Cunard has joined hands with Abbey Road Studios to bring a new Listening Lounge experience to music lovers on board Queen Elizabeth. The luxury cruise line has partnered with the recording studio to create a series of playlists packed with iconic recordings, each handpicked by the Abbey Road team.
Set to debut on Queen Elizabeth this autumn, the 60-minute Listening Lounge experience will be hosted in the Commodore Club, taking listeners on a themed journey via headphones.
A number of the world’s most celebrated artists from Abbey Road’s rich recording heritage will feature in the playlists, including the likes of Ed Sheeran (who recorded part of “÷” on Queen Mary 2), Fela Kuti, Gregory Porter, Ezra Collective, Little Simz and The Beatles—who famously hail from Cunard’s spiritual home, Liverpool.
The Beatles connection also represents a symmetry of two very special crossings, with their iconic Abbey Road album (the cover of which four Cunard bellhops have recreated above), released in 1969—the same year as Queen Elizabeth II’s inaugural Transatlantic Crossing to the USA.
The playlists will also serve up some of the world’s most famous film scores, showcasing Abbey Road’s recently refurbished Studio One, as the home of film music for more than 45 years. Guests will be treated to goose-bump recordings from the likes of “Raiders of The Lost Ark,” “The Return of The Jedi,” “The Last Emperor,” “The Lord of The Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, Harry Potter, “Skyfall,” “The Shape of Water” and “Gravity.” And more recently, the “Black Panther” films, “1917,” “Tár,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Wonka,” “Barbie,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Gladiator II” and “Wicked.”
Guests will have the chance to experience the Listening Lounges on select sea days, starting during Queen Elizabeth’s inaugural Caribbean season from Miami in October. A curated menu of paired Cunard cocktails will be on offer to complement the music and scenery.
A special Event Voyage, “Abbey Road at Sea,” departs Southampton for New York on October 23, 2026. The week-long crossing will feature live performances, a photography exhibition and Q&As with Abbey Road’s roster of award-winning recording and mastering engineers.
Related Articles
Cunard’s Transatlantic Fashion Week Returns This Fall
A&K Announces Three New Expedition Voyages for 2026
SeaDream Yacht Club Unveils Caribbean Voyages for 2027-28
Star Clippers Opens Fall/Winter 2026-27 Sailings For Bookings