Inaugural Australian Literature Festival at Sea 2024

Cunard’s inaugural Australian Literature Festival at Sea is curated in partnership with Australia’s oldest bookstore, Dymocks. Join award-winning authors, passionate readers and aspiring writers across five nights of literature, adventure and relaxation.
­
This roundtrip from Sydney to Tasmania aboard Queen Elizabeth is a dream voyage for literature lovers. Immerse yourself in a world where the written word takes centre stage, with a renowned line-up of accomplished literary talent.
­
Beyond the bookish delights, you’ll also be free to indulge in the many experiences that always make a Queen Elizabeth voyage great. Sumptuous dining in the ship’s restaurants, live music, premium entertainment and spacious decks from which to take part in all sorts of activities or just admire the gentle rhythm of the ocean.
Take your love of the written word to the water and immerse yourself in five unforgettable nights at the Australian Literature Festival at Sea!
SPECIAL GUESTS
Alexander McCall Smith - Acclaimed British author with more than 100 books to his name and one of the world’s best-loved writers. Alexander e is perhaps best known for his acclaimed series ‘The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency’, which has sold over 20 million copies in the English language alone.
Fiona McIntosh - Internationally acclaimed English-born Australian author of the hit Jack Hawksworth crime series, Fiona is also a writer of blockbuster historical fiction and travels the world researching and drawing inspiration for her novels.
Dr Anita Heiss - is one of Australia’s most prolific and internationally published authors of 25 books across genres including non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction (Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms), and children’s novels.
Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist - Graeme is the author of the hugely successful The Rosie Project series and his wife Anne, has been dividing her time between psychiatry and writing fiction. In addition to their acclaimed Two Steps Forward and Two Steps Onward their latest novel, The Glass House, is set in a mental health facility and will be published in April 2024.
Paul Cleave - is an award-winning author whose books have been translated into over twenty languages. He has won the Ngaio Marsh Award three times and the Saint-Maur book festival’s Crime Novel of the Year award.
Sue Williams - Award-winning travel journalist and columnist who will facilitate workshops on how to write travel stories and journals.
Elizabeth Stanley - Book author and illustrator who will show the art of illustrating stories for children.