VALENCIA, Calif., June 3, 2024
/CNW/ -- Cunard is excited to announce the City of Liverpool as Godparent of its newest
ship Queen Anne in recognition of
the long-lasting bond with its spiritual home.
Liverpool was the birthplace of
Cunard with its first transatlantic crossing departing 184 years
ago in July 1840, and it was the
company's headquarters for 128 years. The love and affection the
people of Liverpool still have for
all things Cunard is clear – never more so than when a Cunard ship
arrives on the Mersey.
This is highlighted by two of the largest crowds ever to gather
for a maritime event – a million people for QE2 in 1990 and over a
million for the Three Queens Salute in 2015. This was also the year
when Cunard was awarded the honor of The Freedom of the City.
On behalf of the City of
Liverpool, the luxury cruise line has selected five
distinguished Liverpool icons* to
represent the city and officially name Queen Anne.
These distinguished women, who embody the heart and future of
Liverpool, just as Queen Anne does for Cunard, have been chosen for
their significant contributions to culture at a local, national or
international level.
All proud Liverpudlians, they are Spice Girl and author Melanie
C, broadcaster and community leader Ngunan Adamu, local restaurant
entrepreneur Natalie Haywood,
Liverpool music and cultural
legend Jayne Casey, and British
Olympian heptathlon athlete Katarina
Johnson-Thomson.
Queen Anne Naming Ceremony
Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather along the
waterfront to witness the time-honored naming ceremony, a tradition
believed to bestow good fortune upon the new vessel.
The proceedings will open with a performance by the Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra before event hosts, Matt and
Emma Willis, take to the stage to
oversee the ceremony.
The icons will join Cunard
President, Katie McAlister,
and Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge for a special naming ceremony,
where they will officially introduce the most beautiful ship at sea
to its spiritual home, continuing the seafaring tradition by
smashing a bottle of champagne against the 249th ship to carry the
Cunard name.
Formal proceedings will conclude with a stunning performance by
operatic superstar Andrea Bocelli,
including his iconic song 'Time to Say Goodbye'.
Katie McAlister, President of
Cunard, said: "Liverpool is the
spiritual home of Cunard, and we are therefore delighted and feel
it very fitting that the City of
Liverpool is the godparent to Queen
Anne. It is a testament to the enduring relationship that
connects Cunard and the city in which it was founded to the present
day when we officially named our new ship on the Liverpool
Waterfront, in front of the Cunard Building. We are equally
delighted to have our five chosen Liverpool icons represent the city in the
ceremony. All remarkable in their own right, they have inspired
generations and collectively capture the essence of the city that
has shaped global culture."
Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive of
Liverpool City Council said: "It's an incredible honour for the
City of Liverpool to be chosen as
the Godparent of Queen Anne. This
city shares a treasured bond with Cunard dating back to 1839 when
we were the original home of the world-famous line. The naming
ceremony was a magnificent showpiece that once again cast
Liverpool into the limelight, and
we are so proud to be forever entwined with Queen Anne as she sails the world. We will
always cherish our long-standing relationship with Cunard."
For more information about Cunard or to book a voyage, contact
your Travel Advisor, call Cunard at 1-800-728-6273, or visit
www.cunard.com.
For Travel Advisors interested in further information, please
contact your Business Development Manager,
visit OneSourceCruises.com, or call Cunard at
1-800-528-6273.
Notes to Editors
Images and video of Queen Anne's
naming ceremony can be downloaded here:
https://spaces.hightail.com/space/BKmumkcNeG
*Liverpool Icons:
Melanie C is best known as one of the five members of the
iconic girl band, the Spice Girls, where she was known as "Sporty
Spice" due to her athletic style and energetic performances.
Melanie C pursued a successful solo career, releasing several
albums that garnered critical and commercial success.
Melanie C is deeply committed to charitable work. She has
supported numerous causes, including those related to children,
cancer research, and LGBTQ+ rights. She has been involved with
organisations like the Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins,
Action Aid and Shelter. Her philanthropic efforts highlight her
dedication to making a positive impact on the world.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson
has become a global sporting icon, holding numerous records and
titles. Founding the Katarina Johnson-Thompson Academy via her own
lived experiences, the academy provides support to aspiring
athletes from state-school and diverse ethnic communities to access
opportunities they have previously not had and, in conjunction with
Liverpool FC Foundation, delivers an accessible community athletics
program providing children from disadvantaged areas access to sport
and physical activity without financial restrictions.
Alleviating obstacles that allow people to access sport is
something that Katarina is passionate about as she strives for
equality in enabling people the chance to fulfil their
potential.
Ngunan Adamu is a seasoned producer, presenter, and
international multimedia trainer with over fifteen years of
experience at the BBC. She currently leads "UK Black" in the North
West, a flagship show dedicated to amplifying the voices and
narratives of the African Caribbean community.
Beyond her media expertise, Ngunan is a dynamic entrepreneur and
community advocate. As the founder and CEO of iWoman Media Ltd, she
drives initiatives that promote diversity and empowerment within
the industry. Her work spans women's empowerment, entertainment,
exploration, and global inspiration, making a positive impact one
story at a time.
Natalie Haywood is the
founder and Managing Director of the LEAF Group of companies
proudly based in Liverpool. The company, whose ethos is 'Where
There's Tea There's Hope', has 180 employees and actively promotes
working with local suppliers and partners across the Liverpool City
Region.
On top of this, Natalie is active in the Liverpool hospitality scene, helping to create
The Brink Café, the UK's first dry bar, of which HRH The Duchess of
Cambridge is a patron, plus
sitting on the Business Improvement District board and helping
Liverpool gain Purple Flag status
– a certificate of excellence managing the night-time economy.
Jayne Casey is an iconic
figure in Liverpool's music and
cultural scene. Known for her support of black music and culture,
she manages a live music venue and has played a pivotal role in the
city's creative community for over two decades. As a former member
of 1970s punk band Big in Japan,
she performed with Ian Broudie and Holly
Johnson. In the 1990s, she co-founded the successful
nightclub empire, Cream. Jayne also co-produced the opening
ceremony for Liverpool's year as
European Capital of Culture and served as its artistic
director.
ABOUT CUNARD:
Cunard is a luxury British cruise line,
renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world.
Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840,
celebrating an incredible 184 years of operation. The Cunard
experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment,
and outstanding White Star
service. From a partnership with a two-Michelin starred chef, to
inspiring guest speakers, to world class theatre productions, every
detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience
unforgettable. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round
world voyages, destinations sailed to also include Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East and Australia.
There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen
Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and
new ship, Queen Anne, entered
service in May 2024. This investment
is part of the company's ambitious plans for the future of Cunard
globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will
have four ships in simultaneous service. Cunard is based at
Carnival House in Southampton and
has been owned since 1998 by Carnival
Corporation & plc. www.cunard.com (NYSE/LSE: CCL;
NYSE:CUK).
Social
Media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cunard
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cunardline
YouTube: www.youtube.com/wearecunard
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cunardline
Media Assets
Cunard photography is available
at https://cunard.assetbank-server.com
Email: press@cunard.com
Password: Cunard1
For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Jackie Chase,
Cunard, jchase@cunard.com
Cindy Adams, cindy@mgamediagroup.com
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