Rumor re Queen Victoria, Pac & Tahitian Princess

[Druke I]

Sensitive - not particularly.

 

There is an Aussie (or NewZealander, don't recall which) on the Princess board who swears the Dawn/Pacific Princess swap is not rumor, but is fact.

 

We do know Princess has changed its mind several times in the past re transfers of ships between P&O/Princess/Aida etc., and seemingly likes to keep the wags, travel agents, and customers guessing. Of course, then some of the customers demand compensation, I guess for mental anguish.

[dougnewmanatsea]

There is an Aussie (or NewZealander, don't recall which) on the Princess board who swears the Dawn/Pacific Princess swap is not rumor, but is fact.

It seems that it is, at least from this article.

[Druke I]

Yes - it now looks like a "done deal".

 

Guess that means Cunard won't be getting Tahitian/Pacific Princess, at least for a couple of years now, until the next round of rumors starts.

[CGT]

It seems that it is, at least from this article.

 

Oh I hate that site. They give you no way to retrieve lost/forgotten log in information, and I wonder why they require you to log in anyway.

[cruise junky joan]

Well guys I have to tell you that this thread has me a little out of sorts. When my husband and I took the QM2 out of New York in November of 2004 we paid a 300.00 deposit to Cunard for the upcoming QV which was supposed to start sailing in 2007. Now I don't mind a delay, that's understandable. But to either cancel the ship or put off the build for a number of years without contacting those of us who have already paid depostis, that stinks. Does anyone know anything for sure about the current status of the Victoria or is everything just rumor and supposition? Joan

[carlmm]

Does anyone know anything for sure about the current status of the Victoria or is everything just rumor and supposition? Joan

 

Seems to be difficult to know for sure.

Yet, last week on board the QE2 it was announced again that Queen Victoria would come into service by December 2007. Everybody at the World Club party was encouraged to book for 2008.

Regarding the style they said "Queen Victoria will be a very contemporary ship but bear all the signatures of the Queen Elizabeth" .... For many passengers this sounded like a not very encouraging contradiction in itself.

[KenC]

The following is the gist of a report on another internet site.........Work is well advanced on new build Queen Victoria at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard near Venice. The new Queen is scheduled to enter service in late 2007 or early 2008, Cunard’s European president Carol Marlow said yesterday that work is very well advance. She has studied the plans and Queen Victoria will be a very distinct Cunarder. Cunard will be revealing more details later this year and she will enter service late in 2007 or early in 2008. When she does so, she will join QM2 and Queen Elizabeth 2, currently enjoying strong seasons. Cunard will move towards revealing more details about Queen Victoria in September.

 

Queen Victoria was originally to have entered service this year, but the Vista class ship was switched to P&O Cruises as Arcadia last April. The order book switch has given the Carnival and Cunard design team time to create new public room layouts and other features which will give the liner a unique appeal to Cunard passengers old and new, added Marlow.

[cruise junky joan]

Ken: thanks for the additional info. sounds like there may actually be a QV in the offing even if it is a year late. However I have to wonder if the QE 2 passengers are actually booking passage or just reserving a place in line like we did. Joan

[KenC]

Joan

 

as there is no firm delivery date and no schedules for QV you can be sure that people are currently reserving their place in line to book for the maiden voyage. If I were a betting man I would put money on QV's maiden voyage being a transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale via The Canaries as QM2 did and as QE2 was planned to do in 1969 before she broke down!!!

 

 

Ken

[highcbob]

After reading some of the horror stories of the QM2

maiden voyage, I wonder if one should wait for at least

six months after QV has been in service before booking?

[QueensFan]

Look what I found on the Fincanteri site...

 

http://www.fincantieri.com/article.asp?m=36|13|0&id=299

 

Looks like she's already being built, seeing the photo of her stern...though that might be stock imagery. The renditions look mighty familiar though...looks like not a lot changed.

 

Also, she's Hull 6078. HAL has hulls 6077 and 6079. Does this mean something? We know she's a Vista class, but how much alike if the hull numbers are like that?

[guernseyguy]

Look what I found on the Fincanteri site...

http://www.fincantieri.com/article.asp?m=36|13|0&id=299

Looks like she's already being built, seeing the photo of her stern...though that might be stock imagery. The renditions look mighty familiar though...looks like not a lot changed.

Also, she's Hull 6078. HAL has hulls 6077 and 6079. Does this mean something? We know she's a Vista class, but how much alike if the hull numbers are like that?

 

These are the cgi that have been on the site for some time - so she exists in a computer....but nowt on the Fincantieri site about actual construction progress....I'm surprised that Cunard appear to be constructing her in 'secret' - how different from the hoopla over the QM2's construction.

 

Peter

[CASHIPman]

After reading some of the horror stories of the QM2

maiden voyage, I wonder if one should wait for at least

six months after QV has been in service before booking?

 

I was on the QM2 Maiden...perfect? No, of course not..didn't expect it to be. Horror story? Nope! Not at all. For me, the fun and excitement of being on the maiden voyage far outweighed any service shortfalls.

 

If you have the opportunity to go on a maiden voyage, do it!

[KenC]

..... Horror story? Nope! Not at all. For me, the fun and excitement of being on the maiden voyage far outweighed any service shortfalls.....If you have the opportunity to go on a maiden voyage, do it!

 

Craig - absolutely agree!!!!! At least QM2 sailed her maiden voyage on time - unlike her elder sister who failed to sail on hers for nearly 5 months (???). How quickly people forget eh???

 

Nostalgically

 

Ken

 

PS Queensfan - Fincantieri hull 6078 was completed as Arcadia and those images have been on that site for about two years.

[cruiserking]

There's also a diminutive new queen from Cunard on the drawing boards -- the 90,000-ton, 2,000-passenger Queen Victoria, which will debut at the end of 2007. It will be about 40 percent smaller than Cunard's most recent maritime monarch, Queen Mary 2, now the largest ship afloat at 151,400 tons

 

 

From an article on new ship builds in today's Orlando Sentinel.

 

Cruiserking

[PRINSENDAM]

Hull No. 6079 (the original Queen Victoria) was indeed completed as P&O's ARCADIA.

Some construction work was done on the second Queen Victoria but a few weeks ago... the sections that were sitting in the building dock were lifted out and work has now begin on construction of a new ship for Carnival.

My guess is that it will be at least 18 months to two years before the Carnival ship is floated oout and work resumes on the QV. If she IS built I doubt we will see her before 2009.

Stephen

[guernseyguy]

[quote name='PRINSENDAM']Some construction work was done on the second Queen Victoria but a few weeks ago... the sections that were sitting in the building dock were lifted out and work has now begin on construction of a new ship for Carnival. [/QUOTE]

Stephen,

Interesting stuff! And clearly in contrast to what Carol Marlow is reported as saying - or perhaps 'delay' is the 'big news' they have planned for September.....curiouser and curiouser......

[PRINSENDAM]

[quote name='guernseyguy']Stephen,

Interesting stuff! And clearly in contrast to what Carol Marlow is reported as saying - or perhaps 'delay' is the 'big news' they have planned for September.....curiouser and curiouser......[/QUOTE]


I somehow think a new ship will be built, but later rather than sooner.

Stephen