Cunard has announced two themed cruises designed to delight those who enjoy the good things in life.
Take your love of the written word to the water on Cunard’s inaugural Australian Literature Festival at Sea from 11-16 December 2024 on the Queen Elizabeth.
Cunard has designed a program of speakers, author encounters and Q&A sessions with some of the best-known writers in the world.
The line-up includes:
- Alexander McCall Smith, one of the world’s best-loved writers and author of the insanely popular The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, which has sold more than 20 million copies in English alone.
- Fiona McIntosh, one of Australia’s favourite storytellers across various genres. She is the author of the Jack Hawksworth crime series, the fourth instalment of which (Dead Tide) was ranked Australia’s No. 1 bestselling fiction title.
- Dr Anita Hess, a prolific writer across many genres including non-fiction, historical fiction, children’s novels and travel.
- Graeme Simison and Anne Buist who have co-authored many books. Graeme is best known for the The Rosie Project series.
- Paul Cleave, a New Zealand-based writer and internationally best-selling author for books such as his first published novel The Cleaner, which sold more than 500,000 copies. Cleave won the Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel Award for his book Blood Men.
- Sue Williams, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, will be talking about her extensive knowledge of editorial and travel writing and will present workshops on how to write travel stories, memoirs and fiction.
- Elizabeth Stanley, a writer/illustrator and arts administrator. Elizabeth will be holding workshops on the art of writing for picture books and understanding visual literacy.
Like-minded enthusiasts
Cruise director Ashley Clay says the festival is the perfect opportunity for book lovers to share the ship with a renowned line-up of accomplished authors and like-minded literature enthusiasts.
“The onboard entertainment will boast insightful talks from leading international [and] local authors, and guests will be able to learn first-hand from workshops on board.”
If reading isn’t your thing, but food and the culinary arts are, Cunard has a voyage for you. Sailing 6-11 February 2025, Cunard’s third Great Australian Culinary Voyage on the Queen Elizabeth is a round trip from Sydney to Hobart and back again.
Learn from top chefs, enjoy delicious onshore experiences and swirl and sip some of Australia’s best wines.
Featured chefs include Matt Moran, Mabu Mabu’s Nornie Bero, dessert maestro Darren Purchese, MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin and wine expert and writer Katie Spain.
As well as a host of talks, tastings and hands-on experiences from the above special guests, Moran will be taking over Queen Elizabeth’s Verandah restaurant and creating an exclusive menu for guests as well as curating an exclusive dinner for the Britannia Restaurant.
Cunard has had enormous success with its themed cruises. Earlier this year, the Voyage of the Sporting Greats featuring Brett Lee, Adam Goodes and Karrie Webb was a tremendous hit with both presenters and passengers.
These cruises all book out quickly, so if you are interested in experiencing some of the world’s best literature experiences and food and wine while on board a luxury cruise ship, explore your options now.
Have you travelled on a Cunard ship? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Nine cruises you need to book in advance