Cunard Line has partnered with Abbey Road Studios to introduce a new and exclusive Listening Lounge experience aboard Queen Elizabeth. 

The cruise line will collaborate with the iconic recording studio to create a series of curated playlists specially handpicked by the Abbey Road team. 

“We’re always exploring new ways to make life on board even more special, and incredible voyages deserve incredible soundtracks,” said Katie McAlister, President of Cunard. “Abbey Road Studios is synonymous with iconic musical performances, and this partnership allows us to bring this heritage to sea.”

“Whether guests are unwinding with a cocktail, watching the waves roll by, or just taking a moment for themselves, our exclusive Listening Lounge experience will set the mood beautifully,” she added. “When it comes to luxury ocean travel, all you need is love – and the perfect playlist.” 

The 60-minute Listening Lounge experience will be hosted in the Commodore Club, taking listeners on a themed journey via Hi-Res / ANC Bowers & Wilkins headphones. 

A number of the world’s most celebrated artists from Abbey Road’s rich recording heritage will feature in the playlists, including 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 special crossings, with their iconic Abbey Road album released in 1969 – the same year as QE2’s maiden Transatlantic Crossing to the USA.  

The playlists will also offer some of the world’s most famous film scores, showcasing Abbey Road’s recently refurbished Studio One, as the home of film music for over 45 years.

Guests will be treated to 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 maiden Caribbean season from Miami in October. A curated menu of paired Cunard cocktails will be on offer to complement the music and scenery. 

Abbey Road at Sea Event Voyage

Cunard Line has also created a special Event Voyage in partnership with Abbey Road. The sailing departs Southampton for New York on October 23^rd, 2026, the same voyage as many music legends over the years, celebrating the heritage of Abbey Road.  The week-long crossing will feature live performances, a photography exhibition and intimate Q&As with Abbey Road’s roster of award-winning recording and mastering engineers – sharing stories of the studios’ continuous innovation, creativity, and role as a home for creators around the globe.