Cunard has begun the construction of its fourth Queen, Queen Anne.
Shipbuilders have laid the keel for Queen Anne at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
Cunard executives celebrated the occasion with the traditional coin ceremony. Captain Inger Klien Thorhauge was given the honours before the centrepiece was hauled and laid next to the superstructure.
At the ceremony, President Sture Myrmell said, “Over the last three years, world-leading designers have worked with master shipbuilders here at Fincantieri to design this ship which reinforces our resolve to be a world-renowned luxury brand on every continent.”
“Queen Anne will be enjoyed for many generations to come, and we really look forward to welcoming her to our fleet”, he continued.
The keel laying signifies a significant milestone in the construction of what will be Cunard’s largest passenger vessel – with a 3000-guest capacity – and brings the vessel one step closer to completion.
Queen Anne’s inauguration is scheduled for January 2024, providing the building works and safety checks are completed by the end of 2023 as planned. She will depart from Southampton for an extended stay in Lisbon, with two days at sea before and after the stopover to give guests the opportunity to discover all the new vessel has to offer.
Following her inaugural sailing, Queen Anne will be welcomed back to Southampton by her sisters, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. She will then embark on a 35-night Caribbean cruise, with calls to Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale in the United States and St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados and more in the Caribbean.
Queen Anne will be the first ship to join the fleet since 2010, bringing the fleet total to four for the first time since 1999.
The decor on Cunard’s first Pinnacle-class ship will pay homage to the “Golden Age” of cruising. She will feature 15 restaurants and a first for Cunard, a two-deck 825-seat Royal Court Theatre inspired by the grand auditoriums of the world with extravagant fittings and velvet seating.
You can head to our blog to learn more about the public spaces onboard, which include The Panorama Pool Club, an outdoor swimming pool offering plenty of seating options and 180-degree views of the ocean, and The Pavilion, an open-air venue with a second swimming pool and a giant LED screen.
Find out more
To find out more about Queen Anne or to receive a quotation for one of the sailings featured in her maiden season, please call our Voyage Consultants on 0800 008 6677.
