Cunard Line, the iconic British ocean liner company sailing the youngest, most modern luxury fleet in the cruise industry, is pleased to announce a new partnership with BritWeek Los Angeles (17 April – 8 May), a star-studded celebration of British film and television, music, fashion, art and design, entertainment, business innovation, food, and sports, highlighting the rich relationship between the United Kingdom and Los Angeles.  Cunard’s participation includes co-sponsorship of the BritWeek Gala charity dinner honouring Virgin Founder and CEO Sir Richard Branson on 22 April at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.  Cunard has donated a lavish voyage package from Los Angeles to Hawaii aboard Queen Victoria, in celebration of the ship’s first Americas season starting in 2011.  Beneficiaries of proceeds from the BritWeek Gala, including the Queen Victoria voyage live auction, are Virgin Unite and Save the Children.

Being an internationally recognised British cruise vacation brand and having North American headquarters located north of Los Angeles in Valencia, Calif., Cunard has long fostered a connection between England and America. North American guests who sail with Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria enjoy British traditions as part of legendary voyages, including white-gloved afternoon tea service, a traditional English pub and Royal Nights themed formal balls. Additional opportunities to experience this rich British heritage will become available with the launch of Cunard’s new Queen Elizabeth, debuting this October in Southampton, England.

“At Cunard, we are deeply proud of our British heritage and welcome opportunities to celebrate it, both on and off our luxury ocean liners,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “We look forward to partnering with BritWeek and its other sponsors to spotlight the contributions of our British brethren throughout Los Angeles and America.”

Numerous BritWeek events will be held throughout Los Angeles for three weeks, bringing attention to British involvement in the city’s cultural and business life, including a “BritWalk” that will take in some of the city’s most exclusive streets, linking more than 50 British fashion and luxury brands, restaurants and hotels.

BritWeek is the brainchild of British television director and producer Nigel Lythgoe (“American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance”) and Bob Peirce, former British Consul-General Los Angeles. In addition to Cunard, other notable British companies sponsoring BritWeek include Virgin Atlantic, British Petroleum and 19 Entertainment.

“It is an honour for us to have Cunard, a renowned British cruise brand, join our lineup of sponsors for this year’s BritWeek,” said Mindy Gail, executive director of BritWeek. “With this initiative, we highlight British contributions to Los Angeles, and Cunard is a valuable partner in our efforts to realize this goal.”