These cruise lovers boarded all six of Cunard’s Queens in 12 month

Meets the cruising couple who dedicated a year to their favourite ships.

It began as an idea to cross the Atlantic on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 for a significant birthday. Then the plan snowballed. What if Melbourne cruise fans Mark Eden and Jay Cadiramen could board all six Cunard “Queens” within the space of a year?

“We started talking about doing a transatlantic for Mark’s birthday and the idea just grew,” Jay says.

The couple didn’t only book the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and the new Queen Anne, they also stayed on two retired Cunard ships that are now floating hotels, the QEII in Dubai and the Queen Mary in Los Angeles.

Mark and Jay, who have been keen Cunard cruisers for a decade, began the year last summer season, with a circumnavigation of New Zealand on Queen Elizabeth and then mid-year, the big trip began. First stop, Long Beach in LA where the 1930s-era ocean liner, the Queen Mary has been docked since 1967.

“It felt like going back in time when the ship was in its heyday, and we stayed in a beautiful big suite, but one of the things that was really nice was the tours,” Jay says.

For Mark, boarding the liner held special significance. “My dad was in the merchant navy during the 1950s and was an engineer on the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth,” he says.

Mark and Jay have been keen Cunard cruisers for a decade. Picture Supplied.

“It was just really poignant for me going through the spaces, especially a tour of the engine room, where my dad would have been.”

Next was boarding the Queen Mary 2 departing from New York. Cunard’s 2691-guest flagship regularly sails on transatlantic crossings between New York City and Southampton.

“We have long dreamt of doing the transatlantic and it was just amazing,” Mark says. “Queen Mary 2 is my favourite of the ships.”

The couple always stay in the Cunard Grill Suites where they have access to exclusive facilities, including fine dining restaurants, private lounges and in-suite amenities.

Next was boarding the Queen Mary 2 departing from New York. Picture: Cunard.

“We love the food and the service; we always feel very special,” Mark says.

A Mediterranean sailing on Queen Victoria followed but perhaps the biggest highlight was joining the inaugural sailing of Cunard’s newest vessel, Queen Anne, to the Norwegian fjords.

“The ship is beautifully done; it’s a very contemporary decor,” says Mark. “They’ve gone for a very different feel but tried to keep some of those traditional things alive.” Their favourite space on-board was the Mareel Wellness & Beauty spa.

“The Queen Anne spa is just phenomenal,” says Jay. “It’s huge, and it’s very, very quiet and designed so well, they’ve got this ceiling that’s like looking at the night sky.”

The couple have four more cruises booked including a sailing in the South Pacific across Christmas and New Year. Picture: Supplied.

In Dubai they boarded the QE2 floating hotel, opened in 2018. “They are really focusing on preservation and the heritage side of things and the tours were fantastic,” Jay says.

Now back home but proudly Cunardists for life, the couple have four more cruises booked including a sailing in the South Pacific across Christmas and New Year.

“We’ve both got jobs that are quite pressured, so (day-to-day) we come home, we have a quick dinner and that’s it,” says Mark. “Whereas when we’re on Cunard we dress up and spend a good three hours over dinner to relax and enjoy, and that’s the real appeal.”

Originally published as These cruise lovers boarded all six of Cunard’s Queens in 12 month