Queen Anne gets her funnel as delivery date and cruise via Dubai nears

Queen Anne, the upcoming new cruise ship for Cunard Line, has been crowned with her massive funnel in the iconic red and black colours of the historic British cruise line.

The construction milestone is known as the ‘funnel lift’ according to Cunard, but its not one of the shipbuilding milestones recognised industry-wide and appears to be a ceremony unique to Cunard.

Queen Anne’s funnel was lifted from the construction dock by a crane and hoisted over her superstructure, before being carefully lowered into place and welded to the superstructure, marking the completion of all major assembly works on the basic structure of the ship.

Work will now continue on her engineering, plumbing, ventilation and other technical systems, as well as her interior fit out and finish ahead of her anticipated delivery next year and maiden passenger voyage in May, 2024.

“We are thrilled to mark this important milestone in the construction of Queen Anne,” said Angus Struthers, Senior Vice President of Cunard. “The installation of the funnel is a significant step in the building process and brings the ship one step closer to joining our fleet.”

“For Cunard, the distinctive red and black funnel is an iconic symbol of our heritage and will be one of Queen Anne’s most recognizable features,” he added.

Cunard’s red and black funnels have adorned its fleet for the past 150 years. The design is the work of Robert Napier, the shipyard owner who built some of Cunard’s first ships, including Britannia, the first Cunard liner built for the transatlantic service in 1840.

While Britannia was just over 1,000 gross tons and carried just 115 passengers, Cunard’s newest ship, the 3,000-guest, 113,000 gross ton Queen Anne, will span 14 decks and feature the largest curated art collection at sea.

The ship will offer Cunard’s signature five-star dining options with White Star Service, spa facilities and new entertainment venues joining long-running staples such as the Queens Grill, Princess Grill and the main ballroom, the Queen’s Room.

The Queen Anne will embark on her inaugural voyage sailing roundtrip from Southampton departing on May 24,th 2024. The 14-night voyage will give guests the opportunity to explore Kirkwall as well as remnants of Greenock’s industrial history.

In 2025, Queen Anne will depart on her 107-night 2024 World Cruise, sailing from Southampton to 30 ports on five continents, including Dubai here in the Middle East.