The sisters have been to all corners of the world togetherDan Haygarth Liverpool Daily Post Editor and Regeneration Reporter
19:00, 07 Jun 2025
Maria Hewitt, Irene Ashworth, Carol Kenny and Julie Madden at Cunard’s Sea of Glamour Exhibition(Image: Gareth Jones Photographer)
A Liverpool family who have been travelling on Cunard ships together for decades said they were amazed to feature alongside stars in an exhibition celebrating the history of the cruise line. Sisters Maria Hewitt, 65, Irene Ashworth, 77, Julie Madden, 62, Carol Kenny, 70, and Christine Rushton, 68, all from Anfield, have been travelling together on Cunard voyages since the 1990s.
Drawn to the luxury cruise line for its glamour and association with Liverpool, they have been on almost 40 trips together, travelling to all corners of the earth. Now, a photograph of all five of them features in Cunard’s Sea of Glamour exhibition, which is currently open at the Liver Building and is free to visit.
The exhibition opened on May 28, two days after the cruise line’s newest ship Queen Anne, which had her naming ceremony in Liverpool last year, arrived in the city to be part of Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade.
It has been curated by Mary McCartney – photographer and daughter of Beatles legend Sir Paul – and is open until June 17. It marks the 185th anniversary of Cunard’s maiden transatlantic crossing from Liverpool and is part of the line’s year of celebrations to mark that landmark.
About it, Cunard said: “This extraordinary global showcase will unveil never-before-seen images from Cunard’s archives, alongside guest photographs, capturing the glamour and prestige of ocean travel through the years. From Hollywood icons and royalty, including Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Bing Crosby and Queen Elizabeth II, to personal milestones and voyages of discovery, the exhibition will tell the story of Cunard’s remarkable legacy, spanning from the first transatlantic crossing in 1840 to today.”
The photograph of the sisters in the exhibition was taken onboard Cunard’s Queen Victoria in 2018. Julie said it was a thrill to have their picture included and they joked they would be famous next time they get on board a Cunard ship.
Maria Hewitt, Irene Ashworth, Julie Madden and Carol Kenny at Cunard’s Sea of Glamour Exhibition(Image: Gareth Jones Photographer)
About their love for the cruise line and how they started going on trips together, Julie told the ECHO: “I first went on a cruise in 1993. I won it as part of my job, I was in sales. So that was my prize – a Cunard cruise. Gary (her husband) and I went on that to Tenerife for a week and after that we went on Queen Mary and it just escalated from there and everyone added on.
“We’ve done about 37 cruises, we’ve been to Greece, Spain, the Med, Dubai, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, New York. We’ve just been to the Fjords and we’ve been on all the current ships.
“We all get on very well and all of our husbands get on really well. Some people would think you wouldn’t want to go on holiday with your family, but that’s the way we are. “
She added: “Because there’s so many of us, ten of us all ready to go, people are gobsmacked when five of us are sisters. It’s a good talking point with people, we attract people.”
Asked what makes Cunard special and why they keep coming back, Irene explained: “Cunard is connected with Liverpool. You grow up with that, but there’s lots of glamour and it’s classy.”
Maria added: “It’s traditional and when you walk on, until when you get off the ship, you’re treated like Kings and Queens, honestly.
“The staff on there work so hard. It’s the people you meet as well, they’re great.”
Irene, Maria, Julie and Carol were at the Liver Building this week to look around the exhibition. They couldn’t quite believe a photograph of them was displayed alongside stars from Hollywood’s golden age and royalty.
Julie said: “It’s a thrill to have our picture in there” and Carol added: “We didn’t think it would happen in a million years.”
The sisters and their families have more Cunard trips booked. One day they would love to board a Cunard cruise sailing from Liverpool – the line is currently based in Southampton, which has been its home port since it moved from Liverpool in 1919.
About the idea of Cunard setting sail from Liverpool as its home port, Carol said: “We’re praying for that. That’s our dream to get on one here, that would be great.”
Maria Hewitt, Irene Ashworth, Julie Madden and Carol Kenny at Cunard’s Sea of Glamour Exhibition(Image: Gareth Jones Photographer)
She added: This is one of the nicest ports. I’m not just saying it because we’re from Liverpool. We’ve done the Coronation Cruise, it came from Southampton to Liverpool.
“We got off, got back on, went back to Southampton. The reception you got when it was sailing in and then when it was sailing away was fabulous. The fireworks, it was like Venice, it’s fabulous.
“The waterfront looks amazing when you’re coming on a cruise ship. It is amazing.”
About the exhibition, Mary McCartney said: “Curating Sea of Glamour for Cunard has been such a brilliant project for me as a photographer. To delve into 185 years of photographic history, I had the privilege of exploring not only Cunard’s iconic legacy but also the real, heartfelt moments shared by its guests on board.
“As I went through the archives and read the stories submitted by passengers from all corners of the world, I was struck by the strong sense of community and connection that Cunard has fostered over the years. I loved seeing the personal submissions – moments of joy, connection, and family milestones.
“As I reflected on these stories, I was reminded that glamour isn’t only found in images of royalty or Hollywood stars, but in the shared experiences of all Cunard passengers.”