Cunard has announced the line-up of new guest speakers for its 2014 world cruises on Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria.

The lineup includes a range of authors, journalists, TV writers and a professor and scientist.

The first guest speaker for the year will be award-winning TV writers, Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais. They will speak on Queen Mary 2 as she sails from Southampton to Cape Town.

Queen Mary 2 will also feature author, journalist and broadcaster, Sir Max Hastings from 28 January as she sails from Cape Town to Sydney as well as human fertility expert, Lord Robert Winston from 2 March on her journey from Bali to Shanghai.

Best-selling author, writer and broadcaster, Bill Bryson will join Queen Elizabeth as she sails from New York to San Francisco from 18 January. While on Queen Victoria, Royal Family expert, Jennie Bond will hop on board from 12 January from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires. And a former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord West will sail between Buenos Aires to Chile from 28 January to 9 February.

Cunard Line chief executive David Dingle said guest speakers bring an “extra dimension of interest” to sailings and the passenger experience.

“The quality of our ‘Insights’ speaker program on board our ships is something which sets Cunard apart and we are delighted to welcome such pre-eminent and internationally respected figures to our 2014 world cruise speaker line-up,” Mr Dingle explained.

Cunard was the first cruise company to introduce speakers on board its ships in 1974. The first lineup featured Nelson Mandela, John Cleese, President Jimmy Carter and Baz Luhrmann.