Cunard Receives 'No. 1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line' in Travel + Leisure's 2018 World's Best Awards

Luxury cruise line Cunard receives the coveted award for third consecutive year

 Luxury Cruise Company Cunard has merited 'No.1 Mega- Ship Ocean Cruise Line' in Travel + Leisure's 2018 World's Best Awards readers' survey- the third consecutive year that Cunard has received this accolade. Since 1995, the readers of Travel + Leisure, the largest travel magazine brand in the United States, vote on their favorite destinations, hotels, spas, airlines, cruise lines and more in its World's Best Awards survey.

For 178 years, Cunard's three Queens - Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - have sailed the world on epic voyages, offering effortless and unforgettable ways to experience the world, seamlessly connecting iconic destinations in the utmost style, all with impeccable attention to detail. Cunard holds a unique place in the cruise landscape, continuing a timeless legacy of great ocean liners and transatlantic travel.

"On behalf of Cunard, we are honored to receive the No.1 position by Travel + Leisure's World's Best Award in tBest cruisehe Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line Category for the third consecutive year," said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice president, Cunard North America. "Cunard continues to innovate our award-winning guest experience including significant investments in our young fleet, enhanced White Star Service training, and extraordinarily popular event cruises that celebrate the worlds of fashion, astronomy, and genealogy. We are grateful to the readers of Travel + Leisure for recognizing Cunard with this honor."

Since January 2018, Cunard has implemented enhancements to its legendary White Star Service which included innovative retraining for over 3,000 crew and shoreside employees. With today's rapidly evolving society, tastes and needs in mind, Cunard has continued to commit itself to providing its guests an unprecedented level of service at sea.

For more information about Cunard, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Consultant, call Cunard Line at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com.

For travel agents interested in further information, please contact your Business Development Manager, visit OneSource or call Cunard toll free at 1-800-528-6273.

CunardCunard is the operator of luxury cruise ships Queen Mary 2^®, Queen Victoria^® and Queen Elizabeth^®. Renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment, all three Queens offer luxury accommodations in Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill Suite and Queens Grill Suite staterooms. Cunard is the only line to offer regularly scheduled Transatlantic service between New York and London, and it continues to celebrate the freedom of travel on exciting World Voyage and Grand Voyage itineraries that visit Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Awarded '#1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line' by Travel + Leisure's 2018, 2017 and 2016 World's Best Awards and 'Best World Cruise Itineraries' and 'Best Trans-Atlantic Itineraries' by Porthole Cruise Magazine's 2016 Readers Choice Awards, Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines, a part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the largest cruise vacation company in the world. Together Cunard, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK) operate 102 ships visiting over 700 ports around the world and totaling 226,000 lower berths.

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 Kicks Off 2018 Transatlantic Season

Travelers embrace the trend of slow travel that the iconic Transatlantic Crossing offers: the luxury of time and freedom to create, reflect, imagine, and recharge

 On May 17, 2018 Cunard's flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2 returned to her homeport of New York for her 2018 Transatlantic Season. Following another successful World Cruise season, QM2 will resume her regularly-scheduled service across the Atlantic, a route that began 178 years ago.

Now more than ever, Queen Mary 2's Transatlantic Crossing offers travelers a unique and precious escape from day to day life. Traveling leisurely by sea between New York and England, for seven nights in the North Atlantic, passengers have the time and luxury to dive deeper into their passions and crafts, to explore creative expression, and to hone personal and professional projects that range from journal writing and sketching, to polishing screenplays, musical scores, and more.

Celebrities, writers and artists who have made the most of QM2's Transatlantic Crossings include songwriter, music producer, and actor Ed Sheeran who sailed from New York to England and wrote parts of his latest hit album "Divide;" filmmaking director and screenwriter Wes Anderson, who wrote much of his movie "Isle of Dogs;" and legend Francis Ford Coppola who boarded the liner to put the final touches on his book "The Godfather Notebook."

"Over the past year, Cunard has seen an incredible demand for our product and experience from regions around the world, with double-digit growth within the North American market," said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice president of Cunard North America. "The unique opportunity to step away from day to day life and feel inspired, enriched, and revitalized is one of the reasons passenger feedback continues to be among the best in the industry."

Not only are celebrities and artists fans of Cunard, but royalty has an affinity for QM2 as well. Christened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, Queen Mary 2 has hosted numerous royals on board and is excited to play an integral role in rising tourism to the UK this summer as travelers head to London to get a glimpse of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding site, tour St. Mary's Hospital, where the newest prince was just born, and enjoy the excitement that a new generation of royals ushers in.

Passengers find plenty of room to unwind and feel rejuvenated as they encounter new, surprising pursuits, people, and places. Guests can choose from a multitude of fascinating activities onboard Cunard's three Queens, from wine tasting and cocktail mixology, to painting, fencing, and ballroom dancing lessons, to exploring the largest library afloat, or pondering the mysteries of the universe in the only planetarium at sea.

Cunard's Insights program offers fascinating experts from various industries on every voyage, holding workshops and Q&As throughout the trip. This year Cunard is offering extraordinary special event Crossings throughout the season including collaborations with Ancestry.com, NY Fashion Week, and International Space Week.

QM2 passengers are also thrilled at the opportunity to travel with their four-legged companions onboard the Queen Mary 2, the only ship with kennels on board for dogs and cats.

For those eager to enjoy the elusive luxury of time, Queen Mary 2 will embark on 24 Transatlantic Crossings from May through December this year. Cunard's Big Balcony Eventmakes a Transatlantic Crossing even more irresistible this summer with fares from $999 and up to $1,400 free onboard credit per stateroom and free drinks and free gratuities in the Princess Grill and Queens Grill suites.

For more information about Cunard, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Consultant, call Cunard Line at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com.

For travel agents interested in further information, please contact your Business Development Manager, visit OneSource or call Cunard toll free at 1-800-528-6273.

CunardCunard is the operator of luxury cruise ships Queen Mary 2^®, Queen Victoria^® and Queen Elizabeth^®. Renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment, all three Queens offer luxury accommodations in Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill Suite and Queens Grill Suite staterooms. Cunard is the only line to offer regularly scheduled Transatlantic service between New York and London, and it continues to celebrate the freedom of travel on exciting World Voyage and Grand Voyage itineraries that visit Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Awarded '#1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line' by Travel + Leisure's 2017 and 2016 World's Best Awards and 'Best World Cruise Itineraries' and 'Best Trans-Atlantic Itineraries' by Porthole Cruise Magazine's 2016 Readers Choice Awards, Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines, a part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the largest cruise vacation company in the world. Together Cunard, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK) operate 102 ships visiting over 700 ports around the world and totaling 226,000 lower berths.

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/wearecunard

Cunard's Iconic Queen Mary 2 Makes Boston Debut With Extended Kennel Area

BOSTON, MA - Queen Mary 2 gave a royal welcome to Boston's top Instagram dogs, Nacho (@NachoDogg) and Bear (@KnoxandBear), who enjoyed the new kennels on the Remastered ship at Boston's Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.

CunardCu's flagship ocean liner sailed into Boston today to debut its significant refit costing in the region of $132 million. The luxury liner has been lovingly remastered with new contemporary interior designs and guest experiences, many of which take their design inspiration from the original Queen Mary, which debuted into service 80 years ago. As the only passenger vessel to carry dogs and cats, Queen Mary 2 has expanded its kennel service during this multi-million dollar renovation, adding 12 new kennels for a total of 24.

In addition, the ship extended the kennel area, adding an owner's lounge, new pet playground, and expanded the outdoor area to accommodate an historic British lamppost and American fire hydrant so canines from both sides of the pond feel at home. A full-time Kennel Master takes care of daily pet responsibilities including feeding, walking and cuddling the pets onboard.

Cunard's pet-friendly policy dates back 176 years to the maiden voyage of the Britannia in 1840 when the ship sailed with a cow to provide fresh milk for passengers. Famous canines such as Rin-Tin-Tin, Elizabeth Taylor's pampered pups and the Duke of Windsor's dogs traveled on Cunard, and to continue that tradition, Boston's top Instagram dogs joined Cunard on board the ship to test out the new, expanded kennels.

The refit was conducted in the Blohm + Voss Shipyard, in Hamburg, one of the only shipyards in the world large enough to hold Queen Mary 2. It was a 24-hour a day operation, with over one million man hours put into the refurbishment, during a 25-day period.

The Remastering Features:

• Redesign and refurbishment of the Queens Grill and Princess Grill suites and restaurants, as well as Britannia staterooms, the latter to be fully completed by the end of the year

• The addition of 30 further Britannia Club staterooms, 15 Britannia single staterooms and five Britannia inside staterooms

• Redesign of key public spaces and restaurants, including the transformation of the former Winter Garden into the Carinthia Lounge, the introduction of The Verandah as the ship's new specialty restaurant, and the complete refresh and restructuring of the Kings Court, the ship's popular buffet area

• 12 additional kennels and other enhancements

• And as befitting the flagship of the Cunard fleet, a complete repaint of the ship exterior and significant technical enhancements and structural changes

About Queen Mary 2

Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues a 176-year legacy of transatlantic travel. Queen Mary 2 achieved her 200th transatlantic crossing in July 2013. Iconic luminaries, political figures and celebrities from the Golden Age of Ocean Travel to the present day have sailed with Cunard and aboard Queen Mary 2.

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, The Only Cruise Ship That Lets You Bring Fido

A bulldog poses for a picture on the deck of the Queen Mary 2. Photo by Cunard Cruise Line.

For true animal lovers, the hardest part of traveling is leaving your four-legged friend behind. When Gemma Whitehouse, director of the philanthropic organization, Amanzi Travel, had the opportunity to live in Vancouver for a year, leaving her black labs, Boo and Manzi, home in England was simply out of the question. Not wanting to deal with the hassles of flying, she took advantage of a unique program offered on Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2, the only cruise ship to allow pets onboard.

Cunard has a long history of being a pet-friendly line, having hosted canine celebrities from Rin Tin Tin to Elizabeth Taylor’s puppies. QM2 features a fully equipped onboard kennel, with space for 12 dogs, a playroom and designated outdoor walking areas. The line doesn't allow pets free rein on the ship, but it does offer owners four visiting sessions a day, including a long one in the afternoon, during which dogs can play with their owners on deck.

Kennel fees range from $500 for dogs under 25 pounds, to $700 for larger dogs. Fees for cats, which need two kennels, cost $1,000. Weight restrictions apply, and mastiffs, greyhounds, Great Danes and other large breeds are not allowed. Cunard also requires rabies vaccination paperwork, a recent tapeworm treatment and a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved pet certificate.

Though thrilled to be able to travel with Boo and Manzi, Whitehouse was also anxious, since her dogs had never been in kennels before. Cunard provides everything a pet would need, including: beds, food, blankets and even scratching posts for cats. Still, Whitehouse found herself nervous. She packed her dogs' beds and some toys, along with a thunder shirt -- a compression vest used to calm high-anxiety dogs during storms -- for nervous Boo, in order to give them familiar smells.

Once Whitehouse boarded, any lingering doubts she had were quickly put to rest by Jojo, the kennel master.

According to Whitehouse: "Boo and Manzi made friends with all the other dogs onboard, and were super friendly to the other passengers. But, to be honest, I think their best friend on the cruise was Jojo, since he fed them. Typical Labradors!"

When Whitehouse arrived in New York with Boo and Manzi a year later for her return cruise, Jojo greeted them on the dock with a big smile. Too excited to behave, Boo and Manzi pulled their leashes right out of Whitehouses' hands to rush over and greet their old friend.

Whitehouse with Boo and Manzi.

Contributed By Thomas Faddegon
BonVoyageMag.com
A publication of Cruiseline.com