Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne will be named on the Mersey waterfront at Liverpool in June.
She will be christened on Monday, June 3, during a celebratory lap of honour voyage around the British Isles. The ceremony will be hosted by British pop couple, Matt Willis and his wife TV presenter Emma.
Queen Anne is will arrive in Mersey in Liverpool soon after sunrise on an exclusive 14-night voyage.
When Queen Anne arrives in Liverpool, there will be a special salute to the city. Cunard was first launched in 1840 from the city.
Guests sailing on the 14-night British Isles Festival Voyage will depart on May 24 with maiden calls to Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Invergordon, Greenock, Belfast, and Liverpool.
Guests on the voyage have an exclusive opportunity to join the naming ceremony. The ship will then sail on a late evening departure bound for Cobh.
Queen Anne is currently nearing completion in Italy before sailing to Liverpool.
The event
The event in Liverpool will draw in tens of thousands of spectators to vantage points alongside the river at Pier Head, between New Brighton and Seacombe on Wirral and beaches at Formby and Crosby in Sefton. A live global broadcast will ensure the eyes of the world once again fall on a Cunard event in Liverpool.
Cunard ships have previously attracted more than a million spectators to the banks of the Mersey. First for the maiden call of the renowned QE2 in July 1990. And in 2015 for the Three Queens ‘royal rendezvous’ in front of the Cunard Building to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the most famous name in shipping.
The British Isles Festival Voyage
The 14-night British Isles Festival voyage will depart Southampton on May 24 with maiden calls to Greenock, Belfast, Cork, and Liverpool.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “Cunard has an incredible bond with the city of Liverpool. It is where our founder Sir Samuel Cunard began his Transatlantic line in 1840, so what better place to officially name our new ship than somewhere that holds so many special memories.
“Queen Anne is the next in a fine line for our brand. She will be bursting with breathtaking moments around every corner, evolving our core values of luxury, sophistication, and glamour. And we are all so excited for the city to see Queen Anne up close on her maiden call.”
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council said: “It’s a huge honour for Liverpool to be chosen as the location for the official naming of Queen Anne.
“The city and Cunard share a rich history, we are the original home of the world-famous cruise line and we staged the incredible spectacle of the Three Queens on the Mersey in 2015, which lives long in many people’s memories.”
