MS Queen Elizabeth
Product brand
UnclaimedMS Queen Elizabeth is a Cunard Vista-class cruise ship introduced in 2010 and named after two earlier Cunard vessels.
Last updated August 25, 2026
Overview
MS Queen Elizabeth is a cruise ship operated by Cunard Line and the third Cunard vessel to carry the Queen Elizabeth name. She entered service in 2010 as a modified member of the Vista class, following Queen Victoria and sharing much of that ship's broad arrangement while adopting a distinct interior and a slightly larger passenger capacity. The vessel measures approximately 92,000 gross tons and can accommodate up to about 2,058 passengers, with the exact operating complement varying by itinerary and service configuration. The name was announced by Cunard on 10 October 2007, linking the new ship to the company's historical fleet. Her predecessors were the original Queen Elizabeth, a celebrated twentieth-century Cunard liner, and Queen Elizabeth 2, which served Cunard from 1969 until 2008. The choice preserved Cunard's tradition of naming major vessels after members of the British royal family and created a modern connection with the line's earlier Queens. Queen Elizabeth II, who had also sponsored Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2, officially named the new ship at Southampton on 11 October 2010. Queen Elizabeth began her maiden voyage to the Canary Islands the following day after being formally handed over to Cunard on 4 October. Although often associated with the ocean-liner tradition, Queen Elizabeth is designed primarily as a cruise ship rather than as a fully constructed traditional liner. Her hull does not have the heavy plating throughout that characterized earlier transatlantic ships, although the bow uses heavier plating and the vessel has a high freeboard. A steeper stern than Queen Victoria's provides additional passenger capacity. The interior uses an arrangement broadly similar to Queen Victoria but presents a different visual identity. Art Deco references evoke the period in which the first Queen Elizabeth was launched, while displays and design elements pay tribute to both earlier namesakes. Key passenger facilities include the Britannia restaurant and a Britannia Club section that provides single-seating dining for eligible Britannia passengers. The former Winter Garden concept was adapted into the Garden Lounge, which has a fixed glass roof rather than the sliding roof used on Queen Victoria. The ship's offering combines accommodation, restaurants, bars, lounges, theatre entertainment, spa services, retail, lectures, formal events and destination-focused excursions within Cunard's comparatively traditional premium-cruise positioning. During her service life, Queen Elizabeth has operated seasonal and repositioning voyages in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Atlantic, Alaska, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Southeast Asia. Her itinerary history includes ceremonial fleet gatherings with Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, Cunard anniversary events, special commemorative cruises and repeated deployments to Australia and Alaska. She was also among the limited number of cruise ships permitted to visit Glacier Bay National Park, where park rangers provided onboard interpretation. The ship's operations were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2020, several ports declined visits or imposed restrictions, Australia ordered foreign-flagged cruise ships to leave, and Queen Elizabeth spent extended periods away from normal passenger service. Her planned July 2021 restart was delayed after crew members contracted COVID-19; she resumed cruising on 13 August 2021 after an approximately seventeen-month interruption. Subsequent seasons were shaped by changing border rules, port restrictions, weather, health protocols and environmental requirements. In 2023, biofouling-related requirements prevented planned New Zealand calls, leading to itinerary changes and additional maintenance. The ship remained an active component of Cunard's international cruise program, with scheduled maintenance and dry-dock work supporting continued operations.
History
Queen Elizabeth was conceived as a new Cunard vessel that would revive a historically important name after the retirement of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2008. Cunard announced the name in October 2007. Construction took place in Italy between 2007 and 2010. The design was based on the Vista-class platform used for Queen Victoria but modified to create a somewhat larger ship. The steeper stern permitted capacity of up to approximately 2,058 passengers, compared with about 2,014 for Queen Victoria, while the ship retained the high freeboard associated with Cunard's visual style. The vessel was handed over to Cunard on 4 October 2010. Queen Elizabeth II named her at Southampton on 11 October, continuing a relationship with Cunard's modern Queens: she had previously sponsored Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967 and Queen Mary 2 in 2004. The ship departed on her maiden voyage to the Canary Islands on 12 October 2010. Captain Christopher Wells was her first master. Queen Elizabeth's architecture reflects a compromise between cruise-ship functionality and Cunard's ocean-liner heritage. Unlike a traditional liner built for intensive North Atlantic service, she does not have heavy plating throughout the hull. Her bow is strengthened for transatlantic operation, however, and her high freeboard contributes to the ship's distinctive profile. Her interior arrangement is close to Queen Victoria's, but the decorative treatment differs substantially. Art Deco motifs and references to the first Queen Elizabeth create a historical atmosphere, while displays and styling also acknowledge Queen Elizabeth 2. Passenger spaces include Britannia accommodation and dining, the Britannia Club restaurant, Grills-level services, a theatre, lounges, retail spaces, a spa and the Garden Lounge. Britannia Club dining is particularly significant within the Cunard product because it offers single-seating dining to qualifying Britannia passengers without requiring an upgrade to the more expensive Grills categories. The Garden Lounge replaced Queen Victoria's Winter Garden treatment and uses a permanent glass roof. The first years of service established Queen Elizabeth as part of Cunard's three-ship ceremonial identity alongside Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. In January 2011, all three vessels gathered near the Statue of Liberty for a Royal Rendezvous. They met again in Southampton during the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Queen Elizabeth also took part in visits and maritime events in Svalbard, Hamburg, Sydney, Liverpool and other ports. In 2015, the three Queens assembled on the River Mersey for Cunard's 175th anniversary. Their synchronized manoeuvre, popularly called the river dance, was accompanied by a Red Arrows flypast and attracted very large crowds along the river. The ship's itinerary profile broadened over time. She served European and Mediterranean routes, made a special voyage commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2017, and developed seasonal programs in Alaska, Australia, Japan and the wider Pacific. Her Alaska deployment included access to Glacier Bay National Park, where National Park Service rangers provided onboard educational presentations. In 2019, she began regular service between Vancouver and Alaska and underwent a two-week refit in Brest. The refit renewed cabins, corridors, the spa and retail areas and incorporated an exhaust-gas cleaning system. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest operational interruption in the ship's history. In February and March 2020, ports in the Pacific began refusing or restricting visits. Australia suspended cruise arrivals from foreign ports and later directed foreign-flagged vessels to leave. Queen Elizabeth relocated through the western Pacific and spent extended periods in or near British waters with other Cunard ships. Her expected July 2021 return was postponed because of crew infections, and she finally resumed sailing on 13 August 2021. As cruising restarted, Queen Elizabeth returned to Alaska in 2022 and to Australia later that year. Public-health restrictions continued to affect individual calls, including a diverted Bali visit after positive passenger tests. Environmental rules also affected the 2022–2023 New Zealand season. Biofouling concerns and the need for additional hull work caused calls to Fiordland, Dunedin and other destinations to be removed from the program. The ship subsequently underwent scheduled maintenance in Singapore before repositioning to Japan. Her later itinerary pattern continued to combine Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia, Japan and Alaska. In October 2024, Queen Elizabeth participated in a maritime response after HMNZS Manawanui issued a mayday and sank off Samoa.
- 2024
Maritime assistance near Samoa
[1]Queen Elizabeth responded to a mayday associated with the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui off Samoa.
- 2023
Japan deployment and scheduled maintenance
[1]Following a Singapore dry-dock period, Queen Elizabeth operated a Japan season linked to the centenary of an earlier Cunard world-cruise milestone.
- 2021
Return to cruising
[1]After an approximately seventeen-month pandemic-related suspension, Queen Elizabeth resumed passenger operations on 13 August.
- 2019
Brest refit and Alaska service
[1]The ship received a two-week refit in Brest and began regular Vancouver–Alaska service later in the year.
- 2017
Queen Elizabeth 2 fiftieth-anniversary cruise
[1]A Mediterranean commemorative voyage honored the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth 2 and included maritime historians and former Cunard personnel.
- 2015
Cunard 175th anniversary river dance
[1]The three Queens assembled on the River Mersey at Liverpool and performed a synchronized manoeuvre during Cunard's 175th anniversary celebrations.
- 2012
Diamond Jubilee gathering
[1]All three Cunard Queens met in Southampton to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
- 2011
First three-Queens Royal Rendezvous
[1]Queen Elizabeth joined Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in New York for a fleet gathering near the Statue of Liberty.
- 2010
Handover, naming and maiden voyage
[1]The ship was handed over to Cunard in October, named by Queen Elizabeth II at Southampton on 11 October, and began her maiden voyage the next day.
- 2007
Cunard announces the Queen Elizabeth name
[1]Cunard publicly announced that its new Vista-class vessel would carry the Queen Elizabeth name, reviving a major name from the company's fleet history.
Products and positioning
A premium Cunard cruise experience centered on British maritime heritage, formal service, Art Deco-inspired design, named-ship tradition and international seasonal itineraries.
Cruise travel · 2010
Queen Elizabeth cruise voyages
The ship's core offering is premium cruise travel across seasonal regional programs and repositioning voyages. Itineraries have covered Europe, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, Alaska, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Southeast Asia. Voyages combine accommodation, dining, entertainment, enrichment, formal events and shore excursions under Cunard's heritage-oriented service model.
Accommodation and dining · 2010
Britannia and Britannia Club
Britannia is the principal accommodation and dining tier aboard Queen Elizabeth. Britannia Club adds a dedicated restaurant experience with single-seating dining for eligible passengers, providing a differentiated service level without moving into Cunard's Grills categories.
Onboard venue · 2010
Garden Lounge
The Garden Lounge is a glass-roofed public space that replaced the Winter Garden treatment used on Queen Victoria. It forms part of the ship's lounge and social-venue offering and contributes to the interior's lighter, conservatory-like character.
Destination enrichment
Glacier Bay interpretation program
On selected Alaska voyages, National Park Service rangers board the ship to provide presentations about Glacier Bay National Park. The program adds formal destination interpretation to Queen Elizabeth's cruise experience.
Controversies
2012
Planned Jimmy Savile tribute cancelled
A planned tribute connected with Jimmy Savile was cancelled after his posthumous exposure as a predatory sex offender. Savile had attended the ship's 2010 christening and had traveled on Queen Elizabeth in 2011; the controversy concerned the proposed tribute rather than an allegation that the ship itself committed misconduct.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023King Charles III coronation programming
International
The ship broadcast the coronation ceremony from Westminster Abbey and offered a themed dinner menu, cocktails and onboard events.
Outcome. The program extended Cunard's royal and British-heritage positioning into an onboard guest experience.
- 2017QE2 fiftieth-anniversary commemorative cruise
Mediterranean · United Kingdom
A special Mediterranean cruise commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth 2 and included appearances by former Cunard figures and maritime commentators.
Outcome. The voyage strengthened the connection between the current ship and Cunard's recent liner heritage.
- 2015Cunard 175th anniversary celebrations
United Kingdom
Queen Elizabeth participated with Cunard's two other Queens in a Liverpool fleet spectacle featuring synchronized manoeuvres and a Red Arrows flypast.
Outcome. The event publicly linked the ship to Cunard's Liverpool origins and 175-year corporate heritage.
- 2014Sydney Mardi Gras tribute
Australia
During a Sydney visit, Queen Elizabeth displayed a very large rainbow banner reading Happy Mardi Gras in support of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Outcome. The ship made a visible public gesture of support for the event while visiting Sydney.
- 2011Royal Rendezvous in New York
United States · United Kingdom
Queen Elizabeth joined Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria for a highly visible fleet gathering near the Statue of Liberty, supported by fireworks and New York landmark illumination.
Outcome. The event reinforced Cunard's three-Queens identity and created a major public display for the modern Cunard fleet.
Brand decisions
2023
Replace New Zealand calls because of biofouling requirementsStrategyBackground
New Zealand authorities required additional work before the ship could visit several destinations, while weather prevented timely hull cleaning.
Action taken
Queen Elizabeth omitted planned Fiordland, Milford Sound, Dunedin and other calls and substituted Australian ports before proceeding to Singapore for maintenance.
Aftermath
The decision enabled the wider seasonal program to continue while addressing environmental-entry requirements.
2022
Divert the Bali call after onboard COVID-19 casesStrategyBackground
Some passengers tested positive for COVID-19 during an Australian-season voyage.
Action taken
The planned Bali visit was cancelled and the ship diverted to Fremantle before continuing the voyage.
Aftermath
The itinerary demonstrated how individual port calls remained subject to health-related operational decisions after cruising resumed.
2021
Delay the restart of passenger operationsStrategyBackground
The planned 19 July 2021 restart was affected by a small number of crew members contracting COVID-19.
Action taken
Cunard postponed the planned restart and resumed Queen Elizabeth's sailings on 13 August after an approximately seventeen-month pause.
Aftermath
The ship returned to service while cruise operators continued to work under public-health restrictions and changing port requirements.
2020
Suspend Australian cruising and relocate during the pandemicStrategyBackground
Australia suspended cruise arrivals from foreign ports and directed foreign-flagged ships to leave the country as COVID-19 concerns intensified.
Action taken
Queen Elizabeth left Australian waters, initially remaining offshore near Newcastle before relocating toward Manila Bay and later returning to the United Kingdom.
Aftermath
Normal passenger service was interrupted until the ship's eventual return to cruising in August 2021.
2019
Install an exhaust-gas cleaning system during refitGeneration changeBackground
Queen Elizabeth underwent a scheduled two-week refit at Damen Shiprepair Brest.
Action taken
Two cabins were removed to create space for an exhaust-gas cleaning system, while cabins, corridors, spa facilities and retail areas were refurbished.
Aftermath
The work supported continued operation under changing maritime emissions expectations and refreshed guest-facing areas.
Recent events
- 2024
Queen Elizabeth responds to the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui[1]
Other
In October 2024, Queen Elizabeth and the Norwegian vessel Lodbrog responded to a mayday connected with the eventual sinking of Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui near Samoa.
- 2023
Biofouling requirements alter the New Zealand itinerary[1]
Regulation
Planned visits to Fiordland, Dunedin and other New Zealand destinations were cancelled or replaced after hull-cleaning and biofouling-related requirements could not be completed in time.
- 2022
Queen Elizabeth returns to Alaska[1]
Other
The ship resumed North Pacific operations and contributed 192 whale sightings to NOAA's Whale Alert Alaska program.
- 2022
COVID-19 case changes an Indonesian port call[1]
Regulation
After some passengers tested positive for COVID-19, Queen Elizabeth did not visit Bali as planned and was diverted to Fremantle before continuing her Australian program.
- 2021
Cruising resumes after a seventeen-month interruption[1]
Regulation · Other
A planned July restart was delayed after a small number of crew members contracted COVID-19. The ship resumed passenger sailings on 13 August.
- 2020
Pandemic restrictions disrupt Queen Elizabeth's Australia season[1]
Regulation
Port restrictions, Australia's cruise-ship suspension and the direction for foreign-flagged ships to leave led Queen Elizabeth to suspend normal operations and relocate from Australian waters.
- 2019
Queen Elizabeth undergoes a major refit[1]
Other
A two-week refit at Damen Shiprepair Brest refurbished passenger areas and removed two cabins to accommodate an exhaust-gas cleaning system.
- 2012
Cunard Queens gather for the Diamond Jubilee[1]
Other
Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria met in Southampton to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
- 2011
Three Cunard Queens meet in New York[1]
Other
Queen Elizabeth joined Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in a Royal Rendezvous near the Statue of Liberty, marked by fireworks and an illuminated Empire State Building.
- 2010
Queen Elizabeth enters Cunard service[1]
Product launch
The ship was handed over to Cunard in October 2010, named by Queen Elizabeth II at Southampton, and began her maiden voyage on 12 October.
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