Marine Reference Project

Passengers taking a cruise on the latest in luxury ocean liners, Cunard's Queen Victoria, will be able to move effortlessly around the ship's impressive amenities, thanks to Schindler's customized elevators and escalators.

Hailed as the world's most beautiful ship, the new liner is the third in the Cunard (Carnival Group) fleet to be named after a British queen. She certainly looks the part, with black hull, white superstructure and red funnel.

Mobility on the Queen Mary

There are 26 Schindler installations onboard: 24 elevators and two escalators. Schindler Marine, a division of Schindler Italy, also equipped the first Cunard Queen, the Queen Mary II - for a long time the world's largest passenger ship.

The Victoria is very much a luxury liner. At 294 metres long and a gross tonnage of 90,000, she has plenty of space for her 1,007 staterooms and suites, including six luxury suites. Her maximum capacity is around 2,000 passengers, and 900 crew. By contrast, her larger, less luxurious counterparts can accommodate up to 6,000 passengers and crew.

Impressive amenities

The Victoria's amenities are equally impressive: she boasts two theatres – the Royal Court, seating 830, and the Queen's Room which also serves as a ballroom – as well as four restaurants, a casino, and a library with 6,000 books. There are four swimming pools – one indoors – and a health club and spa.

Cunard vessels are famous for their traditional British style and tasteful elegance, and the passenger elevators match the décor perfectly with their solid wood panelling, gilded accents and smoky mirrors. The freight lifts are made entirely of stainless steel and fully conform to US Public Health Service standards, making them ideal for food transport. The escalators include an automatic step-washing system so they can be installed in kitchens.

Leading position

Schindler Marine has a leading position in the expanding cruise market, with an established track record of equipping some of the world's oldest and largest vessels. Its order portfolio includes 12 ships, including the Seabourn Odyssey and her sister ship, Seabourn Cruise Line's latest super-luxury vessel under construction in the Mariotti shipyard. Schindler is also to equip the first 134-m mega-yacht built by Italy's Fincantieri shipyards, opening the way to what promises to be a lucrative new business line for Schindler Marine.