The Queen Anne set sail on her 107-night maiden world voyage from Southampton on January 9, 2025.
Spectators gathered to witness the ship’s 9 p.m. departure, highlighted by a fireworks display.
The 3,000-passenger ship will make its first stop in New York on January 17, 2025.
Over the course of 107 nights, the Queen Anne will visit 30 ports across 18 countries. Destinations include Miami, San Francisco, the Panama Canal, Honolulu, Auckland, Sydney, and Hong Kong. Guests will also cross the International Date Line on February 12, experiencing the rare event of “jumping through time.”
The itinerary also includes overnight stops in New York, Honolulu, Sydney and Singapore, with Queen Anne returning to the south coast on April 27, 2025.
Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, said: “This is a significant moment for Cunard as Queen Anne begins her maiden world voyage. Her first visit to the USA should be to New York, a city that has long been at the heart of Cunard’s story. This voyage celebrates our heritage while offering guests the opportunity to explore the world in the style and luxury only Cunard can provide. Queen Anne truly reflects the evolution of our brand, and this journey will be an unforgettable experience for all on board.”
To introduce new technologies to ships, the cruise industry needs to simplify access for guests as much as possible, said Francesco Pugliese, vice president of mobile and onboard digital technology at MSC Cruises.
While new developments pile up ashore, cruise lines need to be careful in the way they are implemented onboard, he said.
“We call it ‘keep it simple,’ which means simplifying access as much as possible for our guests. You need to consider all the scenarios and make sure they have a smooth experience,” Pugliese said, mentioning MSC Cruises’ MSC for Me mobile app.
While some guests will embark with the app installed on their phones, others will download it onboard, which can lead to different experiences.
“So, you need to ensure there’s always a smooth path but, of course, not forgetting the cybersecurity issues and challenges that we have,” Pugliese added.
The digital ecosystem onboard also needs to focus on the features that the guests are looking for, he said.
In addition to training crew to help passengers deal with the new technologies, cruise lines also need to ensure that they are communicating with guests in the right way, Pugliese said.
“It’s very important. That’s why we work in close collaboration with our marketing colleagues to explain to the guests, for instance, that the app is for free, which is something that they don’t always realize.”
Pugliese also said that, with new features on ships, the vessels are becoming one of the reasons why guests choose to embark on a specific sailing.
“They are not selecting their cruise based on itinerary anymore, they want to focus on the attractions and experiences that a ship can offer,” he explained.
“That’s why we developed a series of concepts that we implemented on our new ships, which are basically immersive,” Pugliese continued.
One of the new attractions is Starship Club, which is a bar that features a robot bartender who can make cocktails and entertain guests.
The venue was introduced onboard the MSC Virtuosa in 2021 and was later rolled out to other new buildings.
“You order your drink on a list of pre-defined cocktails and, while you wait for it to be prepared by the robotic bartender, you get immersed in a kind of experience that brings you to outer space,” Pugliese explained.
Pugliese highlighted the uniqueness of the cruise industry, which allows cruise lines to collect more data than other companies.
“We start collecting data from the very beginning when passengers purchase their cruise and want to personalize it. Once they get onboard, they usually stay seven days with us, so this means you can collect a huge amount of data,” he explained.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help in the process of understanding and analyzing this information, Pugliese added.
Cunard’s latest new ship, the Queen Anne, embarked on its seven-night maiden voyage to Lisbon amid a stunning fireworks display on Friday.
The 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag, Queen Anne set sail just after 9 pm local time as thousands of spectators gathered on the shores of Southampton water. Guests onboard the 3,000-guest, 113,000-ton ship will enjoy several celebrations throughout the voyage, which includes a special Maiden Gala Evening and performances by tenor Russell Watson.
According to Katie McAlister, President of Cunard: “Queen Anne’s maiden voyage signals the dawning of a new era in luxury ocean travel, and her historic sail away from Southampton was a very special moment for everyone connected with Cunard.” Queen Anne will sail to Lisbon via La Coruna and then return to Southampton. From there, the ship will embark on a 14-night voyage to the Canary Islands.
Cunard’s latest addition to their fleet marks the completion of a perfect quartet, alongside the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria. As McAlister stated: “Here in the UK and across the globe, Cunard is famous for our beautiful iconic Queens. With Queen Anne joining our fleet, she marks not just a new icon but the completion of a perfect quartet.”
Wetravel2u's Weblog 