The captain of Cunard's new Queen Anne ship has shared her thoughts ahead of its "momentous" launch taking place in April later this year.

Inger Thorhauge has been sharing the progress of the ship in Captain's Logs, with her sixth and final one having been released this week.

The Queen Anne will become the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag and will make up a quartet of the current Cunard fleet at sea alongside Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.

It will have the capacity to hold 3,000 guests and 1,200 staff, with Thorhauge sharing the ship passed its sea trials with "flying colours".

"It was a very moving milestone in the project" 

In her sixth Captain's Log Thorhauge said: "For 16 days in February, Queen Anne was put through her paces during her critical first sea trials. And, I am thrilled to report, she passed with flying colours!

"The complexity of the entire shipbuilding project spanning several years, and the way in which plans and concepts have been brought to life thanks to the skills of our design teams and shipyard partners, culminated in our momentous passage from Venice to Palermo and back."

It was a complex process but an emotional one when it pulled out into water.

Thorhauge added: "Before long, with tugs stood down, Queen Anne was making way under her own power for the very first time. It was a very moving milestone in the project – but not one we could savour for too long!"

Queen Anne was put through her paces but passed all tests and inspections.

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Thorahuge continued: "We are now in the critical final phase of work towards completion and delivery of the ship in April and In the coming weeks Queen Anne’s crew will start to assemble.

"This will be a very exciting part of the whole project. I know that when we start to see more crew in Cunard uniforms on board than yard workers in their protective gear, we’ll be getting ever closer to our momentous maiden departure for Southampton.

"I cannot wait to take command on Queen Anne’s historic first sailing under the Cunard flag. I know that first voyage to our home port will be another very busy and exciting time for all of us on board."