There’s good and bad news for lovers of luxury cruise line Cunard.
Cunard will cease its dedicated Australian sailings with the Queen Elizabeth in 2026 but will still include several Australian ports in its around-the-world voyages.
With more than 300 new voyages, Cunard’s ships – flagship Queen Mary 2, its newest vessel Queen Anne, as well as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – will call at 184 unique destinations around the globe, including 70 countries and 108 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The new program also includes 37 overnight port calls and 66 late-evening departures. There will be five maiden calls for the fleet in Kona, Hawaii; Roatan, Honduras; Dakar, Senegal; Miami, FL; and Molde, Norway.
Queen Anne and Queen Mary 2 will simultaneously sail world voyages beginning in January 2026, visiting cultural capitals such as New York, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Sydney and Melbourne.
Cunard president Katie McAlister said: “We are incredibly excited to have both Queen Anne and Queen Mary 2 offer full world voyages in 2026. We are so thrilled that our guests will, for the first time ever, have the opportunity to transit the Panama Canal on Queen Mary 2.”
Queen Anne
Cunard’s newest ship will visit 102 unique ports with 23 maiden calls including Phuket, Thailand; Cape Town, South Africa; Marseilles, France; and many more. From French vineyards to the African plains, Queen Anne’s new voyages allow guests to explore the world while enjoying the thoughtful interiors and distinctive touches of this contemporary deco-designed ship.
Itinerary highlights:
Full World Voyage, 109 nights
Departing on 11 January 2026, roundtrip from Southampton, guests will relish in the soft sands of South Pacific beaches, glass skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi, and overnight calls in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, and more.
In Australia, Queen Anne will visit Darwin, the Whitsunday Islands, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Guests can also book segments of the World Voyage departing from or ending in Sydney.
Queen Mary 2
The world’s only ocean liner will sail a full world voyage as well as her signature transatlantic crossings, Caribbean, and Canada/New England itineraries. Voyages range from two to 109 nights with 15 overnight calls in iconic cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Reykjavik, Québec City, Sydney, and more. Not just Australian ports such as Sydney, Brisbane, and Darwin are part of her itinerary but also the Bay of Islands, Auckland, and Tauranga in New Zealand.
Southampton to Sydney, 51 nights
Guests will visit Hawaii, French Polynesia, and New Zealand on this itinerary from Southampton on 11 January 2026. During the voyage, Queen Mary 2 will transit the Panama Canal for the first time – a history-making moment – before visiting New York, San Francisco, Kona, then crossing the International Date Line before reaching Auckland and Sydney.
Multi-ship back-to-backs
For adventurous guests who want to experience three ships in one journey, there are multiple opportunities to sample three Cunard Queens back-to-back. One option departs from Seattle, when Queen Elizabeth sails a 21-night voyage transiting the Panama Canal via a call in Los Angeles.
After a connecting flight to New York from Miami, guests will join Queen Mary 2 for a Transatlantic Crossing to Southampton. From there, guests can board Queen Victoria for a 13-night voyage to the Atlantic Islands and Azores that includes an overnight in Funchal, Madeira, and a chance to see gothic-style churches in Ponta Delgada and Porto’s decoratively tiled buildings before returning to Southampton, where the three Queens voyage comes to an end.
Cunard’s World Voyages and World Voyage segments, sailing from September 2025 to January 2027, are available for World Club members to book at 1pm on 5 March. All new voyages are available for World Club members to book starting at 1pm on 6 March 6. All voyages are on sale to the general public from 1pm on 7 March 7.
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Also read: Nine cruises you need to book in advance
