The 2024 Highlights of Australia

Holidays booked prior to 3 August 2022: For any bookings made prior to 3 August 2022, if you wish to reschedule your holiday, you can make one further booking transfer up to the date that the balance for their holiday is due. This is available on Cunard Fare and Early Saver fare types. However, the new booking must be of equal or higher value and must sail within 12 months of the original departure date (or 6 months for a World Voyage or World Voyage sector).

Holidays booked from 3 August 2022 onwards: For any bookings made after 3 August 2022, if you wish to reschedule your holiday, you can take advantage of Cunards fee-free flexible transfer policy if you have booked on a Cunard Fare. This means you can:

• Transfer your booking once
• Transfer your booking free of charge
• Transfer your booking to a holiday of equal or higher value
• Transfer your booking up to the date that the balance for their holiday is due (90 days prior to departure of their existing booking)
• Transfer your booking to a holiday sailing within 12 months of the original departure date (or 6 months if transferring from a full World Voyage or World Voyage sector)

Effective from 3 August 2022: Cunard will continue to offer a flexible transfer policy, where guests can transfer their booking free of charge to another booking of equal or higher value, as long as this change is made before the balance due date of the existing booking.

Terms & Conditions apply. Excludes exclusive Reader Offers Limited Package Holiday. All guests of all ages need to be fully vaccinated with two doses of a recognised vaccine* a minimum of 14 days prior to travel. If more than 270 days have elapsed since the second vaccine then a booster vaccine will also be required. The 270 days will be calculated from the day of disembarkation from your cruise. To help you, we’ve provided these dates in the ‘Affected voyages’ document below. Booster vaccinations need to have been administered a minimum of seven days prior to embarkation. All guests must have received their 3rd booster vaccine at least 7 days prior to departure to travel.

For all departures until further notice, the vaccination policy applies: 

Guests aged 16 and over will be required to be fully vaccinated by an approved health provider. If more than 270 days have passed since your last dose,  a booster vaccination will be required.  The vaccine must have been administered within a minimum of 14 days of travel. If more than 270 days from the last day of cruise passes since the last completion date of your vaccination course, a booster vaccine must be administered a minimum of 7 days prior to travel. 

At this time, a second booster vaccination is not required but is strongly recommended. 

All guests aged 12 - 15 years are also required to be vaccinated, with the last administered date at least 14 days prior to embarkation. Booster vaccinations are not required. Guests aged 5 - 11 are required to be fully vaccinated or they must provide two negative COVID-19 test results. Guests aged 5 and under are exempt from pre-departure requirements. 

From 6th September 2022, all guests aged 18 and over need to be fully vaccinated with an approved Covid 19 vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to travel. If more than 270 days (calculated from the last day of the cruise) have passed since the full completion of a vaccination course, a booster vaccine will also be needed and must be administered a minimum of seven days prior to travel. Guests who have had one booster vaccine, regardless of the date, are considered fully vaccinated. At this time, a second booster vaccination is not required, however, we strongly recommend all guests to have booster vaccinations at the earliest opportunity, should they be available to them, in order to comply with evolving vaccine policies from the countries we visit.

Guests 17 years of age and under are not required to be vaccinated.

From 6th September 2022, self-testing prior to travel for cruises of 15 nights or less will change from 'mandatory' to 'highly recommended' for vaccinated guests on the majority of itineraries. Children who are aged 5-11 years old, who are not fully vaccinated, will still be required to provide a negative lateral flow/antigen test prior to embarkation.

Guests sailing on longer, more complex itineraries will still be required to have an observed antigen or PCR test with a fit to travel certificate prior to departure. These include a number of holidays of 16 nights or more and other specific cruises, more information will be provided in the pre cruise information as to which cruises this new testing requirement will apply to.

These new guidelines apply to all Cunard itineraries sailing from Southampton and all other departure points with the exception of countries where government regulations and protocols may vary including Canada and Australia.

From 9th December 2022, guests will no longer be required to complete an online health declaration three days before departure. Some voyages, such as those embarking or disembarking in Canada or USA, will still be required to complete a health declaration at the terminal.

From 1st January 2023, for voyages sailing up to and including 1st March 2023 (for Queen Victoria) & 21st March (for Queen Mary 2), the reference for 270 days to have passed to have a booster vaccination will be removed. For voyages with standard requirements, a booster vaccination will no longer be mandatory, however this will still be strongly recommended. Testing requirements will also be removed for unvaccinated guests aged 5-17. For voyages with enhanced requirements, testing will change from observed to self-administered and where there is a requirement for a booster vaccination, these must have been administered within 14 days prior to travel.

From 13th October 2021, guests will be able to go ashore independently but must adhere to the specific COVID-19 protocols in each destination. However, as restrictions in each destination are changeable, and some destinations may only allow cruise line organised experiences ashore, we highly recommend you purchase Cunard shore experiences prior to travel to ensure you always have the option to explore each destination.

For information on Cunard’s enhanced wellbeing measures, please click here.

Cunard has three standard staterooms; Britannia Inside Staterooms, Britannia Single Oceanview Staterooms and Britannia Oceanview Staterooms and two balcony staterooms; Britannia Balcony Staterooms and Britannia Club Balcony Staterooms, for you to choose from. As you may expect, the main difference between a standard cabin and a balcony stateroom is the added luxury of your own private balcony from which you can enjoy ocean views. In both standard and balcony cabins, guests can enjoy; half a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, fresh fruit on request, 24-hour room service, nightly turndown service, satellite TV, a direct-dial telephone, refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, a safe, daily shipboard programme, a bathrobe and slippers, Penhaligon’s toiletries and dining in the Britannia Restaurant. Guests in Britannia Club Balcony Staterooms benefit from a pillow concierge menu with up to 7 pillows to choose from.

Cunard has two balcony staterooms; Britannia Balcony Staterooms and Britannia Club Balcony Staterooms and two suite categories; Princess Grill Suites and Queens Grill Suites. As you may expect, the main difference between a balcony stateroom and a suite is space and the amenities offered. In balcony cabins, guests can enjoy; half a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, fresh fruit on request, 24-hour room service, nightly turndown service, satellite TV, a direct-dial telephone, refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, a safe, a daily shipboard programme, a bathrobe and slippers, Penhaligon’s toiletries and dining in the Britannia Restaurant. In a Princess Grill Suite, guests can enjoy all those things alongside; in-suite dining from the Princess Grill menu, concierge service, use of an Illy coffee machine, personalised stationery, an atlas, priority embarkation, access to Courtyard, Grills Lounge and Grills Terrace on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth and access to Grills Lounge and Grills Terrace on Queen Mary 2. A Queens Grill Suite includes all of the exclusive amenities found in the Princess Grill Suite as well as Butler service, Champagne and chocolates on arrival, pre-dinner canapes, in-suite dining from the Queens Grill menu, a complimentary bar, books and an atlas, priority disembarkation, priority tender services as well as an iPad and a Playstation 4 in select suites.

Yes, each of Cunard’s ships has several staterooms equipped to accommodate wheelchair or mobility scooter users.

All staterooms are equipped with a safe into which you can programme your own personal code.

Yes, room service is available 24-hours a day. Room service menus will be available in your stateroom.

Each ship in the Cunard fleet offers alternative dining options which are available to everyone. On Queen Mary 2 choose from Boardwalk Café, Carinthia Lounge, Golden Lion, Kings Court, Sir Samuel’s and Steakhouse at The Verandah restaurant. On Queen Victoria choose from Chart Room, Golden Lion, Lido restaurant and Steakhouse at The Verandah restaurant. On Queen Elizabeth choose from Café Carinthia, Golden Lion, Lido restaurant, Steakhouse at The Verandah restaurant and Garden Lounge.

In addition, each ship will offer alternative dining cuisine each evening. This may include Italian, Indian, Pan Asian, American Smokehouse and Tex Mex.

Cunard requests that guests with special dietary requirements inform them six months prior to departure or at the time of booking. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that special dietary requirements are met, this cannot be guaranteed.

Every Cunard crew member puts their heart and skill into ensuring you experience legendary White Star Service during your time on board. For waiters, stateroom stewards and those supporting behind the scenes, a hotel and dining service charge is added to your on board account and every dollar collected goes directly to the crew members. Of course, should you wish to individually reward any other crew member who has made your time on board particularly memorable, please feel free to do so.

The service charge is calculated by stateroom category, as follows: Queens and Princess Grill Suites - $16.50 per person per day, Britannia Staterooms - $14.50 per person per day.

The currency on board all ships is the US Dollar.

Yes, during the day you’ll probably find yourself most comfortable in stylish casual wear such as shorts and smart jeans. Swimming costumes, micro shorts, sarongs and gym wear should be reserved for the poolside, on deck or in the spa and fitness centre.

In the evening, the dress code will be Gala Evenings or Smart Attire. For gentlemen, Gala Evenings should be a dinner jacket, tuxedo or dark suit with regular bow tie while for ladies, cocktail dresses, smart trouser suits or formal separates are acceptable. Smart trousers with a shirt and jacket with an optional tie for men is required for Smart Attire and blouses and skirts or stylish trousers and dresses for women.

The official language on board is English and all announcements and printed information is in English. As an international company with worldwide cultural appeal, Cunard also provides assistance in French, German, Spanish and in some instances, Japanese.

Unless stated otherwise, the ship will be in port for a full day which may be a minimum of 7½ hours and a maximum of 11 hours. In some cases, you may spend half a day in port which will usually be a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 7 hours. Times will vary according to the cruise and port.