Cunard is one classy cruise line that has been making waves since 1840. They pride themselves in carrying guests all around the globe in unparalleled style.
This is one cruise line that definitely believes in quality over quantity, in fact they only have 3 ships but they are all world famous for its glamour and grandeur. There current ships are the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.
If you’re one of those people that has always wanted to see ho the other half lives, especially those with old money, this will be the cruise line of your dreams. Imagine having champagne toasts in their famous salons, waltzing the night away in Cunard’s grand ballrooms or savouring grand feasts of the finest flavours in her dining rooms, and whiled away hours immersed in fascinating conversation on decks.
It’s Probably (Almost) Where the Word POSH comes from
The story goes that the more well-to-do passengers on ships travelling between England and India used to have POSH written against their bookings, standing for ‘Port Out, Starboard Home’ – which would have indicated the more desirable cabins, on the shady side of the ship.
Cunard Cruise Line’s History
You’ll be hard pressed to find a cruise line with a longer and more illustrious history. The line was founded in 1840 by Samuel Cunard, from Nova Scotia. They started out with a fleet of steamships who had a contract from the British government to carry the Royal Mail from Britain to North America.
Cunard kept going during the two world wars, with their 3 grand liners doing a premier run between Southampton to New York and they even helped out during the war effort. 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 because of their speed.
The Unparalleled Queen Elizabeth 2
In 1967, the Queen Elizabeth II (often referred to as the QE2) was launched, named after the Queen of England as well as their previous ship, simply called the Queen Elizabeth. She served as Cunard’s flagship for many years, attracting the rich and famous from all over the world, until she was succeeded by RMS Queen Mary 2 in 2004.
The Exceptionally Impressive Queen Mary 2
During her maiden voyage in 2004, she was the largest, longest, highest and most expensive ship ever built and was even christened by Queen Elizabeth II herself. This maiden voyage was attended by all the who’s who of the media industry and was said to be an incredible journey.
There was another radical change in 2004, Cunard, once part of the Carnival family fleet, was sold to the Princess Cruises umbrella operations.
Cunard Cruise Lines’ Future – New Ship on the Horizon
Cunard don’t often release new ships, so there is a lot of commotion about this new yet unnamed ship, which will be inaugurated in 2022. She will be Cunard’s 4th ship, and the first new one to be introduced in twelve years. This new ship, which will feature Cunard’s iconic livery and red funnels will be able to accommodate up to 3,000 guests. It’s definitely one to look out for in the coming years.
Trying Cunard for Yourself
If reading about all the glitz and glamour aboard Cunard has made you realise that this is one for the bucket list, we currently have a 9-night cruise to Hamburg and Scandinavia aboard the Queen Mary 2 herself, departing on the 10th of August this year. It visits Southampton, Hamburg, Elsinore, Oslo, and Hamburg, and disembarks at Southampton again, making this a full-board, no-flight cruise. Call us now for last minute cruise prices.