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No more hopping between pages. Line them up on the money-and-complexity facts, gratuities, what's included, drink rules, cancellation, then one call gets you today's fare for your dates. can offer.

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Cunard is best described as ocean liner. Ocean-liner tradition and formal elegance. Below is an independent, source-checked look at what actually matters before you book, and the money-and-complexity details worth a phone call.

Ocean liner

The facts that cost money

These are the details that quietly change your final bill and vary by fare, cabin and sailing. We verify each from its source and re-check every 30 days. Where we have not verified something we say so and put you through to an advisor, rather than guess at it.

Daily gratuitiesA published service charge added to your onboard account each day$19.00/day per person for Queens Grill and Princess Grill Suites; $18.00/day per person for Britannia and Britannia Club staterooms. An 18% service charge is added to bar purchases.
What's included vs. extraDining and entertainment vs. specialty dining, drinks, wifi, excursionsAsk an advisor
Drink package ruleWhether all adults in the cabin must buy itEach adult in the same stateroom must buy the same World of Drinks collection, and collections cannot be shared. Minimum purchase age 18, though port laws may raise the age for service. The alcohol-free collections are open to all ages and infants of 3 and under are exempt.
Wi-FiIncluded, or tiered packages at extra costTwo paid plans: Essential (email, social, images and text) and Premium (adds music and video streaming and video calls). Neither is in the base fare, though the Signature packages bundle one. The My Voyage app is free, and Gold, Platinum and Diamond World Club members receive internet credit.
Deposit & final paymentWhen the balance is due before sailingCunard does not publish a final-payment day count for the US market: it is absent from the US Passage Contract, and the US FAQ is not reachable. The figures circulating elsewhere come from Cunard's UK booking conditions, which need not match US terms, so we do not publish them. Confirm your own due date with the agency that books you.
Cancellation & refundsPenalty schedule as the sailing gets closerFrom the US Passage Contract. Voyages of 30 nights or fewer: 121+ days = no fee; 120-90 = 25% or the deposit; 89-61 = 40%; 60-31 = 50%; 30-15 = 75%; 14 or fewer, or no-show = 100%. Voyages of 31+ nights: 151+ days = no fee; 150-120 = 20% or the deposit; 119-91 = 40%; 90-64 = 50%; 63-43 = 75%; 42 or fewer = 100%.
Refundable vs non-refundableFare/deposit types and what you forfeitMost lines sell both a refundable-deposit fare and a lower non-refundable-deposit fare. On a non-refundable fare the full deposit is held in penalty if you cancel, although payments beyond the deposit are refunded, and change fees apply to the booking. (General, fare types and penalties vary by line and sailing.)
Solo traveller supplementSingle supplement and whether solo cabins existA solo traveller in a two-person cabin normally pays a single supplement, roughly the cost of two fares. Some ships have cabins built and sold for one person, where double-occupancy rates do not apply, but they are a small part of the inventory and availability varies by ship and sailing. (General, the supplement and the cabin types vary by line.)
Kids, minimum age & clubsMinimum age to sail and kids-club age bandsMinimum age 6 months; 12 months on cruises with more than two consecutive sea days. Clubs: The Play Zone 2-7 and The Kids' Zone 8-12, with supervised play for 6-23 months alongside a parent. The Youth Team covers 2-17, but no separate teen club is named.
Onboard credit termsRefundable vs non-refundable onboard creditOnboard credit comes from a promotion or your loyalty status, not the base fare, and it comes in two kinds. Complimentary credit is non-refundable and has no cash value, so it has to be spent on board. Purchased credit is refundable to you before you leave the ship. Where you hold both, the non-refundable credit is normally spent first, and anything left at the end of the last evening is forfeited. (General, terms vary by line and offer.)
Loyalty programmeProgramme name and how tiers workCunard World Club, Silver (1 voyage), Gold (2 voyages / 20 nights), Platinum (7 / 70), Diamond (15 / 150).
Travel documentsPassport vs birth certificate on closed-loop sailingsPassport strongly recommended. The specific closed-loop birth-certificate policy isn't published on a readable page, confirm before booking.

These are exactly the details that surprise people at the pier and on the final bill. Call and we'll confirm every one for your ship, cabin and dates, with today's fare.

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At a glance

Founded1840
HeadquartersSouthampton, United Kingdom
Parent companyCarnival Corporation & plc
Ships in fleet4
Loyalty programmeCunard World Club
StyleClassic Luxury

Is this the right line for you?

✓ A strong fit for

  • Travellers seeking genuine transatlantic crossings
  • Lovers of formal dining and ballroom dancing
  • Those who enjoy sea days over port days
  • Couples and solo travellers wanting classic service
  • Anyone who dislikes waterslides and deck parties

✕ Probably not for

  • Families with young children
  • Travellers who dislike dress codes
  • Those wanting maximum port time
  • Cruisers seeking casual, high-energy atmospheres

The fleet, class by class

Ocean liner class

Pinnacle class

Vista class class

Not sure which Cunard ship fits your trip? A specialist knows which ships sail where, and when.

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What's included, and what isn't

Included in your fare

  • Main dining room, Set or flexible seating
  • Buffet, Open most of the day
  • Select casual venues
  • Main theatre productions
  • Pools and sports decks
  • Fitness centre, Classes may carry a fee
  • Kids club
  • Water, drip coffee, tea, select juice

Costs extra

  • Gratuities
  • Alcohol, soda, speciality coffee, Packages available
  • Speciality restaurants, Cover charge or à la carte
  • Wi-fi, Tiered packages
  • Shore excursions
  • Spa and salon
  • Casino and arcade
  • Laundry and pressing

Choosing a cabin

🛏️

Britannia

A distinct room category on this line, ask us exactly what it includes.

✨

Britannia Club

An enhanced category with upgraded perks and service, sitting between standard rooms and full suites.

👑

Princess Grill

The top tier, more space and usually extra perks like priority boarding, a private lounge, sundeck or concierge service.

👑

Queens Grill

The top tier, more space and usually extra perks like priority boarding, a private lounge, sundeck or concierge service.

The right cabin, and the numbers to avoid on each ship, is exactly what an advisor knows.

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Cruising with children

Kids clubThe Play Zone
Minimum sailing age6 months; 12 months for World Voyages, transatlantic crossings and longer/remote itineraries. Children under 16 must share a stateroom with a passenger aged 16+.

Travelling with kids? An advisor books connecting cabins, dining times and the right club, and finds the family deals.

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Accessibility

Tender ports can be difficult or impossible with a wheelchair or scooter; the line publishes guidance per itinerary

Where and when it sails

RegionsCaribbean, Europe, Transatlantic, World, World voyages
Typical lengths3 to 30+ nights, including transatlantic crossings and world voyages

Home ports:

New York, NY
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Miami, FL
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
Quebec City, QC
Vancouver, BC
Victoria, BC

What actually drives the cost

Cabin grade determines diningGrade sets your restaurant assignment, so the decision carries more weight than price alone suggests.
Crossing vs cruiseScheduled crossings price differently from cruise itineraries and often include one-way air considerations.
SeasonSummer crossings sail calmer seas; autumn and winter are rougher and priced accordingly.
Balcony valueLess useful on North Atlantic crossings where weather often keeps them closed.
Voyage lengthWorld voyage segments vary enormously by length and region.
What you add onGratuities, drinks, speciality dining and excursions change the total.

Prices move daily by ship, date and cabin. One call gets you the real number for your trip.

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Updates

Latest Cunard updates

No updates right now. Call and we'll confirm the latest policy from the source.

Questions people actually ask

What is a transatlantic crossing actually like?

Roughly a week of open ocean between New York and Southampton with no port calls. Days are filled with lectures, dancing, dining and the sea. Travellers either find it deeply restorative or extremely long, there's little middle ground.

How formal is it really?

More formal than any other mainstream line. Gala evenings carry real expectations and most passengers observe them enthusiastically. If dressing for dinner sounds like a burden, another line suits you better.

Does cabin grade really affect dining?

Yes, your cabin grade determines your restaurant assignment, with suite guests in separate dining rooms. This makes cabin choice more consequential here than on any other line.

Helpful guides

Free, factual reading to help you decide, then one call books it.

Choosing a cabinInterior to suite, what you get, what to watch for, and the cabins to avoid.Read guide →What's includedThe gap between the fare and your final bill, explained plainly.Read guide →Cruise gratuities explainedThe daily service charge, how it works, who it goes to, and how to plan for it.Read guide →Find an affordable cruiseThe real levers that move the price, without the fake-deal gimmicks.Read guide →Deposits, payment & cancellationThe booking timeline that keeps you in control of your money.Read guide →Are drink packages worth it?How to tell, plus the whole-cabin rule that catches people out.Read guide →Cruise Wi-Fi explainedPackages, tiers and what to realistically expect at sea.Read guide →Refundable vs non-refundableWhich fare type fits your plans, and where insurance helps.Read guide →Hidden cruise costsThe extras first-timers forget to budget for, in one checklist.Read guide →How cruise pricing worksWhy fares vary, how lines price a sailing, and how to time it right.Read guide →Onboard credit, explainedWhere it comes from, refundable vs not, and how to spend it well.Read guide →Contemporary vs premium vs luxury linesWhat the three tiers really describe, and which one fits your trip.Read guide →Big ship vs small shipFloating resort or intimate vessel? How to pick the size that fits.Read guide →How to choose a cruise lineMatch the line to how you travel, in three quick steps.Read guide →Solo cruisingThe single supplement, solo cabins, and how to travel alone well.Read guide →Groups & familiesConnecting cabins, kids' clubs, group dining and split payments, sorted.Read guide →Accessible cruisingAccessible cabins, tendering, and what to confirm before you book.Read guide →

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We are an independent travel agency. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, authorised by, or an agent of Cunard. Cunard and its ship names and logos are trademarks of their owner, used here descriptively only.

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