Cunard, the iconic British luxury brand under the Carnival corporate umbrella, has just launched a new sweepstakes giving away an all-expenses-paid, 7-night Transatlantic Crossing for two people.
Any reason for a free cruise giveaway is a good reason if you ask me. But this sweepstakes has a much deeper connection to America’s history.
The giveaway is in celebration of the 250th anniversary for America’s independence, and Cunard has a long maritime history with the U.S.
In fact, Cunard’s ties to the United States go all the way back to 1840, when its very first steamship started making regular transatlantic mail deliveries between Liverpool and Boston.
Over the next couple hundred years, the British cruise line became a sort of bridge to the US, carrying more than a million immigrants to America.
This new sweepstakes is a celebration of that history. It is offering a free trip on another milestone sailing, which is the upcoming 450th transatlantic crossing for Cunard’s flagship, the Queen Mary 2.
An Actual Ocean Liner
Most people call every large vessel a “cruise ship,” but the Queen Mary 2 is actually the world’s last remaining true ocean liner.
Regular cruise ships are basically floating resorts, complete with water slides and designed to island hop.
The Queen Mary 2 was built to ride the rough waters of the North Atlantic. It has 40% more steel than a standard cruise ship, a deeper hull, and a sharper bow made to handle open-ocean waves.
Sailing on the QM2 is not about waterslides or go-kart tracks. Instead, it focuses on classic maritime tradition, formal gala nights, and the unique experience of spending seven straight days at sea without seeing land.
No other ship does regularly scheduled, year-round transatlantic crossings.
If you’re used to Carnival and Royal Caribbean vacations, it will feel very different on a Cunard ship. But that’s part of the experience.
What the Grand Prize Includes
Cunard is covering the entire package for the winner and a guest. The grand prize includes:
- A 7-night Westbound Transatlantic Crossing in a Britannia Baloom stateroom (sailing from Southampton, England to New York City on November 10, 2026).
- Roundtrip international airfare for two between your nearest major airport, London, and New York.
- A one-night hotel stay in Southampton the night before the ship departs.
- All ground transfers between the airports, hotel, and cruise terminals.
Because this specific sailing is the ship’s 450th crossing, the Cunard is rolling out unique onboard events too.
They are performing theater shows about historical passengers, holding a special Gala Dinner with commemorative take-home menus, and even bringing back a live print version of their historic newspaper, the Ocean Times.
How to Enter (and the Fine Print)
The entry process is pretty straightforward. You just have to fill out a basic contact form on Cunard’s website here.
Here are the quick rules you need to know:
- Who can enter: Legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C.
- Age limit: You must be 21 or older.
- Deadline: The giveaway closes at 11:59 PM PT on July 31, 2026.
- The cost: Completely free, with no purchase necessary.
A Quick Heads Up
The form will ask if you want to opt-in to marketing emails and phone calls. Legally, checking “No” does not lower your chances of winning. Sweepstakes laws in the US require the drawing to be entirely random, so feel free to leave this unchecked if you do not want promotional mail.
The winner will be randomly selected by a computer drawing after the July 31 deadline. If you want to throw your hat in the ring, head over Cunard’s Crossing Sweepstakes page before the end of July.
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