2006 QE2 WORLD CRUISE: CUNARD PRESS RELEASE

AROUND THE WORLD WITH A QUEEN

After 22 full World Cruises no ship can know the world quite like its most famous one, Queen Elizabeth 2. Her 2006 World Cruise, which goes on sale on 1 October, will for the first time since her first ever World Cruise in 1975 start and finish in her homeport of Southampton meaning a much improved and slightly shorter voyage for British passengers. The 109-day voyage will call at 42 ports with fares ranging from £9,499 to £121,699 per person*.

Releasing its World Cruise brochure so early is another first for Cunard.The British-built and British-registered QE2, launched on the Clyde by Her Majesty The Queen, remains the fastest passenger ship in the world and is undoubtedly the most famous. Her top speed of 34 knots and cruising speed of 28.5 knots are considerably greater than those of any other passenger ship operating in the world – speed which gives the ship the flexibility to avoid areas of bad weather and to visit a greater number of ports in a given time than her rivals. QE2 attracts thousands of sightseers wherever she goes – traffic still comes to a halt on Sydney Harbour Bridge whenever she arrives – and is one of the most potent ambassadors for Britain worldwide.

For 2006 Cunard is continuing its very successful 40% ‘Sailaway’ savings programme. Passengers who book their cruise before 31 January 2005 will receive a 50% ‘Sailaway’ saving off brochure fares. The 42-night liner voyage from Hong Kong to Southampton has fares ranging from £4,199 to £59,449*.The voyage will return to Southampton via the Suez Canal and will feature overnight calls in Auckland, Sydney, Shanghai (maiden call), Hong Kong, Bangkok, Mumbai and Dubai.Full World CruisesThe brochure will feature three Full World Cruises (Southampton – Southampton, New York – Southampton and Los Angeles – Southampton) ranging from 89 to 109 nights. Cunard is continuing its very successful 40% ‘Sailaway’ savings programme. Passengers who book their cruise before 31 January 2005 will receive a 50% ‘Sailaway’ saving off brochure fares. The 42-night liner voyage from Hong Kong to Southampton has fares ranging from £4,199 to £59,449*.

Passengers who book a Full World Cruise will receive the following added benefits:
• £750 per person on board credit (Grill and Caronia Restaurant passengers); £250 per person On board credit for Mauretania Restaurant passengers.
• First Class flights (where applicable) for guests booking Grill accommodation, Club Class for Caronia accommodation and Economy Class for Mauretania accommodation.
• Five Complimentary customised shore excursions.
• Complimentary gratuitiesLiner VoyagesIn addition to the Full World Cruises, the brochure will also offer six ‘Liner Voyages’.

As QE2 is one of two liners operating today, the other being RMS Queen Mary 2, these are routes the ship was built for with her design, construction and speed.The ‘Liner Voyages’ (Southampton – Sydney, Southampton – Hong Kong, New York – Hong Kong, Los Angeles – Hong Kong, Sydney – Southampton and Hong Kong –Southampton) range from 42 to 70 nights

..... Passengers who book on board before 31 January will only have to pay a £750 per person deposit until 1 June 2005 when the remainder of the deposit is due. Full World Cruise guests have to pay their full balance 90 days prior to departure while ‘Liner Voyage’ guests have to pay their full balance 56 days prior to departure. As part of the new strategic approach to World Cruise, other sectors will open for sale in mid October 2004 when a special brochure promoting Grill accommodation on shorter combination sectors will be published.