MS Queen Anne

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History
NameQueen Anne
NamesakeAnne, Queen of Great Britain
Owner Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator Cunard Line
Ordered2017
BuilderFincantieri Marghera Shipyard, Italy
CostUS$600 million (approx.)[2]
Yard number6274[1]
Laid down2022
Launched24 April 2023
Completed3 May 2023
Maiden voyage3 May 2024
In service3 May 2024
IdentificationIMO number9839399[1]
General characteristics
Class and typePinnacle series 4[1] cruise ship
Tonnage113,000 GT
Length322.51 m (1,058.1 ft)[1]
Beam35.60 m (116.8 ft)[1]
Installed power4 x Caterpillar-MaK 12V43C, each 16,896 hp (12,600 kW)[3]
Propulsion2 x ABB Azipods[3]
Capacity3,000 maximum passengers[1]

MS Queen Anne (QA) is a pinnacle class cruise ship operated by Cunard Line, named after Anne, the first Monarch of The Kingdom of Great Britain. She is currently the second largest ship in Cunard's fleet, after RMS Queen Mary 2, and features 15 dining venues[4], including four entirely new alternative dining options, Sir Samuel's, a steakhouse named after the line's founder, Tramonto, a Mediterranean themed restaurant, Aji Wa, a Japanese restaurant with sushi bar, and Aranya, a restaurant offering dishes inspired by the Indian subcontinent. She sailed from her homeport of Southampton on 3 May 2024 for her maiden voyage, calling at A Coruña and Lisbon. A firework display took place as she departed, to welcome her into service. She can carry up to 2,996 passengers.

History[edit]

In 2017, Cunard announced the order of the fourth ship in their current fleet[5][6] and the 249th ship in its history.[7] It was initially announced that the new vessel will be based on the MS Koningsdam, Holland America Line's Pinnacle-class ship.[8] With a gross tonnage of 113,000, the ship will carry up to 3,000 passengers.[9] The delivery was originally planned for 2022,[5] but later the maiden voyage was postponed to January 2024.[10] Later, this was pushed back again, to May 2024.[10]

In June 2019 Cunard announced the design team for the public spaces.[11] Steel cutting began at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia shipyard on 11 October 2019.[12][13] The forward stub was transferred to Marghera in August 2022 for completion. Another major milestone was reached on 3 May 2023, as the structurally complete ship was floated out of the construction dry dock for the first time.[14]

Media agencies initially speculated whether the ship's name would continue with Cunard's practice of naming them after queens[15] or return to its long-standing convention of giving their vessels names ending in -'ia' like past Cunard ships RMS Aquitania, RMS Berengaria, RMS Caronia and RMS Mauretania.[16] In February 2022, Cunard announced that the ship would be named Queen Anne.[17] The ship's maiden voyage, a 7-night-voyage to Lisbon, began on 3 May 2024 in Southampton.[18][19][20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Auf Werften bestellte Kreuzfahrtschiffe 2019 (Shipyard ordered cruise ships 2019)". Kreuzfahrthafen Warnemünde. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  2. ^ "AMEM Communication: Cruise Ships on Order 2016-2027" (PDF). AMEM Library. Austrian Marine Equipment Manufacturers. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. ^ a b "First section of Cunard's newest ship, Queen Anne, floated by Fincantieri". CruiseMapper.com. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  4. ^ "QUEEN ANNE VITAL STATISTICS" (PDF). Carnival corporation & plc. 13 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b "FINCANTIERI TO BUILD A NEXT-GENERATION SHIP FOR CUNARD" (PDF). Fincantieri. 25 September 2017.
  6. ^ Carnival Corporation to Build New Cruise Ship for Iconic Cunard Brand
  7. ^ "Carnival Corporation Intends to Build a New Cruise Ship For Cunard". CruiseBe.com. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  8. ^ Young, Susan J. (20 November 2017). "What's Next for Cunard's New Ship, Fleet Renovation". TravelAgentCentral. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  9. ^ Machan, Teresa (27 September 2017). "Cunard to launch the biggest cruise ship in its history". UK Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Cunard Pushes Back Introduction of New Queen Anne". Cruise Industry News. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 2024-01-02.
  11. ^ "Cunard announces design team for new ship". 11 June 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Count down to New Cunard Ship Begins as First Steel is Cut" (PDF) (Press release). London/Trieste: Cunard/Fincantieri. October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  13. ^ Steel Cut for New Cunard Line Ship
  14. ^ "One year to go". Cunard.
  15. ^ "Breaking News: Cunard Add Fourth Ship To Fleet On 50th Anniversary Of QE2". 25 September 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Cruise Industry: Cunard face dilemma in choosing name for fourth ship". 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  17. ^ Romanenko, Maria (8 February 2022). "Cunard Announces New Cruise Ship Queen Anne". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  18. ^ Davey, Matt (3 May 2024). "Queen Anne leaves for maiden voyage with Southampton fireworks display". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  19. ^ News, Cruise Industry. "Queen Anne Departs on Maiden Voyage - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". cruiseindustrynews.com/. Retrieved 2024-05-05. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ "Queen Anne Departs for Historic Maiden Voyage". 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-05.

External links[edit]