Queen Mary 2 to return to Australia in 2009

Cunard Line has announced that it luxurious Queen Mary 2 and its newest ocean liner, Queen Victoria, will make encore visits to Australia in 2009 as part of the globe’s most traditional world voyage program.

Cunard’s biggest and second biggest liners ever, respectively, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will together offer an unprecedented 2300 staterooms on the line’s popular world voyages.

And for the first time, discerning travelers boarding Cunard’s legendary world voyages will be able to choose from two modern, state-of-the-art liners, with the 151,400-ton Queen Mary 2 built in 2004 and the 90,000-ton Queen Victoria to be launched in December 2007.

Cunard’s liners have circumnavigated the world since 1922 when the line’s Laconia became the world’s first ocean liner to circle the globe.

As the world’s longest (345m), tallest  (62m above the sea) and widest (41m) ocean liner, the famous Queen Mary 2 will make its second visit to Australia on February 26, 2009, when she calls at Sydney as part of a 90-day world voyage from Fort Lauderdale, USA.

Queen Mary 2’s first visit to Sydney in February this year drew huge crowds to the harbour and coincided with a visit by ‘little’ sister, QE2, which will leave the fleet later next year to become a luxury floating hotel in Dubai.

In 2009, Queen Victoria will also make her second visit to Australia, calling at Hobart (February 17, 2009), Sydney (February 19-20, 2009) and Cairns (February 23, 2009) during an epic 107-night circumnavigation of the globe. Queen Victoria will make her first visit to Australia in February 2008 when she will rendezvous in Sydney Harbour with QE2, which will be making her final visit to Australia. Queen Victoria will also visit Melbourne, Brisbane and Port Douglas.

Cunard President Carol Marlow said Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria were designed to recreate the golden age of ocean travel and were tailor-made for world voyages.

“Cunard offers discerning passengers a timeless legacy reflecting an era when crossing the oceans on a stately liner was the embodiment of the good life – when getting there was often more important than arriving,” Ms Marlow said.

“Everything feels more special on ships that are international icons – from the fanfare our grand and elegant liners receive in cities around the world to our signature white glove greetings on embarkation and formal balls. Sailing aboard a Cunard liner is much more than a cruise – it’s an event most people would love to do at least once in their lives.”

Queen Mary 2’s ‘Epic Expedition’ world voyage will depart Fort Lauderdale, USA, on January 13, 2009, and visit 26 ports in 24 countries including Brazil, Chile, Samoa, Japan, India, Egypt, Greece and Italy. A range of full voyage, line voyage and sectors are available including 15 nights from Los Angeles to Sydney from A$5489 per person*, 23 nights from Sydney to Dubai from A$7659 per person* and 43 nights from Fort Lauderdale to Sydney from A$12,629 per person*.

Meanwhile, Queen Victoria’s ‘Exploration of Distant Horizons’ world voyage will depart Southampton in the UK on January 2, 2009, and visit 38 ports in 25 countries including USA, Guatemala, Tonga. Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore, Jordan, Turkey and Spain. Sectors include 40 nights from New York to Sydney from A$10,769 per person* and 48 nights from Southampton to Sydney from A$12,429 per person*.

More details on Cunard’s 2009 world voyage program are available via travel agents or call Cunard on 13 24 41 or visit www.cunardline.com.au.

* Fares are cruise only, per person in a complete twin stateroom. Subject to availability and conditions apply.

Report by The Mole

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