At 294 metres long with a gross tonnage of approximately 90,000 tonnes, the Queen Victoria is one of the largest panamax ships (i.e. able to pass through the Panama Canal) built to date. The ship is a natural evolution of the concept of ocean liner following the tradition which has always been characteristic of the style of Cunard, whose fleet, with its distinctive black hull, white superstructures and red funnel, has been a key player in the history of shipping. The Queen Victoria has a maximum passenger capacity of 2,000 with a crew of approximately 900. There are 1,007 cabins (a high number of luxury suites and mini suites), 864 with a sea view and the majority with a balcony. The ship has a theatre which, extending over three decks, can accommodate an audience of 830 and includes luxurious boxes. Fincantieri and Cunard Line have recently reached an agreement to build a new super luxury cruise ship of 92,000 gross tonnes, worth around 500 million euros, which, with the approval of Her Majesty will be called the Queen Elizabeth. Since 1990, Fincantieri, which is world leader in the sector, has built 42 cruise ships. A further 19 (including two options) are currently on order, thereby extending the shipyards’ workload through to 2012; these 59 ships have brought the company revenues of over 25 billion dollars.