Embark on a voyage of enrichment and self-discovery
What's your dream dinner party guest list? Maybe you'd like to get recipe tips from chef Michel Roux Jr, discover Jools Holland's favourite tunes, crack a joke with Ruby Wax or learn from Linford Christie's training insights.
Take a voyage with Cunard and, through its wide-reaching Cunard Insights programme, you could complement your holiday with enriching encounters with experts of all kinds – including those four icons. Alongside talks from inspiring speakers you'll also be able to enjoy interactive 'In conversation with…' Q&As featuring high-achieving personalities from many diverse fields. And as these events are complimentary, you'll be thrilled to know all this wit and wisdom comes included.
As the pioneer of this type of experience – Cunard was the first cruise line to introduce guest speakers on board, introducing it in 1974 – you won't find a richer or more eclectic line-up afloat. Adventurers and explorers, TV and sports personalities, journalists and political commentators, chefs, musicians, writers and performers will all join the Cunard Insights rota this year. So if you're keen to broaden your mind as well as your horizons, a Cunard cruise fits the bill.
Sporting stars
Few could fail to be inspired by the superhuman achievements of world-class sports personalities, and a host of titans bring their stories of endeavour and triumph to Cunard guests this year. Britain's greatest-ever sprinter, winner of the Olympic 100m gold and former BBC Sports Personality of the Year Linford Christie will sail on the world's only ocean liner Queen Mary 2 in the Caribbean in November.
World Cup Alpine ski racer Chemmy Alcott will be on board Queen Anne in Iceland in June, and Queen Victoria will welcome a trio of sporting greats this summer: the grand dame of tennis Sue Barker will be hopping among the Greek islands in May, Olympic swimmer Mark Foster will cruise in Italy and Croatia in June, and rugby legend Will Carling will join a similar itinerary in August.
Television talent
Familiar faces from the small screen will appear in the flesh across the Cunard fleet this year, ready to entertain you with tales from their glittering careers. Join broadcasters Fern Britton and Kate Thornton in Greece on Queen Victoria this summer, sailing in August and May respectively, or hear the intrigue behind the headlines from veteran correspondent John Simpson on a Transatlantic crossing to New York on Queen Mary 2 in May.
In October you could voyage to Portugal on Queen Anne with everyone's favourite property expert Phil Spencer. And on Queen Elizabeth's Alaska itineraries you could laugh with comedian Ruby Wax in June or get the lowdown on the local fishing scene from Captain 'Wild' Bill Wichrowski, star of Deadliest Catch, in July.
Eminent experts
You'll find talents at the top of their game on board Cunard's cruises this year. Long-time friend of the line, two-Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr, will bring his culinary excellence to two Norwegian Fjords sailings in April on board Queen Mary 2 and in August on Queen Anne. Musician Midge Ure is also to be found on the fjords, on a July sailing on Queen Anne, or you could join Jools Holland in May, visiting the coasts of Spain and Italy.
Gardener Charlie Dimmock will be aboard Queen Anne's August itinerary in Iceland, and hypnotist Paul McKenna will make an epic voyage from Cape Town to Southampton on the same ship in April. Alaska is a fitting destination for adventurers and if you sail there on Queen Elizabeth in August and September you'll hear tales of derring-do from former Royal Marine and SAS: Who Dares Wins favourite Jason Fox, as well as adventurer Sarah Outen, known for being the first woman and youngest person to solo row across the Indian Ocean.
All the extras
These informative and entertaining sessions are just part of your Cunard experience. Once you're on board, the chance to enrich yourself with stimulating cultural and intellectual ventures is endless. Book a box at the on-board theatre and enjoy a show with champagne and chocolates, watch a film out on deck or visit the art gallery. Perhaps try learning a new skill – for example there were Spanish classes available on Queen Victoria for her South America season – or simply unwind at the spa to soak up the world-class roster of talks, stories and wisdom from Cunard's Insights programmes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business News Wales
5 hours ago
- Business News Wales
National Road Championships Return to Wales with Star-Studded Line-Up
Cyclists in Ceredigion. Photo credit – Janet Baxter Welsh cycling superstar Geraint Thomas is entered in the 2025 Lloyds National Road Championships in Ceredigion. Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers), twice national champion, twice Olympic champion and 2018 Tour de France winner, is entered in the road race and time-trial in what would be his last National Road Championships, having announced he is retiring at the end of the year. A total of 20 former cycling national road champions headline the provisional rider list for the championships in Ceredigion, which gets underway on Thursday, June 26. Riders will compete in both Aberaeron and Aberystwyth, with routes taking then both inland and along the coastal road. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) is taking part in the women's elite road race and under-23 time-trial. Ferguson is fresh from an impressive 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women campaign where she claimed both the points classifications and best young rider jerseys, the best British rider accolade and a career-first stage win in Kelso. Three-time national road race and 2022's under-23 time-trial champion Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Picnic PostNL) is set to defend her title. Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), who won the time-trial last year in preparation for her silver-medal winning performance in the Olympic time-trial, also returns. Max Walker (EF Education–EasyPost) won silver last year in the national road elite time-trial, while Seb Grindley (Lidl – Trek Future Racing) won junior silver at worlds last year in the under-23 time-trial. Welsh riders include Owain Doull (EF Education – EasyPost), sisters Zoe (CANYON-SRAM zondacrypto) and Elynor Backstedt (UAE Team ADQ) and Elinor (Uno-X Mobility) and Megan Barker (Tekkerz CC). Josh Tarling (INEOS Grenadiers), from Aberaeron, is hoping to defend his time-trial title from the previous two years, while Tomos Pattinson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development) will aim to defend his U23 men's time-trial title from last year. Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council's cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said: 'We are pleased to see such an exciting line up for the Lloyds National Road Racing Championships and we look forward to welcoming the riders and supporters to Ceredigion.'
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Abbey Clancy packs on the PDA with husband Peter Crouch as the couple put on an amorous display during day two of Royal Ascot
They've been married since 2011 and share four children together. And Abbey Clancy and her husband Peter Crouch were packing on the PDA as they enjoyed a loved-up outing on the second day of Royal Ascot on Wednesday. The couple were pictured sharing a kiss as they watched the action from a balcony overlooking Ascot Racecourse. Abbey, 39, who shared snaps of her look on Instagram, showed off her model physique in a slinky white satin dress from Magda Butrym. Meanwhile Peter, 44, put on a dapper display in a sharp cream suit as he leaned in for a kiss from his stunning wife. Royal Ascot, the jewel in the crown of the UK racing calendar, kicked off on Tuesday with the Queen Anne Stakes and will run until Saturday. King Charles and Camilla have been once again arriving in the famous carriage procession along the course and past the stands that will welcome hundreds of thousands of punters during the five-day meet. It is a royal tradition that has reached its 200th anniversary this year after it was first held in 1825 during the reign of King George IV. The festival was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 after she declared Ascot ideal for 'horses fit for kings' and it is now a major social event and sporting attraction. It comes after Abbey told OK! magazine that she would love to have another baby, but her former footballer husband Peter joked he would 'leave' her if she considered it. She said: 'I'd have 10 kids if I could but Pete is like "absolutely not". I think he said he'd leave me if I bring another living thing into the house. 'All the kids are in school now so I could easily have a newborn, but my husband says "no way".' The couple, who have been married since 2011, share four children - Sophia Ruby, 14, Liberty Rose, 10, Johnny, seven, and Jack, six. While Abbey said that she typically gets her way with her husband, she acknowledges that adding another child to their family is one subject he will not change his mind about. As she watched the racing unfold with her pals, Abbey was in high spirits She has previously spoken of her husband's affection for their children, admitting that whenever they do get the opportunity to enjoy a date night, they end up missing their brood The model joked: 'I've actually just got a lovely new baby who's 18 hands - Enzo, my horse. 'He's five minutes from the house but I'd like him to live in my garden and sleep in my bed but that's not possible either!' She has previously spoken of her husband's affection for their children, admitting that whenever they do get the opportunity to enjoy a child-free date night, they end up missing their sizeable brood. Abbey said that while they are a well-off family, she does her best not to spoil her children so that they understand the importance of working hard.
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Ruby Wax, 71, tells Paloma Faith she's going to become a death doula - as star opens up on mortality and the tragic death of her good friend Alan Rickman
Ruby Wax revealed she's taking a course in order to become a death doula during an appearance on Paloma Faith's Mad Sad Bad podcast. The American comic, 71, has been candid about preparing for death in recent years, even admitting that the prospect of dying is her 'biggest fear'. 'I think about death at least four times a day and hundreds of times around my birthdays,' she wrote a few years ago in Huffpost. 'At New Year's Eve I'm already writing my epitaph. While everyone around me is popping balloons, I'm thinking I'm one year closer to the end.' Ruby has now opened up on mortality once again, making the revelation that she's planning on becoming a death doula. An end of life doula - or a death doula - is a 'compassionate, trained companion who supports individuals with terminal diagnosis and those close to them'. Offering practical and emotional support, many aspiring doulas undergo rigorous training in order to carry out their duties successfully. Ruby is planning on beginning her training in September. She told Paloma, 43, on the Brit singer's podcast this week: 'When was I last sad? Well I think there's a level of sadness all the time because I'm really aware we're going to die.' Paloma asked: 'Because the world's going to end or because we're mortal?', to which the 71-year-old quipped: 'Because I'm mortal. 'I think about it all the time. In September I've made a reservation - I'm going to become a death doula. 'Yeah, I'm going on a course. First of all, I'm interested in who else is going to be on my course, you know. So, I do a week (of the course) in September.' Over the years the comedian has been very open about both the prospect of death and her struggles with mental health. Ruby has battled depression, and in 2022 admitted that her mental illness had become 'so severe that it's hard to stay alive'. But speaking to Paloma, the 71-year-old affirmed that she's 'numb' and hasn't cried in years. 'I'm an example of numbness,' she said: 'I don't feel anything. 'I don't cry, you can never make me cry. But also I don't throw my head back screaming with laughter. Well, sometimes it cuts through and if someone that I knew died it would probably cut through.' Paloma then asked the American when the last time she cried was, to which she replied: 'When Alan Rickman died (in 2016). 'I thought he had a heart problem, so I was telling people to get him a heart specialist. But his partner said, "No, he's dying". 'And when I heard that I burst, I ran in there and I threw myself on him. I was like an animal, it was wild. 'Another time when my son was leaving for school (University) I turned into a howling animal. I was on all fours howling and he was only going to Southampton, because I knew metaphorically he was gone. I feel like everything's goodbye.' Reflecting on her friendship with Alan Rickman - who played Severus Snape in Harry Potter and died of cancer in 2016 - Ruby remembered the advice he gave her. 'When I used to do comedy and I was trying to please, he used to say "Pull it back. Make people come to you". 'It took a long time but now after 30 years I don't look like I'm hungry on stage. I do have an ego though and I want to be liked by large groups of people.' Indeed, in an exclusive interview with MailOnline in 2021, Ruby actually credited her good friend Alan with 'turning her into a comedian'. She said: 'He was hilarious. He was my mentor and he taught me how to do comedy. I would say he saved me. 'He took a c*** actress and then turned her into a comedian against all odds. He was my protector'. Alan died in January 2016 after battling pancreatic cancer in private. Ruby was only made aware of his illness two weeks before his death. The comedian paid tribute to him, saying: 'All of his friends would say he was the most generous man. I mean, I meet kids now and they say "Alan sent me to drama school and I never even met him". He took a lot of people under his wing - that's real generosity.' Following Alan's death, Ruby has been a vocal advocate and fundraiser for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
