Cunard, the premium to luxury market unit in the Carnival Corporation & plc group, said it would cancel a number of winter 2021-22 long haul cruises, but proceed according to previously published plans to resume cruising from the UK on 19 July.

Due to the ongoing complexities of navigating global travel, Cunard has announced that they will be cancelling the following voyages: 

-        Queen Elizabeth’s sailings from the UK to Australia and her homeport season in Australia from the 18 October, 2021 up to and including the 9 March, 2022.  

-        World Voyages on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in 2022 are now cancelled.

-        Queen Victoria’s sailings from the 10 September, 2021 up to and including the 29 April, 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.

 Cunard president Simon Palethorpe, said in a statement: “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.”

Cunard will resume operations from 19 July, 2021 as Queen Elizabeth welcomes guests on board for a series of UK voyages from Southampton and beginning 13 October, 2021 sailing internationally with new voyages including to the Iberian coast and the Canary Islands. 

Queen Elizabeth will then leave the UK in mid-February to resume her previously scheduled season in Japan from 13 April, 2022.

Queen Mary 2 will resume sailing with a Transatlantic crossing on 14 November, 2021 as per her existing schedule and will now sail on a series of voyages around the Caribbean between January and April, 2022, with embarkation options from Southampton, New York and Hamburg before resuming her existing published schedule on 24 April, 2022.

Queen Victoria will embark on three new voyages departing from Southampton from the 22 April, 2022 which include Western Europe, the Baltics and the Iberian Coast before resuming her existing published schedule on 20 May, 2022.