New Queen Elizabeth

[SSL]

What's this about Cunard ordering a new ship, the Queen Elizabeth? Shouldn't it be the QE3?

Wonder what her itineraries will be -- cruising, transatlantics?

 

Steve L.

 

 

 

 

 

Cunard to Build 'Queen Elizabeth'

Wednesday October 10, 3:05 am ET

New liner to enter service in 2010

 

VALENCIA, Calif., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cunard Line announces that it has ordered a new 92,000-ton liner, to be named "Queen Elizabeth," scheduled to enter service in the autumn of 2010. Cunard, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of the new 2092-passenger ocean liner, which will be built at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard at an all-in cost of approximately $700 million. The vessel will be the second largest Cunarder the company has ever built.

 

"Cunard already owns and operates the two most famous ocean liners in the world, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2, and a third -- Queen Victoria -- is due to be named by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, in December of this year," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. "The decision to order another ship for Cunard Line has been taken as a result of the strong booking response to the new Queen Victoria, and we are extremely pleased that Cunard will once again become a three-ship fleet so soon after the departure of the much-celebrated Queen Elizabeth 2 in November next year. Furthermore, we are delighted that Her Majesty The Queen has given her blessing to our calling this new Cunarder 'Queen Elizabeth', after our first vessel of that name."

 

The new ship follows a long line of famous Cunard liners stretching back to the company's inception as the first operator of a timetabled transatlantic service 167 years ago.

 

"It is a particularly special moment for Fincantieri to have secured a second order from Cunard at a time when we are nearing the completion of Queen Victoria," said Mr. Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri's Chief Executive Officer. "Cunard is the most famous name in passenger shipping and we are honoured to have been chosen to build Queen Elizabeth and to continue the tradition and heritage of that great company."

 

Queen Elizabeth will offer the very best of Cunard's values and traditions, blended with every conceivable modern luxury that today's discerning travellers expect. Through her opulent public rooms and impeccable service, the new ship will reflect the grandeur which has been associated with Cunard ships since the introduction of the Mauretania in 1907; and from the outside, her black hull, gleaming white superstructure and distinctive red funnel will echo the classic characteristics of the company's distinctive liner heritage.

 

Queen Elizabeth will fly the Red Ensign with her home-port Southampton, as is the case with the other ships in the Cunard fleet.

 

The agreement is subject to approval by the board of directors of Carnival Corporation & plc. Design details and initial itineraries will be announced in due course.

[jgsmuzzy]

They can call it QE because the original QE is no longer in service.

 

BLOOMIN GOOD NEWS THOUGH! Let's hope that it will be an actual Liner!

[guernseyguy]

Shouldn't it be the QE3? Wonder what her itineraries will be -- cruising, transatlantics?

 

According to Cunard's (incorrect) logic - yes - but thank goodness they are not going to call her Queen Elizabeth 3.......and if Benda gets to name her, lets hope she sticks to the script this time. Interesting that she's slightly bigger than QV - we'll have to wait for details to see how they do that ....I just hope its not a more steeply raked stern like the Eurodam:

 

[guernseyguy]

Let's hope that it will be an actual Liner!

 

Bit early in the morning to be hitting the electric soup isn't it?

 

I strongly suspect she'll look a lot like the QV (though I hope with a better looking funnel....)

 

Peter

[KenC]

Great news indeed :D Wish they would drop the '2' off Mary now!!

 

Surely she will be an 'improved' version of QV - they aren't going to start from scratch again are they! Capacity seems to be about 80 more pax than QV which isn't a great deal - unless as Peter says, they put a 'Eurodam' stern on her :eek:

 

What's this thing about funnels Peter?? ;)

 

Ken

[guernseyguy]

2092-passenger ocean liner

 

Vs Queen Victoria's 2014 - sounds likle they are squeezing in an extra deck and a bit of staterooms up front like they have on Eurodam - which in Eurodam's case gets her an extra 42 staterooms - here 39....I guess they are also getting a couple of extra suites.....so at least when we try to play 'spot the difference' we'll know where to look.....

 

 

Peter

[KenC]

Vs Queen Victoria's 2014 - sounds likle they are squeezing in an extra deck and a bit of staterooms up front like they have on Eurodam - which in Eurodam's case gets her an extra 42 staterooms - here 39....I guess they are also getting a couple of extra suites.....so at least when we try to play 'spot the difference' we'll know where to look.....

 

Peter

 

..... Or maybe they got the figures wrong again???

 

Same name, due in 2010 ..... is this the 'planned' replacement of QE2 that they kept quiet about ;)

 

Ken

[guernseyguy]

What's this thing about funnels Peter?? ;)

 

Don't tell me you are a fan of the QV's 'Mr Potato Head' funnel? With the QE2 gone perhaps they will finally feel free to design a modern funnel sans 'homage'.....

 

..... Or maybe they got the figures wrong again???

 

Entirely possible - but sice they are making the point of the Lizzie being bigger than the QV, I'd guess they'd want more revenue.....

 

Same name, due in 2010 ..... is this the 'planned' replacement of QE2 that they kept quiet about

 

Again entirely possible - I wonder if QE2's planned retirement date was 2010 and Dubai made an offer too good to refuse....and they save a bundle on repairs due for November 2008......

 

Peter

[SSL]

Peter, I agree -- I would not be surprised if Cunard planned on selling off QE2 in 2010, but Dubai told them something along the lines of 'it's now (or at least '08) or never, or we'll just go buy the Norway or the United States', or some other idle threat!

 

I guess I'm the only one who has no problem with the numeral system! I dunno, I kind of like having something to differentiate the various ships, if only in conversation. HAL has had so many ships of the same name, it's hard to keep track of them all! I'll be talking to someone who'll be telling me how much they loved the Rotterdam, and it'll be five minutes before I realize they've been talking about the Rotterdam(6), and not Rotterdam(5)! So why not just have the numbers as part of the name? It worked for the QE2!

 

Speaking of which, since this ship is the second ship to be called the "Queen Elizabeth", it could become known as the QE(2), which is not to be confused with the QE2, or QEII... really, wouldn't QE3 just be easier? :)

[guernseyguy]

Speaking of which, since this ship is the second ship to be called the "Queen Elizabeth", it could become known as the QE(2), which is not to be confused with the QE2, or QEII... really, wouldn't QE3 just be easier? :)

 

It all goes back to the QE2's launch - when Cunard asked HM QEII to name the ship 'Queen Elizabeth' - but she ad-libbed on the day 'Queen Elizabeth the second' - which landed Cunard in a pickle as the Scots who were building her have no Queen Elizabeth 'the second' - only 'Queen Elizabeth' - hence the fudge of QE2.....which Cunard got wrong when they named the QM2......but now, at least it looks like they are getting their history right....and tradition...there were two Mauretanias....and have been three Caronias - all without suffixes.....

 

And rising suffixes remind me of block buster movies - not ships. Which Alan Bennet acknowledged when he changed the title of his play 'The Madness of George III' to 'The Madness of King George' as there was concern people would not go to see a film where they had missed episodes I and II.....

 

On a separate note I do wonder at the speed they are expanding Cunard....as a shareholder I would have liked them to wait to see how 2009 goes.....2008 was bound to be a fabulous year.....

 

Peter

[ColumbiaSC]

Yes, it is true that the Queen said, "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second" when the QE2 was launched. I have seen the film of the event. She may have thought she was naming the ship for herself -- Queen Elizabeth II. Otherwise, surely Cunard would have told her to say, "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth 2 [two]," as she has always been called.

 

I am happy that there will be new Queen Elizabeth and hope that the name stands alone in honor of the current Queen Elizabeth II. There will be ambiguity in the name, but it is better than QE3, I think. Might be best to name the ship Queen Elizabeth II. But that is for others to decide, naturally -- much too grand a decision for the likes of us.

[dougnewmanatsea]

Does this put to rest all the talk about how Cunard is to be a two-ship fleet in perpetuity? Or are some expecting them to retire QM2 shortly after this one comes on line :) ?

 

We do not know enough about the ship to pass comment - please, please Cunard, make this one modern inside ;) !!! - but the first thing I did when I read this press release was dash off my compliments to Cunard about the name. I cannot tell you how delighted I am that there is no '3' after it! Thank God Cunard has finally kicked the habit of sticking these dopey numbers after ships' names - an aberration that should have began and ended with QE2. I still regret that QM2 wasn't just called QUEEN MARY, but this new ship - regardless of what the ship herself turns out to be like - means that after 40 years and a few days we can finally climb out from under the shadow of Her Majesty's "mistake" on that momentous Clydebank day. And that, I think, deserves a celebration!

[carlmm]

When we are writing the wish list, here are some of mine:

Please give her a good traditional look and feel inside and outside -

- give her a classic stern like the QE2 has, with pools and other public spaces not private balconies,

- let the interior relive the great ocean liners (we have enough modern ships in all the cruise lines)

- offer single seating dinning for more guests than on QM2 and QV, if not for all, at least for half of them

- offer more spaces in the Grills, also in combination with normal cabins (there are guests who choose P or Q grade for the restaurants not for the size of the cabin)

- bathtubs in all cabins

- single cabins

- a friendly late night venue (not the cold, metallic G32)

- make sure there are enough staff and staff accomodation...

 

Well, these are the wishes that came to my mind first.

[Lucy Jane]

We could just call her "Trey"!

[PennyAgain]

When we are writing the wish list, here are some of mine:

Please give her a good traditional look and feel inside and outside -

- give her a classic stern like the QE2 has, with pools and other public spaces not private balconies,

- let the interior relive the great ocean liners (we have enough modern ships in all the cruise lines)

- offer single seating dinning for more guests than on QM2 and QV, if not for all, at least for half of them

- offer more spaces in the Grills, also in combination with normal cabins (there are guests who choose P or Q grade for the restaurants not for the size of the cabin)

- bathtubs in all cabins

- single cabins

- a friendly late night venue (not the cold, metallic G32)

- make sure there are enough staff and staff accomodation...

 

Well, these are the wishes that came to my mind first.

 

I want her to look like a liner for sure.

[Cunard Cruiser]

Just called CA asked about when deposit would be taken for the maiden voyage and they were clueless about the new QE. They told me that I would have to call the UK office since they haven’t heard anything about it.

Wouldn’t you think the news should internally trickled down before the worldwide Press Release? Just another day with the US office.

[lexxity]

Please can they launch her a little earlier? My 30th birthday is in May of that year and I'd have loved it to be on her! Alas I shall have to take my cruise a little later! I am really pleased that Cunard have ordered another ship and I expect Samuel Cunard would be thrilled to see his company doing so well in such a competative modern market!

[Winchester]

Sure sounds like it will be Victoria/Eurodam 4 or 5 from the same yard, rather than QM2 -um- 3. Those details have not been provided. Hopefully just testing the waters and will do final design later. We deserve grand ships rather than the next one in a series. AND YES, Work with us Cunard - SINGLE CABINS !!!

 

Good job on the list Carlmm.

 

How about some family suite or non-associated (single) rooms with 2-3 small to medium bedrooms with 1/2 baths and shared shower area? Maybe even as inside? I know, I'm a dreamer !! But having a variety of options in rooms beyond the box for 2 is an idea whose time has come.

[fcorey]

When we are writing the wish list, here are some of mine:

Please give her a good traditional look and feel inside and outside -

- give her a classic stern like the QE2 has, with pools and other public spaces not private balconies,

- let the interior relive the great ocean liners (we have enough modern ships in all the cruise lines)

- offer single seating dinning for more guests than on QM2 and QV, if not for all, at least for half of them

- offer more spaces in the Grills, also in combination with normal cabins (there are guests who choose P or Q grade for the restaurants not for the size of the cabin)

- bathtubs in all cabins

- single cabins

- a friendly late night venue (not the cold, metallic G32)

- make sure there are enough staff and staff accomodation...

 

Well, these are the wishes that came to my mind first.

 

This list is a very good start to be sure. It would be very disappointing to have her be another Eurodam

[lexxity]

How about some family suite

 

YES! I am certainly loving THAT idea. Maybe we should forward this list to Ms. Marlowe, after meeting her I am sure that she would be interested in our ideas.

[bepsf]

I just hope its not a more steeply raked stern like the Eurodam:

 

 

Surely the new Elizabeth will look more like Mrs Brown than the Eurodumb...

[cacoethes]

Are we positive that this is true? It's not a hoax is it?

[lexxity]

http://www.cunard.co.uk/news/default.asp?Cat=&View=ViewArticle&Mode=News&ContentID=6797&Active=News

 

This will take you to Cunards website, for the actual press release.

[stowaway2k]

Good news!

Nice to have the Cunard fleet built up.

 

Will this be a ship sans a "Heritage Trail", as Cunard has had to go shopping for "Heritage" which to fill QV with.

Perhaps they may find a something or two for sale in Dubai. :eek:

[exlondoner]

Great news for all Cunard lovers, and also great news for the economy of Southampton. :) :D :D :)