A new Queen takes to the seas, but cruise line pulls out of Australia

There’s good news and bad news for Australians who appreciate Cunard, which operates an interesting niche in premium cruising the traditional way.

Despite a sad life, Queen Anne, who reigned from 1702 until 1714, forever has the honour of being the first sovereign of Great Britain.

Cunard’s new ship, Queen Anne.

While there’s long been conjecture that the current Anne, Princess Royal, might have made an excellent monarch, the earlier Anne was a rather overlooked figure – perhaps until her complex court was the subject of the multi-award-winning 2018 film The Favourite.

While it is highly unlikely the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II will ever ascend to the throne, the Queen Anne name is having its moment in the sun, emblazoned as the moniker for Cunard’s newest ship.

The ship, appropriately under the command of female captain Inger Klein Thorhauge, departed on its maiden voyage from Southampton in England on May 3.

The Grand Lobby.

Cunard’s beautiful 2996-passenger, 13-deck Queen Anne joins sisters Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria in service and is the 249th ship for the company. She recently arrived in her home port of Southampton, having travelled from Italy following an official handover ceremony at the Fincantieri Maghera shipyard in Venice on April 19, revealing a fresh look aimed at attracting a younger crowd.

Dining is, of course, a big focus with 15 restaurants on board, including several new-to-Cunard choices. While the offering remains distinctly Cunard, it too has been skewed to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z – the line’s signature afternoon tea is a feature, so too now are poke bowls and sushi.

Queen Anne includes the customary dedicated restaurant corresponding to each accommodation category, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with alternative dining restaurants, including Mediterranean at Tramonto, Asian flavours at Aji Wa and Indian at Aranya.

The Aji Wa restaurant.

Among its 15 restaurants are four new to Cunard. One is Japanese, which isn’t unusual on cruise ships, but the other three promise novelty: British, Indian and an Australian steakhouse.

Sir Samuel’s is the flagship steakhouse and grill, and there’s the very Cunard Golden Lion British pub, its fish and chips and other classics offset by the fresh green dishes of the Wellness Cafe.

The Artisans’ Foodhall features live stations serving snacks, salads, pastas and more.

The ship has classic Cunard style, balanced with colourful contemporary decor, and notably ups connections to the outdoors thanks to expansive decks, swimming pools, and al-fresco dining and bar choices.

The Aranya restaurant. The ship’s decor and food offerings have the younger traveller in mind.

Queen Anne will sail the Canary Islands, northern Europe and the Mediterranean before departing for an inaugural round-the-world cruise. The ship arrives in Sydney on February 28, 2025 and then visits Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin.

The Queen Anne name will officially be bestowed on the 249th ship to sail for Cunard on June 3 in Liverpool, England, where Cunard was founded.

There’s no word yet on who the godmother performing christening rites will be, but many are dreaming of it being a senior female royal with the initial “A”.

But here’s the bad news. Cunard ships won’t be seen much in Australia in future. Queen Anne will only call on select voyages, such as a sailing in early 2026 from Hong Kong to Sydney and onwards to Fremantle.

The Queen Anne’s Panorama Pool.

Queen Mary 2 will also call at Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin in March 2026 as part of its 108-night world voyage.

But while Queen Elizabeth will return for a scheduled 2024-25 season, Cunard has announced it will no longer homeport in Melbourne or Sydney thereafter, but instead redeploy to North America and the Caribbean, visiting Australia only on world cruises.

The company hasn’t clarified why it has abandoned homeporting in Australia. In late 2023, Cunard huffed (along with sister brand Princess Cruises) about a hike in port fees in Melbourne.

It may be that unpretentious Australians are finding a more laid-back or entertaining atmosphere on other ships which, even at the luxury level, have become far more informal.

The Queen Anne ahead of its first cruise.

Cunard has stuck to a British sense of formality and the white-gloved service, ballroom dancing and dressing for dinner long abandoned by most cruise lines. Its ships are still essentially divided into classes, with guests in different cabin and suite categories dining in different restaurants.

Last February, shortly after homeporting Resilient Lady in Melbourne for a season to much fanfare, Virgin Voyages also announced it won’t be returning to Australian waters. It cited the security situation in the Red Sea, saying a lengthier route around Africa wasn’t viable. Virgin is, however, a fledgling cruise company that doesn’t yet have the world reach of Cunard.

Meanwhile, Cunard rival Holland America Line cheekily took the opportunity to boast of its commitment to the Australian market during a visit in March by its president Gustavo Antorcha. He said Australians were a priority not just for domestic cruises but for those overseas, with Aussie demand especially strong in Alaska.