On 4 October 2016 Cunard announced its flagship Queen Mary 2 will offer a transatlantic crossing to coincide with International World Space Week in October 2017. To celebrate this international event, Cunard has curated a bespoke voyage which will take guests on an exceptional journey across the Atlantic, featuring a range of space themed experiences including talks from renowned space exploration experts including:
- Dr Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA Astronaut, Scientist and former Shuttle Pilot
- Charles Barclay from the Royal Astronomical Society
- Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic
- Ken MacTaggart, NASA Historian
Taking place every year on 4-10 October since its United Nations declaration in 1999, World Space Week has grown into the largest public space event on Earth. More than 1,800 events in 73 countries celebrated the wonders of space exploration in 2015.
Following a recent remastering in the region of £90 million, Queen Mary 2 will become part of this global celebration of space in 2017. As well as the featured speakers, guests will be able to visit the world’s only Planetarium at sea, a spectacular venue with an impressive dome that takes guests on virtual journeys into the stars as they recline and enjoy the magnificent three dimensional shows.
The size and expanse of Queen Mary 2’s outside deck space also affords guests the opportunity to take a look for themselves and star gaze from the unique vantage point of the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
To enhance this unique at sea experience, Cunard is also offering Queen Mary 2’s guests a VIP pre-voyage tour of the Hayden Planetarium and the Rose Center for Space at the American Museum of Natural History followed by a VIP tour of the Intrepid Museum of Air, Sea and Space in New York. Upon arrival into the UK, there is a tailor-made package available including a two night stay and a tour of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
