as waterslides and kiddie splash zones.
This is in keeping with the clientele of the brand, which is mostly older adults. Cunard has never been known as a family line.
Queen Anne is also one of the relatively few cruise ships with a top deck designed specifically for operating in a wide range of climate zones.
At the heart of Queen Anne’s top deck is The Pavilion, an enormous central pool area that — unlike the main pool areas on the last two new Cunard ships — is topped with a retractable glass roof designed to keep poolgoers warm and dry on cold and rainy days.
It’s a retractable glass roof that is not only functional but beautiful — a showpiece for the ship. Soaring higher and feeling airier than the typical magrodome (as such retractable glass roofs on ships are called), the giant structure above the pool was created by Martin Francis, the U.K.-based design wizard who figured out how to make the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum stay up.
The Pavilion, moreover, is much more than just a covered pool area. Underneath the dome — in addition to a pool, three whirlpools and lounge chairs — is a bar, a grill for poolside food, a gelateria and a stage for entertainment.
Just forward of The Pavilion is an open-air sun deck that is the closest thing the ship has to an amusement zone. Called the Observation Deck, it has a paddle tennis court that doubles as a pickleball court, a putting green, a golf net for practicing your drives, a table tennis table (or, as most Americans would call it, a pingpong table) and — this being a British ship — deck quoits. If you’re an American, you’ll have to Google that last one.
There’s also shuffleboard, here and elsewhere along the outdoor decks. It’s that sort of deck-top vibe.
One other top-deck amusement, located toward the middle of the ship, is an archery range — something you won’t find on most cruise ships. Indeed, while Royal Caribbean has offered a watered-down version of archery on its ships with toylike bows and arrows, Queen Anne is the first ship where you can shoot real (and very sharp) arrows with a real bow. You do it during formal reservations-only sessions with an instructor, and you have to sign your life away with a waiver form before you start.
TPG’s Gene Sloan tries his hand at archery on Queen Anne. BELINDA LUKSIC/FOR THE POINTS GUY
In addition to the public areas above, there is an open-air deck area toward the middle of the ship that is exclusive to the swanky set staying in the ship’s Princess Grill and Queens Grill suites. The center-of-the-ship placement of this exclusive area, alas, blocks regular passengers from moving across the top of the ship — a major design flaw.
The top of the ship is also home to a new-for-the-line, glass-enclosed Wellness Studio. Just past The Pavilion Pool (under the same glorious glass dome that covers that venue), it offers yoga, Pilates, Zumba and line-dancing classes during the day for an extra charge.
The Wellness Studio is part of the major expansion of wellness offerings at Cunard mentioned above. It was added to the ship in part to get all the fitness classes that the line normally offers in interior fitness areas up to the top deck, where participants can enjoy natural light and views of the sea all around.
The Wellness Studio is the place for daily yoga, Pilates and other classes for a fee. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
That said, Queen Anne still has a good-size fitness center and a spa with a thermal pool complex in a lower part of the vessel. The latter venue is a wow with heated loungers, experiential showers, a reflexology footpath with textured stones, a cold room (a first for Cunard), a large steam room, a Himalayan salt sauna, and a traditional sauna. There’s also a relaxation room and a wellness suite.
Two-hour passes to the thermal complex are available for $59 per person.
If you’re looking for activities in the interior of the ship, there are two main places to go: the Queens Room and the Golden Lion pub.
The Queens Room — a staple of Cunard ships — is the ship’s grand ballroom and the place to dance the night away to big-band music. But it’s also the spot for afternoon tea at times — a big thing for the ship’s heavily British crowd — and occasionally other activities such as low-impact chair yoga.
The Golden Lion pub is home to frequent trivia contests (often several times a day), darts competitions, bingo and karaoke nights — so many such activities, in fact, that passengers looking for a traditional pub experience may be disappointed.
Other activity areas in the ship’s interior include the small casino area called Room 1840 mentioned above. It’s just forward of the Queens Room. There’s also a small Games Room for card playing just off the Grand Lobby.
At the very top of the ship, off the Commodore Club, is a library with one of the best views of any library at sea. Just beyond it is a very small children’s area called The Zone (as noted, Cunard isn’t a line that draws many children).
A small room for toddlers on Queen Anne. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Other interior areas include dedicated space for weddings and wedding receptions, part of a bigger focus on celebrations at Cunard, and a large number of shops.
Queen Anne shows
“Imagination” in the Royal Court Theater. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Cunard has beefed up its entertainment offerings with the debut of Queen Anne.
In addition to an 835-seat main theater (the Royal Court Theater) offering Broadway-style shows, it’s home to a new-for-the-brand, 132-seat cabaret-style theater called the Bright Lights Society.
The former is home to a wide variety of entertainment during any given cruise, from full-blown musicals to comedy shows and vocalist performances. (It’s also used for lectures by a rotating list of guest speakers and occasional screenings of feature-length films.) The latter offers a murder mystery theater-type experience on some days and a lively cabaret-style musical show on others.
On my sailing, the two big main theater productions were a smoke-, strobe light- and laser-infused musical production called “Imagination” and a shortened version of the West End musical “Pride and Prejudice (sort of)” — the latter a comedic retelling of the Jane Austen love story. Both were entertaining, if not the sort of wow productions you’ll find on the ships of cruise entertainment leaders Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Queen Anne has a new-for-the-line cabaret theater called the Bright Lights Society. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
The Bright Lights Society (the name is an oblique reference to the fact that Cunard was the first ocean liner operator to use electric lights on its ships) was a fun and lively venue — when I was able to get into it. Alas, all six performances of what some passengers said was the best show in the venue, the interactive murder mystery “Noir,” booked up seemingly instantly on the first day of my cruise, so I never was able to get a reservation to see it.
With Queen Anne’s passenger count significantly higher than Cunard’s other vessels, there just isn’t room in the Brights Light Society venue to accommodate the demand for its shows.
The “Noir” show was the only show in the venue for three of the first four nights of the cruise. For the last three nights of the sailing, the space was home to “Fizz,” a cabaret-style show with musical and burlesque elements and a loose storyline of romance for which I did manage to snag a reservation. It was energetic and amusing, with the cast of five pulling in the audience to become part of the show.
Additional entertainment, including the occasional comedy show, vocalists and silent discos, takes place in the Queens Room, the ship’s ballroom. On Queen Anne, it’s a space that has gotten a makeover compared to the ballrooms on other Cunard ships to make it more multipurpose, and it often hosts some of the same acts that play on different nights in the Royal Court Theater.
With clusters of modern ball lamps hanging from its ceiling, evoking planets floating in the sky, and a stunning, multicolored marquetry wood floor as a counterpoint, the Queens Room has a dreamy, make-believe quality unlike anything seen before on a Cunard ship.
A large digital screen behind its semicircular stage and high-tech lighting add to its more modern feel.
The Queens Room is also rounder in its design and more open to its surroundings. Its top level, in particular, is open to an area of boutique stores and the passing traffic of passengers moving between the front and back of the ship.
Queen Anne itineraries and pricing
Of Cunard’s four ships, Queen Anne is the one that spends the most time sailing out of Southampton, England — Cunard’s traditional home. Nearly all its sailings during the year begin and end in the port.
Still, that doesn’t mean Queen Anne only sails in the vicinity of the British Isles.
For all but the first few months of the year, Queen Anne operates an unusually wide array of Europe itineraries out of Southampton that can get you to just about every corner of the continent, from the far reaches of the Baltic Sea to the full expanse of the Mediterranean.
Queen Anne docked in Nordfjordeid, Norway. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Some of Queen Anne’s Europe sailings out of Southampton go all the way to the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa.
Queen Anne’s trips from Southampton are diverse not only in where they go but in length, as the ship operates everything from quickie two-nighters to Hamburg, Germany (a good way to test the vessel to see if you like it), and seven-night sailings to Northern Europe to far lengthier voyages of 14 to 19 nights to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.
During the first few months of every year, Queen Anne sets off from Southampton on an even more ambitious voyage around the world. Since the ship’s debut in early 2024, it has become one of Cunard’s main ships for such lengthy voyages.
The around-the-world voyages (two of which currently are on Queen Anne’s schedule for 2025 and 2026) typically last nearly four months and include stops in North America, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. In addition to selling passage for the entire cruise, Cunard also sells shorter segments of the voyage that focus on particular regions along the way.
Prices for Queen Anne sailings start around $400 per person, based on double occupancy, for a two-night sailing from Southampton to Hamburg. More typical seven-night sailings out of Southampton start at $1,159 per person, based on double occupancy. The ship’s first world cruise, a 107-night trip kicking off in January 2025, starts at $17,536 per person.
The above rates include all taxes and fees.
Note that you’ll pay a significant premium to stay in Queen Anne’s Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill accommodations as compared to standard Britannia cabins. A voyage where a balcony cabin in Britannia class starts around $3,000 per person might cost closer to $5,000 per person if you book the same balcony cabin in Britannia Club class or $7,000 per person if you book a Princess Grill suite. A Queens Grill room on the same voyage might set you back more than $9,000 per person.
What to know before you go
Required documents
A passport is required for all itineraries, and passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must match that on your passport. Double-check if you’ve recently gotten married or use a different version of your name.
Gratuities
Queen Anne guests will find an automatic service charge of $16 to $18 per person, per day, depending on cabin category, added to their onboard account and final bill. You are allowed to adjust this amount at the Purser’s Office desk before disembarking.
In addition, a 15% gratuity is added to bar bills. You should not feel pressured to add an additional tip.
In recent years, Cunard has upgraded the Wi-Fi service on its ships and now offers a relatively fast connection through Starlink satellites. As is often the case with cruise ships, the service isn’t free, nor is it inexpensive. Passengers can choose an Essential plan that allows web browsing and access to emails and social media sites for $18 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $24). A Premium plan allowing for streaming costs $24 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $36) is also available.
The above rates allow you to log in on a single device. Multidevice plans are also available. They’ll cost you more in absolute terms but are a much better value if you are buying Wi-Fi for several people. On my voyage, a multidevice plan for four devices was the same cost as buying two single-device plans.
Cunard allows every passenger of drinking age to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne onto ships at boarding. The line charges a corkage fee if you bring the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or other public areas to drink.
Smoking policy
Smoking (including e-cigarette smoking) is allowed only in designated outdoor areas. It’s forbidden in cabins, on cabin balconies and — with one exception — in all other indoor areas of the ship. The exception is that passengers can smoke cigars and pipes only (no cigarettes) in Churchill’s Cigar Lounge, the ship’s dedicated space for cigar smokers.
Unlike on some cruise ships, smoking is not allowed in Queen Anne’s casino.
Laundry
A launderette on Queen Anne. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
Queen Anne has self-serve launderettes on cabin decks where passengers will find washers, dryers and ironing boards for use at no extra charge. Even the detergent is free. The ship also offers extra-charge laundry, pressing and dry cleaning services.
You’ll find North American-style 110-volt outlets and European-style 220-volt outlets in cabins, along with USB ports.
Currency
The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar. But you won’t need cash while on board. Queen Anne operates on a “cashless system,” with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You’ll receive a keycard that you can use to make charges, and Cunard will charge your credit card at the end of the sailing to settle the balance.
While on board, you can check your balance at the Purser’s Office or via your in-cabin television.
Drinking age
You must be 18 to consume alcohol on Queen Anne in most parts of the world. When the ship is sailing in U.S. waters, Cunard enforces the U.S. drinking age limit of 21.
Dress code
During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it’s a sea day, and you’re bound for the pool deck, that means looking like you’re going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits are just fine. Just note that swimwear is not permitted in indoor dining areas, so you’ll want to change from that bathing suit before heading to lunch inside the vessel.
During the evenings, there is an official dress code, and it’s more formal than at many lines. Cunard has always been known as a line where passengers dress up — and its dress code reflects that (though it’s not nearly as formal as it was just a few years ago).
On most nights, the Queen Anne dress code is “smart” attire, which Cunard defines as a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress. Jackets are optional, but many men do wear them. Some men even wear coats and ties on casual nights. This is a ship where passengers get very dressed up, and you might feel out of place if you don’t.
Unlike on some lines, jeans are not allowed in restaurants in the evening, and the line is strict about it. You will likely be turned away if you show up in them, and you’ll definitely get dirty looks from Cunard’s formality-loving regulars.
Every few nights, the dress level on the ship becomes much more formal as the ship holds “gala evenings.” These are shipwide events where passengers are encouraged to dress to the nines, and they generally do.
There are typically two gala evenings on every seven-night cruise and more on longer sailings. Cunard asks men to wear black tie or dark suits. For women, Cunard suggests floor-length dresses, ballgowns or off-the-shoulder cocktail dresses.
Cunard typically designates a theme for each gala evening, set in advance so you can plan your wardrobe. Examples include Black and White Gala Evening, when passengers are encouraged to wear black and white, and Red and Gold Gala Evening, when red and gold are the go-to colors. Some sailings also have a Masquerade Ball, where the line suggests passengers spice up their attire with masks.
Note that if you really, really hate the idea of getting all dolled up for a gala evening, you’ll find that there are a few designated places on the ship (such as the pub) where you still can drink and dine without the formality. That said, the dress-up nights are a big part of the Cunard formula. If it doesn’t sound appealing to you, maybe you’re picking the wrong ship.
Queen Anne is a lovely ship that, alas, isn’t yet running like it should. The design of the vessel, which is more contemporary in its look and feel than what we’ve seen from Cunard in recent years, is meant to usher in a new era for the brand, and it does. In my opinion, it’s the most beautiful new Cunard ship to debut since Queen Mary 2 arrived more than 20 years ago.
But four months after opening, some of Queen Anne’s venues still are struggling to deliver the sort of friendly and intuitive service that they should, given Queen Anne’s positioning as a “premium” product that is a step above mass-market cruising (in some of its messaging to consumers, the line even refers to itself as offering a “luxury” experience).
In addition, several new-for-the-line dining concepts on the ship are struggling to hit their stride and may need rethinking.
Cunard, no doubt, will tweak all the above and eventually get it right, maybe by the time you are on board. And there’s a lot already to love about Queen Anne — particularly the higher-end experience available in the ship’s already smoothly-running Princess Grill and Queens Grill areas. If Cunard can work out the kinks with the rest of the ship, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.
During a recent return to Rome, one of my favorite cities, I was determined not to pay through the teeth for a few nights in luxury. The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel had been on my Roman bucket list for some time, and during my summer stay, I was able to get a pretty great deal by using points and award certificates despite really high cash prices.
While the service was a bit spotty, a large room and incredible amenities more than made up for a few service hiccups (and a disappointing view). It’s an ideal hotel if you are traveling with family or want a resort-style escape that still gets you access to a major European capital city.
Here’s what to expect at the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Main swimming pool at Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
What is Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel?
The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is a 370-room urban resort on a hill high above the city. In 1963, Conrad Hilton himself opened the hotel in a modular architectural style, which has been preserved in its exteriors. The hotel has seen some pretty high-profile guests over the years, including Fred Astaire, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Michelle Obama.
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Rome Cavalieri is more of a resort than a classic city hotel. It has four swimming pools, an incredible spa featuring a Turkish bath and the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Rome. It sits on 15 well-manicured acres with walking paths weaving among the pools and plenty of green spaces.
Aside from the A-list clientele, the hotel is perhaps best known for its world-class art collection, which includes works by Pietro Liberi, Giovanni Giambattista Tiepelo and Antonio Tantardini, among many others.
How to book Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
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As you’d expect, this Waldorf isn’t cheap. Still, it can be a great deal if you book using Hilton Honors points. For the week I stayed in July, my large room with a balcony was going for around $625 or 83,000 Hilton Honors points a night.
While room rates rarely dip below $600, I found award availability fairly widespread for next year, even in the peak summer season. Room rates for a deluxe king room like I had start around $673 or 80,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
I ended up using a free night certificate from one of my Hilton cobranded cards for one night, spending 80,000 Hilton Honors points for a second night, and paying $637 cash for a third night.
Despite holding top-tier Diamond status with Hilton, I did not get upgraded at check-in. While understandable, considering the hotel was sold out during my stay, it would have been nice to at least have gotten a room with a nice view of Rome.
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I also used two Hilton cards to maximize hotel credits.
I used my Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card for one day’s extra charges of $100. This card earns 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, so I earned 1,200 Hilton Honors points. However, I also received a $50 statement credit, as you get $50 each quarter for purchases made directly with a property in the Hilton portfolio, up to $200 a year, when you use the Surpass card.
I also used my Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card for charges for the other two days. I earned a total of 4,886 Hilton Honors points on just under $350 in extra spending. I also was able to use my $200 statement credit for holding the Aspire card. You get a $200 credit twice a year when staying at select Hilton resorts. The Aspire card also comes with an annual free night award that I was able to use on this stay. That’s a pretty valuable perk for holding the card.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 12 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels, automatic Gold elite status and the ability to upgrade to Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels and automatic Hilton Honors Silver status (with an upgrade to Gold when you spend $20,000 in a calendar year).
The information for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
All in all, I earned a total of 24,461 Hilton Honors points for the cash bookings and the charges I made to the room during my stay — worth $146.77, according to TPG’s September 2024 valuations. That’s a pretty decent return on spending since I only paid cash for one night of my three-night stay.
Once you’ve booked, keep an eye out for upgrade offers from Hilton.
Upgrade offer from Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. HILTON
I didn’t find any of the offers compelling, but if you have your heart set on a view of Rome from your room, you might want to lock in an upgrade ahead of time. I didn’t get the feeling the hotel prioritized Diamond Hilton Honors members for upgrades, so take that under advisement. I wouldn’t count on a free upgrade. For what it’s worth, I also wasn’t offered access to the hotel’s executive lounge, which is another perk that is supposed to be automatic with Diamond status.
Rome Cavalieri is in a fine area but not central to the best Roman sites
View of the Vatican from Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The Rome Cavalieri sits on top of the highest hill in Rome, Monte Mario, in an otherwise urban residential area. It offers sweeping views of the city’s iconic sites, including the nearby Vatican. The hotel is far enough away from high-traffic tourist areas to feel quiet, yet not too far from the attractions of Rome like the Trevi Fountain, Castel Sant’Angelo and the Colosseum — at least via car.
The hotel offers a shuttle that runs to central Rome hourly from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., but note that it only runs April through October, doesn’t run on Sundays or holidays, and takes a three-hour break during its running times. In other words, it’s not the most convenient way to get into town.
I did walk a few times from the hotel to the Vatican City area and back. If you are into long hikes, it’s about an hour each way. Just make sure it’s not over 100 degrees like it was during my stay.
Essentially, if you’re looking for a hotel where you can walk out the door and be in Rome’s historic center, you might consider staying elsewhere.
The hotel is about a 30-minute taxi ride from the main airport, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), and taxi rates start around $65.
Rooms are well appointed but a bit fusty
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As I mentioned, I wasn’t upgraded at check-in despite my top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, but my deluxe king room was large and well appointed.
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The room came in at more than 500 square feet with a balcony and a living area.
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The terrace had two chairs, and views of the residential area across the road as well as a large telecommunications tower. Below, you could see an expansive lawn with some of the hotel’s sculptures.
The royal blue carpeting was broken up with gold-trimmed patterns that evoked more of a Las Vegas casino feel than Roman elegance, but I could see what they were going for. Light wood furniture and room dividers were well-cared for and lightened the vibe of the otherwise heavy designs.
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There was a king-size bed with luxurious white linens, along with plenty of other living and working space. There was even a “pillow menu” to order various types of pillow filling, such as a buckwheat husk pillow, a down bolster and more.
I snapped a few photos of the room across the hall while the housekeepers were cleaning, and you can see the difference the view makes in the gallery below.
The room was filled with Roman artwork and other heavy and dated design touches.
I was greeted with a box of chocolates along with three bottles of sparkling and still water. They also had Champagne waiting for me, but I asked them to exchange it for Coke Zero on ice, which they happily did. Housekeeping regularly kept bottles of Bolle mineral water stocked in the room.
The room also had a Nespresso coffee machine, a tea kettle, Villeroy & Boch dishware, and constantly replenished coffee pods and creamers.
A minifridge underneath held miniature liquors plus beer, Acqua Panna Italian sparkling water, Red Bull, Coke products and a few small bottles of wine.
There was plenty of storage with several cabinets and a somewhat large closet. Inside, there were wooden hangers, a safe and some extra bedding.
The elegant cherry wood desk had plenty of space to work during my stay. Wi-Fi was fast enough to stream Netflix.
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There were outlets above the desk framed in gold. Indeed, there were plentiful outlets throughout the room. Some of the plugs work with American prongs, but you may need to ask the front desk for adapters if you forget to bring some universal adapters of your own.
A nice-size bathroom contained a single sink, a shower and bathtub combo, a bidet, and a little seating area. It was all made from Roman travertine marble. The inlaid flooring design was a nice touch.
The amenities by Acqua di Parma were nice, though they were heavily scented with a citrusy, floral fragrance that got a bit tired by the time I left. There were also extra dental kits, mouthwash, lotion and cotton swabs in the bathroom.
I’m not a huge fan of the shower-tub combo in hotel rooms. The half-glass-walled shower also made for a messy bathroom floor during showers, but the water pressure was excellent.
The plush Pedersoli Milano’s LaSpugna bathrobes were a nice touch.
The room was large, especially by European standards. I think my room — among the smallest in the hotel — would be large enough for a couple or small family to be perfectly comfortable for an extended stay.
Restaurants at Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
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There are plenty of dining options on-site, including poolside dining at Uliveto and La Pergola, Rome’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant.
Uliveto
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Uliveto is the hotel’s main restaurant next door to the pool with indoor and outdoor seating. It features Mediterranean and international cuisine with regional Italian dishes, and is open for both breakfast and dinner. I loved the alfresco dining experience; the hosts and waiters were friendly, and service was prompt and efficient.
The breakfast buffet came free as one of the best benefits of top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, saving me $52 per day. There was an impressive spread, including a juice station, a large selection of fruit, and a wide variety of breads and pastries in one room.
The room next door was filled with multiple tables full of food, including fried eggs, omelets, hard-boiled eggs and various meats.
You can also have eggs made to order and other items from a small a la carte menu, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.
Uliveto is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, and I also got to try dinner there. It was exceptional, if a bit pricey.
I started with broccoli ripassati as an appetizer for $13 and paired it with a delicious pasta called pici all’arrabbiata for $25. Both dishes were among the best I enjoyed during my stay in Italy.
Note there is a cover charge of $5.50 per person for dinner, which seems silly to me.
La Pergola
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Speaking of silly, Rome Cavalieri’s fancy rooftop restaurant is La Pergola, where I was treated pretty shabbily. It was partially my fault because I didn’t make reservations prior to my visit, but the host was downright rude when I showed up to ask about being added to the waitlist. Despite the fact the restaurant wasn’t even open for the evening yet, she insisted I put on a blazer before I could even take a look inside the empty restaurant.
I was happy to dress up, but when I returned I was told I wouldn’t be allowed to photograph even the main restaurant seating area. She also noted that while I was on the waitlist for dinner, they were fully booked. I was able to take some photos of the impressive views from the terrace and the bar area of the restaurant before she shooed me away. It left a pretty bad taste in my mouth.
That said, if you are able to get reservations, the restaurant gets good recommendations for the food. The water list alone has 45 options, and there are some 70,000 bottles of wine to choose from. The chef here is Heinz Beck and the restaurant recently got a major renovation and overhaul. La Pergola is open for dinner only Tuesdays through Saturdays. Reservations open four months in advance. To give you an idea of prices, a seven-course meal is $325, and an a la carte three-course meal will cost you $253.
Tiepelo Lounge & Terrace
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On the other side of the decadent lobby, you’ll find Tiepelo Lounge & Terrace, which is open all day and into the night and named for the artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Three of his rococo-style paintings adorn the hotel’s walls.
The bar features live jazz or piano music in the evenings. The menu is full of comfort food, and I had a delicious pizza one evening. The bar serves everything from morning espresso to evening nightcaps with prompt and friendly service.
The Pool Bar
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Adjacent to the pool is The Pool Bar, offering a covered area to sit and dine. They also deliver drinks and light bites to people enjoying time in the sun by the pool. Service was excellent, though prices are high. I paid $31 for a tasty Caesar salad with grilled chicken and a whopping $11 for a soft drink.
Room service is also available with offerings mirroring Uliveto exactly. One evening, I ordered a small pizza and chicken breast with french fries, which totaled out to $84.
Amenities are where the Rome Cavalieri really shines
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When I think of the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, what I really remember is the amenities. Not only does it have Roman baths, clay tennis courts, walking paths and several large terraces, but the resort also has no fewer than four swimming pools, including an indoor pool.
That interior pool is the perfect spot to hang out in the winter when the rest of the swimming pools are closed for the season.
There was never a shortage of pool chairs or places to sit or lie down, even during peak sunbathing hours.
The swimming pool was one of the most popular spots in the hotel, filled with guests from all over. I loved the pool because, unlike many modern pools, it had a deep end; it was nice to dive down in the perfectly cooled water.
The hotel has two small pools ideal for children, plus a kids club in the summer with activities like pizza making.
Pets are also welcome, and I saw several adorable dogs, including a little dachshund who seemed to be a bit of a mascot, creating a stir wherever he went.
The spa at Rome Cavalieri channels Roman baths
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You can hit up the Cavalieri Grand Spa Club for a massage, facial, hair treatment or other service. I enjoyed a wonderful massage at the spa on my first day at the hotel; that $200 resort credit from my Hilton card came in handy here. I paid $149 for a 50-minute treatment they call the Diamond Well-Living Experience massage.
There are separate men’s and women’s locker rooms (and saunas), and the friendly spa staff gives you a locker, a robe and slippers if you are enjoying a treatment.
I spent at least an hour a day during my visit using the spa facilities. There is a huge co-ed hot tub and a steam room, a relaxation room, and separate sauna and locker rooms divided by gender.
There’s also a separate seating area with a Nespresso machine, ice water and a few snacks available for spa guests.
Thanks to my Hilton Honors status, I didn’t pay to use the facilities, but guests who don’t book treatments and without status will have to pay $42 a day to use the spa.
Fitness fanatics will love the large, well-appointed gym
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The Rome Cavalieri has a massive and recently updated gym. It offers a giant selection of cardio equipment like treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical machines, and dozens of machines and free weights of all kinds. Even when the gym was crowded, it never felt full, and there were machines available.
Reasons Rome Cavalieri may not be for you
Tourists inside the Pantheon. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel has many pluses, but it also has some drawbacks.
As previously mentioned, service was spotty, and they didn’t do a great job of rewarding this Hilton Honors Diamond member.
The location is not ideal for seeing the major sights of Rome.
Rooms are also a bit old-fashioned, and the 1960s-era design of the resort can feel dated.
Rooms without the sweeping views of Rome are a bit of a letdown since you overlook a residential neighborhood.
The shuttles to take visitors to the main areas of the Roman capital don’t run frequently enough to be as useful as they could be.
You’ll need to make reservations at La Pergola well in advance. Don’t expect to get help scoring a reservation from the concierge at the hotel.
Accessibility at Rome Cavalieri
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The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is fully wheelchair accessible. It has accessible rooms, wide doors and hallways, accessible elevators, and a whole list of other amenities. I found space to be one of the best parts of the hotel, and lots of large areas felt especially accommodating. Buttons are lowered in the wider-than-average elevators and there are grab bars as well.
As always, TPG recommends calling the hotel to confirm any accessible room types prior to booking to make sure specific needs can be accommodated.
Checking out
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The Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel has a lot going for it. It’s a fabulous option for those with Hilton free night certificates or Hilton Honors points burning a hole in their pocket, assuming you can book for 100,000 points a night or less. I loved being able to use the swimming pools, the incredible spa and baths, and the various lounging areas. The food was delicious, and the rooms, though dated, are still luxurious.
However, there are several things to be aware of if you are staying here. Don’t expect to get a ton of Hilton Honors perks, even with top-tier status, and the service didn’t quite live up to a true luxury hotel experience. If you want reservations at the famed three-Michelin-star restaurant, reserve far in advance and don’t depend on any magic from the concierge.
Also be aware the location is outside of Rome’s historic center.
Despite all of that, the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is a bright spot in the very expensive Roman hotel landscape. I would go back if the price were right, especially if I had more free night certificates to use.
“The gangway is located aft on the starboard side.”
It’s entirely reasonable for a crew member to say this to you — and for you to not understand a word of all those nautical terms. It’s easy to learn that “aft” refers to the back of the ship and “starboard” is the sailor’s term for the right side, but what exactly is a cruise ship gangway — and what do you need to know about this common cruise structure?
“Gangway” is the name given to any walkway, staircase or platform that allows you to board or disembark from a ship. The location and style of gangway you’ll use during your cruise might be different from one day to the next. The characteristics of the gangway are dependent on the port, the sea conditions and the ship itself. Even where you find your cruise ship’s gangway can be confusing as the ship moves from port to port.
Let’s clarify some jargon and examine all the possibilities for entering and exiting your cruise ship via a gangway.
How do you use a cruise ship gangway?
Passengers boarding the Cunard ship Queen Anne in Norway. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY
At major cruise terminals, like those at your embarkation or departure port, the gangway is often like an airplane jetway. It’s an enclosed walkway from the terminal building to a midlevel deck of the ship. You’ll enter the gangway from a hallway at the terminal and exit onto a welcoming deck where crew members greet you and point you in the direction of your cabin.
Small ships might require you to walk across the pier and then up a flight of stairs or a ramp to board, even at major port facilities. It’s similar to how boarding regional jets varies from entering full-size jets, even at large airports.
To depart the ship once it docks or anchors and is cleared by local authorities in a port of call, you’ll pass through a line to check out from the ship, usually by scanning your cruise ship keycard.
At ports where the ship is tied at a dock, the gangway might consist of nothing more than a metal ramp with handrails bridging the small gap between the ship and the concrete pier. If the ship is anchored away from the port, tender boats will take passengers to shore; the gangway will be a platform attached to the side of the ship from which you access the boats. Crew members are always on hand to help you safely into the tender.
Upon return to the ship after a day in port, you’ll likely be greeted by crew members on the pier, sometimes with cool drinks or towels and a spot to rest in the shade. They will point you toward the gangway or tender dock, which might have changed a bit while you were gone.
Fluctuating sea conditions and tides can increase or decrease the steepness of ramps and staircases throughout the day. Occasionally, crew members even swap to different gangway equipment to improve accessibility.
Once back on the ship, you’ll scan back in with your keycard and pass through a security checkpoint.
AmaWaterways river cruise ship on the Rhine. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Signs, announcements and crew members will point you toward the location of the gangway, which can change from day to day based on sea conditions and docking facilities at each port. You might board the ship initially on Deck 5, leave in the first port of call from the forward port side on Deck 2 and disembark to a tender boat from a midship gangway on the starboard side in the next port.
I’ve even been on a river ship with a bow that opened to reveal a long gangway bridge that was deployed directly to shore in a spot where the river was too shallow to allow normal parallel docking at a pier.
What is the meaning of ‘gangway up’ on a cruise?
“Gangway up” refers to the time at which a cruise ship takes the last steps to leave a port of call. Passengers are usually expected to return to the ship a half-hour or even a full hour before departure time. Gangway up is the time at which the captain essentially considers all passengers not on board as not coming aboard. The gangway is hauled in through the opening in the hull, or if a port gangway is in use, it is pulled away from the ship by port personnel.
Captains hold the cruise ship gangway for various reasons, such as when ship-sponsored tours or transportation methods are delayed, or when passengers are involved in medical emergencies.
It’s far better to be back on board your ship watching the gangway-up process than to be left behind.
Cruise lines place a high priority on passenger safety, making the collapse of a gangway unlikely but not impossible. In 2022, a port authority-owned gangway in Panama City collapsed, injuring 11 passengers of Norwegian Encore as they were reboarding the ship after a day in port. Reports indicated that the changing tides had increased the steepness of the gangway, possibly contributing to the collapse.
Are cruise ship gangways accessible if I use a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility aid?
Passengers returning to their cruise ship in Cobh, Ireland, after a tour. PETER TITMUSSE/UCG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES
If you have mobility limitations, it is important to choose your cruise line, ship and itinerary carefully. Don’t assume that every gangway will be wheelchair-friendly or that crew members will be there to assist with lifting scooters or wheelchairs in all situations.
Ports that require tendering pose one possible scenario where the gangway might be inaccessible: on days when the seas are particularly rough. I have seen tender crews help passengers using mobility aids on calm days but decline on choppy days.
Some small cruise lines use stairs for gangways in all ports, making them inaccessible for wheeled devices. Even if the port of departure has accessible gangways, checking the accessibility of a line’s port gangways is critical for those who rely on assistive devices and wish to leave the ship in ports of call.
Bottom line
Cruise ship gangways come in various configurations and can be deployed in various ways to allow passengers to enter and leave the ship. At some ports, the gangway might be a simple ramp; at others, there might be steps or even platforms for docking tender boats. All the above are considered “the gangway” when they are in use and can be easily found using signage, listening to announcements or following crew instructions.
