More Australians are cruising with Cunard than ever before, with the luxury cruise line confirming that Australian guest numbers surged by 30 per cent in 2014.
Speaking in Sydney, Cunard Director of Marketing Angus Struthers said Australia was now the cruise line’s third biggest market, sitting behind the UK and the US after overtaking Germany last year.
While demand for world voyages continued to be strong, numbers for Cunard’s famed transatlantic cruises and European voyages – including its Mediterranean-based offerings – had seen substantial growth in 2014, Mr Struthers said.
In particular, Australian guests have embraced the cruise line’s special 175th anniversary voyages this year, with an impressive 800 Australians booked to sail on the 2600-guest Queen Mary 2’s commemorative transatlantic voyage in July.
The voyage will see the ocean liner sail from Liverpool on July 4, following in the wake of Cunard’s first ship, Britannia, which left the city 175 years earlier to the day. This will be the first time since 1968 that a Cunard ship has departed from Liverpool for America.
“Cunard has longstanding links with Australia so we’re thrilled that our 175th anniversary has resonated so strongly Down Under,” Mr Struthers said.
“The feedback we get is that Australians love the heritage and tradition of a voyage with Cunard as well as the modernity of our liners.”
Mr Struthers is visiting Australia for the unveiling of the OneSevenFive Cunard photographic exhibition at the Sydney Opera House today, coinciding with the first ever dual visit to Sydney of Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria for an historic Cunard Royal Rendezvous. Sydney will be treated to a fireworks display at 9.15pm as Queen Mary 2 sails from the city, passing Queen Victoria anchored at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo.
Reflecting the company’s 175th anniversary, the free photographic exhibition will be on show for 175 hours until late Thursday March 19.
SOURCE Cunard