A stylish cruise ship bringing Cunard into the modern age
Queen Anne is Cunard’s newest ship, she joined the fleet in May 2024. Queen Anne was built in Italy, at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, Venice, launched in May 2023 and named a year later in June 2024 in Liverpool. (postponed from January due to supply chain issues during her construction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic). She is one of the Pinnacle-class ships, built on a lengthened Pinnacle-platform to be more precise and by technical design is similar to HAL’s Koningsdam (2016), New Statendam (2018) and Rotterdam (2021). Queen Anne is Bermuda-flagged and registered in Hamilton.
She is the 249th vessel to fly the Cunard houseflag since the company was founded in 1839 by Samuel Cunard. Cunard Line is a British-American cruise line, is headquartered in Southampton (part of Carnival UK) and owned by Carnival Corporation. Being one of the world’s oldest passenger shipping companies, Cunard Line celebrated its 180th anniversary in 2020.
In September 2017 Cunard officially announced the addition of a 4th vessel to its fleet. Queen Mary 2 (built 2003, 148,528GT, 2695 passengers) is her largest fleetmate by tonnage, however Queen Anne (113,000GT) has the largest passenger capacity of the Cunard fleet, 3350 maximum. Cunard’s other two ships Queen Elizabeth (built 2010, 90,900GT, 2547 passengers max) and Queen Victoria (built 2007, 90,050GT, 2081 passengers) are the line’s smallest vessels. Building costs for Queen Anne amount to USD 625 mio /GBP 480 mio.
Tihany Design, led by Adam D. Tihany, was hired to coordinate and oversee the interior design of the new vessel. London-based David Collins Studio, led by Simon Rawlings were also involved. They were entirely new to designing cruise ship interiors, but have much experience in the retail and hotel industry having worked on many land-based projects like Claridges London and the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami. Richmond International (Terry McGillicuddy) as well as Paris-based SM Design (led by Sybille de Margerie) were also involved in designing Queen Anne’s interiors.
Overall, “the concept of the design will be based on five ideals: heritage, craftmanship, storytelling, style and innovation”, according to Cunard.
For choosing the cruise liner’s name Cunard asked British historian Kate Williams for assistance. She is the author of several British Royal Family-related books, as well as a TV presenter for the BBC and has an expertise in social, constitutional and royal history.
The name Queen Anne was officially announced by Cunard in February 2022.
A bit of history: Cunard’s newest liner is named after Anne (1665-1714), the Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland (1702-1707) and later the Queen of Great Britain (1707-1714). During her reign (on May 1, 1707) the kingdoms of England and Scotland were united into Great Britain.
The ship’s master, Captain Thorhauge is Cunard Line’s first female captain and joined the company in 1997 as second officer on the ms Vistafjord. Born in the Faroes, Thorhauge became Queen Victoria‘s captain in 2010. Queen Anne‘s second captain is David Hudson who has been with Cunard since 2006.
Queen Anne’s construction officially started on September 8, 2022, with the keel-laying ceremony at Marghera Yard. During this special event, the ship’s master Inger Klein Thorhauge welded a unique ceremonial coin onto the hull’s first keel block, together with an original Queen Anne crown coin.
Queen Anne’s bow section (known in Italy as the Troncone) was launched at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in May 2022, and later towed to the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard to be added to the stern section.
She was floated out from drydock on May 3, 2023, exactly a year before her maiden voyage, May 3, 2024, out of Southampton. During the float out, her godmother Roberta Mundula performed a christening ceremony. Mundula was selected for the honour due to her contribution to Fincantieri during almost 30 years. Her North Sea trials were carried out in February 2024, under Captain Inger Thorhauge. During her sea trials testing, checking and and calibrating all systems concerning engines, propulsion and stabilizers were performed.
Queen Anne is powered by four Caterpillar-MAK marine diesel engines with a power output of 16,900 hp each, giving her a speed of 22 knots. Her propulsion system is based on two ABB Azipods (azimuth thrusters) with a combined output of 28 MW.
Queen Anne was officially delivered to Cunard on April 19, 2024, at the Fincantieri Marghera yard.
Her naming ceremony was held during her first round Great-Britain voyage, the British Isles Festival cruise on June 3, 2024, partly while docked at the Liverpool cruise terminal in Liverpool and later during the actual naming ceremony after she had moved to the middle of the river Mersey to give spectators a better view. The special event was hosted by Mathew James Willis (English musician/singer, co-founder of Busted pop band) and Emma Louise Willis (English TV personality).
The naming event was attended by Katie McAlister (Cunard’s President) and Andrew Lewis (Liverpool City Council) and featured live performances by Andrea Bocelli, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and artists from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.
Never seen before, in a surprise move Cunard named the entire City of Liverpool as godparent of Queen Anne – instead of a member of the Royal family as had been the case since the Queen Mary in 1936 – because of the special relation Cunard has always had with the city. From 1840 until 1919 their transatlantic liners sailed from Liverpool to America. The City was represented by five successful female residents – Melanie Jayne Chisholm (aka Melanie C from Spice Girls), Ngunan Adamu (founder and CEO of iWoman Media and iWoman Academy), Natalie Celia Haywood (founder and Managing Director of LEAF restaurant), Jayne Casey (artistic director) and Katarina Mary Johnson-Thompson (heptathlon athlete).
During the naming ceremony from the stage dockside by turning the handle of the ship’s telegraph placed there they launched a bottle of champagne from above the bridge smashing it into the the flagpole on her bow.
Cunard’s Queen Anne features an impressive collection of well over 4300 artworks by young contemporary British artists, like John Biggs (illustrator), Pei Chi Lee (installation artist and illustrator), and Tommy Camerno (including his portrait of Queen Anne on display in the Queen’s Room).
The Grand Lobby (3-deck Atrium’s lower level) houses the Lobby Bar, on the starboard side the Drawing Room which contains a gorgeous model of the Queen Anne. The books and reading tables make it feel like the ships second library. On the port side are the games room and next to it the reception desk which is a bit tucked away. When the reception area is crowded, this sometimes leads to long lines as far as the lobby’s dancefloor. Rising through all 3 decks of the atrium is an artwork by the Canadian artist Ian Kirkpatrick showing different images of Cunard voyages which differ depending on where you stand in the lobby. The marble floor like the entire atrium is art deco inspired.
The Royal Court Theatre on Decks 2 and 3, designed by Richmond International, does not feature the usual balconies, but nevertheless seats 825 guests. Although the space is pillarless, one needs to look between the heads (chairs alternate} of those sitting in front of you because the slope of the theatre is not steep enough to ensure adequate sightlines.
The Queens room, a two-level lounge has a small stage and dancefloor at its lower level with colourful seating around it in white, gray, red and ocher. A nice touch is the artwork behind the stage depicting landscapes. Its round balcony is more part of the hallway surrounding it than of the room itself. It does not offer a really clear view of what happens below and as it has several shops adjacent to it so there are many passersby.
“Bright Lights Society” is a new venue situated on Deck 2. One enters through a short corridor with lighting effects. Designed by Richmond International it refers to Cunard’s first vessel with electric lighting, the Servia and offers intimate live music performances as well as the new murder mystery show.
Room 1840 is situated next tot he ship’s casino on Deck 3 and features a circular bar with very elegant (brass with grey upholstery) bar stools. 1840 was the year Cunard’s first passenger ship, the Britannia, crossed the North Atlantic fort he first time.
Queen Anne‘s retail shopping complex stores sell select merchandise from a total of over a hundred brands. A personal shopper in the Grand Lobby Boutiques is always on hand. And then there is the first ever Garrard fine jewellery boutique at sea. In the Queens Room Boutiques, many new-to-Cunard brands like Hugo Boss and Riashma were added to the Cunard Collection. The Cabinet of Curiosities and Experience Lounge are part of the Grand Lobby Boutiques. The Cabinet of Curiosities is a cicular gallery with jewellery, fashion, art and even never before seen items from the Cunard archives. The Experience Lounge offers tastings, talks and try-on events to inform about all the boutiques have on offer.
In the corridors aft on Deck 2 and 3, the art galley and photo shop can be found. It is possible to have a professional photographer accompany you around the ship assisting you when taking pictures, making sure you bring home the best pictures and memories possible.
The spa complex (sized 1300 m2/14000 ft2) situated on deck 1consists of 9 massage rooms, 2 dry saunas, a Himalayan salt sauna room, steam and cold room, hydrotherapy pool, relaxation room (with heated loungers), and finally a wellness suite with massage beds and an infrared sauna. It is a remarkable location for the spa, normally they are found on the top decks offering great ocean views while relaxing in the sauna or working out in the gym. However, it is the largest spa of the fleet and beautifully appointed, with a stunning artwork in the waiting area next to the reception.
The Pavilion (Decks 9 & 10) is a glass roof-covered venue (a magrodome, a glass roof designed by architect Martin Francis that can be closed in inclement weather) with in its lower part a swimming pool, two jacuzzis and a spa pool, a stage for live music performances, a large LED screen, the Pavilion Bar and Lido Grill & Gelateria. It has a deep blue color scheme, which includes the furniture, the pool and the mosaic tiles and the curved balcony accents on the upper floor. British sculptor (born in Egypt) Sam Shendi was commissioned to create a unique artwork using part of the first steel cut for the new ship. He also used industrial materials like aluminum and fiberglass in its construction.
The upper part of the 2-deck complex houses the Wellness Cafe serving healthy vegetarian food and beverages.
One deck up, on Deck 11 the Wellness Studio is located, overlloking the Pavilion, also by Cunard’s Mareel Wellness & Beauty Spa where yoga, pilates, and meditation classes are given. Why it is located up here on Deck 11 separated from the rest of the spa on Deck 1 seems a bit odd… Also, confusing is the inability to get out of the upper level of the Pavillion to reach the Wellness studio. There is no exit from the cafe side, so you have to exit the Pavillion, walk through a cabin corridor to the first forward stairtower, up one deck, again back through a corridor to finally reacht the outer deck. Theoretically, Queen Anne is a classless ship, but passengers are of course actually separated like on all Cunard liners. Grill passengers have their own lounge and restaurants (one for Queens Grill and the other for Princess Grill guests). These are situated directly aft of the Wellness Studio, together with the Grill Terrace, a part of the ship off limits for other passengers.
High up top on deck 12, the in art deco style designed Commodore Club can be found. It is named in honour of the line’s famous commodores. A nice touch are the stripes on the lower part of the columns, a nod to the stripes on the sleeves of the commodores’ uniform. Further aft are the Library, a gorgeous place like all libraries on Cunard ships with writing desks against the windows offering stunning ocean views and with comfy chairs for reading on the port side and the cigar smoking room Chruchill’s and the multi purpose Boardroom on the starboard side.
Queen Anne has 1397 staterooms situated on 9 decks, including 192 suites, 744 balcony, 74 Oceanview and 348 Inside rooms, divided in four grades of accommodation: Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia Club and Britannia. Her most exclusive accommodation are the Grand Suites, measuring 117 m2 with a 19 m2 terrace. These Queens Grill Grand Suites were designed by David Collins Studio and are the fleet’s largest and most luxurious accommodations, with a large bedroom, a dining room, butler’s pantry, walk-in closets, marble bathrooms (with seaviews) and of course large balconies. Maritime historians Chris Frame and Rachelle Cross were asked to work with Cunard to name the ship’s six grand suites, they ended up being named after famous Cunard waterways often navigated by the company’s liners, including: River Mersey, River Clyde, Hudson River, The Solent, Boston Harbor and Halifax Harbour. Princess Grill Suites were designed by Sybille de Margerie and feature a bar area, textured ceilings and premium carpets by Corinne Hughes’ well-known company Mayberry Carpet & Rug Inc.
Princess Grill and Queens Grill accommodation are for those wanting an even more luxurious experience on board Queen Anne. Princess Grill Suites include exclusive access to the Princess Grill restaurant, where you can dine anytime at your reserved table, pillow concierge menu with 9 (!) types to choose from, exclusive access to the Grills Lounge and outside Grills Terrace, concierge service for on board reservations and shore experiences and more. Queens Grill guests also have a dedicated butler to keep their suite in fine order day and night and host the perfect soirée if they want to entertain fellow guests in their suite.
Queens Grill Master and Grand Suites also include a reception hall leading to the spacious Great Room with floor to ceiling windows, for entertaining and other purposes and a separate room customisable to dining room or guest bedroom.
Cunard’s new vessel has a total of 15 restaurants.
Four complimentary dining rooms are all coupled to the guest’s booked accommodation: the Britannia Restaurant (for inside and balcony staterooms), Britannia Club Restaurant (for Britannia Club passengers), Princess Grill Restaurant (for Princess Grill Suite guests) and the Queens Grill Restaurant (for Queens Grill Suite passengers). And of course there is the self-service restaurant Artisans’ Food Hall.
The Britannia main dining room situated aft on decks 2 and 3 has been designed by David Collins Studio. They wanted to create a modern but stylish dining room also relating to Cunard’s past and visited the Cunrd archives in Liverpool for inspiration first before they started the design phase. The white trumpet-formed pillars with gold rays continuing on the ceiling give the room a stylish, classic touch, as do the four glass panels rising through both levels of the dining room depicting the four Greek gods of wind. A nice touch is the carpet motif showing wind charts as seen on weather maps.
At the Golden Lion Pub classic pub fare can be ordered, craft beers and ales, including 3 different ales developed for Cunard by Dark Revolution Brewery. Other signature venues to enjoy drinks are The Commodore Club, The Chart Room, Room 1840, Grills Lounge & Bar and Carinthia Lounge.
Afternoon Tea is a Cunard tradition and is complimentary. Brand teas, sweets, including Cunard’s fresh-made scones and macarons are served. It is known for the impeccable white-gloved service and the premium tableware and linens used. However, this is one of the occaisions where it becomes visible that Queen Anne has the highest passenger capacity of the Cunard fleet. Afternoon tea is served in the Queens Room which quickly fills to capacity. The Britannia Club also serves afternoon tea, but here also long lines are waiting be seated.
In August 2023, Cunard signed an exclusive partnership deal with the famous 2-star Michelin chef Michel Albert Roux to create the Queens Grill restaurant’s Gala Dinner menu and also a new menu for the Golden Lion Pub.
There are four new specialty dining venues (reservations are required):.
Aji Wa offering Japanese cuisine, Aranya serving traditional Indian cuisine, Tramonto, where classic Mediterranean dishes can be enjoyed and finally Sir Samuel’s premium seafood and steakhouse restaurant named after Cunard Line’s founder Sir Samuel Cunard, (1787-1865). The specialty dining aboard Queen Anne is reported to be exceptional, with each venue offering a distinct style and cuisine meeting high culinary standards. The additional cost associated with these dining options is considered very reasonable.
The wrap around promenade on Queen Anne is different from the usual promenades seen on Cunard ships because the lifeboats do not hang in davits but are placed on the deck, blocking the views of those making their laps. Because of this, there are no deck chairs here. The part of the promenade which do have seaviews are quite narrow often causing congestion when there are many walkers.
in May 2022, Cunard announced Queen Anne’s inaugural season based on roundtrips out of homeport Southampton, England. Her maiden voyage, a 7-night cruise from Southampton to Lisbon was initially scheduled for January 4, 2024. However, it was later postponed to May 3, 2024 due to the late delivery of the ship because of supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Queen Anne will depart depart Southampton for her first world cruise, a 107-night on January 9, 2025 and will visit over 30 ports on 5 continents.
One of the main goals designing Queen Anne was to create a mix of heritage and modernity, trying to keep the traditional Cunarders satisfied while bringing in new, maybe younger guests. And this had to be done working with an existing, lengthened Pinnacle-class platform and considerably more passengers than usual on Cunard ships.
The conclusion must be that Cunard and its design team have done an impressive job: Queen Anne’s breath-taking interiors reflecting Cunard’s past with their beautiful art deco style finishes totally succeed in reimagining the Cunard experience for the modern traveller.
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