Recently a small number of COVID-19 cases were detected amongst colleagues joining Queen Elizabeth. Working with Southampton Port Health we have taken steps to successfully contain the situation.
This included limiting new colleagues joining Queen Elizabeth. As a result, we aren’t able to complete our final essential return to service preparations, or deliver our comprehensive training schedule to her full ship’s company ahead of our first scheduled sailing.
This means that, sadly, we are delaying Queen Elizabeth’s return to service until 13 August 2021, and cancelling the voyages prior to this date (Q119P, Q119Q, Q120P, Q120Q, Q121P). We are also postponing the Operational Test Cruise, due to take place 13-14 July, until 10-11 August.
We know how hard everyone has been working to deliver Cunard’s return to service and, for Cunard colleagues in particular, how disappointing this news will be. But we will not sail until everyone is trained and confident in our new processes and procedures, and we are ready to create unforgettable holiday happiness through the White Star Service that Cunard colleagues so proudly deliver.
If you have a concession booking which will be affected by these voyage cancellations, you will automatically receive a refund within the next few weeks via the same method you originally paid with – you don’t need to fill out a refund form.
Registration for the new Operational Test Cruise is open from 9 to 16 July. You’ll find the link in the Weekly Update email dated 9 July.
Since March 2020 our priority has been to work with public health, medical and scientific experts as well as industry bodies and various Government departments to put in place an approved framework of protocols to protect the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, Guests and the communities we visit, both during our pause in operations and once we begin sailing.
These protocols, of which we are very proud, have proven to be very effective and we had no cases of COVID-19 in over 5,000 fleet colleagues until the small number identified recently. Through our elevated COVID-19 response plan and the agility of teams on board and ashore, we successfully contained the situation – thank you all for everything you’re doing to respect and protect each other.
All colleague/contractor ship visits have been paused for Queen Elizabeth. If you have a business critical requirement to be on board please contact the ARC team on OCSTeam@carnivalukgroup.com.
Colleague Q&A
Operational Test cruises are an important part of our return to service preparations. We’ve rescheduled Queen Elizabeth’s Operational Test cruise for 10-11 August. Registration for the new Operational Test Cruise is open from 9 to 16 July. You’ll find the link in the Weekly Update email dated 9 July.
If you have a concession booking which will be affected by these changes you will automatically receive a refund within the next few weeks via the same method you originally paid with - you don't need to fill out a refund form.
Everyone is passionate about creating unforgettable holiday happiness for our Guests, so we want to make sure you have the opportunity to experience that happiness for yourself. You are welcome to re-book/book your concession on one of Queen Elizabeth's UK voyages. Remember, all concessions are subject to availability.
Read the Employee Discounted Travel policy here to find out more about eligibility, discounts and terms and conditions.
F&F fares are available for all remaining Cunard UK voyages, subject to availability.
View the current F&F fares here.
The framework of protocols and process that we’ve introduced as part of our return to service plan are to protect the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, Guests and the communities we visit. As soon as the small number of COVID-19 cases were identified on board Queen Elizabeth, our immediate detection and action plan was put in place. These very few individuals and their close contacts returned to quarantine cabins. They're now being supported by our medical and wellbeing teams on board and ashore.
To continue protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone on board all shore side employees and contractor ship visits must be for HESS / compliance-critical reasons or to carry our essential Return to Service work only. All visits are subject to submitting an ARC request. If you already have a visit planned and approved by ARC, the team will be in contact with you to discuss your plans.
If you have any questions about Queen Elizabeth ship visits, please contact the ARC team on OCSTeam@carnivalukgroup.com
You're only able to land/load equipment and/or stores if it can be done without any individuals from ashore and on board coming into contact with one another. If this isn’t possible, consider changing your visit to a quayside-only visit. Visits must be amended through the ARC tool.
All non-essential transhipping of goods has been paused.
Please contact ORCA on ORCA@carnivalukgroup.com if you have an operationally critical transhipping requirement.
All non-essential transhipping has been paused.
Please contact ORCA on ORCA@carnivalukgroup.com if you have an operationally critical transhipping requirement.
It’s our priority to protect everyone’s health and wellbeing. To ensure you are fit and well and ready to return home, you may be subject to additional COVID-19 screening before you disembark. All disembarkations are subject to agreement by Port Health, and there might be new processes and protocols in place such as not using public transport or not staying in a hotel overnight.
Your Crew Manager on board will keep you updated on any changes to the disembarkation process.
We’re looking forward to welcoming all new colleagues on board Queen Elizabeth, but to continue protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone, for the moment, we're only embarking critical manning colleagues. All other colleagues will temporarily join Queen Victoria - there’s nothing you need to do, please continue with your travel arrangements as planned. Once Queen Elizabeth is ready to welcome new colleagues, we’ll arrange for you to be trans-shipped.
You’ll quarantine in a Guest cabin, with access to fresh air/fresh air breaks - wash your hands and wear a face mask whenever you go on fresh air breaks. If you have a balcony, open the balcony doors whenever possible to allow fresh air to circulate your cabin. You must keep your balcony partition closed at all times.
Currently we do not expect your stay on board Queen Victoria to impact your contract length. In terms of pay, Part A of your SEA and any accompanying letter you would have received will confirm the amount you'll be paid, with the exception of any applicable quarantine period pay rates as advised in your Part B of your SEA.
Creating a routine is good for your wellbeing and this is one of the reasons that, once your quarantine has ended, there will be tasks and activities for you to complete on board Queen Victoria. Your responsibilities might be different to your normal role, but it will be reasonable request and valuable to the ship's operation. Queen Victoria's SMT are looking forward to welcoming you as a temporary member of their ship's company.
Queen Victoria is currently in waters off the coast of Torbay in Devon on the south coast of England.
If you've ordered items to Queen Elizabeth and your destination has changed, please contact the Carnival UK Post room team on southampton.postroom@pocruises.com and we'll do our best to intercept the delivery and divert it to Queen Victoria.
In the event we're unable to do this and your mail is delivered to Queen Elizabeth, we'll hold it there until you arrive.
We are currently working through transshipping arrangements and as soon as we've finalised our plans, a colleague from Queen Victoria will update you on your travel arrangements. We'll make sure we give you as much notice as we can so you can prepare for your transfer to Queen Elizabeth.
When you transship from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth, we hope to be able to do this via a 'Green Lane' process which means you won't have to quarantine when you arrive on Queen Elizabeth. However, protecting your health and wellbeing is the most important thing to us, so should the current situation change, we may have to change our transship and quarantine plans.
When you receive your transship details, we'll also update you on what to expect when you arrive on board Queen Elizabeth, including details of your cabin.
We’re confident that our proven protocols will prevent any further instances of COVID-19 on board Queen Elizabeth so we're looking forward to celebrating Cunard’s return to service as per her updated plan.
Iona will be returning to service as planned, with the Shakedown cruise from 2–4 August 2021 and the maiden voyage on 7 August 2021.
