Queen Elizabeth Returns to Service! Cunard is BACK!

On Friday 13 August @CunardLineOfficial Queen Elizabeth resumed her cruising schedule, returning Cunard passenger voyages to the high seas after a 17 month hiatus. The 90,900 ton Cunarder will spend the next few weeks cruising locally out of Southampton, on cruises in UK waters. In October, the ship will sail on the first Cunard international voyage since cruising was paused in March 2020. -- ▶ SUBSCRIBE for regular cruise ship updates & maritime history: https://bit.ly/38BR2DK ▶ CHECK OUT my Cunard history website: https://www.chriscunard.com/ ▶ READ: My Maritime History books: https://bit.ly/3nISs3w (not sponsored) ▶ CHECK OUT my maritime lectures: https://www.chrisframe.com.au/ -- Queen Elizabeth has been anchored off the coast of the UK since returning to British waters over a year ago. During this period of warm layup, the ship has been spotted in Southampton and off Weymouth, Babbacombe, Plymouth and Portsmouth. Queen Elizabeth was based in Australia when COVID-19 brought cruising to a standstill in early 2020. The ship disembarked her last guests in Sydney in March last year, and spent a brief period in layup off the Queensland coast. When the Australian government closed Australia’s border to internationally flagged cruise ships, Queen Elizabeth sailed north to the Philippines. Queen Elizabeth spent several months here in the company of cruise ships from P&O Australia, Costa, Carnival, Princess, Seabourn and Royal Caribbean. When it became clear that cruising would not resume in 2020, Queen Elizabeth sailed back to the UK, arriving home in July last year. More recently, the ship was due to return to service in July 2021. But an outbreak of COVID among some crew members delayed Cunard’s resumption of cruising until August. The COVID pandemic represents the longest period of inactivity in Cunard’s 181 year history… but it is far from the first time the line has faced hardship. During global conflicts such as World War I and World War II, most passenger services were suspended, with Cunard’s fleet requisitioned for use as troop carriers, hospital ships and in some cases, armed merchant cruisers! Cunard has also survived past health crises. The company – as well as most other steamship companies - operated through such events as the 1918 flu pandemic, and the cholera pandemics in the 1800s. Back then, steam ships were the only way to transport goods, mails and people across oceans, and as such sailings were maintained regardless of world events. Countries that had mass-migration programmes, such as the US, set up huge quarantine facilities to screen and isolate unwell travellers. You can actually visit one of these facilities at Ellis Island in New York City. Despite past health crises, COVID-19 is the first time that the company – along with all cruise lines – had completely suspended services, making the resumption of sailings all the more significant for the line. Passengers travelling aboard Queen Elizabeth in 2021 will be required to be vaccinated before cruising, and the initial voyages are open to UK residents only. Additionally, travellers will receive a COVID test at the terminal. Cunard expect to resume transatlantic crossings aboard QM2 later this year, while Queen Victoria will remain laid up until April 2022. -- IMAGE SUPPORT: Thank you to: Alison Morton and Rob Henderson / Doug Cremer. -- MUSIC: YouTube Audio Library