Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne, has welcomed travel industry guests onboard after arriving in Southampton.
The 2,996-passenger ship, the fourth in the Cunard fleet and its first new ship for 15 years, will set sail on Friday on her maiden voyage to Lisbon. From there, she will depart on a 14-night cruise to the Canary Islands.
Cunard President Katie McAlistair toasted the 14-deck ship in a ceremony onboard on Wednesday evening, saying the Queen Anne offered ‘the very best in luxurious style, comfort, entertainment and dining’.
Cunard was forced to cancel a planned overnight visit for travel agents earlier this week due to delays in Queen Anne leaving the ship yard, but some 200 agents will be given an opportunity to see her when she returns to Southampton for the CLIA conference from 23-25 May, and others have been invited on a series of ship visits planned throughout the year.
The 300 agents who had been invited on the cancelled overnight operational test voyage on 29 April have since been invited to visit Queen Anne for the day on 7 June.
The ship will be named in Liverpool on 3 June, in a ceremony hosted by Busted musician Matt Willis and his TV presenter wife Emma Willis.
