Courtesy of Cunard Line.

Cunard Line, one of the oldest names in passenger shipping operating the youngest fleet at sea, will offer its guests the opportunity to be married on board for the first time in its 171-year history. Beginning Spring 2012, a luxury cruise aboard Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will offer a selection of wedding packages, commencing after the World Voyages have been completed. The Weddings programme will go on sale in December 2011, with expanded details available soon. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line.

In addition to the compelling series of Cunard Insights speakers and other activities aboard a luxury cruise vacation on Queen Mary 2, the ship’s 2011 Transatlantic Crossings season will feature a robust line-up of some of the world’s most sought-after music performances. Aboard Cunard Line’s flagship, guests will have the rare opportunity to intimately experience the world-class talents of virtuoso violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn, musicians from New York’s famed Juilliard School, and London’s in-demand National Symphony Orchestra under Conductor Anthony Inglis.

“At Cunard Line, we pride ourselves on providing glamorous experiences to our guests, whether it is through our formal nights or extensive entertainment options,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “The caliber of these accomplished musicians will certainly heighten the grand sense of occasion that our guests enjoy whilst sailing on a Cunard voyage.”

Elizabeth Pitcairn
Having set sail on 17 May from New York, celebrated American virtuoso violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn will perform in partnership with one of the world’s most legendary instruments, the Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius of 1720, said to have inspired the Academy Award(r)-winning film “The Red Violin.” Ms. Pitcairn appears in the 10th anniversary Meridian Collection edition of the film in a special feature documentary interview.

Influenced by the musical and comedic genius of legendary Hollywood stars Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason and Victor Borge, as well as the beauty and talent of concert violinists David Oistrakh and Jascha Heifetz, Pitcairn has created her own signature style of performance. During the summer of 2011, she will become the first successive executive director of the Luzerne Music Center and Chamber Music Festival in New York in more than 30 years. An alumna of the intensive summer camp in upstate New York, she was chosen by the founders to carry on the tradition of building young artists and audiences of the future. She is an alumna and former adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, and is currently on the faculty of the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles.

Prior to Tuesday’s embarkation, Queen Mary 2′s Entertainment Director Paul O’Loughlin presented Pitcairn and Luzerne board member Michael Conway with a donation from Cunard of $7,500 to support the school’s summer camp performing arts programme for instrumentalists, composers and conductors, ages 10-18.

Juilliard School Jazz Ensemble
As part of Cunard Line’s ongoing partnership with the renowned Juilliard School, jazz musicians from the famed performing arts institution will return for a second year to demonstrate their extraordinary talents on an even greater number of Crossings. With performances scheduled in the Chart Room and the Royal Court Theatre, guests will also have the opportunity to attend fascinating Q&A sessions with the musicians. They will sail aboard these select Transatlantic Crossings: 17 May, 10 June, 20 July, 15 August, 22 August, 5 September, 23 October, 10 November and 12 December.

The National Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Anthony Inglis
Following their spectacular Transatlantic Crossings in 2009 and 2010, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) will perform on the 7 October Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing. Once again, guests will be invited to sing with the NSO on the stage of the Royal Court Theatre.

Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to attend rehearsals with NSO Conductor Anthony Inglis, and prepare for Cunard’s Last Night of the Proms to be staged at the end of the Crossing. A Grammy(r)-nominated conductor, Inglis has been featured more times at London’s Royal Albert Hall than anyone else in the iconic venue’s history. He leads a prolific international career, appearing with some of the greatest orchestras in concert halls from Australia to Scotland.

The NSO is one of the busiest freelance orchestras in the United Kingdom, working with Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson and many other popular classical artists. Members of the NSO can be heard on many major film soundtracks, and among the luminaries with whom they have appeared include Reba McEntire and Sir Cliff Richard, who was backed by the ladies of the NSO string section at the Royal Albert Hall.

Queen Mary 2′s Transatlantic Crossings reflect the pinnacle of civility and refinement in ocean travel. The only company offering regularly scheduled Transatlantic liner service, Cunard is sailing 21 classic Transatlantic voyages between New York and Southampton, with extended Crossings between New York and Hamburg. In addition, “Grand” voyage options are available, roundtrip from New York, combining classic European itineraries with a Transatlantic Crossing on either side.

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Courtesy of Cunard Line.

Danish-born Inger Olsen made history on 1 December 2010 by becoming Cunard Line’s first female Captain in its 171-year history of sailing luxury cruise vacations. Yesterday, she continued her historic maiden sailings as Captain of Queen Victoria, as she brought the ship back to the Port of Los Angeles.

Captain Olsen and Queen Victoria are coming off the heels of the momentous Cunard Royal Rendezvous in New York City on 13 January, where all three of Cunard’s Queens met for a spectacular fireworks display in front of the Statue of Liberty before departing on their respective voyages. Olsen joined Queen Victoria just prior to the commencement of the ship’s debut Americas season, departing from New York and sailing to Los Angeles. During this first 17-day voyage, the ship called on Ft. Lauderdale and Bonaire, traversed the Panama Canal, and visited three ports in Mexico – Huatulco, Acapulco and Manzanillo – before arriving into Los Angeles yesterday. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line.

Cunard Line is pleased to announce that Her Majesty The Queen will name the company’s new Queen Elizabeth, the third Cunard ship to bear the name, at a ceremony in Southampton, England on Monday, 11 October 2010.

The naming is a milestone in British maritime history and is a major event of worldwide interest.

“The naming of a Cunard Queen is a very special occasion and this will be an historic event in the true sense of the word,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “The Queen launched Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967 and named our current flagship, Queen Mary 2, in 2004. We are both honoured and proud that Her Majesty will name our new liner, Queen Elizabeth,” added Shanks.

[Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line.

When Cunard Line’s new Queen Elizabeth debuts in October 2010, the Line will introduce an original concept in theatrical entertainment at sea with the newly formed Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company. Guests will enjoy a brand new repertoire of shows premiered by the Theatre Company’s 29 singers, dancers, actors and musicians.

New shows will include the hit “Slice of Saturday Night,” a popular nostalgic pastiche of 1960s music which has been staged in London and toured extensively throughout the UK and US. Adapted especially for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company by its original writers, the Heather Brothers, “Slice of Saturday Night” features all of the Theatre Company members – the largest production show that Cunard has ever staged. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line.

Cunard Line, operator of the most famous ocean liners in the world, is pleased to announce a partnership with The Juilliard School that will present stellar jazz performances on select 2010 eastbound Transatlantic Crossings aboard Queen Mary 2. Students and faculty from Juilliard, which has set America’s standard for education in the performing arts, will perform programmes in the ship’s Royal Court Theatre, treating guests to the best in classic and contemporary jazz. These presentations are part of Cunard’s entertainment and award-winning enrichment programme, which showcases a variety of compelling entertainers – from new and emerging world-class talent to today’s most enduring and iconic artists. Last August, Juilliard Jazz scholar Jumaane Smith became the first student from the school to take the stage onboard Queen Mary 2, presenting a trumpet recital that proved to be very popular with the voyage’s guests. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line 

Queen Mary 2, the most famous Cunard ship in service, made her maiden call to Greenock and the Clyde on Monday October 19, during a special ‘lap-of-honour’ to mark her fifth birthday.

Queen Mary 2 was the largest ship ever to have sailed up the Clyde, a river which has binding and historical ties to Cunard as over 120 Cunarders have been launched there since 1839. Cunard Line is also celebrating the 170th Anniversary of its founding in 2009, so a double celebration for the company and its flagship.

The 151,400-ton Queen Mary 2 arrived at Greenock at 0800 hours on October 19 and remained at the Greenock Ocean Terminal until 1830 hours. To mark the call there was a firework display immediately before her departure.

Commenting on the visit, Cunard’s Managing Director Peter Shanks, said:

“Most of Cunard’s great ships, including Cunard’s first ship Britannia, and Lusitania, Aquitania, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Caronia and QE2 were all built on the Clyde. As a proud Scotsman myself, born in Glasgow and having spent my early years in Troon, I can say just how proud we are of our associations with the river. It is appropriate for our flagship Queen Mary 2 to pay tribute to her Scottish forbears and this visit during Queen Mary 2′s birthday celebrations is very fitting”.

The voyage commemorated the introduction into service of Queen Mary 2 five years ago in January 2004. She is still the largest, longest, tallest, widest, and most expensive ocean liner ever built and, since the retirement of QE2, the fastest passenger ship in the world. Queen Mary 2 entered service just four days after being named by Her Majesty The Queen during the most spectacular naming ceremony Southampton, her home port, had ever seen. Since that historic entry into service Queen Mary 2 has sailed almost 750,000 nautical miles, completed over 120 Atlantic crossings (the route for which she was specifically built, the first passenger ship to be built for that trade in 35 years), and made calls to 115 ports in 45 countries.

Since becoming Cunard flagship in May 2004, taking over the mantle from QE2, Queen Mary 2 has also become one of the most celebrated ships in the world and successfully continues the Cunard passenger liner tradition established 170 years ago.

John Duffy, QE2 Hotel Manager – “Seagoing Employee of the Year 2008″
Seatrade Insider’s “Seatrade Awards 2008″

Cunard Line – “Best Cruise Line”
Australian Gourmet Traveler’s 2008 Travel Awards

Queen Mary 2 – “Best Luxury Cruise Ship”
Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards

Queen Mary 2 – “Top 10 Best Spa on a Cruise Ship”
SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Awards

Queen Mary 2, Queen’s Grill – 6+ Star Rating
Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation, 2009 Edition

Queen Victoria – “Best Cruise Ship”
Robb Report – Best of the Best

Queen Victoria – “Hot New Hotel” and “Hot New Spa”
Condé Nast Traveler – Annual Hot List (World Category)

Cunard Line – “Best Transatlantic Crossings”
Porthole Cruise Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards

Cunard Line – “Best World Cruise Itineraries”
Porthole Cruise Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards

Cunard Line – “#1 – Top Ten Cruise Lines”
2008 Berlitz Complete Guide to Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships

Cunard Line – “Best Overall Food” and “Best Overall Service”
2008 Berlitz Complete Guide to Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships

Cunard Line revealed itinerary and design plans for its newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth, which is scheduled to enter service on 12 October 2010, giving one of the oldest names in shipping the strength of operating the youngest fleet in the industry. Queen Elizabeth will be the third new ocean liner to be introduced by Cunard in six years and the second largest Cunard ship ever built.

Queen Elizabeth will feature the unique Cunard traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, and their predecessors. She will also debut some exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality, plus all the modern day luxuries Cunard’s guests have come to expect. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Cunard Line

Cunard Line is proud to announce that Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor and his band will perform during Queen Mary 2’s June 19 eastbound Transatlantic Crossing. Sailing from New York to Southampton, England, Taylor will headline two Cunard Command Performances in the ship’s Royal Court Theatre during the six-day journey. (Space is still available to book this very special voyage!)

“We are honoured to welcome James Taylor aboard our flagship Queen Mary 2 and into a lineage of luminaries who have sailed with Cunard during our 170-year history,” said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. “Our guests will most certainly enjoy this intimate concert experience with an American music icon.” [Read more →]