Anne, Queen of Great Britain, who ruled England and Britain in the early 1700s, was a formidable pillar of the Royal Family, whose governance was strong, resilient and decisive. As she ruled at a time of significant cultural enlightenment, so, too, does the Cunard® Line’s namesake ship herald a new golden age of ocean travel.
The Cunard Queen Anne is set to join the illustrious fleet, once again honoring the reigning queens of the United Kingdom, underlining the cruise company’s steadfast associations with the British Royal Families, past and present. Setting sail from the port of Southampton with 2,996 guests and 1,225 crew, this new flagship is more than 1,000 feet long, harkening back to the grand days of the ocean liner with timeless appeal and modern comforts.
A solid string of royal patronage and events
Royal guardianship has long been associated with the Cunard Line and many luxurious accommodations aboard Cunard ships include suites that are named after members of the Royal Family.
As Cunard ships were once the primary means of transatlantic travel, many members of different Royal Families have made the crossing, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. She launched the RMS Queen Elizabeth in 1938, with then-Princess Elizabeth along for the event.
Queen Elizabeth II herself launched Queen Elizabeth 2 in Clydebank, Scotland, in 1967, using the same gold scissors as her mother. In 1977, the ship played a part in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee festivities, joining the Royal Yacht Britannia in escorting the Queen’s ship down the River Thames. Queen Elizabeth also travelled on board the ship as a passenger in 1990, the first time a reigning monarch had sailed on a commercial voyage. Subsequent years saw the Queen also launching the Queen Mary 2 in 2004 and the Queen Elizabeth in 2010, underlining time and again how Cunard’s royal roots run deep.
Other high-profile guests of Cunard throughout the years have included numerous heads of state, actors and musicians, including Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Meryl Street and Ed Sheeran.
The Queen Anne fuses the past with the future
With its contemporary design, extreme comfort and ultra-luxurious good taste, the new Queen Anne is grand on a totally new scale. Breath-taking classic and refined interiors illustrate how closely Cunard worked with a historian to design the ship – with an updated décor of bold, regal colors and signature touches of elegance. The suites feel as if you were sitting in the salon of a grand palace.
The Queen Anne also showcases many modern amenities along with timeless flourishes of finery, including a formal ball room, a games deck for croquet and paddle tennis, West End-worthy entertainment and proper Afternoon Tea – scones, jam, rich cream and all.
And thanks to the tranquil facilities of the Mareel Spa, the spacious outdoor terraces, the signature dining and the glittering nightlife, the Queen Anne is truly set to dazzle.
The Tully Travel Designers are excited to see you on the gangway of the Queen Anne in due course, of course. Get in touch today to see how you can become part of the Cunard royal history.