She’s the 249th Cunard ship and the line’s first new-build in 14 years.
She’s the second largest Cunarder ever built and marks the first time Cunard has had 4 ships in their fleet since 1999.
The ship is of course Queen Anne and she’s just been handed over to Cunard at Fincantieri near Venice.
Now the ship will prepare for its maiden voyage on 3 May!
Ships have been christened for about as long as ships have existed. The origins of the ritual was all about trying to bring good luck to a ship - which was often going to face dangerous seas and challenging conditions on long duration voyages.
Going to sea was often a scary prospect in the age of sail. So anything you could do to try and guarantee good luck was considered worthwhile.
In essence the tradition is very much one based in superstition. In ancient times, the christenings could involve sacrificing animals and, in some rare cases, even human sacrifice was used, as a way to ‘secure’ good luck for the ship and its crew.
These days things are a lot less barbaric, with champagne and other forms of alcohol used to christen or bless the ship before it sets sail.
Today, these events are as much about PR as they are about bringing good luck to a ship, and there are differences in the christening traditions of the cruise lines. Though many lines choose to christen their ships by following the tradition of having a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine smashed on the bow of the vessel. This tradition originates in the 19th century and is believed to have been first undertaken by HM. Queen Victoria when christening a prestigious Royal Naval ship.
To learn more about modern day christenings, check out my video:
You’ve never seen a photo of Titanic’s Grand Staircase, or many other famous spaces aboard the ship.
Most of the photos of Titanic’s iconic interior were actually photos taken of the Olympic! Learn why in this new video short.
I recently gave a lecture about Titanic to a packed out audience on Cunard’s Queen Victoria and this is what amazed people the most!
Where’s the bow gone? Queen Mary 2 transits thick Fog Bank in 2024.
I recently had the opportunity to work aboard QM2 as a guest speaker and had my first opportunity to check out the changes made to the ship during the 2023 refit.
What’s new on Queen Mary 2: Part 1
What’s new on Queen Mary 2: Part 2
Is time running out for the last true ocean liner, Queen Mary 2?
This week in The Big Cruise Podcast listener Brad asked that exact question.
Chris Frame answers this listener question on QM2’s 20th anniversary year, and looks at whether or not Cunard will ever build a replacement.
Welcome aboard Regatta. This is one of Oceania Cruises’ elegant global cruise ships. With a gross tonnage of just over 30,000 this ship is considered small ship cruising in today’s growing global cruise market. However she offers some surprising amenities and welcoming interior spaces that bring passengers back to this ship year after year.
So come with me aboard Regatta to explore the ship, and find out what makes her so popular amongst the 300+ cruise ships that passengers can choose from today.
I toured Regatta as a guest of Oceania Cruises.
With the 1969 introduction of QE2, the Cunard Line forever changed its design and image. From a modern external design to the creation of iconic interior spaces, QE2’s impact is still being felt today.
In fact, multiple signature spaces aboard QM2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and the new Queen Anne owe their heritage to QE2. To learn more, check out this video:
Cunard’s spiritual home of Liverpool is to host the Naming Ceremony for its newest ship Queen Anne. The event will take place on the world-famous Mersey waterfront at Liverpool on Monday, June 3 during a celebratory “lap of honor” voyage around the British Isles.
But this will be the first time that a Cunard Queen is named AFTER her maiden voyage, and after carrying fare paying passengers…with one often overlooked exception!
Watch the video to learn more.
How big is Icon of the Seas & How is a ship’s Tonnage Calculated?
What if I told you that in 2007 two Cunard Ocean Liners brought the City of Sydney to a standstill?
A combination of heroic WWII service by the Cunard Queens, excellent public awareness and the combined fame of QE2 and QM2, led to the popularity of the first Australian Royal Rendezvous taking City planners by surprise, with hundreds of thousands of people flooding the banks of the harbour to witness the event.
To learn more check out my video:
Wonderful to chat about our new book, The Evolution of the Passenger Ship with Harvey Deegan this week!
It’s hard to believe that QM2 is 20 years old, but 20 years ago today, in 2004, the ship set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale.
As a tribute to the only true ocean liner left in service, I’ve made a celebration video with some highlights from the ship’s illustrious career. Enjoy!
If you’ve ever travelled Cunard and wondered why you’re getting “White Star” service the answer lies in history!
During the Great Depression Cunard and White Star merged to secure government support to ensure their survival. The new entity was styled as Cunard-White Star.
While Cunard ultimately acquired the White Star Line’s holding in the company, they retained ownership of the White Star branding and revived it in the 2000s when they launched the White Star Academy to train their service teams.
To find out why White Star was used for a service related activity check out my recent video explainer:
…and that’s a good thing! Find out why: