Cunard Line announces new international itineraries, which will follow the domestic sailings that will begin in July 2021 with Queen Elizabeth. It comes as the cruise line has been on hold since March 2020, but now finally, cruise lines are making a comeback in the UK. There are also further cancellations into 2022.
Cunard Line’s Comeback!
Queen Elizabeth will restart operations from July 19, 2021, with domestic UK sailings out of the Port of Southampton. The ship will also venture further out starting on October 13, 2021, with international cruises to the Iberian coast and the Canary Islands. The vessel will then reposition to resume her previously scheduled cruises in Japan from April 13, 2022.
Even more good news from Cunard with Queen Mary 2 resuming sailings on November 14, 2021, starting with a transatlantic crossing. She will sail in the Caribbean between January and April 2022. The ship will then resume regularly scheduled sailings on April 24, 2022. By then, the cruise industry should be back to some normality.
Simon Palethorpe, president of Cunard said, “On July 19 Queen Elizabeth’s crew and I will be welcoming guests on board as at long last we start our return to sailing. This will be a momentous day for Cunard as after a long pause we finally get back to doing what we love doing, hosting guests for fantastic vacations. To say we cannot wait would be an understatement!”
Queen Victoria will also resume operations on April 22, 2022, in western Europe, the Baltics, and the Iberian Coast. However, it does mean the ship will remain on hold until then, and Cunard canceling many scheduled voyages. The ship will also resume regular offerings on May 20, 2022.
Also Read: Cruise Line Has Busiest Booking Day in a Decade
Cunard Cancellations
So now that Cunard has a resatrt plans on when each of the ship’s will resume cruises, there are also further cancellations around the world.
Palethorpe continued to say, “Sadly, the path for a return to sailing across international waters is less clear and we are extremely sorry for the huge disappointment cancellations will cause for all guests who have been affected. Unfortunately, there are simply too many international ports of call affected by the ongoing complexities of COVID-19, which has sadly led to this decision.”
“We’re really excited about the new itineraries mentioned, such as Queen Mary 2’s sailings around the Caribbean, and hopefully these will appeal to those looking for some much needed winter sun and those looking for adventure later this year and in 2022.”
Here are the fleet cancellations:
- Queen Elizabeth’s sailings from the UK to Australia and her homeport season in Australia from October 18, 2021 up to and including March 9, 2022.
- World Voyages on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in 2022 are now cancelled.
- Queen Victoria’s sailings from September 10, 2021 up to and including April 29, 2022 are now cancelled.
- However, five of Queen Victoria’s sailings will transfer onto identical voyages on sister ship Queen Elizabeth. These voyages are V126, V128, V129, V130 and V201.
Impacted guests will automatically receive a 125% future cruise credit from Cunard. There is also the option to request a 100% refund if a cruise is no longer wanted.
