In a media statement released today, Cunard has confirmed that from 2026, Queen Elizabeth will move from homeporting in Sydney to operating year-round from North America, spending the summer season sailing in and around Alaska.
Commenting on the disappointing news for the Australian cruise industry, Commercial Vice President North America & Australasia Matt Gleaves said, “We know that many guests in Australia and Japan love to sail with Cunard. Queen Elizabeth is already on her way to Australia to begin her 2023/2024 homeport season starting 27 November.
“The ship will also return for her scheduled 2024/2025 season, and whilst this news means that from 2026, there will be no locally based programme, Australia and Asia will remain important destinations on our round-the-world voyages.
“We look forward to welcoming guests from these regions wherever they choose to sail with us,” said Gleaves.
Cunard says it will continue to deliver exciting programs across the fleet of four Queens, “visiting all the incredible destinations that our guests know and love, as well as some lesser-known gems for our guests to explore – from Mediterranean departures to Northern Europe, and across the Transatlantic on Cunard’s famous crossings, there will be plenty for our guests to choose from.”
The cruise line also confirmed that in the winter season, Queen Elizabeth will sail a new programme for Cunard in the Caribbean from Florida.
The Queens, down under in 2023/24
In May 2022, Cunard unveiled over 110 international voyages, sailing on its iconic fleet between 23 October 2023 and 14 May 2024. It included Queen Elizabeth’s homeport season Down Under and the maiden voyages on its new ship, Queen Anne.
Across the new itineraries, the four-ship fleet comprising Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne will call at 126 unique ports in 51 countries, with voyages ranging from two-night city breaks to a 108-night world voyage.
Queen Elizabeth will start her Australian residency with a 6-night voyage from Fremantle on 27 November 2023 before embarking on a series of short break and roundtrip voyages from Melbourne and Sydney, totalling 47 ports of call.
Some of the highlights of Queen Elizabeth’s season include an all-new 10-night exploration of Queensland’s magnificent coast and islands, the ship’s inaugural 14-night roundtrip calling into exotic ports of the South Pacific, and the line’s highly sought-after Christmas and New Year voyage to New Zealand.
Queen Elizabeth then departs Sydney en-route to Japan on 10 March 2024, finishing her 105-day homeport season Down Under.
Queen Mary 2 will begin her season with an Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing from New York before setting off from Southampton on a 108-night World Voyage.
The liner will sail to the Mediterranean, Asia via the Suez Canal, Australia and return to Europe via South Africa.
The famous ship will call into Fremantle on 17 February 2024 and continue along Australia’s magnificent southern and eastern coastline with overnight calls to Melbourne and Sydney.
Queen Victoria will embark on a 107-night World Voyage, departing Southampton on a full circumnavigation of the globe.
The ship will sail westbound to North America, including a transit of the Panama Canal, onwards to Australia via New Zealand Asia, and returning to Europe via South Africa, visiting 32 unique destinations across her new voyages.
She will be stopping in Sydney on March 3, 2024.
Full details of Cunard’s future programs will be released in early 2024.
