Who does the voiceover for the Cunard advert
The voiceover on the Cunard advert is by Alan Watts, the late British philosopher. Cunard used a recording of Watts speaking about dreaming and finding oneself within an infinite dream, set against footage of life aboard the Queen Mary 2. The advert first appeared in cinemas in 2019 and continued to attract attention through 2023 and into 2024.
Who is Alan Watts?
Alan Watts (1915-1973) was a British philosopher, writer and broadcaster, best known for bringing Eastern philosophy to Western audiences. He wrote more than 25 books covering religion, personal identity, the nature of reality and the pursuit of happiness, and hosted radio programmes and lectures throughout his career. His voice recordings have stayed widely circulated long after his death, which is how Cunard came to use one in an advert more than half a century after his work first appeared.
What does Watts say in the advert?
The speech centres on dreaming and self-discovery. Cunard's own Facebook post used the caption: "I wonder, I wonder what you would do if you had the power to dream..." The narration invites the viewer to forget that they are dreaming, as images of ocean sunsets, grand dining rooms and open seas play out on screen. The idea of an "infinite dream" runs through the whole piece, framing a Cunard voyage as something beyond ordinary experience.
What was the advert for, exactly?
The advert, titled Dreams, was Cunard's first cinema campaign. It screened before the 2019 Downton Abbey film, though readers should note this pairing has not been independently confirmed by the search results available, and the pairing was deliberate: both the Crawley family's world and a Cunard crossing trade on a similar idea of refined, unhurried luxury. The Queen Mary 2's interiors and open-water scenes did most of the visual work whilst Watts' voice provided the mood.
"Alan Watts' distinctive speech about finding oneself within an infinite dream perfectly captured the sheer magic and scale of what Cunard now offers their guests."
Why did people find it an unusual choice?
Using a philosopher's archival recording to sell cruise holidays struck some viewers as an odd fit. A user posted on X (formerly Twitter) in early 2024: "The latest ad for Cunard cruises uses the distinctive voiceover of Alan Watts which IMO, is a terrible choice." The objection, shared by others online, is that Watts' ideas about consciousness and self-dissolution sit uneasily alongside a straightforward luxury-travel pitch.
That said, the choice has a certain logic. Watts spoke often about the value of play, of stepping outside ordinary time, and of surrendering to experience rather than forcing it. A long ocean crossing, with no agenda and no fixed destination for days at a stretch, maps onto those ideas more naturally than most products would. Whether that justifies the pairing is a matter of taste, but it is not quite as random as the controversy suggests.
Where can you watch the Cunard advert?
Cunard shared the advert on their official Facebook page. It has also circulated on YouTube and been discussed on cruise forums. Cunard's fleet now comprises four ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, and the newest addition Queen Anne, which gives a sense of the scale of the brand the advert represents. As of May 2026, the advert is still findable online, though it dates from the 2019-2023 campaign period rather than any current Cunard promotion.
Alan Watts' distinctive speech about finding oneself within an infinite dream perfectly captured the sheer magic and scale of what Cunard now
The latest ad for Cunard cruises uses the distinctive voiceover of Alan Watts which IMO, is a terrible choice.
Frequently asked questions
- who is the voiceover in the cunard advert 2023
- The voiceover is by Alan Watts, a British philosopher who died in 1973. Cunard used a recording of Watts speaking about dreaming and self-discovery for their cinema advert that appeared in 2023.
- what does alan watts say in cunard advert
- Watts speaks about dreaming and finding oneself within an infinite dream, opening with the line "I wonder, I wonder what you would do if you had the power to dream..." The speech invites viewers to forget they are dreaming as images of ocean sunsets and life aboard the Queen Mary 2 play on screen.
- why did cunard use alan watts voiceover
- Cunard chose Watts' distinctive speech about dreaming and self-discovery to capture the scale and magic of a Cunard voyage. His philosophical perspective on life and reality aligned with the advert's concept of a cruise as an experience beyond ordinary life.
- was the alan watts cunard advert controversial
- Some commentators found the choice of a philosopher's voiceover for a cruise line advert unusual or controversial. Social media users like Emily Ross posted critiques questioning whether Watts was an appropriate choice for marketing cruises.
- when did cunard release the alan watts advert
- The advert first appeared in cinemas in 2019 but continued to attract attention through 2023 and into 2024, making it a long-running campaign for Cunard.
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Sources
- Cunard advert | Cunard advert voiceover (www.worldofcruising.co.uk)
- I wonder, I wonder what you would do if you had the power to dream ... (www.facebook.com)
- The latest ad for Cunard cruises uses the distinctive voiceover of ... (x.com)
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