Cunard has created a fresh lineup of special event cruises with topics during its voyages in 2017 and 2018. From fashion icons to NASA astronauts, and puzzle masters to family historians, esteemed experts will dazzle like-minded passengers on various itineraries and on all three ships – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS (June 8, 2017 | V714): Queen Victoria’s June 8-22, 2017 voyage features shore excursions to the exquisite gardens and flower markets of the Canary Islands including stops in Tenerife and Lanzarote to glimpse into the world of visionary artist César Manrique. Also included is an overnight stay in the floral paradise of Madeira with an evening dinner at Madeira’s Quinta Jardins do Lago botanical garden hotel, plus workshops designed to enhance guests’ appreciation of the floral arts.
ARTS AND LITERARY TOUR (July 1, 2017 | Q723): Queen Elizabeth will sail the British Isles, July 1-14, 2017, to explore the artistic side of ports including Rotterdam, Newhaven, and Liverpool, in the company of actor Robert Powell and Louise West, Trustee of the Charles Dickens Museum and Former Senior Curator of the Jane Austen House. Book Club get-togethers, Cunard Insights talks and events hosted by Clarendon Fine Art will allow guests to gain a deeper understanding of the life and works of popular authors like Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Beatrix Potter and Victor Hugo.
TRANSATLANTIC FASHION WEEK 2017 (August 31, 2017 | M732B): Fashion icon Iris Apfel, known for her individual style and joyful flair, will be featured on Cunard’s second annual Transatlantic Fashion Week, August 31, 2017. A glamorous array of fashion shows, exhibitions, lectures and hosted dinners will be featured on this 2017 Queen Mary 2 voyage including guests Julien Macdonald, Colin McDowell, Gail Sackloff and more. Colin McDowell, Hal Rubenstein, Richard Young, Hilary Alexander and Gail Sackloff have already been announced for the third annual Transatlantic Fashion Week Crossing in September 2018.
WORLD SPACE WEEK (October 6, 2017 | M737): To celebrate the United Nations International World Space Week, Queen Mary 2’s October 6, 2017 Crossing will feature top space experts including astronaut, scientist and former shuttle pilot, Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman; Charles Barclay, of the Royal Astronomical Society; Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic; and Ken Taggart, NASA historian.
CELEBRATION OF THE TIMES CROSSWORD (December 8, 2017 | M745): On December 8, 2017, The New York Times crossword puzzle editors will sail on a Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing in celebration of the crossword’s 75th anniversary. Daily game sessions, lectures and crossword-themed activities will fill this voyage for problem-solving passengers.
THE NEW YORK TIMES INSIGHTS SERIES: Cunard has partnered with The New York Times to offer engaging speakers from this national news source on six Eastbound Transatlantic Crossings on Queen Mary 2 from May through December in 2017. Topics will include national security, climate change, economics, sports, politics, and much more.
VOYAGE DU VIN (June 1, 2018 | V819): Queen Victoria’s first dedicated Voyage du Vin, June 1-8, 2018, will introduce guests to some of Europe’s finest wine and port destinations such as Oporto, Lisbon and Vigo. This voyage will also include tastings from Cunard’s wine list, which features more than 400 wines from 23 different countries. Passengers will have the opportunity to join the new Cunard Wine Academy and take the Wines and Spirits Education Trust Level 1. The voyage will feature a bespoke series of dinners, tastings and master classes with leading Iberian wine producers and experts.
A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN (July 1, 2018 | Q820): Guests on Queen Elizabeth’s Norwegian Voyage, July 1-13, 2018, will learn professional tips from esteemed experts such as Ross Hoddinott, one of England’s leading wildlife and landscape photographers, and take a trip to the Arctic Circle to photograph the stunning phenomenon of the “midnight sun.”
A JOURNEY OF GENEALOGY (November 4, 2018 | M842): For the first time ever Cunard has collaborated with Ancestry.com, the largest online family history resource in the world, to offer guests the opportunity to trace their family trees on a Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing. Ancestry experts will be on board this November 4, 2018 sailing to help guests follow their family’s journeys, learn about family history, sift through records and discover their ethnic origins with AncestryDNA. One in five immigrants came to the U.S. on a Cunard liner so this collaboration is a perfect fit for passengers who want to trace the steps of their ancestors.
CARTOONISTS AT SEA PRESENTED BY THE NEW YORKER (June – Nov 2018): A unique opportunity to join cartoonists as they host lectures and workshops aboard five select 2018 Eastbound Transatlantic Crossings.
Additional special event cruises include:
Kiel Week (June 10, 2017 | Q721): Queen Elizabeth will call at Kiel, Germany during the middle of Kiel Week, the largest annual sailing event in the world. Featuring both tall ships and modern racers, Kiel Week has also become a popular festival of music, food and fun.
Fourth of July (July 1, 2017 | M724): An exciting Independence Day Celebration aboard Queen Mary 2 with calls to the historic ports of Halifax and Boston.
Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria’s “Big Band Ball” (QE: Aug 20-25, 2017 | Q727; QV: Nov 13-18, 2017 | V726): a magnificent 13-piece Big Band Orchestra, for guests who like to dance and sing to the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Michael Bublé and Frank Sinatra.
Queen Elizabeth celebrating QE2’s 50th Anniversary (September 8, 2017 | Q729): a special cruise honoring the 50th anniversary of Cunard’s best-loved ship, the iconic QE2.
Le Havre 500th Anniversary (September 14, 2017 | M734): Queen Mary 2 will visit Le Havre during its 500th Anniversary as celebrations take place across the city. The voyage will begin in Southampton, then visit Le Havre, before crossing the Atlantic to New York.
For more information about Cunard and to book a voyage, contact your Travel Agent, call Cunard toll-free at 1-800-728-6273, or visit www.cunard.com.
