Update June 16, 2021.
Cunard resumes operations from 19 July, 2021 as Queen Elizabeth welcomes guests on board for a series of UK voyages from Southampton and beginning 13 October, 2021 sailing internationally with new voyages including to the Iberian coast and the Canary Islands. Queen Elizabeth will then leave the UK in mid-February to resume her previously scheduled season in Japan from 13 April, 2022.
Queen Mary 2 will resume sailing with a Transatlantic crossing on 14 November, 2021 as per her existing schedule and will now sail on a series of voyages around the Caribbean between January and April, 2022, with embarkation options from Southampton, New York and Hamburg before resuming her existing published schedule on 24 April, 2022.
Queen Victoria will embark on three new voyages departing from Southampton from the 22 April, 2022 which include Western Europe, the Baltics and the Iberian Coast before resuming her existing published schedule on 20 May, 2022.
Due to the ongoing complexities of navigating global travel, Cunard has today announced that they will be cancelling the following voyages:
All guests whose cruises have been cancelled will automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit worth 125% of the standard deposit terms, and 100% of any additional monies paid.
Alternatively, 100% refund is available through ypur travel agency.
All new itineraries mentioned above will go on sale in July.
Updated December 9, 2020
Cunard has extended its pause in operations due to the ongoing travel constraints in place across the world.
Voyages departing on board Queen Mary 2 up to and including May 28, 2021 and on board Queen Elizabeth up to and including June 4, 2021 are now cancelled. Departures on Queen Victoria remain unaffected and are scheduled to resume May 17, 2021.
Guests who have had their voyage cancelled will automatically receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit, providing an additional 25% on any monies paid,
Cunard president, Simon Palethorpe said:
“Our extension to the pause in operations is the result of the ongoing restrictions on cruising in the UK and around the world and recognises the significant lead times to return to service, once those restrictions are lifted.
“We are extremely sorry for the disappointment we know this will cause. We know how much careful consideration goes into planning a holiday and apologise that our guests now have to wait a little longer to travel once again with Cunard.
“The tremendous response already to our 2022 voyages, put on sale just a few weeks ago, clearly demonstrates our guests are eagerly anticipating travelling again with us. We’re equally looking forward to the time when we can welcome back our guests.”
Updated August 25, 2020
In an acknowledgement of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance and the complexity of operating world voyages, luxury cruise line Cunard will be extending its pause in operations from November 2020 until March 25, 2021 for its ship Queen Elizabeth; until April 18, 2021 for Queen Mary 2 and until May 16, 2021 for Queen Victoria.
Cunard president Simon Palethorpe said:
“We are so sorry to all those guests who were due to sail on any of the cancelled voyages and for the disappointment this news will cause. After very careful consideration and reviewing the latest guidance, we simply do not feel it would be sensible to start sailing again with our current schedule so we have reviewed future itineraries.
“Queen Elizabeth has returned to the UK and with ongoing uncertainty over the re-opening of many ports and countries, it is sadly not practical to continue her planned itineraries for 2021.
“Therefore, in addition to the pause in operations, all of Queen Elizabeth’s sailings due to depart between March 26, 2021 and December 13, 2021, in and around Australia, Japan and Alaska, will be cancelled.
“These voyages will be replaced with a programme of shorter duration European holidays ranging from three to 14 nights, departing from Southampton. These will start at the end of March 2021, with a series of scenic voyages around the coast of Cornwall, the west coast of Ireland and the Scottish Isles. There will also be short breaks to Amsterdam which will include an overnight in the city, as well as voyages to northern and southern European destinations including Norway and the Iberian coast, with several of these itineraries featuring overnight city stays.
“Queen Elizabeth’s new programme will be completed with a series of seven and 14 night voyages in the Mediterranean, sailing from Barcelona. It is an exciting new programme which I am sure will have great appeal.”
All new itineraries on board Queen Elizabeth will be available to book from September 29, 2020.
Palethorpe continued “Additionally, recognising the immense disappointment of those on board Queen Mary 2’s curtailed World Voyage this year, and the cancellation of her World Voyage in 2021, we are delighted that Queen Mary 2 will sail a classic World Voyage in 2022. This will replace her scheduled sailings departing January 3, 2022 to April 3, 2022, including the voyage to South America.”
The new 104 night adventure will depart from Southampton on January 10, 2022 and include calls to Greece, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and Bali before returning to Southampton via Abu Dhabi, Oman, Italy and Portugal. The ship will sail through the Suez Canal both on the outbound journey and on return. It will be bookable, either as a full world voyage or as one of six sectors, from September 8, 2020.
“Given the current uncertainty, the complexity of our scheduled World Voyage with our international mix of guests visiting many countries and continents, each with its own evolving travel regulations was a very real factor in our decision making.”
Cunard will be contacting guests and travel agents who are impacted and, once again, all guests who have had their voyage cancelled will automatically receive an enhanced 125% Future Cruise Credit or alternatively can fill in the website form for a 100% refund.
Updated June 9, 2020
Luxury cruise line Cunard, announced today that, as a result of the continued impact of Covid-19, it will be extending the pause in operations.
For its ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, Cunard is cancelling all sailings that were due to depart up to and including 1 November, 2020 and for Queen Elizabeth, departures up to and including the 23 November, 2020.
Cunard President, Simon Palethorpe, said, “With many differing restrictions across countries, people’s ability to move freely and safely across borders remains seemingly someway in the distance. For Cunard, where we celebrate having a truly international mix of guests and sail all over the world, this becomes particularly impactful. We also need to better understand the implications Covid-19 will have on board our ships. We are therefore working, at the highest level possible, with government bodies, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - the CDC - and Public Health England, as well as the industry collective body – CLIA - and other expert medical professionals to review every aspect of a holiday with us.”
He added: “Whilst we have always taken pride in having the highest levels of health and safety we are looking at enhanced protocols across all aspects of ship life and experiences on shore. We will only return to service when we have a comprehensive restart protocol with the stamps of approval and accreditation from the most trusted and informed sources.”
Cunard will be communicating with all guests, and their travel advisors, who are booked on affected voyages.
As Cunard has done previously during this pause period, guests who are booked on cancelled voyages will automatically be given a 125% Future Cruise Credit. This can be redeemed against any new booking made by the end of December 2021 on any voyage that’s on sale at the time of booking.
Updated April 23, 2020
Luxury cruise line Cunard, announced today that, as a result of the continued impact of Covid-19, it will be extending the pause to voyages.
For its ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, Cunard is cancelling all sailings that were due to depart up to and including 31 July, 2020. For Queen Elizabeth, maintaining a shorter summer season in Alaska would unfortunately not make these voyages viable, so the cruise line has taken the practical decision to cancel the entire Alaska season and all departures up to and including the 8 September, 2020.
Simon Palethorpe, President, Cunard said, “These are unprecedented times and this global outbreak continues to challenge Cunard, our industry and our world in unimaginable ways. We would love nothing more than to bring our fleet back in to service, and give our guests the holidays they deserve and long for, but with the lockdowns and travel restrictions in place around the world, this is simply not possible at this time.”
He added, “We have been sailing for 180 years and we look forward to many more. We will get through these tough times together and look forward to welcoming our guests back on board again when the time is right.”
As Cunard has done previously during this pause period, guests who are booked on cancelled voyages will automatically be given a 125% refund of the fare paid in the form of a Future Cruise Credit. This may be used on any sailing before the end of March 2022. Guests may now also use their Future Cruise Credit for a second cabin to bring friends or family or to upgrade an existing booking.
Full details of the changes to operations and options available to guests due to travel on cancelled voyages, can be found at Cunard web.
Cunard will continue to monitor government guidelines and travel restrictions around the world, and this may mean there are further changes to the timing of when each of the ships returns to service.
Updated March 30, 2020
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Cunard has made the decision to take the preventative measure of extending the suspension of all voyages an extra month from April 11 up to and including May 15, 2020.
Cunard will continue to monitor government guidelines and travel restrictions in ports of call around the world, and this may mean there are further changes to the timing of when each of the ships returns to service.
Simon Palethorpe, President, Cunard said, “The impact of COVID-19 is affecting personal routines and businesses as well as placing significant travel restrictions around the world. Everyone in the Cunard team is aware of the need to support the management and containment of COVID-19 globally. This includes protecting the health and safety of our guests and crew. It is therefore right we extend the pause in operations.”
He added: “It is too soon to know exactly how this situation will evolve. But I do know that we, the Cunard team, will commit all our resources, energy and talent to weather this storm and come out stronger than ever for our guests. We have been sailing for 180 years and we look forward to many more. We will get through these tough times together and look forward to welcoming our guests back on board again soon, when the time is right.”
Cunard guests who were due to sail between April 11 and May 15 will automatically receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit. This can be redeemed against any new booking, on any voyage sailing before the end of March 2022, providing the booking is made by the end of December 2021.
Updated March 16, 2020
As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19, and following the recommendation by the Cruise Lines International Association for cruise lines to voluntarily and temporarily suspend operations from U.S. ports for 30 days, Cunard will be suspending new cruises on its ships until April 11, 2020.
Cunard president Simon Palethorpe said:
“Having reviewed all of our ship operations and industry recommendations, we have decided no new guests or crew will be joining our ships as we suspend operations until April 11, 2020.
“This pause in operations has been done in an abundance of caution to support the global effort to contain the spread of Covid-19.”
All guests impacted directly by this temporary suspension are being contacted regarding their voyage and their options.
Palethorpe continued: “These truly are unprecedented times, the likes of which we have certainly never seen before. We are really sorry for the disruption and disappointment that this extraordinary measure will cause. We hope everyone will understand that we have to take these measures in the interests of protecting the wellbeing of our guests and crew.”