Travel companions enjoy five consecutive voyages on new Cunard ship Queen Anne – who only started sailing in May

Terry Bell, a former auctioneer from Tasmania, and Phillip Millinger, a retired marketeer from Runcorn, have spent 58 days on board the 3,000-passenger ship since her maiden voyage on May 3, 2025.

The travel companions disembarked Queen Anne in Southampton last Sunday (June 30) after the trip of a lifetime. The pair now have plans to sail aboard the 113,000-ton vessel’s maiden world voyage in January – a 107-night adventure calling at more than 30 ports across five continents.

In total, their time at sea included Queen Anne’s maiden voyage (a seven-night sailing to Lisbon via La Coruna); a two-week sailing around the Canary Islands; the 14-night British Isles Festival Voyage; a 16-night Western Mediterranean sailing; and seven-night roundtrip voyage to the Norwegian Fjords.

Bell, a Diamond Cunard World Club member (someone who has completed at least 15 voyages or spent more than 150 nights on board) told World of Cruising: “It was always our intention to spend eight weeks sailing around Europe on board Queen Anne and the experience really has blown our minds. I think my favourite destination has been the Fjords, the scenery has just been something else.

“But everything on board has run very smoothly; the social side of things has been superb and we have made lots of friends. That’s what a Cunard cruise is all about.”

Millinger, who has enjoyed 23 voyages with Cunard over the years – including the iconic QE2 – added: “Queen Anne is a brand new ship and I like that Cunard have developed their approach to certain venues and experiences. Everything feels really modern and fresh, which has been brilliant.

“The atmosphere onboard has been very friendly and casual, the bars are full and far less formal than people expect a Cunard ship to be. There are plenty of opportunities to dress up, but there are noticeably more younger people on board and the crew have looked after us fantastically well. The service has been impeccable."

He continued: “We were really impressed by the elevated wellness elements on Queen Anne. The spa is fantastic – very modern and very clean and it’s a great place to meet new people and unwind in style.

“Terry and I first met as solo travellers so we know how important it is for those interactions to flourish. This was our seventh trip together after first meeting on Queen Mary 2’s world voyage in January 2019."

The friends will next reunite for Queen Anne’s maiden world voyage in January 2025.