Trends - CUNARD to launch the biggest cruise ship in its history

CUNARD, will launch in 2022 the biggest cruise ship in its 177 years history. The yet unnamed vessel will accomodate 3,000 passengers ...

CUNARD is one of the world’s most recognised shipping and cruise brand, and one of the oldest steamship companies in the worls. ÖSTERREICHISCHER LLYOD/LLOYD AUSTRIACO, founded in 1833, today ITALIA MARTTIMA, former LLOYD TRIESTINO, when becoming Italian, is a bit older - by seven years. The company had a twisted history and ended as container shipping company and is now part of the EVERGREEN GROUP, in its MARINE department.

by Earl of Cruise

The CUNARD fleet as it will be in 2022 - courtesy THE TELEGRAPH

A few days ago CUNARD announced it will build a new ship to be launched in 2022. A 3,000 passenger ship, the fourth and largest in the actual CUNARD fleet by total capacity. The yet unnamed cruise ship will join the QUEEN MARY 2 (QM2), QUEEN VICTORIA and QUEEN ELIZABETH. The QUEEN VICTORIA and QUEEN ELIZABETH are VISTA Class cruise ships, constructed at FINCANTIERI´s MARGHERA SHIPYARD, of which the first was introduced in 2002 by HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, one of the subsidiaries of the CARNIVAL CORP. The VISTA Class in turn is based on the 20m shorter SPIRIT Class introduced in 2000 with COASTA ATLANTICA, developed and constructed at HIETALATHI SHIPYARD (also known as HELSINKI NEW SHIPYARD, Finnish: Helsingin uusi telakka).

CUNARD promotion video for the new coming QUEEN - Source: YouTube

CARNIVAL CORPORATION, CUNARD's parent company, and where the decisions are made, has signed a memorandum of agreement with FINCANTIERI, Italy - where ships for VIKING CRUISES, SEABOURN and MSC CRUISES are currently under construction. This newbuilt is CUNARD’s first new ship since the launch of QUEEN ELIZABETH - 2010 launched by Her Majesty The Queen. CARNIVAL says it has “ambitious plans” for the future of Cunard. The passenger number for the new ship is suggesting, that CUNARD will open the more into the mass me-too market. But 3,000 and luxury, is quite a question to me. In the end CUNARD is watering down its pedigree of luxury and style, both degenerated since years by the parent company CARNIVAL, with its lack of understanding what real luxury is. What CUNARD actually is offering is what Miami is thinking what British style is.

A total of 17 ships with room for at least 5,000 passengers in average are currently under construction. In the face of fierce competition from newer and increasingly luxurious ships, which all are smaller in size amd passenger capacity, the brand has recently invested over £ 120,000,000.00 bringing two of its existing vessels up to date. The refurbishment of of its flagship QUEEN MARY 2 was with £ 90,000,000.00 the most expensive refit for any ship in CUNARD’s then 176-year history. QUEEN VICTORIA will get a £ 34,000,000 "makeover", that is including the addition of 43 Britannia Club balcony cabins.

CUNARD relaunched QUEEN MARY 2 last summer (2016) following a bow-to-stern refit, while the QUEEN VICTORIA re-emerged from dry dock in June this year following a significant facelift. The marketing department of CUNARD was busy as hell to accompany that re-modeling and re-styling. New added cabins and refreshed cabins furnished in smart purple, navy and gold and to offer more allocation for solo travellers, single cabins have been created, and include a significant number of `suite categories´ - big staterooms with suite service. These include apartment-style Grand Suites with a separate kitchen and a seperate TV room, and two balconies.

VISTA Class vessel KONINGSDAM of HOLLAND AMERICA - Source: Wikipedia
Depsite KONIGSDAM the new CUNARDer will have one deck more, which increaes the passenger capacity as well the tonnage.

Drinking and dining venues have also been given a makeover. To coincide with its £ 34,000,000 refit QUEEN VICTORIA is offering now the first gin tap at sea, serving QUEEN VICTORIA gin as part of its new Gin and Fizz menu. Each of the `three QUEENs´, as the ships are collectively known, now have a bespoke gin, blended to reflect their sailing routes.

With its trademark red-and-black funnels and white and navy livery, Cunard is one of the world’s most recognised “heritage” cruise brands. The QE2, also launched by the Queen and now retired, celebrated its 50th anniversary this month and in 2015 more than one million people gathered on the Mersey in Liverpool to mark the line’s 175th year in service.

QUEEN MARY 2 - courtesy The Telegraph

QUEEN MARY 2 is the only dedicated passenger ship in the world serving too as a liner, purpose-built to sail across the Atlantic. The journey from Southampton to New York takes six days. For this Northatlantic service QUEEN MARY 2 got a number of excemptions from the current SOLAS reqirements - the most significant, the position of the lifeboats, above of 15 m fixing. Waves of the Atlantic are in 15m high, while its swell is at 120m.

In numbers the fleet of CUNARD

Newbuilt, unnamed ship,113,000 GT, Passenger capacity: 3,000,Launch date: 2022

I would suggest Queen Alexandra will be the name.

QUEEN ELIZABETH, 90,901 GT, Capacity: 2,092, Launched: 2010

QUEEN VICTORIA, 90,049 GT, Capacity: 2,081, Launched: 2007

QUEEN MARY 2, 151,400 GT, Capacity: 2,695, Launched: 2004
For the design aspect ... the new vessel for CUNARD looks top heavy and unbalanced, the structure above the bridge, which is to me too low located, is too high. the stern of each VISTA Class vessel is more in the shape of a bus or a train coach.
Using the VISTA platform is depriving CUNARD from a distinctive special, perhaps British look. HOLLAND AMNERICA has a near black, dark blue hull, while CUNARD´s is black (liner tradition!). Only the label CUNARD at their sides make them different to HOLLAND AMERICA ships ... CARNIVAL had a chance creating a USP for its most valued brand, developing a CUNARD special class. The interior make them different ... a British style that is Americanized, like a worse Hollywood creation. Not for the masses the exterior is relevant ... they are looking for the most new amusement housed inside. But there is a great number that would like to cruise in a unique and beautiful styled cruise ship. And it is possible, if would not be, that the "money department" is deciding what is "beautiful".
The new CUNNARDer is definitely a bygone chance.