About Cunard Line

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Cunard Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, has a long and illustrious history. The line was founded in 1840 by Samuel Cunard, a businessman from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Cunard applied for and received a contract from the British government to carry the Royal Mail from Britain to North America on a fleet of steamships that would maintain a weekly service. The first route was from Liverpool to Boston via Halifax, but the western terminus was soon moved to New York.

Throughout the 19th century, Cunard Line produced larger, faster and more luxurious ships. Their ships never pushed technological boundaries — when a new technology was proved by other lines, Cunard adopted it. The line also could boast never having lost a life at sea due to failure of ship or seamanship.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Cunard applied for and received a subsidy from the British government to build a pair of ships that would not only be the largest in the world, but the fastest. The government agreed to the subsidy to keep the Cunard Line British at a time when J. P. Morgan, the American financier, was acquiring steamship companies in an attempt to form a trust. In return for the subsidy, Cunard Line agreed to permit their ships to be used as armed merchantmen in time of war. The two new liners, Mauretania and Lusitania, were one third larger than any existing ship and powered by turbine steam engines, a new technology. Mauretania was the slightly faster sister and quickly took the North Atlantic speed record (and held it for a record 22 years). She had a long, profitable career. Lusitania, on the other hand, was less fortunate. Continuing to carry passengers and cargo during World War I, she was sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland.

Cunard's express liners carried three classes of passenger: first, second and steerage. First class was opulent, with public rooms imitative of the decor of country houses and hotels. Second class was comfortable and cheaper. Steerage was for immigrants. Even though immigrant fares were low, the volume of immigrants carried made this the most profitable class of passenger.

Between the world wars, Cunard fielded a fleet of three grand liners on the premier Southampton to New York run: Mauretania, Aquitania (a larger four-funnel ship that would sail for 35 years) and Berengaria, a former German liner (Imperator) that had been surrendered as war reparations.

In the late 1920's Cunard lay down plans for a pair of liners that would be capable of maintaining the weekly service between Southampton and New York. Construction was delayed by the Great Depression, but the British government issued loan guarantees on the condition that Cunard merge with its rival, White Star Line. Cunard-White Star Line launched Queen Mary in 1935 and Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Queen Mary won the speed record for the North Atlantic from the French liner Normandie and kept it for the next 16 years.

Both Queens and numerous smaller Cunard ships served with distinction as troop carriers during World War II. Winston Churchill credited the two Queens with shortening the war in Europe by a year, as they were able to transport 10,000 troops each trip — without escort — because of their speed.

After the war, Cunard resumed trans-Atlantic service with their Queens and a large fleet of smaller ships, including the notable Caronia, Cunard's first purpose-built cruise ship. With the arrival of the jet airplane, however, the profitability of line voyages between ports, of ship travel as transportation, declined. Cunard's ships began to lose money, and, one by one, they were withdrawn from service. Queen Mary was withdrawn in 1967 and sold to the City of Long Beach, California, to become a hotel and conference center. She remains there to this day, having been a shoreside attraction longer than she sailed the seas. Queen Elizabeth was withdrawn in 1968. She later burned in Hong Kong harbor, as she was fitting out to become a floating university.

In 1960, the British government agreed to lend Cunard money for the construction of a new liner on the condition that the ship could be requisitioned for national service in an emergency. In 1967, Queen Elizabeth II launched Queen Elizabeth 2, named for the earlier ship, Queen Elizabeth. QE2, as she became known, made her maiden voyage in 1969, as a two-class ship for crossings and a one-class ship for cruises. To replace inefficient steamships, Cunard acquired two ships already being built, launched in 1971 and 1972 as Cunard Adventurer and Cunard Ambassador.

From the 1970's until the 1990's, Cunard Line passed through a series of owners that tried successively to build or buy running mates for QE2. The first was Trafalgar House, a properties investment company that acquired Cunard in 1971. They commissioned two new ships for the line, Cunard Countess and Cunard Princess (Cunard Ambassador was gutted by fire, and Cunard Adventurer was sold).

In 1982, the British government requisitioned QE2 to serve as a troopship in the Falklands campaign. Upon her return she was refurbished and returned to cruising.

In 1984, Cunard acquired Norwegian American Cruises and their highly regarded ships, Sagafjord and Vistafjord. In 1986, the line acquired Sea Goddess I and Sea Goddess II from Norske Cruises.

In 1987, QE2 was re-engined. Her trouble-prone, bulk oil guzzling steam turbines were removed and replaced with diesels. The improvements in fuel efficiency and reliability ensured the ship's survival.

In 1994, Cunard, by then a division of Norwegian conglomerate Kvaerner, acquired Royal Viking Sun, the last surviving ship of Royal Viking Line.

In 1998, Cunard was acquired by Carnival Cruises, which merged the management of Cunard with Seabourn, their other luxury brand. By that time, Cunard was down to two ships, QE2 and Vistafjord (later renamed Caronia). Carnival's chairman, Mickey Arison, had big plans for Cunard. With the deep pockets of Carnival Cruises behind them Cunard commissioned a new liner, one which would be superlative in every way.

The year 2004 was a momentous year in Cunard's history. In January, Queen Mary 2 — the largest, longest, highest, and most expensive ship ever built — was christened by Queen Elizabeth II and made her maiden voyage attended by worldwide media coverage. In May, Queen Mary 2 took over the North Atlantic liner service between Southampton and New York and became the flagship of Cunard Line. In that month QE2 was repositioned to make cruises out of Southampton for the British market. In November, QE2 became the longest serving ship in Cunard's history, and Caronia was sold.

And 2004 was momentous for another reason. As one of the Carnival family fleet of cruise lines, Cunard was later in the year moved under the Princess/P&O Cruises umbrella, where its operations will now be overseen by an almost entirely new staff (both onboard and on shore).

The Fleet

Cunard Line is now comprised of three ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria, which launched late in 2007 as a 90,000 ton, 2,000 passenger new-build. This ship is a smaller running mate to Queen Mary 2 and not intended to cross the Atlantic year-round, but it still has many of the amenities of her larger sister.

The flagship is Queen Mary 2, which is 150,000 gross tons and carries 2,600 passengers. QE2 is just over 70,000 gross tons and carries just over 1,800 passengers.

But now that Queen Victoria is sailing, Cunard will be able to focus its designing energies on its next new ship — Queen Elizabeth — which is slated to launch in 2010.

Onboard

Queen Mary 2 was built to carry on Cunard's tradition of offering liner voyages year-round between Southampton and New York. She has thick steel plating, a strengthened and lengthened bow, and powerful engines. She has 1,300 cabins, most of which are outside, and most of them have balconies. There are eye-popping suites that top out at 2,250 square ft. QM2 maintains the custom of assigning restaurants based on cabin accommodations. Passengers booked in the largest suites dine in the Queen's Grill. Passengers booked in junior suites dine in the Princess Grill. Both grills offer single-seating service with table-side preparation. All other passengers dine in the three-story Britannia Restaurant, which offers two sittings for dinner and open sitting for breakfast and lunch. In addition there are seven other venues for meals, including the signature Todd English restaurant, open to all passengers by reservation for lunch and dinner. The large Lido Restaurant that serves buffet-style breakfasts and lunches becomes four intimate venues for dinner serving Italian, Asian and English fare, as well as a restaurant with a demonstration galley. QM2 has the first planetarium at sea, carries Oxford dons for classroom learning and offers acting workshops with students from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. This ship offers something for everyone. Tea is served by white-gloved stewards in several venues. There is a British pub, a champagne bar, stylish (and expensive) shops and a heritage trail that relates Cunard's history. The stunning two-story spa is run by Canyon Ranch. The ship is wired for Wi-Fi, and there is a computer learning center.

QE2 sails as a one-class ship these days, but there are reminders of her previous service as a two-class Atlantic liner. Passengers are assigned to one of five restaurants based on the category of cabin they book. Passengers in suites, penthouse cabins and other large cabins dine high on the ship in the Queen's Grill. Passengers in slightly less luxurious cabins dine in either the Princess Grill or Britannia Grill. The three grill restaurants offer single-sitting dining with a la carte menus. Passengers in the next lower grade of cabins dine in the Caronia Restaurant, which offers single-sitting dining. Passengers in the lowest grades dine in the two-sitting Mauretania Restaurant. Cabins vary widely between restaurant grades, and QE2 is old enough that cabins vary widely within grades. The smallest inside cabins are 87 square ft. The largest suites are almost 1,200 square ft. QE2 has a wrap-around promenade deck, an outdoor pool and a spa run by Steiner Leisure (but inside and low down in the hull). In addition to the restaurants there are four other venues for eating: the Funnel Bar, the Golden Lion Pub, the Lido and the Pavilion. There is a two-story show lounge in which entertainment is offered nightly. There are lectures, classes, games and demonstrations throughout the day. Musicians entertain in the bars at night. There is a computer learning center and a synagogue.

Itineraries

QM2 crosses the Atlantic from spring through fall, offering cruises interspersed among the crossings, which means that North Americans can sail from New York and stay onboard for a European cruise before sailing back to the United States (and Europeans can sail from Southampton and stay onboard for a cruise to the Caribbean, Bermuda or Atlantic Canada before sailing home). In winter of 2005, QM2 is offering Caribbean cruises out of Port Everglades and New York, but in winter of 2006 look for a different strategy: Cunard is deploying QM2 on a series of voyages that will circumnavigate South America and include sailings to Hawaii from the West Coast.

QE2 spends spring, summer and fall sailing roundtrip cruises out of Southampton to the Norwegian fjords, the Baltics, the Mediterranean, Iberia and the Atlantic islands of Madeira, and the Canaries. Each winter she sets sail for an around-the-world cruise. This year's cruise begins in New York and ends in Southampton. (Passengers wishing to return to the United States transfer to QM2 for the return crossing.) In 2006, the world cruise will begin and end in Southampton.

Fellow Passengers

Queen Mary 2's Atlantic crossings attract American and British passengers in equal proportions with a significant number of continental Europeans and smaller numbers of other nationalities. Passengers on crossings represent all age groups. American cruises attract mostly Americans, while on European cruises, QM2 sails with mostly British passengers with some continental Europeans and Americans onboard. Announcements are made in English, German, French, and, on occasion, Spanish. Passengers on cruises tend to be older than those on crossings, but the buzz about this ship has been such as to attract significant numbers of young passengers and families. (The children's facilities are top drawer.) The dress code rotates among casual, informal and formal in about equal proportion.

QE2's passengers on British cruises tend to be older except during the school holidays, when there can be many (hundreds of) children. Off season and during the world cruise she attracts older passengers. QE2 is very formal. The dress code includes formal and informal evenings, but informal means jacket and tie or cocktail dress or pants suit. There are many formal evenings, and QE2's regulars like it that way.

Both Queens attract ship buffs who are interested in maritime history and tradition. QE2 has attracted such a high ratio of repeat business it sometimes seems like a club for returning passengers. I predict Queen Mary 2 will someday be the same, attracting a loyal following from year to year.