Bear Grylls

Q320 | 8 Jun 2023 | Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls is probably the most recognisable face of adventure on the planet. The former 21 SAS soldier was one of the youngest ever climbers of Mt Everest, despite breaking his back in a free fall accident only months earlier. Bear’s TV shows include the legendary Discovery channel show MAN Vs WILD and the hit show RUNNING WILD with Bear Grylls, now in its seventh season. His Running Wild guests have included President Obama (in Alaska), Roger Federer, Julia Roberts, and Natalie Portman amongst others. Bear is a family man, a No. 1 bestselling author, the Honorary Colonel to the British Royal Marine Commandos and the first ever

Chief Ambassador to 55 million young Scouts worldwide.

Kenton Cool

Q321 & Q322 | 20, 30 Jun 2023 | Kenton Cool

Kenton Cool is an English mountaineer and mountain guide. He is one of Britain’s leading alpine and high-altitude climbers and has summited Mount Everest fifteen times,

including leading Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ 2008 and 2009 Expeditions and Ben Fogle’s 2019 Expedition. He has completed over 20 notable expeditions in the Greater Ranges and, in 2013, became the first person to climb Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in a single push without returning to base camp. He has also skied two, 8,000m mountains and guided a successful Expedition to the summit of K2. He has also led expeditions through Alaska including North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley.

Pen Hadow

Q323 | 7 Jul 2023 | Pen Hadow

Explorer and Adventurer Pen Hadow was catapulted to international fame when he became the first and only person to complete one of the last great polar challenges – solo, without re-supply, from Canada to the North Pole. It took him three attempts over 15 years to achieve this single feat at the ‘bleeding edge of exploration’. Pen has a strong connection with Alaska in his adventures, including attempting to sail to the North Pole from Nome, Alaska.

Ann Daniels

Q324 | 17 Jul 2023 | Ann Daniels

Ann Daniels is one of Britain’s leading Polar explorers. In 2002 Ann became a world record holder when she reached the North Pole despite unbelievable arctic conditions and became the first woman in history to ski to the North and South Poles as part of an all women team. This journey has never been repeated. In 2009, Ann took part in the first Catlin Arctic Survey over a period of 100 days, 1000km crossing of the ice cap in temperatures as low as minus 50ºC. The survey set off from Alaska, walking, skiing and on occasions swimming stretches of open water to reach the North Geographic Pole. Ann is described by The Daily Telegraph as one of the top 20 Great British Adventurers of all time.

Felicity Aston

Q325 | 27 Jul 2023 | Felicity Aston

Felicity Aston MBE is a Polar Scientist turned Explorer. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across the Antarctic, a 1744km/1084m journey that took her 59-days and entered her in the Guinness Book of World Records. She has also created and led record-making ski expeditions to both the North and South Geographic Poles with international teams of pioneering women, skied frozen rivers and lakes in Siberia, driven 36,000km to the Pole of Cold (the coldest inhabited place on Earth), flown across the United States in an airship and run the Marathon Des Sables footrace in the Sahara. An award-winning author of three books, professional speaker, and occasional TV presenter, in 2016 Felicity retraced the route of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush and spent time mining for gold in Alaska and the Yukon to co-present a series for the BBC.

Mensun Bound

Q326 | 7 Aug 2023 | Mensun Bound

Known as the ‘Indiana Jones of the Deep’, Mensun Bound has conducted wreck surveysand excavations all over the world in a career that spanned 40 years. During that time he excavated one of the oldest known shipwrecks (600 BC). In 2019 Bound stunned the world with his discovery of Admiral von Spee’s flagship, Scharnhorst which had been lost in battle during World War One. That same year Bound was Director of Exploration for the first search to find Shackleton’s ship ‘Endurance’. In 2022 the search resumed and on 5th March the Endurance was found and, as predicted by Bound, it was upright, largely intact, proud of the seabed in an excellent state of preservation.

M328A | 11 Sept 2023 | Anthony Inglis and the National Symphony Orchestra 2023

Anthony Inglis, has been described in the UK press as “one of Britain’s most popular conductors” (Manchester Evening news), who it is said has appeared more often at The Royal Albert Hall than anyone else. He leads a busy international conducting career, appearing with some of the greatest orchestras in concert halls and recording studios around the world from New Zealand to Scandinavia via Japan and the USA.

The National Symphony Orchestra (UK) is one of the longest-established and most versatile professional freelance orchestras working in Britain today. It has an impressive recorded legacy as well as a busy diary of live concert performances. The NSO is admired for both its versatility, an ability to communicate, connecting with audiences with consistent commitment and passion. Recent projects include recording Debbie Wiseman’s score for the Sky movies film “To Olivia”. NSO featured in two episodes of Netflix’s “The Crown”.

Q315 | 19 April 2023 | Beetles & Beyond

Queen Elizabeth will play host to our special Beatles and Beyond: Celebrating the Best of British voyage. Through music, film, tastings and demonstrations, we celebrate much-loved aspects of British culture.

Enjoy music and dancing to the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s. The Queens Room will come alive with hits of the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Small Faces and Tom Jones. A spectacular finale awaits in the Royal Court Theatre with a standout show from the Bootleg Beatles, the world’s leading Beatles tribute band.

This nine-night voyage will depart from Tokyo, tracing the shores of Japan and South Korea, before returning in style.

M323 | 11 Aug 2023 | Dance the Atlantic

Guests will be joined on board by special guests from the world of ballet and dance. Spectacular performances will take place in Queen Mary 2’s Royal Court Theatre, with extracts from the enthralling all-time classics and contemporary pieces, demonstrating the huge breadth of the artist’s abilities.

M329E | 22 Sept 2023 | Festival of Food & Wine

We’ll be joined by legendary chefs, culinary experts and wine connoisseurs for this special Transatlantic Crossing. Spend delectable evenings in our on board dining venues to sample special menus and encounter new flavours at tastings and workshops as you sail.

M335 | 19 Nov 2023 | Literature Festival At Sea
Book lovers will have an incredible opportunity to join some of the best-loved authors, historians, poets, and critics, as well as journalists from The Times and The Sunday Times, bringing the spirit of the Festival to your voyage.

The seven-day programme of literary events celebrates the written word in all its variety with workshops, discussions and Q&As taking in literature, art, film, history, and politics, all underpinned by the quality of delivery that is Cheltenham’s hallmark. There will be opportunities to hear literary greats in conversation and meet favourite authors at intimate book signings.