Venice, Italy.
Luxury British cruise line Cunard's first new ship this millennium is one step closer to her debut with news that the company celebrated laying of the Queen Anne's keel in Venice in SEP.
The ceremony at the historic Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice marked the formal commencement of construction of the new ship. It was attended by the Cunard and parent company Carnival Corp's UK leadership team, along with representatives of Fincantieri and their Marghera Shipyard, and the guest of honor, the ship's Captain, Inger Thorhauge.
To mark the occasion – and acknowledge Cunard’s seafaring heritage and the significance of this exciting new vessel – a solid silver Queen Anne coin was commissioned. It was embedded into the ship’s keel by Captain Thorhauge alongside an original coin from the ship’s namesake.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate this exciting construction milestone for Queen Anne,” said Matt Gleaves, vice president, Commercial for Cunard in North America and Australasia. “Over the last three years, world-leading designers have worked with master ship builders at Fincantieri to design a ship that showcases our position as a world-famous luxury brand across all continents. Queen Anne will be enjoyed for many generations to come, and we look forward to welcoming her to our fleet.”
As Queen Anne takes shape, Cunard celebrates its own journey thus far of over 180 historic years. A ship inspired by the cruise line’s past and built for its future, Queen Anne represents a sense of excitement for what lies ahead for this iconic brand.
Queen Anne will enter service at the beginning of 2024, building Cunard's fleet to four ships, in addition to the current "Three Queens" fleet of flagship Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
For more information about Queen Anne, visit https://www.cunard.com/en-us/inspiration/queen-anne.
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