Queen Victoria to be Named in Southampton!
 

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Queen Victoria to be Named in Southampton

VALENCIA, CA - February 21, 2006 - Following hot on the heels of last
week’s announcement of Cunard’s new liner, Queen Victoria, is the news
that she will be named in her homeport of Southampton on Monday
December 10, 2007. While details of the ceremony itself and who will
name the ship have not been released, the event will befit the
introduction of a new British queen of the seas, a liner of this name
and heritage.

“Our transatlantic liners have been sailing from Southampton since
1921 and we are very proud of our links with the city, so it is very
pleasing to be able to confirm now the location for Queen Victoria’s
naming. We can promise a very exciting and memorable event and look
forward to releasing more details in due course,” said Carol Marlow,
Cunard’s president and managing director.

The 90,000-ton Queen Victoria will not only be a classic ocean liner,
offering the very best of Cunard’s heritage and traditions, along with
all modern day luxuries, but will also feature some exciting
innovations. These will include the first traditional West End-style
private viewing boxes at sea in the Royal Court Theatre; the first
floating museum, Cunardia, housing Cunard artifacts and memorabilia
and the first two-storey, ‘spiral staircased’ library at sea. The ship
will also feature the line’s celebrated luxury Grills accommodation
and dining, further enhanced on Queen Victoria with exclusive deck
terraces and an al fresco dining option.

From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will hint at
what differentiates a Cunard liner from a standard cruise ship. This
will be most evident in the ship’s adherence to liner traditions of
the past, with elegant public rooms, many on a grand scale, featuring
rich wood paneling, intricate mosaics and gleaming chandeliers. There
will also be a grand, colonial-style conservatory, complete with
central fountain and a retractable glass roof.

And, of course, the ship has been constructed with impressive sea
keeping qualities that will enable her to travel easily and
efficiently through the world’s oceans.

As well as being the second largest Cunarder ever built, Queen
Victoria is particularly noteworthy as it is the first time that three
Cunard Queens (she joins the world’s largest liner Queen Mary 2 and
the world’s most famous and best-loved liner QE2) have been in service
together in the company’s 167-year history.

Queen Victoria will depart on her Maiden Voyage the day after her
naming on Tuesday, December 11, 2007. This 10-night Christmas Markets
Voyage will leave from the company’s home port, Southampton, and will
call at Amsterdam, Copenhagen (overnight call), Oslo, Hamburg and
Bruges, enjoying the pre-Christmas decorations and traditional gift
markets. Fares start from $1,899 per person for the 10-night sailing.

Cunard Line has operated the most famous ocean liners in the world
since 1840. Cunard vessels have a classic British heritage and include
the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2. Queen Victoria joins
the fleet in 2007.