Cunard Chooses Melbourne as Main Australian Homeport for Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship

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cunard chooses melbourne as main australian homeport for queen elizabeth cruise ship

fantastic!count me in!

I was scoffed at last year on this forum when I predicted a partial repositioning of Cunard to Australia and other regions of the world. Turns out I was right. Wasn't hard to see happening. Follow the money. Australia has the highest percentage of new cruisers and existing cruisers per head of holidaying populations in the world. Cunard will make a fortune out here.

Could this be a "test" for basing the new Queen (Anne?) more-or-less permanently "down under"?

Could this be a "test" for basing the new Queen (Anne?) more-or-less permanently "down under"?

ewwww I hope not, they can keep that ugly block up in the northern hemisphere, Ill take any of the other three down here...

Sounds good to be able to leave from Melbourne, but it would have been even better if they went to more destinations.

ewwww I hope not, they can keep that ugly block up in the northern hemisphere, Ill take any of the other three down here...

Agreed, it does not seem to have the elegant lines of the three Queens. It may not be deserving of Queen title. Perhaps the MS Dame Edna Everage is more appropriate.

Agreed, it does not seem to have the elegant lines of the three Queens. It may not be deserving of Queen title. Perhaps the MS Dame Edna Everage is more appropriate.

lol.

Sounds good to be able to leave from Melbourne, but it would have been even better if they went to more destinations.

This has always been the problem with so-called "home portings" out of Melbourne . It is just that bit further away from both Brisbane and Sydney for these cruises. I look on these cruiselines that make great announcements about home porting in Australia (for a short season) to be nothing but "carpetbaggers" - here to pick the eyes out of any opportunity they can find, but unwilling to permanently and constructively build the Australian cruising Industry.

Well good luck to them. Mind my last cruise from Australia was in 1984 aboard the original (and wonderful, too!) ss ORIANA. And even "back then" and even in what used to be First Class, I cannot think of a cruise passenger profile more at odds with Cunard's existing dress code, entertainment and general "Pommie" ambiance. But maybe the Australian cruise market has grown and diversified so that's now appealing to a slice of the trade. I did pack and wear my white d/j on ORIANA as one should in the former First Class of a great Orient liner but I think I was asked if I could get them a table for two or send over the wine steward at least a few times. No tips, either. They are a tough crowd......

Well good luck to them. Mind my last cruise from Australia was in 1984 aboard the original (and wonderful, too!) ss ORIANA. And even "back then" and even in what used to be First Class, I cannot think of a cruise passenger profile more at odds with Cunard's existing dress code, entertainment and general "Pommie" ambiance. But maybe the Australian cruise market has grown and diversified so that's now appealing to a slice of the trade. I did pack and wear my white d/j on ORIANA as one should in the former First Class of a great Orient liner but I think I was asked if I could get them a table for two or send over the wine steward at least a few times. No tips, either. They are a tough crowd......

Australians are, by percentage of population, the biggest cruisers in the world.

https://www.finder.com.au/australians-are-the-worlds-number-one-cruise-goers-by-far