Luxury cruise line Cunard announced a new partnership with the legendary Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), at the nonprofit’s annual College of Fellows Dinner last night at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Matthew Gleaves, VP of Commercial Development for Cunard in North America, made the announcement at the event saying, “both Cunard and the Royal Canadian Geographical Societyhave a deep history and share a dedication to travel and exploration, with a great desire for cultural understanding. This partnership is the perfect marriage of knowledge and discovery.”
Experts from the RCGS will be featured on select 2023 voyages as part of Cunard’s renowned InsightsTM onboard enrichment program. The RCGS headliners will be on every Cunard voyage in the 2023 Alaska season on Queen Elizabeth, from June through August, and on the Canada/New England voyage in September, from New York to Quebec, on flagship liner Queen Mary 2.
Cunard, with its storied history of over 182 years was founded by Canadian, Samuel Cunard, a pioneer in his time, who began a Transatlantic service between Europe and North America that continues today. With three Queens in the fleet and a fourth on the way, the line offers travelers the opportunity to explore all corners of the world – iconic cities, lesser-known destinations, and everything in between, with innovation and modern amenities that make each experience unforgettable.
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is dedicated to understanding and educating people about the diverse human and physical landscapes of Canada and beyond. With more than 26,000 full-time educators from across the country and a robust Fellowship of distinguished thought leaders and those committed to geographical literacy, the RCGS is one of Canada’s largest non-profit geographical and educational organizations.
RCGS speakers include explorers, naturalists, geographical experts, and indigenous advocates who will custom curate exclusive programming for Cunard guests. The RCGS experts include:
- John Geiger, CEO, RCGS: best-selling author, speaker and adventurer who will speak about the history, heritage and expeditions which took place on the surrounding lands;
- Joseph Frey: Scuba diver and former officer with the Royal Canadian Navy who specializes in Anthropology and the migration of people on the land;
- Jill Heinerth, RCGS Explorer in Residence: Underwater diver, explorer, author and educator with a focus on coastal environments;
- George Kourounis, RCGS Explorer in Residence: Worldwide explorer and adventurer who contributes his expertise to the Discovery Channel and the Weather Network;
- Lynn Moorman, RCGS Fellow: Geographer and educator who speaks about the glaciers, fjords and geographic technologies that guests will encounter along the British Columbia Coast and Alaska;
- Perry Bellegarde, Honorary Vice President RCGS: Former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous advocate, and educator on Indigenous people and their lands
Gleaves continued, “Cunard is committed to not only exploring the beauty and rich culture of the region, but also to educating guests during the time they spend with us. There is no better organization to help us succeed in this than the RCGS; we intend to make this a long-lasting partnership.”
John Geiger, CEO for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society shares, “Our mandate to make Canada better known to Canadians and to the world will be furthered by this exciting partnership with Cunard. Through collaborative enrichment programming and providing Canadian Geographic content onboard, we hope each Cunard guest will come to appreciate and love the dynamic and diverse landscape and people of our country.”
