Cunard’s Queen Anne makes a grand return to Cape Town’s waters
Cunard’s Queen Anne sails into Cape Town harbour on 30 January, marking the luxury cruise ship’s return to South African waters before onward calls in Gqeberha and Durban.
Image: Supplied
Cunard’s newest cruise ship, Queen Anne, is due to arrive in Cape Town on January 30, marking the vessel’s return to South African waters less than a year after her inaugural visit.
The ship will then call at Gqeberha on February 2 and Durban on February 4, before continuing her voyage to Singapore as part of a longer journey from Southampton to Asia and Australia.
This will be Queen Anne’s second visit to Cape Town and Durban, but her first port call in the Eastern Cape.
Founded in 1840, Cunard is one of the world’s oldest cruise lines and currently operates a fleet of four ships. Queen Anne, launched in 2024, is the newest addition and has capacity for nearly 3 000 passengers and more than 1 200 crew.
The visit comes as the global cruise industry continues to expand. In 2024, the industry carried an estimated 34.6 million passengers worldwide, while the luxury cruise segment accounted for more than 1.5 million travellers. Industry figures attribute the growth to a post-pandemic rebound in travel, new vessels entering service and increased demand for inclusive holiday options.
Cunard recently introduced new inclusive fare packages across its fleet, which combine accommodation, meals and selected onboard services into a single price.
Queen Anne spans 14 decks and includes a mix of accommodation categories, dining venues, entertainment spaces, wellness facilities and retail outlets. She is also the largest ship in Cunard’s fleet to have completed a full circumnavigation of the globe.
“We cannot wait to once again see Queen Anne sailing into Cape Town’s magnificent harbour,” said Shaun McCarthy, managing director of Whitestar Cruise & Travel, Cunard’s South African representative.
Later this year, Cunard’s flagship ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, is also scheduled to visit South Africa, calling at Durban, Gqeberha and Cape Town in April as part of her world voyage.
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