Queen Anne ‘through the lens’

As we near the six-month countdown to her maiden voyage, Queen Anne is really taking shape at the Fincantieri shipyard in Venice, Italy.

On 18 October, Cunard colleagues and World of Cunard Competition runners up, Lynn and Howard, were invited to the shipyard for the unique opportunity to capture Queen Anne ‘through the lens’ of their own cameras and take a tour of the yard and Cunard’s 249th ship.

Lynn D’Mello, Receptionist, Queen Elizabeth and Howard (Howie) Herdi, Deck Housekeeper, Queen Elizabeth, were flown from Naples to Venice for the occasion. Both keen photographers in their spare time, the standard of their photography submitted to the World of Cunard Competition earlier this year, really impressed our judges – so we couldn’t wait to see their own photos of Cunard’s newest Queen!

During the tour, Lynn and Howard also met with Captain Inger Thorhauge, Deputy Captain Yuliyan Kostov, and Colin Black, Fleet Chief Engineer.

Lynn, said:

Photography is more than just a hobby for me, it’s a passion. For a long time, I didn’t know what to say when people asked me if my photography was real – if I had manipulated the colours, or if I’d changed something. In fact, I was unsure of how to answer, because I rarely edit my photos, but I was happy to be recognised and complimented for ‘having a good eye’ and ‘amazing talent’. I am self-taught and the photos I take are a way for everyone to see the world through my eyes.

I’d have never dreamt I’d have the chance to visit the shipyard and be one of the first Cunard crew to see this iconic ship being built. The whole experience was amazing! We were welcomed by Captain Inger and Colin Black, Chief Engineer. They both escorted us to Queen Anne and my jaw dropped! I wanted to capture the moment forever in a photograph! Colin took us on a tour of the ship and explained every possible bit he could in detail. Viewing the engine control room and the bridge was an incredible experience to see. There are wires everywhere – a hard hat and safety shoes were a must.

It was such a surprise to be given the opportunity to see Queen Anne. It’s a day I’ll never forget! I had only seen floor plans of the ship beforehand and I was amazed to see how all the venues of the ship were taking shape and perfectly placed. I can’t wait to see the wellness space in the Pavilion when it’s finished, and once she is ready, I would love to return to click a picture with her iconic red funnel and ‘Queen Anne’ in lights.

Howie, said:

Photography has been a hobby of mine ever since I started working for Cunard. I bought my first DSLR and taught myself, watching video tutorials and taking photos while onboard and ashore. I never run out of subjects to take photos of! My colleagues then started asking for me to take their photos for social media. It’s a great feeling knowing they appreciate my art, and it’s nice reading all the comments on the photos I take.

Seeing Queen Anne for the first time was an unbelievable feeling. I was full of excitement, especially being one of the first crew members to see her in person. There was so much to photograph – she was beautiful! We enjoyed every part of the tour, starting from the site office where we met familiar faces – Officers and Engineers that we’ve worked with before. We then explored the ship from top to bottom, including the bridge, the engine control room and down to the main laundry.

My favourite venue is the Pavilion pool area. Our guests will be able to enjoy this space rain or shine. The grand lobby ceiling and Britannia restaurant pillars also looked incredible. I can’t wait to tell our guests about how grand and elegant Queen Anne is. My colleagues are also very excited about Queen Anne and couldn’t wait to see the photos and hear about our visit.