British luxury cruise line Cunard has announced its 2028 voyage programme, featuring a landmark moment where all four Cunard ships will come together in Liverpool for the first time.
On 16 May 2028, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Anne will unite on the River Mersey, in what promises to be one of the most memorable occasions in Cunard’s modern history. Held in the company’s spiritual home of Liverpool, where Cunard was founded in 1840, the Four Queens Celebration event will offer a rare opportunity to see all four Queens together in one place, for the very first time.
Australian guests will have the opportunity to be part of this historic moment through a series of exclusive and thoughtfully curated rendezvous voyages across the Cunard fleet that will culminate in the meeting of all four Queens in Liverpool on 16 May.
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Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria guests will experience the spectacle from on board the ships as they join the River Mersey gathering. Queen Elizabeth, having completed her 2028 World Voyage, with stops in Sydney and along Australia’s East Coast, will sail from Southampton to Le Havre before joining the River Mersey celebrations, while Queen Victoria will arrive from a scenic voyage around the British Isles, visiting Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
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Queen Mary 2 will celebrate her maiden transatlantic crossing from New York directly to Liverpool, arriving at the heart of the celebrations on 16 May 2028. Queen Mary 2’s arrival in Liverpool will also mark Cunard’s first eastbound arrival on this route in more than 61 years, since RMS Sylvania berthed at Princes Landing Stage in November 1966. Queen Mary 2 will then continue her renowned Transatlantic Crossings, Canada and New England voyages, and longer Caribbean itineraries.
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Queen Anne, having just completed her 2028 World Voyage, including stops at Australian ports, will begin her 2028 season in Scandinavia and Northern Europe before the spectacular overnight stay in Liverpool.
The last time that Cunard’s ships gathered on the Mersey was in 2015, when the three Queens came together to celebrate the brand’s 175th anniversary, attracting more than one million spectators to the city and its waterfront. The 2028 gathering is expected to build on that legacy, drawing significant crowds and global attention. Liverpool will mark the occasion with a spectacular waterfront celebration as the four Queens meet and return home for the first time.
The Four Queens Celebration event coincides with celebrations marking 20 years since Liverpool was named The European Capital of Culture. The city is preparing a year-long programme of music, maritime and sporting events, with Cunard’s return forming a centrepiece of the celebrations.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “Bringing our four Queens together on the Mersey for the first time will be a rare and incredibly special moment for Cunard. Liverpool is where our story began, and returning with the full fleet is a powerful celebration of that bond. It will be an unforgettable day for our guests, for the city, and for everyone who comes together to enjoy the spectacle from the shore.”
Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Welcoming the four Cunard Queens at the same time will be an extraordinary occasion for our city, our residents, and our visitors. We are incredibly proud of our rich maritime heritage, and this promises to be a really special moment here in Liverpool, Cunard’s spiritual home.”
Further details on Cunard’s 2028 voyage itineraries will be announced in coming weeks. Cunard World Club members will enjoy exclusive early access to the Four Queens Celebration voyages from 2pm on Monday 18 May UK time (11pm Monday 18 May AU time) and all new 2028 voyages from 2pm on Tuesday 19 May UK time (11pm Tuesday 19 May AU time), before all bookings are on sale to all guests from 2pm on Wednesday 20 May UK time (11pm Wednesday 20 May AU time).
