Cunard — CruiseDirector

Overview

Cunard is the oldest cruise line still operating, founded in 1839, and it runs on a model that no other mainstream line attempts. Your cabin grade determines where you eat, who serves you, and which lounges you can access. It is a class system, plainly stated, and Cunard does not apologise for it. The four-tier structure runs from Britannia (standard) through Britannia Club, Princess Grill, and up to Queens Grill, where butlers bring canapes before dinner and you can order off-menu.

The onboard atmosphere is formal in a way that most modern cruise lines have walked away from. Gala evenings with black tie are still a fixture, afternoon tea with white-gloved waiters happens daily in the Queens Room, and the entertainment programme leans toward enrichment lectures, ballroom dancing, and the largest library at sea rather than roller coasters and waterslides. The ships are quieter, older in demographic, and genuinely elegant. Queen Mary 2, the flagship, is technically an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship, built specifically for transatlantic crossings, and she is in a category of one.

The trade-off: Cunard is not cheap, the formality is not for everyone, and the food quality outside the Grills can be inconsistent. The Britannia dining room is grand but the menus on non-gala evenings can feel safe and uninspired. Room service for Britannia guests was cut back to breakfast-only in late 2025, which stung. And the class system means that if you are in a standard cabin, you will occasionally feel the boundary between your world and the Grills world. That said, if you want a cruise that feels like actual ocean travel rather than a floating theme park, Cunard is the only mainstream line delivering it.

I've sailed on Queen Mary 2 .

The Fleet

4 ships reviewed.

Queen Mary 2

Sailed

Launched 2004 · 149,215 GT

2,695 passengers

The flagship. The only ocean liner in scheduled transatlantic service. Refurbished 2016 with new single cabins and Britannia Club.

Read full ship guide →

Queen Victoria

Launched 2007 · 90,049 GT

2,081 passengers

The smallest Queen. 2017 refit added Britannia Club and single cabins. World cruises and Mediterranean deployments.

Queen Elizabeth

Launched 2010 · 90,901 GT

2,081 passengers

Art deco elegance. Caribbean programme from Miami. 2026 is her final Alaska season.

Queen Anne

Launched 2024 · 113,000 GT

2,996 passengers

The newest Queen. Cunard's 249th ship. Modern Pinnacle-class platform shared with Holland America.

Pricing & Fares

Cunard fare structure and what's actually included.

Cunard's pricing is built around the class system. Britannia cabins (inside, outside, balcony) are the standard fare and include the main dining room, buffet, pub lunches, afternoon tea, and all entertainment. Britannia Club is balcony-only with a dedicated restaurant and priority perks. Princess Grill and Queens Grill are the suite tiers, each with their own exclusive restaurant, butler service, Grills Lounge access, and a long list of inclusions. The jump from Britannia to Princess Grill is significant in both price and experience.

Cunard runs three fare types: the Cunard Fare (choose your cabin, get onboard credit and perks), Early Saver (discounted but cabin assigned), and Late Saver (biggest discount, everything assigned, full payment at booking). In practice, the Cunard Fare is worth it if you care about cabin location or dining time. A 7-night transatlantic on QM2 starts around 1,000 GBP for an inside in Britannia and climbs quickly from there. Grills suites on the same crossing start north of 3,000 GBP. Promotional offers for Grills sometimes include drinks packages and gratuities, which changes the value equation considerably.

Included	Britannia	Britannia Club	Princess Grill	Queens Grill
Main dining restaurant	Britannia	Britannia Club	Princess Grill	Queens Grill
Buffet / Lido	✓	✓	✓	✓
Golden Lion pub lunch	✓	✓	✓	✓
Afternoon tea	✓	✓	✓	✓
Room service	Breakfast only	24-hour	24-hour	24-hour
Priority embarkation	—	✓	✓	✓
Grills Lounge & Terrace	—	—	✓	✓
Butler service	—	—	✓	✓
Complimentary minibar	—	—	—	✓
Off-menu dining	—	—	—	✓

Dining

Restaurants and dining on Cunard.

Cunard ties dining to your cabin grade, and the gap between tiers is real. Britannia is the main restaurant for most passengers. It is a handsome double-height room with white tablecloths and a string quartet, and on gala evenings the kitchen pulls out all the stops. On regular evenings, quality drops noticeably. The Britannia Club, available to Britannia Club cabin guests, serves the same menu plus extras in a smaller, quieter room with open seating. It is arguably the best value upgrade in the Cunard system.

The Grills are where the food becomes genuinely excellent. Princess Grill offers lobster Thermidor, Dover sole, and chateaubriand as standard. Queens Grill goes further with off-menu requests, daily canapes, and gala menus designed by Michel Roux. Beyond the main restaurants, the Golden Lion pub does solid fish and chips at no extra charge, afternoon tea in the Queens Room is a daily event worth attending at least once, and the Steakhouse at The Verandah is the main extra-cost option at around 25 to 30 USD per head. The buffet on QM2 (Kings Court) is functional but nothing to write home about.

Solo Cruising on Cunard

Cunard is one of the better mainstream lines for solo travellers, and it is one of the few that takes it seriously rather than treating solos as an afterthought. All four ships carry dedicated single-occupancy staterooms, purpose-built for one person rather than a blocked-off double. On QM2, there are 15 single oceanview cabins on Decks 2 and 3, added during the 2016 refit, plus single insides. Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth offer single inside and oceanview options, with limited single balcony availability on select sailings.

The social side works well without feeling forced. The Gentleman Dance Host programme runs on longer sailings, with skilled ballroom dancers partnering solo guests in the Queens Room. A dedicated social host coordinates activities like coffee meetups, cocktail receptions, and group events. Fixed-shift dining in Britannia means you sit with the same people each evening, which builds rapport quickly. Solos are often paired at the same table. The enrichment programme, lectures, and library also create natural conversation points. The single supplement on double-occupancy cabins can run up to 200%, but the fixed solo rates on single staterooms are often competitive.

Single supplement Up to 200% on doubles. Fixed solo rates on single cabins.

Solo cabins All 4 ships. QM2: 15 oceanview + inside. QV/QE: inside + oceanview.

Social programme Dedicated social host. Gentleman Dance Hosts on longer sailings.

Solo-friendly dining Fixed shift builds rapport. Solos grouped together.

Who Cunard Is For

Let's be honest: who will love this line, and who should look elsewhere.

You'll love it if...

+ You want a cruise that feels like proper ocean travel, not a floating theme park

+ You enjoy dressing up and the ritual of gala evenings with black tie

+ You value enrichment, lectures, and a good library over waterslides and go-karts

+ You are a solo traveller who wants purpose-built single cabins and structured social events

+ You want the transatlantic crossing, and QM2 is the only ship doing it as a scheduled service

+ You appreciate tradition, afternoon tea, and a ship that takes its heritage seriously

Look elsewhere if...

— You find dress codes stifling and do not want to pack formal wear

— You are on a tight budget, as the class system means the best experiences are behind the Grills paywall

— You want a lively, late-night party atmosphere with a younger crowd

— You are travelling with young children who need kids' clubs and waterslides as a priority

— You expect all dining to be included at the same standard regardless of what you paid

— You want a modern, casual cruise experience without rules about what to wear after 6pm

My Reviews & Guides

Everything I've written about Cunard.

Inside cabin on Queen Mary 2 with king-size bed and bedside lamps

Cabins

Cabins to Avoid on Queen Mary 2: The Ones to Skip and Why

Which cabins to avoid on Queen Mary 2 - noise, obstructed views, vibration, and high-traffic areas, with deck numbers and the cabins I would book instead.

Mar 12, 2026 · 8 min read

Patrick in black tie aboard Queen Mary 2 during a Gala Evening on a Transatlantic crossing

Reviews

Queen Mary 2 Review: The Honest Take

An honest review of Queen Mary 2 - what it gets right, what it gets wrong, who it suits, and whether it is worth the money.

Mar 12, 2026 · 10 min read 7.9

Guides Port Logistics

11 Tips for Cunard QM2 Embarkation Day at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 (QM2) sails regularly between New York and Southampton, and while stepping aboard the Queen Mary 2 is magical, getting through Brooklyn Cruise Terminal has a few quirks worth knowing.

Sep 16, 2025 · 6 min read