cunard cruises in may 2024

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Cunard fleet

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Cunard Line (cunard.co.uk) is a British-American cruise shipping company and travel brand operated by Carnival UK and since 2005 owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Cunard is headquartered in Southampton (England UK) and is among the world's oldest passenger shipping companies . In 2020 was celebrated company's 180th anniversary. Australia is Cunard's 3rd source market (following the UK and North America) and the company's 2nd (after the UK) for Around The World voyages .

Company history and changes

In 1839, Samuel Cunard (1787-1865, shipping magnate from Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada) was awarded the first British transatlantic steamship mail contract. In 1840, he and Robert Napier (Scottish steamship engine designer and builder) formed the "British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company". The "cruise line" operated four paddle steamers on the UK-Canada-USA Transatlantic route Liverpool - Halifax - Boston .

Cunard Line's current President is Katie McAlister (previously employed by TUI UK & Ireland as CMO/Chief Marketing Officer, with TUI since 1998), who in August 2023 succeeded Simon Palethorpe. Carnival UK's current President is Paul Ludlow, while Carnival UK's CEO is David Dingle (managing both P&O UK and Cunard).

In the 1870s the line fell behind its rivals, White Star and Inman Line. To meet the competition, in 1879 Cunard was reorganized into Cunard Steamship Company, Ltd in order to raise capital. In 1902 the British Government provided the line with substantial loans and subsidies to build a couple of superliners needed to retain Cunard's competitive position. In the late 1920s, Cunard faced another competition when the Italians, French and Germans built large ocean liners.

Because of the USA's Great Depression (1929-33), the company was forced to suspend the construction on its new superliner. In 1934, Cunard was offered loans by the British Government to finish Queen Mary and to build its second ship, Queen Elizabeth. The condition was for Cunard to merge with the White Star Line and form Cunard-White Star Ltd. Cunard purchased White Star's 1/3rd shares in 1947. The company's name was changed to "Cunard Line" in 1950.

Cunard regained its position as the biggest Atlantic passenger line upon the end of World War II. By the mid-1950s, the line operated 12 ships to Canada and the United States. After 1958, trans-Atlantic liners became increasingly unprofitable due to the introduction of jet airliners. In 1968 Cunard Line withdrew from year-round service to concentrate on cruising and summer transatlantic sailings for vacationers. The Queens were replaced by QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2), which was designed for her special dual role.

In 1998, Carnival Corporation acquired Cunard. In 2003, RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 was replaced on its Transatlantic service by QM2 (RMS Queen Mary 2). The company also operates MS Queen Elizabeth (QE) and Queen Victoria (QV). Currently, Cunard is the only shipping company operating a scheduled passenger service between North America and Europe.

With the opening of Carnival House in 2009 in Southampton, executive control of Cunard was subsequently transferred from Carnival Corp. in the US, to Carnival UK, a primary operating company of Carnival plc. Carnival plc, as the UK-listed holding company of Carnival Group, had executive control of all activities of the group in the UK, with headquarters of all UK-based brands, including Cunard Line, in offices at Carnival House.

The 36-year-old Queen Elizabeth 2 was replaced in 2004 on the North Atlantic by QM2 (Queen Mary 2). QE2 continued cruising until her retirement in 2008. Cunard added a big cruise ship, Queen Victoria (QV) in 2007. QV is not a sister for QM2, being ordered as a Vista-class cruise ship by Carnival for Holland America Line (HAL). To reinforce the traditions of Cunard, Queen Victoria has a small museum onboard. In 2010 Cunard Line commissioned a 2nd Vista-class cruise ship, Queen Elizabeth.

In 2011 the three Cunard vessels in service changed their ship registry to Hamilton, Bermuda. For the first time in the company's 171-year history, it had no ships registered in the UK. The captains of cruise ships registered in Bermuda can marry couples at sea.

On May 25, 2015, the three Cunard ocean liners - RMS Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - sailed down the Mersey into Liverpool and commemorated the 175th anniversary of Cunard. As The Red Arrows performed a flypast, the trio performed exciting manoeuvers including 180-degree turns.

In 2015, Cunard Line was awarded best in the categories "Transatlantic Itineraries" and "World Cruise Itineraries" of Porthole Cruise Magazine's Readers' Choice Awards. The magazine's readers participate in an annual contest that evaluates the world's largest cruise shipping companies and determines the industry's leaders in several categories.

Cunard Line inaugurated the company's ever first regularly scheduled Transatlantic Crossing in 1840 with RMS Britannia. Cunard launched its first World Cruise itinerary in 1922 with RMS Laconia.

In 2020, Cunard Line celebrated its 180th Anniversary. The company planned a special sale on voyages between July 2020-May 2022 fleetwide. The "180th Anniversary Sale" was offered on cruises booked in 2020 (new bookings only, made between February 28-May 18). The promo applied to various itineraries, including Alaskan and Transatlantic Crossings. The promo offered 50% reduced deposit, US$180 pp in OBC (onboard credit with balcony cabin bookings), free drinks package, free gratuities (Grill Suite bookings).

In 2022, Cunard will mark its 100th World Voyage. The first was launched in 1922 when was chartered RMS Laconia (1921-1942) to sail the first continuous world circumnavigation cruise (130-day itinerary with 22 ports).

On March 9, 2023 (International DJ Day), Cunard introduced fleetwide "silent discos" (on selected evenings) which are hosted in the ships' nightclubs. To each of the venues was also added a live DJ and a party band. The "silent disco" is a customizable experience (first introduced on river cruise ships) based on wireless headphones for listening to the music played. It allows each person to switch between songs/music genres and also to control the volume.

In 2024 (effective June 10th) Cunard appointed David Jones (with Carnival UK since 2017) as VP of Global Marketing and UK/EMEA Sales.

New ship 2024

At the end of September 2017, Cunard Line officially announced the planned addition of a 4th vessel to its fleet. The investment is part of the shipowner Carnival Corporation 's fleet expansion program, adding newbuilds to the fleets of the brand companies AIDA , Costa , Princess , P&O .

Cunard's shipbuilding contract (MoA/memorandum of agreement) with Fincantieri was signed on Sept 25, 2017. The new Cunard liner MS Queen Anne (entering service in 2024-Q1) has GT-tonnage 113,000 tons (volume), max passenger capacity 3000, and is Cunard's 249th vessel since the company's establishment in 1839.

The liner was originally planned to enter service in 2022, but, due to the health crisis, was eventually postponed for 2024-Q1.

Cunard Line's cruising experience

Discerning, well-traveled British and American couples from their late 30s to retirees are drawn to the traditional style of Cunard and the notion of "a cruise aboard an ocean liner". Announcements are made in English, French, German, and, on occasion, Spanish. Travelers are older than those on crossings. However, there is enough buzz about Cunard Line as to attract a number of young passengers and families. The Kid Zone features a splash pool and a dedicated play area for kids ages one to six. Separate programs are reserved for older ages (7 to 12) and teens up to 17. Activities range from games to educational computer classes. Kids can practice social graces when served their Afternoon Teatime goodies. English nannies supervise the toddlers. Facilities are operated until midnight and group babysitting is complimentary. Infants under 12 months are not permitted. Kids ages 1 to 2 sail free (except for government fees).

The dress code on Cunard ships rotates among formal, informal and casual in about equal proportion. Typical for Cunard cruises are the glamorous evenings. Resort casual clothing prevails during the day, but Cunard's liners are dressier than most cruise vessels at night. To maintain high standards, the company requests its customers to dress for dining in fine restaurants.

Dining aboard Cunard ships is by class and dining-room assignments are made in accordance with the booked accommodation category. You can get as much luxury as you wish to pay for on Cunard liners. Passengers in ships' Junior suites are assigned to single-seating Princess Grill. Queen's Grill serves those booked in duplex apartments and the most lavish suites. The rest of the passengers are assigned to seating in the multideck Britannia Restaurant or Britannia Club Restaurant on QE.

Although Britannia's fare is reasonably traditional and frequently outstanding, off-menu requests by Grill guests are commonly granted. Menus also include low-calorie and vegetarian selections.

The most coveted reservations are those on Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 in the restaurants named for Todd English, celebrity American chef noted for his sumptuous desserts and innovative Mediterranean cuisine. Both dinner ($30 cover charge per person) and lunch ($20) are offered in this intimate restaurant.

Aboard QM2, Chef's Galley is a small restaurant, where guests can look on as their food is prepared in an open kitchen setting. Wine is the only item to be charged here. King's Court buffet is transformed into 3 no-charge alternative dining spots each evening: La Piazza is dedicated to Italian dishes (pizza, pasta). The Carvery is for carved meats, Lotus is for Asian food.

Cunard entertainment has English flavor, with cabaret-style performances, plays and nightly production shows. An authentic pub gives cruisers even more British air. Music for listening and dancing is played in other lounges and bars. In the first-ever shipboard planetarium aboard Queen Mary 2, virtual-reality shows and high-tech presentations offer a virtual ride through space.

Cunard's enrichment programs include expert lectures by top designers, artists, and master chefs. Even navigation and seamanship courses are offered to inspire novice mariners.

Jogging tracks, swimming pools, table tennis, paddle tennis court, golf driving ranges and shuffleboard barely scratch the surface of facilities dedicated to recreation. Cunard fitness centers are top-quality and boast high-tech workout equipment, a separate gym/weight room and classes ranging from healthy living workshops to aerobics.

The Canyon Ranch Spa Club aboard Queen Mary 2 is a one-of-a-kind facility offering salon services, including such famous land-based spa signatures like the 80-minute Canyon Stone Massage. A large 30- by 15-foot thalassotherapy pool has a deluge waterfall, neck fountains, air tub, recliner lounges and massage-jet benches located in the pool. The thermal suite features an aromatic steam room, Finnish sauna, herbal sauna, and reflexology basins. All of these special features are complimentary with a body or massage treatment; otherwise, a per-day charge is applied.

Shipboard policies

Pregnant women must have a letter from their doctor or midwife. They can't travel with Cunard Line after the 24th week of pregnancy. Kids under 12 months old are also not permitted. Kids between 12 and 24 months old travel free as 3rd or 4th person in the stateroom. A child sharing a cabin with 1 adult is charged an adult fare. Children (over 2 years of age) sharing a stateroom with 2 adults are charged as 3rd or 4th person (around half the normal fare).

A toddler-dedicated nursery is staffed by professional young nannies, and available for kids between 1 and 3 yo.

The dedicated "Play Zone" is for kids ages between 4 and 6. "The Zone" is for children up to 17 yo. Kids between 1 and 7 years old are allowed in Play Zone (free of charge) during its opening hours - 9 am-12noon, 2-5 pm, 6 pm-12midnight. Children 1 to 7 yo must be accompanied by an adult outside the Play Zone. Children 8 to 17-year-old can sign themselves in and out Play Zone and are free to wander solo throughout the ship.

Billed to the adult's onboard account is everything available for purchase on the boat - bar drinks, Internet access, shopping, spa and beauty treatments. The cabin card's total is deducted from your credit card at the end of the voyage. Bar prices have 15% gratuity (added automatically).

Mobile phone calls and Internet access are available onboard. The Internet has good download speed and is available in all public areas (including bars) and all staterooms.

Pay-per-item laundry service is available on the ship. Laundry items are collected from staterooms by cabin stewards. On all cabin decks are available small self-service (free-of-charge) laundrettes.

Cunard ships don't have baggage limits (as a number of bags). However, there is a weight limit per bag. Individual bags must not exceed 23 kg (51 pounds). Upon boarding, bags are taken at the cruise terminal and delivered to staterooms. Upon debarkation, they are transferred ashore.

Wine cruises

Since January 2017, Cunard offers shipboard wine-themed education courses via a partnership with the world's largest provider of wine and spirits qualifications WSET ("Wine and Spirit Education Trust"). WSET courses were initially available only on QM2's westbound Transatlantic crossings and world cruises, but were later offered fleetwide and on all voyages.

The 5-day course gives WSET Level 1 in wines and covers the basics (wine types, styles, sight, smell, taste, storing, serving, food pairing). The 12-day course gives WSET Level 2 in wines and spirits and explores grape varieties, styles of wines, produce, wine regions, classifications, labeling terminology, categories of spirits and liqueurs.

Classes are led by professional sommeliers and educators from Cunard Wine Academy. Each course finishes with an exam. In addition to the globally recognized WSET qualification certificates, passengers also receive lapel pins.

The first wine cruise was the Atlantic crossing Southampton-NYC (December 15, 2016). The first world cruise with WSET courses was on QM2 (January 10, 2017).

WSET's qualification program is offered to enthusiasts and wine professionals. It ranges from Level 1 Award (Wines, Spirits, and Sake) to Level 4 Diploma (Wines and Spirits).

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Cunard Line canceled all cruises with pre-scheduled departures between March 14, 2020, and August 2021.

Following a 17-month break, passenger shipping operations resumed in 2021 with the liners QUEEN ELIZABETH (August 13/UK from Southampton/since October 13 - Canary Islands and Iberia), QUEEN MARY 2 (Dec 10/Southampton/follows Caribbean January thru April 2022), QUEEN VICTORIA ( June 5, 2022 /Europe-Mediterranean).

Cunard introduced an expanded cancellation policy. All bookings were given the option to cancel up to 48 hours (prior departure) without penalties.

All affected bookings received a 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) transferred to a booking made before December 31, 2021.

Itinerary of Cunard

NEWS: In 2024-Q1, the Cunard fleet enters the newbuild Queen Anne . Itineraries and bookings on the new liner's voyages are currently planned to open in May 2022.

Transatlantic crossings with RMS Queen Mary 2 attract British and American passengers (in equal proportions) and from all age groups. Cunard ships cruise to almost all most-popular ship travel destinations in the world, including Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal , South America, Alaska, Africa, Europe (Mediterranean and Baltic / Scandinavia and Russia), North America east coast (New England and Canada), Asia, Australia New Zealand.

Queen Mary 2 cruises are often mixed with destinations in the Caribbean, British Isles, Norwegian Fjords, Canada. Queen Victoria usually operates from homeport Southampton to Canary Islands, Mediterranean, Baltic. All Cunard liners operate around the world cruises .

Cruise itinerary changes (2024-2025)

Itinerary highlights for each liner during Cunard's 2024 season featured:

Queen Anne is scheduled to embark on her 7-night maiden voyage on January 4, 2024, from Southampton (England UK). The sailing includes an overnight in Lisbon (Portugal). On her return back to Southampton UK, the line’s newest vessel is to be joined by Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Fares start at US$1900 per person. Guests can also take in all that Cunard’s newbuild has to offer on a 35-night Eastern Caribbean & Transatlantic journey, which includes calls in St. Lucia and Barbados. The ship is scheduled to depart Southampton on January 27, 2024. Fares start at US$7800 per person. Queen Anne is also scheduled to operate a 16-night Western Mediterranean voyage with calls in Lisbon (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), and Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy), departing March 29 from Southampton UK. Fares start at US$3300 per person.

Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to operate a 10-night voyage from Sydney NSW Australia, sailing to the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands. The voyage is due to set sail on January 22, 2024. Fares start at US$2000 per person. A 10-night Southern Islands roundtrip cruise from Tokyo is due to take passengers to historic shrines, castles, and natural habitats (departing May 14, 2024). Fares start at US$2300 per person.

Queen Mary 2 is scheduled to depart on a 47-night voyage including 3 overnight calls, with time ashore in South Africa, Australia, and Portugal. The vessel will set sail on January 11, 2024, out of Southampton UK. Fares start at US$7,999 per person.

On January 11th, Queen Victoria is scheduled to depart Southampton UK on a 107-night world cruise. Destinations include San Francisco and Fiji, as well as overnights in South Africa and Hong Kong. Fares start at US$18500 per person.

In November 2022, Cunard announced itineraries from April 2024 through to January 2025 (190+ voyages), with scheduled visits to 133 ports/destinations (45 countries), including a maiden call in Nordfjordeid Norway . Queen Anne's maiden season features the Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia, the UK/British Isles, and the Mediterranean, with itineraries 2 to 19 nights. Queen Anne makes a total of 62 maiden calls (including Dubrovnik, Gibraltar, Malaga, Oslo, Reykjavik, Rotterdam) and offers 6 overnights and 14 late-evening departures.

Queen Mary 2 offers 22 Transatlantic Crossings (2 to 30 nights) departing from Hamburg, Le Havre France, NYC New York, Quebec City Canada, and Southampton England. QM2 also sails in Northwestern Europe and to Norway's Fjords and celebrates Christmas/New Year's Eve in the Caribbean.

Queen Victoria has scheduled an extended Mediterranean season (May through October 2024), with voyages ranging from a short 5-night sailing (to Rotterdam and Bruges) to a 29-night Mediterranean Highlights (with an overnight in Istanbul Turkey).

For guests who prefer longer sea vacations, Cunard has a 29-night itinerary allowing them to sample all three queens. It begins with an eastbound Transatlantic Crossing (Queen Mary 2), from Southampton (Queen Anne) continues with a 14-night segment around the UK and Iceland, follows a flight to Italy and embarkation (Queen Victoria) to visit the Adriatic and Central Med.

Cunard's 2025 schedule (April 2025 through January 2026) was opened for booking in October 2023.

The program groups 180 voyages visiting 91 ports/destinations (24 countries).

Queen Anne's deployment is in Europe (Western Mediterranean, Western Europe, Baltic/Norwegian Fjords) with planned 19 maiden for Cunard ports.

Queen Mary 2 has planned Transatlantic Crossings.

Queen Victoria is deployed in the Mediterranean.

Queen Anne's ex-UK itineraries (Southampton roundtrips) range between 2 and 19 nights. A 12-night Norwegian Fjords itinerary starts in June, followed in July by a 16-night Mediterranean itinerary.

Queen Victoria's Mediterranean season (May through October) offers 7-14-21-night itineraries leaving from Spain (Barcelona) and Italy (Civitavecchia-Rome, Trieste).

Winter 2025 itineraries

In March 2023 Cunard announced 2025 winter program grouping 133+ voyages, 159 destinations (ports/islands in 57 countries) and all four vessels. The season features 6 maiden for Cunard destinations (in Alaska, Australia, Japan, New Caledonia, Vanuatu) as well as Queen Anne's full World Voyage  in 2025.

Also was announced Queen Elizabeth's 2024 Alaskan summer program (10 roundtrips from Vancouver BC Canada ) ranging from 9- to 11-night itineraries. Queen Elizabeth's call ports/destinations include Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay NP, Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point/Hoonah, plus two maiden calls - at Wrangell  and Misty Fjords.

Queen Anne's World Voyage departs on January 9, 2025. The 107-night itinerary is roundtrip from Southampton and visits 30+ ports on 5 continents) including 9 overnight ports and 3 late-evening departures. There are also two shorter itinerary segments - 17-night New York to San Francisco (January 18th, 2025) and 13-night Singapore to Dubai (March 25th, 2025).

RMS Queen Mary 2's program is traditionally divided between the Caribbean and the regularly scheduled Transatlantic Crossings (Europe-USA-Europe), plus some Mediterranean voyages. Itineraries range between 7-35 nights and depart from homeports NYC New York, Southampton UK, and Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy). The liner offers 4 overnights at Curacao, Funchal, Lisbon, and NYC, with 3 late-evening departures in Bridgetown Barbados, and Spain's Vigo and Malaga. Signature voyages are the 8-night Westbound Transatlantic Crossing from Southampton UK (March 8, 2025) and the 13-night Eastern Caribbean roundtrip from New York City (March 16, 2025).

Queen Victoria's 8x South America 2025 voyages can be combined into the 85-night "South America Discovery" (B2B out of Hamburg) sailing around Cape Horn . There are 5 overnight calls in Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Callao-Lima and 5 late-evening departures. Queen Victoria's 2025 program features two ex-UK/Southampton roundtrips - the 11-night Atlantic Coast Adventure (December 5, 2024) and the 7-night Amsterdam, Bruges and Hamburg ((January 2, 2025).

Queen Elizabeth's Alaska 2024 program (June-September) is based on roundtrips from Vancouver Canada. Following a stop in San Francisco CA, the ship relocated to Australia and New Zealand (throughout the fall) with itineraries ranging from 2 to 38 nights. In February 2025, Queen Elizabeth sails to Singapore and stays in East Asia through May, visiting ports in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. The season features 7 overnight ports (including Hong Kong, Hobart Tasmania, Osaka), 25 late-evening departures, and two signature sailings - the 11-night Alaskan roundtrip from Vancouver (July 11, 2024) and the 25-night Transpacific crossing San Francisco to Sydney NSW ( September 22, 2024/RepositionCruises.com).

Cunard also offers B2Bs/Back-to-Back cruises . There are two B2B opportunities to sample all four Cunard liners in one voyage. The experience commences on Queen Victoria in June 2024 when passengers sail the Mediterranean visiting ports in Malta, Croatia, and Italy. After a few days in Rome , they join Queen Anne to visit Spain and the islands of Sardinia and Majorca before disembarking in Southampton. There, guests join Queen Mary 2 on a westbound Transatlantic Crossing and then fly from NYC to Vancouver. Queen Elizabeth hosts the B2B's final leg in Alaska. A similar experience can be taken in the reverse beginning in Alaska, with an eastbound Crossing, sailing the Norway Fjords, and ending in the Mediterranean.

2025-2027 itineraries

In February 2024 were opened for sales sailings spanning from September 2025 to January 2027, inclusive of new Caribbean itineraries (leaving from  Miami Florida USA ) and two simultaneous  world voyages (starting January 2026) planned for the ships  Queen Anne  and  RMS Queen Mary 2 . Queen Anne's 109-night World Voyage departs from Southampton on January 11, 2026. Queen Mary 2's 51-night itinerary (Southampton to Sydney NSW via Panama Canal) also departs on Jan 11th.

The forthcoming program encompasses 300+ sailings across the 4-ship fleet, with visits to 184 destinations in 70 countries and encompassing 108 Unesco World Heritage sites. Additionally, the itineraries feature 37 overnight port stays and 66 late-evening port departures.

The new program entails 5 maiden port calls -  Kona Hawaii ,  Roatan Island Honduras ,  Dakar Senegal ,  Miami , and  Molde Norway .

Queen Elizabeth has a new Caribbean schedule comprising 33 departures from PortMiami to Caribbean island destinations like San Juan Puerto Rico, Montego Bay Jamaica, Georgetown Grand Cayman, Roatan Honduras, Tortola BVI, Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia.

Queen Victoria is based in the Mediterranean, Atlantic islands (Azores, Madeira) and the Baltic/Norway.

Cunard Alaskan shore excursions

Cunard Line offers 140+ shore excursions in Alaska.

These tours are optional and themed as:

• "Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest"
• "Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest"
• "Taku Lodge Feast and Five-Glacier Seaplane Discovery"
• "Dogsled Adventure by Helicopter"
• "Wilderness Sea Kayaking Adventure"
• "Cooking in Alaska's Wildest Kitchen"
• "Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour"
• "Scenic Mountain Ascent and World's Largest ZipRider"
• ATV Expedition
• Wilderness Cruise and Silverking Lodge Seafood Feast
• White Pass Scenic Railway (Luxury Class)
• Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and Crab Feast
• Misty Fjords Seaplane Exploration
• Ghosts and Goodtime Girls Walking Tour
• Exclusive Burro Creek Waterfall Lodge and Crab Feast

Cunard also offers pre- and post-cruise train tours inclusive of a 3- or 5-day hotel plus 2 full days of train travel on the Rocky Mountaineer. The tour is an extension to the Alaskan cruise. The 3-night "Rocky Mountaineer Tour" (post-cruise package) departs from Vancouver and ends in Calgary, while the 4-night train tour (pre-cruise package) is the reverse route (Calgary to Vancouver) and includes an additional day in Banff.

In 2023, the 3-night tour was priced from US$2850 per person (with double occupancy), while the 4-night tour's prices started from US$3250 pp.

The Rocky Mountaineer is currently the only passenger rail service on this historic route. The land journey offers 180-degree panoramic views of lakes, canyons and snow-capped mountains. The train itself features luxurious coaches and expansive glass-dome windows.

Cunard related cruise news

Cunard's ship RMS Queen Mary 2 celebrates 20 years of Transatlantic cruises in Hamburg

On August 14th, RMS Queen Mary 2, the world's only operational Transatlantic ocean liner, marked 20 years of service. The vessel arrived this...

Virtuoso expands cruise ship tours for Canadian advisors throughout 2024

Virtuoso, the leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential vacations, recently organized four Cruise Ship Tour...

Port of Seattle and Carnival Corporation seal 10-year preferential berthing agreement

The Port of Seattle Commission has approved a 10-year preferential berthing agreement with Carnival Corporation, encompassing CCL/Carnival Cruise...

Cunard announces record-breaking bookings with the new ship Queen Anne

Cunard Line has reported unprecedented booking levels following the launch of its new ship - Queen Anne. The 3000-passenger vessel embarked on her...

Cunard unveils 2025 Event Voyages Program

Cunard has announced its 2025 Event Voyages, featuring unique experiences across its fleet: Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria. These...

Cunard's Queen Anne makes historic maiden call at Port of Cork (Ireland)

The Port of Cork Company (PoCC) welcomed Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne, on her maiden voyage to Ireland on Wednesday, June 5. This arrival...

VIDEO: Queen Anne christening draws crowds to Liverpool waterfront

Cunard Line christened its newest vessel, the GBP 470 million Queen Anne, at a ceremony in Liverpool on Monday, June 3. This marked the second major...

Cunard's Queen Anne to be officially named in grand Liverpool ceremony

Cunard is preparing for the official naming ceremony of the Queen Anne today, as the new ship makes her maiden call to Liverpool UK, Cunard's...

Andrea Bocelli headlines Cunard's Queen Anne naming ceremony at Liverpool waterfront

The Liverpool Waterfront will host a grand celebration on June 3rd, as the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performs to mark Queen Anne ship's...

Carnival Corporation's fleet achieves 100% Starlink satellite connectivity

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, has announced that its entire fleet is now equipped with Starlink's high-speed...

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Cunard Cruises 2024

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Your guide to Cunard’s newest luxury ship Queen Anne

Cunard, synonymous with traditional and luxurious cruising, harks back to the golden age of travel. Now Cunard’s new ship Queen Anne has sailed onto the scene – this is what you need to know.

In association with:

Cunard’s Queen Anne cruise ship celebrated her maiden voyage on a sailing to Lisbon on May 3, 2024.

The much-anticipated vessel – the line’s 249th! –  joins fellow Cunard cruise ships Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth on the high seas.

We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the ship and how to get your hands on the best Cunard cruise deals.

How big is Queen Anne?

Cunard’s Queen Anne has a gross registered tonnage of 113,000. There are 14 decks, two swimming pools and 15 restaurants onboard.

On Cunard Queen Anne cruises, as onboard the rest of the fleet, guests can enjoy a dedicated restaurant corresponding to each accommodation category all plating up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Elsewhere cuisines include Mediterranean, Pan-Asian, pub grub, tapas and steak plus plenty of healthy options, and of course, Cunard’s famous afternoon tea.

Is Queen Anne bigger than Queen Mary 2?

Queen Anne is smaller than Queen Mary 2 which has a tonnage of 150,000. However, the latter only has 13 decks and six restaurants but it does have four swimming pools.

How many passengers on Cunard Queen Anne?

Queen Anne has capacity for 3,000 passengers and 1,225 crew.

Despite her smaller size, Queen Anne will carry around 300 more passengers than Queen Mary 2 on Cunard 2024 and beyond (the latter having capacity for 2,691).

Is Cunard’s Queen Anne an ocean liner?

Queen Anne is not an ocean liner. The only remaining ocean liner in the world is Queen Mary 2.

Ocean liners were built with the primary purpose of transporting travellers between continents and were built for speed in a pre-air travel age, they also carried cargo, such as mail. However contemporary cruise ships cater for the modern, leisure traveller and are more like hotels at sea, offering a wealth of entertainment and covering shorter distances in one stretch.

Where was Queen Anne built?

Queen Anne was built in Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice, Italy. The Cunard cruises vessel celebrated its momentous keel laying in September 2022, its funnel lifting in April 2023 and on May 3, 2023, Queen Anne was floated out for the first time – an important milestone that sees the floating hotel touching the water for the very first time.

– READ MORE: What awesome shops will be on Queen Anne? –

What are Cunard’s Queen Anne cabins like?

As with all cruise ships, Queen Anne offers accommodation that caters for an array of requirements and budgets.

Just like her sister ships, Queen Anne’s lowest category is Britannia, comprising Britannia Inside, Oceanview and Balcony staterooms.

These Britannia staterooms are designed with calming blue tones and warm wooden furnishings and come with Penhaligon’s toiletries; UK, USA, European, and USB power sockets; bathrobes and slippers; tea and coffee-making facilities; Complimentary room service menu; a dedicated steward and more.

Britannia Club

The Queen Anne cabin category above that is Britannia Club which boasts Cunard staterooms with additional benefits and features such as access to the intimate Britannia Club restaurant, with a reserved table throughout your voyage, along with speciality teas and coffees and priority embarkation and disembarkation.

Princess Grill Suites

For even more luxury cruises on Cunard Queen Anne there are Princess Grill Suites which benefit from a prime, central location on board with sea views and are dressed in sumptuous red and gold tones.

On top of all the aforementioned staterooms perks, Grill Suite passengers enjoy a private balcony with seating; a spacious lounge area with seating; daily fresh fruit; exclusive access to the Grills Lounge and outside Grills Terrace as well as the option to dine in-suite from the exquisite Princess Grill menu; and concierge service for onboard reservations and shore experiences.

Queens Grill Suites

For the crème de la crème of Cunard Queen Anne cabins, book yourself one for the Queens Grill Suites.

In addition to the above, globetrotters staying in these rooms will get access to the exclusive Queens Grill restaurant, where you can dine anytime at your reserved table; fresh flowers; binoculars and a world atlas to track your travels; a complimentary mini-bar stocked with your choice of beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks; pre-dinner canapés; and a dedicated butler and steward, to name a few luxuries.

– READ MORE: What to know about Queen Anne shore excursions –

Activities on Queen Anne: Deck games

Known for its century-long tradition of celebrating deck games, the luxury cruise line has forged an exclusive partnership with PickleballENGLAND, the English governing body for one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK and North America.

Pickleball , a dynamic blend of tennis, badminton and table tennis, can be played individually or in pairs, indoors or outdoors. Queen Anne’s top deck will feature a state-of-the-art Pickleball court, offering guests a unique sporting experience.

Setting itself apart as the sole ship worldwide to offer archery with real bows and arrows, Queen Anne has partnered with Archery GB to enhance its deck game offerings and provide access to world-renowned athletes and Olympic coaches, with onboard instructors accredited by Archery GB.

What’s more, the 3,000-guest ship will serve as an official Archery GB activity centre, where guests can receive personalised coaching, engage in friendly competition, and acquaint themselves with the sport in a social setting.

The Sky Bar and Observation Deck, situated at the forward end of the ship on deck 14, will serve as a haven for deck game enthusiasts. Offering sweeping views and a versatile space, guests can enjoy a range of activities amidst stunning vistas.

Golf enthusiasts can practice their swings on the putting green and fully stocked driving range, surrounded by breathtaking sea views or panoramic port landscapes.

Shuffleboard

Meanwhile, the Observation Deck and Sky Bar will host the perennial favourites of deck quoits and shuffleboard, providing the perfect backdrop for friendly rivalry.

Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, commented: “Whether it’s pickleball, archery, or world-class shows and lectures, Cunard is committed to providing guests with a wealth of activities to choose from whatever mood or interest may take them. Our onboard entertainment has always been at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to Queen Anne continuing this trend in the future.”

– READ MORE: These are the latest cruise wellness trends you need to know about –

What does queen anne sail.

Queen Anne has more than 60 unique ports included in her maiden season of Cunard cruises from Southampton.

Queen Anne offers Canary Islands voyages in November and December 2024 as well as sailing the Norwegian fjords in the second half of the year. Throughout 2024 she will cruise the Mediterranean, sailing to Italy, Spain, Portugal and Mallorca.

Cunard cruises from Southampton in 2024 will also traverse the British Isles, calling at Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, as well as Northern Europe. Highlights here include Hamburg, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Skagen.

In summary, Queen Anne destinations include:

• Canary Islands
• Norwegian Fjords
• Mediterranean
• British Isles
• Northern Europe

– READ MORE: Full list of new ships sailing in 2024 –

How much do Cunard cruises cost?

There are three types of Cunard Fares: Early Saver Fares, Saver Fares and the Cunard Fare.

Early Saver Fares

Early Saver Fares are designed for travellers who prefer to plan their Cunard cruises well in advance and generally offer the lowest prices available, making them attractive to budget-conscious cruisers.

However, Early Saver Fares come with some restrictions, such as charges for changes or cancellations, limited availability, no choice of individual stateroom, second priority for upgrades and no shuttle bus inclusions.

Saver Fares

Similar to Early Saver Fares, Saver Fares tend to be priced competitively and may have specific restrictions and conditions that passengers need to be aware of. While they generally offer good value for money, passengers have less flexibility when it comes to modifying their bookings or may face charges for cancellations or changes. They also require full payment at the time of booking.

Cunard Fare

Cunard Fare is a more flexible fare option and typically offers a range of additional benefits compared to the Early Saver and Saver Fares. Advantages include such benefits as the ability to choose stateroom location and category, a shuttle bus, priority in selecting dining times and seating, and flexibility in changing or cancelling bookings with reduced fees or penalties.

– READ MORE: Inside Cunard’s exclusive wellness cruise –

What’s included on a Cunard cruise?

The following is included:

Full board accommodation, all entertainment including shows, full use of the sports courts, swimming pools and fully equipped gyms, full access to the Children’s Clubs and flights and transfers when booked as a package with travel agent Iglu Cruise.

Full board includes the below food, although speciality restaurants will incur a cover charge:

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner within the main restaurants
• Access to the self-service buffet
• 24-hour Room service
• Daily afternoon tea including sandwiches, cakes and pastries
• Drinks including tea, coffee, water and fruit juices

Are there any Cunard cruise deals?

By booking with Iglu Cruise, you can bag Queen Anne cruise deals, of which there are plenty in 2024 and beyond.

These offers come with such perks as free onboard spend (up to $2,400pp – £1,937) if you book a Cunard fare, reduced deposits plus other special deals.

Check out Iglu Cruise’s dedicated Cunard cruise deals page to find one that suits you!

– READ MORE: Inside Cunard’s new and spectacular entertainment offering –

Western mediterranean from southampton.

Duration: 16 nights

Where: Southampton | Vigo | Barcelona | Rome (Civitavecchia) | Alghero, Sardinia | Palma de Mallorca | Malaga | La Coruña | Southampton

Ship: Queen Anne

Price: From £2,099 pp

Endless fun: Best all-inclusive cruises that include alcohol

All-inclusive cruises ensure a jam-packed holiday without the worry of surprise costs. Here are Sailawaze’s top picks.

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Saga Canary Island cruise holidays open up a world of otherworldly adventure packed with wildlife, rugged landscapes and unique wine, all to the backdrop of a luxurious, all-inclusive holiday experience.

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Ritz-Carlton continues its expansion into the cruising world with the addition of a second yacht to its fleet. Here’s what to expect onboard.

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Queen Mary 2 Cruise Ship

Cunard: up to $2,000 Onboard Credit*

Cunard: up to $250 Onboard Credit for Military

Cunard Africa cruises from $1,679*

4 Ships in the Cunard fleet

Ship:  .

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Queen Mary 2 Overview

The Queen Mary 2 is famous for making her regular transatlantic crossings from London (Southampton) to New York. During these crossings passengers are welcomed to participate in tons of activities. During the day you can take acting classes hosted by performers from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art or get some exercise playing a tennis match on the Sports Court. The liner’s piece de resistance is the full-scale planetarium, where you can gaze above as you learn about the mysteries of the universe. At night get ready to break out your dancing shoes when you attend a formal ball. All throughout your cruise you’ll be meet with helpful staff and taste some of the finest food at sea. It’s truly a royal sailing experience. 

• Passenger Capacity: 2,691 (double occupancy)
• Year Built: 2004
• Last Refurbished: 2020

Queen Mary 2 Cruise Destinations

Cunard Line is famous for its transatlantic sailings, but they offer an impressive set of destinations and some fantastic itineraries all over the world. Visit four continents and hundreds of ports-of-call ranging from Tortola, British Virgin Islands to Tallinn, Estonia. Whether it be a historically enriching cruise to Northern Europe, or a tropical Hawaiian vacation, one of Cunard’s three regal ships will proudly be your vessel. 

From Mauritius to Cape Town, immerse yourself in the rugged beauty and special historical, cultural and culinary attractions of a cruise to Africa with Cunard Line.

Delight in the historic treasures and scenic pleasures of the Far East on a cruise through Asia aboard Cunard Line’s world-famous ocean liners.

Fall Foliage will delight you and the quaint history and culture will engage you onboard a cruise to Canada & New England.

Eastern Caribbean

Live the island life with Cunard in the Eastern Caribbean, where the sun is always shining. 

History comes alive when you visit sites like the Colosseum in Rome, Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. 

Northern Europe

History of royalty, fjords of Norway, and Baltic delights—Northern Europe cruises are an exciting vacation option.

Panama Canal

See man-made and natural wonders on a serene Cunard Line sailing through the revolutionary Panama Canal.

Transatlantic

Enjoy the excellent experience that is a vacation away from the everyday, sailing across the Atlantic and stopping at intriguing ports—try a transatlantic cruise.

Find adventure. Indulge on fine cuisine. Interact with everything from dolphins to wallabies. Travel the world with a World Voyage.

Queen Mary 2 Departure Ports

Traveling across the pond, there’s no cruise line better than Cunard, with more than 150 years of history, this brand makes routine cruises from Southampton to New York City and vice versa. However, they offer more than just transatlantic sailings. You can sail around the world with Cunard from Tokyo to Athens to San Francisco. Call The Cruise Web for a great offer on a Cunard cruise.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is a modern city that people from all nationalities flock towards to indulge in designer clothes, fancy hotels and the high life.

The near perfect days, beautiful scenery, pristine beaches and sparkling water offer the perfect backdrop for any dream adventure in Sydney, Australia.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong Sar, China

One of the world’s most exciting modern cities, Hong Kong offers a true East meets West experience where you can shop for traditional Chinese cure-alls and attend high tea all in the same afternoon.

Singapore, Singapore

Southeast Asia’s most modern city, Singapore, also contains a lot of history and treasures from the past, along with a perfect tropical climate – all making Singapore a wonderful destination year round.

Le Havre (Paris), France

In Northern France, explore Le Havre, a city with modern architecture and one of the most inspiring collections of Impressionist artwork.

Hamburg, Germany

A large city, Hamburg offers visitors an array of attractions. From the old buildings of the past to the vibrant red light district, there’s something for everyone cruising to Hamburg, Germany.

A cruise to Civitavecchia is a chance for you to hop a quick train to Rome and explore the enormous history through ruins, galleries and The Vatican museums.

The possibilities are endless when cruising to or from the City of Angels. Let your inner rock star shine as you explore the many wonders of Los Angeles, California.

Take in the incredible art scene of New York City, expand your cultural horizons in the city’s diverse neighborhoods and marvel at the architectural wonders.

Quebec City, Quebec

It’s easy to be wowed by Quebec City as Old World Europe is mixed with North American cultures alongside breathtaking landscapes and the flowing Saint Lawrence River.

On a cruise from San Francisco you can experience all that the ‘City by the Bay’ has to offer, from its artistic, forward-looking culture to the beautiful coastline.

The cruise port of Southampton features tons of diverse attractions that provide insight into England’s culture and storied past, including fortresses, gardens and national parks.

Queen Mary 2 Deck Plans

Deck eleven, deck twelve, deck thirteen, queen mary 2 staterooms.

Balcony (BB)

Enjoy the view from your private balcony or the comfort of your luxurious interior as you relax in your well appointed accommodation. The Britannia Balcony staterooms have two beds, a shower, living area and balcony.

Balcony (BC)

Balcony (bf).

Balcony (DB)

Balcony (dc), balcony (df).

Balcony (BU)

Balcony (bv), balcony (by), balcony (bz).

Balcony (B3)

Our spacious balcony staterooms include a sitting area with sofa, ample closet space and bathroom with shower. (269 sq. ft.)

Balcony (A1)

Your Britannia Club Balcony offers space to relax, both inside and on your generous balcony. You will also dine in the Britannia Club Restaurant, a private area of the grand Britannia Restaurant, offering you the freedom to choose when you eat each evening. The Britannia Club Balcony staterooms have two beds, a shower, living area and balcony.

Balcony (A2)

Inside (KC)

From organised coffee gatherings to a host of daytime activities, solo travellers will always feel welcome and busy on board. Of course, thereÂ’s something to be said for relaxation too so you will find plenty of personal space both inside and out. The Britannia Single Oceanview staterooms have one bed, a living area and a shower.

Inside (IA)

Relax in complete peace and comfort, cocooned from the stress of the everyday. The Britannia Standard Inside staterooms have one bed, a desk area with seat and a shower.

Inside (IB)

Inside (ic), inside (ie), inside (if).

Inside (HB)

Relax in complete peace and comfort, cocooned from the stress of the everyday. The Britannia Atrium View Inside staterooms have one bed, a desk area with seat and a shower.

Oceanview (KB)

Oceanview (EF)

Gaze upon an ever changing seascape from your large window, which offers lots of natural light in your spacious stateroom. The Britannia Oceanview staterooms have one bed, a living area and a shower.

our Princess Grill Suite is spacious and relaxing. A private balcony and separate seating area offers space to relax and, of course you have exclusive access to the Grills Lounge and renowned Princess Grill restaurant. The Princess Suites have two beds, a bath and shower along with a living area and balcony.

Your Queens Grill Suite is the pinnacle of luxury at sea. A personal butler will see to your every request, a large lounge area offers space to relax and your suite will command the very best views. The Grand Duplexes have a bedroom and two master bathrooms upstairs. Downstairs you'll find a guest bathroom, a living and dining area as well as a balcony.

Your Queens Grill Suite is the pinnacle of luxury at sea. A personal butler will see to your every request, a large lounge area offers space to relax and your suite will command the very best views. The Penthouse Suites have two beds, a bath, a shower, a living area and a balcony.

Your Queens Grill Suite is the pinnacle of luxury at sea. A personal butler will see to your every request, a large lounge area offers space to relax and your suite will command the very best views. The Queens Suites have two beds, a bath, a shower, a living area and a balcony.

Your Queens Grill Suite is the pinnacle of luxury at sea. A personal butler will see to your every request, a large lounge area offers space to relax and your suite will command the very best views. The Royal Suites have a bedroom, bath and shower as well as seperate living and dining areas.

Photo Gallery for Queen Mary 2 Cruise Ship

Get a glimpse at the regal atmosphere that awaits you on a Cunard Cruise among one of their three Queens: Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth in this photo gallery. 

Commodore Club

Queen Mary 2

Winter Garden

Top 10 Queen Mary 2 Cruises

• Queen Mary 2 5 NIGHT Canada / New England CRUISE Departing From Quebec City, Quebec (Sep 2024)
• Queen Mary 2 9 NIGHT Transatlantic CRUISE Departing From New York, New York (Oct 2024 - Oct 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 11 NIGHT Transatlantic CRUISE Departing From New York, New York (Oct 2024)
• Queen Mary 2 2 NIGHT Europe CRUISE Departing From Southampton, England (Oct 2024 - Oct 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 4 NIGHT Europe - Northern CRUISE Departing From Southampton, England (Oct 2024 - Nov 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 2 NIGHT Europe CRUISE Departing From Hamburg, Germany (Oct 2024 - Jul 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 3 NIGHT Europe - Northern CRUISE Departing From Hamburg, Germany (Oct 2024 - Oct 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 8 NIGHT Transatlantic CRUISE Departing From Southampton, England (Oct 2024 - Apr 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 7 NIGHT Transatlantic CRUISE Departing From Le Havre (Paris), France (Oct 2024 - May 2026)
• Queen Mary 2 7 NIGHT Transatlantic CRUISE Departing From New York, New York (Oct 2024 - Nov 2026)

Learn More About Cunard

Accessibility

Learn about Cunard Line's handicap accessible cruises and accommodations for guests with special needs or disabilities.

Savor variety of dining options aboard Cunard Line cruises, including the Queens Grill, Princess Grill, Britannia restaurant, Queens Room, Todd English, Kings Court, Golden Lion Pub and more.

Entertainment

Enjoy Cunard Line's onboard entertainment, including live music, the Royal Court Theatre, Commodore Club entertainment, Royal Night Theme Balls, Queens Room dancing, karaoke and more.

Onboard Activities

Participate in Cunard Line's onboard activities, including Cunard Insights lectures, Book Clubs, computer lab, duty-free shopping, sports courts, art galleries, dance classes, afternoon tea, deck games, golf simulators and more.

Service & Awards

Learn about Cunard Line's famous White Star Service and extensive list of onboard services. Plus, view Cunard Line's cruising awards.

Spa & Fitness

Relax in Cunard Line's pools, the Royal Spa and Canyon Ranch SpaClub, where spa treatments range from relaxing massages to Ayurvedic experiences.

Special Events

Learn about Cunard Line's special cruises with exclusive speakers, activities and shore excursions, including Wine Lecture and Tasting voyages.

Explore Cunard Line's luxurious staterooms, including Queen and Princess Grill Suites, balconies, oceanviews and inside staterooms - each beautifully appointed in Cunard's classic style.

Youth Programs

Learn about cruising with children aboard Cunard Line. Cunard's youth programs are for ages 2 - 17, including the Play Zone (ages 2-7), Kids Zone (ages 8-12) and Teen Zone (ages 13-17).

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Queen Victoria - May 5, 2024

May 5, 2024.

May 5th - May 27th

Queen Victoria

Cunard Cruise Line

22 Night Mediterranean & Greek Isles

from Southampton (London), England

The May 5, 2024 cruise on the Queen Victoria departs from Southampton (London), England. On this 22 Night Mediterranean & Greek Isles (Southampton To Rome) sailing, the ship will visit a total of 13 different cruise port destinations, including its departure port. The Queen Victoria sets sail on Sunday, May 5th and returns on Monday, May 27th.

Queen Victoria - May 5, 2024 - 22 Nights

The Queen Victoria was built in 2007 and is among Cunard's 3 ships in its fleet. The Queen Victoria is included in the cruise line's open class. In the cruise ship stats below, you'll find the Queen Victoria vs all other Cunard ships.

Southampton is the gateway to the immensely civilized city of London. There are museums to visit, pubs to try, and shops to browse, ranging from Harrods to open-air markets. There are more parks and green belts here than in any other city in the world. There are also caches of stately squares and noble monuments, holdovers from a time when the island ruled a significant portion of the globe.

Take advantage of the many on board activites during your day at sea. You'll have more than enough to fill your day!

Situated on Spain's Costa del Sol, Malaga is the region's capital and a popular holiday destination. At the same time, the city is known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and for the sweet Malaga dessert wines that come from the hilly vineyards just outside of town. Other points of interest include impressive Gothic architecture, remains of a Moorish castle, and several interesting museums.

The major island in the chain known as the Balearics, Mallorca is Spain's sunny outpost in the Mediterranean. The town of Palma boasts a shady plaza near the Gothic Cathedral. Visit the Roman ruins and the Drach Caves nearby, or journey to the enchanting village of Valledemosa. Leave time to shop for lovely majolica faux pearls and hand-made lace.

Civitavecchia is just moments from Rome, Italy's Eternal City. One of the most geographically perfect ports in the world, Civitavecchia boasts a number of compelling area attractions. Stroll through the streets of the medieval town of Tarquinia. View the resplendent Madonnina at the Resort of Pantano.

Legend has it that Apollo blessed this isle with sunshine and beauty. True to the myths, the "Island of Roses" is rich in magnificent scenery and umbrella-lined beaches. Take an excursion to Lindos, where high on a hill rises an ancient acropolis dedicated to the goddess Athena. You will also want to see the medieval Old Town, once home to the Crusading Knights of St. John, and tour the Grand Master's Palace, an Italian restoration famed for its superb mosaic floors.

This charming, picturesque resort where Antony and Cleopatra used to vacation is best known as the port for the ancients ruins of Ephesus - one of the world's most wondrous archaeological sites. Explorations should include such masterpieces as the Great Amphitheatre, where St. Paul addressed the Ephesians, the Library of Celsus, and the temples of Athena and Apollo - all connected by marble streets rutted by the wheels of countless chariots.

Once called Constantinople, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire is the only city in the world to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. This is the Golden Horn, the door between East and West, and your first vision of its domes and minarets is unforgetable. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Sultan treasures in Topkapi Palace await - as does the Grand Bazaar, laden with carpets, beaten brass and spices from afar.

With its steep volcanic flanks looming straight up from the sea, and the tiny white village of Thira clinging high atop the cliffs, Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking and legendary of all the Greek Isles. To the south is Akrotiri, where recent Minoan excavations support the theories that Santorini might be the fabled lost continent of Atlantis.

Piraeus is the seaport for Athens, the capital of western civilization, which boasts a fantastic mix of classical ruins and vivacious modern life. In a single day, you can climb the hill of the Acropolis to wonder at the Parthenon, join the lively Athenians in Constitution Square, and then find a welcoming taverna for some spirited bizouki music, plenty of ouzo to drink, and with luck, energetic Greek dancing.

Katakolon is your gateway to Olympia, where the ancient Greeks flocked every four years for more than a millennium to celebrate the sacred games dedicated to Zeus. Visit the ruins of the Sanctuary, with its athletic quadrangles, stadium-temples and treasuries; then browse in the modern Archaeological Museum, a treasure house of Archaic, Classical and Roman sculptures, including the famous Niki "Winged Victory."

Cunard Cruises 2024

Discover the best prices and latest deals with Cunard Cruises in 2024

Book your 2024 Cunard cruise holiday in advance and take advantage of early booking discounts, low deposits, and benefit from spreading the cost with monthly manageable payments. Booking a Cunard Cruises holiday ahead of time ensures you get more choice of cabin location and dining times.

The Cunard fleet comprises of 4 luxurious vessels that include Queen Victoria , Queen Mary 2 , Queen Elizabeth and the latest edition to the fleet, Queen Anne that will be joining the family in early 2024.

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Cunard Launches 2024 Event Voyages Program on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth

COURTESY Cunard: VALENCIA, Calif., July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Set sail with some of the greatest talents in gastronomy, art and entertainment next year, as Cunard announces its renowned Event Voyages for 2024.

“Cunard’s Event Voyages offer far more than just stand out performances.”

Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 plays host to four of the seven newly launched themed voyages, offering guests an unbeatable experience to cross the Atlantic in style, while a further three take place on board Queen Elizabeth as she navigates Australia and Japan in early 2024.

Back by popular demand in June is “London Theatre at Sea,” an eight-night Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing of musical theatre in partnership with the Olivier Awards, with whom Cunard proudly partners every year in London. This unique crossing features immersive acting workshops, fascinating behind the scenes talks and award-winning performances, curated by Julian Bird OBE.

Also returning in November 2024 is “Literature Festival at Sea,” where book lovers can absorb themselves in seven days of inspiring literary events on this westbound Transatlantic Crossing, curated by the programming team of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, with whom Cunard also partners each year. Each “Literature Festival at Sea” features more than 20 acclaimed authors, with past headliners including Ian Rankin, Victoria Hislop and Simon Armitage.

New for 2024 is a unique opportunity to celebrate history in the making, as Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 embarks on her 400th Transatlantic Crossing in August from New York to Southampton – a journey that remains as iconic today as it was in 1840, when Cunard’s history began.

2024 also marks the 15th anniversary of Cunard’s spectacular National Symphony Orchestra voyages, brought to you by the eminent maestro Anthony Inglis. Guests will be able to rehearse with the choir by day and enjoy classical concerts in the Royal Court Theatre by night, on board this unique nine-night Eastbound Transatlantic crossing via Newport and Boston in October.

Queen Elizabeth hosts the first-of-its-kind Sporting Greats & Wellness Voyage in January 2024, which offers sports fans the chance to sail with some of Australia’s most iconic sporting superstars, including legendary cricketer Brett Lee and celebrated golfer Karrie Webb, as well as Amanda McLaren, owner of the eponymously named British luxury car company.

The Great Australian Culinary Voyage, also on Queen Elizabeth in January, promises to be an unforgettable foray into the world of food and wine, including special guest and award-winning chef Karen Martini taking over The Steakhouse at The Verandah.

The extraordinary Big Band Ball voyage in May sees dance and music lovers from all over gather to celebrate the magnificent Swing era, in between exploring the enticing ports of Japan on this nine-night circumnavigation. Special guests include internationally acclaimed vocalist, pianist and songwriter, Joe Stilgoe.

“Cunard’s Event Voyages offer far more than just stand out performances.  Each is expertly curated to offer our guests unique opportunities to immerse themselves into theme or occasion, meeting and hearing from world-renowned leaders in their fields, many with interactive workshops and a programme of activities and performances to choose from throughout the day and evening,” said Matt Gleaves, VP Commercial, Cunard North America.  “And of course, all offered with the luxurious backdrops of the Cunard Queens and all while enjoying the signature touches you can always look forward to with Cunard.”

2024 Event Voyages schedule:

Queen Mary 2:

London Theatre at Sea (M417), Eastbound Transatlantic, 15-23 June 2024

Queen Mary 2’s 400th Transatlantic Crossing (M426), Eastbound Transatlantic, 23-30 August 2024

Anthony Inglis and the National Symphony Orchestra’s 15th Anniversary (M432A), Eastbound Transatlantic, 4-13 October 2024

Literature Festival at Sea (M436), Westbound Transatlantic, 13-20 November 2024

Queen Elizabeth:

Great Australian Culinary Voyage (Q402), Southern Australia, 5-12 January 2024

Sporting Greats & Wellness Voyage (Q407), Southern Australia, 13-30 February 2024

Big Band Ball (Q416), Japan, 5-14 May 2024

Please note: speakers and activities are subject to change. Some activities may incur an additional charge.

About Cunard

Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic, since 1840, celebrating an incredible 183 years of operation. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys for generations, Cunard is world class. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment and outstanding service. From five-star restaurants and in-suite dining to inspiring guest speakers, the library and film screenings, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. Destinations include Europe, the Caribbean, the Far East and Australia.

There are currently three Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria and a fourth ship, Queen Anne, will enter service in 2024. This investment is part of the company’s ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation & plc.

Cover photo courtesy Cunard

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Cunard Unveils 2025 South America Excursions

• September 25, 2024

Cunard has announced its return to South America in 2025, offering shore excursions of up to five days, according to a press release.

The line will resume operations in the region for the first time since 2020 with Queen Victoria’s 78-night South America Discovery voyage. The roundtrip sailing departs from Southampton on January 9, 2025.

Tom Mahoney, director of UK sales at Cunard, said: “Our South America shore experiences allow guests to immerse themselves in the region’s rich history, vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes. Each itinerary has been thoughtfully curated to offer a blend of iconic landmarks and lesser-known hidden gems ensuring our guests can truly experience the unique beauty of South America.”

The upcoming 78-night South America voyage aboard Queen Victoria will feature stops at destinations such as Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Patagonia, the Chilean fjords, Callao and Salvador.

Guests will have the option to embark on various excursions, including:

• Four-Day Overland to Machu Picchu: A journey through Peru’s mountains to visit Machu Picchu, featuring a stop in an Andean village to meet Quechua-speaking locals and visits to Sacsayhuaman fortress and the sacred site of Koricancha.
• Five-Day Overland to the Galapagos: A wildlife adventure in the Galapagos Islands, including a two-day boat tour with options to explore Bartolome, Seymour, Plazas, Santa Fe, Floreana, or Isabela islands, culminating with a visit to the Twin Craters on Santa Cruz Island.
• Four-Day Iguassu Falls: A scenic adventure featuring a panoramic tour of Salvador, rafting, helicopter rides, jungle treks, and visits to the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of Iguassu Falls.
• Snapshot of Salvador: A city tour showcasing key landmarks such as Carlos Gomes Avenue, Campo Grande Square and Sete de Setembro Avenue.
• Grand Tour of Lima: A tour of Lima’s historic Plaza Mayor and Santo Domingo Convent, along with visits to the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.
• Off the Beaten Track to Codpa Village: A desert drive to visit Codpa Village in the Atacama, with stops at the Presencias Tutelares sculptures and a tasting of Pintatani wine.
• Best of Rio: A guided tour of Rio de Janeiro, including Sugar Loaf Mountain via cable car, scenic drives along Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon beaches, and a visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue.
• Copacabana Beach: A five-hour beach visit to Copacabana.
• Sunset Schooner Cruise: A three-hour cruise along Rio’s coastline, offering views of Flamengo, Botafogo, Urca, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the Niterói beaches.
• Highlights of Montecristi and Manta: A guided tour from Manta to Montecristi, including a weaving demonstration of the traditional Toquilla hat.
• Sights of Buenos Aires and Dinner & Tango Show: A city tour of Buenos Aires, followed by an authentic dinner and tango performance.

The voyage will also feature a World Voyage cocktail party, a shoreside gala event, a commemorative gift and a dedicated World Voyage concierge.

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Cunard Queen Anne cruise review: A lovely new ship that's still coming into its own

Editor's Note

Are you thinking of a cruise on Cunard 's new Queen Anne ? Be warned: It's not like any Cunard ship you've seen before.

The storied cruise brand's first new vessel in 14 years is notably more contemporary in its look and feel than the line's three other ships, including the iconic Queen Mary 2 .

It also offers venues that embrace the latest trends of travel and cruising in a way that Cunard ships haven't done in the past.

As I've seen on two visits to Queen Anne since it debuted four months ago, including a weeklong stay in September as it sailed the Norwegian coast, the $600 million vessel offers more choice in dining and entertainment, more wellness options, and more of a focus on onboard celebrations than we've ever seen on a Cunard ship.

That's no small thing, given that Cunard has fielded 149 ships in its 184-year history.

Still, even as Queen Anne ushers in a new era for Cunard, it's a vessel that holds true to the traditional values at the core of the line — particularly a formality and elegance that harks back to the grand old days of ocean liner travel.

Overview of Queen Anne

Queen Anne is the new belle of the ball when it comes to Cunard ships. Unveiled in May, it's far younger and more up to date than the three other ships in the Cunard fleet, which range from 14 to 20 years in age. It also has a smorgasbord of new-for-the-line dining and entertainment venues that tap into the latest trends in hospitality.

Unlike other Cunard vessels, for instance, Queen Anne features a wide array of extra-charge eateries, ranging from a Mediterranean cuisine venue where the dishes are sprinkled with African and Arabic influences to one of the first contemporary Indian restaurants on a cruise ship.

That's on top of the four relatively formal main restaurants that have long been at the core of the Cunard dining experience (one each for each class of onboard cabins — if you're in a Britannia-class cabin, your main eatery is the Britannia Restaurant; if you're in a Princess Grill suite, your main eatery is the Princess Grill).

Queen Anne also has a broader array of entertainment options than past Cunard ships, including an all-new cabaret venue that is home to a murder mystery theater show for part of every cruise.

Like all Cunard ships, it's a vessel that maintains longtime ocean liner traditions such as gala evenings where passengers wear black tie and ballgowns and nightly dancing in a grand ballroom (something you no longer find on most ships).

But alone for now in the Cunard fleet, Queen Anne aims to bridge the gap between such traditions and a more contemporary sort of cruising — not just in the venues it offers on board but in its overall look and feel.

It's been a change that hasn't been without controversy. Some Cunard regulars have mercilessly (and sometimes hilariously) panned the ship at online review sites, citing both the new look and what they say are obvious design flaws.

Queen Anne also clearly has suffered from teething pains in its first four months at sea, with Cunard fans reporting listless service, mediocre food in some eateries and uninspired entertainment. These are all things that I saw, too — so much so that I'm hesitant to recommend that passengers book this ship just yet. While lovely, it's not quite ready for prime time.

That said, if Cunard can work out the kinks over the coming months, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.

What I loved about Queen Anne

The new look.

Put me down as firmly in the camp that loves the new look. Make no mistake, I have long enjoyed the ocean liners-of-old design of Cunard vessels. Sailing on the Atlantic-crossing Queen Mary 2, in particular, is like stepping onto the movie set for "Titanic," which definitely has an appeal. Combined with Cunard's focus on old-style tradition and elegance, it has given Cunard something unique in the world of cruising. But that doesn't mean the brand has to be forever stuck in the past.

In my view, which admittedly isn't shared by some Cunard fans, Cunard has artfully updated its design and onboard offerings for modern-day cruisers in a way that doesn't lose the tradition and elegance for which its ships have long been known.

Related: This movie will give you a sense of a transatlantic Cunard voyage

The British feel

Like all ships operated by United Kingdom-based Cunard, Queen Anne has a particularly British feel. It's a vessel where mushy peas and fish-and-chips (along with other British culinary favorites) are on the lunch buffet not just once a sailing but every day , and afternoon tea is a major event. It's also a ship where one of the busiest drinking spots is the (very traditionally English) pub.

But beyond such Britishness in food and drink, it offers a uniquely British style of prim and properness that is perhaps Queen Anne's most distinctive feature. It is a ship, for instance, where even on nights when the dress code is a relaxed "smart" casual, most passengers arrive for dinner in a jacket, some in full coat-and-tie. It's a vessel where you generally don't see people being loud or garish or otherwise inappropriate.

For American cruisers increasingly aghast at the way some passengers behave (and dress) on mass-market American vessels, where anything-goes American values rule the day, it can be wonderfully refreshing — a throwback to what cruising was across the board not all that long ago. Of course, for some Americans, it might come off as just plain stuffy.

What I didn't love about Queen Anne

The hard-to-navigate top deck.

Getting around the top deck of Queen Anne is easy — if you're staying in a top suite. Otherwise, it's like navigating a maze. That's because a significant chunk of the middle of the top deck is devoted to a private sunning area for the swells in top suites. If you're not booked in such a suite (and thus do not have the secret keycode to enter and cross this elites-only zone), you can't easily get from the sunning and sports deck areas at the front of the ship to the pool area at the back. The only way to do it is to descend into the interior of the vessel and walk across its already congested buffet restaurant (called the Artisans' Foodhall).

This, in turn, adds to the congestion of the buffet, which itself has design flaws (most notably, its self-serve drinks stations are inexplicably located along the crowded walkways through the eatery, such that you'll smack right into people pouring hot coffees and teas as you work your way across the space).

Queen Anne is more packed with people than Cunard's three other vessels, in a way that affects the experience. Seats are hard to come by for some shows, and the crew seems more harried than usual. The cabin experience is also diminished in some cases.

The numbers tell the story: At 113,000 gross tons, Queen Anne is 24% bigger than Cunard's last new vessel, the 14-year-old Queen Elizabeth. But Cunard has jammed 44% more cabins (and thus 44% more people) onto the vessel. Queen Anne holds 2,996 passengers at double occupancy (two passengers per cabin), up from Queen Elizabeth's capacity of 2,081 passengers at double occupancy. Notably, this drops the ship's "space ratio" of space (measured in hundreds of cubic feet) to passengers to just 37.8, which isn't a great number. By comparison, Queen Elizabeth has a space ratio closer to 44. The line's flagship Queen Mary 2 has a space ratio around 56.

The spotty service

I truly was excited to sail on Queen Anne, as I've long loved the elegance and refinement of Cunard vessels. I figured Cunard's first new ship in 14 years would set a new benchmark for the brand. Alas, what I experienced on board was a vessel that wasn't quite functioning right, mostly in the area of service.

I've sailed on more than 200 ships in 30 years of writing about cruising, including lots of just-out-of-the-shipyard vessels, and I've rarely encountered one where the crew members seemed as untrained and indifferent as they seemed on Queen Anne. It wasn't in every space. The servers in the exclusive restaurant for Princess Grill passengers were fabulous, catering to my every need. The bartenders at the casino bar (Room 1840) were a delight. But in many other venues, I regularly encountered crew who didn't seem to know what they were supposed to do or how to interact with passengers. Some venues also just didn't have enough staff to function properly.

Queen Anne cabins and suites

Queen Anne has 28 cabin and suite categories — a large number. But finding the right cabin category for you isn't as complicated as that number might make it seem. As is often the case on cruise ships, many cabin categories on Queen Anne are essentially the same, with the exception of where the rooms are located.

For instance, there are nine categories of balcony cabins, all basically the same in size and decor. The only differences among most of them are whether they are located at the front, middle or back of the ship and whether they have a clear or obstructed view.

Similarly, there are five categories of ocean-view cabins (those with a window but no balcony) and six categories of windowless inside cabins. The only difference between them is location.

There are eight categories of suites, some of which also are essentially the same except for their locations.

All that said, when booking accommodations on Queen Anne, it's important to know that the type of cabin you book will have a significant impact on your cruise experience beyond what you'll experience in your room.

Unlike most lines, Cunard still operates with an old-school class system, where passengers dine and lounge on ships in different places depending on their cabin category.

Most of Queen Anne's 1,498 cabins — including all inside and ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are what's known as Britannia cabins. When you book passage in one, you'll dine in the ship's cavernous Britannia Restaurant at night (when not at an extra-charge specialty restaurant) and only have access to the non-elite lounge areas of the ship.

For those wanting something more exclusive (and willing to pay for it), there are three higher tiers of accommodations with ever-greater levels of pampering and perks:

• Britannia Club cabins . These 162 balcony cabins are similar to standard balcony cabins but come with access to a more intimate private restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Princess Grill suites . A big step up from Britannia Club cabins, these 127 rooms — all suites — come with concierge service and access to an exclusive lounge area (the Grills Lounge) and a restaurant (the Princess Grill) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, you'll get access to a spacious private outdoor sun deck called the Grills Terrace.
• Queens Grill suites . These 65 suites are the ship's finest accommodations. Measuring 484 to 1,440 square feet, they come with butler service, concierge service, upscale touches such as fresh flowers, and access to an elegant private restaurant (the Queens Grill) for all meals. In addition, you get access to the same Grills Lounge and Grills Terrace as those staying in the Princess Grill suites.

My room was a Princess Grill suite, and the exclusive private areas that came with it really were wonderful. I particularly loved my special access to the Grills Lounge, a stylish bar and lounge space. Filled with curvy chairs upholstered in luscious peacock blue fabric, with a striking circular chartreuse seating area as a focal point, it served as a quiet escape from the ship's bustling public areas.

One deck up, the private Grills Terrace was a similarly serene and uncrowded oasis for decktop lounging that felt a world away from the busier public areas atop the ship.

Like all Princess Grill suites, my room measured about 300 square feet, including its balcony area. That's quite large for a cruise ship cabin, and it was room enough to contain everything I could want in a cabin for a week at sea: a king bed that could be split into two single beds, a built-in desk area, a separate built-in cabinet hiding a miniature refrigerator, a seating area with a sofa and chair, built-in closets, and a bathroom.

For the most part, I was happy with my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. While it wasn't inordinately high-end in its finishings, it had a clean-lined, contemporary look that felt modern and up to date. A recurring circular motif in its carpeting, lighting and mirror gave it a whiff of an art deco feel, one that was augmented by the room's red and gold accents (a nod to Cunard history, as they are two of Cunard's signature colors).

While surprisingly small in relationship to the overall size of the room, the bathroom in my Princess Grill suite was modern and bright, with a well-thought-out layout that made the most of its limited space. I particularly liked the relatively large walk-in shower and ample shelving space for toiletries — a sign that its designers understood what matters most to cruisers (unlike the designers of the poorly laid-out bathrooms on the new Seabourn ship that I just tested a few weeks ago ).

If my Princess Grill suite had a flaw, it was in the lack of adequate storage in the room. Given the formality of Cunard ships, which requires that passengers pack elegant eveningwear (think ballgowns and tuxedos) in addition to everyday clothing, the storage needs for Cunard passengers are higher than for passengers on some other lines. Cunard ships (and Queen Anne in particular) also often make longer sailings that require more clothes.

While there was enough storage in my room to pack away everything my companion and I brought for a weeklong sailing, it would have been tight if we had been on one of the ship's longer two-week sailings. I can't imagine how it'll work for passengers on the monthslong around-the-world sailings that are planned for the vessel starting in January.

One detail of the room I truly loved was the placement of large nightstands with large drawers on each side of the bed where I could hide away all my electronics and their cords, books, papers, glasses and the like. Bedside storage at this level is increasingly rare on ships. What's more, each of the nightstands was topped with a U.S.-style 110-volt outlet, a British-style 220-volt outlet, and both USB-A and fast-charging USB-C ports. Bravo, Cunard, for knowing how to keep us charged.

Other Queen Anne cabin tidbits:

• Every cabin has a small hair dryer that works with the ship's specific current. Leave yours at home.
• Rooms have nicely wide personal safes that can hold even a big laptop.
• There are Cunard-red "Do Not Disturb" magnets to stick to your door when you don't want to be disturbed. Flip them over, and a steward will make up your room. It's not a sophisticated system, but it works.
• Cabin televisions offer a wide range of movies on demand at no extra charge, a nice touch (some of Cunard's competitors charge as much as $11.99 to watch a movie).

The Princess Grill suites seem like a sweet spot to me when it comes to the higher-end accommodations on Queen Anne. They get you the same exclusive access to private indoor and outdoor lounge areas as the higher-priced Queens Grill suites and access to a private restaurant, too, but at a significantly lower price point.

That said, if you're looking for the ultimate in Queen Anne swankiness, you'll find it in the Queens Grill suites.

The best suites on Queen Anne

The two largest Queens Grill suites, called Grand suites, measure an astounding 1,440 square feet — nearly five times the size of my Princess Grill suite. They boast a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a large living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.

Also impressive are the ship's four Queens Grill Master suites, which measure 896 square feet. They also feature a bedroom, a master bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private balcony, and a walk-in closet.

The remainder of the Queens Grill suites are split between Queens Grill Penthouse suites, which measure 501 to 527 square feet, and slightly smaller Queens Grill suites, which measure 484 to 500 square feet. Each has a bedroom, a bathroom with a separate bath and shower, a living area, and a private balcony.

In addition to fresh flowers, Queens Grill suites come with personalized stationery, fresh fruit daily, predinner canapes and a complimentary minibar, including alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.

As noted above, Queen Anne's designers have packed a lot more cabins on Queen Anne than on earlier Cunard ships, and they did it in part by shrinking the size of some cabins. While standard balcony cabins on Queen Anne are just a tad smaller than balcony cabins on the line's past two new ships (236 square feet versus 239 square feet), the differential with Princess Grill suites is more noticeable.

Princess Grill suites measure 335 square feet on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria — about 10% more space than my Princess Grill suite on Queen Anne. Princess Grill suites on the line's flagship, Queen Mary 2, measure a far more generous 381 square feet.

At the Queens Grill level, there are notably no two-deck-high duplexes measuring more than 2,000 square feet on Queen Anne, as you'll find on the Queen Mary 2, which remains Cunard's reigning monarch for over-the-top accommodations.

Related: Cunard cabins and suites guide: Everything you want to know

Queen Anne restaurants and bars

Cunard has never been known for having ships that offered lots of dining options, but that changed notably with the debut of Queen Anne. It boasts 15 different places where you can grab a bite — more than double the number on the line's other ships. It also offers quite a few bar options, including several new-for-the-brand venues.

Restaurants

As on all Cunard ships, the dining scene on Queen Anne revolves around four main restaurants: Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill — only one of which you will experience during any given cruise.

In keeping with Cunard's old-fashioned class system of dining, you'll be assigned a table in one of the four eateries for the duration of your cruise based on the type of cabin you book.

The vast majority of passengers — those in the least expensive windowless inside cabins, ocean-view cabins and most balcony cabins — are assigned to the least intimate of the four eateries: the expansive, two-level Britannia Restaurant. It's packed with close-together tables that can hold 596 people at a time — a banquet hall sort of number.

Dinners on the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant take place during two fixed seatings each night, while the second level is reserved for diners on an open-seating plan (arrange this in advance). Breakfast and lunch have open seating.

Passengers who pay up for one of 162 premium balcony cabins will be assigned a table in the more intimate Britannia Club restaurant. It's designed to hold up to 339 passengers and doesn't turn over tables for multiple seatings. If you book this class, you have a specific table in the eatery that is available whenever you want to dine during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours.

Even more intimate and upscale are the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants, which are assigned to passengers staying in suites. The Princess Grill is for passengers booked in the ship's 127 smaller suites, known as Princess Grill suites. The Queens Grill is for passengers in the ship's 65 biggest suites.

In the Princess Grill and Queens Grill, as with the Britannia Club restaurant, you'll have a specific table that is available to you whenever you want it during dining hours.

Among the four main eateries, I only was able to experience the Princess Grill, as I was staying in a Princess Grill suite. Serving mostly classic Continental cuisine, it offered a refined dining experience with top-notch service, as you'd expect from an eatery reserved for passengers in top suites. Elaborate dishes such as chateaubriand and Dover sole meuniere (the latter expertly deboned and plated tableside) were available every night, as were such showy desserts as bananas Foster and cherries jubilee that were flamed tableside — a throwback to first-class travel during ocean liner days.

In addition to the four eateries above, Queen Anne also has a wide range of alternative dining options — something that isn't the case with other Cunard ships.

These include four new-for-the-line extra-charge dining concepts: Aranya, an Indian eatery; Tramonto, serving Mediterranean dishes; Aji Wa, a Japanese restaurant; and Sir Samuel's, a steakhouse.

I tried nearly all these new restaurants while on board and, alas, was disappointed with them all for varying reasons.

Both Aranya and Tramonto, which came with upcharges of $35 and $20, respectively, seemed like eateries added to the ship as afterthoughts. Both were in carved-out corners of the buffet area, and they had the ambience you might expect from such a location. From my table at Aranya, I looked out over a sad landscape of empty tables and a trolley cart with glasses in the buffet. Tramonto's ambience was better, thanks to the addition of a built-in wine cabinet blocking the buffet view. But it still suffered from being aside one of the main thoroughfares into the buffet.

Foodwise, the 38-seat Aranya was the biggest disappointment. The "carefully crafted spice-led journey" that it promised was almost devoid of spice across much of its (very limited) menu. A turbot wrapped in banana leaf came out dry. The one choice of naan that was available (plain) had the consistency of cardboard. It was nothing like the fabulous Indian eateries you'll find all over the ship's home country (for a similar cost, my companion and I feasted on truly wonderful Indian cuisine in London just the night before boarding).

Aranya also was plagued by servers who seemed only half awake (one server tried to fill our water glasses with tap water twice in five minutes, even though we clearly told her the first time we were drinking sparkling water).

The cuisine at the 38-seat Tramonto wasn't quite the disaster it was at Aranya, but too many dishes at this venue arrived cold, tasteless or otherwise underwhelming, and the servers were inattentive, even absent at times.

Both Aranya and Tramonto suffered, I suspect, from not having their own kitchens on-site. It appeared that waiters at both outlets were walking out of the eateries periodically to head to the buffet kitchen to grab dishes. They also apparently had to travel long distances to get drinks, as the eateries had no bars of their own. Our charge for sparkling water at Aranya posted as coming from the Panorama Pool Club bar, suggesting that our server had to walk to the back of the ship to get it.

Aji Wa, the Japanese eatery, had a much better atmosphere and served lovely sushi and other Japanese dishes. Its main flaw was disorganized service. During one of two visits, we sat at the sushi bar, ordering small sushi plates directly from the chef (as instructed) a couple at a time. Alas, nobody cleared these dishes away as we finished them, such that dirty dishes were piling up all around us by the end of the evening. We then sat for 20 minutes waiting for someone to notice we were done and bring us a bill. We finally got one, but just for our drinks. We had to wait again for a second bill for the food portion of the meal — a separation of charges that surely makes sense to someone in the accounting department at Cunard's U.K. headquarters but, of course, is nonsensical to the customer.

Sadly, I wasn't able to try Sir Samuel's, Cunard's new signature steakhouse. The eatery was unavailable for the entire week I was on board due to a private event that was being held in the space.

Other places to dine on Queen Anne include the Golden Lion pub, a mainstay of Cunard ships. On Queen Anne, it features a tasty new pub menu designed by chef Michel Roux Jr., who owned London's Le Gavroche restaurant, the first U.K. restaurant to receive three Michelin stars. (He also created an exclusive gala menu for the Queens Grill restaurant.) I particularly loved the steak-and-ale pie. It looked underwhelming on the plate but was fabulously rich and yummy.

You'll pay up to $11 a plate for lunch at the Golden Lion, but it's a worth-it upcharge. Some items, such as the quintessentially British Scotch eggs, are available at no extra cost.

In addition, Queen Anne passengers can eat in casual comfort at the Artisans' Foodhall, the ship's buffet. It features active food stations instead of traditional self-serve buffet lines, with a chef standing by at each station to make a dish just for you — a nice upgrade. There also are preplated dishes available to grab and go. The array of dishes is more limited than on some mass-market ships, but I never had trouble finding something to suit my taste.

That said, for something fast and casual, my favorite outlet, hands down, was the new-for-Cunard Wellness Cafe on the second level of the ship's Pavilion pool area. Part of Cunard's expanded focus on wellness, it offered no-extra-charge, built-to-order healthy food bowls that were not just tasty but beautifully plated. You could pick from a long list of healthful items such as edamame, kale, quinoa, roasted broccoli and charred cauliflower and top it all with grilled salmon and other proteins, as well as fresh dressings such as miso, lime and ginger. It was the one new eatery on Queen Anne that was a clear home run.

Eat there, and then blow your calorie count at the nearby Pavilion Gelateria, which serves massive extra-charge gelatos starting at a very reasonable $2.50 for one flavor. The Pavilion is also home to a grill for no-extra-charge burgers and hot dogs.

You'll also find small bites available from morning to night at the Carinthia Lounge. Located off the Grand Lobby, it's a European-style coffee bar by day with lovely handmade pastries and other elevated breakfast bites at no extra charge. At night, it morphs into a wine bar that serves artisanal cheese and charcuterie sourced from small producers for an extra fee (on my sailing, $6.50 for a selection of three cheeses or meats).

The Carinthia Lounge also serves oysters on the half shell at night ($6.50 for three oysters) and a few other small snacks that pair well with wines.

Room service is available day and night with several solid options including the same Michel Roux-designed burger you can get in the Golden Lion pub. That said, many of the better items come with an upcharge, which isn't always the case with room service menus on ships. The burger will set you back $11, while the room service steak — from the ship's Sir Samuel's steakhouse — will cost you $25 to $29, depending on whether you order a sirloin or filet. With an added lobster tail, the plate cost jumps to $40 to $44.

If you're heading out for a drink in the evening on Queen Anne, you're probably heading to one of two places: the Commodore Club or the Chart Room.

Located at the top of the ship overlooking the bow, as it is on all Cunard ships, the Commodore Club is the hot spot for drinks in the evenings, and for good reason. It's an elegant and inviting space with an impressive martini menu, friendly bartenders and lively entertainment (on my sailings, a pianist who took requests and played to the crowd).

The Commodore Club is such a popular venue on Cunard ships that the line has made it bigger than ever on Queen Anne, even bigger than its counterpart on Queen Mary 2, which is a far bigger ship.

Just off the Grand Lobby, the Chart Room is the main bar and lounge for the ship's lower-deck interior areas. It has a creative list of specialty cocktails themed around the signs of the zodiac (I loved the Leo-themed Natural Leader cocktail, made with pisco, lemon juice, raspberries and elderflower syrup) and the stylish art deco-inspired decor.

A third major drinking spot in the interior of the ship is the Golden Lion pub, which is just down the hall from the Chart Room past the Queens Room — the ship's ballroom. It's definitely the place to go for a pint of beer and a chat or a full-blown pub meal. Just be warned that it sometimes morphs into a karaoke club at night and is often taken over by trivia and bingo sessions, which sort of wrecks the cozy British pub ambience. In my view, it's a space that suffers from mission creep, though people who love karaoke, trivia and bingo with a side of John Smith's bitter ale surely will disagree.

Another option for a drink in the afternoon or evening is the Carinthia Lounge. As mentioned in the dining section above, it's a coffee bar by day but morphs into a wine bar as the day goes on. It has a wonderfully diverse wine list that includes things like Hungarian furmint, a wine you don't normally find at cruise ship bars.

Alas, as an evening drinking spot, the Carinthia Lounge suffers a bit from a ho-hum setting along a sometimes busy corridor through a shopping area — the reason, I suspect, for why it wasn't drawing much of a crowd at night when I was on board. It also closes down early. It's much more popular during the day when it functions as a coffee bar.

Note that the Carinthia Lounge is one of the venues on Queen Anne where the servers seem particularly out to lunch. You apparently get to order just one coffee here, after which your server will disappear, never to be seen again.

Yet one more bar option, one that is something of an unexpected gem, is the bar attached to the ship's casino, Room 1840. Most casino bars on ships are dreary places you don't want to visit unless you're in the casino to gamble. But the Room 1840 bar is both striking in its design and home to a fabulous cocktail menu focused on Negronis (in addition to a classic gin Negroni, you'll find creative variations on the Campari-infused elixir made with everything from double-oaked whiskey to tequila).

The Room 1840 bar is also one of the few bars on the ship where you'll find proper oversize ice cubes for cocktails such as Negronis — something that is standard at any semidecent cocktail bar on land but sorely missing from most Queen Anne bars (to be fair, this is a flaw not just with Queen Anne bars but bars on most cruise ships).

And, no, Room 1840 isn't smoky. Unlike on most ships, you can't smoke in the casino on Queen Anne.

In addition to the above, there are small interior bars attached to the Queens Room, the Bright Lights Society cabaret theater, the Artisans' Foodhall and the Sir Samuel's steakhouse. But none of them are venues you'd necessarily visit specifically for drinking. They are more bases for the waiters serving these various areas.

On the outside decks of the ship, you'll find bars at all the main sunning and pool areas, including at the front-of-the-ship sports deck (known as the Observation Deck) and at the back-of-the-ship Panorama Pool Club. One of the outdoor venues, Cabana, is a new-for-the-line rum-focused venue touting 50 different brands of the drink.

Queen Anne activities

As is typical for Cunard ships, the top decks of Queen Anne are mostly devoted to relaxing pool and sunning areas. This isn't a ship where you'll find lots of family-friendly decktop amusements such as waterslides and kiddie splash zones.

This is in keeping with the clientele of the brand, which is mostly older adults. Cunard has never been known as a family line.

Queen Anne is also one of the relatively few cruise ships with a top deck designed specifically for operating in a wide range of climate zones.

At the heart of Queen Anne's top deck is The Pavilion, an enormous central pool area that — unlike the main pool areas on the last two new Cunard ships — is topped with a retractable glass roof designed to keep poolgoers warm and dry on cold and rainy days.

It's a retractable glass roof that is not only functional but beautiful — a showpiece for the ship. Soaring higher and feeling airier than the typical magrodome (as such retractable glass roofs on ships are called), the giant structure above the pool was created by Martin Francis, the U.K.-based design wizard who figured out how to make the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum stay up.

The Pavilion, moreover, is much more than just a covered pool area. Underneath the dome — in addition to a pool, three whirlpools and lounge chairs — is a bar, a grill for poolside food, a gelateria and a stage for entertainment.

Just forward of The Pavilion is an open-air sun deck that is the closest thing the ship has to an amusement zone. Called the Observation Deck, it has a paddle tennis court that doubles as a pickleball court, a putting green, a golf net for practicing your drives, a table tennis table (or, as most Americans would call it, a pingpong table) and — this being a British ship — deck quoits. If you're an American, you'll have to Google that last one.

There's also shuffleboard, here and elsewhere along the outdoor decks. It's that sort of deck-top vibe.

One other top-deck amusement, located toward the middle of the ship, is an archery range — something you won't find on most cruise ships. Indeed, while Royal Caribbean has offered a watered-down version of archery on its ships with toylike bows and arrows, Queen Anne is the first ship where you can shoot real (and very sharp) arrows with a real bow. You do it during formal reservations-only sessions with an instructor, and you have to sign your life away with a waiver form before you start.

In addition to the public areas above, there is an open-air deck area toward the middle of the ship that is exclusive to the swanky set staying in the ship's Princess Grill and Queens Grill suites. The center-of-the-ship placement of this exclusive area, alas, blocks regular passengers from moving across the top of the ship — a major design flaw.

The top of the ship is also home to a new-for-the-line, glass-enclosed Wellness Studio. Just past The Pavilion Pool (under the same glorious glass dome that covers that venue), it offers yoga, Pilates, Zumba and line-dancing classes during the day for an extra charge.

The Wellness Studio is part of the major expansion of wellness offerings at Cunard mentioned above. It was added to the ship in part to get all the fitness classes that the line normally offers in interior fitness areas up to the top deck, where participants can enjoy natural light and views of the sea all around.

That said, Queen Anne still has a good-size fitness center and a spa with a thermal pool complex in a lower part of the vessel. The latter venue is a wow with heated loungers, experiential showers, a reflexology footpath with textured stones, a cold room (a first for Cunard), a large steam room, a Himalayan salt sauna, and a traditional sauna. There's also a relaxation room and a wellness suite.

Two-hour passes to the thermal complex are available for $59 per person.

If you're looking for activities in the interior of the ship, there are two main places to go: the Queens Room and the Golden Lion pub.

The Queens Room — a staple of Cunard ships — is the ship's grand ballroom and the place to dance the night away to big-band music. But it's also the spot for afternoon tea at times — a big thing for the ship's heavily British crowd — and occasionally other activities such as low-impact chair yoga.

The Golden Lion pub is home to frequent trivia contests (often several times a day), darts competitions, bingo and karaoke nights — so many such activities, in fact, that passengers looking for a traditional pub experience may be disappointed.

Other activity areas in the ship's interior include the small casino area called Room 1840 mentioned above. It's just forward of the Queens Room. There's also a small Games Room for card playing just off the Grand Lobby.

At the very top of the ship, off the Commodore Club, is a library with one of the best views of any library at sea. Just beyond it is a very small children's area called The Zone (as noted, Cunard isn't a line that draws many children).

Other interior areas include dedicated space for weddings and wedding receptions, part of a bigger focus on celebrations at Cunard, and a large number of shops.

Queen Anne shows

Cunard has beefed up its entertainment offerings with the debut of Queen Anne.

In addition to an 835-seat main theater (the Royal Court Theater) offering Broadway-style shows, it's home to a new-for-the-brand, 132-seat cabaret-style theater called the Bright Lights Society.

The former is home to a wide variety of entertainment during any given cruise, from full-blown musicals to comedy shows and vocalist performances. (It's also used for lectures by a rotating list of guest speakers and occasional screenings of feature-length films.) The latter offers a murder mystery theater-type experience on some days and a lively cabaret-style musical show on others.

On my sailing, the two big main theater productions were a smoke-, strobe light- and laser-infused musical production called "Imagination" and a shortened version of the West End musical "Pride and Prejudice (sort of)" — the latter a comedic retelling of the Jane Austen love story. Both were entertaining, if not the sort of wow productions you'll find on the ships of cruise entertainment leaders Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line .

The Bright Lights Society (the name is an oblique reference to the fact that Cunard was the first ocean liner operator to use electric lights on its ships) was a fun and lively venue — when I was able to get into it. Alas, all six performances of what some passengers said was the best show in the venue, the interactive murder mystery "Noir," booked up seemingly instantly on the first day of my cruise, so I never was able to get a reservation to see it.

With Queen Anne's passenger count significantly higher than Cunard's other vessels, there just isn't room in the Brights Light Society venue to accommodate the demand for its shows.

The "Noir" show was the only show in the venue for three of the first four nights of the cruise. For the last three nights of the sailing, the space was home to "Fizz," a cabaret-style show with musical and burlesque elements and a loose storyline of romance for which I did manage to snag a reservation. It was energetic and amusing, with the cast of five pulling in the audience to become part of the show.

Additional entertainment, including the occasional comedy show, vocalists and silent discos, takes place in the Queens Room, the ship's ballroom. On Queen Anne, it's a space that has gotten a makeover compared to the ballrooms on other Cunard ships to make it more multipurpose, and it often hosts some of the same acts that play on different nights in the Royal Court Theater.

With clusters of modern ball lamps hanging from its ceiling, evoking planets floating in the sky, and a stunning, multicolored marquetry wood floor as a counterpoint, the Queens Room has a dreamy, make-believe quality unlike anything seen before on a Cunard ship.

A large digital screen behind its semicircular stage and high-tech lighting add to its more modern feel.

The Queens Room is also rounder in its design and more open to its surroundings. Its top level, in particular, is open to an area of boutique stores and the passing traffic of passengers moving between the front and back of the ship.

Queen Anne itineraries and pricing

Of Cunard's four ships, Queen Anne is the one that spends the most time sailing out of Southampton, England — Cunard's traditional home. Nearly all its sailings during the year begin and end in the port.

Still, that doesn't mean Queen Anne only sails in the vicinity of the British Isles.

For all but the first few months of the year, Queen Anne operates an unusually wide array of Europe itineraries out of Southampton that can get you to just about every corner of the continent, from the far reaches of the Baltic Sea to the full expanse of the Mediterranean.

Some of Queen Anne's Europe sailings out of Southampton go all the way to the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa.

Queen Anne's trips from Southampton are diverse not only in where they go but in length, as the ship operates everything from quickie two-nighters to Hamburg, Germany (a good way to test the vessel to see if you like it), and seven-night sailings to Northern Europe to far lengthier voyages of 14 to 19 nights to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

During the first few months of every year, Queen Anne sets off from Southampton on an even more ambitious voyage around the world. Since the ship's debut in early 2024, it has become one of Cunard's main ships for such lengthy voyages.

The around-the-world voyages (two of which currently are on Queen Anne's schedule for 2025 and 2026) typically last nearly four months and include stops in North America, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. In addition to selling passage for the entire cruise, Cunard also sells shorter segments of the voyage that focus on particular regions along the way.

Prices for Queen Anne sailings start around $400 per person, based on double occupancy, for a two-night sailing from Southampton to Hamburg. More typical seven-night sailings out of Southampton start at $1,159 per person, based on double occupancy. The ship's first world cruise, a 107-night trip kicking off in January 2025, starts at $17,536 per person.

The above rates include all taxes and fees.

Note that you'll pay a significant premium to stay in Queen Anne's Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill accommodations as compared to standard Britannia cabins. A voyage where a balcony cabin in Britannia class starts around $3,000 per person might cost closer to $5,000 per person if you book the same balcony cabin in Britannia Club class or $7,000 per person if you book a Princess Grill suite. A Queens Grill room on the same voyage might set you back more than $9,000 per person.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all itineraries, and passports must be valid for at least six months. The name on your reservation must match that on your passport. Double-check if you've recently gotten married or use a different version of your name.

Queen Anne guests will find an automatic service charge of $16 to $18 per person, per day, depending on cabin category, added to their onboard account and final bill. You are allowed to adjust this amount at the Purser's Office desk before disembarking.

In addition, a 15% gratuity is added to bar bills. You should not feel pressured to add an additional tip.

Related: Everything you need to know about tipping on cruise ships

In recent years, Cunard has upgraded the Wi-Fi service on its ships and now offers a relatively fast connection through Starlink satellites. As is often the case with cruise ships, the service isn't free, nor is it inexpensive. Passengers can choose an Essential plan that allows web browsing and access to emails and social media sites for $18 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $24). A Premium plan allowing for streaming costs $24 per day if bought for the entire voyage (24-hour access is available for $36) is also available.

The above rates allow you to log in on a single device. Multidevice plans are also available. They'll cost you more in absolute terms but are a much better value if you are buying Wi-Fi for several people. On my voyage, a multidevice plan for four devices was the same cost as buying two single-device plans.

Note that top-tier members of the line's Cunard World Club loyalty program get credit toward buying internet plans.

Carry-on drinks policy

Cunard allows every passenger of drinking age to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne onto ships at boarding. The line charges a corkage fee if you bring the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or other public areas to drink.

Smoking policy

Smoking (including e-cigarette smoking) is allowed only in designated outdoor areas. It's forbidden in cabins, on cabin balconies and — with one exception — in all other indoor areas of the ship. The exception is that passengers can smoke cigars and pipes only (no cigarettes) in Churchill's Cigar Lounge, the ship's dedicated space for cigar smokers.

Unlike on some cruise ships, smoking is not allowed in Queen Anne's casino.

Queen Anne has self-serve launderettes on cabin decks where passengers will find washers, dryers and ironing boards for use at no extra charge. Even the detergent is free. The ship also offers extra-charge laundry, pressing and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

You'll find North American-style 110-volt outlets and European-style 220-volt outlets in cabins, along with USB ports.

The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar. But you won't need cash while on board. Queen Anne operates on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a keycard that you can use to make charges, and Cunard will charge your credit card at the end of the sailing to settle the balance.

While on board, you can check your balance at the Purser's Office or via your in-cabin television.

Drinking age

You must be 18 to consume alcohol on Queen Anne in most parts of the world. When the ship is sailing in U.S. waters, Cunard enforces the U.S. drinking age limit of 21.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day, and you're bound for the pool deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach — T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits are just fine. Just note that swimwear is not permitted in indoor dining areas, so you'll want to change from that bathing suit before heading to lunch inside the vessel.

During the evenings, there is an official dress code, and it's more formal than at many lines. Cunard has always been known as a line where passengers dress up — and its dress code reflects that (though it's not nearly as formal as it was just a few years ago).

On most nights, the Queen Anne dress code is "smart" attire, which Cunard defines as a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress. Jackets are optional, but many men do wear them. Some men even wear coats and ties on casual nights. This is a ship where passengers get very dressed up, and you might feel out of place if you don't.

Unlike on some lines, jeans are not allowed in restaurants in the evening, and the line is strict about it. You will likely be turned away if you show up in them, and you'll definitely get dirty looks from Cunard's formality-loving regulars.

Every few nights, the dress level on the ship becomes much more formal as the ship holds "gala evenings." These are shipwide events where passengers are encouraged to dress to the nines, and they generally do.

There are typically two gala evenings on every seven-night cruise and more on longer sailings. Cunard asks men to wear black tie or dark suits. For women, Cunard suggests floor-length dresses, ballgowns or off-the-shoulder cocktail dresses.

Cunard typically designates a theme for each gala evening, set in advance so you can plan your wardrobe. Examples include Black and White Gala Evening, when passengers are encouraged to wear black and white, and Red and Gold Gala Evening, when red and gold are the go-to colors. Some sailings also have a Masquerade Ball, where the line suggests passengers spice up their attire with masks.

Note that if you really, really hate the idea of getting all dolled up for a gala evening, you'll find that there are a few designated places on the ship (such as the pub) where you still can drink and dine without the formality. That said, the dress-up nights are a big part of the Cunard formula. If it doesn't sound appealing to you, maybe you're picking the wrong ship.

Related: What to pack for your first cruise

Bottom line

Queen Anne is a lovely ship that, alas, isn't yet running like it should. The design of the vessel, which is more contemporary in its look and feel than what we've seen from Cunard in recent years, is meant to usher in a new era for the brand, and it does. In my opinion, it's the most beautiful new Cunard ship to debut since Queen Mary 2 arrived more than 20 years ago.

But four months after opening, some of Queen Anne's venues still are struggling to deliver the sort of friendly and intuitive service that they should, given Queen Anne's positioning as a "premium" product that is a step above mass-market cruising (in some of its messaging to consumers, the line even refers to itself as offering a "luxury" experience).

In addition, several new-for-the-line dining concepts on the ship are struggling to hit their stride and may need rethinking.

Cunard, no doubt, will tweak all the above and eventually get it right, maybe by the time you are on board. And there's a lot already to love about Queen Anne — particularly the higher-end experience available in the ship's already smoothly-running Princess Grill and Queens Grill areas. If Cunard can work out the kinks with the rest of the ship, particularly in the areas of service and specialty dining, Queen Anne has the potential to be a wonderful cruise ship.

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''Green gift'': the hillside near Kazan NCC covered with 17.9k sq m of lawn

Modern landscaping has turned the littered corner into a new popular place for walks of Kazan citizens in less than a year

The hillside near Kazan national cultural centre, covered with fresh green grass, in the near future may become a new place for photo shoots of Kazan citizens. Already today, young people strolling along the hillside stop to take a selfie or take a panoramic view of the right bank of the Kazanka River. Just a couple of months ago, this area was not so presentable. The builders had to remove more than 1,900 tonnes of garbage, more than 1,500 barrels of boxelder maple and lay 17,900 square metres of lawn. The ''green gift'' to Kazan has been made by TAIF Group and Tatnefteprovodstroy JSC. Realnoe Vremya has already written about this haunt and its transformation, today we will tell about the used technologies for the improvement.

To Fuchs Garden

The issue of improvement of the hillside adjacent to the Fuchs Garden was discussed already back in June 2017, when President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov together with the management of TAIF PSC examined the construction progress of the multistorey underground car park near Kazan NCC. The parking project included additional exit from the ground fourth floor to Podluzhnaya Street. From it, it would be possible to get to the Millennium Bridge, avoiding traffic jams in the city centre at rush hour. The stumbling block then was the stretch of the road from the tunnel part of the car park to Podluzhnaya Street with a length of 350 metres.

The dratf of the road project was ready and expected only approval from the Executive Committee of Kazan. At that moment, the management of TAIF Group offered Rustam Minnikhanov to expand the territory of the improvement to the Fuchs Garden. The proposal to increase the landscaped area to 30,800 square metres was approved at a visiting meeting this May. The work on the hillside of the left bank of the Kazanka River began already at the end of June.

Rustam Minnikhanov together with the management of TAIF PSC examined the construction progress of the multistorey car park. Photo: Maksim Platonov

Pines of valuable species have been preserved at the top of the hillside

The renewal of the neglected site was carried out in several stages. First, the builders cleared the hillside from debris, uprooted and cut down the thickets of boxelder maple.

The builders cleared the hillside from debris, uprooted and cut down the thickets of boxelder maple. Photo: Rinat Nazmetdinov

''The slope was neglected. We had to remove a dump of building materials, concrete, broken glass, brushwood. A stairway, which was in this thicket, was in an emergency condition. Footpaths on the slope were full of drawings, the asphalt cracked. We have replaced the stairway, cut down the thickets of maple. Only pines of valuable species have been preserved at the top of the slope, near the Fuchs Garden,'' told us Vadim Vlasov, Deputy Chief Engineer at Tatnefteprovodstroy JSC.

On the slope, there was a dump of building materials, concrete, broken glass, fallen trees. Photo: Rinat Nazmetdinov

In total, half a hectare of land has been cleaned from debris. It took 200 KAMAZ trucks to remove the garbage from the improved territory and about 6,000 cars with soil to strengthen and form the slope. During all summer, 120 people worked for the improvement of the left bank of the Kazanka River — 25-40 workers alone were engaged in laying and forming the hillside. They spread the turf with their hands. The hard work took two months. A special difficulty was created by the fact that the grass had to be laid on a fairly steep slope.

It took 600 KAMAZ trucks with soil to form the slope. Photo: Maksim Platonov

To strengthen the lawn, the workers used a geoweb.

The geoweb is the construction material of cellular form, made of geosynthetic polymer.

Geoweb in tension creates a stable reinforcing frame that allows to strengthen the soil. The geoweb cells were filled with black earth and grass was planted on the top. To keep it fresh, an automatic irrigation system has been installed.

Head of Tatarstan customs will hold a reception of citizens

14 July 2020 from 10.00 to 12.00 head of Tatarstan customs the Colonel of customs service Masgutovich Marat Garayev will hold personal reception of citizens in the office of the President of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Reception of citizens will be held at the address: Kazan, Kremlevskaya str., 12/20.

To book an appointment by phone: (843) 291 92 78; 291 92 68 (8.00. 17.00), 291 92 27 (round the clock).

Valentine Skorlygina, the press Secretary of Tatarstan customs

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