![Mia Taylor Mia Taylor](https://ik.imgkit.net/3vlqs5axxjf/MM-TP/ik-seo/https://cdn.travelpulse.com/images/99999999-9999-9999-9999-999999999999/bdbf4f0f-eaf8-771b-dde3-ed108dc9d791/source/Mia-Taylor.jpg?tr=w-80%2Ch-80%2Cfo-auto)
by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:30 PM ET, Fri April 19, 2024
Queen Anne has officially joined the lineup of Cunard's luxury fleet of ships.
A handover ceremony for the newest ship to join the Cunard line took place in Italy on Friday and was attended by a long list of Italian dignitaries and leaders from the cruise company.
The new 3,000-guest ship is the 249th to sail under the Cunard flag and was built by Fincantieri. The ship is now setting sail for Southampton where it will embark on its first voyage with passengers, a seven-night cruise to Lisbon, Portugal.
"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,” Katie McAlister, president of Cunard,
said in a statement. “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.”
![Artist's rendering of Queen Anne’s Grand Lobby Boutiques space. Artist's rendering of Queen Anne’s Grand Lobby Boutiques space.](https://ik.imgkit.net/3vlqs5axxjf/TP/ik-seo/images/99999999-9999-9999-9999-999999999999/39696272-b385-46d8-98a9-14763a1ccc7d/source/Artist%27s-rendering-of-Queen-Anne’s-Grand-Lobby-Bou.jpeg?tr=w-684%2Cfo-auto)
Artist's rendering of Queen Anne’s Grand Lobby Boutiques space. (Photo Credit: Cunard)
Elevated Retail, Wellness, and More
The Queen Anne has 14 decks and a variety of entertainment, dining, and bars for guests to explore.
Cunard has also inked a variety of partnerships for the new ship including Le Gavroche at Sea residencies hosted by two Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, wellness packages curated by Harper's Bazaar UK's beauty experts, and exclusive British Film Institute screenings in The Pavilion.
The ship will also feature a broad selection of fitness, beauty, thermal, and spa facilities and a reimagined Mareel Wellness & Beauty proposition that the company says heralds “a new era of wellbeing at sea.”
During previous announcements about the ship, Cunard has also said the Queen Anne would offer a new level of luxury shopping at sea. That includes an array of exclusive retail brands and a
"Cabinet of Curiosities" gallery on board.
Among the 115
prestigious brands on board, guests can expect to find such household names as luxury
watchmakers Bremont and French fashion house Chanel. Of these illustrious brands,
27 also mark first-time partnerships for Cunard, including Hugo Boss, Raishma,
and 886 Royal Mint. Notably, Garrard, the U.K.'s first official crown jeweler,
will debut its very first boutique aboard a Cunard ship.
Cunard has also promised unique musical experiences aboard the Queen Anne, including “Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of).”
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore