Cunard has cancelled a test sailing on board new ship Queen Anne ahead of its maiden voyage on 3 May

The practice sailing, which was organised to ensure the vessel was ready for its debut, was due to take place on 29 April in Southampton.

The ship was scheduled to dock at the Mayflower Terminal five days before its inaugural cruise. However, after “careful” review, the line opted to cancel the event.

Around 400 places had been made available for agents to experience the vessel before its official debut.

A Cunard spokesperson said: “As we put the finishing touches to Queen Anne for our long-awaited maiden voyage on Friday 3 May, and after a careful review, it’s clear we’ll need to repurpose some of the planned schedule over the next two weeks.

“Unfortunately, this means that the operational test voyage planned for Monday 29 April, will no longer be able to take place.”

Angus Struthers to leave Cunard following Queen Anne launch

Last month, Angus Struthers, vice president of global marketing and EMEA sales for Cunard, announced he will be leaving the line in June after overseeing the inaugural events for Queen Anne.

He has worked for the company since 2013, leading brand development, marketing, PR and events, trade relations in the UK and across EMEA, and digital transformation.