Even with just three ships, Cunard Line has a storied legacy. Starting in 1840 Cunard instituted regular trans-Atlantic crossings between Southampton, England, and New York. Two of Cunard’s most famous ships were the original Queen Mary (going to sea in 1936) and the much-loved QE2 (from 1969). Miami-based Carnival Corporation acquired Cunard in 1998, leading to the arrival of the Queen Mary 2 in 2004—at the time the largest, tallest and most expensive ever built, and the only true ocean liner cruising today. In 2007, the Queen Victoria debuted, followed by the Queen Elizabeth in 2010—two sisters considerably smaller than Queen Mary 2, with traditional cruise-ship hull designs.
Cunard is a bit of an anomaly, with distinctly upper class accommodations—Queens Grill and Princess Grill—complete with exclusive sun decks and dining areas, as well as the more standard Britannia Class. The latter actually represents more than 80 percent of the cabins on each ship, accommodations that tend to be fairly average in size and amenities. But common areas throughout all ships are beautifully designed, with great attention to detail, and there’s a strong emphasis on evening dress codes—many guests use a Cunard cruise as an opportunity to showcase their fanciest duds on both formal and semi-formal nights. While we’ve found food in the main dining room and buffet restaurants to be unexceptional, specialty restaurants can be outstanding. The Cunard fleet gets around, with annual round-the-world sailings and frequent trans-Atlantic crossings on the speedy Queen Mary 2.
Queen Elizabeth is one of the most beautifully designed cruise ships we’ve had the pleasure of sailing. While we can't shake the thought that a certain level of service and amenities were limited only to pricey cabins, what stuck with us well after we returned home was the accessible elegance of the Queen Elizabeth. Read full 10-part review
The flagship liner, the Queen Mary 2, is the largest Cunarder on the ocean, named the world's Top Large Resort Ship by the 2012 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising. Read full 10-part review
