Queen Elizabeth will feature the unique Cunard traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, and their predecessors, along with some exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality, plus all the modern day luxuries Cunard’s guests have come to expect.

Named after the first Queen Elizabeth, one of Cunard’s greatest ships, the new Queen Elizabeth will reference her predecessor in interior grandeur, décor 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.

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.

Carol Marlow, Cunard’s President and Managing Director, says: “Cunard has the distinction of owning the most famous ocean liners in the world, and I’m delighted to be able to announce this magnificent addition to our fleet — Sir Samuel Cunard himself would have been rightly proud. "For over 70 years there has been an 'Elizabeth' in the fleet and this beautiful modern day celebration of our past 'Elizabeths' will ensure this proud tradition will continue far into this century. The new Queen Elizabeth will be a classically styled Cunard Queen with art deco features, and, together with her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, will offer a New Golden Age of Ocean Liner Travel complete with our exclusive White Star Service".

Carol Marlow added that the introduction of this ship is particularly noteworthy as, following the withdrawal from service of QE2 last year, it will mark a return to Cunard enjoying three Queens in service together, a first established during 2008, after the launch of Queen Victoria. But now, all three ships will offer the benefits of modern design and state of the art technology.