A HEYBRIDGE man will be the entertainment director on the maiden voyage of Cunard Line’s new £479million cruise ship which sets off from Southampton today.

Neil Kelly, 50, said it was a “rare opportunity” to play a part in a maiden voyage and that being a cruise entertainment director was his “dream job”.

Cunard’s – the world’s second oldest cruise line which started in 1839 – launched the Queen Anne today, its first new ship in 14 years and the 249th Cunard ship overall.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Dream - Neil Kelly said being the cruise's entertainment director was his dream jobDream - Neil Kelly said being the cruise's entertainment director was his dream job (Image: Submitted)

Neil said he was looking forward to the ship’s seven-day trip to Spain and then the Portuguese capital of Lisbon as well as being very excited about the naming ceremony in June which will be in Liverpool.

He said: “The naming ceremony will take place with the backdrop of the Three Graces building which is fitting as Liverpool is Cunard’s ancestral home.

“Another big coup is that the ship will have its first female captain - Inger Klein Thorhauge. I’m very proud of her.”

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Interview - Neil Kelly (Left) in a stage interview with Emma Rice and David Pugh at the preview of Brief Encounter on board the Queen Anne this weekInterview - Neil Kelly (Left) in a stage interview with Emma Rice and David Pugh at the preview of Brief Encounter on board the Queen Anne this week (Image: Submitted)

The 3,000-passenger liner's first season see her cruise around Europe going to the Mediterranean, Norway, Croatia's Dalmatian Coast, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Iceland.

The first world cruise will take place in 2025, starting on Jan 17 and returning on April 27 going to Australia and Singapore.

Neil’s job is to make sure the guests are entertained with “new immersive talent” such as the in-house Royal Court Theatre company.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Beauty - The Queen Anne Luxury CruiseBeauty - The Queen Anne Luxury Cruise (Image: Cunard)

His first production will take the 1936 play Brief Encounter – which became the once-ranked 1945 second best British film of all time - from the stage to the sea for the first time

Myleene Klass, Russell Watson and Clare Balding, as an interviewer, will take their place on stage, with Olivier-award winning producers David Pugh and Emma Rice staging the cruiser's productions.

The Queen Anne joins Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary II, and has 14 restaurants, a library, 12 bars and lounges, an art gallery, casino, and theatre.