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Cunard's 2018 features new special event sailings

Cunard's 2018 features new special event sailings
From March through December 2018, Cunard’s three Queens will visit new destinations and highlight special event sailings. The line is also offering a host of maiden calls, bringing back Top 10 ports, adding overnight and late-night stays and giving early booking incentives.

When it comes to special event sailings, 'Voyage du Vin,' for example, aboard Queen Victoria, introduces passengers to some of Europe's finest wine and port destinations, along with on-board lectures from experts such as Will Lyons and excursions around the Atlantic coast with calls at Spain, Portugal and Guernsey. The voyage is set for June 1-8, 2018.

'A Photographic Journey to the Land of the Midnight Sun,' on Queen Elizabeth, will share tips from experts such as Ross Hoddinott, one of England’s leading wildlife and landscape photographers. The July 1-13 trip travels to the Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle.

Queen Elizabeth also hosts 'Big Band Ball,' featuring music and dance with a 13-piece orchestra playing Glen Miller and Duke Ellington tunes. The Aug. 24-28 voyage visits the Netherlands.

'Transatlantic Fashion Week' is set for Queen Mary 2's westbound crossing, Sept. 2-9, and features fashion shows and talks by figures like the British fashion writer and journalist Colin McDowell.

'A Journey of Genealogy,' on Queen Mary 2's Nov. 4-11 westbound crossing, sees Cunard collaborating for the first time with Ancestry.com, the world's largest online family history resource, to offer passengers the opportunity to trace their family trees.

Maiden calls in 2018 include Rockland, Maine (United States), Sept-IIes, Québec (Canada), Visby, Gotland (Sweden), Riga (Latvia), Klaipeda (Lithuania), Bodø, Narvik and Haugesund (Norway), Hvar (Croatia), Puerto del Rosario and Gijon (Spain), La Rochelle (France), Taormina (Italy), Portree (UK), Donegal (Ireland), Propriano (Corsica), Portoroz (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia).

Cunard is also bringing back Top 10 ports: Fort-de-France (Martinique), Kingstown (St. Vincent), Gdynia (Poland), Bilbao (Spain), Corner Brook (Canada), Travemünde (Germany), Helsingør (Denmark), Alghero (Sardinia), Helsinki (Finland) and Kristiansand (Norway).

And overnight calls are scheduled at Funchal, Madeira (Portugal), Québec (Canada), Reykjavik (Iceland), St. Petersburg (Russian Federation), Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Venice (Italy). Other ports will have late-night stays.

As a benefit of booking early, Cunard is offering a complimentary drink package and pre-paid gratuities for Princess and Queens Grill suites, as well as up to $250 on-board credit per stateroom for passengers who book by June 30, 2017.

Passengers choosing a balcony stateroom also receive an on-board credit of up to $250 per room, depending on voyage length.