Cruise Frog guide
Cunard
Cunard is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton and owned by Carnival Corporation. It sails four ships, led by Queen Mary 2, the only ocean liner still in regular service, which runs scheduled crossings between Southampton and New York as well as cruises and an annual world voyage.
Style
Premium
smaller crowds, better food and service than mainstream
Best for
- Couples
- History and culture
Fleet rating
No ships rated yet.
About Cunard
The company dates to 1840, when Samuel Cunard and his partners began a steamship mail service between Liverpool, Halifax and Boston. Cunard held the Blue Riband for much of its first 30 years, moved its British base to Southampton in 1919, merged with the White Star Line in 1934 and was bought by Carnival in 1998. Queen Mary 2 took over from Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2004, followed by Queen Victoria in 2007, Queen Elizabeth in 2010 and Queen Anne in 2024. In October 2026 Carnival announced that Queen Anne will move to P&O Cruises in 2029, which will return Cunard to three ships.
Cruises keep many ocean-liner customs. Dining is assigned by cabin grade, with the Britannia Restaurant for most guests and the Princess Grill and Queen's Grill for suites, and the ships have ballrooms, large libraries and theaters with private boxes. Besides Atlantic crossings, Cunard sails to northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Alaska and Asia, and runs world voyages each year.
What Cunard is known for
Cunard is known above all for its history and for Queen Mary 2's Atlantic crossings, a scheduled liner service no other company still offers. It markets its service style under the White Star Service name, and its ships are noted for their traditional interiors, ballrooms and libraries, along with features such as the planetarium and onboard kennels on Queen Mary 2. Its grill-class system, which assigns restaurants by cabin grade, gives suite guests their own dining rooms in the Princess Grill and Queen's Grill.
The same system means the experience differs considerably between cabin grades. In May 2025 Cunard began charging for a room-service menu for Britannia-grade cabins, a change that drew a strongly negative response online and comments in cruise publications that the product was slipping.
Who it's for
Cunard suits travelers who are drawn to maritime history and ocean-liner tradition: people who want to cross the Atlantic by sea, enjoy ballroom dancing and well-stocked libraries, or want a long world voyage on a mid-size ship. Couples and other travelers who like a traditional atmosphere tend to fit well, and the crossings appeal to anyone who would rather sail than fly between Britain and New York.
Families looking for water slides and big kids' programs, and travelers who want a casual, party-style cruise, will be better served by mainstream lines. Guests who care about dining should note that the restaurant they use depends on the cabin they book.
- Couples
- romantic dining, quiet spaces, balcony cabins
- History and culture
- port-intensive itineraries, lectures, included excursions
How it rates
None of Cunard's ships has been rated yet. A line's rating is the average of its ships' scores.
Where Cunard sails
Ships
Leaving May 2029Queen Anne2024 · 114,188 GT · 3,000 guests · World cruisesQueen Anne is Cunard's newest ship, built by Fincantieri at Marghera as an extended version of the Pinnacle-class design used by Holland America Line. At about 114,200 gross tons…
Queen Elizabeth2010 · 90,901 GT · 2,092 guests · Alaska · AsiaQueen Elizabeth is a modified Vista-class ship built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone and in service since October 2010. Her layout is close to Queen Victoria's, but her decor pays…
Queen Mary 22004 · 149,215 GT · 2,695 guests · Transatlantic · CaribbeanQueen Mary 2 is Cunard's flagship and, as of 2026, the only purpose-built ocean liner still in regular passenger service. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France, she…
Queen Victoria2007 · 90,049 GT · 2,081 guestsQueen Victoria is a Vista-class cruise ship built by Fincantieri at Marghera, Italy, and the smallest ship in Cunard's fleet at about 90,000 gross tons and 2,081 guests. She…Where to fly in
- London Heathrow (LHR)3 Cunard ships sail from Southampton, England40 lounges on Lounge Frog
Quick answers
What is Cunard known for?
Cunard is known above all for its history and for Queen Mary 2's Atlantic crossings, a scheduled liner service no other company still offers. It markets its service style under the White Star Service name, and its ships are noted for their traditional interiors, ballrooms and libraries, along with features such as the planetarium and onboard kennels on Queen Mary 2. Its grill-class system, which assigns restaurants by cabin grade, gives suite guests their own dining rooms in the Princess Grill and Queen's Grill.
Who is Cunard best for?
Cunard suits travelers who are drawn to maritime history and ocean-liner tradition: people who want to cross the Atlantic by sea, enjoy ballroom dancing and well-stocked libraries, or want a long world voyage on a mid-size ship. Couples and other travelers who like a traditional atmosphere tend to fit well, and the crossings appeal to anyone who would rather sail than fly between Britain and New York.
Where does Cunard sail?
Cunard's ships in service sail World cruises (2 ships), Caribbean (1 ship), Alaska (1 ship), Transatlantic (1 ship), Asia (1 ship) and Australia and New Zealand (1 ship).
How many ships does Cunard have?
Cunard has 4 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Queen Anne, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria.
Who owns Cunard?
Cunard is part of Carnival Corporation & plc.
Where is Cunard based?
Cunard is headquartered in Southampton, United Kingdom. It has operated since 1840.
What is Cunard's loyalty program called?
Cunard's past-guest loyalty program is Cunard World Club.
What is the largest Cunard ship?
Queen Mary 2 is Cunard's largest ship at 149,215 gross tons, carrying 2,695 guests.
Cruising with children
Cunard combines traditional shipboard routines with dedicated spaces for children. The best family plan fits the clubs around meals and shore days, with some evenings kept flexible.
Read the Cunard family guide →