'NEW LOOK' QUEEN VICTORIA SETS SAIL

Queen Victoria has always been a beautiful ship. Now she is even more beautiful after a recent 20-day refit. Here are the details from Cunard:

"Queen Victoria sailed past a fusillade of fireworks to mark the start of her 2015 World Voyage and show off her stunning new look. The ship set out from Southampton in tip-top form having just returned from an intensive 20-day refurbishment at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg. 

"Nine brand new single staterooms were installed as part of the refurbishment. In addition to refreshing existing furnishings, enhancements have been made to the outdoor spaces, beverage provision in the ship’s informal Lido restaurant and eight brand new internet stations have been installed on the upper floor of the library."

It's another highlight marking Cunard's 175th anniversary year. -- Gerry

'QUEEN VICTORIA' TO HOST SHIRLEY JONES

Shirley Jones (Cunard)

Cunard Line has announced Academy Award-winning actress Shirley Jones, along with husband Marty Ingels, will sail aboard Queen Victoria as a Cunard Insights speaker during the February 2-17, 2015 Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles segment of the World Cruise. Activities will include a book signing of her recently released biography, Shirley Jones: A Memoir, as well as two Q&A sessions and screenings of her films.

“I am overjoyed to travel on board Queen Victoria,” Shirley Jones said. “I have never sailed with Cunard before, nor have I traveled through the Panama Canal. I look forward to this adventure and the chance to experience Cunard’s heritage, as well as a chance to meet my fans along the way.”

Cunard notes Jones will be a part of Cunard Line’s history of hosting famed entertainers, including Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant and Clark Gable.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'QUEEN MARY 2'!

The Three Queens arrive at Southampton (Cunard)

A special occasion calls for a special celebration. On May 9, Cunard Line marked the 10th anniversary of Queen Mary 2 with a rare opportunity to view all Three Queens together – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria in their home port of Southampton.
The ships arrived to the sounds of “Happy Birthday” from the ships' foghorns. This was followed by a special reception and lunch aboard Queen Mary 2 for His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, "who last visited the ship when accompanying Her Majesty The Queen to name her in 2004."

We also want to wish Queen Mary 2 a very happy birthday, and many more to come! Here are some photos and videos from Cunard that captured the festivities:

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visits with
Captain Christopher Wells, master of the QM2

 

Captain Kevin Oprey takes His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and other guests

  on a tour

Gerry and Pam from their voyage on the QM2

3 QUEENS MEET TO CELEBRATE ON MAY 9

The Three Queens  (Credit: Cunard)

Cunard will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, on May 9 with the arrival of the whole three-ship fleet in Southampton. This will be a rare occasion to see Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth together, and Southampton will be the only place in the world to have hosted the Three Queens three times.

The celebration begins with an early morning Birthday Salute, a special reception and lunch on board Queen Mary 2 for invited guests in the presence of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and a big fireworks send-off in the evening before Queen Mary 2 leads the three ships in convoy down Southampton Water.

CUNARD TO MARK 'AQUITANIA'S' 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Aquitania in Liverpool (Credit: Cunard)

Among all cruise lines, Cunard has a rich, deep and proud tradition. Yet another example of that is Queen Victoria's upcoming visit to Liverpool, England, in May, 2014 – "the first two-day call in Cunard's spiritual home made by a Cunard ship in almost 50 years." It takes place during the 13-day Around the British Isles cruise, departing round-trip from Southampton May 23, 2014, arriving in Liverpool on May 30, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of Aquitania – the legendary Cunard ship known as the “Ship Beautiful.”

Cunard notes, "The largest liner in the world at the time of her May 30, 1914 Maiden Voyage, Aquitania is considered one of the most beautiful liners ever built, and certainly the most beautiful four-funneled liner ever. She became one of the longest-serving Cunarders in history – 36 years – and was the only major liner to serve in both World Wars. In fact, Sir Winston Churchill credited her and her two contemporaries, the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, with shortening World War II by a year. The service length and miles sailed (three million) of Aquitania were both only surpassed by Cunard’s iconic Queen Elizabeth 2."

Another stop is planned at Greenock, where Greenock on the Clyde also has a close connection with Aquitania, "as the ship was built at the famous John Brown Shipyard located there. Additionally, when Queen Victoria arrives in Cobh, an earlier Cunard ship, Lusitania, will be remembered for her loss in World War I, as is becoming the custom when Cunard ships call there." -- Gerry

CUNARD OFFERS BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR

Touring the Bridge on the Queen Victoria
(Photo: Gerry)

Here's an idea we can personally endorse: Cunard is offering Behind the Scenes Tours.

Pam and I just about walked every inch of the Queen Victoria, from the Bridge to the engine room, and it is amazing to observe what it takes to support a "city on the sea." The just-announced tours (exactly 222 steps, according to Cunard) are led by senior officers and are available on Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. The tour lasts three and a half hours and cost $120 per person. They note that one tour with a maximum of 16 guests is available per voyage and can be booked on board through the Tours Office. 

The tours include stops at:

CUNARD RECIPENT OF RARE PHOTO

Neil Malloch presents the rare
 photo to Capt. Olsen (Credit: Cunard)

When Cunard's Queen Victoria stopped in San Francisco Feb. 3 as part of her 105-day World Cruise, a piece of history came aboard. Special guests from the California Heritage Council presented the ship’s Master, Captain Inger Olsen, with an archival photograph of Cunard’s original Queen Elizabeth in San Francisco during World War II.

Cunard noted the photo, taken on March 31, 1942, "is historically significant because it was the only time Queen Elizabeth ever entered a U.S. west coast port, doing so to pick up 8,000 American soldiers bound for Sydney, Australia, at the height of the most critical part of the Pacific campaign during the war. The image is also important as it was captured in secret: photography of ships in port during World War II was prohibited."

From their release:

DUCHESS JOINS 'VICTORIA' CELEBRATION

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall unveils a specially commissioned
portrait (Credit: Cunard)

 Earlier this week we reported on the fifth anniversary of the Queen Victoria, which was named by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall in December, 2007. On Thursday The Duchess made a return visit to unveil a specially-commissioned portrait of herself.

Cunard notes "this new portrait of The Duchess is in keeping with the Cunard tradition of commissioning commemorative sculptures or portraits for display on board each ship named by a member of the Royal Family. The three-quarter length artwork shows The Duchess seated and dressed in a cream suit with ruffle detailing. It replaces a photograph of The Duchess which she signed just before naming Queen Victoria, and will be given a prominent place in the ship’s Grand Lobby."

Cunard commissioned artist Richard Stone to paint the new portrait. He has been a portrait painter for 35 years and has painted most members of the Royal Family. The Duchess sat for Stone three times at Clarence House.

A special birthday cake accompanied by the ship's "madrina," Maureen Ryan,
one of Cunard's longest-serving crew members. (Cunard)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, QUEEN VICTORIA!

Credit: Cunard

Can we get a chorus of "Happy Birthday"?

Cunard's Queen Victoria celebrated her fifth anniversary on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Since her maiden voyage from Southampton, Cunard notes she has sailed over half a million nautical miles, called at 196 ports in 63 countries and carried almost 250,000 guests. Also, 20,300 bottles of champagne – enough to fill six Olympic-size swimming pools – have been drunk and 9,125,000 cups of tea and 1,460,000 scones have been served over the last five years.

Afternoon Tea (Photo: Gerry)

I think Pam and I made personal contributions to all those categories, especially those sinfully delicious scones that get served with the Afternoon Tea. Here's more from Cunard:

"To mark this special birthday, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall will make a return visit (her third in five years) to her ship on Dec. 13 in Southampton and spend time meeting crew before unveiling a specially-commissioned portrait of herself and cutting a special birthday cake.

'We are very proud of Queen Victoria, her crew and her achievements since she entered service. To have a visit from Her Royal Highness will be a very special moment for the ship’s company. Queen Victoria is known as a happy ship and is certainly extremely popular with Cunard’s discerning guests.'

"Queen Victoria made Cunard history when in December 2010 the company’s first-ever female Captain, Inger Olsen, took command."