Cunard has announced that it is slashing its transatlantic cruise prices by hundreds of pounds.

The six-day sailings on the Queen Mary 2 between Southampton and New York, including a one-way flight home, originally from £999, now start at £699 for crossings made in April, October and November, 2009; bookings must be made by February 28.

Cunard and its parent company, Carnival, are keen to divert attention from P&O, which opens the booking for its new superliner, Azura, next April.

The 116,000-ton, 3,080-passenger Azura is the first cruise ship to feature an on-board Indian restaurant and the first in the P&O fleet to offer single cabins. Fares for the maiden voyage, like the itinerary, have yet to be announced, but discounts are likely.

Meanwhile, Hebridean International Cruises is “seriously considering” axing a sailing next April from Oman to Egypt in the wake of the failed attack by pirates on Oceania Cruises’ Nautica last week. Hebridean’s managing director, Mike Deegan, said passengers would be contacted this week about the security situation and a final decision would be made before Christmas.

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