Carol Marlow, Cunard's President & Managing Director

Photos Courtesy of Cunard Line

A ceremony marking the Keel Laying for Cunard Line's Queen Victoria was held today at the Marghera shipyard of Fincantieri near Venice, Italy.  The second largest Cunarder ever built, Queen Victoria will enter service on December 11, 2007 and become the third in Cunard's fleet of Queens when she joins Queen Mary 2, the largest liner in the world, and QE2, the most famous ship in the world.

The keel laying involved the placement in the dry dock of one section of the ship's hull.  This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks, weighs 325 tons and is fitted with 50 tons of pipes, cables, insulation and other equipment.

The ceremony follows an intensive period of design and development.  80 sections will be used in the construction of Queen Victoria and she will take to the water for the first time at her float out in January 2007 before her delivery to Cunard in December 2007.

In a speech prior to the laying of the keel, Carol Marlow, Cunard's president and managing director, said:

"Queen Victoria is a very significant ship for Cunard; not only is she the second largest ship we have ever built but she further reinforces Cunard's commitment to our British heritage. This is evident in her reflection of past Cunarders with her traditional livery and elegant and classically-styled interior.  When she comes into service next year there will be, for the first time, a trio of Queens in Cunard's fleet."

Queen Victoria will not only be a classic ocean liner, offering the very best of Cunard's heritage and traditions along with all modern luxury facilities, but she will also feature some exciting innovations.  These will include the first private boxes at sea, in the Royal Court Theatre; a "Cunardia" museum, housing Cunard artifacts and memorabilia; the first two-story library at sea, with its 6,000 books and splendid spiral staircase; and a grand, British colonial-style conservatory, complete with central fountain, greenery and a retractable glass roof.

With the addition of this new 90,000-ton vessel, the Cunard liner legacy will be upheld, as Queen Victoria will offer all the classic characteristics that have become associated with the company's unique heritage.  From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery and strengthened hull will hint at the 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 of the past, with elegant and classically-styled public rooms, many on a grand scale, luxuriously endowed with rich wood panelling, intricate mosaics, chandeliers, and cool marbles.

The public spaces will be the setting for a host of diversions that also define Cunard's liner heritage, as guests enjoy stylish entertainment and informative talks that suggest a more civilized era of travel.

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.

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

Queen Victoria will depart on her Maiden Voyage on Tuesday December 11, 2007 - a voyage that was full within days of being announced.