Cunard pauses into 2021, dropping world cruise, and revises future itinerariesCunard pauses into 2021, dropping world cruise, and revises future itineraries

Queen Mary 2's 2021 world voyage is off

This entails the cancellation of Queen Mary 2's 2021 world cruise, and Cunard fully revised Queen Elizabeth's deployment for the balance of 2021.

In making these changes, the company cited the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office guidance and the complexity of operating world voyages.

Queen Elizabeth's Australia, Japan, Alaska plans canceled

'Queen Elizabeth has returned to the UK and with ongoing uncertainty over the reopening of many ports and countries, it is sadly not practical to continue her planned itineraries for 2021,' Cunard President Simon Palethorpe said.

All Queen Elizabeth sailings due to depart between March 26 and Dec. 13, 2021, in and around Australia, Japan and Alaska, are canceled.

Shorter cruises from Southampton and Barcelona

These will be replaced with shorter sailings, of three to 14 nights, from Southampton.

The new itineraries will start at the end of March 2021, with a series of scenic voyages around the coast of Cornwall, the west coast of Ireland and the Scottish Isles. There will also be short breaks to Amsterdam that include an overnight in the city, and voyages to northern and southern Europe including Norway and the Iberian coast, with several of these itineraries featuring overnight city stays.

Queen Elizabeth’s new program will be completed with a series of seven- and 14-night voyages in the Mediterranean, sailing from Barcelona. 

These new itineraries will be available to book Sept. 29.

Queen Mary 2's 2022 world voyage

Following Queen Mary 2’s curtailed world coyage this year, and the cancellation of its 2021 world voyage, the liner will sail a classic world voyage in 2022. This will replace scheduled sailings departing Jan. 3 to April 3, 2022, including a South America voyage.

Round-trip New York or Southampton

The new 118-night adventure will depart round-trip from New York on Jan. 3, 2022, and include calls to Greece, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and Bali before returning to Southampton via Abu Dhabi, Oman, Italy and Portugal. The ship will sail through the Suez Canal both on the outbound journey and on return. The voyage is also available round-trip Southampton in 104 nights.

This voyage will be bookable, as a full world cruise or as one of six sectors, Sept. 8.

Cunard will be contacting impacted passengers and travel advisors. Those with canceled sailings will automatically receive a 125% future cruise credit or can fill in the website form for a 100% refund.