Cunard Line presents speakers across the spectrum

Cunard underlines its reputation for hosting speakers of the highest calibre from across the cultural spectrum with the announcement that legendary musician and founding member of Band Aid, Midge Ure, and former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King,have been lined up to speak aboard the Line’s ships in the coming months. 

Midge Ure

 Iconic singer Midge Ure will join Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 for the first ten days of her 15-night “Artic Circle Discovery” sailing, departing roundtrip from Southampton, England, on 5 August 2014.  The voyage itinerary includes calls to Hamburg, Bergen, Andalsnes, Trondheim, Tromso, Alesund, Stavanger (where Midge disembarks), then back to Hamburg and Southampton.  Fares start from $3,898 per person, based on double occupancy.

Midge Ure was part of the Band Aid gathering of 36 artists in 1984 for the historic recording of “Do They Know It's Christmas?” a song he wrote with Bob Geldof as the industry's contribution to Ethiopian famine relief.  The project led to Live Aid in 1985, a global concert that spoke for a generation.  Bob Geldof has said that without Midge Ure's initial enthusiasm for the idea, not to mention his rapidly penned sketch for the single, neither Band Aid nor Live Aid could have happened.  Midge is still to this day a Band Aid Trustee.  

Midge Ure's services to both music and charity were recognized when he was awarded an OBE.  He also has Ivor Novello and Grammy® awards along with an array of gold and platinum records for acclaimed classics such as “Vienna,” with his band Ultravox.

Midge is a fascinating speaker and an extraordinary entertainer and will give two talks while on board: “Building Emotions: A Life in Music” and “Band Aid: Making a Difference and Implementing Change.”

Mervyn King

Former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, will sail with Queen Mary 2 on a seven-day westbound Transatlantic Crossing from Southampton to New York on 20 August 2014.  Fares start from $1,499 per person, based on double occupancy.

Lord King of Lothbury in the City of London GBE, FBA, served as Governor of the Bank of England and Chairman of the Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Policy Committee from 2003 to 2013.  He was previously Deputy Governor from 1998 to 2003, Chief Economist and Executive Director from 1991, and non-executive Director of the Bank from 1990 to 1991. 

Born in 1948, Lord King studied at King’s College, Cambridge, as well as Harvard University (as a Kennedy Scholar) and taught at Cambridge and Birmingham Universities before spells as Visiting Professor at both Harvard and MIT.  From October 1984, he was Professor of Economics, at the London School of Economics where he founded the Financial Markets Group.

“The inclusion of leading lights such as Midge Ure and Lord King really showcases the breadth and variety of our award-winning Insights Programme,” said David Dingle, CEO of Cunard Line.  “We have been featuring pre-eminent and internationally respected figures as on board speakers with Cunard for over 40 years, and we’re sure that our passengers will find their talks equally fascinating.”

Cunard Insights is a unique on board enrichment programme that features lectures by prominent personalities in the fields of history, science, politics and the arts.  Past speakers include South African activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, American astronaut Buzz Aldrin, film director Baz Luhrmann of “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Great Gatsby” fame, and the award-winning author of “Ragtime” and “The Book of Daniel,” E.L. Doctorow.

For more information about Queen Mary 2 or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Agent, call Cunard Line at 1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com

About Queen Mary 2
Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues an almost 175-year legacy of Transatlantic travel.  Famous names who have experienced this iconic voyage since 2004 include President George H.W. Bush, Desmond Tutu, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Uma Thurman, Richard Dreyfuss, John Cleese and Angela Bassett. 

About Cunard Line
Cunard Line, operator of the luxury ocean liners Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, has long been synonymous with the quest for new discoveries and the epitome of British refinement since the company's first paddle-wheeled steamer, Britannia, crossed the Atlantic in 1840. Cunard voyages bring together like-minded travellers who seek a civilised adventure and relish the Cunard hallmarks of impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment. Today, Cunard offers the only regularly scheduled trans-Atlantic liner service and continues the legacy of world cruising which it began in 1922.

World’s Leading Cruise Lines
Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World’s Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

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