CUNARD MARKING 175TH YEAR IN 2015

Franconia, Cunard’s regular World Cruise ship before World War II, seen in Sydney, Australia in 1934
on the first of many visits to the port by Cunard ships. (Photo by Frederick Garner Wilson, courtesy of the
Australian National Maritime Museum)

One thing Cunard knows a thing or two about are world voyages. The cruise company proudly notes, "In 1922, Cunard invented the world voyage when Laconia set off on the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by a passenger ship, and since then Cunard ships have undertaken more world voyages, carried more passengers on world voyages and visited more destinations during world voyages than any other line."

Come 2015, what better way to mark the company's 175th year since its founding than with a world voyage? Among the things already planned: Several Cunard Royal Rendezvous events during the World Voyage itineraries: Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth will depart Southampton together on Jan.10; on March 12, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will meet in Sydney; and on May 3, all three Queens will return from their World Voyages to Southampton.

To view the complete 2015 World Voyages and Exotic Cruises schedule, visit www.cunard.com/prereg. -- Gerry