The Queen of England has given her blessing for the naming of a new
Cunard Cruises vessel - Queen Elizabeth.
The cruise company has announced that an order has been put in to build a further cruise vessel for the Cunard fleet which will be named Queen Elizabeth.
According to
Cunard Cruises an agreement has been signed with Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri to construct the ship in its Monfalcone yard.
"The decision to order another ship for Cunard Line has been taken as a result of the strong booking response to the new
Queen Victoria and we are extremely pleased that Cunard will once again become a three-ship fleet so soon after the departure of the much-celebrated
Queen Elizabeth 2 in November next year," commented managing director Carol Marlow.
The price tag on Queen Elizabeth is estimated at €500 million (£345 million) and the ship will be the second largest in the
Cunard Cruises flotilla.
Upon her launch - estimated to be in 2010 - Queen Elizabeth will join her sister ships Queen Mary and Queen Victoria in service.