Cunard Cruises is joining forces with Oxford University Press (OUP) to introduce the Cunard/Oxford University Press Science Club. This innovative venture will be a multi-faceted membership programme featuring the new on board Science at Seas lectures performed by prominent science writers.

Guests on board with Cunard Cruises will also be able to join the Science Club providing ongoing opportunities to stay abreast of the most current popular science publishing through quarterly OUP email newsletters, invitations to book launches and much more. The programme is set to kick off on Queen Mary’s 8 April, 2009 westbound transatlantic voyage and there will be three leading scientists and science writers on board for lectures, book signings and interviews.

"We are delighted to partner with Oxford University Press, the world’s oldest and most prestigious publishing house, to offer the new Science at Sea programme that specifically addresses our guests’ passionate interest in this discipline," said Carol Marlow, president and managing director of Cunard Cruises.

"Our guests are not merely on a voyage, but on a quest for knowledge and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Whether tackling evolution, genetics or biodiversity, this programme will allow our guests to learn from some of the world’s most accomplished scientists," Marlow added. Science at Sea only further demonstrates Cunard Cruises ongoing commitment to providing their guests with the industry’s most compelling on board enrichment opportunities. Cunard Cruises have the award-winning Cunard Insights programme, as well as the Cunard Book Club and they also continuously pursue the best and brightest minds to tackle the most fascinating and relevant issues of the day