Cunard Special Event Cruise

A Journey of Genealogy with Ancestry

This unique Transatlantic event cruise includes expert speakers, insightful activities and exclusive events on board plus an array of related bespoke shore excursions in selected ports of call.  Additionally, this route’s wealth of history, links to the new world, and personal stories of emigration provide an evocative setting for a dedicated family history cruise – Call TravelKatz for availability on board the Queen Mary 2.

Cunard Special Event Cruise

A Journey of Genealogy with Ancestry

Join our specially created Transatlantic event cruise which has been tailor-made to bring a popular theme to life and further enhance your Cunard experience. This unique genealogy event cruise includes expert speakers, insightful activities and exclusive events on board plus an array of related bespoke shore excursions in selected ports of call.

This classic Transatlantic Crossing leads west from Southampton. It’s uniquely relaxed, sociable and sophisticated, with a wealth of activities to fill every moment and the luxury of time to unwind. After seven nights you’ll make a dramatic morning arrival into New York.  Additionally, this route’s wealth of history, links to the new world, and personal stories of emigration provide an evocative setting for a dedicated family history cruise on board the Queen Mary 2.

Highlights:

Follow your family’s journey across the world and through the centuries; with Ancestry’s experts on board, learn how easy it is.

A secret past?    – daily reveals:  Join Ancestry’s genealogy experts to uncover the fascinating and sometimes surprising past of the ancestors of some of our guests, senior officers, and crew. A new story unfolds each day – rich in international diversity and life stories.

Genealogy expertise on hand: Ancestry’s experts demonstrate how data drawn from the largest online collection of family history records can help trace your family’s past. Find out how AncestryDNA can introduce you to living relatives you never knew existed and reveal your ethnic mix across 1,000 years.

A wealth of specialist knowledge:  Join our guest genealogists to discover how history provides us with important insights into ourselves and where we come from.

Special guests:

During this special voyage, the renowned Cunard Insights speakers program includes expertise from the fields of history and anthropology to bring this fascinating subject to life.  Including:

Angie Bush – Angie has spent several years in the biotech field; then combined her love of DNA and genealogy into a single career as a genetic genealogist.  Angie uses her knowledge of traditional genealogy and genetics to solve complex questions of kinship and identity. Angie holds degrees in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; and her areas of expertise are in: DNA, Unknown Parentage, LDS and Midwestern United States.

Crystal Beutler – Crystal has a passion for history and discovered a love for genealogy after finding newspaper articles about her Civil War ancestors when she was a teenager. She spent several years as a certified corporate paralegal before deciding to combine her passion for genealogy with her research and evidence analysis skills.  Prior to joining Ancestry ProGenealogists in 2015, Crystal hosted family history retreats in Heber, Utah. She also specializes in U. S. Southern and Mid-Atlantic research, lineage society research, and works on episodes of the genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? Crystal is a popular speaker at all levels.

Jennifer Utley – Jennifer is the Director of Research for Ancestry. She has worked for Ancestry since 1997, spending the first 12 years managing the editorial team which produced award-winning books and magazines about family history.   In her current role, Jennifer oversees research for the PR team and the Ancestry research for the television shows, Who Do You Think You Are? and Long-Lost Family. In researching her own family tree, she is currently working on tracing all the female descendants of her 4th great-grandmother on her maternal side. It’s a long story…

Simon Pearce – Simon was born in Hampshire, then moved to London in 2012 and holds a degree in history and a Masters in Historical Research.  With a background in museum work, Simon has a passion for military history and has worked on projects relating to the commemoration and identification of casualties from the First and Second World Wars. Researching his military ancestors from the First World War sparked this interest and Simon loves discovering the personal stories of men and women from the conflict across all the services. Through his work at Ancestry Pro-Genealogists Simon has helped many families discover and understand their ancestors’ military pasts and how their service impacted on their lives.

Land Tours:

Extend your cruise with a fully escorted tour program designed to show you the best of Ellis Island and New York’s Ancestral Trail, 2-night tour.  Added at the end of your cruise this tour package includes accommodations, transfers and luggage porterage.

Discover the hauntingly beautiful Ellis Island and immerse yourself in the fascinating history of America’s busy immigration years. Ellis Island tells the story of the journey of millions of men, women and children from around the world who sought new opportunities and a gateway to the new world. Explore downtown Manhattan, learning about the early history of New York and the populations that settled here.  This tour is available after your cruise.  And is Not suitable for guests with mobility difficulties and requires walking over long distances over uneven terrain.  This wonderful Post-Cruise Tour includes:

• A two-night stay at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in the heart of Manhattan.
• A visit to the Immigration halls on Ellis Island, where over 12 million immigrants passed into the US.
• Explore the abandoned 750-bed hospital, where thousands of infirm immigrants were held.
• A morning guided walk to discover Lower Manhattan including Broadway, Little Italy and Chinatown and a full day to explore New York’s sights and sounds at your leisure.
• Fares are for per person Double occupancy & for per person Single occupancy plus port taxes and fees.

Westbound Transatlantic Crossing – 7 nights

Leaving Southampton for 7 nights on board Queen Mary 2 Staterooms Include: Club Balcony, Balcony, Oceanview, and Inside

Check with TravelKatz for availability at 352-277-7300.