What perfect timing. Cunard’s luxurious Queen Elizabeth sailed into Sydney Harbour yesterday on the same day that King Charles and Queen Camilla flew in to begin their Royal tour.
Cunard invited the Monarch to visit the ship which was christened by his mother Queen Elizabeth II some 14 years ago, but he respectfully declined citing a busy schedule of official engagements.
However, Australian cruise fans will have plenty of chances to see and sail on the iconic ship as it starts its record 125-night homeport season here, visiting 65 ports and coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Cunard’s visits to our waters.
Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.Queen Elizabeth’s arrival also heralded the official start of the 2024/25 Australian cruise season.
LATTE was invited onboard for a walk-around inspection followed by a delicious lunch in the stunning Veranda restaurant, and it was hard not be impressed by her elegance and British ambience from top to tail across her 12 decks.
“She will operate 16 cruises from Sydney with specially curated itineraries that’ll include some of Australia’s greatest authors, chefs and high-profile speakers”, said Matt Gleaves, Cunard’s VP Commercial North America and Australasia.
“We will host Cunard’s inaugural Australian Literature Festival at Sea, headlined by international best-selling authors such as Alexander McCall Smith, Fiona McIntosh and Dr Anita Heiss.”
Gleaves said the highly regarded Great Australian Culinary Voyage will return for its third iteration featuring a star-studded line-up of culinary elite including Matt Moran, Nornie Bero, Darren Purchese and Julie Goodwin.
The ship has a capacity for just over 2,000 passengers and 900 crew and not surprisingly, the Line says it has had unprecedented demand for the upcoming voyages as Australia is Cunard’s third-largest market, after Britain and the USA.
Gleaves told LATTE that guests want to come on Cunard to have that British experience.
“We provide that with the white glove afternoon tea service, part of our White Star service that we get from our crew which really resonates with Aussies. I think that little touch of England is quite nice for people to have that experience,” he said.But there is also a touch of Australia to be seen with LATTEnoticing many crew members dressed up in snazzy red uniforms made by RM Williams.
He said Queen Elizabeth is here all the way through to February which starts today with a circumnavigation of Australia but there will be cruises to Tasmania and South Pacific voyages.
“We will be providing our guests a nostalgic walk down memory lane with a superb photo exhibition displaying iconic moments in Cunard’s connection to Australia from where it all began in 1924 with the arrival of Albania.
This was followed by Cunards’ support as troop carriers during WW2 and enabling ‘Ten Pound Poms’ to start a new life in Australia during the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme in the 1950s.
“As for Queen Elizabeth, better get in quick, we only have a few beds left as we close out this season, but she’ll be joined here alongside her sister ship, Queen Anne on February 28 which is our brand new ship who’s doing her inaugural World Voyage and will be visiting Sydney.”
The iconic Queens promise a remarkable exploration of the region welcoming more than 35,000 guests.
Cunard says Queen Anne is reimagining a new golden age of travel with her striking new design, novel experience coupled with much-loved signature venues that include the new speakeasy-style Bright Lights Society and dining options from two-Michelin-starred chef, Michel Roux.
Cunard and Australia – bound by history united in luxury.
