'Detail, quality and tradition': Cunard launches first ship for 14 years, Queen Anne
TTG headed to Southampton this week as Cunard raised the curtain on its first new ship for more than a decade. TTG Luxury publisher April Hutchinson and TTG cruise editor Harry Kemble report.
Around 1,000 brand partners, trade guests and the teams behind the creation of Cunard’s Queen Anne this week got a feel for the line’s first new ship for 14 years – the first time since 1999 Cunard has had four ships in simultaneous service.
Arriving in her homeport of Southampton for the first time on Tuesday (30 April), Queen Anne on Friday (3 May) became the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag after departing on her maiden voyage – a seven-night Lisbon sailing via La Coruna.
The 3,000-guest ship will sail the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands and Norway’s fjords during its maiden season, visiting more than 60 destinations across 16 countries.
Cunard’s decision to base Queen Anne in Southampton will be a sales boon for agents, and its manageable size puts it in a very comfortable space between smaller-scale ultra-luxury ocean brands and big-brand mega ships, with one of its key USPs being Cunard’s massive attention to detail, quality and its own tradition.
It’s testament to the excitement around Cunard and the trade’s faith in the historic brand that Queen Anne’s maiden voyage is sold out, but there are still spaces on the naming cruise around the British Isles from 24 May to 7 June.
Large numbers of agents will also get to see the ship as part of the Clia conference later in May, while the official naming will be hosted by TV personalities Matt and Emma Willis – despite no godmother yet having been announced – on 3 June in Liverpool, the city seen as “Cunard’s spiritual home” (and is also the actual home of its archive).
Cunard’s Tom Mahoney: ’Queen Anne’s timing is perfect’
That archive was intensely searched by the ship’s interior designers. Creative leads from respected design studios, such as Lewis Taylor of David Collins Studio; Sybille de Margerie, Sybille de Margerie Paris; Fiona Thompson from Richmond International; and Melita Skamnaki of Double Decker, shared their creative process with an audience onboard the ship during an overnight taster experience, along with the ship’s creative director Adam D Tihany.
Aranya, the Indian restaurant by chef Surjan Singh, is a new concept, as is Tramonto for Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. As with all Cunard ships, Queen Anne offers dedicated restaurants depending on accommodation category (Queens Grill, Princess Grill or Britannia Club) but other alternative (with charge) dining options include further exciting new venues such as Aji Wa for contemporary Japanese cuisine and Sir Samuel’s Steakhouse & Grill for prime cuts and seafood.
At the heart of the ship are social spaces such as an old Cunard favourite, the Golden Lion pub, brought up to date with some eclectic art and a shimmering bar, making it probably the poshest pub at sea and sure to be a popular spot.
Two Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux hosted an intimate Q&A in the Queens Room during the taster event, with the chef having created an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant and a new menu for the Golden Lion. Roux will also orchestrate two culinary Le Gavroche residencies at Sir Samuels on the ship in August and September.
The result of all this culinary development is that Queen Anne offers more dining options than ever before on a Cunard ship.
Retail spaces, the Mareel Spa and flagship event space the Queens Room, where guests onboard the taster stay danced the night away to the trumpet-playing DJ King Crowney, have been stunningly created by Sybille de Margerie, also a first-time ship interior designer.
The large adaptable Queens Room space will be home to the Cunard Signature Afternoon Tea, as well as group activities, gala evenings and a host of live music.
The immersive theatre shows of new venue Bright Lights Society bring something fresh to onboard cruise entertainment too, by collaborating with industry visionaries at RWS Global to create three shows: Fizz, Noir, and Bitter Sweet Symphony.
Meanwhile, guests who favour something more traditional can rest assured the shows in the Royal Court Theatre will bring world-class entertainment including Let’s Dance and Imagination, two new in-house productions exclusive to Queen Anne’s maiden season, as well as critically acclaimed shows from Broadway and the West End under the theatrical direction of David Pugh, another first for Cunard.
The Pavilion – sitting under a huge retractable roof – is an all-weather, all-hours space to enjoy, including the chance to watch top-quality films on a giant screen as part of a partnership with BFI, the UK’s leading film organisation. There will also be everything from silent discos to sailaway parties held in the impressive poolside space.
As Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, told the assembled guests: “It was a privilege to showcase so many exciting and elevated new concepts to our VIP guests. Queen Anne boasts the widest selection of dining venues, bar, entertainment, and wellness so far seen on a Cunard ship and we are all so proud of the experience and incredible service that our guests will enjoy onboard.”
Words by April Hutchinson; video by Harry Kemble.
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