Cunard Welcomes Queen Anne to Fleet

Today, Queen Anne officially became the latest addition to Cunard’s fleet during a handover ceremony in Italy. Cunard received the ship at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice, where master shipbuilders constructed it. 

The ship is now on its way to Southampton for its seven-night maiden voyage to Lisbon on May 3, 2024!

MORE ABOUT THE CEREMONY

Dignitaries such as Adolfo Urso, the Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and Luca Ciriani, the Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament, graced the event with their presence. Also in attendance were  Katie McAlister, President of Cunard; Paul Ludlow, President of Carnival UK; Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri; Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division; and Marco Lunardi, Fincantieri Shipyard Director.

Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “We are so excited to welcome Queen Anne to our fleet as she completes a remarkable quartet alongside Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria – marking the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service. We are now fully focused on readying her to welcome guests for her maiden voyage on May 3 before she embarks on a historic British Isles Festival Voyage, including a momentous Naming Ceremony in Cunard’s spiritual home of Liverpool on June 3.”

MORE ABOUT QUEEN ANNE

• The ship features 14 decks and offers passengers entertainment, dining, and bar options.
• Cunard has announced partnerships for Queen Anne, including Le Gavroche at Sea residencies with Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, wellness packages by Harper’s Bazaar UK, and exclusive British Film Institute screenings in The Pavilion.
• The ship also includes an extensive selection of fitness, beauty, thermal, and spa facilities, including the revamped Mareel Wellness & Beauty concept aimed at enhancing well-being at sea.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, added: “We are very pleased and eager to deliver Queen Anne to Cunard, a pioneering figure in luxury sea travel, renowned for setting new standards in oceanic voyages for over 180 years. This beautiful and iconic ship testifies the longstanding partnership between our two companies, underscoring our shared commitment to excellence and tradition in the maritime industry. Queen Anne, as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, the other two ships we built for Cunard, proudly bear Fincantieri’s signature, embodying our enduring expertise, reliability, and craftsmanship in shipbuilding. Constructing a liner for such a distinguished shipowner not only reconnects us to our origins but propels us towards the future with a determination to blend tradition and innovation. Fincantieri thus confirms its leadership in the cruise shipbuilding sector, a fundamental pillar of the company’s business project, as both the Group’s Business Plan and the vitality of the post-pandemic cruise sector clearly show.”

Will you be sailing aboard Queen Anne? Let us know in the comments!