Cunard Transatlantic Crossing
In 1840, Cunard began its first transatlantic crossing, with Charles Dickens among the first passengers to board. Winston Churchill would later credit two Cunard ships, the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, with shortening World War II by a year. The Queen Mary 2 is the world's last true ocean liner. Not a cruise ship that happens to cross the Atlantic, but a 1,132-foot vessel purpose-built to face the North Atlantic in any conditions, connecting New York and Southampton in seven nights of Art Deco staterooms, formal dinners, and the only planetarium at sea. The ship carries 2,691 guests and 1,173 crew across fifteen restaurants and bars, a Royal Court Theatre, a Mareel Wellness spa, and the largest ballroom at sea. Luxury extends to pets on board, with kennels featuring a New York fire hydrant and a Liverpool lamppost. Suite guests travel with private dining rooms and butler service. Seven nights between two of the world's great cities, on a route that has carried immigrants and dignitaries since the age of steam.
