A Royal welcome to the world: Gibraltar present at the inaugural launch of Cunard’s new cruise liner, the Queen Victoria

Albert Poggio, Senior Vice President of MedCruise and UK Director for the Gibraltar Tourist Board was among 2000 invited guests at the naming ceremony and luncheon held for the launch of Cunard’s new cruise liner, the “Queen Victoria.” The” Queen Victoria” was named by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, in the presence of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, during a spectacular ceremony held in a specially constructed auditorium. This momentous occasion took place on Monday 10th December 2007 at the City Cruise Terminal in Southampton, next to where the “Queen Victoria” will be birthed. A breathtaking firework display marked her departure on the Maiden Voyage at 1700 hours on Tuesday 11th December. The Maiden Voyage will last for ten nights and will hold a ‘Christmas Markets’ theme calling at ports renowned for their Christmas atmosphere, such as Amsterdam, Oslo, Copenhagen and Zeebrugge. “Queen Victoria’s” first Christmas will be spent in the Canary Islands as part of a 16 night Inaugural Voyage which will see her make calls, at Vigo, Lisbon, Malaga, Funchal, Las Palmas, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and her final European Christmas call will be in Gibraltar on 3rd January 2008 before returning to the UK on 6th January 2008. Photo attached of Albert Poggio with Carol Marlow, President and Managing Director of Cunard Cruise Line. For further information please contact: Jose Campos at MedCruise by telephone on 0034 933 068800 or by email to jose_campos@apb.es