New Ship Queen Anne Officially Welcomed To Cunard Fleet

On Friday, April 19, Cunard officially welcomed the Queen Anne to its fleet of luxury ships. The handover ceremony saw a long list of Italian dignitaries and leaders from the cruise company. The Queen Anne was built by Fincantieri, can host 3,000 guests and is the 249^th ship to sail under the Cunard flag. Now, the ship is on its way to Southampton ready to embark on its first voyage with guests on a seven-night cruise to Lisbon in Portugal.

Queen Anne officially joins the Cunard fleet

At the handover ceremony in Italy, Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said in a statement:

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.

What does the new ship offer?

The new Cunard ship, Queen Anne, features 14 decks and offers a variety of dining, bars and entertainment for guests to enjoy. Meanwhile, the cruise line has signed a variety of partnerships for the new cruise ship. These include Le Gavroche at Sea residences, hosted by two Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux.

Moreover, the ship will offer wellness packages curated by Harper’s Bazaar, UK’s beauty experts. Cunard has also signed a partnership to air exclusive British Film Institute screenings in The Pavilion.

However, that isn’t all, as the Queen Anne will also offer a wide selection of beauty, fitness, spa and thermal facilities. These include a reimagined Mareel Wellness & Beauty that the cruise line says heralds “a new era of wellbeing at sea. Moreover, it has previously been reported that the Queen Anne will offer a new level of luxury shopping options. These include a selection of exclusive retail brands, as well as a “Cabinet of Curiosities” onboard gallery.

Among the retail therapy options are 115 prestigious brands of which guests can purchase items from French fashion House, Chanel, and luxury watchmakers Bremont. Moreover, guests can expect 27 luxurious brands, offering a first-time partnership with Cunard, including Raishma, Hugo Boss and 886 Royal Mint. For those seeking jewelry, the ship will host Garrard in its first boutique on a Cunard ship.

Among the entertainment on board, Cunard has promised several unique musical experiences on the Queen Anne, including “Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of).”

Relating to the Queen Anne, the cruise line’s website states:

With the launch of Queen Anne in 2024, we continue to extend the Cunard Line for future generations. With her arrival comes even more opportunity to sail the world in comfort and style.

 As we steadily approach 200 years of Cunard, our rich heritage of ocean travel means we have been able to refine what it means to voyage.