The Cunarder

[guernseyguy]

an accompanying DVD which tours the ship

 

Gavin,

 

Did anyone else spot the 'floor to ceiling windows and balconies' - with the visual of a floor to ceiling window without a balcony? Are they really going to have outside cabins with windows that big?

 

Peter

[KenC]

Just as well! As you'd have had the QE2 scrapped years ago! No, fortunately Cunard listen to the bottom line - if people are willing to sail, and they can make money, they will.

 

On 'Do Cunard read these boards' I think it depends - if they are smart, they will be interested in what savvy travellers have to say - but I expect they'll be much more concerned about criticisms of service than the musings of the rivet counters over what their ships should be called. In any case, Cunard business strategy is set by Carnival via Princess - and in that portfolio they have a specific, niche role. They are a 'British' cruise line, aimed at North Americans (first) and Brits (second). When they crossed the Atlantic it was thus - so it is part of their 'heritage'. Their 'USP' (Unique Selling Proposition) is:

 

The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World

 

So frankly if they launch a rowing boat they are going to call it an 'ocean liner'. They also have to focus their marketing message and as the QE2 is rightly 'the most famous ocean liner in the world', the QM2 'the largest ocean liner' in the world, whatever ship they did next was going to be called 'Queen'. As for the decoration, they are going back to, if not surpassing the Aquitania's trick of ransacking the style kit box - though its not clear to me what style is intended in Todd English or Cafe Carinthia.....shopping mall blandly inoffensive from the DVD, it would appear.

 

I have heard that certain Captains keep a weather eye on Cruise Critic, and one thing I've noticed, when the QV was first announced her speed was described at 18 knots....on the DVD cover they now quote her max speed of 23.7 knots....couldn't possibly have anything to do with the rivet counters muttering of course.....but if only once, some marketing muppet in Cunard decides to check a fact, or read a bit more about Cunard's glorious heritage....then our ramblings may not have been totally in vain.

 

Peter

 

Exactly Peter ..... exactly!!! :D

[KenC]

Gavin,

 

Did anyone else spot the 'floor to ceiling windows and balconies' - with the visual of a floor to ceiling window without a balcony? Are they really going to have outside cabins with windows that big?

 

Peter

 

I wondered that .... and now assume they are the C4 and C5 cabins on Deck 4 with obstructed view located behind the lifeboats. These visuals and plans have been around for some time but not been noticed before :D

 

Ken

[stowaway2k]

 

On 'Do Cunard read these boards'

 

They do.

Hello to y'all in Valencia! :D

 

During the "Royal Rendevous" or "The Meeting of the Queens" here in So.Cal. last year, many of the top brass (and not so top) from Cunard made the trek down to L.A. for the 3-day West Coast Break cruise.

The night before, on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, I spent some time with many of them in the Observation Bar. They all said that they read this forum, and some even mentioned a few of the more "notorius" posters here. :eek:

[cunardqueen]

have heard that certain Captains keep a weather eye on Cruise Critic

 

Yes some of them do glance at this board, One poor soul even responded to "the other site" and was inundated with questions etc.

As for the people in Cunard Towers again yes but they are not allowed to respond.

[stowaway2k]

Did anyone else spot the 'floor to ceiling windows and balconies' - with the visual of a floor to ceiling window without a balcony? Are they really going to have outside cabins with windows that big?

 

On QE2, the Aquitania and Carinthia suites on Two-Deck starboard have tall windows. Maybe not exactly floor-to-ceiling (or deck-to-deckhead)

but similar in height to the windows on quarter deck and upper deck, just a bit narrower.

[travel-to-go]

WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BOY?:mad: (:D )

Eh- Boys, Girls. And others! <G>

 

I don't think they will have any effect either. It is possible that someone may look here and comment about the feelings on the board and, in turn have a slight influence on Cunard policy, but I doubt it (how could you measure that influence anyway?). The discussion id only a way of passing the time and enjoying ourselves.:)

smartest thing you've ever said. No matter how much we value our own opinions, the sad truth of it is that we are a very small minority of the potential cruising (or crossing, or "liner-ing") public, and while I think that Cruise critic can have an affect or at least a little bit of "clout"- nobody want to have their ship, line, or voyage panned on a forum where literally thousands turn for advice and information before selecting and booking a cruise, I don't suspect they will make their major decisions based on OUR say-so!I think that Cunard has paid great bundles of money to "experts" and marketing firms to figure out what the public will pay for, what they will respond to. Hence the "snob appeal and classic voyages" approach, whether she is a cookie cutter of some other Vista class ship, which most the cruising public neither knows nor cares about and the whole idea of people elevating themselves to some status merely by dint of sailing on Cunard ...as if! This is why people who write commercials, no matter how tacky make scads of money- the tackier the better, as those are the ones which will be remembered! Nope. We do amuse ourselves here so, ad we do exchange a lot of really good and valuable information. We also attempt to change other people's minds, or convince them to see things our way (QM2 vs QE2. tipping practices, cruising vs crossing, and god forbid, DRESS- the single most potent argument starter! It's a good thing none of us has any cruise missiles. I can see wars starting over jeans and tuxes, cream, black, suspendered vested, cummberbunded, "real" bow tie vs clip on or round the neck, etc, etc, etc. Probably why none of us are allowed to OWN such things, and nuclear weapons, too!)

 

Karie,

who would NEVER drop a bomb on her good friend Malcolm... well, maybe a flour bomb from the crow's nest on formal night just to be a pain! And see how many tuxes he has brought with him!

[Fifer]

Oops!

[Fifer]

Gavin,

 

Did anyone else spot the 'floor to ceiling windows and balconies' - with the visual of a floor to ceiling window without a balcony? Are they really going to have outside cabins with windows that big?

 

Peter

 

Peter,

 

If you follow this link - http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid627028555 - it looks (and sounds) as though these floor-to-ceiling windows will be quite widespread. it certainly looks as though they will be commonplace in Princess Grill cabins.

 

Fascinating stuff on these short clips, by the way.

 

Gavin

[KenC]

Peter,

 

If you follow this link - http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid627028555 - it looks (and sounds) as though these floor-to-ceiling windows will be quite widespread. it certainly looks as though they will be commonplace in Princess Grill cabins.

 

Fascinating stuff on these short clips, by the way.

 

Gavin

 

 

Fabulous link - thank you for posting!!! Still think the floor to ceiling windows will be on decks 4 and 5 where there is no space for balconies but they need to keep the balcony window/door profile uniform

 

Ken

[mufi]

Pardom me boys, I had to use the restroom after the first sentence... did I miss anything?

 

Don't feel to bad about it buddy, no one sticks it out till the end of a K posting.

 

David.

[guernseyguy]

Fabulous link - thank you for posting!!! Still think the floor to ceiling windows will be on decks 4 and 5 where there is no space for balconies but they need to keep the balcony window/door profile uniform

Ken

 

Agree its a great link - but I doubt they will be putting windows that large on decks 4 & 5 so near the ocean - don't forget - she's an 'ocean liner';)

 

Peter

[pnhmrk]

Fascinating stuff on these short clips, by the way.

 

How interesting. :)

[guernseyguy]

How interesting. :)

 

When introducing the Queen's Room the chap mentioned the 'Iconic:eek: Cunard Balls' - including the Mardi Gras ball. Has anyone heard of a Mardi Gras Ball on Cunard? He also mentioned that he'd been in Sydney the week before - for the QE2/QM2 visit. I wonder if he was mixing a few things up.....Who is this Freud? Is he a Passenger?;)

 

Peter

[guernseyguy]

Finally got round to reading the Cunarder - isn't 3 - 4 months a looooong time between sea trials (August) and delivery (December)? I thought the QM2 started sea trials in November ahead of December delivery - and she was a one-off, not the twelfth of her line.....

 

Peter

[pnhmrk]

'Iconic:eek: Cunard Balls'

 

They only achieve "iconic" status on the QM2 - You wouldn't even know they were happening on the QE2 if you weren't directly involved. I just assumed that the Mardi Gras Ball was one of those modern things from the QM2:rolleyes:

[KenC]

Agree its a great link - but I doubt they will be putting windows that large on decks 4 & 5 so near the ocean - don't forget - she's an 'ocean liner';)

 

Peter

 

Decks 4 & 5 are above the promenade deck and lifeboats, check the floor plans for C4 and C5 grades - we're not talking QE2 steerage decks here :eek:

 

Ken

[godfreyb]

Can I ask if I am the only World Club Member who has not yet received a copy of the Cunarder? Anyone else out there?

[guernseyguy]

check the floor plans for C4 and C5 grades

 

Got it! Floor to ceiling views of.....a lifeboat! Perfect!

 

Peter

[pnhmrk]

Can I ask if I am the only World Club Member who has not yet received a copy of the Cunarder? Anyone else out there?

 

Could it be that UK and US Cunarders go out at different times?

[KenC]

Got it! Floor to ceiling views of.....a lifeboat! Perfect!

 

Peter

 

Ah ah ..the penny drops :eek:

 

Ken

[patwell]

Godfreyb....you are not alone! Still waiting here in South Carolina!

Cheers, Penny

[guernseyguy]

In the Cunarder Marlow is quoted as saying that originally Mauretania was going to be called 'Queen Victoria' - this sounds rather suspect as i) It was not an option considered for Mauretania (I) and ii) Percy Bates opposed calling Mauretania (II) 'Mauretania' as she was 'intermediate tonnage' - you know, a bit slower.....so would hardly have considered calling her a 'Queen' along side QM & QE.....wonder if Marlow wanted to tell the apocryphal 'Queen Mary' story, but someone put her right, so she just shifted it to Mauretania?

 

Peter

[guernseyguy]

Got it! Floor to ceiling views of.....a lifeboat! Perfect! Peter

 

Look - no lifeboat:

[guernseyguy]

On QE2, the Aquitania and Carinthia suites on Two-Deck starboard have tall windows. Maybe not exactly floor-to-ceiling (or deck-to-deckhead) but similar in height to the windows on quarter deck and upper deck, just a bit narrower.

 

And from the inside: