Festivities in Funchal for Queen Anne's arrival

A team of ‘Carreiros do Monte’ – hosts of Madeira's popular traditional wicker basket toboggan rides at Monte – will also greet passengers. 

The Ship Enthusiasts Club is set to display a photographic and ship model exhibition at Funchal Cruise Terminal recounting the cruise line’s past calls to Funchal. 

A ‘special bond’ with Cunard

Queen Anne’s inaugural voyage on May 3 consisted of a seven-night sailing to La Coruña, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal from Southampton. 

Funchal is the first stop on Queen Anne’s 14-night round-trip to the Canary Islands from Southampton ending on May 24. 

Paula Cabaço, president of the Madeira Ports Administration board of directors said Madeira and Cunard have a ‘special bond,’ recalling Queen Mary 2's inaugural call to Lisbon: 'Now, 20 years later, Queen Anne gives us the honor, which reveals the importance… of our port for the cruise industry.’ In the last two decades, Cunard ships have made 112 stops at the island, transporting close to 205,000 passengers, she added. 

The first record of a Cunard ship calling at Madeira is 1905, with RMS Caronia. Blandy Shipping has been Cunard’s shipping agent in Madeira since then.  

Departure from the city

On the morning of May 15, Cabaço and the ship’s captain Inger Klein Thorhauge will come together for the traditional plaque exchange ceremony.

Queen Anne will leave Funchal for Lanzarote tomorrow at 5 pm during a traditional water salute from Madeira Port Authority tugboat Ponta do Pargo.

New Year’s Eve in Madeira

Cabaço said Queen Anne will spend New Year’s Eve in Madeira, which has long been associated with impressive fireworks displays at that time: ‘Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria have a regular presence on New Year's Eve in Madeira, and the arrival of Queen Anne has already been confirmed for this year's event,’ she stated.