Cunard have announce all three of their luxury cruise ships will sail Australia and New Zealand during the 2020-21 season. There will even be a royal rendezvous for Queen Elizabeth in Australia.
The newly refurbished, 2081-guest Queen Elizabeth will return to Australia for a record 118-day season next year. Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will also visit during their World voyages, spending a combined 49 days in Australia.
Cunard’s bellboys commemorate the new season Down Under with… kangaroos.
A highlight of the Cunard season Down Under is sure to be the royal rendezvous of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria on Sydney Harbour in March 2021. It will be the first time the two luxury cruise ships have met in Australian waters.
Queen Elizabeth will home-port between Sydney and the southern city of Melbourne. She will offer more than 60 different itineraries, from 2-night sojourns to 25-night immersive journeys around Australia and New Zealand.
Cunard’s expanded presence in Australasia follows similar announcements by Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Sea Cruises and Oceania. It underscores the increasing popularity of cruising Down Under.
Commenting on the Cunard announcement, President Simon Palethorpe said, “Basing Queen Elizabeth in Australia for a record 118 days enables us to create a range of new itinerary options, such as our longer New Zealand journeys, which we think will appeal to both existing and new Cunard guests and boost the popularity of Queen Elizabeth even further.”
Full details of the Australian program will be released on 5 March 2019. Visit the Cunard website for more information.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
