Cunard has announced that the Queen Mary 2 and her younger sister, Queen Victoria, will visit Australia in 2010, making seven maiden calls in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia during their world voyages.
Both ocean liners will call at Fremantle and Adelaide for the first time, while Queen Mary 2 will make her inaugural visit to the Whitsundays and Queen Victoria will pay her maiden calls to Albany and Exmouth in Western Australia.
The two ships will also make overnight visits to Sydney, while Queen Victoria will make her second call to Melbourne.
The full 2010 world voyages and a range of sector voyages for both ships have opened for sale today, with prices on voyages from Australia starting from $4039* for 17 nights sailing from Sydney to Cape Town on Queen Mary 2.
Queen Mary 2’s 2010 world voyage will see the massive 151,400-tonne liner visit every major continent in the world, calling at 34 ports over 108 days as she travels from New York to Southampton, through the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal to the Middle East and Asia before visiting Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and South America.
Her visit Down Under will include an overnight call in Sydney on March 7, as well as a return visit to Auckland and her first visit to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand’s north.
Meanwhile, Queen Victoria will make a 107-night circumnavigation of the globe, with her classic itinerary seeing her depart from Southampton to sail to New York and the Caribbean before transiting the Panama Canal to visit San Francisco and the islands of the Pacific.
After making a record six visits to Australian ports as well as three New Zealand calls, the 90,000-tonne liner will head to Asia and the Middle East before sailing through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
Like her big sister, Queen Victoria will also overnight in Sydney, with her visit falling on February 19, 2010.
Announcing details of the visits, Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which represents Cunard, said the ships would offer two distinctive experiences.
“The 2010 world voyages will offer our guests unparalleled choice – from a seven-night sector sailing to the full 108-night world voyage. But no matter on which of our ships they sail, or what part of the voyage they choose, guests can be assured they will experience the legendary style and service of Cunard,” Ms Sherry said.
Queen Mary 2 will call at Sydney on March 7-8, 2010, Adelaide on March 11 and Fremantle on March 14. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria will call at Sydney on February 19-20, Melbourne on February 22, Adelaide on February 24 and Albany on February 27.
Voyages to and from Sydney and Fremantle include:
o 35 nights from Sydney to Fort Lauderdale on Queen Mary 2 from $8869*
o 29 nights from Hong Kong to Fremantle on Queen Mary 2 from $7449*
o 53 nights from Fremantle to Southampton on Queen Victoria from $13,539*
o 23 nights from San Francisco to Sydney on Queen Victoria from $5509*.
More details on Cunard’s 2010 world voyage program are available via travel agents or call Cunard on 13 24 41 or visit www.cunardline.com.au.
