Cruise & Cruise Line

Cunard’s Queen Anne Completes First Construction Phase

Image: Queen Anne was floated on May 3. (Source: Cunard)
Image: Queen Anne was floated on May 3. (Source: Cunard)
Claudette Covey
by Claudette Covey
Last updated: 1:15 PM ET, Wed May 3, 2023

Cunard’s Queen Anne was floated at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice, which represents the completion of its first phase of construction.

“The 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag, Queen Anne officially touched water for the first time exactly 365 days before she will set sail on her maiden voyage to Lisbon on May 3, 2024,” Cunard said.

“The float out ceremony marks the ship’s transition from her building dock to where she truly belongs – in the water,” said Carnival UK President Sture Myrmell.

“Today marks a significant moment for Queen Anne as we recognize the dedication by the master ship builders at Fincantieri to build a ship that reinforces our position as a world-famous luxury brand.”

The 113,000-ton, 3,000-passenger will now transition to the construction of its interiors.

“Queen Anne is the third ship we have the pleasure to build for Cunard, a pillar in the history of British seafaring, with whom we share a real commitment to excellence,” said Luigi Matarazzo, general manager merchant ships division of Fincantieri.

“Building a liner for this shipowner takes us back to our roots yet, at the same time, spurs us forward to the future in a spirit of determination to bring together tradition and innovation and further strengthen our longstanding relationship.”

In May 2024, Queen Anne join sister Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth, which marks the first since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in service at the same time.

Cunard is a unit of Carnival Corporation.


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