Carnival Corporation's luxury cruise brand Cunard Line celebrated a construction milestone on Wednesday, May 3rd, with the launch/float out from drydock of MS Queen Anne at Fincantieri Marghera shipyard (Venice, Italy).
Queen Anne (Cunard's 249th ship) touched water for the first time exactly 365 days before her maiden voyage scheduled to depart from to Lisbon (Portugal) on May 3rd, 2024.
The float out is marked by a ceremony where a 'Madrina' is named to offer blessings/best wishes for the new ship, celebrating the flow of water into the dry dock.
Sture Myrmell (Carnival UK's President) said they were delighted to celebrate "the important milestone in the construction of Queen Anne."
"The float out ceremony marks the ship's transition from her building dock to where she truly belongs – in the water. Today marks a significant moment for Queen Anne as we recognize the dedication by the master shipbuilders at Fincantieri to build a ship that reinforces our position as a world-famous luxury brand."
MS Queen Anne is the third liner built by Fincantieri for Cunard.
Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager Merchant Ships Division of Fincantieri, commented:
"Building a liner for this shipowner takes us back to our roots yet, at the same time, spurs us forward to the future in a spirit of determination to bring together tradition and innovation and further strengthen our longstanding relationship."
Queen Anne's launch completed the first comprehensive phase of the shipbuilding process, which now transitions to focus on constructing the vessel's interiors.