News Release

Cunard and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society Launch Historic New Partnership

RCGS Experts to Headline 2023 Voyages in Alaska and Canada / New England

VALENCIA, Calif., Nov. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury cruise line Cunard announced a new partnership with the legendary Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), at the nonprofit's annual College of Fellows Dinner last night at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Matthew Gleaves, VP of Commercial Development for Cunard in North America, made the announcement at the event saying, "both Cunard and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society have a deep history and share a dedication to travel and exploration, with a great desire for cultural understanding. This partnership is the perfect marriage of knowledge and discovery."

Experts from the RCGS will be featured on select 2023 voyages as part of Cunard's renowned InsightsTM onboard enrichment program. The RCGS headliners will be on every Cunard voyage in the 2023 Alaska season on Queen Elizabeth, from June through August, and on the Canada/New England voyage in September, from New York to Quebec, on flagship liner Queen Mary 2.

Cunard, with its storied history of over 182 years was founded by Canadian, Samuel Cunard, a pioneer in his time, who began a Transatlantic service between Europe and North America that continues today. With three Queens in the fleet and a fourth on the way, the line offers travelers the opportunity to explore all corners of the world – iconic cities, lesser-known destinations, and everything in between, with innovation and modern amenities that make each experience unforgettable.

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is dedicated to understanding and educating people about the diverse human and physical landscapes of Canada and beyond. With more than 26,000 full-time educators from across the country and a robust Fellowship of distinguished thought leaders and those committed to geographical literacy, the RCGS is one of Canada's largest non-profit geographical and educational organizations.

RCGS speakers include explorers, naturalists, geographical experts, and indigenous advocates who will custom curate exclusive programming for Cunard guests. The RCGS experts include: 

  • John Geiger, CEO, RCGS: best-selling author, speaker and adventurer who will speak about the history, heritage and expeditions which took place on the surrounding lands;
  • Joseph Frey: Scuba diver and former officer with the Royal Canadian Navy who specializes in Anthropology and the migration of people on the land;
  • Jill Heinerth, RCGS Explorer in Residence: Underwater diver, explorer, author and educator with a focus on coastal environments;
  • George Kourounis, RCGS Explorer in Residence: Worldwide explorer and adventurer who contributes his expertise to the Discovery Channel and the Weather Network;
  • Lynn Moorman, RCGS Fellow: Geographer and educator who speaks about the glaciers, fjords and geographic technologies that guests will encounter along the British Columbia Coast and Alaska;
  • Perry Bellegarde, Honorary Vice President RCGS: Former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous advocate, and educator on Indigenous people and their lands

Gleaves continued, "Cunard is committed to not only exploring the beauty and rich culture of the region, but also to educating guests during the time they spend with us. There is no better organization to help us succeed in this than the RCGS; we intend to make this a long-lasting partnership."

John Geiger, CEO for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society shares, "Our mandate to make Canada better known to Canadians and to the world will be furthered by this exciting partnership with Cunard.  Through collaborative enrichment programming and providing Canadian Geographic content onboard, we hope each Cunard guest will come to appreciate and love the dynamic and diverse landscape and people of our country."

For more information about Cunard, or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Consultant, call Cunard Line at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com.

For Travel Advisors interested in further information, please contact your Business Development Manager, visit OneSourceCruises.com or call Cunard at 1-800-528-6273.

About Cunard

Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic, since 1840, celebrating an incredible 182 years of operation. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys for generations, Cunard is world class. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment and outstanding service. From five-star restaurants and in-suite dining to inspiring guest speakers, the library and film screenings, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. Destinations include Europe, the Caribbean, the Far East and Australia.

There are currently three Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria and a fourth ship, Queen Anne, will be entering service in early 2024. This investment is part of the company's ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally and will be the first time since 1999 that Cunard will have four ships in simultaneous service. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).

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For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Jackie Chase, Cunard, 310-926-7686, jchase@cunard.com
Cindy Adams, MGA Media Groupcindy@mgamediagroup.com 

About the Royal Canadian Geographical Society

The RCGS is dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of Canada — its people and places, its natural and cultural heritage and its environmental, social and economic challenges. Since 1929 the Royal Canadian Geographical Society empowers the sense of discovery, drives positive educational and social impact, and facilitates accessible knowledge sharing and learning across Canada, for Canadians and the world. The Society is one of Canada's largest non–profit educational organizations and is proud to support more than 26,000 membered educators from across the country.  The RCGS carries an engaged and diverse electorate within the College of Fellows, extraordinary Explorers in Residence, Photographers in Residence, and a diverse and knowledgeable Board of Governors and awarded Honorary members of the Society.  In addition to fulfilling nation-wide educational curriculum through Canadian Geographic Education, the Society offers extensive transformational programming including the publication of Canadian Geographic Magazine with a reach exceeding 4.2 million readers, the funding and support of Expedition & Research grants, and highly prized Society awards.  The RCGS is funded primarily by membership fees and donations and the Society's Board of Governors and its program committees are comprised entirely of volunteers. 

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SOURCE Cunard