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The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World Since 1840

Cunard Line has captured the imaginations of generations of cruise lovers since the 19th century and is synonymous with the elegance and grand tradition of transatlantic cruising.

Originally known as the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the line was founded in 1839 by Samuel Cunard, principally to carry the Royal Mail between Britain and North America.

The company operated the first timetabled steamship service across the Atlantic Ocean in 1840. Almost a century later, it acquired fellow British steam packet company, White Star Line, in 1935 and became known as Cunard Line.

Cunard Line’s modern-day fleet includes the magnificent Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, which together offer regular voyages to Northern Europe, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, North America and annual world cruises.

Cunard’s 21st century flagship, Queen Mary 2, entered service in 2004 and now provides the only scheduled transatlantic liner service, maintaining the legacy of her Cunard and White Star predecessors. The A$1 billion liner  – the longest in the world and the biggest vessel ever to visit Australia and New Zealand – combines the last word in style with a rich heritage reaching back into the ‘golden era’ of cruising.

Meanwhile the 90,000-tonne Queen Victoria debuted in late 2007, offering distinctive elegance and luxury as well as a sense of space and height in the grand tradition of ocean liners. She also introduced a few firsts to the oceans, including the only private theatre boxes and double-storey library at sea.

Queen Victoria is the latest in a long line of classic Cunard liners including Carpathia, famous for rescuing survivors of the ill-fated Titanic; Mauretania, which held the “Blue Riband” for the fastest Atlantic crossing for 22 years; and Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, which carried between them more than 1.5 million troops during World War II.

Following the departure of the world famous Queen Elizabeth 2 from the line’s fleet in November 2008, construction of a new Queen Elizabeth is well underway, with the 92,000-tonne ship set to be the second biggest Cunarder ever when she enters service in October 2010.

Cunard’s latest legendary liners are already well known to Australia and New Zealand. Queen Mary 2 and QE2 made history when they met in Sydney Harbour during world voyages on February 20, 2007, with QM2 breaking the record as the biggest ship ever to visit Australia and NZ. Another spectacular rendezvous occurred again in Sydney on February 24, 2008 when the QE2 and brand new Queen Victoria met – the former on her final visit and the latter on her first.

Cunard Line is a member of Carnival Corporation, the world’s biggest cruise company with a portfolio of 11 cruise brands and 89 ships. Carnival Corporation brands include P&O Cruises Australia, P&O Cruises World Voyages in the UK, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and Costa Cruises.

Visit www.cunardline.com.au or call 13 24 41 for reservations within Australia.

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