Welcome to the Cunard Famous Liners Archive

Cunard Aquitania

In 1840, a new era in transatlantic travel was forged when Sir Samuel Cunard’s Britannia set sail for North America, inaugurating the world’s first regularly scheduled transatlantic steamship service.

Spanning over 18 remarkable decades, Cunard Line has commanded a magnificent fleet of hundreds of vessels. From its pioneering paddle steamer, the Unicorn (which predated even Britannia’s maiden voyage), to the iconic Cunard Queens, the company’s ships have profoundly shaped maritime history.

This archive invites you to explore the rich history of the Cunard Line, ship by fascinating ship. While not an exhaustive compilation, it proudly details some of Cunard’s most celebrated vessels, and we are continually expanding this collection with new ship profiles.

Navigate through the various time periods using the menu on the left to delve into the captivating history of each ship.

Image sourced with permission from: Simplon Post Cards

Historic Imagery AcknowledgementHistoric images on these pages are provided by various collectors and used with their permission. Additionally, some images are in the public domain and sourced from Wikimedia Commons. We would like to thank all contributors. Special thanks to Ian Boyle from Simplon Postcards, as well as Rob Henderson & Doug Cremer, whose permission was granted to use these images, and invaluable support is greatly appreciated.