Stuck in the 160 years' traditions worth of transatlantic service and the best liners in history, Cunard Line these days lies under the umbrella of Carnival Cruise's Princess/P&O Cruises operations. Its fleet includes two British-flagged liners: Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), the longest-serving ship in Cunard's history and Queen Mary 2 (QM2), the largest, longest, highest, and most expensive ship ever erected until now. The line signed a contract to build a third ship, Queen Victoria, a mate to Queen Mary 2; though smaller and not projected to cross the Atlantic year-round, the ship will offer many of the same facilities as its larger counterpart.

The ship, Queen Elizabeth 2, cruises as a one-class ship these days, but reminders of her prior service as a two-class Atlantic liner still exist. Passengers are catered with one of five restaurants based on the category of cabin they book. All except the restaurant for the lowest grade of cabins have single-seating dining. Cabins diverge greatly between and in restaurant grades. The smallest inside cabins are 87 sq ft, when the largest suites are almost 1,200 sq ft. Not counting the five main restaurants, QE2 boasts of four other dining venues; a computer learning center; a two-story show lounge with nightly entertainment; and lectures, classes, games, and demonstrations all day long. The passengers may also enjoy strolling a wrap-around promenade deck, outdoor pool, and Steiner Leisure spa onboard.

This ship was built to continue Cunard's tradition of providing liner voyages year-round between Southampton and New York. There are 1,300 of cabins, and the majority is outside and have balconies; suites top out at 2,250 sq ft. The ship also traditionally assigns restaurant seating based on cabin accommodations; of the three main dining rooms, only one has two sittings for dinner. There are 7 other dining facilities available and open to all passengers by reservation, as well as a British pub and a champagne bar onboard. Of course, the afternoon tea is served daily by white-gloved stewards. Facilities are the first planetarium at sea; a computer learning center (the ship is wired for Wi-Fi); and a two-story Canyon Ranch Spa. There are also such activities as classes taught by Oxford dons and acting workshops with students from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

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