The ceremony to mark the keel laying of Cunard's gracious new Queen Elizabeth took place on July 2, 2009 at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy.
At 90,400 tons the second largest Cunarder ever built, Queen Elizabeth's keel was the third Cunard has laid in the space of seven years.
When she enters service in October 2010 she will become the third in a fleet of Queens which already comprises Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria; together these three liners define a new golden age of ocean liner travel.
The Cunard fleet is the most famous in the world and the youngest in the passenger shipping.
The keel laying involved the placement in the dry dock of the first section of the ship's hull. This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks, weighs 364 tons and is fitted with 104 tons of pipes, cables, insulation and other equipment.
The ceremony followed an intensive period of design and development. 53 sections will be used in the construction of Queen Elizabeth and she will take to the water for the first time at her float out in December 2009 before her delivery to Cunard.
Cunard president Carol Marlow said at the ceremony: "We are delighted to be back here among our friends at Fincantieri so soon after we took delivery of Queen Victoria in 2007, the first Cunarder to be built in Italy. I am sure that Queen Elizabeth will be just as popular and successful as her two sisters. We at Cunard are always impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of everyone at Fincantieri, and
we look forward to the next year-and-a half of working closely with them on this ship, which will be nurtured by their skill and vision and built into a vessel equal in stature to the other great Cunard liners."
Paolo Capobianco, Fincantieri Shipyard Director, added: "Our Company is the heir to the Italian shipbuilding industry and the world leader in cruise ship construction and believes, as Cunard does, in the possibility and the need of actively matching tradition and innovation. Building a new liner for Cunard is a special achievement for Fincantieri and takes us right to our roots, fostering both our determination to build once again a passenger ship of high technological content and unmistakable style, reflecting the best of the industry and tailored to the needs and requirements of the shipowner."
Named after the first Queen Elizabeth, one of Cunard's greatest ships, the
new Queen Elizabeth will reference her predecessor in interior grandeur,
decor and style, but with a modern twist.
From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will hint at an
experience that differentiates a Cunard liner from a modern-day cruise
ship. This will be most evident in the ship's adherence to liner
traditions, with elegant double and triple height public rooms on a grand
scale, luxuriously endowed with rich wood panelling, intricate mosaics,
gleaming chandeliers, and cool marbles.
Art Deco features will pay homage to the original Queen Elizabeth, and will
allow the new ship to reflect a more civilized era of travel.
And in addition to the extensive Cunard entertainment programme on board,
Queen Elizabeth will offer some unique strands inspired by the era of the
first Queen Elizabeth such as country house parties, Ivor Novello style
piano evenings, and period dancing, from traditional ballroom to the
jitterbug and the jive - all within the setting of this 21st century ship.
As successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship will also reflect this great
liner through artworks and memorabilia, and its very own 'Yacht Club'.
Queen Elizabeth will also pay homage to the links Cunard and the maritime
world have enjoyed with Royalty over the years, with photography,
memorabilia and exhibits.
Public areas will include:
- The Queens Room - a new take on the traditional Cunard
ballroom, with artwork depicting views from royal palaces, and a
photography of our current Queen and Royal family, along with its
1000-square foot dance floor, for grand balls and tea dances at sea.
- The Garden Lounge, with its magnificent vaulted glass ceiling
creating a conservatory feel inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens,
where Supper Clubs will mix dining with dancing under the stars.
- The Games Deck which will offer, croquet, paddle tennis and
traditional British bowls, celebrating the oldest surviving bowls green in
Cunard's home port of Southampton.
- The art deco style Britannia Restaurant, with its unique and
elegant sweeping staircase, where ladies can create an enviable grand
entrance.
- The Britannia Club for single seating dining for those in the top
balcony staterooms.
- The Midships Bar which will pay homage to her namesake liner, the
first Queen Elizabeth, with memorabilia displayed from that era.
The ship will also feature the line's celebrated luxury Grills
accommodation and dining, with its al fresco dining option on an exclusive
deck terrace, beautiful restaurants, Grills Lounge and sunbathing deck.
And, of course, Queen Elizabeth has been constructed with impressive sea
keeping qualities that will enable her to travel easily and efficiently
through the world's oceans.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
