Cunard extends the Queen Elizabeth’s season

by Bernadette Chua

The Queen Elizabeth in Tasmania

Cunard has announced a 60-day extension of the Queen Elizabeth’s Australian cruise season, her longest ever yet. The ship will be sailing on a number of new itineraries until 9 May 2020.

The traditional British cruise line said the prolonged season Down Under was due to the outbreak of coronavirus, currently ongoing in Asia.

“The extension of Queen Elizabeth’s Australia and New Zealand season is a result of the current uncertainty due to travel restrictions and port closures in Asia and their effect on cruise operations in the region,” said Katrina McAlpine, Commercial Director Cunard Australia and New Zealand.

“In response to the operational uncertainties in Asia, Queen Elizabeth will instead remain in local waters for another 60 days. This extended Australia season will benefit local tourism with 29 visits to ports around the country during her additional 60-day deployment.”

The highlights of the luxurious ship’s six new itineraries include her first ever 27-night full circumnavigation of Australia as well as calls to destinations such as Eden and Kangaroo Island, which have both welcomed cruise ship visits as a timely contribution following the bushfire emergency.

On 9 May, Queen Elizabeth will depart Sydney on a 24-night Transpacific crossing to Vancouver via New Caledonia, Honolulu, Maui, LA and San Francisco before the 2,000-passenger ship will commence her 2020 Alaska programme.

Cunard has already contacted guests booked on Queen Elizabeth’s Asia and Japan itineraries about the changes and is offering full refunds and special incentives to book a new voyage.

 

Highlights of the new Queen Elizabeth program include:

  • The ships first ever 27-night full circumnavigation of Australia with stops in Sydney, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Melbourne between April 12 to May 7.
  • Two six-night Tasmania voyages ex Sydney sailing to Eden, Port Arthur, Hobart, Burnie and Melbourne.
  • Two 11-night New Zealand voyages ex Sydney visiting Wellington, Tauranga, Auckland and the Bay of Islands.
  • 24-night Transpacific crossing from Sydney to Vancouver via New Caledonia, Hawaii (Honolulu and Maui), Los Angeles and San Francisco.

 

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8 thoughts on “Cunard extends the Queen Elizabeth’s season”

  2. We equally have not been contacted by Cunard or our travel agent Imagine Cruises it is now 27th Feb. We were booked on the Tokyo to Vancover cruise in May. According to Cunard T&C it states:
    Cunard will inform the Passenger of any such cancellation or change of Package as quickly as possible (with, where appropriate, written confirmation as soon as reasonably possible thereafter)
    It also states:
    Period of notification given by Cunard Compensation per full fare paying Passenger 90 to 43 days 5% cruise credit 42 to 29 days 10% cruise credit 28 to 15 days 15% cruise credit 14 to 0 days 20% cruise credit Cunard may also cancel the Contract and give a full refund of monies paid, 
    Why have we not been notified? We only found out because we saw an advert for Queen Elizabeth cruise Sydney to Vancover on the dates we were booked.
    Very poor customer service.

  3. How disappointing that Cunard did give the option for you to take the cruise.
    Cunard did not advise their regular customers regarding the Sydney to San Francisco
    cruise in May.
    My friend book through an agent and was able to secure the tickets at half the price
    that Cunard was offering.
    Should we trust Cunard again? Wheres the customer service.
    I think we will look at other cruise lines.

  7. It is not true that “Cunard has already contacted guests booked on Queen Elizabeth’s Asia and Japan itineraries about the changes …”. Cunard have not contacted us at all (Friday 21 February, 16.10GMT), their website does not allow us to log in to the Japan/Alaska cruise that we had booked, and our travel agents (Imagine Cruising) had not spoken to us until I telephoned them this lunchtime.

    The reason I contacted Imagine today is that they had sent details of the new Sydney to San Francisco cruise on Queen Elizabeth, which I noticed was the same dates that we had booked on the QE for Japan/Alaska. I appreciate that Coronavirus has caused massive problems but customers with upcoming bookings on Cunard are still in the dark – not a great advertisement for customer service!

  8. I am interested in the circumnavigation of Australia in lieu of the cruise we had planned from Brisbane to Brisbane 19/2 – 11/3 which has been cancelled

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