Cunard will let passengers board a transatlantic crossing in Liverpool in 2029, the first time the line has offered it from the city in 14 years.
The sailing is Queen Mary 2’s 500th Transatlantic Crossing, the centrepiece of a new programme of 93 voyages for October 2028 to May 2029 that goes on sale on 4 November.
Cunard president Paul Ludlow said the crossing “will be one of the most significant moments in Cunard’s modern history, reconnecting Liverpool with our iconic Transatlantic service”.
Fourteen years since the last one
Cunard was founded in Liverpool, and its first ship, Britannia, left the Mersey for Halifax and Boston on 4 July 1840. The company kept its headquarters at the Pier Head until 1967.
The last time passengers could board a Cunard crossing there was 4 July 2015, when Queen Mary 2 recreated Britannia’s voyage for the line’s 175th anniversary.
Since then the city has had Cunard calls and gatherings, including all four Queens on the Mersey in May 2028, but no crossings.
Liverpool to New York in seven nights, or home to Southampton in 14
The Liverpool sailing leaves on 4 May 2029 and arrives in New York on 11 May, a seven-night direct crossing with no calls between. Cunard sells it as voyage M911F, with Britannia inside staterooms from £1,349 per person based on two sharing.
For anyone who would rather not fly, there is a 14-night version, M911G. It sails from Liverpool on 4 May, spends a day in New York on 11 May, then crosses back to Southampton, arriving on 18 May. Britannia insides start at £2,159 per person.
Both figures already include the 10% Early Booking Saving, £150 on the one-way and £240 on the round trip, which applies to bookings made by 30 December.
The one-way fare covers the seven nights on board and nothing beyond New York; the flight home is yours to arrange. The 14-night version needs no flight at all.
Both are legs of a longer round trip from New York, which passengers can also join in Hamburg or Southampton.
The 450th crossing leaves Southampton this November, which puts the 500th two and a half years and fifty Atlantic passages later.
The rest of Queen Mary 2’s winter
Before the crossing, Queen Mary 2 sails the Caribbean from both Southampton and New York, with overnight calls in Bridgetown, Barbados, and Philipsburg, St Maarten.
There is a 14-night Norway and Northern Lights voyage, and a 14-night Western Mediterranean sailing timed for the UK Easter school holidays. She will have been through her 39-day Brest refit by then.
Queen Anne’s last voyage as a Queen
Queen Anne’s 86-night South America Discovery sails from Southampton in early 2029, or 90 nights for anyone joining in Hamburg.
It takes in Caribbean ports, then Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru, with an overnight in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival and further overnights in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Valparaíso and Callao.
Four of the programme’s maiden calls are hers: San Juan, St Thomas, Castries and Colón.
It is also her final sailing for Cunard. She leaves for P&O Cruises in May 2029 after a dry dock and a new name.
Queen Elizabeth goes round the world
Queen Elizabeth crosses from Barcelona to Miami, then runs four 14-night Caribbean cruises from Miami over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, with fireworks in St Thomas on New Year’s Eve.
Her 115-night World Voyage is a round trip from Southampton or Miami across five continents. It includes her first New Zealand calls in four years, at Auckland and Wellington, and overnights in Cape Town, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney.
She makes first calls at Fort-de-France in Martinique and Nawiliwili in Hawaii. The seventh maiden call in the programme is Praia in Cape Verde, which no Cunard ship has visited before.
Queen Victoria stays close to home
Queen Victoria sails from Southampton all winter: Scandinavia, Northern Europe and the Norwegian fjords on one side, Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the Canaries on the other.
New seven, 14 and 16-night voyages include a February half-term sailing with an overnight in Oslo, a longer Scandinavian cruise with overnights in Copenhagen and Oslo, and two seven-night Easter holiday sailings, one to Spain and France and one to the fjords.
Dates and the discount
Cunard World Club members can book from 2pm on 3 November. General sale opens at 2pm on 4 November.
Bookings made before midnight on 30 December 2026 get a 10% Early Booking Saving on the Cunard Fare, or on an Early Saver Fare where one is offered. Cunard has published the Liverpool crossing’s fare ahead of the sale; the rest of the programme’s pricing is on its website from the same day.
Across the 93 voyages Cunard counts 104 destinations in 49 countries, 18 overnight stays and 18 late departures, with an average of 12 hours in port.
The bottom line
A fortnight from Liverpool to Manhattan and back to Southampton on the only ocean liner left, for £2,159, and the car can stay in Wales, Lancashire or wherever you left it.
Liverpool berths on the 2015 crossing went quickly. World Club members get in the day before the rest of us, on 3 November.
