A few mindful changes; still your Cunard voyage.

After some time away, we’re delighted to be sailing with you again, and we’ve been working hard to make sure every element of your holiday experience is covered. With free flexible booking transfers, our Covid-19 vaccine policy and our enhanced well-being protocols, you can sail with confidence and enjoy the holiday you’ve been dreaming of.

On board, you can still enjoy everything that makes a Cunard holiday so special, and our ships’ crew have been pulling out all the stops, preparing to welcome you back in style. From the restaurants and bars to the cinema and theatre, pools and spas to gyms and shops, it’s all waiting for you.

With our new protocols in place, and while some aspects may initially feel a little different, these changes are designed to protect the health of everyone on board and in the destinations we visit, and we hope you will find these both reassuring and easy to adjust to. 

On this page, we’ve outlined the necessary measures for safe sailing for everyone on board, in line with current guidance. Unless otherwise stated these protocols currently apply to all voyages on sale, however as the world evolves so may our policies and procedures. Rest assured we will continue to work with the government and scientific advisors to continually review our protocols so you can have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday.

For a long time we have had in place many of the protocols now being observed by other social gathering venues on our ships, such as hand-sanitising stations and rigorous cleaning procedures. We've also gone beyond those protocols by asking guests to complete a Health Declaration form and having a comprehensive medical facility on board each ship providing 24/7 medical care and treatment; this will, of course, continue across the fleet.

Working with Bureau Veritas.

In line with Chamber of Shipping guidance, our ships have achieved external validation of their health and well-being protocols from Bureau Veritas (BV), a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, to help ensure a safe return to service for guests and crew alike.

Of Queen Elizabeth, President Marine and Offshore, Bureau Veritas, Matthieu de Tugny said:

“Not only has Queen Elizabeth been exceptionally well prepared technically, with many 'Best Practices' being noted; our verification teams have remarked at the level of commitment and diligence shown by the crews to get the ship ready to sail and provide a safe and enjoyable guest experience.”

Guest and crew well-being.

We are committed to delivering the highest standards of health, safety and well-being for our guests, crew and the wider communities we visit. To ensure you can continue to enjoy your Cunard voyage, our new measures include:

• A robust vaccination policy for all guests
• A testing policy for all guests
• Pre-boarding health screening
• Every area of the ship is rigorously and regularly cleaned and sanitised
• Adherence to approved standards for the service of food and drink, entertainment and experiences on board and on shore
• Appropriate social distancing in line with the latest guidance for cruise lines
• We’ll provide additional hand-sanitising stations
• We have enhanced our on board ventilation systems to provide improved filtration and increased fresh air on board
• The requirement to wear a face mask, with no exceptions, in specific areas including the terminal, when moving around indoors on board, and when seated in the theatre. Guests are free to remove their masks when seated elsewhere around the ship, when out on deck, and when exercising. We’d always recommend guests wash their masks daily and choose a good quality, ideally medical-grade, standard that safely covers the nose and mouth. Please note that visors and face shields will not be accepted as a substitute for a face mask
• We are initially operating with a reduced occupancy on our ships to support our new protocols
• If you have travelled internationally within seven days of your voyage, you will still be able to sail with us as long as all the required protocols have been adhered to and all necessary tests have been negative
  
• Crew also undergo a strict testing and quarantine regime as well as regular testing during their time on board
  
• For your peace of mind, we will not visit any country on the UK government’s red list at the point of travel. We always do our best to visit all of the destinations on our itineraries but if for any reason we’re unable to visit, we will either spend an additional day in another port, add in a new port, or if neither is possible, you’ll get to enjoy an additional day at sea where you can soak up the charms of your ship as well as unbeatable sea views
• We have plans in place, tailored for each ship, to manage medical needs, including dedicated stateroom capacity for isolation, should this be required.

Vaccination and testing policy.

We will update this page as necessary and update all guests prior to their holiday departure date. Please do ensure that your preferences and contact details are up to date in My Cunard.

Pre-existing medical conditions.

It is understood that those with certain pre-existing medical requirements or of a certain age may experience more severe symptoms should they contract Covid-19 (coronavirus). We strongly recommend that guests review the UK Government guidance prior to making travel arrangements. This can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk.

If you have any existing medical requirements, we advise you to discuss your travel plans with your doctor. We have put together a simple health advisory letter that you can provide to your GP so they can verify if you’re safe to travel.

All our ships have medical centres on board staffed by experienced doctors and nurses available 24/7, to help support your health needs. We are following all latest guidance to evolve our enhanced protocols to protect the health and well-being of guests, crew and the communities we visit once we begin sailing again. 

Unfortunately we are unable to accept guests who have the following medical requirements:

• Supplementary oxygen (including via oxygen concentrator)
• Mechanical ventilatory support (except for overnight CPAP for sleep apnoea)
• Dialysis
• Within the 14 days prior to the cruise:
  • Have been unwell with confirmed or suspected Covid-19
  • Have been in close contact with someone with confirmed or suspected Covid-19
  • Have been advised to self-isolate under a government test and trace system.

We are sorry to have to make this change, but we need to follow new industry procedures for the protection of everyone on board. Any guests impacted by the requirements for supplementary oxygen, mechanical ventilatory support or dialysis will be given a full refund of monies paid to date for their bookings.