MS Queen Anne

History
Name	Queen Anne
Namesake	Anne, Queen of Great Britain
Owner	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator	Cunard Line
Ordered	2017
Builder	Fincantieri Marghera Shipyard, Italy
Cost	US$600 million (approx.)[2]
Yard number	6274[1]
Laid down	2022
Launched	24 April 2023
Completed	3 May 2023
Maiden voyage	3 May 2024
In service	3 May 2024
Identification	IMO number: 9839399[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Pinnacle series 4[1] cruise ship
Tonnage	113,000 GT
Length	322.51 m (1,058.1 ft)[1]
Beam	35.60 m (116.8 ft)[1]
Installed power	4 x Caterpillar-MaK 12V43C, each 16,896 hp (12,600 kW)[3]
Propulsion	2 x ABB Azipods[3]
Capacity	3,000 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

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

External links

• Official website